The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The year of 1939 was a great year for classical movie lovers. With Gone with the Wind, Mr.. Smith goes to Washington, Withering Heights, and The Wizard of Oz. This year during the Great Depression gave us more classics than most years combined. The Great Depression was one of the mall reasons behind the making of all of these movies; the dark and bleak times needed a getaway, a place to escape to where ones troubles don't matter, the movies were that getaway. On average sixty- one percent of America went to the movies at least once a week, and It Is not very art to believe, looking at the movies from that time.People were enthralled by the new color movies, the first being Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, by Walt Disney which was made two years earlier. It had been a major hit, and MGM wanted to get Into the Lime-light given off by Idleness great success. That Is one of the reasons behind his making of The Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz Is a timeless class ic based off of the popular 1900 children's book written by L. Frank Bum. The book's actual title is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It came from a widely popular hillside's book series based on the fantastical Land of Oz.Some say this story is a parody on the movement started by William Jennings Bryant. He believed in the value of silver, and the importance of the factory workers, and farmers of the industrial revolution. This translated into Bum's books, bringing the name Oz to this land, the abbreviation for ounces, Oz. The witch of the east represents the bankers of the east, ruining lives, and the west was the west coast elite. The good Fairy Glenda of the north, represents the north and the south, The industrial workers of he north, and the farmers of the south. The yellow brick road originates from the gold standard.Dorothy Silver, turned ruby in the film, slippers represent the opportunity, and prosperity and hope behind silver, how if used as a currency America could flourish. The scarecrow represents farmers, they have the conviction, but they couldn't think for themselves being ‘simple-minded'. The Tin Man stands for the Industrial workers, rusted and without conviction; while the Cowardly Lion stands for William Jennings Bryan himself, his roar being loud and heard often, while he had title to nothing political power. The Wizard of Oz, representing the president.Drowning the witch of the west, the Wizard of Oz leaves In a Hot Alarm balloon, leaving the Scarecrow in charge of the great emerald city, which Is translated over to be Washington, and the Tin Man, the west. The greatest new Invention by Walt Disney, the color film, was all the rage. The very first color movie ever had been Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It was a major hit, Disney had gained popularity with his Short animations, first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, then with the more well known Mackey mouse, after Oswald had gotten swindled from him by one of his co-workers.MGM wanted to ge t into that popularity, and the major cash involved with making color movies at the time. So he went to find a good director, and a good story. He found that in Victor Fleming, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. By semimonthlies combined. The Great Depression was one of the main reasons behind the making of where ones troubles don't matter, the movies were that getaway. On average sixty- one percent of America went to the movies at least once a week, and it is not very onto the Lime-light given off by Disney's great success.That is one of the reasons books actual title is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It came from a widely popular but they couldn't think for themselves being ‘simple-minded'. The Tin Man stands for the industrial workers, rusted and without conviction; while the Cowardly Lion stands Drowning the witch of the west, the Wizard of Oz leaves in a Hot Air balloon, leaving the Scarecrow in charge of the great emerald city, which is translated over to be The greatest new i nvention by Walt

Banning Junk Food Advertising Essay

In my opinion, a ban against junk food advertising shouldn’t be a way to prevent childhood obesity because it is not a solution to have healthier lifestyle. Firstly, ban junk food advertising will not get a real and definitive change in the eating habits of children. Rather than a solution it is a great challenge that couldn’t be achieved by means of laws that only focuses on things children shouldn’t be eating, instead of focusing on promoting healthy tips. Also, ban junk food advertising is not related to worry about the health of children, and we shouldn’t always support in laws or bans to be aware and more responsible with the choices in care health of our kids. Everything children eat is only our decision and imposing a ban ignores completely the importance of our personal responsibility like parents. As adults, we make personal choices about the diet, exercise, eating habits, and lifestyle of children, so the prevention of childhood obesity has more personal influence, not the laws. Secondly, when we prohibit something, we are not educating anyone and for that reason is necessary to recover the importance of the education like the mean solution to prevent childhood obesity. Jeff Stier, columnist of Townhall magazine, highlights that we live in a world where the parents, not the laws, are primarily responsible for children and they have to educate them. This is important without a doubt; parents have the obligation to control the exposure time of children to media similarly the irrational consumption of junk food. Therefore, we cannot blame the advertising totally. Thirdly, we shouldn’t permit that a law or ban assumes parents’ role in the education of their children, it would be strengthen their irresponsibility as for kids’ health care, so to prevent that a ban simply postpones the learning process to later years when parents lose the control, we need to start teaching them a better lifestyle from home first because is into the family that children build healthy or unhealthy habits. Finally, banning fast food advertising won’t encourage consumers, children and adults to focus on making significant lifestyle changes. Only with education, we could face the advertising environment that is necessary to prevent childhood obesity. Work Cited Stier, Jeff. â€Å"Regulation Junk Food Advertising-The Next Nanny State Initiative†. Townhall Magazine July 2011. Non Print.

Retail Services in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Retail Services in China - Research Paper Example In the raising of high transaction expenditures due to market imperfections, it is normally cheap for multinational corporations (MNCs) to do their businesses in new marketplaces by their inner business structures as opposed to depending on the markets. Derived from a case study of Coca-Cola’s entry option into China, this study tests the applicability of internalization assumption to revealing the entry choice of Coca-Cola Company into China. This theory discloses the financial rationale, which was main reason of Coca-Cola’s transformations in their entry choice as it changed from franchising to joint ventures (JVs) with significant local investors, and more currently to the combination of franchising and JVs. When a multinational corporation or company (MNC) gets into new markets, it is fairly costly for it to do business activities owing to high transaction expenses (Mok, Dai & Yeung, 2002). These expenses take in the ones arising from the problems of opportunism, uncertainty, small share of market agents and limited rationality (Williamson, 2002). Williamson (2002) quarreled that the transaction charges of executing, implementing and writing contracts through the market exceed the expenses of internalizing the market. The matter is further exacerbated when the business transactions comprise of multifaceted contractual incidents (Williamson, 2002). Therefore, it seems that an MNC will opt to set up wholly owned subsidiaries (WOSs) to cope with market defects (Williamson, 2002). Except for the choice of WOSs, there are other frequently used modes, as well, like joint ventures (JVs). Anchored in various studies of Coca-Cola in China, this study assesses the usability of the internalization theory to elucidate the entry mode option of MNCs in China. Coca-Cola in China has been considered as the study firm for numerous reasons. First, it is the globe’s largest cola manufacturer and one of the prime MNCs (Williamson, 2002). Secondly, the corporation has a fairly long history of venture in China, since 1979, when financial reform was executed under the de facto management of Deng Xiaoping. Thirdly, going through intense rivalry from its close opponent, Pepsi-Cola, as well as a strange and extremely versatile market environment, Coca-Cola’s skill, accomplishment and endurance, in securing a huge market share, in China, makes up a motivating case by which effects might be studied for the comprehension of MNCs’ entry into the Chinese market through creating equity joint ventures (EJVs) (Mok, Dai & Yeung, 2002). Fourthly, there are just two significant earlier studies on Coca-Cola’s operation in China: PU-TU-USC (2000) and Nolan (1995) (Mok, Dai & Yeung, 2002). Rooted in an encompassing survey of the company’s bottling plant in Tianjin, Nolan (1995) did the initial comprehensive study of the micro-economic effect of just one Coca-Cola plant in the country. He argued that the firm’s business structure, in general, has encouraging effects on the labor development, product markets and rising capital in China. This study corresponds to another large-scale research done by a team of economists at Tsinghua University, Peking University and the University of South Carolina (USC) (PU-TU-USC, 2000) (Mok, Dai & Yeung, 2002). Derived from an input-output model, the three institutions estimate that the financial effects of Coca-Cola’s venture, as well as recurrent operation, comprising of the downstream (distribution) and upstream (suppliers) business associations, in the Coca-Cola business structure, in China, formed an overwhelming 414,000 jobs, 1.2 billion yuan of tax payments and 21.7 billion yuan of output in 1 998 (PU-TU-USC, 2000; Mok, Dai & Yeung, 2002). Regardless of this priceless information brought out by the above studies, there is no precise literature giving theoretical foundation for the entry mode option of Coca-Cola in our concerned country (Mok, Dai & Yeung

