Monday, September 30, 2019

Building Creative Organizations Essay

Nowadays, companies are looking for strategies to face the intensely competitive business arena; they are demanding newly developed behavior and competencies from employees. Nowadays, employees should demonstrate teamwork skills, cross-disciplinary communication and innovation. Underneath these skills is the aptitude to put creativity into application in handling and resolving situations and problems of the organization. In order to effectively respond to external and confusing forces, what are needed by the companies are employees who are capable of producing new ideas. (Gundry, L., Kickul J., & Prather C., 2007) Moreover, in order for a company to cutting edge in technology, the employees will need to craft new techniques in the development and production of information, goods and services. Hence, the behaviors and competencies are important to the competitiveness of the organization and to be effective on the process of creative which is how to go beyond tradition and view things differently. (Gundry, L., Kickul J., & Prather C., 2007)When the top management gives value to thinking â€Å"out of the box,† the processes of the organization surfaces that compensate behaviors proven to be creative and such behaviors result to new techniques and methods as well as innovations in the business. As the organizations works to become effectively reactive, they must take into account that creativity not a destination but a journey. Using an ideal comparison, creativity is like pushing water uphill, wherein one must always keep after it. This entails for the senior managers to be steadfast in supporting creativity by means of actions such as rewarding both managers and employees for great ideas, recognizing learning despite of failure, admitting mistakes, and making and asking taboo. In business, in order to keep up with intense competition, the business must always do the unexpected, they should be very creative. Promised-Base Management Managers have all their needs to execute a well-thought strategy into actions, however when halting of initiatives occurs, all the significant work were left undone. Such kind of business fall may go worst especially on the side of swift competitors. The strategy and its execution fail due to dismally common reasons, and that is the disengagement of the employees because they feel that they are not in the priorities of the company, they become unproductive and dissatisfied. One of the most difficult situations that managers encounter are improper strategy execution, disengaged employees, lack of organizational agility which stemmed out from poorly crafted or broken commitments. Such scenario can be overcome, by practicing â€Å"promised-based management† which is basically the coordinating and cultivating of commitments in the most systematic way possible. (Sull & Espinosa, 2007) Problem-based management promises boost in organizational agility, increase collaboration and coordination and increase engagement of employees. In the interaction of businesses, one of the fundamental units is promises. These units bring up activities of the organization and to fuel up the passion of stakeholders, employees, suppliers and customers. At the same time as they keep the organization intact, they are as delicate as they are critical. The divergent worldviews and objectives of individuals pull persistently at the filament of promises, and unforeseen possibilities can rip uncertain agreements. (Sull & Espinosa, 2007) Hence, leaders must manage and merge organizational promises with utmost care, at the same time encouraging conversation in order to ensure the fulfillment of commitments. (Sull & Espinosa, 2007) Given that they can do so, they will be able to boost cooperation and coordination among employees, create new agility to grab new opportunities for the business and knock on the entrepreneurial energies of the employees. Communications Revisited The communication dilemmas, more of than not, cited by people are not problems in communication at all. They are in place of difficulties and symptoms at more fundamental and basic levels of life in the corporate field. Coming from a vibrant point of view, problems associated to communication in organizations usually reflect in the corporate climate as dysfunctions. The feelings people have about where or whom they work such as feelings of distrust, impotence, resentment, social inconsequence, insecurity, and all the other emotions of human does only gives implication to the climate which exist but the behavior in which communications will be handled. (Hall, 2001) Just what concerns a problem of communication is not simply established upon. The issues were approached by some theorist coming from the vantage information point of information details. Some theorists approach the issue from the vantage point of information bits concession a message; others in terms of organizational positions and roles of peripherality or centrality; while others remain to emphasize the corporate data and directional flaws. The outcome is that more people are communicating with regard to communication, while in order to achieve understanding, clarity, creativity and commitment, the communication goals tends to become limited. (Hall, 2001) The major point of the article has been that interpersonal styles are at the focus of several dilemmas in the organization such as emotional climates the quality of relationships, communication breakdowns, as well as managerial practices have been connected to some moderately plain dynamics among people. Management is not easy even if dynamics are simple. Same as the fact that individuals can and do change their interpersonal style and in so doing sets in proposition a complete chain of events with emphasized corporate significance. Structure is not Organization In the pursuit of diagnosing and solving organizational problems, the aspect to take consideration at is not only to the structure of the organization, factors related to it should be highly regarded; a framework where structure is connected with other factors is needed in the quest for resolving organizational problems. In the midst of multiple competing and complex demands, the decision making by the organization may surface to be irrationally handled. Hence, merely using the structure of the organization as a strategy to resolve problems will most likely turn out to be an ineffective medium for organizations to achieve excellent effects. (Waterman, Thomas & Phillips, 1980) The new view of organization, which involves the â€Å"7’s† variables, makes up the framework that proposes to take issues by heart and give attention to the variables when in managing an organization. The â€Å"7’s† variables are strategy, skills, staff, style, systems, structures and superordinate goal, these variables are believed to be directly observed and more likely be gauged. (Waterman, Thomas & Phillips, 1980) All of these variables are important in carrying out major changes in the organization, they are very much vital in attaining the goals of adopting changes. Using only structure as the basis for resolving tricky problems in the organization, or even using it with strategy is still insufficient and most likely inefficient. Failure is rooted from the lack of ability of structure and strategy to show as to why the organizations may be slow and unresponsive in change adoption. Such scenario will need an excellent style of management, binding goals and having shared purpose. (Waterman, Thomas & Phillips, 1980) In conclusion, if company has the seven variables all geared together to one shared direction, such company can be described as organized. What Great Managers Do? There is an underlying difference between managers and great managers as well as between great leaders and great managers. Great managers are those who value and know the distinct and varied abilities and eccentricities of the people working with them, as great managers, they know the secret of effectively integrating them to one synchronized plan of action. (Buckingham, 2005) On the other hand, great leaders digs and utilizes what is laid universal and the uses those as the capital. Basically, their job is to rally their subordinates into the direction of a promising future. This can be successfully achieved by the leaders if they can meddle into age, sex, nationality, personality, and race and by celebrating heroes and using stories. Meanwhile, as for the job of the manager, they shape and hone each talent of an individual to performance. They can be successful if they can determine and delegate the diversities of the employees, challenging each one of them to stand out in their own ways. This does not claim that leaders cannot become managers or either way, but in order to excel at one or both, awareness of the requirements in each role is very significant. (Buckingham, 2005) A tremendously powerful tool is capitalizing on each person’s uniqueness. This can be done by determining and capitalizing on the uniqueness of the person. Doing so will save time and furthermore making each person accountable. It creates a sense of team as it forms interdependency. (Buckingham, 2005) In order to excel in managing other people, it is necessary to have insights in actions and interactions. It should always be kept in mind that release is what about great managing, and not transformation. It is all about continuously fine-tuning the environment in order for the unique contributions, needs and style of each employee to be given the chance to shine. As a manager, the success will entirely depend on the ability of doing these. How Do You Motivate Employees? Having motivated employees is a great factor for an organization to succeed. Motivation drives them to perform and excel and give their 100. However, there will be times that they will be unmotivated and it is the role of the management to keep them ardent as they take part in the pursuit of an organization for success. According to Frederick Herzberg, there are various factors which instill motivation to the employees. Such factors may work as expected or may fail due to employee resistance.(Herzberg, 1968) First are the KITA (â€Å"kick-in-the-ass†) factors, which is also associated with hygiene factors, such are extrinsic to the job. It includes administration, policy of the company, working conditions, security, supervision, salary, and interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, the factors of motivation are job intrinsic, which includes the work itself, recognition for achievement, growth or advancement and responsibility. These factors are all interconnected with job dissatisfaction and job satisfaction. According to studies, the primary source of satisfaction is the motivators while what cause unhappiness in the job are the hygiene factors. (Herzberg, 1968) The factors of motivation are associated to job enrichment, which is characterized as a continuous function of the management. This should be lasting in long period of time and long term effects are also expected. However, all jobs are not necessary to have enriched, nor they can be enriched. The returns of efforts in job enrichment are economic gain and human satisfaction leading to large dividends that society and industry can yield through better personnel management. An argument summed up quickly goes: â€Å"If you have someone on a job, use him, ff you can’t use him, either via automation or by selecting someone with lesser ability. If you can’t use him and you can’t get rid of them you will have a motivation problem.†(Herzberg, 1968) The Science of Persuasion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In organizations, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the techniques of persuasion in order to recognize strategies and be able to evaluate offerings and requests. The task of the organization is to maintain persuasion among accountable professionals for the application of the six powerful motivators of persuasion (reciprocation, consistency, social validation, liking, authority, and scarcity) and be able to purchase services and products, support proposals in politics or to give donation given that they were truthful all throughout the process. The Six fundamental tendencies of human behavior sets in producing a positive response as these six tendencies guides to manage the dealings of the business, the involvements in society, knowledge of the rules of persuasion and personal relationships, can truly be considered of as empowerment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Accordingly, the agents who influence the use of these principles is actually doing a favor for business people. For instance, an ad campaign is focused on scientific evidence favoring the client’s headache product, genuine weight of the authoritative; all people will yield profit including the audience, agency and manufacturer.   (Cialdini, R. 2001)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given that we recognized a vital distinction in our communication with persuasive arts practitioners, hence we will seldom permit ourselves to fall into trap. In its place, organization  Ã‚   can give themselves better and ideal option and being informed when saying yes. (Cialdini, R. 2001) Furthermore, if we apply our distinction to our pursuit to be of influence to others, then we can logically have it accounted to the six principles. In the efforts to persuade, pointing to genuine expertise and its presence, pertinent commitments, real opportunities for cooperation and growing validation, thus coming out persuasive enough to enhance communication and evoke understanding among diverse parties. Three Cultures of Management The learning problems within an organization can be directly interrelated to the lack of alignment amongst three cultures, two of which are based occupational communities first is, the culture of engineering, followed by the culture of CEOs, and the third is the culture of operators, the three cultures should be shared assumptions that arise in the â€Å"line units† of a particular organization as it tries to operate safely and efficiently. There are three occupational cultures which organization will have to learn effectively and confront the implications. However, executives, operators and engineers found that they have been using different languages and thus arriving at different assumptions concerning what is very significant, but grasping the essence of the three cultures in management, they learn to treat them as normal and valid. Organizations will not learn effectively until they recognize and confront the implications of the three occupational cultures. Until executives, engineers, and operators discover that they use different languages and make different assumptions about what is important, and until they learn to treat the other cultures as valid and normal, organizational learning efforts will continue to fail. (Schein, 1996) The key to organizational learning either in helping engineers and executives learns how to learn, how to analyze and evaluate their own cultures, and how to develop those cultures using their strengths. These communities may learn in different ways, and we will have to develop correct tools for learning for each community. Learning should be well thought-out along the lines of industry through association of learners instead of along individual organizational lines. And business and engineering education itself will have to evaluate as to whether the suppositions of academics are developing at a satisfactory rate in order to with realities in the present. (Schein, 1996) Organizations have long way from having to resolve problems of learning, but concerning the cultures of management and occupational communities will start to compose these problems to find the solutions. References    Buckingham, M. (2005). What Great Managers Do?. Harvard Business Review. Cialdini, R. (2001). The Science of Persuasion. Scientific American.Vol. 284 Issue 2. Gundry, L., Kickul, J. & Prather C.(2007). Building the Creative Organization. Elseveir Science Publishing Company Inc. Hall, J. (2001). Communication Revisited. California Management Review. Herzberg, F. (1968). One more time: How do you motivate employees?. Harvard Business Review. Schein, E. (1996). Three Cultures of Management. Sloan Management Review Fall. Sull, D., Spinosa, C.(2007).Problem-Based Management.Harvard Business Review. Waterman, R., Thomas, P., Phillips, R. (1980). Structure is not Organization. Business Horizons

