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Invented Tradition free essay sample
By and large convention is known as a method of suspected or conduct which has been followed or practice by individuals ceaselessly from age...
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1
Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example Clearly, those who remain in good standing achieve many benefits, including income and public recognition. These things are rewards for the achievement and maintenance of high moral and ethical standards. The esteem that derives from membership in an elite group makes professional status desirable. In order to choose the best solutions to the problems identified in two cases, it is important to apply ethical theories and moral standards. As a passenger in version 1, I would pull the lever and save lives of 5 people. This decision is based on utilitarianism referred to by some as the consequentialist ethical theory. It is expressed in the form that asserts that people should always act so as to produce the greatest ratio of good to evil for everyone. as the utilitarian, I believe that when choosing between two actions, the one that produces the greatest net happiness should be the one chosen (Donaldson et al. 2002). Where most of them disagree with one another is in the area of how this principle should be applied. There are also several stated weaknesses in this concept. It ignores actions that appear to be wrong in themselves; it espouses the concept that the end justifies the means; the principles may come into conflict with that of justice seems to associate justice with ef ficiency rather than fair play); and it is extremely difficult to formulate and establish satisfactory rules of application (Bentham 2000). I would pull the lever because it is ethical to save lives of people and choose the decision which benefits the majority. Utilitarianism manifests itself in two major forms. The stronger of the two is so-called act-utilitarianism. Under this system, the moral agent considers the consequences of only the action under consideration. The second system is called rule-utilitarianism. Here the moral agent considers a set of rules by which life should be lived. The basis of accepting or rejecting a rule is whether the consequences of everyone following the rule will result in the maximum probable good consequences. Rule-utilitarianism may be regarded as a weaker form of utilitarianism than act-utilitarianism. A rule-utilitarian, when confronted with a situation in which he believes that abiding by the rule will not in the present case be most beneficial, will simply modify the rule. Great disagreement may be generated over which consequences are in fact "good," which consequences should rec eive greater or lesser weight, and what probability should be assigned to different future consequences. Modern critics of utilitarianism also note that ultimately utilitarianism must seek non-utilitarian answers on assigning boundaries and values around the measurement of activities and values associated with the calculation of utilitarian systems. All these matters serve to cause what appears to be an exceptionally practical system to become less and less practical (Donaldson et al. 2002). As a passenger in version 2, I would not push the person and let him die. These actions would be considered as intentional killing of person and could lead to imprisonment. In terms of deontological ethics, actions should be based on rule-based morality. The approach considers an action as morally right if it conforms with a proper moral rule. An action that violates the rule but results in beneficial actions is still considered wrong. The
Monday, October 28, 2019
College Players Should Get Paid Essay Example for Free
College Players Should Get Paid Essay In the world, college athletics grows and continues to bring large financial benefits to colleges, universities and even sponsors. This leads to many debates concerning the payment of the athletes. Some people think that scholarship paid to colleges for these student athletes is enough while others claim that the payments might make them to leave the college early for participating in the athletics. Division 1 college athletes should be paid. College athletes put their bodies on the line just like the pros do. Wide receiver Martin Brown tears his ACL and his career in football is over. Defensive tackle Eric Legrand gets paralyzed from the neck down and his career in football is over. Wide receiver Dante Love gets a spinal injury and ends his career in football. Players do a lot for their communities. Like the Santa Ana college football team devoted a whole weekend volunteering in two charity events. Last year Ohio State did community service for a total of about 6,496 hours. Ole Miss has a program call The Ole Miss Rebel Reading Program where they read to local elementary schools. The college athletes bring in a lot of money to their institutions. The players should receive some of this money because without them the schools cannot be able to receive all the popularity and the money. College athletes make enough money for colleges that it would not hurt to give some back. They should take better care of their student-athletes by paying them for their services. Many College athletes live in poverty because the money they get is not sufficient enough to pay for all of the expenses and basic necessities. The athletes that graduate from colleges stay because their parents support them by giving or sending money to them. If college athletes are paid, there would be more athletes graduating from colleges. Paying athletes would be good for everyone and players would be forced to go for college education instead of only concentrating on the sports. The colleges athletes are not allowed to work hence do not get money to purchase the necessities. This leads to players accepting any illegal money, cars, clothes, etc. Most college athletes dont turn professional, so the athletes wont have any working experience when they get into the real world. This would give the non-athletes and advantage in the working world over the athletes. Most of the athletes that have the opportunity to leave school and turn professional do so, because college athletes live in near poverty. To avoid all the illegal gains, the athletes should be paid. Marylands Gary Williams says . some of these guys are pretty poor coming here, and a lot of college students have some money you feel out of place, you dont feel competitive academically sometimes, and I think it could do a lot of good If colleges dont pay the athletes the professional leagues should. Professional leagues such as the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB use colleges as minor leagues. Most of the players in these leagues come from universities across the U.S.A. Since the leagues get the athletes from the universities, they should pay them the same way they league players. College athletes should receive money for all of their needs, or if they cant do this the athletes should be given the opportunity to work, which will assist them, learn about working in real world.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye Essay -- Toni Morrison Bluest Eye Essay
Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye Toni Morrisonââ¬â¢s novel The Bluest Eye provides social commentary on a lesser known portion of black society in America. The protagonist Pecola is a young black girl who desperately wants to feel beautiful and gain the ââ¬Å"bluest eyesâ⬠as the title references. The book seeks to define beauty and love in this twisted perverse society, dragging the reader through Morrisonââ¬â¢s emotional manipulations. Her father Cholly Breedlove steals the readerââ¬â¢s emotional attention from Pecola as he enters the story. In fact, Toni Morrisonââ¬â¢s depiction of Cholly wrongfully evokes sympathy from the reader. The sympathy for Cholly evoked in The Bluest Eye from the reader is not deserved. By definition, sympathy means feeling pity or sorrow for the distress of another, or compassion. The skillfulness of the author manipulates the reader into feeling a certain way towards particular characters. Sympathy for characters ââ¬â Cholly being no exception ââ¬â derives from an authorââ¬â¢s ability to use words and the construction of the story to lead a reader into a certain emotional direction. The reader is the prime reason the author constructs a story. Because all authors are completely aware that an audience exists for their stories, authors are, in turn, completely aware that their words can manipulate their readers. It is this awareness that allows all sentence structures and idea portrayal to be the product of an authorââ¬â¢s manipulation. Because there exists an audience, there exists someone to persuade or influence. Thus, an author, like Morrison, builds a textual relationship between the characters in her story and that of the reader digesting her story. Morrison, like all authors, understands that the reader searches for a... ...ror of Pecolaââ¬â¢s first sexual experience: her father rapes her), and a difficult marriage situation (caused by his own drunkenness). The ââ¬Å"badsâ⬠certainly outweigh the ââ¬Å"goodsâ⬠in his situation. Thus, the reader ought not to feel sympathy for Cholly. But, Morrison presents information about Cholly in such a way that mandates sympathy from her reader. This depiction of Cholly as a man of freedom and the victim of awful happenings is wrong because it evokes sympathy for a man who does not deserve it. He deserves the readerââ¬â¢s hate, but Morrison prevents Cholly covered with a blanket of undeserved, inescapable sympathy. Morrison creates undeserved sympathy from the reader using language and her depiction of Cholly acting within the bounds of his character. This ultimately generates a reader who becomes soft on crime and led by emotions manipulated by the authority of text. Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye Essay -- Toni Morrison Bluest Eye Essay Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye Toni Morrisonââ¬â¢s novel The Bluest Eye provides social commentary on a lesser known portion of black society in America. The protagonist Pecola is a young black girl who desperately wants to feel beautiful and gain the ââ¬Å"bluest eyesâ⬠as the title references. The book seeks to define beauty and love in this twisted perverse society, dragging the reader through Morrisonââ¬â¢s emotional manipulations. Her father Cholly Breedlove steals the readerââ¬â¢s emotional attention from Pecola as he enters the story. In fact, Toni Morrisonââ¬â¢s depiction of Cholly wrongfully evokes sympathy from the reader. The sympathy for Cholly evoked in The Bluest Eye from the reader is not deserved. By definition, sympathy means feeling pity or sorrow for the distress of another, or compassion. The skillfulness of the author manipulates the reader into feeling a certain way towards particular characters. Sympathy for characters ââ¬â Cholly being no exception ââ¬â derives from an authorââ¬â¢s ability to use words and the construction of the story to lead a reader into a certain emotional direction. The reader is the prime reason the author constructs a story. Because all authors are completely aware that an audience exists for their stories, authors are, in turn, completely aware that their words can manipulate their readers. It is this awareness that allows all sentence structures and idea portrayal to be the product of an authorââ¬â¢s manipulation. Because there exists an audience, there exists someone to persuade or influence. Thus, an author, like Morrison, builds a textual relationship between the characters in her story and that of the reader digesting her story. Morrison, like all authors, understands that the reader searches for a... ...ror of Pecolaââ¬â¢s first sexual experience: her father rapes her), and a difficult marriage situation (caused by his own drunkenness). The ââ¬Å"badsâ⬠certainly outweigh the ââ¬Å"goodsâ⬠in his situation. Thus, the reader ought not to feel sympathy for Cholly. But, Morrison presents information about Cholly in such a way that mandates sympathy from her reader. This depiction of Cholly as a man of freedom and the victim of awful happenings is wrong because it evokes sympathy for a man who does not deserve it. He deserves the readerââ¬â¢s hate, but Morrison prevents Cholly covered with a blanket of undeserved, inescapable sympathy. Morrison creates undeserved sympathy from the reader using language and her depiction of Cholly acting within the bounds of his character. This ultimately generates a reader who becomes soft on crime and led by emotions manipulated by the authority of text.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Hiring In-Laws: A Bad Idea :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework
Hiring In-Laws: A Bad Idea Many successful small businesses have been ruined by bringing in-laws in to the family business. As these in-laws struggle to establish a voice in the company, meaning well, they often wind up destroying them. As the owner of the family business, it is your job to avoid situations that could hurt or hinder your business. In this case you should assume a few often overlooked points: When approaching your business, never think of it in terms of one happy family. Never assume that in-laws will be grateful to benefit from the opportunities the business offers. Rather, they often feel guilty and incompetent thinking they would have never gotten the job if they weren't family. Even in-laws with terrific ideas for the company will disrupt the business, the family, or both. In-laws will struggle from day one to try to prove themselves to you. Even at family outings they will often engage in business talk to promote their worthiness and creativity. The O'Shea Family Business To further illustrate the risks of hiring in-laws into a business we will use a real life example, the Oââ¬â¢Shea family. The Oââ¬â¢Shea family business was fairly simple. They owned a clothing manufacturing company that made camouflage apparel. They were contracted suppliers of clothing to the military since the business opened its doors during World War II. Daniel O'Shea, the company president, was earning a "comfortable living" in 1970 when began making plans to select his successor. His two daughters had no interest in the day-to-day operations of the company. As a result his decision to choose his son, a levelheaded recent M.B.A., was easy. His name was Sean. Sean knew the business very well, and the company grew from his good business sense. He was young and energetic, helping the company to increase profits almost 50% in his first 2 years while at the helm. This meant bigger monthly checks for the family members, and no one argued against that. The business be gan to grow and so did the need for personnel. Sean made a big mistake only 5 years into his career. With the insistence of one of his sisters, he hired an in-law. It was against his better judgement, but he figured he could place him in a job were the family ties would not cause any problems.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Performance Review Takes a Page from Facebook
As the world moves towards a more microwave way of operating it is no wonder that employers are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Previously, performance evaluations have been time consuming and somewhat monotonous. The hassle of evaluating several employeesââ¬â¢ performance for an entire year in only a few monthsââ¬â¢ time can be quite overwhelming. Not only is the task intimidating for the manager or supervisor but it is quite stressful for the employee also. In previous years, the performance evaluation was a one-sided task and the employee had no input whatsoever in how they were being critiqued. As important as the evaluation is to the employees pay raise it is astonishing that their input would not have been included in the past. So often the employee would only see the final outcome and have to sign whether they agreed with the results or not. This causes much frustration and can bring down the morale of the employee, causing them to feel like they are under appreciated and that their opinion doesnââ¬â¢t matter. With these facts in mind the company Accenture has developed a social networking tool somewhat like Facebook called Performance Multiplier that will aid the employer as well as the employee in the performance evaluation process. Agree or disagree with this statement and provide reasons for your response. ââ¬Å"If you have regular conversations with people, and they know where they stand, then the performance evaluation is maybe unnecessary. â⬠Performance Multiplier is a tool in which employees can post status updates, photos, and two or three weekly goals that can be viewed by fellow staffers. The goal of Accenture was to provide a program that made the performance evaluation more democratic. Not only does the employee get to play a part in the evaluation process but they also gain the chance to get helpful insight year round on how to improve their performance. In a fun and somewhat casual manner the employer and employee get to change a process that once was dreaded into something enjoyable and less stressing. While I do believe that the regular conversations via the website are beneficial to the performance evaluation process I do not believe that it should replace it altogether. In my opinion what the back and forth conversations via sites like Performance Multiplier does is aid the employee and employer in seeing how the employee is progressing. Depending on what goals are set and accomplished at the end of the year all of this information should be compiled and then used as a foundation for grading the overall performance. I see Performance Multiplier as a way to see where you stand and then try to excel from that point. You should still be graded on how well you took the feedback and knowledge and implemented it into your everyday job performance. If all an employer did was talk to the employee back and forth and never evaluated how well the employee utilized the feedback then the entire process was a waste of time. To gain insight into how good of an employee you have you must analyze the steps they take towards improving. Compare and contrast the possible effectiveness of the social network performance review to the following age groups: veterans, baby boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y. While some people enjoy the opportunity to use a social networking tool to interact with their employer and get insight into how well of a job they are doing, there will be those that will resist the change in processes and gripe about having more work to do when they are already working enough. The generational gaps in the workplace will also pose a problem when trying to implement the new interactive performance tool. There is no doubt in my mind that Generations X and Y will adapt to the new system and use it with an open mind. On the other hand the Baby Boomers and Veterans are not going to be so willing to accept the new way of evaluating their job performance. Veterans and Baby Boomers came from an era where the greatest advance in technology came with the printing press so they are not used to using computers and navigating through search engines via the worldwide web. These employees learned how to use modern office equipment like fax machines, multiline telephones, and even computers but they are not interested in sharing their life online. In contrast Generation X and Y have experienced the influx of such technologies as the Internet, Ipod, and gaming systems like the Wii. Those individuals are used to technology and can adapt fairly quickly which is the exact opposite of their counterparts. ââ¬Å"The biggest payoff of these social network style tools may prove to be better performance by the boss. â⬠State