Call to reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Call to reaction - Essay Example Some of the water from fracking always resurface and should be treated. Fracking affects underground water. The water becomes unfit for drinking due to large amounts of methane dissolved. People who live near the fracking areas are at greater risks. Continuation of the fracking process may lead to higher rates of water pollution in future. Some of the chemicals resulting from the process are carcinogenic and are most likely the cases of cancers may increase in the near future. Carcinogens released from the fracking process may also evaporate and cause air pollution. Pollution in the air may spread to other areas (Spellman 78). Based on the facts gathered about pollution regarding fracking, the cases of cancer will increase. Climate change may also occur as a result of the release of methane gas to the environment. Fracking produces mainly natural gas and oil. It is more expensive to use oil in production of electricity. Natural gas can not be used to fuel cars. It is therefore not ne cessary to boost the production of oil and gas from hydraulic fragmentation (Spellman et al 122). Several measures can be taken to limit the effects of fracking. Wastewater from the fracking process must be properly disposed. The disposal process should also include storm water and other wastes emanating from hydraulic fracturing processes. The waters should not be released to the environment before treatment. Water-treatment technology is recommended as it limits the pollution effects of the fracking process. The major objecting is to carry out the process of fracking in an environment friendly manner (Graves 321). Improved water treating method makes it possible to teat the wastewaters at the fracking sites. This saves the costs involved in transport of the water to disposal wells or water treatment facilities located. During fracking process, large amount of water under high pressure is pumped underground to release oil and gas trapped. Water that flows back to the ground is load ed with remnants of toxic chemicals used to fasten the fracking process and those released from the cracked rocks. This water is often recycled in the fracking process. Eventually, the water can not be recycled anymore. It is therefore necessary to transport the water to treatment plants usually located away from the fracking sites. This is expensive and the spills may cause pollution. At times, the water is injected deep into the ground. The underground injection causes earthquakes in the area. The proposed new technology eliminates the need to transport the water to treatment plants away from the fracking site. The technology works on the principle of desalinization using and low pressures to separate water and salts in the wastewater. The water comes out as vapour leaving behind salts. Waterless fracking technology is used as an alternative process to extract oil and gas trapped in rocks. The method uses a thick gel consisting of propane into the ground. The gel extracted from li quefied propane gas (LPG) turns into vapour while still underground then returns to the ground in a recoverable form. The gel does carry with it the toxic chemicals used in the fracturing process or those released from the cracked rocks. The waterless fracking technology is expensive but can be used as an alternative to the ordinary fracking process due to less impact it has on the environment. The information about the toxic chemicals that have been established to be preset in the cracking process is always hidden from the

Leadership in organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership in organisations - Essay Example It is the former who make a major contribution to the society. Leadership skills are required in every field irrespective of the nature. Leadership in organizations has been a topic of interest for many researchers and scholars over the last century. There is immense research that has gone into finding what qualities differentiate the leaders from the rest and why leadership is important to an organiztaion. Organizational leadership is very important for an organization. It is these leaders who account for the majority of the success of the organization. In spite of the research that has gone into organizational leadership, there are various questions unanswered. This report is a research proposal for carrying out further research in the filed of organizational leadership. 1.1 Suitability of Researcher for the Research Leadership has always excited the researcher and understanding leadership has turned into a passion. The researcher has read about the topic intensely and has been ins pired by the various leaders such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, etc. The researcher has been amazed by these leaders ability to command respect from the followers and lead them to a better life. The researcher would like to take this opportunity to officially study his/her passion through this research. The researcher has been following the developments in the filed prior to the idea of conducting an academic research on the topic. 1.2 Research Question The effectiveness and usefulness of a research primarily depends on the depth and accuracy of a research question. Research question addresses the scope of the research. Research question tries to find answers and for new questions about the research subject for further research or investigation (Lester, 1986). In a deductive approach the researcher makes an assumption or theory and then tries to prove his or her theory with the help of the research findings and data. On the other hand, in an inductive approac h the researcher uses practical findings and research results to derive a hypothesis. The research question needs to be apt and to the topic. Research question must not be too elaborative or too restrictive. Too elaborative research question would not be very useful to drive the point and it would be more of an explanation than a question. Too restrictive research question might not cover the scope of the research. The research question must be designed in such a way that it compels for an answer. Research question must not address any insignificant issues and divert from the core of the subject. Hence, the researcher must frame the research question with lot of care in such a way that it focuses on the core issue and compels for an answer. The purpose of this research is to study leadership in organization and throw new light on the topic. The research will be targeted in understanding how leadership makes an impact on the organization. It addresses the popular question of how lead ers and managers are different. Even though there has been a lot of debate over the above question, the researcher intends to bring in a new dimension to the debate. The various styles of leadership will be addressed and studying further. Researcher is of the view that leaders have qualities of entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur is definitely a leader who leads his company or organization to success and greater heights. But what researcher

The Effectiveness of Different Lidocaine Combinations Research Paper

The Effectiveness of Different Lidocaine Combinations - Research Paper Example In an attempt to increase the effectiveness of lidocaine delivered through inferior alveolar nerve block, several experiments combining lidocaine with other substances have been conducted. Yet these studies have conflicting results. Nevertheless, the decision on using a particular lidocaine combination should lie on the validity and reliability of the experiments that support the use of such preparation because the effectiveness of anesthesia is very critical in delivering quality dental care. The study conducted by Kanaa et al. (2009) employed a randomized controlled double-blind cross-over research design to test the hypothesis that supplementary articaine infiltration is more effective than lidocaine inferior alveolar nerve block alone. The subjects were selected from a group of volunteers aged 18 years and above â€Å"with a vital mandibular ï ¬ rst molar, ï ¬ rst or second premolar and lateral incisor† (Kanaa et al., 2009) on either side and who were able to complete the trial experiment. Those who were pregnant and unhealthy such as those with the allergy to amide local and those with bleeding and neurological disorders were excluded in the study. This resulted to a sample size consisting of 36 participants which is big enough considering that an earlier published and reviewed study indicated that this sample size had 90% power to detect a difference with a 21% success rate given a 5% signiï ¬ cance level and a 0.5 correlation between responses from the same participant (as cited in Kanaa et al., 2009). However, the subjects were predominantly from the university and some are even dental students which do not necessarily reflect the actual population. This can also result in biases since the subjects have knowledge of the procedure is done; thus, their expectations may influence the result of the study.

Environmrntal Problems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Environmrntal Problems - Assignment Example In addition it is a major reason for water and air pollution, the latter resulting in climatic changes due to global warming. This has also caused market failure as the true costs of goods cannot be estimated due to all these factors. Thus a lot of inter-related problems have resulted due to population rise. A second major cause of environmental problem is the improper use of open access resources like the oceans and the atmosphere which are not under any kind of regulation. Improper use of marine and the atmosphere due to ecological ignorance and a failure to understand the environment has resulted in damage to marine diversity and emission of green house gases. And thirdly, economic factors have also contributed to environmental problems as both the rise in population and lifestyle changes have increased the production rates of various commodities that have resulted in increased use of resources and also outflow of more wastes to the environment. Hence all the above factors have together contributed to rise in environment problems. In order to alleviate further environment degradation a good understanding of the environment and implementation of laws and policies, framed keeping the environmental safety in mind, would be

A Woman Saving the Nation, from the series The Taiheiki Chronicle Essay

A Woman Saving the Nation, from the series The Taiheiki Chronicle - Essay Example That is to mean that the ideas expressed using the art was meant to discuss the culture and political, social, and religious setting of the country. 1 The Japanese customary craftsmanship is very rich as accessible in a few separate structures. A few different mediums of the declaration have been utilized by Japanese specialists to express their thoughts. The Japanese cultural art includes the beautiful artworks, stoneware, the Japanese Sculptures and the most unmistakable structure that include the plan of blooms. That refers to Ikebana and obviously Origami, the work of art identified with collapsing paper. As a result, the art used different forms to express these ideas. 2Some of the most commonly used forms include the use of paintings. A Japanese artist did the piece of work, by the name Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, who lived between 1839 and 1892. The art is believed to have been designed and produced in 1886, and it is available in the form of a woodblock print. The Collection Phoenix Art Museum contains several pieces of these paintings. It is Gift of Susan Julia Ross and Dr. Gary L. Waddington under the order number 2011.118.A. As such; one can access the art using these details. 3 In the extravagant inside of collapsing screens and veneer furniture, the Shogun (military ruler) Tsunayoshi is sleeping soundly. He is longing for his most loved mistress, Oyanagi no Okada who is demonstrated superimposed over the scene and filling the right board. Behind him on the left board his wife Osame holds a knife. The Shogun is ignorant that his courtesans father Yanagisawa, the Lord of Dewa, has been plotting to topple him. His wife has found the scheme and is bravely waiting to murder the courtesans father and after that execute herself, keeping in mind the end goal to spare the country and her spouse.4 The piece of art illustrates the role of women in the fight for freedom, justice, equity, growth, and development in the Japanese culture. It also shows

Can Amanda Turn Her New Business Around Before It Is Too Late Case Study - 1

Can Amanda Turn Her New Business Around Before It Is Too Late - Case Study Example The four major management functions, planning, organizing, influencing, and controlling, play a significant role in performing the daily activities of an organization. The concept of planning sets specific goals for organizations, managers, and other employees. In the opinion of Pride, Hughes, and Kapoor (2010), planning assists the management team to understand where the organization is, how to make the organization move along the specified path, and when to take appropriate measures to achieve the targeted organizational goals etc (pp.169-170). Elimination of uncertainties, minimization of impulsive and arbitrary decisions, quick resource allocation, effective use of resources, adaptive responses, anticipative action, and integration of various decisions and activities are other benefits usually obtained from planning. According to Hurd, Barcelona, and Meldrum (2008, pp.42-43), ‘organizing’ is an effective functional element of management that assists the firm to achieve the targets set in the planning phase. Organizing aids a firm to distribute the works effectively among its employees. Organizing is essential to clarify the powers of every manager and the way he has to exercise those powers. This practice will also prevent managers from taking unfair advantages of their position. Similarly, work coordination, effective administration, growth and diversification, sense of security, and scope for new changes are some other fruitful outcomes of organizing. A manager’s level of success or failure is determined on the basis of his/her ability to influence people within the particular department. When managerial individuals effectively deploy their influencing skills, they exude a positive energy that would highly motivate their subordinates. This motivation will directly enhance organizational productivity and thereby profitability. In the view of Marquis and Huston (2009, p. 434).

