Chesed & The Book of Ruth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chesed & The Book of Ruth - Essay Example Chesed term also refers to the first day of God’s creation. The first day is referred to as Torah, which means the day of one. The day is associated with the creation of light. Light is a representation of goodness and loving kindness. The day signifies oneness of God. The first day accompanied all other days. The physical symbol of chesed is man’s reflection in water. Additionally, the concept of chesed is also manifest in man’s reflection of man’s heart to a man. In Hebrew, Chesed is similar to faithfulness born due to a sense of caring and mercy. The book of Ruth is characterized by Ruth. Ruth is the daughter-in-law to Naomi. After, the sons of Naomi die in Moab; Ruth insists that she must leave with Naomi to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:8-22). After, a successive journey back to Bethlehem, Judea, and Naomi orchestrates the meeting of Boaz and Ruth in eh barley field, which belonged to Boaz. Naomi took the initiative out of love and kindness for her daughter-in-law. Additionally, the plans of Naomi worked according to the plan. Naomi advised Ruth to hide until Boaz was asleep in order to lie down near his feet. After, Boaz woke up; Ruth had an easy time convincing him to marry her in order to form a oneness, chesed. Although, Boaz knew that Ruth was already seeing another man, he was willing to wait for the renouncement of Ruth by the other man before accepting Ruth’s offer (Ruth 3:1-18). The plan was in tandem with the traditions of the kinsman-redeemer. The relationship between Boaz and Ruth is sealed when Boaz is satisfied that no others man has claim over Ruth (Ruth 4:1-12). The epilogue explores Naomi’s joy and loving kindness especially when Boaz marries Ruth. Fortunately, Ruth has descendants of King David (Ruth 4:13-18). This implies that the aspect of chesed applies in all areas of life. The unity that Ruth and Naomi maintained led to the oneness between Boaz

Hospitality-Accounting Professions in Hotel Essay

Hospitality-Accounting Professions in Hotel - Essay Example The role of the accountant should be emphasised in order to gain competitive advantage. Another unique and contributing factor of accounting in shape of improved planning, controlling, co-ordinating and evaluation of firm's performance. In addition, both industry and regulatory bodies should work together to promote the fair accounting practices in the industry. While keeping in view the case of Australian hospitality industry in competition with the international hospitality industry, Australia should use fairness as an approach to compete with the global competition. I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who have been instrumental in the completion of this paper. First, my mentor, who has been very patient in guiding me throughout this undertaking. I would also like to thank the Australian hospitality industry managers who have dedicated their time and thoughts. I would also like to thank my friends and loved ones that have supported me until the completion of the paper. Lastly, I would like to thank our Lord Almighty for giving me the fortitude to accomplish this feat. To you be all the glory! Perhaps the foremost social and ethical responsibility levied upon private and public organisation in recent decades is the adoption of fair and just accounting practices. This responsibility is being increasingly codified in laws and various accounting standards. Its influence is becoming increasingly pervasive through a constant series of new and improved standards as well as steady enlargement in the size and scope of administering agencies. The improvement in public scrutiny and controlled market discipline is largely dependent upon the meaningful and accurate disclosure of information. This not only helps the shareholders but also helps the organisation to conduct business in a safe and efficient manner by achieving their targets through improving their risk management processes. The researchers find many gaps in the appropriate disclosure of risk by the organisations. Many surveys have been conducted, a wide variety of studies and interviews from the information users and shareholders have pointed out towards gaps in the currently disclosed information. The demand of provision of accurate and timely information is increasing. (AICPA, 2005) describes the following uses of the business reports. Promote a common understanding of terms and alternatives that facilitate negotiations between users and companies about the (Murphy, 1999) sees Financial reporting and financial statements in particular can be thought of as a less through which one can view a business. Financial reporti