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Privacy And Surveillance In It

The development in Information Technology (IT) plays an important role in the greater interaction and communication of people in various parts of the globe. During the process of communication, the exchange of personal information could not be prevented among people. However, this kind of activity also threaten the privacy of people because the emergence of the Internet and other technological tools have made it possible to have easy access to information even the ones that are consider as private. Being the case, it is important that privacy and surveillance in IT is given due attention.Privacy is defined as â€Å" . . . he interest that individuals have in sustaining a personal space, free from interference by other people and organizations† (Clarke, 1999). Nevertheless, according to Brock Meeks (1999) the privacy of people during this information age is being â€Å"eaten away† and is already dead because of the various means that could be used in order to infringe up on it. Cyberspace is invading the privacy of individuals and this could be seen through spam, cookies, and the clickstream. However, there are also invasion of privacy that could be detrimental to the security of a person like the real-time person-location technologies (Clarke, 1999).Furthermore, ethical issues have also emerged in the exchange of information and communication of people especially in the workplace. Employees are expecting their privacy would be respected in the e-mails that they exchange with other people but this is sometimes not satisfied because of the need of the company to control and monitor the flow of information in the workplace (Weisband and Reinig, 1995). As such, this has become one of the most debated ethical as well as legal issues that need to be addressed.Personal information privacy is the ability to control information about oneself is becoming more important than ever (Millberg et. al, 1995). In relation to this, there are several preventive measu res and laws that could be implemented in order to protect the privacy of individuals. Some of the programs that protect the privacy of people in relation with the use of the Internet are: the Privacy Preference Project (P3P) which is a simple automated way of controlling the use of personal information on websites, file encryption, firewalls, and access control systems (Quinn, 2005).The Australian government has its Australian Privacy Act that is mainly responsible in controlling privacy matters in the country (Australian Privacy Foundation, 2009). Moreover, surveillance of the flow of information in the workplace and other organizations is still debatable but it is indeed helpful in protecting the privacy of people against those who would want to have access of their personal information. However, surveillance in IT should also be responsibly used for security purposes only and not to cause harm to other people.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Learning Theory Into Practice Project Assignment

Learning Theory Into Practice Project - Assignment Example It is, therefore, crucial to link this game of opening the student mind to appropriate theories such that the process of teaching them may be more appropriate and comprehensive. Business simulation games are also referred to as economic simulation games. These are games focused at on making sensible decisions by the players towards financial management by forming business (Williams, 2010). Since these games are geared to make the players rich, they are also known as tycoon games. They help the player who is also the learner to develop managerial stimulation of pure business simulations devoid of a construction element with emphasis on micromanagement (Klassen & Willoughby, 2013). They have a design of a numeric form although they capture the player’s attention by the rich graphics they employ. However, what makes this games be of more educative value is an accurate recreation of the real world events using these algorithms (Klassen & Willoughby, 2013). Either the player’s actions can lead to either a consequence or a well-expected outcome Currently, business simulation games form an eï ¬â‚¬ective method of learning in management. They provide a modern way of approach in teaching and imparting of knowledge to business students in the modern enterprise. It is true that these games also help to form and develop an enterprising culture in learning techniques of modern management (Ahmad, 2012). A person, who has been through this process, has an excellent probability to be a business manager, with the ability to make right decisions in the current condition of cutthroat market competition. When these individuals start work in management position they find themselves in a situation they can make better financial risks of own decisions (Ahmad, 2012). Therefore, this game forms a basis of a different but crucial form of training for teachers and students in management as future leaders. This is why it seems so important to use diï ¬â‚¬erent forms of

Friday, September 27, 2019

Narrative Approaches in Short Stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narrative Approaches in Short Stories - Essay Example Nevertheless, it could not be avoided that perceptions of authors are differently expressed because of their genders. In the stories entitled â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums†, such characteristics are portrayed by the authors. Therefore, this paper will look even further specifically at the biases, marginalization of women and sympathies of the authors as they are reflected in the aforementioned stories. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is about an unfortunate woman who lived a miserable life. Being a member of the elite society, her actions and decisions have been greatly influenced by his father who did not want his name to be tarnished. Nevertheless, when he died, Emily was left alone and became involved with a worker who was expected to soon marry her. However, after their short romance, the man was believed to have abandoned Emily. When the woman finally died because of old age, it was revealed that the stink that has plagued the neighborhoo d about thirty years ago, was the cadaver of the man who was supposed to marry her, which was laid on her bed and was discovered showing the traces of hair and bones as proofs. The choice of using a fragile and dainty woman presented as a criminal shows bias on the part of the author. Since his female character is an unlikely personality to commit such a gruesome act like killing a person and having his cadaver stay in the room for years, it somehow portrays the perception that women, in their physical appearance, are as dangerous and/or even more treacherous than men. This suggests that women should not be trusted because behind their vulnerable appearances, they actually are precarious. On the other hand, â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums† narrates the story of a woman whose husband died in an accident, which explains why he has not gone home at the time he was expected to. However, the narration focuses more on the two women characters, the wife, and the mother-in-law. The wif e is shown to be indifferent toward the unexpected circumstance that they are faced with, being more concerned about the children being awakened by the commotion than the fuss she is expected to show over her husband’s death. The mother-in-law, on the other hand, has done nothing since her appearance but to cry and talk about how good her son was. The bias is quite obvious in the story because the male characters are shown to be minor actors who were just there to complete the actions that were expected to take place. On the contrary, the characterizations of the women have been magnified, reflecting the negative attitudes of women behind their obvious activities. On the marginalization of women, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† states that â€Å"the women mostly out of curiosity (went) to see the inside of her house† (Faulkner). Such declaration asserts that women are not really at the deceased house to show their last respect but to satisfy their curiosity. In addition , it says, â€Å"Only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generation and thought could have invented it, and only a woman could have believed it† (Faulkner). The phrase â€Å"Only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generation and thought† represents the old-fashioned and already non-existing characteristics of males. His generation which he represents is already gone and new generations which have better ideals have changed that old system. However, the next phrase, â€Å"and only a woman could have believed it†, speaks of women in general. This shows a separation between men and women.        Ã‚  

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Critically Evaluating Current Neo-liberal Education Policies Essay

Critically Evaluating Current Neo-liberal Education Policies - Essay Example 280). Attempts to improve the education system have been concerned with increasing the productivity of the education system. In a bid to change the education system new policies have been designed to raise standards following market ideologies. The schools become responsible for performance while the parents are given a variety of choices to select schools. Moreover, Bartlett and Burton (2006, p. 4) added that, the curriculum has been designed and dictated across the nation and attending school became compulsory. Those who choose to go for higher education have been required to pay tuition fee. The coalition government has reviewed the curriculum and qualifications in the education system since it assumed power in the year 2010. In order to enable learners to take the most appropriate route for the aspired profession, the coalition government introduced policies that facilitate them join a school to become an academy. An academy is an arrangement where students attend without paying and the school is managed by members of the local groups in the community. The coalition government reviewed funding for the vocational education. The motive was to increase the standards for qualification of the vocational education. Additionally, the school curriculum was reviewed to allow the instructors choose the method of delivery to the students. For the students in higher education, the coalition government ensured that there was mobility and sustainable funding. Qualifications pertaining diplomas and languages were reviewed. The language skills such as grammar, punctuation and spelling were incorporated in learning. The changes in funding arrangements... This essay stresses that attempts to improve the education system have been concerned with increasing the productivity of the education system. In a bid to change the education system new policies have been designed to raise standards following market ideologies. The schools become responsible for performance while the parents are given a variety of choices to select schools. Moreover, Bartlett and Burton (2006, p. 4) added that, the curriculum has been designed and dictated across the nation and attending school became compulsory. Those who choose to go for higher education have been required to pay tuition fee. This paper declares that the coalition government reviewed funding for the vocational education. The motive was to increase the standards for qualification of the vocational education. Additionally, the school curriculum was reviewed to allow the instructors choose the method of delivery to the students. For the students in higher education, the coalition government ensured that there was mobility and sustainable funding. Qualifications pertaining diplomas and languages were reviewed. The language skills such as grammar, punctuation and spelling were incorporated in learning. The changes in funding arrangements were to ensure that students continue with learning, develop and grow academically. After the government introduced a curriculum which requires all schools to teach certain skills and subjects, a nationwide assessment curriculum was formed.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Business Development and the Nature Globalization Essay