Carroway Clothing Essay Example for Free

Carroway Clothing Essay Re: Current accounting issues, employment benefits and financing options. Thank you for the opportunity to address the current accounting issues, employment benefits and financing options facing Carroway Clothing Limited (CCL) 1. SR ED and Development costs treatment: In reviewing the financial statements it appears that the development costs and SRED treatment may not have been recorded appropriately. The SRED are tax credits to be used towards taxable income and should not have been recorded as government grants. Since CCL may not have needed them in the initial years, it can use SRED tax credits against taxable income in the future. It is necessary to identify all SR$ERD activities for proper recording practices so that the credits generated by the SRED can be used against future income. The $975,000 development costs can be expensed or capitalized depending on if the following criteria are met The project is technically feasible CCL intends of complete the project CCL has the ability to use or sell the product There is probability of future economic benefit will be generated Availability of adequate technical and financial recourses CCL has the ability to measure reliably the expenditures attribute to it. Since the Walton Work Wear line is in the production stage, its accumulated development costs should be capitalized. The Carroway Cool Top has not started it commercial production which would allow the development costs not to be amortized yet. Also interest costs on loans to generate financing for the RD activates of a product can be capitalized rather than expensed. The capitalization of interest would allow CCL to reduce taxable income in the future when it is more profitable. I would recommend that CCL make the above changes immediately so that the financail statements are not incorrect. These changes would help CCL reduce its future taxable income when it may be more profitable. 2. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. CCL currently has no allowance for bad debts. Even though CCL does not have issue with uncollectible, having an allowance account will provide CCL with the ability to write off debts such as the disputed shipment. Without being able to write off the shipment, will leave the Accounts Receivables overstated, which in turn leads to misstated financial statements. Having an AFDA would allow CCL to record the sale but also recognise that they do not expect payment from the client. Leaving this account on the accounts receivable would be misleading to CCLs stakeholders as it would lead them to believe that CCL is expecting to receive the cash in the near future. IF in the future, the dispute is resolved and the payment is received, CCL can recover the bad debt at that time. I would recommend that CCL create a policy regarding Accounts Receivables immediately. The method for determining the bad debt amount should be determined by CCL management. Methods such a percentage of sales or a percentage of Account Receivables can be used. Whichever method is chosen, it should be consistent from year to year and the amount should be reasonable. 3. Long Term Debt or Initial Public offering. CCL is currently looking at an initial public offering (IPO) and long term debt as two options to help finance the new research and development (RD) of new products. The bank loan can provided financial stability but will have the interest repaid over a longer time is higher and would be tax deductible. Banks may require financial statements that are audited. CCL will need to be able to prove that it can repay the loan as well as the interest. It may also be required to maintain a debt to equity ratio that may prevent it from taking advantage of other opportunities in the future. An IPO offering has the potential to increase capital which would improve financial rations such as the debt to equity. The increased cash flow will help CCL pay it current payables and reduce debt by negotiating better interest rates in the future. The disadvantage to an IPO would be the potential to lose control over the company and having to be more accountable to other investors. The IPO would also require the financial statement and note disclosure to conform to more stringent requirements, which increase the cost of producing the financial statements. Financial statements will need to follow IFRS and securities regulators generally require 3 years of annual audited financials. It should also be noted that there is a significant cost to offering an IPO and it can be difficult to evaluate the stock price of the shares. I would recommend that CCL consider the IPO as a viable on to its financing issue as it will be more beneficial in the long term. The change from ASPE to IFRS will be a short term challenge but can be overcome with appropriate professional assistance. I would highly recommend that CCL seek the opinion and assistance of a professional who deals with IPOs. 4. Employee Stock Options. CCL is considering providing employees stock options as a way to reward its employees. As a CCPC, CCL will have no tax consequence for the employees receiving the stock options until they dispose of the shares. The amount taxed as employment income in the year of disposal is the difference between the option price and the FMV of the shares at the time of the option was exercised. The employee may be able to claim a deduction from taxable income equal to half this amount if the shares were worth less than the exercise price when the option was issued or the employee hold the shares for at least two years before selling the shares. There are many alternatives to rewarding employees besides cash bonuses and stock options. Options can range from published recognition to merchandise such as shirts that the company makes. Time off with pay can also work to  motivate employees for hard work. I would recommend that CCL consider alternatives such as free products and time off as these will be less costly to provide than the stock options. Doing an employee survey would provide feedback to the rewards that the employees would value most. 5. Legal issues CCL is currently facing a pending lawsuit regarding a chemical leak and the non-compliance with environmental regulations. When both of the following conditions are met the amount of the contingent loss must be accrued. Disclosure will be need if the following conditions are met: The likely hood that the verdict will be against CCL A reasonable estimate of the amount o f the lawsuit can be made. The lawsuit may also lead customers and the public to believe that CCL acted negligently. This will reflect poorly on CCL and may lead to decreased sales and a damaged reputation If there is no accrual, there should be disclosure in the financial notes, stating the nature of the contingency, estimate of the amount or that an estimate cannot be made and exposure to loss in excess of the amount accrued. If CCL does not disclose, it would be misleading to the financial statement user. I would recommend that CCL consult with their legal advisors immediately to determine the likelihood of a lawsuit and the potential liabilities. Also, CCL should be prepared to address the negative publicity that the lawsuit may create. Should you require further clarification on any matters, please do not hesitate to contact me.