whether or not this statement justifies the time and cost of implementing these systems and provide a rationale. Whenever a company wants to implement a new system they must go into a contract with the developer of the system and pay a hefty amount to use the service. Before any contracts are signed or money is exchanged the employer looks into the product and researches the statistics of how well other companies have done with the system. The employer must feel that the ends will justify the means of adopting the new system into the everyday workload. The goal of tools like Performance Multiplier is to provide the employee with feedback from upper management. In this case I would agree that by using the tool the boss will have to do more work than has been done in the past. Both employee and employer will have to work together but the responsibility of making the tool work relies on how well the boss handles the information provided from the employee. He or she will be forced to improve their communication skills when dealing with their employees. Oââ¬â¢Toole states: ââ¬Å"It has been said that Americans are increasingly overworked. â⬠Discuss whether social network type evaluations aid or hinder the overworked American. Justify your response. It is true that in todayââ¬â¢s economy most companies are working with far less employees than they have had in the past. In some cases one employee is doing the work of two to three employees. This causes the employee to feel a little overwhelmed and sometimes overworked. Though this may be true I donââ¬â¢t feel that using a social networking tool to evaluate performance will add any more stress to the work day than is already being experienced. The time it would take to update a status or post a question takes no more time than most Americans spend in the break room fixing a cup of coffee. Helping yourself become a better employee should be worth the couple minutes weekly that it would take to make the tool work for both parties involved. Conclusion In conclusion, adapting to change is not always the easiest task to accomplish. When dealing with employees who cross over four generations that task becomes even harder. Past generations are used to how they have done things in the past and the new generations are up for any challenge you throw at them if they feel they will benefit from it. It is up to the employer to make the transition as smooth as possible for the employee. At the end of the day both employer and employee should be satisfied with the results.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
British didnt have to lose the Colonies essays
AP History/ British didn't have to lose the Colonies essays Were it not for the oversights, mistakes, and misjudgments of British leadership, the American colonies would still be territory of Great Britain. Parliament had the power to declare the colonies exempt from taxation, increased colonial dependency on Britain, or given the colonies a form of government that while subject to the Kings veto, would have been an equally powerful counterpart of Parliament that would have ruled over the colonies alone, circumventing the need for rebellion by allowing more freedoms. I. Parliament/King could have declared the colonies exempt from the taxes enforced on English merchants. A. Even if the British merchants complained, they were powerless. 1. They relied on the colonies for a large portion of business. 2. The non-importation agreements proved the power of the colonies over the British economy. 3. The repealing of the Stamp Act proved that mercantilism was a double-edged sword, forcing the economy to become dependent on the colonies for trade and material. B. Keeping on good terms with the colonial merchants proved important. 1. There was a monopoly on tobacco and tobacco prices, an important and widely exported staple product. 2. The Navy was dependent on lumber from the colonies to build and repair ships, maintaining British dominance of the shipping lanes. 3. Without colonists to buy imports from Britain, the British economy suffered, as witnessed by the non-importation agreements that got the Stamp Act repealed. C. It would serve the ultimate purpose by keeping the colonies from succeeding. 1. The colonists were taxing themselves, and resented the taxation on their trade. 2. The colonists were psychologically independent from Britain, being so far removed from their mother country, and many colonialists were born in the colonies, with no real allegiance to Britain. 3. The colonists were self-sufficient, except for the keeping banks, and would obviously break away...
Monday, October 21, 2019
Cost and impact of employee absence Essays
Cost and impact of employee absence Essays Cost and impact of employee absence Essay Cost and impact of employee absence Essay Administrations are progressively recognizing the cost and impact of employee absence. Absence direction is besides progressively recognised as a nucleus component of a national docket to advance the wellness and good being of the UK work force. Effective absence direction is indispensable to place if an administration has a job with absence, its extent and how to undertake it. Administrations endeavoring to be an employer of pick must besides show that they value the part of employees and supply a work environment that motivates and supports staff. The purpose of this undertaking has been to reexamine advancement that has been made to better the wellness and good being of staff. Evidence has been heard from a broad scope of beginnings and Members have been encouraged by the important activity that has taken topographic point to turn to this issue and enterprises planned for the approaching twelvemonth. The Task Group feels strongly that a partnership attack is indispensable to construct on this success and that Members should go on to play an active function in heightening the wellness and health of the administration. The place has 9 full-time Support Workers ( the director, 4 seniors and 4 support workers ) contracted 35hrs a hebdomad and 7 part-timers contracted 20 hour per hebdomad who are largely student giving a sum of 455 hours whereas the expected attention hours are ( 72hrs *7days ) 504 hour. The company has a pool of relief staff who can work in any place. Two seniors are on long term illness due to injury at work hence a deficit of 70hrs a hebdomad. Until late the place was allowed to utilize bureau up to a upper limit of 50 hours per hebdomad and this has been scrapped from Dec 06 ( kite Update 2006 ) and staff are encouraged to make overtime as the clients need regular staff that understand them and cognize their modus operandis. More work loads leads to stressed staff whose morale will be affected and this in bend affects their public presentation and absenteeism will increase taking to inefficient Quality of Care provided. Every displacement needs at least a staff who can give medicine, a driver and both male and female staff due to traverse -gender policy ( Care Practice Manual 2006 ) .When a cardinal staff phones sick without notice this will interrupt activities of the twenty-four hours.For one, if it was the lone female staff on responsibility a female screen must be kind and this disrupts the twenty-four hours s agenda. If it s the driver so client s out-of-door activities have either to be rearranged or a cab used depending on how of import it is and if there is adequate money. For a medicine giver this is important and staff off responsibility particularly the director has to come in or a senior from another Millbury place has to come in. In the place merely seniors are allowed to administrate medicine hence the regular staffs do nt experience sceptered and this affects morale and their committedness to the occupation. The company used to pay sick-pay but since April 2003 this was replaced by the Government Statutory Sick wage to deter people calling ill but this has non stopped people naming in ill. This shows that absenteeism may merely be a symptom of an implicit in job. The research worker will necessitate to interview staff and direction so as to happen out the root job as this affects the bringing of Quality Care. Soft System Methodology ( SSM ) : The behavior of human activity is soft since different people construe a job in rather different ways hence Absenteeism is viewed as a pluralist job. SSM Methodology is concerned with the inquiry why? Before traveling on to how? Brainstorming would be a good start where the research worker will move as adviser working within a system to seek and happen out the root job. SSM compares what happens in the real universe that is, daily human interactions A ; concern with abstracts derived from the existent universe to see how the discrepancy can be minimised. SSM uses Rich Pictures to capture information associating to the job including communicating flows, certification maintained and by utilizing sketch images one can show emotions, conflict/harmony between colleagues. It gives a holistic position of the job which will be utile in showing the job. Using the rich pictures one can develop Root definition which is reading of view-points of different people ( Pidd, 2003 ) . Lack of authorization may be the chief ground given by a support worker whereas increased work burden is the chief ground from a senior`s point of position. SSM is a good attack as it helps analyze the state of affairs and is action oriented through root definition but it represents how the researcher/consultant understands what is go oning and this may miss cogency as it may non be what the participants meant. The unfastened complete nature makes it impossible to pull off and it s non easy to state whether a SSM undertaking is a success or a failure. ( See Appendixes vi ten ) for graphical representation of seven phases of SSM. Cognitive Mapping A ; Strategic Option Development And Analysis ( SODA ) I: Cognitive Mapping is an interviewing technique that captures the person s