Case Study: Hospital Fall of an Elderly Patient

Case Study: Hospital Fall of an Elderly Patient A case study of a critical incident based on a hospital fall of an elderly patient with memory problems who has had several falls at home and has been admitted to a community hospital for assessment. It is suggested that the consequences of patient falls are a serious issue for patients and society. A fall is defined as an unexpected, involuntary loss of balance by which a person comes to rest at a lower or ground level (Commodore 1995). The older population is growing in number, and falling is common in this group. Up to one-third of people over the age of 65 fall each year, with half reporting multiple falling episodes (Bludau and Lipsitz 1997). Fall-related injury is the sixth highest cause of death in older people Savage and Matheis-Kraft 2001). Half of those aged over 75 years who fracture their hip as a result of a fall die within one year (Rawskey 1998), and those who survive rarely regain complete mobility (Marotolli 1992). Falls are also a leading cause of head injury, the most serious being subdural haematoma (Tideiksaar 1998). Falls are associated with major morbidity, functional decline and increased healthcare expenditure (Tinetti 1994). In a hospital setting, 10 per cent of older patients who have fallen die before discharge, and a clustering of falls in one patient results in increased mortality (Tideiksaar 1998). In the United Kingdom about 310,000 fractures occur each year in older people (Woolf and Akesson 2003). Fourteen thousand people a year die each year as a result of an osteoporotic hip fracture, with up to 33 per cent of hip fracture patients dying within one year of fracture (Department of Health (DoH) 2001). It is posited that the effects of falls extend beyond obvious physical and direct cost. Even if falls do not cause physical injury, the psychological effect can be long-lasting. â€Å"Post-fall syndrome† results in hesitancy and a loss of confidence leading to loss of mobility and independence (Cannard 1996). Arguably, this can cause shame and unwillingness to admit to falls. Consequently, falls are underreported. They may not even be remembered by fallers, especially those with cognitive imp airment (Lord et al 2001). It is debated that the term â€Å"fall† is now considered contentious because those who fall are perceived quite negatively as old, frail and dependent (DoH 2001). Family members are also affected by falls: they may be concerned for the safety of an older family member, his or her ability to remain independent and the possibility of long-term care. There have been few studies investigating nurses’ views of falls in patients, although Fitzgibbon and Roberts (1988) found that nurses experience fear of blame, anxiety, guilt and distress following a fall by a patient in their care. As a consequence of the effects of a fall on the patient, health professional and healthcare organisation, various risk assessment tools and prevention strategies have been developed. This paper will examine the critical incident of a fall by an elderly lady who has had repeated falls at home. She was admitted to hospital for assessment because of the falls at home. However, when she was an inpatient she fell on the ward to which she was admitted. For the purpose of this assignment and for confidentiality reasons as expounded in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2004) code of professional conduct, the patient will be know as patient A. Patient A is a 77 year old female who is in frail health. She has experienced numerous falls at home and is showing symptoms of dementia. Patient A was admitted to a general hospital because her diabetes was extremely unstable. Unstable diabetes is a known risk factor for falls in older people with dementia (Lord et al 2001). During her stay in hospital, patient A became disorientated and fell â€Å"en route† to the bathroom. She sustained a neck of femur fracture that required surgery and consequently a long hospital stay. On discharge she was referred to her community hospital rehabilitation unit for assessment. The process of ageing creates irreversible changes in all body systems that can lead to reduced efficiency or performance over time. As physical ability and reactions change, so does cognitive ability. For most people this will have little or no consequence for daily living or independence. However, for older people with cognitive impairment or dementia, changes in mood, memory and thought processes in addition to changed physical health can result in increased risk and vulnerability that includes an increase in the potential for falling, as in the case of patient A (Oliver et al 2007). These risks are greatly compounded by admission to hospital or institutional care (Oliver et al 2007). As already mentioned falls are the most common patient safety incident reported from inpatient services and are responsible for at least 40 per cent of all accidents in hospital (National Patient Safety Agency 2007). By nature of the nurse-patient relationship, nurses are well placed to identify the multiple risks that older people can encounter in hospital from illness and from the care environment, and can work with the patient and care team to identify ways of reducing them. Falls in older people can occur for a wide variety of reasons. In addition to physical disorders, they can also be a feature of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia. Hospital environments can also present significant challenges and threats to older people with mental health problems, particularly because their functional and/or organic decline can increase vulnerability and their risk of having a fall (Lord et al 2001). It is also suggested that those with dementia are less likely or able to take the initiative in managing their own health in general and that this increases the likelihood of falls (DoH 2001). With regard to patient A, she was exhibiting memory loss and behaviours symptomatic of dementia. She had not engaged with the medical services for some time and her physical health had degenerated leaving her frail and unable to cope with activities of daily living. As a consequence her diabetes had become dangerously unstable resulting in her collapsing at home and then being admitted to hospital where the fall that fractured her hip took place. As mentioned, the consequences of falls are varied but, can be life-limiting and at worst, life-threatening (DoH 2001). As well as the consequences of physical change, the effects on mental state can further delay the recovery process, for example, by inducing depression (Lenze et al 2004). Risk assessment processes therefore should identify those most likely to fall, offer guidance on interventions to reduce those risks and be subject to frequent multidisciplinary review. It is posited that the role of nursing in helping the person with memory loss/dementia to cope with and adapt to changes created by illness relies on a continuous process of assessment of the whole person (Kitwood 1997). The environment, in which this process takes place and the patient’s response to it, should be given equal consideration. Patient A was admitted to a specialist rehabilitation unit that particularly cares for the elderly and their needs. Part of the unit’s remit is to assess an individuals’ risk of falling and put strategies into place for the prevention of further falls, and to that end the unit’s environment is managed in such a way that helps to prevent falls. It is posited that the need to assess risk from the outset of care is paramount for the care to be meaningful, relevant and appropriate (NMC 2004). The support of the nurse in offering interventions that promote recovery and maximisation of potential towards independence or less dependence should decrease the risks of falls and fractures. Assessing the risk of falls can highlight areas of greatest vulnerability and, therefore, direct the formulation of the plan of care towards deficits or areas of unmet need. Debatably, the patient who has been admitted to hospital because of deterioration in mental state or cognitive function will be most at risk because of that change. The person may decline to stay, become distressed at separation from a partner or family, and feel persecuted or vulnerable. Although, patient A was admitted for clinical reasons it is debated that as she had underlying cognitive and memory problems her mental state quickly deteriorated. Biological features may add to the clinical presentation and behavioural changes may create practical difficulties with managing safety (Oliver et al 2004). This was the case with regard to patient A. There are numerous rating scales in existence that measure behaviour, mood and functional abilities of older people (Burns et al 2004). Assessment of physiological aspects of recovery, for example: pain monitoring, tissue viability, nutrition and mobility is often more evident in clinical practice. However, it is suggested that for those with cognitive impairment or dementia, risk-rating scales should be able to combine evaluation of physical and psychological areas of need, as well as the behavioural and functional components of presentation. If a patient is unable to address risks, nursing staff need to consider their role in addressing need and act on the patient’s behalf if necessary. Although comprehensive assessment of the patient’s presentation, needs and abilities is a continuous and evolving process (Oliver et al 2004), it became clear that patient A had immediate threats to her safety and therefore needed to be quickly evaluated and prioritised so that appropriate interventions could be initiated with immediate effect.. It is proposed that the use of a risk factor-based approach to assess older people who fall can prevent more than 50 per cent of falls (Close 2001). Therefore, an assessment tool for falls that took into account both the physical and the psychological risk factors was used to assess patient A on admission to the unit and at specified times thereafter. This enabled issues to be addressed that would otherwise not have been elicited via the Single Assessment Process concept of risk assessment (Burns et al 2004). The assessment tool was used in combination with patient A’s care plan. It is suggested that the combination of an assessment tool with a care plan, as in the Fall Risk Assessment Scale for the Elderly (FRASE) tool (Barry 2001), is an example of best practice. However, the FRASE tool does not allow for assessment of mental impairment so this was added to the tool used for patient A. The tool used enabled the nurses and other multi-disciplinary team members to assess patient A’s risk of falling and it included components such as previous fall history, sensory deficit, medication, presence of secondary diagnosis. Balance/gait, age, mobility status and length of time since admission was added in following assessments. This is important as long stays in hospital can enhance functional decline and consequently â€Å"fall risk† (Oliver et al, 2004). In conclusion, for an older person with cognitive impairment or dementia for whom admission to hospital was necessary, the increased exposure to risk requires swift, comprehensive assessment and intervention to reduce the likelihood of falling. An appropriate risk assessment tool should illicit areas of greatest need or deficit, be proactive in suggesting appropriate interventions and form part of a multiprofessional and multifaceted approach to preventing falls in hospital. References Barry E (2001) Preventing accidental falls among older people in long stay units, Irish Medical Journal, 94, 6, 172-176 Bludau J, Lipsitz L (1997) Falls in the elderly: In Wei J, Sheehan M (Eds) Geriatric Medicine: A Case-based Manual, Oxford, UK, Oxford, Medical Publications Burns A, Lawlor B, Craig S (2004) Assessment Scales in Old Age Psychiatry, (2e), Martin Dunitz, London Cannard G (1996) Falling trend, Nursing Times, 92, 1, 36-7 Close J (2001) Interdisciplinary practice in the prevention of falls: a review of working models of care, Age and Ageing, 30, Suppl 4, 8-12 Commodore D (1995) Falls in the elderly population: a look at incidence, risks, healthcare costs, and preventative strategies, Rehabilitation Nursing, 20, 2, 84-89 Department of Health (2001) National Service Framework for Older People: Standard Six: Falls, The Stationery Office, London Fitzgibbon M, Roberts F (1988) Prevention of accidents to hospital patients, Recent Advances in Nursing, 22, 33-48 Kitwood T (1997) Dementia Reconsidered: The Person Comes First, Open University Press, Buckingham Lenze EJ, Munin MC, Dew MA (2004) Adverse effects of depression and cognitive impairment on rehabilitation participation and recovery from hip fracture, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19, 5, 472-478 Lord SR, Sherrington C, Menz HB (2001) Falls in Older People: Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Marotolli R (1992) Decline in physical function following hip fracture, Journal of the American, Geriatrics Society, 40, 9, 861-866 National Patient Safety Agency (2007) Slips, Trips and Falls in Hospital: Third report from the Patient Safety Observatory, London, NPSA Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004) The NMC code of professional conduct: standards for conduct, performance and ethics London: NMC Oliver D, Connelly JB, Victor CR (2007) Strategies to prevent falls and fractures in hospitals and care homes and effect of cognitive impairment: systematic review and meta-analyses, British Medical Journal, 334, 7584, 82-89 Rawskey E (1998) Review of the literature on falls among the elderly, Image: the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 30, 1, 47-52 Savage T, Matheis-Kraft C (2001) Fall occurrence in a geriatric psychiatry setting before and after a fall prevention program, Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 27, 10, 49-53 Tideiksaar R (1998) Falls in Older Persons: Prevention and Management, (2e), Baltimore MD, Health Professions Press Tinetti M (1994) A multifactorial intervention to reduce the risk of falling among elderly people living in the community, New England Journal of Medicine, 331, 13, 821-827 Woolf A, Akesson K (2003) Preventing fractures in elderly people, British Medical Journal, 327, 7406, 89-96 Hewlett Packard (HP): Leadership Crisis Hewlett Packard (HP): Leadership Crisis Case prepared by Rajgopal Iyengar. In the recent years Hewlett Packard (HP) board of directors have been in the limelight for wrong reasons. Four CEOs were hired and replaced in the last decade and three CEOs changes were within a span of 1.5 years. The board has not been able to find the right leader to fit into the HPs Cultures of doing things. The uncertainties in leadership has led to a huge loss for HP in terms of decreased market value, dissatisfied shareholders and blurred strategic vision. In this paper we study the HP CEOs since 1999, their leadership style, their vision and things that went wrong leading to their ouster. Hewlett Packard History (Till 1990s) The company was founded in a  one-car garage  in Palo Alto by  William (Bill) Redington Hewlett  and  Dave Packard. HP is the  worlds leading PC manufacturer. The company focussed on manufacturing of networking and data storage components in addition to designing, development and delivery of software. The key products manufactured were personal computers, enterprise servers, network and storage products, printers and imaging products. HP marketed its products directly and via online to its customers that included individual consumers, SME (Small Medium Enterprise) and large enterprises. HP also had a solid presence in the service and consulting business for the products it manufactured. HPs culture and management practises know HP Way was based on teamwork, transparency, open door management policies and flexibility in work place. HP treated the employees as assets and strived to provide a better work life balance to the employees. The business goals were profit oriented rather than increasing revenues. In late 1980s, HP started building low margin PCs contrary to the companies principle. By 1990, HP was the one of the top technological companies in the world, a market leader in both printers and UNIX based servers, with a growing presence in PC business. HP had a strong leadership under the founders Bill Hewlett (till 1987) and Dave Packard (till 1994). Hewlett Packard History (In 1990s) In the early 1990s, HP focussed on three major businesses: The test and measurement instrument business, the UNIX server business the HP Printers Computer business. The test and measurement business UNIX Server business provided high margins that were in line with the HP Way of working. However the printer business sold low cost printers at high volume and derived high profitability from the ink cartridges. HPs sales grew by 20% between 1992 1996 with an increasing dependency on the low margin PC Printer business. By 1997, HP was among the top 3 manufacturers of PC. HP faced severe competition from Dell and the Asia crisis in 1998 made HP loose margin on PC business. Lewiss Platt the then CEO of HP hired consultant to determine the problem HP was facing. The consultant suggested hiring an outside CEO with a marketing and sales background who can exude Charisma and increase the companys profile. In May 1999, the board decided on Carly Fiorina. Carly Fiorina (1999-2005) Carly Fiorina was born  in  Austin, Texas, on the 6th of September, 1954. Her father  Joseph Tyree Sneed III  was a very talented and multifaceted person. He was a law school professor, dean, and federal judge. In addition he was also an abstract and portrait artist. Fiorina attended Channing School in London, and later attended  Charles E. Jordan High School  in  Durham, North Carolina, for her senior year. She received a  Bachelor of Arts  in  philosophy  and  medieval history  from  Stanford University  in 1976. Fiorina received an  MBA  in  marketing  from  University of Maryland, College Park  in 1980 and later received a  Master of Science  in  management  from the  MIT Sloan School of Management  under the  Sloan Fellows  program in 1989. ATT and Lucent In 1980 Fiorina joined ATT as a management trainee and rose to the level of senior vice president for the companys hardware and systems division. Fiorina led the spin-off of ATT and Lucent; she also played a key role in planning and implementing of the 1996  initial public offering  of stock and company launch strategy.  In late 1996 she became the president of Lucents consumer products business. In 1997, she was appointed as chairman of Lucents consumer communications joint venture with Philips consumer communications.   Changes under Carly Fiorina Leadership Carly Fiorina moved in quickly and tried to revitalize the HP environment. She pruned the reporting units from 82 to 12 and amalgamated back-office functions. She modified the HPs profit sharing program to a performance based incentive program to motivate individuals. She completely rejigged the sales and marketing function. She topped the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business list from Fortune magazine for 5 consecutive years. However her leadership style was controversial and many HP employees disliked her. She was regarded as self-centred, demanding leader who completely destroyed the HP culture. Carly spearheaded the merger of HP Compaq that was opposed by the analysts and board members. These differences lead to a public spat between the board members and the CEO. Eventually the deal was approved with a slight majority of 2.1% where 49% opposed the decision and 51% agreed. The Compaq acquisition did not go well as envisaged by Fiorina. Operating margins dropped from 9% in 2000 to 4% in 2005 (Refer Exhibit1 ). Share prices also continued to drop from $34 in 2000 to $21 in 2005(Refer Exhibit2). Following a string of disappointing financial results the board eventually asked Fiorina to resign on Feb 2005. Mark Hurd (2005-2010) Mark Vincent Hurd  was born in Flushing, New York USA on January 1, 1957. He graduated form Baylor University in the year 1979 with a BBA degree. Hurd was the CEO President of NCR Corporation when he decided to move out and join HP. Mark Hurd increased the revenue of NCR by 7% and net income by five times from the previous year by taking a gamut of operational efficiency initiatives. At NCR Mark Hurd held a variety of positions in general management, operations, and sales and marketing. He also served as head of the companys  Teradata  data-warehousing division for three years. Hurd was a member of the  Technology CEO Council, a consortium of chairmen and chief executive officers of IT companies that develops and advocates public policy positions on technology and trade. Changes Under Mark Hurd This time the HP board decided to hire a person with a strong operational experience and hands on execution capabilities. Mark Hurd was well known in Silicon Valley for operational and cost cutting capabilities. Although Mark had never managed a very large company the size of HP, he had a very good success rate. Mark believed in Management by involvement. He tried to get a deeper understanding of the business by dirtying his hands. Mark believed in the concept of management by walking around.. He would stroll through multiple levels of the company and try to get an understanding of the environment. He strongly believed a company can become great if the CEOs ,boards, and management all think alike. Mark Hurd said: I believe in the principle that Company comes first, Employee second and Self is last Mark Hurd was very aggressive in his approach. Within few months of joining he announced broad restructuring initiatives and laid off 14,500 employee. He reorganized the corporate sale group by reducing the group size and assigning the sales team to specific products. He believed a strong knowledge of the product was essential to sell the product. He gave executives lot of flexibility in managing their budgets and held them accountable for their performance. During the 2008-2009 recessions he deducted 5% from the employee salary and 20% from the executive salary to meet the targets. These cost cutting initiatives helped in boosting HPs share value and profitability. The operating margin increased from 4% in 2005 to 9% in 2010(Refer Exhibit3). Share value of HP rose by 129% under his tenure(Refer Exhibit4). The profit generated was used by Mark Hurd to acquire companies in the software and service space like EDS, Mercury Interactive, Peregrine Systems Palm. Things were not completely fine under the leadership of Mark Hurd. Although the company performed well, the employee morale was down. The cost cutting and tightened management completely killed the HP Way work culture. The RD spending plummeted from 4.5% in 2004 to 2.3% in 2010(Refer Exhibit5). The number of patent applications also plummeted during Mark Hurds tenure resulting in loss of strategic advantages for HP. In 2010, HP was mired in controversy and scandal that led to the resignation of Mark Hurd. A company contractor by the name Jodie Fisher filed a sexual harassment case against Mark Hurd. Investigations revealed Mark Hurd had filed inappropriate expenses to skirt the relationship with the women that violated the HP Code Of Conduct. Mark Hurd was asked to resign by the board of directors. HP was again without a leader. Leo Apotheker (2010-2011) Leo Apotheker was born in Aachen, Germany on Sep18 1953. Apotheker studies economics at the  Hebrew University  in  Jerusalem. Apotheker worked in finance and operation function of several European companies before joining SAP in 1988. At SAP, his growth was phenomenal. In 1995, He became CEO and founder of SAP Belgium and SAP France. In 1997, he was made the president of SAPs South West Europe region and by 1999, the president of SAP EMEA sales region. In 2002 Apotheker joined the SAP AG executive board and became the president of global customer solutions and operations from. He was appointed deputy CEO of SAP in 2007; and promoted to co-CEO of the company in April 2008. On February 7, 2010, the SAP supervisory board decided to terminate Apothekers executive board membership. This decision led Apotheker to resign from SAP. HP Under Leo Apotheker The search for the next CEO was riddled with pessimism from the outset. The dispute over Mark Hurds resignation made the task of search committee very difficult. The board was divided over the selection of internal versus external candidate. The resignation of Mark Hurd complemented with the sacking history of past CEOs had created negative publicity about the company in the job market. Highly talented external candidates were not interested in the job. Leo Apotheker was appointed as the CEO of the company in Oct 2010. The appointment of Leo Apotheker received a gloomy response from the market because of multiple reasons. Firstly the credibility and track record of Leo was not great. An article in Wall Street Journal highlighted: Its very discomforting that Mr. Apoteker has never run the show alone. He abruptly resigned from SAP in less than a year Secondly Leo had no understanding of the HP hardware business. Hence he was a misfit for the HP job. The other disturbing fact was Leo was not interviewed by all the members of the board or even met them. Clearly the indifference of the board towards the selection was evident. Tenure of Leo Apotheker was short-lived and disappointing. Initially Leo worked on the strategy designed by Mark Hurd, but in a short time he started making drastic changes to the strategy. He terminated the initiative of HPs venture into the Tablet market and suggested spin off of the PC division. He also suggested purchasing a business analytics company called Autonomy at 10 times the original price. These incoherent action and adhoc strategy was punished by the market. Stock prices plunged and HP lost 45% of its value(Refer Exhibit). Taking cue of the market dissatisfaction, the board of directors fired Leo Apotheker. Meg Whitman (2011 Till Date) Whitman was born on 4 August 1956 in  Long Island, New York. She was the daughter of Margaret Cushing and Hendricks Hallett Whitman Jr. Whitman graduated from  Cold Spring Harbor High School  in 1974. Margaret took maths and science in Princeton university because she wanted to be a doctor. However, after a summer vacation stint in selling magazine advertisements she got inclined to marketing. She studies economics,   and earned a B.A. with honors in 1977. In 1979, Whitman did her  M.B.A.  from  Harvard Business School. Whitman started her career at Procter and Gamble as a brand manager. She later worked as a consultant for Bain and Company and rose to the rank of Senior Vice President in the organization. She joined Walt Disney in 1989 and became the VP of strategic planning. She quit Walt Disney after 2 years and joined Stride Rite Corporation. In 1995 she was named the CEO of Florists Transworld Delivery. Whitman joined  eBay  as CEO on March 1998. At the time the company had only 30 employees  and revenues of $4  million. She grew the company to approximately 15,000 employees and $8  billion in annual revenue by 2008.Whitman resigned as CEO of eBay in November 2007, but remained on the board and served as an advisor to new CEO  John Donahoe  until late 2008 Whitman has received numerous awards and accolades for her work at eBay. On more than one occasion, she was named among the top five most powerful women by  Fortune  magazine. HP Under Meg Whitman The appointment of Meg Whitman was not taken well by the market. Analysts felt Meg Whitman was inexperienced in managing a complex hardware software based business of HP that was already suffering from scandals, low morale, murky vision and unstable leadership. Meg Whitmans strategy was to focus on strengthening the internal business of HP. She wanted to continue with some of the strategies initiated by Leo Apotheker except the spinoff business. Whitman decided to restructure the business by dropping 30000 jobs and using the money to fuel new product development and improvement of sales force6. She merged the PC Printer business to improve the operational efficiency. Clearly Whitman has a strategy in place to get back HP on its feet. She is strengthening internal HP departments, spending money of new product development that are inline with HP Way of working. She has also managed to set a low expectation in the market for the setting low Future The leaders appointed by HP board were not able to align with the HP Culture and make the difference. It needs to be seen whether Meg Whitman will be able to recuperate HP and restore the past glory.