An Analysis Of Personal Leadership Skills Nursing Essay

An Analysis Of Personal Leadership Skills Nursing Essay For this essay I have audited my leadership skills using theoretical models and referred to specific situations and experiences. This encompasses personal, academic and professional reflections and explores opportunities for my career paths and personal development with an Action Plan for the future. This has required critical evaluation of my own development needs in light of my own aspirations, establishing an understanding of my transferrable skills and how these can be enhanced. For this I have considered situations in which my leadership traits, styles and skills have been utilised to help create successful outcomes. Background My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. In developing my management skills, I am continually pursuing further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. On leaving school, my first employment was within the travel industry. From the outset, I sought to improve skills and enjoyed the challenge of meeting the needs of customers, budgetary targets, training of staff, problem solving, through to the opening and management of a travel agency branch several years later. Apart from the GCSE qualifications gained at school, any further academic or professional learning has been gained whilst in employment. The skills and achievements in my personal life are equally transferrable to my work life. For example, as Chairman of a genealogical society for several years and public speaking engagements both serve as reminders that I have organisational, research and presentation abilities which I can and should be utilising and developing along my career path. I am a prison officer and, three years ago, I learnt that my establishment was funding a Foundation Degree in Offender Management. My initial reaction was one of excitement as I had, for several years, considered some form of Higher Education by way of personal and professional development, but had never explored the options. It was a source of immense satisfaction to pass the course and achieve Distinction grade. My learning journey, experiences and personal developments, undertaken in the last three years, would take more than the word count of this essay allows, yet there are key points to reflect on in order to analyse my own leadership skills and continue their development. Theoretical Models and Personal Experience of Reflection in my Professional Development: From my earliest days in retail employment, then Care Work and on to prison officer, I have been fascinated by people and behaviour. Working alongside others, as well as empowering and training gives me great personal and professional satisfaction. Using reflective models such as Gibbs (1998), shown in Appendix III, I came to realise that how I interpret situations influences my interactions with others. As I will illustrate, this relates directly to my personality style and how I manage people and situations. Linked to this is the importance I place on how I am viewed by others and naturally seek collaborative and open relationships. Many of these values are found in Carnegie (1938), listed in Appendix I. The Study Skills Self-Assessment which I completed on 23 October 2007 (Appendix II) highlighted three main employability skills I need to develop as: Improving own learning and performance Application of number (data collection and interpretation) Information and technology proficiency Alongside these, to develop, are my personal attributes of Self confidence Flexibility and adaptability Judgement In this assessment I also reflected on my own specific weaknesses which include being too self-critical and not praising my own achievements enough which can affect my ability to be objective about my performance. I have a strong underpinning need to defend others and leap to their rescue which I have come to see as a hindrance to my own development and of those I seek to help. This is a particularly important area for me to address as future management roles will require me to allow others to take their own personal responsibility and only offer guidance as appropriate. This rescuer style is schema-related and I have considered schema theory and how this applies to me. Beck, (1967:233), described a schema as ..a cognitive structure for screening, coding, and evaluating the stimuli that impinge  on the organism. In short, schemas are the filters or core beliefs we have about ourselves or the world around us which influence how we interpret different situations in our lives. The nature of the work I do in offender rehabilitation requires me to undertake regular de-briefing, supervision, yearly health reviews and bi-monthly counselling. This, together with schema theory and other therapy models I use with prisoners, which I have also applied to myself, means I spend a lot of time being introspective and sharing reflections with colleagues. This helps define practical steps for a successful future but also enables me to gain wider perspectives in understanding, leading and managing others with a range of resources and situational analysis capabilities. Whereas, in the past and even recently, I have questioned the decision making processes of management, this has reshaped into a desire to gain a holistic overview of the work environment. Understanding the way we think and manage ourselves and others has been an important facet of my learning over the last three years. Straker (2008) who expands on the work of Gardner (2006) was helpful in appreciating that how we interact with people, at all levels, and is crucial for self development. Overcoming objections to understanding others, for fear that this might disprove our own theories about ourselves and the world are key hurdles of which I must continually be mindful. Negative experiences in this have resulted in an unhealthy view of the workplace but, as I said earlier, the benefits of a more engaging view have proved beneficial in my work and personal well being. As well as using Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998), Kolb (1984) also helped me to evaluate experiences and test hypotheses but I did not find it took me to the point of action whereas Gibbs sets out the plan for ongoing development which is crucial for me so as not to remain procrastinating. Moon (2004) has been a useful resource on reflective practice, reminding me that reflection is not just important in itself, but must also lead to positive change, In observing what gets in the way, rather than being stuck in analysis, to move beyond and set goals for positive development has been essential learning for me and has been a surprising benefit which I had not expected several years ago. Leadership Employability Skills I recently completed an Employability Skills self assessment exercise which we first undertook in the first semester of the Foundation Degree. On doing this, I compared the results from the two. It was encouraging that one of my main developments appears to have been in problem solving and I consider my Higher Education studies over the last three years as contributing to my deeper analysing abilities. In light of earlier descriptions of my learning journey and reflective logs, it is gratifying to see that I have come a long way in, not only overcoming my own obstacles to learning, but making measured and significant achievement which then enables me to guide others in their roles. Among the key learning experiences for me, alongside the above, are a recognition of the roles of others, networking and effective communication. My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. This was particularly apparent when I recently updated my Curriculum Vitae (Appendix IV), which was last compiled almost fifteen years ago. In developing my management skills throughout my degree studies, I have discovered further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. Through networking with management and departments for resources on researching prison policy, security and management skills, I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in career development. Not only is this important from a practical, self-development perspective, but also the fulfilling sense of achievement this will bring. Until recently, I was Supervisor of the Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme which was an important role in developing my leadership skills, promoting staff well-being as well as guiding staffs professional development. Another important aspect of this was to remain flexible yet consistent in balancing these needs whilst focussing on the goals of the establishment Business Plan and Key Performance Target (KPT) priorities. This mirrors Handy (1987) who argues for such flexibility in his Trust Control Theory. I find myself taking the opportunity to develop the skills of others very seriously and is personally rewarding and empowering. The values I attribute to this mirror those of Kandola and Fullerton (1994) in their Mosaic Vision which I have included in Appendix V. In Transactional Analysis Theory (Bern, 1961), every individuals personality is made up of three parts Parent, Adult and Child. An assessment of my own revealed a predominantly Nurturing Parent relationship style which is immensely rewarding personally, but can prove emotionally draining and is not without its practical problems. However, developing assertiveness skills in establishing my own identity and skills base has the benefit of overcoming any negative rumination and keeps lines of communication open. An example of achieving this was in challenging my line manager over my yearly performance review where I was rated Achieved and not Exceeded which I felt was deserved. I could have overlooked this and ruminated unhelpfully, believing him to be responsible for not recognising my achievements, but chose instead to manage my manager and argued my case. I found the www.h2training.com website interesting which had useful strategies for reminding me how to maintain my own degree of self-determination. Quoting from this site: Its unreasonable to expect your manager to be entirely responsible for accelerating your career: ultimately, its your own responsibility. Remember that an expectation is also resentment waiting to happen, and it is very difficult to hide resentment. http://h2training.com/managing_manager_tips.html [accessed November 2010] Suffice to say, my performance record was amended accordingly. I recently had to step down from Sex Offender Treatment work which I found difficult to accept. I, therefore, reappraised my personal development and used reflective skills (Kolb, 1984 and Beck 1967) to help evaluate the experiences and to understand how I was interpreting them. By doing this, I was able to negotiate a role within the drugs support team after originally being offered an office based assessment position which I would have found unfulfilling. Indeed, on reflection, assertiveness and negotiation are two core management attributes which are now part of my skills set. Drawing together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. My role as a drugs support worker requires the key skills I possess with the realisation and expectation that they can be further developed with a particular emphasis on evaluating the management requirements of this work. This is encouraging and, in this period of change, I have come to realise the importance of job satisfaction as a key motivator for me. An important element of my professional life is to uphold personal and corporate values of decency and ethical practice including cultural diversity. I was pleased to be able to highlight these values in my Diversity Foundation Degree project from January 2009 where I made recommendations for valuing the diversity of staff and prisoners and improving ethical practice in Programmes Awareness training at Full Sutton. This was well received by the treatment management team resulting in the training being strengthened in this area. On sharing the findings of my Transactional Analysis with a work colleague, my nurturing parent style was acknowledged and confirmed through my perceived empathic nature. In looking at my management style, it is important that I maintain a balance between this and being careful not to go into White Knight schema-driven mode, where I need to defend others at all costs. Developing a style which cares for others yet enables them to function on their own merits allows me to function better as a genuinely caring person in my work and as a leader. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory (1943), reminds me that my own needs count as well as those of other people. In other words, putting other people first all the time is detrimental to my own well-being and valuing myself is, in itself, a key assertiveness skill. I continually remind myself of the announcements on aircraft during safety briefings where, in the event of oxygen masks being deployed, you are instructed to put your own on first before aiding anyone else. If you dont, you might pass out beforehand and then no one is saved. Critically evaluating My Leadership and Management Style Some years ago, a colleague of mine who has since retired, told me his thoughts on a particular Senior Manager. He used a phrase which, though meant in a derogatory sense, I have never forgotten. He said ..as a leader of men, I would only follow him out of curiosity. This colleague had spent many distinguished years in the Armed Services as a Regimental Sergeant Major and had been in the Prison Service for around 15 years. He had, therefore, some considerable experience of different management and leadership styles. Using established theory I continually analyse my own strengths and weaknesses in areas of leadership and management. Fayol (1916) highlighted five commons elements of management which are essential to the role. These include the ability to look to the future, to be organised and co-ordinate the organisational objectives, leading (though he defined it as commanding which is unhelpfully autocratic) and, finally, to control the above elements using all means at his or her disposal. Whilst this was written at the beginning of the last century, the basic tenets of management Fayol lists are still valid though ones own personality also engenders an effective workforce which can achieve results. The latter is personally important as I seek to have followers rather than delegates and makes me, as a manager, more of a leader. I recently completed the Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire. Having done this a couple of years ago, I decided to redo this using an internet-based assessment resource (www.teamtechnology.co.uk) [accessed 15 September 2010], which produced a comprehensive 200 page report. Summary in Appendix VI The results proved very interesting and formed a cohesive assessment which affirmed the beliefs about my personality and leadership attributes gained over the last few years. This was confirmed through the initial questionnaire together with a separate subtest which had similar outcomes and, interestingly, the results were very similar to my previous assessment two years previously. Essentially, I have a