Business Development and the Nature Globalization - Essay Example These tasks involve sales, marketing, as well as the development of suitable and reliable strategies for the business organisation. The attention of all businesses should be directed towards the establishment of marketing teams with suitable strategies as well as focus on business expansion. Globalisation is all about expansion; hence, Avny (2006) believes that business entities are obliged to embrace the concept in order to achieve immense expansion and generate significant revenue for its self as well as national growth and development. Globalisation, as earlier noted is a product of human innovation and rapid advancement in technology. Technology presents business organisations with numerous opportunities that can be pivotal in the success or rather development of a business entity. The frequent identification of these opportunities presented by technology makes it possible for these small business entities to expand and reach international markets and as a result bring in more in come. Thus, Todaro and Smith (2009) opine that business development’s major role is to help firms identify and take advantage of the emerging market opportunities. The Nature of Globalisation Among the phenomena worth taking note of across the last period of the twentieth century is globalisation. By itself, it carries significant importance both in developing or what are referred to as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and developed nations across the globe. The process’ emergence and expansion can be credited to the advancements made in the transportation sector, communications as well as the rapid technological advancement towards the end of the twentieth century and into the twenty first century (Avny, 2007). The advancements made have helped in the reallocation of human... This essay approves that the growth and development of infrastructure like roads and communication lines have resulted in the reduced intervals between the travel times taken from the production and or manufacturing point to destination and or sale points enabling more countries to take part in the trade. The growth of these activities has seen more opportunities arise for the development of business entities which has been a credible contributor to the advancement in the economy of LDCs. It is easy to see the amount of similar products that are flooding the world markets in the contemporary world; an indicator that the world is moving in the direction of becoming a one-village market and or community. According to Birdsall, Rodrik and Subramanian, these developments result in the fast growth and development of these nations’ economies due to the increased multinational trade. The activities involving movement and or exchange of capital included indirect and direct financial i nvestments in least developed countries (LDCs) with the aim of raising the incomes and or revenue of the countries. The local businesses and or industries are required to meet international standards as a requirement of globalisation and as a result some are forced to merge with other multinationals in order to increase their operations. This report makes a conclusion that globalisation is an evoking concept that still is opposed by an ideological minority unable to deny the benefits associated with globalisation knowledge with respect to development of businesses as well as national economies. The few who view globalisation as some form of capitalism should drop the idea and embrace the concept as a major factor in business development.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Musical Autobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Musical Autobiography - Essay Example It was one of the most famous songs at that time, which became the first international â€Å"local song†, familiar to all world cultures (The Center for American Music). â€Å"Old Folks at Home† is a song about the need for one’s family home, childhood memories, and the security of a family. No matter how far we go, we always miss â€Å"de old plantation and for de old folks at home† (Foster). This song has been performed by many singers, but I like best Paul Robeson’s interpretation from 1926. I first listened to it as an 8-year-old girl with my father, who is a big fan of Paul Robeson. This song used to accompany our family dinners, long car trips and outings. Today, when I feel sad and lonely, I play â€Å"Old Folks at Home† and I think about my family in Korea. This songs allows me to realize that even though I am so far away from my family, we are still close at heart. I know that I have a family that cares for me and a home where I will always be welcomed. Another song that reminds me of my childhood in Korea is â€Å"Candy†, performed by H.O.T, which was my favorite band when I was in primary school. H.O.T was the most popular boy band in Korea at that time and all my friends were their big fans. We all collected pictures and posters of H.O.T and we were spending a lot of time practicing the choreography of â€Å"Candy†. Although my musical tastes have changed with time, sometimes I like listening to â€Å"Candy† and thinking with nostalgia of the days when my biggest worry was lack of some poster of H.O.T. that my best friend had already had on the wall. This song reminds me of my pre-teen days, my first crash on Kang Ta – one of the members of the band, and the great moments I spent singing and dancing with my friends. I think that preadolescence is a very important stage in our lives, when we start to develop meaningful friendships, we have increased feelings of independence, and we

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Cycle Shop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cycle Shop - Essay Example Shoulder movements such as shaking or nodding the head are movements created by an individual as an easier for the person to make a quick decision. People can also stiffen the body parts or at least reduce the movements by trying to control the reaction to the effect of the emotion. The slight head movements are hard to control because when a person is lying, for example, it is automatic for the expressions to occur and the individual may not have much ability to control it (Rosenberg & Ekman, 2005). Emotions expressed from the face such as blushing are also not easy to control because these are expressions, which occur as a result of tension in the body. One of the situations where the verbal and non-verbal expressions do not go together is when a person is telling the truth and his facial expression is suggesting that he intended to lie. In this process, the interviewer may be able to detect that the person is confused (Ekman, 2009). Other people may use the technique of looking down to avoid eye contact when they are lying even though it is also said the truthful people could make the same movements. Another situation is where one looks at an interviewee, and notices that his eye pupils are dilating. This is seen as a sign of lying, but it may not be consistent with the expression because at times the dilation may have been caused by bright light (Friesen & Ekman, 2003). There are a few emotional expressions which cannot be controlled. These are the expressions where the body does not necessarily have to produce any movements, but they are those that can be identified by just looking at a person’s face. They include paleness of the skin, redness of the face and eye blinking (Ekman, 2009). This is a situation where a person may be embarrassed or guilty and cannot control the changes occurring on his face. No matter how much the person may not want the interviewer to notice the expressions,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Operation Strategy w3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operation Strategy w3 - Essay Example The difficulty is the services marketing arises because there is an absence of any physical product in the business. The customer’s needs vary from one individual to another and because of this reason; services have to be modified in order to serve each client. There are four basic process strategies that are described as follows: - The strategy focuses on the product as the name suggests and it works towards the betterment of product and service quality (van de ven, 1992). The low level of standardization is used while; the product designed is generic in nature. This strategy requires the division of a process into various steps and these steps are taken separately in order to minimize the possibility of an error (van de ven, 1992). The assembly line manufacturing is a common instance. The strategy focuses on designing a specific product for a client so that his or her needs can be fulfilled optimally (van de ven, 1992). The customer satisfaction is the ultimate concern of this approach. The example includes the garment shop that is vending professional suiting for both males and females. The concept is to take a specific order in the light of purchaser’s buying power and other aspects. The idea is to maximize customer satisfaction. Reimann, M., Schilke, O., & Thomas, J. (2010). Customer relationship management and firm performance: the mediating role of business strategy. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 38 (3) ,

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Own Self Concepts Essay Example for Free

Own Self Concepts Essay Own Self Concepts SPC 2300 – 12 Own Self Concepts 1. Define one change you would like to make in yourself. It might be a behavior or anything about yourself that you would like to alter. * I would like to change one of my behaviors about myself. The worst quality about me is that I am always late no matter what the case may be. I am not late on purpose, but it seems like something always puts me behind schedule. It drives both my family and friends crazy. They have learned when I say I will be there in thirty minutes, to expect me in about an hour. This is a behavior of mine that I need to work on immediately. . Write a specific goal for making the change, being sure your goal is realistic and fair. Use affirming, motivational language in your goal. For example, â€Å"I will show my best friends that I am paying attention when they talk to me. † * This is something about myself I have needed to change for a long time. It is not something I do intentionally to drive my family and friends crazy. I need to become a little more time oriented, so that I can be where I say I am going to be, at a certain time. I will show my family and friends that I can be on time to their events. My first goal is to sit down with a calendar, and write down already known events and times. This way I will not schedule more than one event at a time. Next, by having a planner, I can add any new events that occur in future. I will be able to check available dates and make sure I have nothing already planned. Lastly, by sticking to my schedule and planning ahead it should reduce the amount of time I am late. I know I always have to expect the unexpected, but at least I have control over the already known about. 3. Observe or think of others who are models for what you want to be. Write down what they do. For example, â€Å"Tracy nods a lot and repeats back what others say so they know she is listening. † * A model person for me to observe and take tips from would be my mother. She will have a whole list of things to accomplish within her day, and gets them all done and on time. She has a monthly day planner that she carries with her at all times. She always makes sure to add important and upcoming events, as well as any of her daily to-dos to the planner. My mom also makes sure not to make more plans than she can fulfill within her day. It seems to work for my mom, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for me. . What context or setting is required for you to achieve your goal? For example, â€Å"I will talk with my friends in private, distraction-free settings. † * I will need to follow the schedule I set for myself and not let myself get distracted from my original plans. It might even be good for my family and friends to be a little bit stricter when it co mes to my tardiness. For the most part, this behavior is something I have to train myself on. No one else can do this for me. I have got to learn how to manage my time better, so that I will arrive at events when I am supposed to be there. . Identify potential barriers to the change. Some potential barriers that may cause some problems for my change will be the exact people who request the change of me. I will admit that I do control a lot of my tardiness, but not all of it is my fault. I will be on my way somewhere, when a friend asks me to do something for them. They promise it will only take five minutes. At that point, it is usually over an hour when they are done with me. I have got to learn to tell my family and friends no sometimes, in order to fulfill prior obligations.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Situational Leadership in Organisations: Benefits