perceptual experience about an issue and is present it in a diagrammatical method, which uses the individual s words to depict an experience ( Eden 1988, Wright 2004 ) . SODA I involves unifying of the single cognitive maps to one strategic map which is action oriented. The group aims to come up with concrete suggestions on how to bring forth committedness from persons. This is the purpose of SODA I, which seeks ways to do the squad commit to the joint actions despite any differences in perceptual experiences. Through unifying the maps the staffs are able to see others point of position which may be similar or different and the group can make up ones mind together how to travel about prioritizing issues and work outing the job. Hence function must predate treatment and determinations. A image can state more than a 1000 words ( Doumont 2002 ) hence it s easy to understand how different constructs are linked together and to set up the causal nexus. By affecting the participants when pulling the maps, quandary, feedback cringles and struggles can be distinguished.With the chaining of pointers and linkages it may assist one understand better how the ironss of statement tantrum in. Besides any misconceptions can be clarified and any missed out thoughts included. Maps let the reader to travel back and 4th between an apprehension of the whole and the analysis of parts therefore encourages holistic synthesis. The interviewees can formalize that you are describing what they really said and any misconceptions are clarified. Interviews utilizing cognitive maps help ease informations aggregation particularly in those jobs which involve messy and internal issues like hapless Management manner, personality clang between staff, hard clients or Rota system. The group would hold to hold on issues so as to develop causes of actions to undertake absenteeism as this is one of the premises of cognitive maps ( Pidd 2003 ) . Cognitive function therefore tries to work out jobs instead than seeking the right reply. This can assist the administration identify factors that can give them a competitory border. A job shared is a job half solved therefore people sharing their positions will assist them conveying out issues that possibly impacting their occupation public presentation so linguistic communication will be used as the basic currency of organizational job resolution ( Eden and Ackermann 1998 ) . Constructing A Model: Power-Interest Grid: The Power -Interest Grid categorises stakeholders in footings of power to act upon the Strategic Intent and Interest in the strategic activity of the organisation as shown below ; Power Interest Grid Support Workers Alliance ( Perceivers ) Line Manager Senior Support Workers Operationss Manager HR Manager ( Players ) Relief Staff Agency Staff ( Indifferent ) Care Standards Commission ( Mugwump ) Low POWER HIGH POWER Table 1 Players ( High power: High Interest ) : The line director harmonizing to ( Sickness Policy Manual 2004 ) has to guarantee high degree of attending of employees and has the power to exert action where an employee does non better on attending. Where a disciplinary action is needed the Operations director and HR director must be involved. The senior Support Workers are involved in determination devising on issues that affect the running of the place. Some of their functions can de delegated to back up workers hence the seniors powers can be reduced doing them Observers. Perceivers ( High Interest: Low Power ) : The support workers would hold a high involvement in guaranting that the clients get proper attention but they lack the power to alter issues that affect their on the job conditions. By authorising the staffs they can organize a alliance and move towards being participants therefore have a say in determination devising. Through cognitive mapping their single perceptual experiences will be taken into consideration. Indifferent ( Low Interest: Low Power ) : The alleviation staff and bureau staff are non employed straight by the place hence non involved in any strategic issues. Independent ( Low Interest: High Power ) The attention Standards Commission set out ordinances to steer the running of Care Homes and have the power to shut places if they fall below the criterions but have no interest in the single Homes. From the grid we see that it s the participants and the Perceivers that are of import stakeholders who can do strategic determinations to better the Home and undertake the job of Absenteeism. Cognitive Mapping A ; SODA I: The research worker will move as a facilitator and follow SODA I methodology where a group map will be derived from single maps. The facilitator interviewed the director, senior support workers and a support worker about the issue of absenteeism and how to undertake the job and how it impacted on the Quality of attention provided. Staff Individual Map ( See Appendix I ) The staff gave illness, household committednesss, conveyance, and Job dissatisfaction as the chief grounds for absenteeism and these had an consequence on the services they provided. Job dissatisfaction is a strategic issue and is caused by different factors runing from low wage, deficiency of authorization, no specific occupation functions and hapless direction pattern which seemed to be the root job. Sickness besides leads to absenteeism whether it s echt or non is non easy to set up. Proper preparation and showing how to utilize the equipments would help cut down hurt at work. Manager s Cognitive Map ( See Appendix two ) : The director said that supplying High Quality Care is the chief aim of the Company hence staff deficit due to difficulty in enlisting given the nature of the occupation is a strategic issue that needs turn toing. To pull new recruits the company needs to offer competitory wage and offer preparation and development so as to retain staff. Absenteeism was besides a strategic issue. Lack of occupation committedness from staff who are pupils, deficiency of squad work due to seniors taking advantage of others and no specified occupation function leads to moo morale and finally absenteeism. The Manager needs to maintain statistics of absenteeism and take appropriate action where necessary. Senior s Cognitive Map ( See Appendix three ) : The senior said that echt illness and sickies , hurt at work due to miss of appropriate equipment and developing contribute to Absenteeism. Deficit of seniors, deficiency of teamwork and deficiency of control on the Rota which is s altered by anybody encourages shifts cancellation. The director needs to take charge of the Rota and any alterations should be approved by him. Strategic /Group Map ( See Appendix four ) : The facilitator held a group meeting on the twenty-four hours there was a staff meeting so as to capture many of the staff and direction and they discussed the issue of absenteeism. The group agreed that the direction manner needed to be addressed as it was the bottom line of absenteeism. The senior s functions needed to be re-evaluated to give the other staff a opportunity. Team work will hike morale and promote committedness from all. Work burden will be every bit distributed hence minimise occupation emphasis. An absence monitoring system will assist director see tendencies of single staff which might assist convey out the root cause. Good attending should be rewarded on a regular basis every 6 months with hard currency or gift verifiers. To cut down hurt at work hazard appraisals should be done on all clients and processs written and accessible to all staff. Correct equipment and preparation should besides be implemented. There should be a No Lifting Policy so as to understate hurt. Restrictions Of The Model: Time Devouring it takes a batch of clip to make the maps and is labour devouring. It needs excess labor and labor is already short in organisation. Aggregating the person Maps some points were non easy to be brought out as they touched persons therefore the facilitator needs to be skilled and sensitive. How big or how elaborate the maps need to be: Diversity among maps and incompatibility within a individual map indicates complicated reading ( Lincoln 1985 cited in Huff 1990 ) Reducing all the informations collected was a job.It could hold been easier to utilize the vitamin E SODA II attack but the Home does non hold a computing machine and the package was non available. Deciding what facets of the single maps to include and which 1s to picture e.g. deficiency of conveyance was non brought out in the group treatment and may be excluded but its an of import factor. Lack of experience as a facilitator Most of employees are pupil and they do nt hold much experience. Interviewing the persons, composing their replies and pulling the maps utilizing their words was a hard undertaking and besides keeping Validity was non easy. The job composing the interviewees exact words may take to verbatim particularly where they keep reiterating themselves. As a facilitator one demand to pick this out and this requires skill and expertness. In the group treatment some staff felt uncomfortable to advert issues particularly those that mentioned the direction and seniors hence the information given is biased. In the group it s non easy to keep the hierarchical of links that were present in the single maps. If proceedingss are needed the non-linear representation makes it difficult to compose up conventionally textual proceedingss. Paper- Based Monitoring System: Co. aims to supply high criterion Quality Care to the client group in the market, Develop a high Quality Team and to advance a civilization that supports good communicating. From the group treatment certain action were recommended and the inquiry is how to guarantee they are implemented. Factors act uponing Absenteeism Change Management Practices: This is the root job where the senior staffs have been treated as superior to other staff. Most of them have been in the house for over 10 old ages therefore used to routine. They