strong focus on values, feelings, compassion and important beliefs where current experiences hold great learning importance. Team values are high and my role in ensuring the well-being of those with whom I work is important to me. There are, however, elements of this personality type which I am aware can be problematic if not managed appropriately. I do have a tendency to avoid conflict yet can be stubborn where my own values come into conflict with corporate ideals in which I run the risk of failing in objectivity. These are negative traits which I have been consciously working on over the last few years and serve to remind me that, whilst having a default style, this does not preclude effective working on these to the benefit of all concerned. Interestingly, the top two best matches of jobs for me based on enjoyment are actor and musician; for match came out as counsellor and customer care and a combination of match and enjoyment came out as counsellor and actor. All of these I have both experience and interest in and the traits from these have indeed shaped my leadership style. The Humanist approach described by McGregor (1964) looked at how individual attitudes can affect behaviour. He purported that there are 2 types of leader (using an X and Y continuum ranging from a negative to positive view of subordinates respectively). The latter, he showed, have a greater chance of effective performance from the workforce through a nurturing approach which I can identify with. A reflective log from December 2009 is included in Appendix VII. Again, as with most models, there is a typical style for each individual manager but even the most open and supportive one can revert on occasions to X-typical strategies and responses. This can be somewhat confusing and lacking in continuity for the workforce and, potentially unsettling as I will illustrate later in this essay. The model is similar to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958) who use the continuum from Authoritarian Task Orientation to Democratic Relationship Orientation where I operate towards the latter and Goleman (2000) on which I identify with the Affiliative (people come first) stage. Operational leaders, as covered by Maxwell (2002) have great value to an organisation in providing stability, devising systems and solving problems with positive engagement. However, because of their focus on detail they can overlook the bigger picture, sometimes lack motivation and are not effective in dealing with conflict. Very often, paraphrasing Maxwell here, operational leaders are not very good at getting their hands dirty but readily raise the flag at the moment of achievement. Thankfully, whilst viewing myself as an operational leader, I do like to share in tasks as well as delegate. John Adair (2002) in his range of leadership treatises, (which, incidently, build on the previous models of Maslow (1943), Herzberg (1964) and Fayol (1916) highlights three key management responsibilities under his banner of Action Centred leadership. Achieving the task Managing the team or group Managing individuals Whilst advocating a shared responsibility between the individual and external factors, it does not, however, take stock of the individual in the leadership role which I view as crucial. A similar but more complex model I have become interested in, is known as Crew Resource Management (CRM) which was originally devised by NASA to explore the human factors in civil aviation accidents in the 1970s. Several industries have adopted and adapted their own models accordingly and my interest will culminate in a dissertation for my Degree on the benefits of adopting a CRM approach to Prison Service critical incidents. Tasks or people? Workforce or Team ? It is clear that leadership is different to management though a good leader will have good management skills. In considering whether I impose myself as leader to focus on task or allow the team to flourish utilising their own skills, I completed the T-P leadership questionnaire (Appendix VIII). This scored exactly midway between the two, highlighting my awareness and flexibility to respond to both important aspects. How we respond to a leader gives some indication of our own skills and that of the one in the supervisory role. As one who aims to lead by inspiration, I am more inclined to follow Kolbs (1984) model of learning and encourage people to adapt concrete way of doing things to update their skills base and find more effective ways of working (feeling, watching, thinking, doing). An autocratic leader would be less inclined to allow such flexibility and attempt to ensure compliance from those who might be more inclined to kick and scream in and against the process. An effective leader should also take individual learning styles into account as no one method fits all. Honey and Mumfords Learning Style Inventory (1982), highlights the differences that exist, as I have found even within small teams, yet we all work together and effectively, notwithstanding that everyones experience of being under the same leadership will be different. One of the most important sources of reflection in considering my own style of leadership, plus a reinforcement of my own beliefs and values, is represented in the Style Theory of Leadership developed by Blake and Mouton (1964). This, essentially, follows on from McGregors X-Y theory and is more relevant to those predominantly on the Y axis and where a level of trust in management structure exists in the workplace. However, Blake and Mouton explored the benefits of those that put tasks before people and vice versa. Ultimately they considered whether concern for people or concern for production was more important for leaders. As with other models, the day to day style of individuals in leadership roles can vary but everyone has their own default mode. Where productivity appears more important than the maintenance and well-being of the staff, I can find myself at odds with the management and perceived ethos of the establishment at which I work. With the Blake Mouton model, I was relieved to have my default leadership style confirmed as Team Leader. This is indicative of high concern for both people and production where emphasis is placed on a spirit of teamwork and mutual co-operation. This also engenders a safe environment in which commitment from all sides is more readily forthcoming. However, in completing a recent practical assessment for a promotion board I failed to attain the required grade. I knew this as soon as the assessment was over, though I had to wait two months for the official result. In fact, I knew during the assessment, I was reacting totally contrary to my normal sense of priorities when faced with a constant stream of problems to solve. I found myself focussing primarily on the tasks and not enough on the personnel. For example, when faced with a member of staff who was emotionally upset at a domestic issue, I asked if he was okay to continue to get his landing unlocked and would look to help him with his problem later. Afterwards I learnt that the assessors were looking for Utopian responses in all scenarios assuming all needs could be immediately provided so I could have put staff welfare first, getting his role covered immediately so he could then get home to sort his issues. However, I reverted to my current work role where the pressure to meet deadlines sometimes overrides well-being. As this was completely at odds with how I believed I would normally have reacted, I was left feeling ill at ease and questioned why I persisted in this way when I am naturally Y (using McGregors model, 1960) and more team focused than task orientated (Blake Mouton, 1964). Whilst I may not fully understand why, at least it is a recognised trait à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..theory X managers (or indeed theory Y managers displaying theory X are primarily results oriented Internet source http://www.businessballs.com/mcgregor.htm [October 2010] On reflection, I am convinced that the culture and environment of the higher management structure (which demands and focuses on results and targets) filters down and, no matter how much one tries to resist or even kick against it, it permeates ones own work practice after a while. The climate in which I work consistently places emphasis on the meeting of Key Performance Targets (KPTs) and now, the Service Level Agreement (SLA). In meeting these as well as ever increasing budgetary constraints, every facet of work culture is placed under the microscope and, wherever possible, cut, yet the targets must be met regardless. However, no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves or expectations laid at our office door, it is how we respond that is important and the acceptance of our personal responsibility to be channelled into effective working. An important element of relationships, at all levels including personal and business, is trust. Where one perceives this to be eroded or not present due to conflict in aims or values, it can have a destructive affect on effective co-working. As can be seen above, this is something I am struggling with in the corporate ethos where I am constantly second-guessing the motives behind management decision-making. However, to be an effective manager, I am mindful of maintaining a healthy approach to embracing the mission of the workplace even though I may not fully understand or have access to the full rationale behind the decision making processes from Higher Management. As a leader, I have to convey to those I wish to work effectively under me, that this mission is achievable and in the common interest despite my own such uncertainties. Maintaining personal integrity and establishing trust are essential in my personal, professional and leadership identity. Straker (2008:208) talks of transaction cost and trust boundaries. Essentially he argues that trust, if allowed to erode or not fostered within an organisation can impact on delivery and there has to be a cost on both sides to re-establish this. As he says .. the overall cost can be minimised with up-front investment in, and subsequent maintenance of, trust. If one does not have that sense of belonging within the trust group then there is something wrong with the work relationship and part of effective management and leadership performance is to be pro-active in fostering trust and encouraging people to enter the trust boundary. It begs the question, therefore, who and under what conditions will we follow? Should we be expected to lead and expect blind faith? What criteria and principles should be presented in order for others to set out on the journey with us ? Handy (1987) suggests that in order for an outcome to remain constant, the Trust-Control balance might need to shift between leader and subordinates and I can see merits in this as relationships, as well as work pressures, are fluid in nature. There are three established styles of leadership: autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. History records successful leaders who have exhibited all of the above. Each style can work and produce results but demands a flexibility on the part of the workforce to fit in with the style and it is that response which can be acknowledged and worked with or not as the case may be, As for my own style, confirmed as a nurturing parental approach, this has immense benefits for myself and for those who work under me as they feel supported and, more importantly in my opinion, affirmed in their roles with their own skills base recognised and developed. As with any style there are costs and, as I am finding, where my own sense of values conflicts with the demands laid upon me, this can have a detrimental effect to my own sense of purpose within the organisation. It is important, therefore, that structures and lines of communication are open which allow for that expression of view. However, this, in itself, is not without the potential cost. As I found when raising my head above the parapet on several occasions, to express concern and personal frustration with the direction expected by senior managers, it can blot ones copybook. Again, it is important for me to consider how much of this is down to my own personal perception and how able I am to see my subordinates perspective and, crucially, the aims and focus of the establishment delivery objectives. Conclusion In terms of future roles, I am best placed to consider managerial positions. The Foundation Degree and BA(Hons) are regarded as valuable qualifications both for their content relevant to the Criminal Justice System and Leadership and Management but also symbolising the desire and commitment I have and have shown for continued self development (Appendix IX). In the final analysis, the human dynamic is the most beneficial resource in the workplace but it is also the most fickle and, at times, fragile. To lead is a privilege and to follow is an opportunity. I can only strive to make myself worthy of the trust placed in me to, not only get the job done, but to enable others to be the very best they can be and, in the process, ensure I am followed out of respect and not coercion or, indeed, curiosity. Appendices: I. Excerpt from Carnegie (1938) II. Study Skills Self Assessment III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle IV. Curriculum Vitae V. Kandola and Fullerton (1994) Mosaic Vision VI. Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire VII. Reflective Log on McGregor X,Y Theory VIII. T-P Leadership Questionnaire IX. Professional Development Plan Appendix I Excerpts from How To Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie (1938) Fundamental Techniques in Handling People Dont criticize, condemn, or complain. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Arouse in the other person an eager want. Six Ways to Make People Like You Become genuinely interested in other people. Smile. Remember that a mans Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. Talk in the terms of the other mans interest. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking Avoid arguments. Show respect for the other persons opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong. If youre wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Begin in a friendly way. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to. Let the other person do the talking. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers. Try honestly to see things from the other persons point of view. Sympathize with the other person. Appeal to noble motives. Dramatize your ideas. Throw down a challenge. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Call attention to other peoples mistakes indirectly. Talk about your own mistakes first. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders. Let the other person save face. Praise every improvement. Give them a fine reputation to live up to. Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest. Appendix II. Study Skills Self Assessment Appendix III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle Appendix IV. Curriculum Vitae Appendix V My Personal and Professional Values Related to The Mosaic Vision (Kandola and Fullerton, 1994) Mission and values (I tend to have a rescuer style in