Situational Leadership in Organisations: Benefits This report was commissioned to review the importance of the situational leadership theory in an organization and how it can positively affect the general performance of a company. The article aims to reveal how this method of leadership can prove to be beneficial, if a leader constantly changes his leadership style based on the maturity level of his subordinate groups in relation to the job allotted to them. Situational leadership, if practiced correctly, can help increase employee efficiency and loyalty, reduce employee turnouts and cut down on extra training costs, subsequently putting a company on a profitable ground. It is often seen though that many leaders make the mistake of practicing a common leadership style across all levels of his subordinate groups, rejecting the need for a change. This misreading often results as one of the major reasons for their failure as a leader or manager. Moreover, it has also been noticed that many leaders, at times, are unable to make the required changes in their leadership, even though they can see the need for the same. This inability is often generated from their personal rigid nature and apprehension towards any kind of change. Fear of failure, losing control or even loss of authority can be considered as significant factors that hinder them from making this change in them and adapting to the situation and people in question. The report aspires to find solutions to eradicate this blockage. TABLE OF CONTENTS (JUMP TO) 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 2.0 NEED FOR CHANGING LEADERSHIP STYLE 2.1Â  UNDERSTANDING MATURITY LEVELS 2.2Â  CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP STYLE 2.3Â  BENEFITS OF CHANGING LEADERSHIP 2.3.1Â  HIGHER EFFECIENCY AND PERFORMANCE 2.3.2Â  LOYALTY TO LEADER AND COMPANY 2.3.3Â  REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOUTS 2.3.4Â  COST REDUCTIONS 2.4Â  AVOIDING SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP 2.4.1Â  REASONS FOR AVOIDING TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP STYLE 3.0Â  CONCLUSIONS 4.0Â  RECOMMENDATIONS 1.0 INTRODUCTION The core of this article is the Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership model which states that there is no single best style of leadership. The effectiveness of a Leadership style is based on the adaptability of the leader towards the maturity of his subordinates and the elements of the task to be done. The theory points out that if a leader does not change his leadership style according to the maturity level of the group he is leading in relation to the task required to be performed, he will inevitably fail in his attempt to extract pleasing results from them. In this report, I will discuss the positive aspects of this leadership style and exhibit the possible advantages that it can give to an organization. Furthermore, an acute comprehension will be presented on why some managers avoid applying this theory in their leadership and some possible solutions to this problem. 2: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 2.0 NEED FOR CHANGING LEADERSHIP STYLE There is a very popular idiom used in India which says all five fingers of the hand are not the same. The five fingers of the hand in this expression, symbolizes people. The phrase talks about how every individual is different from each other in terms of intelligence, personality, strength and capabilities, just as the five fingers are different in size, structure, strength and function. In an organization too, there are various kinds of people or groups of different designation levels, age groups, education, and experience. Thus it is necessary to manage them using a suitable leadership method in accordance to them and the desired output. 2.1 UNDERSTANDING MATURITY LEVELS When I talk about maturity, I am referring to the willingness, readiness and expertise of an individual or group in relation to a particular task. Let me cite a simpler example closer to my life. When my brother, who is seven years older to me, turned twelve, my mother allowed him to do many things on his own and he did it willingly as it made him feel responsible. On the other hand, I was always helped by my mother in doing things for myself as I was only five years old then. So why did my mother do that? The answer is quite simple. There was a difference in my maturity level and capability compared to my brothers and my mother understood that well. She knew that being only five, I was not physically or mentally prepared to do some things on my own and thus would require her guidance and support to do some tasks whereas she gave my brother a freehand as he was older and more knowledgeable compared to me. This freedom made him feel more responsible and confident about himself as his maturity was acknowledged by my mother. Now let us imagine my mother handled my brother the same way as me even though he was twelve and a lot more mature. What would it do to my brother? He would definitely feel irritated because he was being treated at the same level as a person seven years younger to him. He would feel stripped of his seniority to his so much younger sister. Moreover, this common treatment could also hinder his personality growth and affect his confidence in himself. Similarly in an organization, one can find groups of people with different maturity levels, experience and assigned roles. In this situation, if a leader or manager followed a common leadership style throughout all groups, it could cause a lot of problems. His selected mode of leadership could suit one or more groups but not all. 2.2 CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP STYLE Situational leadership is directed on 2 major points; task behavior and relationship behavior. When applying the situational leadership theory, leaders will be able to decide whether to give more or less importance to the task or more or less importance to their relationship with the person they are leading, depending on which helps the task to be done more effectively. In my last office, a new member had joined my colleagues team sometime ago. They were working on a very vital project when my colleague had to leave on an emergency call. She quickly handed over some tasks to this new member and went off. Unfortunately, this new member did not have enough knowledge and understanding of the task and neither did he have the confidence to ask other members about it. As a result, he held on to the tasks and did not work much on them with the apprehension of making a mistake. When my colleague returned after 3 hours, she was furious to see that he had not completed the task. She thought she had given him enough time to do the task and he could have easily completed them on time. But a lot of time was wasted and nothing was done. She scolded him and called him irresponsible and unreliable, not realizing that she was equally to be blamed for this mishap. Considering that he was a new member, she should have given him proper guidance and instructions on how to do the task, instead of just telling him to do the task. The new member was low on the maturity scale (M1) but she made the mistake of using the Delegating style (S4) of leadership with him. The result; there was wastage of valuable time and manpower and the job was still not done. I faced a similar situation when one of my counterparts was leaving for a holiday and wanted me to take over some of her responsibilities. I was excited and interested in doing the same as I had worked very closely with her and had a good understanding of most of her responsibilities. Though she was aware of this, she still gave me a detailed list of her tasks and a step by step instruction of how to do them. This approach made me feel that she did not trust me with her work and that annoyed me. As a result, my enthusiasm for the job, dropped. I completed the tasks but not with the best of my ability. She knew that I was high on the maturity scale (M4) but she still opted to use the Telling style (S1) of leadership, as result, she ruined her relationship with me as a colleague due to her lack of trust. The above examples clearly explain why it is necessary for any leader to adapt his leadership style to the maturity of the person they are leading in relation to a required task. 2.3 BENEFITS OF CHANGING LEADERSHIP Following situational leadership can offer several benefits for an organization. It is often seen that the leader who works to understand the unique needs of his or her employees will build loyalty and dedication to both himself and the organization, while achieving a higher level of performance. 2.3.1 HIGHER EFFECIENCY AND PERFORMANCE A greater level of efficiency and performance can be achieved from employees if their leader is able to understand and identify his follower willingness, readiness and mindset towards a task and adjust his leadership approach towards them accordingly. By choosing the right style for them, he will be able to extract the optimum level of performance out of his subordinates in the required time, thus making his workforce more efficient for the company. 2.3.2 LOYALTY TO LEADER AND COMPANY A persons loyalty is always governed by his or her emotions. In an organization, when a leader recognizes, supports, guides, appreciates and trusts his employees or subordinates using the correct method of leadership with them, they feel more bonded towards their leader and the company, as a result offering a stronger loyalty affiliation towards them. 2.3.3 REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOUTS One of the major reasons for high employee turnout in an organization is a usually a bad manager. When employees are not guided and supported well by their leaders or not given their due respect, appreciation or trust by their managers, it generally affects their work performance. As a result, they end up feeling frustrated and dejected at work, subsequently leaving the job. A wrong leadership approach towards employees can also hamper the relationship between the management and its subordinate groups. A manager can avoid such issues by selecting the best suited leadership style towards a group based on their maturity and capability levels. Understanding the in-depth need of the subordinate group will help him decide how much intervention and leverage is required from him in the groups activity in relation to a task they are going to perform. By doing this, he will be able to inculcate the correct amount of guidance and support when required or provide the right of independence; as a result employees feel more valued and satisfied in the company, consequently reducing the turnout percentage. 2.3.4 COST REDUCTIONS Situational leadership can cut costs of an organization in a vital way. As illustrated above, following a suitable leadership style reduces employee turnouts. Reduction in employee turnouts means there is a lesser need of bringing in new employees in an organization for the same existing jobs. This automatically saves the company a lot of extra costs of hiring, training and re-training of new employees. An employees work efficiency is equally proportionate to the company costs. If an employee is not efficient enough to do a job in a particular time, it costs the company more money to keep him. A leader when following the correct method of leadership as per the readiness of the employee towards a task, he can increase the efficiency and work performance of the employee by providing the correct amount of direction to him and getting the right amount of work done in the required time. 2.4 AVOIDING SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP Even though situational leadership is quite popular with many multinationals today due to its simplistic and easy to use nature, it is often seen that a lot of managers do not want to use it. They either do not consider the requirement of this leadership style or are just apprehensive about using it with their work force. 2.4.1 REASONS FOR AVOIDING TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP STYLE Many managers avoid using situational leadership or changing their leadership because due to personal reasons. The leader is sometimes overpowered by his fear of failure and thus avoids making changes in his style. He is not sure if experimenting with his leadership style would bring him the desired results and so keeps away from it even though he sees the need to do it. Besides this he also fears losing control over his people and work. The love for extreme power has also been cited as a possible reason behind avoiding to use situational leadership. Moreover, a managers inflexible personality also acts as a hindrance to his ability to adapt to his groups needs towards a task. He may be a person who does not like change in general and has a fixed modus operandi towards his work and managing people. 3.0 CONCLUSIONS The Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership model is intuitively appealing and has been widely used in management development programs. Leaders should consider altering styles to achieve the best results with followers and situations, even as they change with time. Leaders must give continuous attention to the skill levels and task confidence of his subordinates through training and development programs. If the correct styles are used in lower-readiness situations, followers will mature and grow in their abilities and confidence. This willingness to understand follower development and respond with flexibility allows the leader to become less directive as followers mature. 4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS All teams, and all team members, are not created equal. Hersey and Blanchards theory argues that leaders are more effective when they use a leadership style based on the individuals or groups theyre leading. So you should start by identifying whom youre leading. Are your followers knowledgeable experienced in the task? Are they willing and excited to do the work? Rate them on the M1-M4 maturity scale, and then use the leadership style from S1 to S4 thats appropriate for that rating.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Albergo Diffuso: An Alternative Form of Hospitality Essay -- Tourism