should be transferred to other houses as they will be immune to alter. This would make vacant functions which can be filled in by advancing the bing support workers who will be empowered, given duties and marks to accomplish. Monthly reappraisals should be done to look into advancement done by persons and the squad as a whole. Absence Monitoring System: The Manager should hold a monitoring system which records the Name, day of the month, twenty-four hours, ground for absence notice given for absence ( see appendix v ) as a sample. Here staff A has a inclination of call offing Saturdays though they give assorted grounds. This should be done on a monthly footing and sum-ups done to give a tendency. The director should keep informal interviews with the staff after he/she resumes work particularly those with forms like A to seek stop set up the grounds for their maybe they do nt wish working Saturdays. They could be offered other yearss or every other Saturday if it is mandatory. Frequent short term absences which include 15 on the job yearss absence in a rolled 12 month period or 4 separate periods of absence in a rolled 12 month period ( Millbury Sickness Procedure 2004 ) will take to a formal interview and finally disciplinary action if no betterment. Where the staff is on long term ill worst instance scenario is to retire them on medical evidences and seek to enroll new staff to make full in the vacancies. Injury At Work: To guarantee right equipments are used particularly the hoist a hazard appraisal should be done on how to manage the hoist and all staff should read and suspire after being showed how to utilize it. A No Lifting Policy should be adopted and anybody seen Manual Handling should be summoned.Mandatory preparation should be adopted and reviewed annually. Absenteeism And Its Consequence On Care: The clients require 24-7 attention hence its of import to hold a regular staff squad. There are Autistic clients who like modus operandi and if disrupted it makes so dying and disputing. When staffs cancels a displacement, screen might non be readily available doing the staff on responsibility work more and they will non hold adequate clip to give each client attending. This is non just on the client who might non understand why. The over worked staff will besides experience demoralized and this affects their public presentation. We can therefore conclude that Absenteeism is straight related to Quality of Care. Decision: From the findings we can reason that Absenteeism affects the Quality of attention given to the clients and is straight related to hapless direction practises. By affecting staff in determination devising this empowers them and they will be committed.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Five Ways to Ace Your Video Interview
Five Ways to Ace Your Video Interview An increase in job candidates willing to relocate for jobs, the high cost of shuttling them back and forth for interviews, and advancements in digital technology have resulted in a perfect storm of opportunity in the job hunting world: the video interview. While video interviews share the same ultimate goal as face-to-face interviews, there are some extra things to think about before getting ready for your close-up. Read on to learn five ways to make the very best impression during your video interview. 1. Set the SceneWhile you may be conducting the interview from your living room sofa, itââ¬â¢s essential to present yourself and your surroundings in the most professional way. Choose a bright, clean location, and be careful in rooms with lots of windows as these can cause backlighting and shadows.Eliminate clutter and annoying background noises, silence your phone, and close all irrelevant windows on your computer. Distractions not only disrupt your attention, but also the attenti on of your interviewer.Also, make sure you have access to a power source and charger: video is quick to drain computer batteries, and running out during an interview shows poor planning.2. Dress All Parts For the PartMany people assume that because interviewers only see them from the waist up, itââ¬â¢s acceptable to wear comfy clothing on the bottom along with your professional top. However, skip the inclination to dress down, and instead dress to impress with a top-to-bottom look. Not only will you feel more professional, but on the off chance you have to get up to retrieve a file or document, you wonââ¬â¢t risk exposing your ratty old sweatpants.3. Do a ââ¬Å"Test Runâ⬠Take time in advance to do a ââ¬Å"test runâ⬠at the same location and time of day as your impending interview. Before the call, test your connection and voice/microphone. If possible, invest in a good pair of headphones: they can prevent connection problems as well as trim down on sound disruption .For best results, record a test call to see how you present on camera, and to determine any necessary adjustments or improvements.And donââ¬â¢t forget: you can even experiment with your camera positioning to present yourself in the most flattering way. Most people find that keeping the camera at eye level is the most attractive angle.4. Eye Contact is KeyWhile eye contact is important in any social or professional situation, itââ¬â¢s a particular challenge during the video interview. Why? Because the temptation is strong to watch yourself on the screen, instead of looking directly at the camera. This not only makes you look unfocused, but can be unsettling to the interviewer. Keep in mind that youââ¬â¢re not directly addressing the screen, but the camera above your screen. Practice this during your test run.5. Smile Early and OftenMeeting with a person face-to-face has a different ââ¬Å"feel,â⬠than conducting a video interview. While the connection can seem distant and disconnected, it is still extremely important to present yourself as a friendly, likable person. After all, most employers today are looking for soft skills, and failure to show off your personable side during a video interview can quickly remove you from the running.While participating in video interviews can feel strange or stressful, theyââ¬â¢re increasingly part of the job hunt experience. Taking time to prepare yourself and become accustomed to the process can set you up for success. And remember: the ultimate goal is to enhance the hiring process and help you find the job of your dreams, so look at each video opportunity not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Developing Professionals in Design Entrepreneurship Assignment
Developing Professionals in Design Entrepreneurship - Assignment Example The UK and Saudi Arabian schools are now offering specific teaching methodologies that allow students to work into design entrepreneurship in a different manner. The methodologies which are used can be examined from a variety of perspectives, all which pertain to how it is influencing the field of design as well as how this relates specifically to the levels of being an entrepreneur in society with the new levels of education and technology available. Different professions require specific approaches and focus within the industry. One of the professions which continue to offer substantial opportunity is design entrepreneurship. This particular field is one which is noted to provide a high level of creativity and opportunity within the studies and professional opportunities. The design entrepreneurship that is available is one which differs according to culture and expectations in society, all of which creates the ability to use skills and processes through defined training. When exploring the concept of design entrepreneurship, it can be seen that the educational studies, as well as the approach in which most take to the study, is able to provide significant opportunities to those interested in the field. This paper will examine the ideology of design entrepreneurship as well as how it associates with the UK and Saudi Arabian art and design universities, all which lead to specific outcomes in how students approach design after the ir education. Design entrepreneurship is known as a service-oriented architecture field. Those who move into the design are interested in creating architecture or a framework for graphics, technology or for the implementation of a product. Designers can work in fields such as architecture, interior design, graphic design or fashion, all of which are based on providing specific innovations and designs which can then be created and sold in the marketplace.Ã
Friday, October 18, 2019
Affirmative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1
Affirmative Action - Research Paper Example During half a century, affirmative action policies have proved their effectiveness, but cannot ââ¬Å"abolishâ⬠gender and racial inequalities. For this reason, training and promotion activities as a part of affirmative action are vital for successful organizational performance. To over come these possible threats the organization should conduct programming of specific human resources activities, based on personal development and human capital policies (Baqley and Connerty n.d.). The organization under analysis is Wal-Mart. This is a giant supermarket operating around the world. In this organization, affirmative action has stigmatized the white men. Perhaps the least responsible of any harm to ethnic groups and gender differences in employment is the young white men frequently a democrat who has been obligatory to punish because of past injustice. ââ¬Å"The idea that our deep moral obligations are to do things to help disadvantaged people of any sort, and not to give preferential treatment to any racial group, is one that strikes a chord in many peopleâ⬠(Stroud 385). Also, affirmative action helps to break stereotypes of black people and minority groups as lazy and low qualified professionals. This research paper seeks to examine the role and importance of affirmative action in modern organizations and their impact on employees and organizational culture (Anderson et al 77). Modern organizations, like Wal-Mart, play a major and continuing role in the lives of employees, especially with the growth of large-scale business organizations and the divorce of ownà ership from management. Organizations of one form or another are a necessary part of a society and serve many imporà tant needs. The decisions and affirmative actions of management in organizations have an increasing impact on employees, other organizations and the community. It is important, therefore, to understand the role of affirmative action and the