Linking Magical Realism and the Sublime in A Very Old Man with Enormous

Linking Magical Realism and the Sublime in A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings      Ã‚  Ã‚   Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" links Magical Realism and Sublime literature to one another in such a way that Magical Realism seems to be a genre of the Sublime. This short story was published with a collection of other stories entitled Leaf Storm and Other Stories in 1955. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a native Columbian, has accomplished a great deal in the field of Magical Realism. This particular short story fulfills the requirements for Magical Realism and, at the same time, the Sublime. This fact leads one to believe that Magical Realism is, in fact, a genre of the Sublime instead of the Fantastic. The characteristics of Magical Realism match those of the Sublime much more extensively than those of Fantastical literature. "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" includes many aspects, which may be described as magical. In the story, an old man with a very poor set of wings is found and kept as a pet for several years. These wings were described by the doctor in the story as "...so natural on that completely human organism that he couldn't understand why other men didn't have them, too" (528). The fact that the old man had wings in the first place seems very acceptable to the characters, and this nonchalance is conveyed to the reader. To take an idea or an object that one is familiar with and distorting that image into something unfamiliar is called defamiliarization (Simkins 150). This use of defamiliarization is a very important characteristic of both Magical Realism as well as the Sublime. An angel is something with which most are somewhat familiar; however, Marquez's angel is a completely different type of angel. One e... ...between Magical Realism and Sublime literature seems very obvious when one examines the criteria for each. Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" links Magical Realism and Sublime literature to one another in such a way that Magical Realism seems to be a genre of the Sublime. This short story fulfills the requirements of each. However, the requirements are the very same ideas and principles. Thus Magical Realism should be classified as a type of the Sublime. Works Cited Loginus. On the Sublime. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1995. Sandner, David. The Fantastic Sublime. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996. 51-55. Simpkins, Scott. "Sources of Magical Realism/ Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 145-159.   