The defining features of the albergo diffuso. â€Å"Like a holiday apartment, an albergo diffuso allows travellers to join in village life, but the bonus is that it offers the basic services of a hotel† (Williams, 2010). In order to gain a full comprehension of the new concept, some of the salient features of this phenomenon must first be discussed. To be able to earn its name, an albergo diffuso hotel is required to meet several criteria. First, the initiative should come from within the community and a hotel must use existing buildings and local workforce. Second, the minimum number of rooms required is seven; they all should be located within 200 meters from each other. Third, the area must have some minimum services offered, such as a restaurant, a grocery store, a pharmacy. Last, local residents should be part of the experience: it's their open and welcoming attitude that makes a guest's stay memorable (Dichter). In addition, an albergo diffuso hotel must retain unique local touch to differentiate itself from uniform accommodations. Dall'Ara insisted on recovering the origins of a local culture and preserving a strong sense of place. Being a part of the historic centre, abandoned buildings gain new life and naturally stand out from traditional and boring style of cookie cutter structures (Fortney-Schneider, 2011). For example, the countryside in the Marche region offers the traditional Italian village lodging, while the town of Matera features unique grottoes-type hotel rooms with atmosphere of a typical twentieth century cave dwelling. The renovations in each village carefully preserved detailed period decor to ensure the guests have a truly authentic experience and enjoy the sense of ease and tranquility of the bygone times (... ...â€Å"Saving Towns by Filling Rooms† by Gizela Williams that appeared in the May 2010 issue of The New York Times (New York Edition). A featured article from blog community insidersabroad.com. Valerie Fortney-Schneider More Than a Mere Hotel: Albergo Diffuso is a Welcome Alternative October 2011 the brochure The innovation â€Å"Albergo Diffuso Developing Tourism Through Innovation and Tradition†. IDEASS Italy www.ideassonline.org by Giordano Dichter a research paper â€Å"Albergo diffuso† concept as a new offer in rural area. Pavlo Ruzic, Marinela Dropulic. Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Porec a case study â€Å"A typical Italian phenomenon: The â€Å"albergo diffuso† Marco Confalonieri, Inoversita Cattolica del Sacro 2010 Tourism Management database a January 2012 article by Amà ©lie Racine titled â€Å"Albergo Diffuso: An alternative form of hospitality† from tourismintelligencego.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Comparative policing study is a study that is trying to find new and successful ways to police other countries by feeding off of each other’s ideas and ways of policing. The main goal is to find a global way of policing with little to no flaws, a way that makes policing easier and more efficient for everybody. Reichel, Bayley, and Mawby all have different ideas on comparative policing study and each of their ideas can give you an insight on what are the benefits and risks of the comparative policing study. In Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: A Topical Approach, Reichel states that the benefits of comparative policing are both provincial and universal. The provincial benefit is avoiding ethnocentrism by looking at other ways of working and checking if they might apply to our own systems. And the universal benefit encourages international cooperation and gives practitioners an understanding of how to work in a ‘flat’ world. (Reichel, 2008) An example of a provincial benefit is how many countries have adopted the Japanese police practice of having small local police stations. Cit...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Global Eradication of Polio Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research P

The Global Eradication of Polio    The possibility of the eradication of polio worldwide is an imminent and exciting prospect as the "goal" year quickly approaches. In 1988, the World Health Assembly, which governs the World Health Organization, set the goal of eliminating polio from the world by the year 2010. Many organizations have joined the effort along with the World Health Organization: the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, Rotary International, Global Health Network, the US Agency for International Development, National Immunization Day, and the International Broadcasting Bureau. Together, these "worldwide polio partners" have implemented a strategy to completely rid the world of this disease. It is a difficult task, one which must be thorough and all-encompassing, covering all people in all countries, even those industrialized countries such as the United States where polio has already been successfully eliminated (Reuters 1998). The disease poliomyelitis is caused by "three serotypes of poliovirus" (Prevots 1999). It can manifest itself with a range of characteristics, from flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, vomiting, fatigue, constipation, pain in the limbs and stiffness in the neck, to various levels of paralysis, and death. Poliovirus can be passed along from person to person through fecal-oral transmission, and any contaminated object can spread the virus. This is why polio is prevalent today in areas with very poor sanitation. Another source of transmission in any environment is the young children in diapers. The World Health Organization states: * The disease circulates "silently" at first, and may infect hundreds of people, depending on the level of sanitation, before the first c... ...e year 2010 is not achieved.    WORKS CITED "The Beginning of the End: Target 2010. The World Without Polio." World Health Organization. 1999. "Five Steps to Ridding the World of Polio. Rotary International. 1999. Prevots, Rebecca D., PhD, MPH. et al. Chapter X from the Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases: Poliomyelitis (CDC). Stemrich Associates: 1999. Sharma, Ashok. "India Unlikely to Eradicate Polio by 2010." Associated Press. January 1999. "Worldwide Eradication of Polio by 2010 Still Possible." Reuters. September 1998.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Plant Imagery Throughout the Scarlet Letter

Honors American Lit. B The Scarlet Letter Pathway Paper – 694 wordsApril 23, 2013 Throughout The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses vegetation imagery in correlation with his ideas about sinful nature and god. When describing the prison in the very beginning of the novel, Hawthorne writes, â€Å"a grass-plot, much overgrown with†¦ such unsightly vegetation, which evidently found something congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison† (45-46).Hawthorne uses the imagery of a black flower to depict the sinful nature of humans as it was inevitable that even in this new flourishing society the people there saw the need to build a prison. This vivid image also relates to the Puritan’s harsh view on sin in the community. Throughout the novel Hawthorne frequently criticizes the Puritan society, this being another example, â€Å"but the proprietor appeared already to have relinquished, as hopeless, the effort to perpetuate on this side of the Atlantic, in a hard soil and amid the close struggle for subsistence, the native English taste for ornamental gardening† (97).The description of the Governor’s ornamental garden shows the garden failing, as if the person caring for it had given up and realized that it was impossible to have the ornamental garden in Boston the way it was in England. This parallels Hawthorne’s beliefs about Puritan society in that their abstruse beliefs would not sustain in the new world they were creating, for god is depicted through nature demonstrating how Hawthorne feels god is looking down on the materialistic and frivolous ways of the Puritans.Later in the novel Chillingworth says, â€Å"wherefore not, since all the powers of nature call so earnestly for the confession of sin, that these black weeds have sprung up out of a buried heart, to make manifest an unspoken crime? † (119). Nature is being associated with god in this passage theref ore Hawthorne is saying that god calls for the confession of sin and goes on to say that god disapproves of a person that does not confess, thus the black weeds, mirroring sin, grow on the graves of those who cling to secrets.This idea is also repeated later in the novel, â€Å"and all this time, perchance, when poor Mr. Dimmesdale was thinking of his grave, he questioned with himself whether the grass would ever grow on it, because an accursed thing must there be buried! † (130). Sin is again depicted as lifelessness in this passage, for Dimmesdale has sinned, and not confessed; therefore he is concerned that god will reject him. Hawthorne clearly writes with a style of dark romanticism epitomized through his description of sin in the beginning of the novel as inexorable in every society.Hawthorne also reflects his religious views and those of his times period in the way he sees god and nature as one, similar to the ideas of Pantheism, a belief in the manifestation of god th rough nature. Hawthorne frequently links god to nature as seen when Hester calls to nature, as if calling to god, for forgiveness, â€Å"’Thou shalt forgive me! ’ cried Hester, flinging herself on the fallen leaves beside him† (175). While nature symbolizes sin, it also symbolizes the comforting and forgiving appearance of god.In relation to the bible, â€Å"†¦the yellow leaves will show no vestige of the white man’s tread† (178), the yellow leaves reference the scripture Isaiah 43:25, which reads, â€Å"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more† displaying the tie between nature and god both covering and forgetting sins; also tying into Hawthorne’s religious perspective in his writing. Nathaniel Hawthorne articulates his views on sin and god through his use of vegetation imagery throughout the scarlet letter; he continually uses dead and â€Å"black† imagery to al lude to sin and secrets.His use of dead vegetation implies that he believes confession is the relief of the burden of sin and the necessary action to obtain god’s approval and forgiveness. Hawthorne also represents god’s forgiveness through plant imagery; connecting god’s washing away of sin to the forest and nature washing away of sin. Fundamentally Hawthorne uses vegetation to convey his ideas on divinity and human sinful nature in The Scarlet Letter.