Mergers & Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Mergers & Acquisitions - Essay Example The earnings per share is 15.5p, which must be maintained. Therefore x/15.5 =8, hence x = 124p or 1 pound and 24 pence. This is the price of 1.24 pounds at which Smith plc may be valued for purpose of the merger if a P/E ratio of 8 must be achieved. On this basis, the average price of a share in a merged entity of both Amanda plc and Smith plc works out to {(1.24 + 2.40)/2} = 1.82 pounds, which is the market price that must be set for the share. In such a case, this would result in a lowering of the Amanda plc share value in the market by (2.40 ââ¬â 1.82) = 0.58 pence, while in the case of Smith plc share holders, the value of their stock rises by (1.82 -1.03) = 79 pence. Therefore, it may be noted that the second option appears to be the better choice, since it entails less losses for Amanda plc shareholders and more gains for Smith plc shareholders, in terms of share values. In order to assess the earnings on the shares that can be estimated while also maintaining some growth in the next three years, it may be noted that Amanda plc is currently on a growth track but will decline in the next three years, but for Smith plc future growth prospects look good but the limitation is finances. The current rate of return on the Smith plc shares is (15.5 X 100/103) ââ¬â 15%. On the basis of current earnings per share for Smith plc being 15.5 pence, if a growth rate of at least 15% is desired in 3 years with a desired rate of return of at least the current 15%, then the current fair market value should be at least 1.02 pounds. (ww.moneychimp.com). This is more or less the current value of the Smith plc stock (1.03 pounds) and a growth rate of 15% can be achieved although the PEG ratio is on the higher side. The P/E ratio in this case will be 9.7 and the PEG ratio will be 0.64. On the other hand, if a growth rate of 30% is desired with a similar 15% rate of ret urn on Smith plc stock, then the fair market value that must
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008 - Essay Example As shown in the diagram underneath, this led to rising housing prices since decades. In 2000, the rate of increase of house prices was rising at unsustainable levels, much faster than they had in the last decade. Sub-prime mortgages (mortgages to high risk customers) began to rise due to availability of cheap credit (Mizen). The low interest rate environment stimulated upsurges in mortgage backed financing and hence considerable increases in house prices. It encouraged investors (financial institutions, such as pension funds, hedge funds, investment banks) to design instruments that offer yield enhancement such as subprime mortgages. The bullish attitude of Wall Street led to creation of complex structured products such as collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and a lot of repackaging of high-risk mortgage backed securities. The credit and house price bubble led to a real-estate boom and eventually to a surplus of unsold homes, which triggered U.S. housing prices to peak and before declining and bursting in mid-2006. Subprime borrowers began to default on their loans as real estate prices decreased further. The default on a significant ratio of subprime toxic assets produced cascade effects in financial markets via the securitized mortgage derivatives into which these mortgages were bundled, to the balance sheets of investment banks and hedge funds. The vagueness about the value of the securities collateralized by these mortgages spread chaos and concern over the soundness of loans for leveraged buyouts. That led to the freezing of the interbank lending market in August 2007, collapse of key financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers and triggered the credit crunch crisis. 2. Economists classify macro-economic indicators as leading, lagging, or coincident. Define each classification and give two examples of each, relating them to the recession that began in 2007 and the recovery that is now under way. ? Economic indicators are periodical statements by the government and private institutions that describe the health of a country's economy. Economist classify these indicators into lea ding, lagging or coincident kind that are described below in detail: Leading Indicators: Leading indicators are economic indicators that predict future events. They are foreign exchange indicators that change beforehand the change in the market or economy has occurred. Examples of leading indicators may include bong yields, inventory variations, stock prices and insurance claims. Economic establishments and central banks study leading indicators in expectation to fluctuations in expected interest rates. A forex-leading indicator is a pointer that advises the trader to buy or sell before a new trend in the market commences. Leading indicators, however, are difficult to recognize and could lead to misleading results or interpretations if not analyzed by an experience trader. Two examples leading indicators for the financial crisis of 2007 are stock prices (500 common stocks) that reduced by 8% in 2007 (The Conference Board) and Building permits that reduced by 16% leading to a 40% dec line in US Home Construction Index. Lagging Indicators: Lagging indicators are indicators that follow an economic event. These indicators usually exist three to twelve months after the economy. Lagging economic indicators are the confirmation to outline the peaks and troughs that
Small business and risks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1
Small business and risks - Research Paper Example The cafà © prepares hearty and delicious breakfasts and lunch and offers authentic homemade Mexican food. North Boulder Cafà © is known for providing old-fashioned comfort and its menu is traditional and well situated for the discerning customer in the region. The menu includes a specialized range of coffees, burgers and Mexican dishes that are prepared by qualified chefs with an in-depth level of experience. North Boulder Cafà © is a family owned entity that competes with the major giants in the breakfast and coffee industry including Starbucks and others. North Boulder Cafà © is classified as a small business. Due to that, it has major capital structure needs and other marketing concerns. This puts the business in a major risk. However, the firm managed to thrive through difficult times and periods. This includes the credit crunch and other circumstances and it seem to be doing fairly well. It controls a very strict niche and this niche remains faithful to the firm. The sales approach includes the use of local marketing channels and media. However, the threats posed by larger entities in the industry are serious. This puts the firm in a major risk of folding up. In spite of this, it is apparent that with the careful research into the business environment, identification of real risks and formulation of solutions, North Boulder Cafà © is likely to survive and beat all the competition it faces. The research will involve an empirical study of the elements and aspects of the business environment of North Boulder Cafà © to ascertain risks and identify how these risks can be contained and dealt with. This will involve various tools of data collection and analysis to conduct an empirical research into the organization and identify solutions to the main problems and issues in the firm. The problem with North Boulder Cafà © is that the management might want to consider getting the franchise of a larger brand like
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008 - Essay Example As shown in the diagram underneath, this led to rising housing prices since decades. In 2000, the rate of increase of house prices was rising at unsustainable levels, much faster than they had in the last decade. Sub-prime mortgages (mortgages to high risk customers) began to rise due to availability of cheap credit (Mizen). The low interest rate environment stimulated upsurges in mortgage backed financing and hence considerable increases in house prices. It encouraged investors (financial institutions, such as pension funds, hedge funds, investment banks) to design instruments that offer yield enhancement such as subprime mortgages. The bullish attitude of Wall Street led to creation of complex structured products such as collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and a lot of repackaging of high-risk mortgage backed securities. The credit and house price bubble led to a real-estate boom and eventually to a surplus of unsold homes, which triggered U.S. housing prices to peak and before declining and bursting in mid-2006. Subprime borrowers began to default on their loans as real estate prices decreased further. The default on a significant ratio of subprime toxic assets produced cascade effects in financial markets via the securitized mortgage derivatives into which these mortgages were bundled, to the balance sheets of investment banks and hedge funds. The vagueness about the value of the securities collateralized by these mortgages spread chaos and concern over the soundness of loans for leveraged buyouts. That led to the freezing of the interbank lending market in August 2007, collapse of key financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers and triggered the credit crunch crisis. 