The Endocrine System Essay -- Biology, Pituitary Gland

The endocrine system is a group of glands distributed throughout the human body. This group of glands secretes substances called hormones. These hormones discharge into the bloodstream (Shier, Butler & Lewis, 2009). The endocrine system does not have a single anatomic location. It is dispersed throughout the human body. The final purpose of this system is to control, regulate, and coà ¶rdinate the functioning of the human body (p.291). Some body functions can be activated or inhibited by hormones, which are secreted in very small quantities. Hormone related diseases may be due to hyper secretion or hypo secretion. The hormones secreted by the endocrine glands regulate the growth, development and function of many tissues, and coà ¶rdinate the body's metabolic processes (pp. 294-296). An inadequate secretion of hormones may cause disorders in the body, which on occasion may result in serious health consequences. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parat hyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, pineal gland, thymus gland, and reproductive glands (Shier et al., 2009). The pituitary gland is situated at the base of the brain and it secretes hormones that control the operation of the major endocrine glands (pp. 295-299). In reaction to excess or deficiency of pituitary hormones, the glands affected by these hormones can cause an excess or a deficiency of their own hormones. On the other hand the pituitary gland acts on the stimulation of the thyroid gland to secrete hormones that regulate the body's metabolism, energy, and nervous system activity (p. 295).The thyroid is a small gland in the neck, in front of the trachea and below the larynx. Thyroid hormones control metabolism, which is the body's ability to br... ...docrine system, immune system and nervous system fail to function gradually. This gradual failure might occur at different moments, leading to imbalances between them, and increased risk of disease for the elderly. Thyroid functions decline with aging and thyroid disorders are more common in older adults. For example, hypothyroidism is associated with acceleration of aging (Haywood and Getchell, p.81, 2009).In conclusion, the endocrine system maintains homeostasis of the human body through its contribution to each of the functions involved. There are lifestyles that help ensure a healthy endocrine system and in this way avoid developing diabetes mellitus Type 2, such as engaging in daily physical exercise and maintaining healthy eating habits. A good endocrine health improves performance of activities of daily living, work, leisure and social participation.

Baldwin In A Microcosm :: essays research papers

Baldwin in a microcosm "Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin Racism has been a part of American and world history for centuries, and has become a pattern in cultures. James Baldwin was an African-American author who, like many black men and women, struggled against the inherent hate/racism in America. Baldwin had the opportunity to travel to a microcosmic Swiss village atop a mountain. His story of the native's curiosity towards him and eventually fondness challenges the idea that racism is quickly overtaking the world. A microcosm, by definition is a representation of something on a smaller scale. In the Renaissance age, philosophers considered the world to be a macrocosm hosting millions of individual microcosms: people. The term microcosm signifies the creation of the human being as a complete world. In contrast, macrocosm refers to the idea of the whole universe outside humanity. This idea that an individual person is a world unto himself, surely influenced Baldwin in the writing of his essay pertaining to the small Swiss village that was "virtually unknown" (124). The village that Baldwin verbosely writes about is not specified although he tells us that the warm springs are a tourist draw and that the village is "only four hours from Milan and three hours from Lausanne" (124), but this gives the reader little information about the city. The imagery that forms while reading the passage comes directly from the population of the village. The men, women, and children, are all astounded by Baldwin's skin color and hair texture. Some of the inhabitants believed that Baldwin's hair "was the color of tar, that it had the texture of wire, or the texture of cotton" (125). The sheer astonishment of the village natives took Baldwin by surprise, as did the young children shouting "Neger Neger!" The people of the town, although geographically sheltered, are the same people that Baldwin knew as he grew up. He says that "America comes out of Europe, but these people have never seen America, nor have most of them seen more of Europe than the hamlet at the foot of their mountain" (127). Baldwin grew up in Harlem and suffered from racism in many ways. He recalls be called the very same derogatory word that the children in the Swiss village called him, but the difference was that the children in Harlem had an inbred racism and the Swiss children had never seen a black man before.

Identify a personal hero and articulate the influence this person has h

Identify a personal hero and articulate the influence this person has had on you I learn Spanish literature from a petite, sophisticated woman who has yet to appear in anything less that pearls, a well-cut suit and carefully scraped-back hair. Nevertheless, not one class has gone by without her eventually sitting cross-legged on her desk, eyes intent behind wire-rimmed glasses, hair slipping from her ponytail as if in agreement with her insistence that Spanish is exciting and all-encompassing, that Spanish literature is life reflected. At first, I thought she was a lunatic, ranting about "El simulo," "las metaforas," and "el tema." I spent the first week getting accustomed to her quick Iberian way of speaking, catching every other verb or noun, frantically trying to piece together what exactly she wanted from me. Each time she would veer her gaze in my direction, I would bend my head down to my note pad, furiously scribbling down some non-important point in the hopes that she wouldn't call on me....