Rita Dove

The poet that I have chosen to do is Rita Dove. In her newest collection of poems, Sonata Mulattica, there were many to choose from. However the two that I wanted to look deeper into were Exit and Golden Oldie. In both poems she is able to convey strong emotions in the characters she described. Rita Dove was born in Akron, Ohio. Her father, Ray A. Dove, was a chemist, and a pioneer of integration in American industry. Both of her parents encouraged persistent study and wide reading. From an early age, Rita loved poetry and music. She played cello in her high school orchestra, and led her high school's majorette squad. As one of the most outstanding high school graduates of her year, she was invited to the White House as a Presidential Scholar. At Miami University in Ohio, she began to pursue writing seriously. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in English in 1973, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany for two years at the University of Tubingen. She then joined the famous Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, receiving her Masters' Degree in 1977. At Iowa, she met another Fulbright scholar, a young writer from Germany named Fred Viebahn. They were married in 1979. Their daughter Aviva was born in 1983. From 1981 to 1989, Rita Dove taught creative writing at Arizona State University. Appearances in magazines and anthologies had won national acclaim for Rita Dove before she published her first poetry collection, The Yellow House on the Corner in 1980. It was followed by Museum (1983) and Thomas and Beulah, (1986) a collection of interrelated poems loosely based on the life of her grandparents. Thomas and Beulah won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. In 1993, Rita Dove was appointed to a two-year term as Poet Laureate of the United States and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She was the youngest person, and the first African-American, to receive this highest official honor in American letters. In the fall of 1994, she read her poem, Lady Freedom Among Us, at the ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of the U. S. Capitol. Other publications by Rita Dove include a book of short stories, Fifth Sunday, the poetry collections Grace Notes, Selected Poems and Mother Love, and the novel Through the Ivory Gate. Her verse drama, The Darker Face of the Earth had its world premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 1986. Another production of the play appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C. , in 1997. Dove has brought her poetry to television audiences through her appearances on CNN and NBC's Today Show. Public Broadcasting has devoted an hour-long prime time special to her life and work. She has shared television stages with Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers and Big Bird. On radio, she has hosted a National Public Radio special on Billie Holliday, and has been a frequent guest on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. She joined former President Jimmy Carter top welcome an unprecedented gathering of Nobel Laureates in Literature to Atlanta, Georgia for a Cultural Olympiad held in conjunction with the 1996 Olympic Games. That same year, a symphonic work for orchestra and narrator — â€Å"Umoja — Each One of Us Counts,† — was performed at Atlanta's Symphony Hall with Rita Dove's text performed by former Mayor and U. N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Dove's lifelong interest in music has taken other forms. She has provided text for works by composers Tania Leon, Bruce Dolphe and Alvin Singleton. Her song cycle Seven for Luck, with music by John Williams, was featured on a PBS television special with the Boston Symphony. In 2009, she published Sonata Mulattica, a book-length cycle of poems telling the story of the 19th century African-European violinist George PolgreenBridgetower and his turbulent friendship with Ludwig van Beethoven. Rita Dove is Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she lives with her husband, the German author Fred Viebahn. They have one daughter. In her spare time, she studies classical voice and practices the viola da gamba, a 17th century forerunner of the modern cello. Now that a little more about her life is understood it is time to examine the poems themselves. In Golden Oldie Dove tells a narrative about her getting home. The emotions in this poem are clearly evident, and show that the speaker is confused about her life. The first thing I noticed was a irregular rhyming scheme. Often times poetry follows certain patterns, but in this case there is none. The words that rhyme are: swaying and playing, and sentiment and lament. Also, the words â€Å"alive† and â€Å"live by† are very similar sounding. Thus by having some things rhyme, in an irregular manner she shows that there is some consistency within randomness. This is similar to the girls life – very confusing. Moreover, her word choice is quite important in the poem. For instance, swaying is a specific choice because it has connotations of being lost or indifferent. Later on she reaffirms this thought by comparing herself in a simile to a blind pianist caught in a tune meant for more than two hands. The scenario she compares herself to is somewhat humorous to think about, because the pianist is basically completely helpless. Obviously the feat described is quite confusing. In the next few lines she describes the song playing on the radio in her car. It is being sung by a young girl who, in her opinion is dying to feel alive. Dying to feel alive is a pretty intense statement to make. It seems that to make such a drastic statement she may be feeling that same issue. It continues to say â€Å"to discover a pain majestic enough to live by. † This line is very interesting because most people don’t require a pain to live. Rather they try to avoid pain. But it appears that the girl singing, and possibly the author, want to feel something rather than nothing at all. She was getting very intimate with the song, as proven by her turning off the air conditioning, despite the hot temperatures. Also, she leaned back as if to block out everything else but what she heard. The line in the song so closely paid attention to is described as a lament. A lament is described as a way to express sadness, grief, or sorrow. Then, upon hearing the melancholy statement, the speaker says she greedily took in without a clue who my lover might be. This was the most confusing part of the poem to me. At first I didn’t understand how she could greedily take something in, when there was no actual object to get. However, it appears that she is hoarding the idea of having a lover who wants to know where their love went. Thus, it leads me to believe that she is in search of love when she concludes with â€Å"or where to start looking. † Searching for love can be really confusing. Therefore a theme statement for the overall meaning of the poem can be derived: Often times human beings can be very confused in their emotions. Sometimes they can find understanding in other confusing things because it is easy to relate to. The second poem by Rita Dove that I analyzed was Exit. In this case the author conveys that the emotion being felt by the speaker is anxious hopefulness. It is written from the speakers perspective about the reader, which I thought was very interesting. It's about â€Å"you†, the reader, who is going somewhere. There is no rhyming scheme and it is one large stanza. The speaker starts off by saying that a visa is granted. This tends to imply hat someone is going somewhere outside of their current country for an extended period of time. This can cause some anxiety. Moreover, it is said that the traveler wanted to get it, because there was hope that it would arrive. Then upon leaving, there is the realization that it is actually happening. The author compares the exit to that of in a movie. More information about the visa follows. It is has been granted, â€Å"provisionally. † Meaning temporary or conditional, the speaker describes it as a fretful, or scary word. Then a reference to the windows of the house is made. I think the author included this to reinforce the mindset that your leaving home, a very special place. However, an immediate contrast is made by saying â€Å"here it’s gray. † This is in regards to the fact that a feeling of sorrow is present due to leaving. A suitcase is described as the saddest object in the world, which seems odd because the person wanted to travel according to the hope for a visa. Although it may be the case where the traveler knows that it is best to go, but is still upset about leaving. The final few lines reference the childhood of the reader. A metaphor is used to compare the windshield of the vehicle too cheeks of the reader. â€Å"And now through the windshield the sky begins to blush as you did when your mother told you what it took to be a woman in this life. † This is a much more positive angle on the journey they're about to embark on. After reviewing the poems many times a general theme statement can be constructed: Often times human beings feel anxious about something they're going to do. However, despite their concerns they can still have some feelings of hope that they will be successful.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

How Has Technology Affected Global Business Essay

Before the arrival of the era of the technology, business was done very inside the four walls of the office. Technology advancement is responsible for today’s noticeable changes in the field of business, mainly in international business. Nowadays, almost every home and office is equipped with computers that are connected to the Internet. Most businesses are conducted over personal computers or other communication devices such as handheld devices. It has become easier to access information and learn about developing economic trends and problems as well as gather data on foreign exchange market, cultures and policies. The advancement of technology has also made it easier for businesses to deal with foreign investments. Furthermore, technology has changed the way we deal with business matters. The internet has become a very useful tool for international companies. Other than that, Schermerhorn, Davidson, Poole, Simon, Woods and Chau (2004) stated that â€Å"computers allow organizations of all types and sizes, locally and internationally, to speed transactions and improve decision making. Schermerhorn, Davidson, Poole, Simon, Woods and Chau (2004) also suggested that from small retailers to the big international firms, technology is an important tool for everyday operation whether it is for inventory checking, sales transaction making, ordering goods or analyzing customer preferences. With internet, video conferencing can be used by both parties to see each other virtually on TV or computer screen. For example, in Malaysia we can have a conversation with a raw material supplier in China and a manufacturer from Taiwan. By using the internet, companies across the world can perform research and socialize with partners and suppliers better. This will eventually lead us to having a better relationship with international suppliers and customers. Next, the existence of technology has also caused improvement in the field of the media in the means of communication. Anyone can easily access data of a specific foreign company with the help of media such as internet, radio, newspaper and magazines. Increased media capabilities can help international businesses improve their productivity through media’s various means of reaching out to public. Once a company’s productivity level increases, profits can also scale up. Other than that, with computers, we can now store dense databases, personal schedules and other important information in the computer without having to store the old and dusty piles of papers and files in the office. Accessibility of files also has become an easy task with series of password keys and shared folders. Cash transactions are easily made, delay in reduced hence giving liquidity to business. In order to save time and effort, we can also now use accounting software such as UBS to record and process accounting transactions. The shipment of raw materials and finished products is very important to any business, but mostly for those with an international scope. Technology of transportation enables a company on one continent to send its raw materials or products to another company in a different continent. Technological advancements in airplanes, cargo ships and railways allow for quicker, cheaper delivery, which impacts business by making global distribution more feasible. Technology has helped in customer service, huge corporations such as Apply and Microsoft attend to customer needs through email and chat services. Networking internal and external in organizations has improved the working of businesses. Staffs and clients likewise can get in touch with the managers for feedback, progress reports and extensions. It is definitely more convenient for customers as they do not need to trouble themselves to walk into a company that they want to complain or need help from.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Quality Culture and Customer Retention at Disney World