Adult Learning Theory Essay

Holt (2011), it is stated that it is necessary to bring both concepts of the Bible teaching and contemporary adult learning theories together for the most effectiveness. In the Holt article; it is shown that Biblical explanation and interpretation assist the adult learner in gaining knowledge. The choices one makes gives real world perspective and power can only be obtained by the Holy Spirit. The article discusses the styles in which adult learning makes a difference, whether androgogy, transformative learning or self-directed learning (Holt). Adult Learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century† discusses the goals of educators to better prepare themselves to better deal with adult learners. Over the last 15 years, learning theories have changed very aggressively (Merriam, 2008). As adults continue to develop human physiology changes, thus learning teaching styles have to change to keep up. It has been recognized that with time everything that adults experience is part of the l earning process. It has been further recognized that educators have to increase their tool set to involve creative and artistic modes of teaching to reach a wider audience. Both articles cover the ever-changing dynamics of the human psyche and educational styles and requirements in dealing with adult learning. Educators have to continue to increase knowledge both for themselves as well as those whom they are educating. Where the styles of the teaching process in the Holt (2011) article differ from the Merriam (2008) article, they both recognize the changes in adult learners. It has been recognized over years and will continue for years to come that educators of adults will have to continue honing their skill sets to accommodate the learning styles of adults. Since adults learn differently from children it is important to include the learning styles necessary to maximize the efforts of educators. As adults learning styles change it will be necessary for those educating adults to change also. Reflection After reading both articles and realizing the application in my own life and learning style, I conclude that adults learn differently. There were moments of complete frustration as I was putting my thoughts together as I can tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist. I had the realization that time management and organizational skills are imperative when completing an assignment of any type. The Holt (2011) article caught my attention initially because of how I tend to study and read the Bible in particular. I am coming to understand more and more how I learn and further realize that the concepts of knowledge, choice and power are applicable in my own life. I am intrigued by the concept mentioned in the Holt article and will consider its application to my current Bible study methods. The Merriam (2008) article is interesting in the fact that I had no idea how challenging it is for educators to keep up with the learning curve that is necessary to continue teaching the increasing number of adult learners. Being out of the college environment for so long, I realize it is not as easy to just get things done with all of the demands of life as I know it. I can see how both articles and their teaching styles have a positive impact on dealing with adult learning. With all of the influences of culture, music, art, etc, it is imperative that educators find a way to keep up with the demands of educating the population of adults returning to increase their knowledge to keep up with fast paced American culture. I now have a new respect for teachers on all levels. It is interesting that adult educator’s find is so necessary to effectively reach adults. It is increasingly more common for adults to return to school for a number of reasons, and are driven to succeed for just as many reasons. Thankfully educators realize the change necessary to comprehend the goals of those adults striving for successes related to educating themselves. References Holt, R. A. (2011). Teaching that transforms: Facilitating life change through adult Bible teaching. Christian Education Journal,  8(2), 450+ Merriam, S. B. (2008). Adult learning theory for the twenty-first century. New Directions For Adult And Continuing Education, Volume 2008, Issue 119, 93-98. DOI: 10. 1002/ace. 309

Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet

An unhealthy lifestyle means more illness and more expense to treat those illnesses. This means a bigger burden on an already challenged healthcare system. Poor health also means more time lost at work, less quality recreational time, and even shorter lifespan. But the people in this modern day have a mindset that takes good health for granted. One can suffer from years of aches and pains, and would just ignore them, and then feel so surprised when one finds out one has developed a serious chronic disease.Majorities would usually leave their health to the hand of the doctors, relying on the advance medical technology, medical drugs when the fall sick. We have the choice to live a healthy lifestyle, but many chose to live just for today, enjoy life, and most of the time end up suffering in pain with chronic diseases and illnesses. Unhealthy Lifestyle There are many factors contributing to the degeneration of health among many people today. We live in a terribly polluted world.We are a ll exposed to thousands of toxins and chemicals every day at work, home, in the air, and in the food that we eat and water we drink. In addition, we are eating more processed foods than ever before in human history and we constantly abuse or bodies with pharmaceuticals We are constantly bombarded by fast food at every corner. And video games have led the majority of teens to spend countless hours in front of the television being sedentary.And, as a result of all of this, there exists a generation that is out-of-shape, overweight and obese. Many would spent hours on a couch in front of the picture box watching their favorite TV programs, together with several packets of snacks like potato chips and other junk food, and they don’t get up from your butt to move around for the next couple of hours, and that’s alright. Too much junk food being put into children's hands.Children were introduced to fast food restaurant at a very young age by their parent, having been brought up in this environment, they grew up spending long hours of their free time there ,chatting with friends, galloping burgers, French fries and cups of Coke, without thinking of how nutritionally deficient foods would intoxicate their body, But do children understand that junk food or snacks like potato chips, burgers and fries have high levels of fat, sugar or salt and are simply unhealthy? Junk food which contains saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels and therefore increases your risk of heart disease and some cancers.Smoking and drinking are two big habits that can affect your health and the way you feel. Smoking, in particular, is one habit to quit if you haven't already because it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. Alcohol can be fine in moderation, but when you are with some good buddies in a party, you may drown yourself with glasses of them without realizing how intoxicated your body is, it also can contribute to sleep problems and suppress your appetite, preventing you from eating well. Life is full of stress.Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. Work can be a stressful place, whether in an office, a factory, or a school. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. Some stress is good, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But too much stress is bad, when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes.But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, incr ease the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.Public are generally dependent on medical drugs and are not aware that medical drug side effects are dangerous to their health. In the world today, Many people seems to think that they just want medicines and drugs to solve their health problems, they believe they can always seek medical assistance,. But what they are not aware of is that these pharmaceutical medications may have potential adverse reactions. Some of the most popular prescription drugs on the market are used for the treatment of arious conditions such as high cholesterol to depression to rheumatoid arthritis to sexual enhancement. Some of these pharmaceuticals drugs can cause serious problems such as liver damage, muscle pain and in some cases severe muscle breakdown and even death. When you go to a medical doctor and he gives you many packs of pills and capsules in various colours, shapes and sizes, drugs which are toxic to your liver and do crazy things to your health and metabolism, perhaps you obediently swallow those little poisons without considering what they are doing to your body. Polluted EnvironmentThe industrial revolution, technological advancement and modern transportation have seriously depleted oxygen levels in our atmosphere. Our obsession with carbon-based fuels for power generators, planes and automobiles consumes vast amounts of oxygen daily. Coupled with this is the huge reduction of our forested areas and all plant life as the need for timber and paper continues beyond our production capacity. At the present time, scientists have determined that our atmospheric oxygen concentration levels are being reduced by about 0. 8 percent every 15 years or so.Regrettably, at the moment, there is no reason to believe that this trend is going to change. Toxic stress, toxic chemicals and air pollution (all of which are becoming more prevalent in our industrialized cities), as well as increased use of antibiotics, emotional stress (which produces adrenaline and adrenal-related hormones that use more oxygen), physical trauma (reduces circulation and oxygen supply) and infections (the body uses oxygen to fight bacteria, fungi and viruses). Frequent use of drugs also depletes your oxygen supplies at the cellular level.A shortage of oxygen in the blood could very well be the starting point for the loss of the immune system and the beginning point of health problems like cancer, leukemia, AIDS, seizures, nerve deterioration and candida. Future research will clarify the links between poor oxygen levels and disease. Initial symptoms of oxygen deficiency may include overall weakness, fatigue, circulation problems, poor digestion, muscle aches and pains, dizziness, depression, memory loss, irrational behavior, irritability, acid stomach and bronchial complications.When the immun e system is compromised by a lack of oxygen, the body is more susceptible to opportunistic bacteria, viral and parasitic infections, colds and the flu. Oxygen deprivation can also trigger life-threatening diseases, as underscored by Nobel Laureate Dr. Otto Warburg’s assertion that cancer and other infections or diseases cannot live in an oxygen-rich environment. Poisonous agents from the household items. Our bodies are absorbing the harmful chemicals surrounding the environment today. It is thus imperative that we clean up our living environment as much as possible.Those regular detergents, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes and perfumes that we uses today contain many chemicals which are toxic to our bodies, some even carcinogenic. Although we don't directly ingest them, these chemicals are absorbed by our skin, other harmful chemicals such as turpentine, arsenic, insecticides, paints, etc. Again, even though we don't ingest them, we are constantly breathing in their gaseous fumes . Lack of Exercise. You just put in a good 10 hour day in front of your computer screen, and the last thing you want to do is exercise.Let's see, exercise, and improve your fitness level, or sit down with a glass of wine and watch your favorite evening television show. What would you do? Seventy percent of individuals know they should exercise, but choose the wine and the television program instead. Do you know this simple daily decision can end up being detrimental to your health? Effects of irregular eating or skipping meals †¢ Mouth ulcers †¢ Acidity and heart burn †¢ Nausea †¢ Constipation †¢ Lowered blood pressure †¢ Elevated uric acid (kidney disease) †¢ stresses brain and body †¢ Fat StorageEating breakfast primes your metabolism and helps set its pace for the day, says Michelle A. Gordine, M. D. , author of the book â€Å"Reclaiming Our Health: A Guide to African-American Wellness. † By contrast, skipping breakfast puts your bod y in starvation mode, an energy conservation setting of your body's metabolic machinery that promotes fat storage and discourages calorie-burning. †¢ Blood Sugar Skipping meals, particularly breakfast, can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. After fasting overnight, your blood sugar levels may be at their lowest ebb of the day.Skipping this meal can result in hypoglycemia — dangerously low blood sugar — which can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy and overeat to compensate. A spike in blood sugar from a large afternoon meal leads to a late afternoon blood sugar drop, sending you on a blood sugar roller coaster, according to Roberta Larson Duyff, author of the â€Å"American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. † Instead, try cutting back on dinner and shifting the bulk of your calorie intake toward the first half of the day. You may find that eating this way gives you more energy when you need it the most.After doing this for a few day s you'll naturally become hungry at breakfast time. †¢ Malnutrition Older adults who experience decreased appetite as a function of aging may be in danger of malnutrition from skipping meals, according to nutritionist Sari Edelstein, Ph. D. , R. D. , author of the book â€Å"Life Cycle Nutrition: An Evidence-Based Approach. † Aging also brings with it decreased nutrient absorption. The combination of the two is a recipe for potential nutritional deficiencies. Early intervention can prevent weight loss and other serious health consequences, such as osteoporosis and decreased immune function. Brain Function Maintaining even-keeled blood sugar levels ensures that your brain and muscles receive a steady supply of glucose, their preferred fuel source. Eating regular meals results in better mental acuity, learning and memory, improved work performance and better strength and endurance. Your attitude toward work or school may also improve and you might find that your demanding boss or that irritating co-worker aren't as unreasonable as you previously thought. †¢ Blood Sugar Drops and Spikes One of the most important reasons that skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the affect this has on your blood sugar.When you eat a meal, your body breaks up the food. Some of this food is stored as fat, while other parts of it enter your bloodstream as sugar, and work to provide you with energy throughout the day. When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops dramatically. This not only can make you feel sluggish and tired, but it can also wreck havoc with insulin in your body. If you chronically skip meals, you can be setting yourself up for the development of diabetes later in life. †¢ Inadequate Nutrition Another important reason why skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the fact that you are more than likely not receiving adequate nutrition.Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats helps not only to ensure that your bo dy functions properly, but can also help in the treatment and prevention of a number of serious conditions. Some conditions that can be improved with proper nutrition include cardiovascular disease, strokes, and some types of cancer. You may believe that you can skip meals and still achieve optimal nutrition by supplementing your diet with multivitamins. And while multivitamins do have their place, research has shown that these pills aren't as effective as real food at providing your body with what it needs.For good health, try to eat as naturally as possible. †¢ Altered Metabolism You  typically  skip meals for two main reasons. One,  you are ultra busy and don't have enough time to grab a quick snack, or two, you are trying to lose weight. If you are one of the people who are trying to lose weight, you may be actually sabotaging yourself by skipping meals. When you eat, your metabolism, which is one of your body's functions, works to break the food down into smaller, us able parts. When you skip a meal, your metabolism has nothing to do. In a way, your metabolism is like a muscle.You must use it, or you will â€Å"lose it. † When your metabolism does not have to work to break down food, it begins to slow down. Then, the next time you do actually eat something, your metabolism is not able to break the food down as quickly, and as a result the food is stored as fat. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy weight (or even lose weight), it is essential that you eat regularly throughout the day. Recent research has found that five to seven small, regularly timed meals eaten over the course of a day works best when trying to maintain a healthy weight. The Effects of Sleep DeprivationNeurologic Effects Sleep deprivation mimics the effects of drinking alcohol — you may experience slurred speech and uncontrolled reflexive movements of the eye called nystagmus. You may also develop a slight shakiness or tremor in your hands. Some people even have a more pronounced droopiness in their eyelids, called ptosis. Various other neurological reflexes can change in sleep deprivation. These are unlikely to causes symptoms you would notice. However, if your doctor were to test them, you may have sluggish corneal reflexes, a hyperactive gag reflex, and hyperactive deep tendon reflexes.In addition, you may have a reduced threshold for seizures. As a result, people with epilepsy are at greater risk for seizures when they're sleep deprived. One thing that you may notice right away is an increased sensitivity to pain. Studies have shown our sensitivity to heat and pressure pain is especially enhanced when we don’t sleep enough. Also, there is reported to be an increased sensitivity to pain in our esophagus, as might occur in the setting of nighttime heartburn Vital Sign Changes Research studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation may cause subtle changes in your vital signs.Vital signs are important physiological markers th at are often tracked as part of a general health assessment. These include: †¢ Body temperature †¢ Blood pressure †¢ Heart rate †¢ Breathing rate †¢ Reduced decision-making skills †¢ Poorer memory †¢ Reduced concentration †¢ Reduced alertness †¢ Shortened attention span †¢ Slower than normal reaction time †¢ Poorer judgment †¢ Reduced awareness of the environment and situation †¢ Reduced work efficiency smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and drinking too much increased the risk of dying by such a large degree that it was the equivalent to being 12 years older.