Employee Selection Process in Private Company

EMPLOYEE SELECTION FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS: THE INFLUENCES OF THE UNIFORM GUIDELINES AND COURT DECISIONS Edward, Ph. D. McKendree College Business Division 701 College Road Lebanon, IL 62254 (618)-537-4481 ABSTRACT The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) were promulgated with large businesses in mind in order to affect large numbers of employees as rapidly as possible.However, the employee selection validation procedure advocated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, criterion related validity, is one that small business owners are unable to use due to statistical restraints and the lack of personnel with the esoteric knowledge of validation procedures. These restrictions, coupled with court decisions such as Albemarle Paper Company v.Moody in which the United States Supreme Court ruled the test validation guidelines issued by the EEOC were to be given â€Å"great deference† by lower courts, have left small business owners with one practical and potentially legally defensible approach to employee selection. This paper briefly mentions the advantages of valid employee selection procedures, followed by a detailed description of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978), relevant court cases, and a case study describing the validation of a small business employee selection test by the author.INTRODUCTION The importance of small business to the U. S. economy was well summarized by Siropolis (1986), who wrote: †¦ more than 99 percent of the nation's 16 million businesses are small-even if we define a small business as one that employs fewer than 100 rather than 500 †¦. Further evidence of its vitality is the fact that small business employs roughly half of the nation's workforce (pg. 8). In addition, Siropolis (1986) listed numerous other reasons for the importance of small business to the U. S. conomy, such as the higher return on equity small manufacturers earn than large manufacturers, the i nnovation found in small businesses as evidenced by small businesses accounting for half of all major inventions in the last 30 years in the U. S. , and the dependence of large businesses on small businesses as both suppliers and purchasers. These economic facts indicate that small business in the U. S. is the paramount force for economic growth and the creation of jobs, as noted recently: Small businesses are the principal job creating sector of the economy during recessions and expansions† (â€Å"The State Of†, 1985, pg. 46). Further evidence of the economic importance of small business has recently been published: Employment gains in small-business dominated industries in construction (18. 9 percent), finance, insurance and real estate (12. 7 percent), and services (12. 6 percent) are impressive when compared to the gains made in similar, large business dominated industries. In construction, the small business ted industries had employment gains of 18. 9 percent, whi le the large business industries showed an employment loss of 10. percent. The relative strengths of the small business gains in wholesale and retail trade are also significant †¦. Small firms with fewer than 100 employees†¦ generated 52. 6 percent of net employment growth from 1976 to 1982. (â€Å"The State Of†, 1985, p. 17-21). One can add to this the reliance of the U. S. government on small businesses, as evidenced by the federal government purchasing almost 29% of its of goods and services from small businesses in 1983 (â€Å"The State Of†, 1985).EMPLOYEE SELECTION An area of vital importance within small business management is the area of employee selection. An increasing awareness of the importance of employee selection has been noted: â€Å"Nearly 40% of surveyed employers are using more prehiring testing of job candidates than they were five years ago† (â€Å"Prehiring Tests†, 1986, p. 17). The importance to the U. S. economy of employe e selection in a small business is due both to the fact that small businesses create the majority of new jobs in the U.S. (Birch, 1979; â€Å"The State Of†, 1985), and the impact of the employee selection process on a small business. First, the results of a valid selection procedure include increased productivity of as much as 20 percent (Schmidt, Hunter, McKenzie, & Muldrow, 1979). This is an important result to small business owners, as productivity improvement has been rated as the number one concern of both CEOs and executives and engineers in separate surveys (â€Å"Productivity: A Top†, 1986, p. 46).Other important results include an avoidance of lawsuits (Dreher & Sackett, 1981; Kleiman & Faley, 1978), greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment, reduced absenteeism and fewer disciplinary actions (Fear & Ross, 1983), reduced time spent in supervision for the small business owner, and reduced training costs and turnover (Stone & Ruch, 1974). The potent ial for reduced turnover is also important for small business owners, due to recent data indicating that: Small businesses have higher annual employee turnover than large companies.The Administrative Management Society reports that businesses with 26-250 employees have a 19% turnover rate, while larger firms (more than 5000 employees) average only 7% (â€Å"Small Businesses, Turnover† 1986, p. 13). In total, these results are particularly important due to the greater relative effect each employee has in a small business as opposed to the effect of an individual employee in a large business. In the U. S. , the employee selection procedures used by all business owners are regulated by the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978).The Uniform Guidelines (UG) were designed to provide technical assistance to employers and were written following a review of relevant court cases and consultations with industrial psychologists. At present, the UG are serving as a ref erence for determining the legality of currently used selection tests. The UG are administered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is empowered to do so by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.As Landy and Trumbo (1980) have noted: â€Å"The EEOC has evolved from a weak public advocate status to a strong and active enforcement agency, with broad powers to initiate and negotiate legal and administrative action on behalf of protected minority groups† (p. 92). Although the UG are not â€Å"law† as a lawyer would define law in that they were not passed as bills in Congress, they are frequently referenced as technical guides by judges. In the UG, the employment decisions made by business owners and managers are regulated and broadly defined, e. . , promotions, referrals for training, as well as selection for hiring are all subject to the influence of the UG. The UG list three allowable approaches to validating a selection test used by a busines s. Briefly, criterion related validation approaches focus on the statistical ability of the selection test to predict the criterion, or as noted by Dreher and Sackett (1981): â€Å"†¦ criterion-related approaches focus on the relationship between a hiring requirement and job behavior† (p. 552).Another way of describing criterion-related validity was written by Landy and Trumbo) (1980): â€Å"When we are investigating the validity of a selection procedure using a criterion related design, typically, we are looking for a significant correlation between a test (predictor) and job behavior (criterion)† (p. 70- 71). The UG define criterion related validity in this way: â€Å"In criterion related validity, a selection procedure is justified by a statistical relationship between scores on the test or other selection procedure and measures of job performance† (P. 8292, Federal Register, 1978). According to the UG, the requirements of the job analysis, which is a co mprehensive definition of the tasks performed by a job incumbent, are: â€Å"There should be a review of job information to determine measures of work behavior(s) or performance that are relevant to the job or group of jobs in question†. The paramount difficulty with conducting a criterion related validity study for the small business owner is the required number of hirees, which is discussed in the UG under the term of â€Å"technical feasibility†.Although the minimum is not specified in the UG, an absolute minimum is 30 employees (Heneman, Schwab, Fossum, & Dyer, 1986). For many small business owners, this minimum number is more employees than they hire in a year, which in turn makes the criterion related validation approach of little value. In addition, the statistical measures required by the criterion related validity approach are often recondite for a small business owner.Construct valuation approaches attempt to measure an applicant's amount of psychological cha racteristics such as â€Å"need for achievement†. The UG discuss construct validity in this manner: â€Å"Construct validity involves identifying the psychological trait (the construct) which underlies successful performance on the job and then devising a selection procedure to measure the presence and degree of that construct† (p. 38292, Federal Register, 1978). The construct validity of a test refers to the extent to which it measures the construct it is supposed to measure.Landy and Trumbo (1980) noted: â€Å"It is the most theoretical of the definitions of validity, since it is concerned with the abstractions used in referring to psychological structures, functions, or traits, rather than to the prediction of some external criterion† (p. 73). The job analysis for a construct validity study involves a list of critical job behaviors and the constructs believed to underly the behaviors. These studies are difficult to do, as a â€Å"construct† is a hypoth etical attribute of a person that underlies and guides their behavior. Content validation approaches are oncerned with the job relatedness of the selection test rather than a concern with the criterion. Landy and Trumbo (1980) defined this approach toe employee selection procedure validation as: â€Å"Content validity is concerned with the extent to which the sample of items in a test (and the sample behavior elicited by these items) is an unbiased representation of the domain (i. e. , attribute or trait) being sampled† (p. 71). According to the UG: â€Å"A selection procedure can be supported by a content validity strategy to the extent that it is a representative sample of the content of the job†.An important concept for a content valid selection procedure is the job analysis, which was defined by Schultz (1978): â€Å"The purpose of the job analysis is to describe, in specific term, the precise nature of the component tasks performed by the workers on a particular job† (p. 76). A job analysis can be approached in a variety of ways, as noted by McCormick and Tiffin (1974): â€Å"Job analysis can be considered as embracing the collection and analysis of any type of job related information, by any method, for any purpose† (p. 9). The job analysis for a content validity study involves interviewing and observing incumbents: Job analysis for content validity. There should be a job analysis which includes an analysis of the important work behaviors(s) required for successful performance and their relative importance and, if the behavior results in work product(s), an analysis of the work product(s). Any job analysis should focus on the work behaviors and the tasks associated with them †¦The work behaviors selected for measurement should be critical work behaviors and/or important work behaviors constituting most of the job. The key to content validity is the answers to the questions the small business owner must ask: â€Å"How rep resentative of on the job behaviors is the test? Does it sample all important aspects of the job? † Landy and Trumbo (1980) wrote â€Å"Content validity is determined on the basis of how well the test material samples the job performance domain† (p. 72). The validity of a content validation study is judgmental; no statistical analysis is done (Robinson, 1981).The value of the content validation approach to a small business owner is that it allows a selection test to be validated within the UG restraints, and at the same time it does not require large sample sizes or recondite statistical analyses: When is content validation appropriate? One circumstance is when there are too few people available to form a sample for purposes of empirical validation. While there are differences of opinion on what the minimum necessary sample size is for empirical validation, an absolute minimum is 30 individuals who all perform the same job (Heneman et al. 986, pg. 281-283). The restrict ions of the content validity approach are few. One of the restrictions is that the selection test should consist only of knowledge or skills that cannot readily be learned on the job (Miner & Miner, 1980). In addition, content validity is prohibited by the UG to measure mental processes as part of a selection procedure. An example of the content validation approach to employee selection is the appropriately titled Content Oriented Personnel Selection in a Small Business Setting by Robinson (1981).In his article, which involved the content validation process needed in designing a selection procedure which was used to hire one construction superintendent for a small construction firm, Robinson (1981) informs the reader of the steps necessary in a job analysis for a content valid selection test: 1. Convene a panel of experts†¦. 2. Ask the panel to identify all the broad objectives to be met by an ideal incumbent on the target job. If objectives can be so quantified that they can p roperly be called standards, so much the better†¦. 3.List specific behaviors required to meet each objective †¦. 4. Identification of â€Å"critical† tasks †¦ The content sample will be valid to the extent that the critical tasks reflect actual job performance †¦. 5. Determination of interjudge agreement as to the importance of major dimensions of the job†¦ (pgs. 78-79). The importance of such a systematic approach to the job analysis was emphasized by Dreher and Sackett (1981): â€Å"The quality of any content validation effort depends on the thoroughness and appropriateness of the job analysis† (p. 54); the job analysis will be used to determine if the content valid test actually samples relevant job behavior mentioned in the job analysis as important. Having conducted the job analysis, Robinson (1981) constructed a test battery based upon work sample procedures. As an example, the applicants were given a construction error recognition test i n which the applicants were required to inspect a 8†² by 12†² shed that contained 25 construction errors. The applicants were to list the construction errors they spotted during their inspection.This emphasis on the UG when discussing employee selection approaches for small business owners stems from two major court cases which directly ruled on the use of content validity as a way of validating a selection instrument. In Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality v. City of St. Louis, a promotional examination for fire captains was ruled to have adequate content validity within the directives of the UG. In U. S. v. Connelie, a selection procedure for New York State Police was ruled to be invalid due to in large part the lack of a task-oriented job analysis nor was the frequency and importance of job duties identified.In both of these cases, the UG used in making the judicial rulings. Two other court cases which indicate the importance of understating content validity are Harless v. Duck and King v. New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development. In Harless v. Duck, a structured oral interview was found to be rejecting more female applicants than male applicants, however, the employer argued the interview had content validity in that hypothetical situations were used that a police officer might actually face.The court ruled the selection interview was valid, in large part due to its content validity. In King v. New Hampshire, a business lost a discrimination lawsuit due to applicants being asked questions which were not job related, i. e. , not based on a job analysis and therefore not content valid. With the importance of employee selection validation in mind, coupled with the feasibility of the content validation approach for small business owners, I would like to describe the approach I used for a small business owner located in the Midwest.The small business is a general purpose real estate office (â€Å"general purpose,† i n the sense that it handled farm, commercial, and private dwelling real estate sales) which has two owner managers and 10 sales associates. The primary function of the sales force for this small business is to sell as much real estate as possible, in terms of monetary value rather than number of units sold. The organization did not have a job analysis of the job of real estate agent and was using an unstructured interview to hire applicants. The initial step was to develop a job analysis.The purposes of the job analysis were to (a) define the job duties being performed by the job incumbents, (b) obtain a listing of the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each job duty, and (c) determine the importance and time spent on each job duty as perceived by the incumbents. For this small business, the process of collecting information for the job analysis consisted of three steps: (a) reviewing the appropriate entry in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, (b) reading the job related material from the firm's files, and (c) a series of interviews with all 10 real estate agents and both of the owner-managers.Due to the job analyst's lack of familiarity with the job, the first step was to review the job description in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Its value is noted by Bass and Barrett (1981): â€Å"The job analyst can turn to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles to get a concise definition of almost any job in American industry† (p. 238). The use of this volume when approaching a job one is not familiar with was also noted by Cascio (1978): â€Å"First, the reader can become familiar with the vast array of jobs in general and with appropriate terminology in each job, (p. 47). The second step also involved acquiring some job related information about being a real estate agent; this step consisted of a reading of the informational and training manuals that are made available to the real estate agents. The perusal of these manuals was va luable in giving the job analyst background information necessary to conduct the third step of the information collection, the interviews with job incumbents. These interviews were conducted in a private room and ranged from 30 to 90 minutes.The interviews followed a patterned interview form, as recommended by Cascio (1978). The interview questions asked for traits, behaviors, and knowledge that the incumbents deemed necessary for the completion of the job of real estate agent. The interviewees were also informed that any knowledge or behaviors an applicant could learn within eight hours was not to be included. An example of an interview question is â€Å"What is the order of behaviors from the time you contact a customer until you are through with a sale? † The interviews generated a list of 106 job duties.Each of the interviewees received a copy of the 106 job duties, along with an instruction sheet asking them to rate each item as to its importance to their job and the rel ative amount of time they spend performing that job duty. The mean rating given each of the 106 job duties was computed by the job analyst for both the rating dimensions. With the interview information and summary statistics on hand, a selection instrument was constructed which was based on job duties which were rated highly in terms of their importance and time spent on each of them by job ncumbents, and which job incumbents considered were not trainable within eight hours. The selection instrument was based on a job sample approach, which is valid for a content validity based selection instrument. As an example, the selection instrument asked an applicant to calculate monthly payments on a home given certain financial parameters. The questions were given to six randomly selected job incumbents who were asked to choose which of the job sample test questions an applicant would have to pass in order to meet minimum standards as a new employee.The job incumbents overall picked an aver age of 80% of the job sample items as being necessary for a new employee to pass to be acceptable at a minimum level of acceptability. Therefore, an applicant would have to score a minimum of 80% in order to be considered for employment. As a check on the validity of the 80% cutoff score, the job sample questions were given to the four other job incumbents. All of these incumbents were considered to be satisfactory employees by the business owners, and all received a passing score of over 80%.In summary, small business owners need to be aware of the UG, the court cases which have resulted from the UG, the one practical approach to validating a selection procedure, and the advantages to having a validated selection procedure. By following the outline of Robinson (1981) or the case presented in this paper, the small business owner can both enjoy the benefits of a validated selection procedure and lessen any worry over an EEOC lawsuit. REFERENCES Bass, B. M. , & Barrett, G. V. (1981). People, work, and organizations.Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc. Birch, D. L. (1979). The job generation process. M. I. T. Program on Neighborhood and Regional Change. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cascio, W. F. (1978). Applied psychology in personnel management. Reston, Virginia: Reston Publishing Company, Inc. Dreher, G. F. , & Sackett, P. R. (1981). Some problem with applying content validity evidence to assessment center procedures. Academy of Management Review, 6, p. 551-560. Fear, R. A. , & Ross, J. F. (1983). Jobs, Dollars, and EEO: How to Hire More Productive Entry- Level Workers.New York, McGraw-Hill. Harless v. Duck, 14 FEB 1616 (1977). Heneman , H. G. , Schwab, D. P. , Fossum, J. A. , & Dyer, L. D. (1986). Personnel/Human Resource Management. Homewood, Illinois: Irwin. King v. New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, 15, FEB 669 (1977) Kleiman, L. S. , & Faley, R. H. (1978). Assessing content validity: Standards set by the court. Personnel Psychology, 30, 701-713. Landy, F. J. , & Trumbo, D. A. (1980). Psychology of Work Behavior. The Dorsey Press, Homewood, Illinois.McCormick, E. J. , & Tiffin, B. L. (1974). Jobs and their requirements. Industrial Psychology, (6th ed. ). Miner, M. G. & Miner, J. B. (1980). Uniform Guidelines on employee selection Procedures. Washington, D. C. , The Bureau of National Affairs. Prehiring Tests. (1986, June). Small Business Report. Business Research and Communications, Monterey, California. Productivity: A Top Concern. (1986, February). Small Business Report, Business Research and Communications, Monterey, California. Robinson, D. D. (1981).Content-oriented personnel selection in a small business setting. Personnel Psychology, 34, pgs. 77-87. Schmidt, F. L. , Hunter, J. E. , McKenzie, R. C. , and Muldrow, T. W. (1979). Impact of valid selection procedures on work-force productivity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64, 609-626. Schultz, D. P. (1978). Psychology and industry today. New York: Macmillan Pub lishing Company. Siropolis, N. C. (1986). Small Business Management. Houghton Mifflin Company, Geneva, Illinois. Small Businesses' Turnover High. (1986, January).Small Business Report, Business Research and Communications, Monterey, California. Stone, C. H. , & Ruch, F. L. (1974). Selection, interviewing, and testing. ASPA Handbook of Personnel and Industrial Relations: Staffing Policies and Strategies, ed. Dale Yoder and Herbert G. Heneman (Washington, D. C. , The Bureau of National Affairs), 4, 137-138. The State of Small Business: A Report of the President. (1985, May). United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures (1978). Federal Register, 43, 38290- 38309.