The Disney WorldDisney World, or Walt Disney World Resort, is a recreational resort that has theme parks, golf courses, water parks, resort hotels and shopping areas. It is owned by the Walt Disney Company and is considered as the largest recreational resort in the world.Disney CultureThe culture espoused by the Disney World is proportional to the globalization of American culture. Just like the worldwide spread of American culture and ideas, â€Å"Disney culture† has received a global acceptance. Disney World is presented to the human race with charm, which makes people of all ages, of different races, and different gender preferences fascinated with anything (that is associated with) â€Å"Disney.†The Disney culture is appealing. This is what makes Disney World rise to the top. Having focused on providing quality entertainment to the people, Disney is able to produce products and services that are cherished by its customers. Marty Sklar, Vice Chairman and Principal Cr eative Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, enumerated five things that makes him proud of Disney. These five things, which mirror the sort of culture that Disney espouses, are â€Å"high-quality products, optimism for the future, great storytelling, an emphasis on family entertainment and great talent, passion and dedication from our Cast Members† (Sklar, 2007).Products of Disney are of high quality because the company is dedicated to a tradition of innovation. With this, the company’s products and services are seen as original, creative and ground-breaking. Furthermore, each product of Disney has its own story to tell, and with every story being told, there is always a positive message for the customers. This makes Disney culture both entertaining and respected by its customers. It does not sacrifice the talent of its cast members, the storyline, and story’s positive message for mere entertainment.Guestologyâ€Å"Guestology† is a term coined by Bruce Laval, a Senior Manager at Walt Disney. The term is used to signify the company’s aim of focusing on guest behavior.Using the idea of guestology, Disney employs a different kind of management. The company does not follow the traditional management style, which focuses on organizational development and managerial hierarchy. Instead, the company focuses on the â€Å"guests† or the â€Å"customers.† With such method, the company uses not the company’s or organization’s perspective, in determining the quality of the products. What is being used is the customer’s perspective. Customer experience is then given a paramount importance.Because the perspective used is that of the customers’, Disney World is able to determine what customers need and want. With the use of surveys, Disney is able to determine that customers need a clean theme park and Disney World provides them with that. Efforts are also made to extend theme park hours and expand fireworks displays in order to satisfy the customers.Customer Retention through Quality CultureThough the focus is on customers, it should not be mistaken that Disney puts customer satisfaction as its core. Customer satisfaction is important, but customer retention is even a more important thing.Often times, people take customer satisfaction and customer retention as synonymous. However, they are not. Customer retention necessarily implies customer satisfaction, but customer satisfaction does not always mean customer retention. Disney is one among very few companies that recognize this fact. Disney is not concerned merely with making its customers satisfied. It aims at giving its customers quality products and services because it is more concerned with the loyalty of its customers to whatever it offers.As aforementioned, Disney is not concerned merely with marketing its products and services. It is not concerned merely with providing entertainment or mere satisfaction. It puts emph asis on the talents of its casts, the message that its products brings and with innovative ideas because it puts customer retention at its core. And Disney World successfully does this by its ability to produce an appealing culture. Reference: Baker, R. (2007 May). Earning My Mouse Ears, Part II: The Disney Approach to Customer Loyalty [WWW document]. URL http://verasage.com. 27 July 2007. Sklar, M. (2007, July) [WWW document]. URL http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/culture.html. 27 July 2007. The HSM Group. (2005). Holding Onto Your Customers [WWW document]. URL http://www.hsmgroup.com/ebriefing/ebriefing08.asp. 27 July 2007.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Business Research Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Business Research Analysis - Essay Example However, due to an increase in the intensity of competition within the tourism industry, it is essential to look into the level of customer satisfaction. In order to carry out the same the study has used a questionnaire survey among the existing customers of the company. The questionnaire is described below in the appendix section of the project (Questionnaire Appendix 1.) PART I (b) Distribution Method and Associated Documents As mentioned above, the study intends to examine the level of customer satisfaction among the existing customers of the company. In order to do so, a questionnaire survey will be used by the company. However, only the development of questionnaire will not serve the purpose it needs to be distributed properly so as to ensure higher response rate. Presently the company has 3200 registered customers in the data base. Among the total numbers of customers around 20% i.e. 640 customers will be contacted by post. The remaining 80% of the customers will be approached via e-mail. The respondents will be sent an email with the attachment of the questionnaire. The customers will be asked to reply back with their responses. ... However, the SMS will not disclose the incentives to be provided but will notify about a guaranteed prize. The incentives to be offered to the customers for taking part in the survey will be flat 20% discount in the next trip. Furthermore 3 lucky respondents will get digital camera from the company, 10 lucky winners will get travel bags and 20 lucky respondents will win 8 GB memory stick. With such lucrative offers, it is expected that the company will be able to achieve at least 30% overall response. The coding plan as well as other supported documents such as consent form, confidentiality forms etc. that are to be sent to the customers are presented in the Appendix section of the study. PART I (c) Critical Evaluation of the Questionnaire Tours and Travel industry is one of the rapidly growing industries of the world. This is probably the only industry which is least impacted by the external business situation. Although, economic crisis and financial downturn reduces the growth rate of this industry, but it maintains a steady growth rate despite of several unwanted situations. According to reports, tourism is one of the major contributors to the national economy of a country. Due to the robust growth of travel and tourism industry, the level of job creation is growing at a robust pace accounting to one and half times faster than the other industries. It is one of the labour intensive industries of the world and employs around 200 million people worldwide. There are several forms of tourism namely sustainable tourism, eco tourism, pro-poor tourism, medical tourism, recession tourism, educational tourism, dart tourism, creative tourism, and doom tourism among others. This project intends to shed light on the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Changes in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Changes in the U.S - Essay Example There was further forced migration that constituted the internal slave trade, which carried black people from the Atlantic coast to the American South interior (Horton & Horton, 2005). According to Klein (2010), the initial experience of the group in America constituted mistreatment from the landowners and white Americans. They could be locked in stinking slave ships, and they lost freedom, and they were subjected long years of slavery that followed their stay in the United States. There used to be inhumane acts that caused a lot of suffering to the blacks before they could cope with life in a new environment. Over time, the experience of West Africans in the United States changed, especially with the realization that they needed to liberate themselves. The blacks gained determination to free themselves from dehumanizing circumstances, as they gained confidence that could eventually gain freedom. The American civil war resulted from the continuous efforts of slaves to be free from bondage. The migration of West Africans to the United States during the slave trade had significant impacts on life in the United States. The immigration of this group changed the United States in that it led to economic development, which was fuelled by the presence of cheap labor to work in the farms. Industrial revolution emerged from transatlantic slave trade since the slaves could provide the labor needed in industries. The immigration of West Africans to the United States also led to the rise of slums, which mainly comprised of the poor slaves. In addition, there emerged stratification and discrimination based on gender whereby African Americans could not access the privileges accorded to white Americans (Jalloh & Falola,

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Internet makes ratio analysis for two Qatari Companies (Dlala and Research Paper

Internet makes ratio analysis for two Qatari Companies (Dlala and Qatar Telecom) - Research Paper Example The most commonly used ratios are the liquidity, profitability, efficiency and financial stability ratios. . These ratios are critical to the success of the bank in terms of profitability. The main source of information will be the Annual reports for the respective companies which are available from the internet. Internet is highly reliable and reduces time and costs that could have been used in accessing libraries or buying books for reference purposes. It can be accessed at anytime and anywhere so long as there is a computer and internet connectivity. In addition, internet has highly contributed to e-learning a mode that is common today. This is a finding given by different companies, trying to analyze the business transaction prior to profit posted for a given annual report. This helps the investors within these companies to lay down proper strategies in regards to the company’s growth. However, an analysis help various companies in line to business to provide enough money for its bills, to establish if whether the wages paid to employees are high or low, whether the company is paying its tax to revenue authority, whether the company assets are being used efficiently and finally whether the prevailing problem issues are geared by the stake holders (Carr, 2011). From the above observation we found that the performance trend of the Qatar telecom has been growing tremendously. Considering the minority interests of the company, profit and losses have been diminishing ever within the year 2008 as compared to the financial year 2007. The number of property, plant and equipment has increased with a margin of 144, 692, 278, for the financial years of 2007 and 2008. Meanwhile, the intangible assets, and the differed tax asset have increased from the one in the year 2007 to the one in the year 2008. This is however, showing that the financial analysis of the Qatar Company has been increasing due to the

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Nationalized Health Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nationalized Health Insurance - Essay Example hree major areas of concern: loss of health decision choices and lack of privacy, a decline in the quality of health care and the creation of new inequalities. Proponents of nationalized health insurance focus predominately on the issue of monetary savings. They claim that the cost of consumer products is reduced when health insurance is nationalized because savings made by employers who are no longer liable for their employees health insurance are passed on to consumers. In turn, this lowering of the cost of products ensures more local jobs for employees because companies are more able to compete in global trade. Supporters of nationalized health insurance also maintain that employees are more mobile because they are more confident and thus more able to change employment if they are no longer happy with one employer; they are also less hesitant in setting up their own business or company without the anxiety of losing their health insurance. In reality however, while these arguments may be acceptable in terms of monetary savings and mobility, other costs are heavier. Canada and Britain both have nationalized health insurance but with differences. Britain employs a ‘single-payer system’ and people are unable to avoid the system and use private insurers. The government covers all health care costs, with money coming from tax incomes. Patients are not required to pay for any services other than some small amounts towards optical and dental care and treatments bought on prescription. Most doctors and nurses are direct employees of the government and thus paid by the government (Tanner, 2008, p.31). Canada’s system is different to Britain’s in that responsibility is divided between ten provinces and two territories. In other words, the federal government and provinces cover all costs but medical staff are not direct employees of the government. Federal taxes pay for around sixteen percent of health care costs with the remainder covered by provincial taxes.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Emergency Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Emergency Management - Essay Example According to the Texas Impact (2008), at the time of the flood, â€Å"the ARC set up food and water stations, provided medical care, and established mass shelters to house the disaster victims.† Leading on from the performance of the American Red Cross in this disaster, it organization was granted a federal charter in 1900 by congress to provide support in time of disaster. A lot more non-governmental agencies and charity organizations were given similar recognition in major disasters such as â€Å"the Galveston Hurricane and Storm Surge in 1900, San Francisco Earthquake in 1906, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, and the droughts of 1930-1931† (Texas Impact). Though the efforts of the non-governmental organizations were commendable, the task seemed just too much to be left to their care alone especially as government least supported them with funds (Sylves, 2008). Concerns were therefore raised in the mid 1900s as the situation was eventually curtailed in 1950 when congress passed what came to be known as the Federal Disaster Relief Program (FDP). The FDP transferred power to the president from congress. With this power, the president was then mandated to be the sole authority that could declare disaster. FEMA (2011) notes that the Stafford Act (1988) â€Å"constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs.† The Stafford Act is quite limited in the kind of relief or support it can give out in time of a major disaster or an emergency (Meola, 2011). The first of these relief assistances is emergency work, which is carried out upon the instruction of the president. The emergency work includes such activities as clearing and removing debris, restoration of public facilities and freeing wreckage. The support also includes the provision of legal services, giving out unemployment assistance, giving out of food coupons for the onward