2. Economists classify macro-economic indicators as leading, lagging, or coincident. Define each classification and give two examples of each, relating them to the recession that began in 2007 and the recovery that is now under way. ? Economic indicators are periodical statements by the government and private institutions that describe the health of a country's economy. Economist classify these indicators into lea ding, lagging or coincident kind that are described below in detail: Leading Indicators: Leading indicators are economic indicators that predict future events. They are foreign exchange indicators that change beforehand the change in the market or economy has occurred. Examples of leading indicators may include bong yields, inventory variations, stock prices and insurance claims. Economic establishments and central banks study leading indicators in expectation to fluctuations in expected interest rates. A forex-leading indicator is a pointer that advises the trader to buy or sell before a new trend in the market commences. Leading indicators, however, are difficult to recognize and could lead to misleading results or interpretations if not analyzed by an experience trader. Two examples leading indicators for the financial crisis of 2007 are stock prices (500 common stocks) that reduced by 8% in 2007 (The Conference Board) and Building permits that reduced by 16% leading to a 40% dec line in US Home Construction Index. Lagging Indicators: Lagging indicators are indicators that follow an economic event. These indicators usually exist three to twelve months after the economy. Lagging economic indicators are the confirmation to outline the peaks and troughs that
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
How I spend my time after high school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
How I spend my time after high school - Essay Example o be reliable, considering my passion for business, he asked the accountant to introduce me to the basics of book keeping so I could do a more useful job. I would work from his backroom office with him as he taught me the various aspects of the job, and delegated minor tasks and after a while, I was good enough to work without close supervision. I learnt several skills including managing of records and basic accounting, which had always appeared very intimidating. I also discovered the importance of meticulous record keeping since careless mistake could result to mix-ups in future. In addition, I dealt with customers complains related to their payments and bills, where I go an opportunity to learnt how to handle irrational clients, for instance, some who thought they had been overcharged, and came in with a decidedly hostile attitude. I left the job in 2011 and was employed as a customer care department of the local branch of the SABIC Company. Here, the diplomacy and negotiation skills I had acquired to deal with customers in the previous job were immensely helpful. I could comfortably handle customers with respect and firmness. Finally, in 2012 I decided to move to America to further my education, develop my skills as well as learn other new ones. However, I strongly believe that my work experiences, after high school, wi ll be vital in my professional and career
A Letter Format About the Advancements Essay Example for Free
A Letter Format About the Advancements Essay Dear Mr. Darwin, I am writing this letter to inform you of the current status of the finches you were so fascinated with what has changed since your visit, modern theories, and all of the currently identified species. First and foremost, I would like to tell you that your works and studies on the finches have become the most closely tied to you out of all of your other various studies. Modern-day scientists have become just as intrigued (if not more so) with the drab-colored little birds as you were. They show a great promise in explaining how evolution and natural selection works, and could easily be considered one of the most important scientific discoveries in history. Though the finches have not changed much in and of themselves since your last visit, much has been discovered about them that was not previously known. Although including all such discoveries in this text would be far too time and space consuming, I will inform you of some of the main changes below. Although you originally grouped all of the various types of finches into four genera, many modern-day scientists have decided that there are in fact six different genera: the Geospiza, Camarhynchus, Cactospiza, Platyspiza, Certhidea, and the Pinaroloxias. In addition, scientists have identified 14 species of finches, and there may be more scientists are still discovering things. Below I shall include a chart detailing the species in relation to the genera: Common Name Genus Species Small Ground Finch GeospizaFuliginosa Medium Ground Finch GeospizaFortis Large Ground Finch GeospizaMagnirostris Sharp-beaked Ground Finch GeospizaDifficilis Cactus Ground Finch GeospizaScandens Large Cactus Ground Finch GeospizaConirostris Small Tree FinchCamarhynchusParvulus Medium Tree FinchCamarhynchusPauper Large Tree FinchCamarhynchusPsittacula Woodpecker FinchCactospizaPallidus Mangrove Finch Cactospiza Heliobates Vegetarian FinchPlatyspizaCrassirostris Warbler Finch CerthideaOlivacea Cocos Island FinchPinaroloxiasInornata Although the above list is quite detailed, it doesnt include all of the various finches many are slightly different from the above species, but not so different as to count as a separate species. Many finches have similar coloration but slightly posses different beaks, or vice versa. It should also be noted that the above list only includes the finches discovered thus so far. There could very well be more finches that modern scientists are unaware of. The new species and genera are all new discoveries, and it is not certain whether or not they are newly evolved since your visit or simply hadnt been found by you. Either way, their discovery has helped the scientific world immensely in its attempt to understand evolution and natural selection. To draw a conclusion to this letter, I must once again congratulate you on your efforts all those many years ago they have helped to shape modern science, and have provided us with a greater understanding of the workings of the world. The world is indebted to you.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Planning and design phase
Planning and design phase CHOICE OF PROJECT MANAGER AND TEAM MEMBERS The initial phase of the Sodor project involved the formation of the project team and the nomination of the project manager. Group 12 is made up of 4 Nigerians and 1 Vietnamese which reflects a multicultural team with each nationality possessing peculiar personality traits. The objective of the first meeting was to nominate a Project Manager and to define and agree on ground rules for project team meetings. To ensure equal participation of all team members, it was agreed that the rotational project manager system will be adopted whereby each individual in the group would serve as the project manager for 1 week each throughout the 5 week duration of the Sodor project. It was agreed that meetings will be scheduled 3 times a week by the project manager lasting no more than 2 hours each. At each meeting, specific tasks is assigned to each team member to be submitted at the next meeting day. CONTRACTOR SELECTION CRITERIA The contractor selection criteria adopted by the team is the Trade-off technique. This technique uses a scoring system to quantify specific attributes of the various contractors and provides a numerical output, the highest of which represents the best contractor choice. The use of this technique provided the best possible contractors to manage the various stages of this project. MANAGING CONFLICTS Some of the conflicts experienced by the Group 12 team in the management of the Sodor oil terminal include: Team members attitudes: Some of the team members lack motivation and commitment to participate in the project team. This is manifested as absences from team meetings, late comings to team meetings, and lack of verbal contribution to team discussions. This issue was addressed by the project manager in charge who spoke with the team members concerned. Choice of Contractors: The proposal to use Trade-Off for contractor selection was initially resisted by some team members who where in favour of using a more subjective technique. It was finally accepted after an appraisal of the objectiveness of Trade-off was done by the proponent. CONSTRUCTION CHANGE CONTROL à à à à à All changes which include Contractor changes, Scope, Cost, and schedule changes proposed by the project sponsor passed through a Change management process which begins with a brainstorming session by the project team on the costs and benefits of adopting the change. The changes agreed on by the project team is then reflected on the Gantt chart. Due to the choice of contractor selection technique, the changes proposed by the project sponsor during the project lifecycle had a minimal impact on the actual cost and schedule. CLOSE OUT à à à à à The close out process involved a review of the final Sodor terminal project plan to confirm scope, cost and schedule deadlines have been met. The lesson learned document was then prepared which showed the various conflicts that occurred throughout the project and how they where managed by the team in order to provide lessons for the future. The final project plan was then presented to the project sponsor and the Group 12 team was deformed by the project manager. INTRODUCTION à à à à à Teamwork has been found to be an essential ingredient responsible for the success or failure of projects. The effective use and management of teams for projects has been noted to be a key determinant for how successful a project will be; however, the effectiveness of a team depends on the ability of the team members to interact appropriately with one another to produce a