Ethics Essay

1. Frame the ethical issue Should Giles and Regas have a serious relationship while working on a same case or within the same accounting firm? 2. Gather all the facts: The couple spends personal time together during the workday Regas is having a three hours long lunch break Regas is being distracted from work Team members are aware of the relationship between two Regas and Giles have tried to be discreet about their relationship 3. Identify the Stakeholders and their obligations Mark Sax, the controller of CAA Industries, has the right to know the hours that were billed was applied correctly and the work was done efficiently. Giles should be responsible for billing the hours and work process since he is the supervising partner on the engagement. Team members on the engagement have the right to expect the co-workers do their part of the work and have a fair treatment. Regas should consider the consequences of her actions on others. Saduga & Mihca (the firm) has the right to expect their employees to perfom their work on a professional level. The client (CAA Industries) has the right to expect the work being done correctly. Herb Morris, the managing partner of Saduga& Mihca, has a right to be told about the relationship between Giles and Regas. 4. Identify the relevant accounting ethics standards Honesty – Fully disclosing about the relationship between the employees and hours being billed to the client. Integrity – Billing the client the correct hours and acting in accordance with principled behavior. Due care in the performance of professional responsibilities Fairness – Each team members on the engagement should be treat equally and openly. 5. Identify the operational issues Is that an Human Resources policy existed which prohibited dating between two members of the Firm who were of different rank, and that policy appears impotent Should Giles act as the supervising partner on the engagement point out the unprofessioness performance by Regas? Should the team members on the engagement communicate about the problems with the supervisor? 6. Identify the accounting, auditing and/or taxation issues Since the case does not deal with financial reporting per se, these issues are limited. The hours that billed to the client. 7. What are the alternatives? Do nothing. Wait to see what happens and then decided what to do next Talk to both Regas and Giles about the problems and concerns from the client. 8. Compare and weigh the alternatives Do nothing – it is legal to do so, however it does not consistent with professional standards because there is an actual policy pointed that employees in different ranks should not be dating with each other within the firm. Wait to see what happens and then decided what to do next – Since Giles and Regas have come to an conclusion to set the personal matter aside until this particular engagement ends, it probably could wait until the project is over. However, dating is still not allowed when the employees are from different ranks. Talk to both parties – It is the company’s responsibility to ensure that the client’s work is done properly and in a timely manner. Whether or not Regas and Giles have billed extra hours to the clients because of their relationships, the company should be responsible for their employees’ behavior and let the employees aware of the policy and execute it. Also, because the fact that the team members are aware of the r elationship and they deserve to be treat fairly according to the justice theory. Egoism – Defines right or acceptable behavior in terms of its consequences for the individual Utilitarianism – follow a relatively straightforward method for deciding the morally correct course of action for any particular situation. Justice Theory – respects your rights and treats you fairly and gives each person what she or he deserves. Virtue Theory – apply both to the decision maker and to the act under consideration by that party. 9. Decide on a course of action Talk to both Regas and Giles about the problems and concerns from the client. Both of the employees should know that the company expects them to perform on a professional level during work and follow the human resources policy. 10. Reflect on your decision Be professional and perform as a professional. Since Giles are aware that Regas is having a hard time putting herself back to work because of the relationship, they should put their personal pleasure after the work. If the relationship is getting serious, one of the parties should be resign from the firm. Questions: 1. I think both parties have the responsibility to perform the work. However, Ed Giles is the supervising partner on the engagement team, he should be more aware of being professional and perform client’s work to the standard. 2. If Giles were a person of integrity, he would tell Herb Morris he would set aside his relationship with Regas until the engagement is over. Furthermore, they should not be in a same audit team anymore since they both have personal feelings for each other. If Giles thinks that their relationship is getting serious, one of them will be resign. 3. Everyone would have one or two weak moment in a relationship. However still, a professional accountant should not bring their personal pleasure into work or even prolong the process of the client’s work. Herb Morris should still meet with Giles and talk about the client’s (CAA Industries) concerns and make it clear with the client and the relationship would not affect anything on the engagement. Since both Giles and Regas have been working on the CAA industries audit team for a while, it is not wise to replace both of them at this moment. Herb Morris, as the managing partner of the firm, has the right to inform Regas and Giles their responsibilities and expects them to perform the work within the expectation. If Regas and Giles decide to process their relationship further, then they should follow the Human Resources policy and one of them should be resign from the accounting  firm in the future in order to avoid conflicts of interests.