Gatsby Essay- Major Conflict Essay Example

Gatsby Essay Gatsby Essay- Major Conflict Essay Gatsby Essay- Major Conflict Essay One major conflict that takes place within the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the love triangle between Daisy Buchanan, James Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. Daisy is Tom Buchanan’s wife, who was James Gatsby’s long lost love. Before the war, Daisy was courted by a number of officers, including James Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby fell in love in Louisville and she promised to wait for him. However, Daisy harbors a deep need to be loved and when a wealthy, powerful young man named Tom Buchanan asked her to marry him, Daisy decided not to wait for Gatsby after all. Tom Buchanan has an affair with a woman by the name of Myrtle whom is already married to the owner of a run-down garage in the Valley of Ashes, George Wilson. Myrtle possesses a fierce vitality and desperately looks for a way to improve her situation. Unfortunately for Myrtle, Tom mistreats her and views her as an object of his desire. Meanwhile, as she is treated as a mere object, Daisy is being showered by love and care from the â€Å"great† James Gatsby. Gatsby’s only obligation is to have Daisy fall back in love with him. Days go by, and Daisy visits Gatsby at his mansion. : She stays majority of the week, which leads to Gatsby having to fire his workers to prevent rumors from forming. After weeks, Daisy begins to come back to her senses and falls in love. Gatsby hands her a ring, which she cannot wear because of her husband, Tom. Therefore, Gatsby decides to confront Tom about Daisy’s and his affair, as they take a stroll in New York. Upon the end of the confrontation in New York, Daisy becomes indecisive and denies everything Gatsby stated. On their way home, they pass by the run-down garage owned by Myrtle’s husband, inside Tom Buchanan’s car. Myrtle was not aware that Tom was not driving the care, so she ran outside thinking it was him, and Daisy accidentally ran her over. Myrtle did not survive the fatal hit, and George Wilson was devastated. After a while, Tom Buchanan, Nick Caraway, and Jordan Baker decide to depart home, on their way they notice a large commotion erupted concerning Myrtle’s death. Tom pulls over, steps out, and glances at Myrtle’s cold body, then turns silently towards the car. Once they all arrive home, there is no conversation between anyone, whatsoever. The next morning, George Wilson recalls neighbors indicating that a large yellow car hit Myrtle, and he automatically assumed it was Tom, who was driving it days prior to the incident. George decided to confront Tom at his home while Daisy was in the other room. After the revelation of â€Å"truth†, George departs to Gatsby’s mansion. He finally arrives and spots Gatsby relaxing in his pool, then shoots him several times. After the shots, he shoots himself. However, the two deaths equaled happiness for Daisy and Tom Buchanan. They carried on with life as if nothing ever occurred. The novel ends with a â€Å"if only†, the three could have been happy by the means of an alternative solution. For instance, if Daisy had been a more careful driver, the conclusion of situation could have been a far distance from involving a death. Love is fragile and were not always its best caretakers, we just muddle through and do the best we can to hope this fragile thing survives by all odds. However, one’s selfishness and indecisiveness led to innocent deaths of two people who wanted to fulfill their craving for care, comfort, and most importantly- love.

3 Strategies for Getting a Promotion

3 Strategies for Getting a Promotion You’ve made yourself indispensable. You’re everybody’s go-to worker bee. There’s no project too difficult, no task too daunting for you, no crisis you can’t fix!   The trouble is, you feel like you’re doing the work of three people, but only getting the credit for your position. Even if there’s simply no room in the budget to give you a raise right now, it is possible to have your new responsibilities more accurately reflected in your job title. It’s not a silly thing to want your title to sum up what you do; this will make it much easier to represent yourself on your resume and on networking platforms like LinkedIn.Here are three guidelines to steer you in your quest for a title bump.1. Choose wiselyIt’s tempting to choose a trendy title like â€Å"Bliss Doula† or â€Å"Marketing Ninja,† but kitschy names like this can actually hurt your career. Choose a title that, while not boring, accurately represents your responsibilities, experience, and skills, and then sex it up only as much as you can without appearing ridiculous. The trick is to broadcast to the professional world exactly how capable you are- not to win any self-branding contests.2. Know your momentThere are good times and bad times to ask for a title bump- even one that’s totally deserved. If your extra work, the stuff you feel is â€Å"above and beyond,† could still reasonably fall under the clause in your job description that says â€Å"Other duties as required,† then chances are your boss or HR manager isn’t going to go for a title change. Wait until you have a really convincing argument. Document the scope of extra work you’re doing- particularly if you’ve taken over responsibilities from other positions.3. Make your caseIf you can show the extra weight you’re bearing, then you’ll have a much better time convincing the powers-that-be to give you that sexy title u pdate- and the prestige and swagger that come with it, even if only in your head.Go into the meeting prepared. Have a revised, written version of your job description that you can compare with the job description when you were hired. Compare your current duties to other positions within the company, or in the field. If you can prove you’re doing what the market recognizes as falling under a better title, any reasonable HR department will hear you out. Feel free to bring in research from GlassDoor or LinkedIn to help seal the deal.Whether or not you succeed, if you’re really going above and beyond, it might be time to ask. And if your higher-ups aren’t willing to recognize and reward you for the work you’re actually doing, that’s always a good thing to know.