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Water Weapons Officer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Water Weapons Officer - Assignment Example From this discussion it is clear that the Fundamentals of Canadian Defence Ethics presented the types of ethical dilemma in three general categories: the uncertainty dilemma which is of general nature but where no clear indication of right and wrong could be simply inferred; competing obligations dilemma, as the term indicates, the number of courses of action and decision complicate the selection since most are consistent with differing ethical values and obligations; and harm dilemma is a difficult ethical situation where a course of action or decision would result to injury or harm.This essay declares that  using the original scenario that needs to determine one’s decision in the capacity of an AWWO, the individual factors that could influence one’s decision lies into the following: â€Å"ego strength, field dependence and locus of control, are suggested to influence the likelihood of a person to act on the cognitions regarding what is ethical or unethical†.à ‚  Individuals who are high on ego strength are said to resist impulses and follow their intuitions regarding what is right or wrong they are more likely to act on what they think is right or wrong – than those who are low on this measure. Individuals deemed to be field dependent are those who more typically refer to the guidance of others in determining what is right or wrong.  The opposite of this, field independent, includes individuals who function with more autonomy than their counterparts.... To response to the question on moral grounds, one can use the readings from Lesson 11 stipulating that although â€Å"loyalty is a functional military necessity, which also implies the need for obedience... (where) most orders do not require blind obedience or instantaneous obedience... (and where) loyalty should be broadly based on personal integrity and trust† (PSE 402: Lesson 11, 2010, p. 4). Further, as emphasized in the same discourse, â€Å"although immediate obligation is to the chain of command, the highest obligation is to humanity at large† (PSE 402: Lesson 11, 2010, p. 6). In addition, another relevant point presented under Lesson 11 is Huntington’s discussion of justifying obedience versus disobedience, to wit: â€Å"Huntington is only referring to lawful orders. He does not imply that a subordinate is obligated to obey a clearly unlawful order† (PSE 402: Lesson 11, 201, p. 8). With the foregoing supporting statements, as AWWO, one should clear ly disobey the Captain’s order (presuming scenario 2 that the Captain deliberately intends to report inaccurate results) due to unlawful order, which is contrary to moral grounds and disregards professionalism in terms of integrity and the obligation to uphold the highest standards of the military profession for the sake of humanity. When one decides to obey the order, which in the first place was unlawful, it would be a precursor for future orders that could be given and expected to be followed despite of being based on lies and immoral grounds. One should remain steadfast in adhereing to the values of truth, integrity, and honor above loyalty to unworthy and compromising cause. 2. Using the Statement of Defence Ethics in the Fundamentals of Canadian Defence Ethics (2002), identify ethical

Saturday, September 7, 2019

SS310 Unit 7 DB Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SS310 Unit 7 DB - Research Paper Example It is equally evident that archeological resources within the moon have the capacity to improve the state of the earth. This is attributable to the minerals, and other compounds that are likely to benefit humankind. It is equally central to recognize that the moon helps in enhancing life on earth. The exploration of the moon may lead to economic and scientific progress because it sets the stage for economic and societal progress. It is necessary to harvest the moon’s natural resources such as Iron (Waldman, 2000). This will make it simple to generate steel, and other components that are associated with Iron. These resources can enhance economic growth and improve the living standards of people. This is likely to alleviate my living conditions. It is essential to plan for the prospects not just concentrating on the present. Knowledge is increased through exploration. This finally leads to innovation of new technologies and wealth (Waldman,

Climate and Polar Maritime Air Essay Example for Free

Climate and Polar Maritime Air Essay To what extent is the climate of the British Isles a product of the air masses that affect it? Climate is defined as the weather averaged over a 30 year period, with weather being determined by temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation. The climate in the British Isles is described as cool temperate western maritime climate, although there are regional differences in climate across the British Isles; with average temperatures ranging from -0.2 to 20.9 degrees Celsius. The climate of the British Isles is influenced by the movement of five major air masses. However, it is also influenced by other factors, including its topography, ocean currents, latitude, and weather systems. Firstly, it can be argued that air masses play a large part in the overall climate of the British Isles. Air masses are large bodies of air with reasonably uniform temperature, pressure and humidity throughout. There are five main air masses that influence the climate: tropical maritime(TM), polar maritime (PM), tropical continental (TC), polar continental (PC) and arctic maritime (AM). The direction of the air masses can be seen in the diagram below. Tropical Maritime brings warm moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. This warm air hits areas of high relief in western England and Wales, causing the air to rise, which means clouds form. Areas of high relief in the west of England include Dartmoor and Exmoor. The air is very moist as it is from the ocean, so there is lots of precipitation. This wind is warm, which means that is has a warming affect in the winter, however in the Summer because the land has a lower specific heat capacity, it heats up more than the Atlantic ocean. Therefore it has a cooling affect in summer. Tropical Continental air masses bring hot and dry air in summer. This causes high temperatures with very little precipitation, and is the reason for heat waves in the British Isles. For example the heat wave in July 2013, where temperatures reached 33.5 °C . Polar Maritime air masses bring cold moist winds as they originate from a north westerly direction, over the Atlantic Ocean. This therefore causes very cold wet weather in the British Isles, especially in the westerly parts of the British Isles where there is high relief causing precipitation. Polar Maritime air is dominant over the winter season. Polar Continental air masses originate from high latitudes such as Siberia so therefore bring very cold conditions with them, however as they come from land not ocean, the air masses bring dry conditions. Arctic air  masses originate over the Arctic Ocean where high pressure dominates. The air masses bring extremely cold temperatures, however is only dominant in winter, and sometimes in spring. However this air mass is more likely to affect the climate in Scotland, and northern England, as it has come from a northernly direction. Overall this shows that air masses do play a significant role in the overall climate of the British Isles, however some air masses are more dominant than others in different seasons, and some air masses are dominant in different areas of the British Isles. The climate of the British Isles is also greatly affected by weather systems such as depressions. Mid Latitude depressions are formed over the Atlantic Ocean on the Polar front. They move in an easterly direction across the British Isles. The depressions are low pressure systems that are formed when moist, warm â„ ¢ air meets drier, colder PM air. The warm, moist air is forced upwards, by the colder denser air. The Coriolis effect causes the air to rotate in an anticlockwise direction. The jet stream is also involved as it moves the depression from west to east. The climate associated with depressions is strong winds, clouds and precipitation. However the climate is dependent on which air mass is over the British Isles. Polar maritime air brings average temperatures for the season in winter, around 5 °C-8 °C in January, but cooler temperatures for the summer season, at around 16 °C to 18 °C in July. This air mass also brings lots of precipitation. Tropical maritime air brings humid and mild weather in winter, with temperatures averaging at around 12 °C-14 °C in January. Tropical maritime can also bring thunderstorms , due to the humidity and low pressure. An example of when a depression has greatly affected the British Isles was the Great Storm in 1987. This fast moving depression caused wind speeds of up to 81mph. The British Isles experienced lots of rainfall, and there was even an increase in temperature by 6 °C in places, where the warm front was situated. This shows how depressions can have great impacts on the climate of the British Isles, however this large depression is not common, so does not usually affect the climate. Overall, depressions have a great impact on the climate of the British Isles both in winter and summer, however it can be argued that air masses play an important role in the formation of depressions, so this also shows that air masses indirectly affect the climate. The British  Isles has a latitude between 50 °N and 60 °N. This has a great impact on the climate that it experiences, meaning that the latitude is another factor that will influence the climate of the British Isles. The latitude of an area will affect how much insolation it will receive. This is due to the angle of incidence, which can be see in the diagram below. A larger angle of incidence will mean that the insolation from the sun will only disperse over a small area, whereas a small angle of incidence means the same amount of insolation will be spread over a larger area. At a 30 ° angle, a one wile wide ray of insolation will be dispersed over a two mile radius, whereas an angle of incidence of 90 ° with the same ray of insolation will be dispersed over a one mile radius. Higher latitude have smaller angles of incidence, meaning that they will receive less insolation. Therefore the latitude of the British Isles means that there will be temperate conditions. It is not likely that the British Isles will experience a very hot climate due to the fact that id does not receive enough insolation to heat up the surrounding air and ground. This can be seen if you compare the average yearly temperatures of the British Isles compared to Somalia, which is found at a lower latitude of 2.03 °. The British Isles has an average temperatures ranging from 8.5-11 °C. In contrast Somalia has temperatures around 24-31 °C. This demonstrates how that latitude of an area can greatly impact the temperature, which means it affects the overall climate of the area. This shows that latitude is a factor other than air masses that will impact the climate of the British Isles. Altitude is another factor that influences the climate of the British Isles. On average the air temperature falls by 0.65 °C every 100m rise in altitude. This is due to the fall in pressure as the altitude increases, meaning molecules have less kinetic energy. For example Ben Nevis has a height f 1,344 metres, and has an average annual temperatures of -5 °C, compared to the British Isles which has an average annual temperature of around 8.5-11 °C. This shows that altitude has a direct impact on the temperature of the British Isles, so areas of high altitude in the west of the British Isles, such as Cambrian will have lower temperatures. The altitude of the British Isles will also cause precipitation, as when moist air masses move across areas of high relief, the air masses are forced upwards, where the  cool condense and form clouds. For example in Wales the Cambrian mountains receive over 100mm rainfall per month all year round. This is due to the tropical maritime and polar maritime winds bringing moist air. Overall this shows that altitude can have a large impact on the climate of the British Isles, however air masses are also involved in this, which demonstrates that air masses still play a significant role in the overall climate. Lastly, ocean currents are another factor that have a large impact on the climate of the British Isles. The most significant ocean current is the Gulf Stream, which . Gulf Streams are influenced In conclusion, the climate of the British Isles is a product of air masses so a large extent. Although there are many other factors that also affect the climate, air masses are also involved in these factors, such as the formation of depressions, or the movement of ocean currents. Therefore air masses so also indirectly influence the climate of the British Isles, meaning that they play the most significant role in affecting the climate.