Agricultural Change And Intensification In Britain Environmental Sciences Essay

Emphasis was placed upon the usage of modern and intensive agricultural patterns to increase end product, ensuing in enhanced mechanization, enlargement and intensification ( Dobbs and Pretty, 2004 ) . However, a move to big scale agri-business resulted in profound and inauspicious effects on rural biodiversity and farming area home grounds with the over-exploitation of their valuable resources. Habitats underwent considerable debasement, peculiarly with hedge remotion to suit larger machinery, destructing extremely good nutrient beginnings and engendering home grounds for wildlife. Additionally, technological promotions led to the widespread execution of man-made chemical weedkillers and pesticides to increase outputs, which resulted in terrible damaging effects to flora, zoologies and H2O quality. Furthermore, the debut of larger and more sophisticated agricultural machinery and cultivated land procedures resulted in significant decreases to dirty quality, through compression and eroding. With 75 % of UK land classed as agricultural, cumulatively these damaging effects sparked major concern ( Montemayor et al. , 2010 ) . 1.2 The Rise of Modern Environmentalism As a consequence of the widespread debasement of agricultural ecosystems during the post-war period, the coming of modern environmentalism in the 1970s and 1980s focussed consciousness on the importance of extenuating the inauspicious impacts of agricultural intensification. The publication of Rachel Carson ‘s ‘Silent Spring ‘ in 1962 is thought to hold been a major landmark in the outgrowth of environmental consciousness ( Dunlap, 2008 ) . Carson highlighted the considerable damaging side-effects of pesticide use, peculiarly DDT. Concern was sparked amongst ecologists over the possible for bioaccumulation of DDT within ecosystems and its harmful generative impacts, peculiarly for birds. Doctors and the general population besides feared the harmful effects of indiscriminate DDT usage, due to toxicity and carcinogenic effects ( Carson, 1962 ) . Therefore, the publication of ‘Silent Spring ‘ instigated the modern environmental motion, and people became mor e cognizant of the jobs faced within the agricultural sector. 1.3 The Common Agricultural Policy The European Union Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) provides agricultural subsidies to member provinces in order to advance sustainable agribusiness ( European Commission, 2010 ) . The CAP is made up of 2 pillars ; pillar 1 encompasses market support steps and direct payments for run intoing cross-compliance criterions chiefly for the environment, nutrient safety and animate being public assistance. Pillar 2 nevertheless is focussed upon rural development programmes ( House of Lords, 2005 ) . The early CAP of the 1950s was focussed upon pillar 1 steps, for increasing autonomy through the proviso of inducements to husbandmans in order to promote greater productiveness. However, with the rise of modern environmentalism, the agricultural accent shifted towards environmental sustainability, doing a bifurcation of the function of land directors with the demand to non merely supply agricultural efficiency, but besides to integrate environmental protection ( ref ) . With increasing accent on environmental saving, and a realization of the potency of agro-ecological procedures, the United Kingdom introduced the first agri-environmental strategy in 1987, named the Environmentally Sensitive Areas strategy ( ESA ) . This was superseded by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme ( CSS ) in 1991 which was a consequence of the major CAP reforms of the 1990s, aimed at supplying for the altering demands of both the agricultural sector and the wider community ( Natural England ) . Figure 1.1 clearly illustrates the alterations to UK agri-environment strategies which took topographic point between 1973 and 2000, foregrounding the important changes to agricultural precede nces. Figure 1.1: Changes in UK agri-environment strategy subsidies from 1973 – 2000 ( beginning: Monetary value, 2003, p.122 ) . Degree centigrades: UsersEmPicturesimg010.jpg Since so, the demand to extenuate clime alteration has been progressively recognised, in order to restrict dirt and H2O debasement and to control the loss of biodiversity. Whilst direct pillar 1 subsidy payments still exist under the Single Farm Payment Scheme, accent has been shifted to pillar 2 policies ; redesigned to non merely crippled environmental harm, but heighten the agricultural landscape through the publicity of more sustainable agriculture patterns that will make a natural environment that is better suited to defy the impacts of climatic alteration. 1.4 Environmental Stewardship The Environmental Stewardship ( ES ) strategy was introduced in 2005, as a agency to counterbalance husbandmans for supplying specific environmental criterions that go beyond the cross-compliance standard of the CAP. ES strategies are administered for the authorities ‘s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) by Natural England, and are a cardinal constituent of the European Union funded Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013, conveying together the old CSS and ESA strategies ( Natural England ) . As keepers and stewards of the rural landscape, husbandmans have an intuitive ethical duty to continue and enrich farming area ecosystems ; nevertheless this is frequently non realistic in footings of fiscal viability ( ref ) . With the major challenges posed by clime alteration, and subsequent nutrient security issues, it has become progressively of import that support and counsel is made available for husbandmans and land directors. This enables the bringing of effectual environmental protection, whilst keeping premier agricultural land, to heighten the part of agribusiness to climate alteration extenuation through diminishing nursery gas emanations and bettering dirt C segregation ( Natural England ) . Environmental Stewardship strategies are presently the primary beginning of pecuniary inducements, dwelling of Entry Level Stewardship ( ELS ) , Higher Level Stewardship ( HLS ) , Organic Entry Level Stewardship ( OELS ) and Uplands Entry Level Stewardship ( UELS ) . It is recognised that little graduated table husbandmans must stay the focal point of such enterprises, explicating the demand for 4 different multi-objective strategies. The chief aims of Environmental Stewardship are to: preserve biodiversity maintain and enhance landscape quality protect the historic environment promote public apprehension and entree protect natural dirt and H2O resources ( Natural England, 2010 ) ELS enchiridion ) This survey will concentrate merely upon ELS and HLS ; explained in the undermentioned subdivisions. 1.4.1 Entry Level Stewardship The ELS strategy is a 5 twelvemonth understanding, open to all land directors in England, and offers a broad scope of options for simple yet effectual environmental direction. 30 points per hectare must be chosen from over 50 options, in order to have a payment of A ; lb ; 30 per hectare per twelvemonth. Management options include the usage of buffer strips, assorted stocking, screen harvests, harvest rotary motion and watercourse fence ( Natural England ELS enchiridion ) . ELS is a wide and shallow, high uptake attack with environmental demands that are comparatively easy to run into without significantly changing direction patterns. 1.4.2 Higher Degree Stewardship HLS normally builds upon ELS, OELS or UELS, offering a higher tiered direction strategy. It is more complex and demanding, necessitating well greater input, which is reflected in the higher compensation payments for direction input and capital plants. Emphasis is placed upon specialized land direction to supply important environmental addition in high precedence countries. HLS understandings last for 10 old ages, and are a competitory and discretional, narrow and deep attack with a lower application success rate. In add-on to the sweetening of ELS aims, HLS provides chances for bettering public entree and carry oning educational visits ( Natural England: HLS handbook 2010 ) . 1.5 Purposes This research undertaking aims to supply an original penetration into the effectivity of the Environmental Stewardship strategy. While other surveies focus upon the motivations of participants and the obstructions that limit engagement, this probe will turn to an underexplored, yet extremely relevant subject which relates non merely to agricultural patterns, but to wider environmental and anthropogenetic clime alteration concerns that remain at the head of current arguments. 1.6 Research Questions This probe aims to specifically turn to the undermentioned research inquiries: Are the ecological benefits to vegetations and zoologies well better under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme when compared to the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme? Is there a pronounced sweetening of flora species richness under HLS when compared to ELS? Is H2O quality and therefore aquatic species diverseness enhanced under HLS? Does macrolepidoptera copiousness and composing exhibit significant sweetening under higher tiered direction schemes? Are dirt features significantly altered under different direction grades? 2. Overall, is Environmental Stewardship an effectual manner to pull off the rural landscape, and can the high fiscal input required be considered cost effectual in footings of the environmental return? 1.7 Aims To ease the scrutiny of the purposes and research inquiries the undermentioned aims will be used: 1. Identify 4 appropriate survey sites ; 2 ELS and 2 HLS managed farms in South Devon on which the necessary research can be conducted. 2. Undertake macroinvertebrate, dirt, flora and macrolepidoptera trying at each survey site. 3. Identify all species observed and collate informations obtained from each location. 4. Process informations utilizing appropriate graphical and statistical techniques. 5. Discourse the consequences that are obtained in order to derive a reasoned and representative rating of the effectivity of the different Environmental Stewardship direction grades. In order to carry through these aims, a literature reappraisal will be undertaken to supply farther penetration into the subject, and inform the informations aggregation, analysis and treatment chapters. Agricultural Change And Intensification In Britain Environmental Sciences Essay Emphasis was placed upon the usage of modern and intensive agricultural patterns to increase end product, ensuing in enhanced mechanization, enlargement and intensification ( Dobbs and Pretty, 2004 ) . However, a move to big scale agri-business resulted in profound and inauspicious effects on rural biodiversity and farming area home grounds with the over-exploitation of their valuable resources. Habitats underwent considerable debasement, peculiarly with hedge remotion to suit larger machinery, destructing extremely good nutrient beginnings and engendering home grounds for wildlife. Additionally, technological promotions led to the widespread execution of man-made chemical weedkillers and pesticides to increase outputs, which resulted in terrible damaging effects to flora, zoologies and H2O quality. Furthermore, the debut of larger and more sophisticated agricultural machinery and cultivated land procedures resulted in significant decreases to dirty quality, through compression and eroding. With 75 % of UK land classed as agricultural, cumulatively these damaging effects sparked major concern ( Montemayor et al. , 2010 ) . 1.2 The Rise of Modern Environmentalism As a consequence of the widespread debasement of agricultural ecosystems during the post-war period, the coming of modern environmentalism in the 1970s and 1980s focussed consciousness on the importance of extenuating the inauspicious impacts of agricultural intensification. The publication of Rachel Carson ‘s ‘Silent Spring ‘ in 1962 is thought to hold been a major landmark in the outgrowth of environmental consciousness ( Dunlap, 2008 ) . Carson highlighted the considerable damaging side-effects of pesticide use, peculiarly DDT. Concern was sparked amongst ecologists over the possible for bioaccumulation of DDT within ecosystems and its harmful generative impacts, peculiarly for birds. Doctors and the general population besides feared the harmful effects of indiscriminate DDT usage, due to toxicity and carcinogenic effects ( Carson, 1962 ) . Therefore, the publication of ‘Silent Spring ‘ instigated the modern environmental motion, and people became mor e cognizant of the jobs faced within the agricultural sector. 1.3 The Common Agricultural Policy The European Union Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) provides agricultural subsidies to member provinces in order to advance sustainable agribusiness ( European Commission, 2010 ) . The CAP is made up of 2 pillars ; pillar 1 encompasses market support steps and direct payments for run intoing cross-compliance criterions chiefly for the environment, nutrient safety and animate being public assistance. Pillar 2 nevertheless is focussed upon rural development programmes ( House of Lords, 2005 ) . The early CAP of the 1950s was focussed upon pillar 1 steps, for increasing autonomy through the proviso of inducements to husbandmans in order to promote greater productiveness. However, with the rise of modern environmentalism, the agricultural accent shifted towards environmental sustainability, doing a bifurcation of the function of land directors with the demand to non merely supply agricultural efficiency, but besides to integrate environmental protection ( ref ) . With increasing accent on environmental saving, and a realization of the potency of agro-ecological procedures, the United Kingdom introduced the first agri-environmental strategy in 1987, named the Environmentally Sensitive Areas strategy ( ESA ) . This was superseded by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme ( CSS ) in 1991 which was a consequence of the major CAP reforms of the 1990s, aimed at supplying for the altering demands of both the agricultural sector and the wider community ( Natural England ) . Figure 1.1 clearly illustrates the alterations to UK agri-environment strategies which took topographic point between 1973 and 2000, foregrounding the important changes to agricultural precede nces. Figure 1.1: Changes in UK agri-environment strategy subsidies from 1973 – 2000 ( beginning: Monetary value, 2003, p.122 ) . Degree centigrades: UsersEmPicturesimg010.jpg Since so, the demand to extenuate clime alteration has been progressively recognised, in order to restrict dirt and H2O debasement and to control the loss of biodiversity. Whilst direct pillar 1 subsidy payments still exist under the Single Farm Payment Scheme, accent has been shifted to pillar 2 policies ; redesigned to non merely crippled environmental harm, but heighten the agricultural landscape through the publicity of more sustainable agriculture patterns that will make a natural environment that is better suited to defy the impacts of climatic alteration. 1.4 Environmental Stewardship The Environmental Stewardship ( ES ) strategy was introduced in 2005, as a agency to counterbalance husbandmans for supplying specific environmental criterions that go beyond the cross-compliance standard of the CAP. ES strategies are administered for the authorities ‘s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) by Natural England, and are a cardinal constituent of the European Union funded Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013, conveying together the old CSS and ESA strategies ( Natural England ) . As keepers and stewards of the rural landscape, husbandmans have an intuitive ethical duty to continue and enrich farming area ecosystems ; nevertheless this is frequently non realistic in footings of fiscal viability ( ref ) . With the major challenges posed by clime alteration, and subsequent nutrient security issues, it has become progressively of import that support and counsel is made available for husbandmans and land directors. This enables the bringing of effectual environmental protection, whilst keeping premier agricultural land, to heighten the part of agribusiness to climate alteration extenuation through diminishing nursery gas emanations and bettering dirt C segregation ( Natural England ) . Environmental Stewardship strategies are presently the primary beginning of pecuniary inducements, dwelling of Entry Level Stewardship ( ELS ) , Higher Level Stewardship ( HLS ) , Organic Entry Level Stewardship ( OELS ) and Uplands Entry Level Stewardship ( UELS ) . It is recognised that little graduated table husbandmans must stay the focal point of such enterprises, explicating the demand for 4 different multi-objective strategies. The chief aims of Environmental Stewardship are to: preserve biodiversity maintain and enhance landscape quality protect the historic environment promote public apprehension and entree protect natural dirt and H2O resources ( Natural England, 2010 ) ELS enchiridion ) This survey will concentrate merely upon ELS and HLS ; explained in the undermentioned subdivisions. 1.4.1 Entry Level Stewardship The ELS strategy is a 5 twelvemonth understanding, open to all land directors in England, and offers a broad scope of options for simple yet effectual environmental direction. 30 points per hectare must be chosen from over 50 options, in order to have a payment of A ; lb ; 30 per hectare per twelvemonth. Management options include the usage of buffer strips, assorted stocking, screen harvests, harvest rotary motion and watercourse fence ( Natural England ELS enchiridion ) . ELS is a wide and shallow, high uptake attack with environmental demands that are comparatively easy to run into without significantly changing direction patterns. 1.4.2 Higher Degree Stewardship HLS normally builds upon ELS, OELS or UELS, offering a higher tiered direction strategy. It is more complex and demanding, necessitating well greater input, which is reflected in the higher compensation payments for direction input and capital plants. Emphasis is placed upon specialized land direction to supply important environmental addition in high precedence countries. HLS understandings last for 10 old ages, and are a competitory and discretional, narrow and deep attack with a lower application success rate. In add-on to the sweetening of ELS aims, HLS provides chances for bettering public entree and carry oning educational visits ( Natural England: HLS handbook 2010 ) . 1.5 Purposes This research undertaking aims to supply an original penetration into the effectivity of the Environmental Stewardship strategy. While other surveies focus upon the motivations of participants and the obstructions that limit engagement, this probe will turn to an underexplored, yet extremely relevant subject which relates non merely to agricultural patterns, but to wider environmental and anthropogenetic clime alteration concerns that remain at the head of current arguments. 1.6 Research Questions This probe aims to specifically turn to the undermentioned research inquiries: Are the ecological benefits to vegetations and zoologies well better under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme when compared to the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme? Is there a pronounced sweetening of flora species richness under HLS when compared to ELS? Is H2O quality and therefore aquatic species diverseness enhanced under HLS? Does macrolepidoptera copiousness and composing exhibit significant sweetening under higher tiered direction schemes? Are dirt features significantly altered under different direction grades? 2. Overall, is Environmental Stewardship an effectual manner to pull off the rural landscape, and can the high fiscal input required be considered cost effectual in footings of the environmental return? 1.7 Aims To ease the scrutiny of the purposes and research inquiries the undermentioned aims will be used: 1. Identify 4 appropriate survey sites ; 2 ELS and 2 HLS managed farms in South Devon on which the necessary research can be conducted. 2. Undertake macroinvertebrate, dirt, flora and macrolepidoptera trying at each survey site. 3. Identify all species observed and collate informations obtained from each location. 4. Process informations utilizing appropriate graphical and statistical techniques. 5. Discourse the consequences that are obtained in order to derive a reasoned and representative rating of the effectivity of the different Environmental Stewardship direction grades. In order to carry through these aims, a literature reappraisal will be undertaken to supply farther penetration into the subject, and inform the informations aggregation, analysis and treatment chapters.

Explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career Essay

Explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you are currently considering - Essay Example The field of profession and academics that is of great interest to me is the field of accounting. My interest towards the field and the drive to pursue the field of accountancy started developing when I was in my early ages of life. My interest in this field was developed since I realized that my mom was an accountant in a reputable organization. I use to see my mom indulged in her work even at home. I used to sit by her and learn the game of numbers that is very essential to become a highly reputable professional accountant. I believe that I have various resources at my disposal to become a member of the field of accounting. I already have developed various knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) that are required to work in the field. There are certain weaknesses that I need to overcome and I am sure that majoring in the subject of accounting from the Univeristy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will help be converting my weaknesses into strengths and will further strengthen my strengths (Catalog.illinois.edu 1). After graduating from university, I aim at attaining an entry level position in a well-known accountancy firm or I aim at attaining an entry level position in the accounts department of a reputed organization or I wish to work with a securities organization. In order to attain my career goals I need various KSAs including technical skills, audit and compliance skills, commodity and equity valuation skills and communication skills (Accacareers.com 1). I have already developed some of these skills especially the technical skills and the communication skills. These skills were developed as my mother had worked very hard on me in helping me understand the mathematical equations and problems that are associated with the work of an accountant. Furthermore, the skills of communications and technical skills were further polished as I have already worked as an intern in a power

The African Athena Controversy Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The African Athena Controversy - Thesis Example Another is that the lack of knowledge with regards to the ancient world puts historians inside a box with only plausible ideas looming overhead, not probabilities since everything is already in the past tense, and reconstructions are the only available options to build the events of past civilizations (Berlinerblau). However, those who contest the possibility of Phoenicians and even Egyptians influencing Pre-Hellenistic Greece argue that relying only on etymologies of the words found in the Greek language does not give enough justification but rather, it only reveals the patterns and the sphere of influence on the population in question (Lefkowitz). Still, words are much the same as models, wherein they are seen as necessary symbols to represent a united representation of our reality (Bernal). Bernal’s Ancient Model regarding the origin of the ancient Greeks, or those of the Pre-Hellenistic culture states that there is an intermingling of Phoenicians and Egyptians long before the settling of the Aryan Race from the north, and that in this sense, the Pre-Hellenes or the Ancient Greeks were a race with strong Asian or Egyptian origins, and were eventually succeeded by the arrival of the Indo-Europeans or the â€Å"Aryans† (Bernal). It is plausible because the Phoenicians were able to teach the alphabet to ancient Greeks, introducing a form of written language in the area, while the Egyptians taught them farming strategies, such as building irrigation systems to continually water the crops. The Egyptians would also be able to teach the Ancient Greeks about their gods, the names as well as how to worship them, since Egyptians have a long and solid history with regards to religion and the occult. With such a premise, Bernal was able to further provide readers an idea of his premise that there are indeed Semitic and African elements in the formation of the cultures of Pre-Hellenistic or Ancient Greeks

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family Essay

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family - Essay Example Different families have different items among their possessions that they hold most dear. These items usually have some special meaning to the members of the family and they seldom give out these items outside the family. Among the many possessions in my family, there is one that has incomparable value. It reminds everyone of our past and is the basis of some of our traditions in the family. This special item is a recipe book that my grandmother wrote. The recipe book contains several recipes that my grandmother developed. These recipes have been in use in my family for such a long time that some of the meals have become our identity among friends and relatives. It is a tradition in the family to cook a meal from the recipe book at least once a week. We always look forward to meals prepared from the recipe book, as they are usually special. Our family also uses the book when we have guests and during special events and occasions. Owing to this tradition, the recipe book has become so special in our family. My family intends to keep the recipe book for generations to come. That is to keep the recipes a family secret down the years and ensure we maintain our uniqueness when it comes to preparing special meals. Only select members of the family will inherit it down the generations to keep the traditions going. Currently, the book is under the custody of my mother who, when the time comes, will decide whom to give it. Everyone in the family hopes to inherit it and be the master of those rich meals in their own family.

Program project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Program project - Essay Example Background This project undertakes to offer a business plan for an entrepreneurial venture in the household furniture industry. The business plan will be completed in sections and this project presents the first section of the business plan. The proposed project, for which this business plan is written, is an entrepreneurial venture in the country’s household furniture industry that offers a viable business opportunity in both the United Kingdom’s domestic market and in major international markets. The enterprise will first be established in the United Kingdom’s capital city, and its independent branches established in other parts of the United Kingdom and other countries. In the United Kingdom, the industry projects positive prospects with expanding market capacity. The domestic market has grown over the past decade except in 2008 and 2009 when major world economies suffered from recession. The trend in growth, however, resumed in 2011 and 2012 and this identifi es confidence in availability of market for the proposed product. The industry’s scope is also wide with different types of commodities, types of houses and types of rooms, for offer. Types of rooms that offer the greatest demand for furniture are living room, dining room, bedroom, and kitchen, all of which have depicted increasing market potentials (Keynotes, 2013, p. 1). The market also identifies a good opportunity for an innovative approach because consumers are developing a trend of renovating their furniture as opposed to new purchases. While this may appear as a barrier to success in the market, consumers have retained their desire to communicate their social status through their property, and this means that an outstanding innovation that portrays high social standards will attract high demand for services. Highly perceived utility levels in newly invented brands of furniture will also attract new purchases. The industry’s projected growth also promises availab ility of market despite the existing competition from both domestic and international markets (Keynotes, 2013). The industry also has extensive market opportunities in developed countries such as the United States that has not been able to meet its household furniture demand from its domestic productions. For example, the past two decades have identified an increasing trend in the nation’s importation of furniture. Importation of â€Å"nonupholstered† commodities has increased from a bare 20 percent in the early 1990s to a more than 60 percent record reported in 2008. The current percentage is most likely higher with expected positive trends. Importation of upholstered furniture in the same period increased from 5 percent to almost 30 percent (Buehlmann & Schuler, 2009). The market in the United States is also indiscriminative against foreign products, but values developed image by exporting countries (Buehlmann, Bumgaedner, Lihra, & Fryer, 2006). These factors, theref ore, identify available market for the household furniture project, both domestically and in other developed countries. I also prefer the project because the wide scoped market that underscores unfair competition offers room for product differentiation through innovation. Introduction The enterprise, Golden Furniture, will operate as a private limited company. Its scope of operation will include designing household furnitu

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of Essay

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of organisations - Essay Example Henry Mintzberg enhanced organizational design literature by suggesting different forms of organizations (Clegg, 3-7). McKinsey 7s model explains how an organisation goes about analyzing how well it is positioned to achieve its intended objective. This model has remained persistent over the years because it is applicable in wide range situations where an alignment perspective is useful (Strategic management journal 279). Regardless of how an organization decides to define its scope of operations, alignment issues apply, making the model significant. Organisations being complex, this model eases the difficulty in understanding them, and helps to understand them, consequently yielding maximum benefit and profitability (Clegg, 27). Description Mintzberg defines organizational structure as, the total number of ways in which an organization distributes its labor into distinctive parts and then attains harmonization amongst them. He argues that each configuration comprises of six constitue nts, which are (Clegg, 23-29): Operating core: The human labor directly linked to the manufacturing of goods and services Calculated apex: Aids the necessities of the people in the organisation Intermediate line: Managers who link the premeditated apex with the operating fundamental Techno-structure: The expert who scheme, plot, modify or train the operating fundamental Support staff: Professionals who deliver sustenance to the organisation external of the operating core’s undertakings Ideology: Philosophies and customs that make the organisation exceptional. Each one of the above part is in control to tug an organization in a specific way which is advantageous to them. As a result, Mintzberg presents organisation configuration framework with six valid organizational configurations. They are (Clegg 31-89): Entrepreneurial organization: This is a simple structure characterized by little or no techno-structure; few support staff, minimal division of labor and work differentiati on and little managerial hierarchy. There is no formal behavior, thus coordination is simple with direct supervision. This is the most starting point of many organizations (Davidson 46). Machine bureaucracy: Comprises of high specialized, routine operating tasks, very formal procedures, proliferation of rules, regulations, and formalized communication throughout the organization and reliance on functional basis for grouping tasks. There is centralized decision-making and an elaborate administrative structure with clear distinctions between line and staff. It houses the specialists who do the standardizing. Machine bureaucracy is mostly found in mature or old organizations, large enough to have repetitive and standardized tasks. Managers at this level are not problem solving, rather, they concentrate on enhancing work processes to generate more output efficiently (Hardling, et al 33). Professional organization: This bureaucracy depends on the synchronization on the adjustment of skil ls. It employs duly accomplished experts or professionals for the operational core, and gives them significant control over their exertion. They work autonomously of their coworkers, but, closely to the customers they attend (Semler, 47). Previously

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family Essay

The Recipe Book as a Tradition in the Family - Essay Example Different families have different items among their possessions that they hold most dear. These items usually have some special meaning to the members of the family and they seldom give out these items outside the family. Among the many possessions in my family, there is one that has incomparable value. It reminds everyone of our past and is the basis of some of our traditions in the family. This special item is a recipe book that my grandmother wrote. The recipe book contains several recipes that my grandmother developed. These recipes have been in use in my family for such a long time that some of the meals have become our identity among friends and relatives. It is a tradition in the family to cook a meal from the recipe book at least once a week. We always look forward to meals prepared from the recipe book, as they are usually special. Our family also uses the book when we have guests and during special events and occasions. Owing to this tradition, the recipe book has become so special in our family. My family intends to keep the recipe book for generations to come. That is to keep the recipes a family secret down the years and ensure we maintain our uniqueness when it comes to preparing special meals. Only select members of the family will inherit it down the generations to keep the traditions going. Currently, the book is under the custody of my mother who, when the time comes, will decide whom to give it. Everyone in the family hopes to inherit it and be the master of those rich meals in their own family.

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of Essay

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of organisations - Essay Example Henry Mintzberg enhanced organizational design literature by suggesting different forms of organizations (Clegg, 3-7). McKinsey 7s model explains how an organisation goes about analyzing how well it is positioned to achieve its intended objective. This model has remained persistent over the years because it is applicable in wide range situations where an alignment perspective is useful (Strategic management journal 279). Regardless of how an organization decides to define its scope of operations, alignment issues apply, making the model significant. Organisations being complex, this model eases the difficulty in understanding them, and helps to understand them, consequently yielding maximum benefit and profitability (Clegg, 27). Description Mintzberg defines organizational structure as, the total number of ways in which an organization distributes its labor into distinctive parts and then attains harmonization amongst them. He argues that each configuration comprises of six constitue nts, which are (Clegg, 23-29): Operating core: The human labor directly linked to the manufacturing of goods and services Calculated apex: Aids the necessities of the people in the organisation Intermediate line: Managers who link the premeditated apex with the operating fundamental Techno-structure: The expert who scheme, plot, modify or train the operating fundamental Support staff: Professionals who deliver sustenance to the organisation external of the operating core’s undertakings Ideology: Philosophies and customs that make the organisation exceptional. Each one of the above part is in control to tug an organization in a specific way which is advantageous to them. As a result, Mintzberg presents organisation configuration framework with six valid organizational configurations. They are (Clegg 31-89): Entrepreneurial organization: This is a simple structure characterized by little or no techno-structure; few support staff, minimal division of labor and work differentiati on and little managerial hierarchy. There is no formal behavior, thus coordination is simple with direct supervision. This is the most starting point of many organizations (Davidson 46). Machine bureaucracy: Comprises of high specialized, routine operating tasks, very formal procedures, proliferation of rules, regulations, and formalized communication throughout the organization and reliance on functional basis for grouping tasks. There is centralized decision-making and an elaborate administrative structure with clear distinctions between line and staff. It houses the specialists who do the standardizing. Machine bureaucracy is mostly found in mature or old organizations, large enough to have repetitive and standardized tasks. Managers at this level are not problem solving, rather, they concentrate on enhancing work processes to generate more output efficiently (Hardling, et al 33). Professional organization: This bureaucracy depends on the synchronization on the adjustment of skil ls. It employs duly accomplished experts or professionals for the operational core, and gives them significant control over their exertion. They work autonomously of their coworkers, but, closely to the customers they attend (Semler, 47). Previously