common output. DEFINITION Hoegl(2004) defined teams as a social interaction between two or more people within an organization who share a common task. Teams have also been described as a group of people who hold themselves mutually accountable to each other and who work together to achieve a common purpose(Scholtes et al,2003). The above definitions take into account the fact that for a team to exist, certain basic ingredients need to be in place which include; mutual accountability, constancy of purpose, and a shared responsibility for success or failure. The benefits of teamwork in project management cannot be overemphasized. Teams help in the mobilization of diverse resources to a project as compared to that achieved by a single individual. Church(1998) also noted that teams provide the flexibility to use the mobilized resources thus helping to continue with the project in the event of a particular individual being indisposed. Perhaps the greatest value of teams in managing projects rests with the ability of teams to provide a synergy of the efforts of the individual team members whereby the results achieved is greater than the arithmetic sum of the contributions of the individual members to the team. FACTORS THAT AFFECT TEAM EFFECTIVENESS Team size and choice of members: Hackman(1987) suggested that there is no ideal team size for a project. Furthermore, the team size chosen is dependent on the scope of the project. In contrast, Hoegl(2003) proposed that ideally a project should be reduced to a level where the work package can be managed by a team of between 3-6 people. This helps to avoid the confusion that may arise from Too many Cooks spoiling the broth. The choice of team members also plays a role in determining team success. Trent(2003) proposed that the membership of a project team should be made up of people with the right skills and competencies to tackle the particular task at hand. A set of objective criteria should be used in choosing the members of a project team. Team leadership: Trent(1996) suggested a direct relationship between leadership effectiveness and team effectiveness. The results that a team produces depends largely on the calibre of the leadership. Teams that lack a strong and effective leadership are more likely to fail(Zenger et al,1994). The effectiveness of a leader depends on the possession of skills, experience, and the will to assume responsibility for the team performance. Resource availability: The availability of resources plays a major role in the ability of a team to produce results. Peters and OConnors(1980) postulated that the availability of specific resources can either promote or interfere with a team effectiveness. The resources needed by a team to be effective varies depending on the project scope. It may include financial, Human, and Environmental resources. Establishment of clear goals: Zander(1980) postulated that teams with clear and measurable goals perform better than teams with fuzzy goals. This is as a result of the use of clear goals by teams as a baseline through which team results can be measured. Furthermore, the use of clear and concise goals also helps the team in planning for what they can achieve within a particular timeframe. Reward and Recognition: The relationship between appropriate reward structures and team effectiveness cannot be overemphasized(Bullock and Lawler,1984). Developing a reward system that focuses on the entire team rather than individuals help in improving team motivation and hence its effectiveness. It is a fact that people are motivated to achieve results if they feel that the results provide value to the organization and this value is acknowledged by the organization. SODOR OIL TERMINAL PLANNING AND DESIGN à à à à à The need to have a plan for the management of the Sodor oil terminal cannot be overemphasized. Grachev et al(2006) using 3M corporation as a case study proposed that a key benefit of planning upfront for a project is the creation of well defined project goals. The goals help to give direction to a teams project. Other benefits of planning include; it helps the team members in the coordination of individual tasks by providing clearly stated assignments. Furthermore, the project plan also enables the team to have an overview of the project schedule, costs and constraints which the team can then use as a baseline to measure actual project progress. à à à à à The planning and design of the Sodor oil terminal started with the identification of the Cost, Schedule and Scope goals from the data derived from the Project Sponsor. These goals where then integrated into a sequential structure by the use of the MS Projectà ® to produce the Sodor oil terminal preliminary Gantt chart. Multiple adjustments to scope, cost, and schedule data was proposed by the project sponsor which resulted in iterative changes to the project plan leading to changes in the project cost and time of completion. The final Sodor oil terminal plan is a comprehensive document showing the actual budget, time of completion, scope of the project, and the approved contractors selected for the project. Christina(2009) proposed that key factors that affect team success at the planning and design phase include; Well-Defined Goals: The definition of clear project deliverables has been shown to improve the success rate of project teams. Pinto and Slevin(1988) proposed that clearly defined and structured goals is a significant factor that determines the effectiveness of teams and hence the success rate of projects. The goals of the Group 12 team where clearly stated and well defined at the onset of the project which was to deliver a project plan within 98 weeks at no more than the stated project budget provided by the project sponsor. Management Support: Pinto and Slevin(1988) suggested that the support upper management gives a team helps in facilitating team success. This occurs by facilitating the release of resources to the project team hence ensuring their efficiency and helping to remove administrative bottle necks. Group 12 received the support of the project sponsor in the designing of the sodor plan especially with respect to weekly review meetings to assess the current status of the project plan and proffer ways to bring the plan back on track. Cross-Cultural teams: The importance of having multiple individuals from different cultures in a team has been proposed to impact positively on team results(Earley and Mosakowski,2000). Ochieng and Price(2009) also suggested that the effective use of proper communication techniques to handle cultural differences in a team helps in promoting project success. Multiple cultures in a team brings together people with different skills, competencies, and personal attributes dedicated to a common purpose. The multicultural environment of Group 12 provided a pool of diverse ideas derived via brainstorming from which the best possible solution was agreed on and translated into the Sodor project plan. Team experience and continuity: Pinto and Slevin(1988) suggested that the inclusion of individuals with specific project experience into a team helps in promoting its success. This is because this individuals already have a knowledge of the critical factors needed to ensure the success of the particular project from the lessons learned from past projects managed by them. Scott-Young(2009) suggested that the stability of a team throughout the project lifecycle helps in ensuring team success. Stable teams have been shown to maintain the consistency of ideas generation and are not susceptible to the distraction that tends to occur from a team member joining or leaving the team(Akgun and Lynn,2000). The use of team members with a wide range of experience managing projects like healthcare, education, and engineering played a key role in the results of Group 12. This is due to the diverse nature of the knowledge pool available for planning the project. The stability of the Group 12 team th roughout the project lifecycle also played a key role in the design of the sodor project plan. CONSTRUCTION AND CLOSEOUT Handling Conflicts: The absence of conflicts in a team has been proposed to be a pointer to the failure of the team(Saj-Nicole and Damon). The presence of conflicts and how the conflicts are managed indicates how successful the project team will be. The nature of the conflicts i.e. conflicts relevant to the project scope, serves to provoke a generation of ideas from the project team on the best way to manage the crises. Several conflicts arose during the management of Group 12; an example will be the, Who to choose as the project manager? The way it was managed was to have a face to face meeting with the project team, everybody laying their individual ideas on the table, then arriving at a decision mutually beneficial to everyone which is to have a rotational project manager system with each member of the project team ââ¬Ëhaving a taste of the pie of being the project manager for 1 week each. This solution helped during the construction phase of the plan because all the team membe rs felt a sense of belonging and making a positive contribution to the team. Leadership: The proposal by Akgun and Lynn(2000) on the positive benefits of leadership continuity to the project team success is largely not applicable to the Group 12 project team. This is because the use of a single leader throughout the project lifecycle will have led to the presence of domineering tendencies being shown by the individual chosen which may affect certain decisions made during the formulation of the construction plan. It will also have led to project team members being made to feel they are not a part of the team. Hence in a bid to avoid this scenario, the rotational project manager system was proposed and adopted. Lessons-learned documentation: The preparation of the lessons learned document is an essential part of the project team closure phase(PMI,2008). The lessons learned document captures the lessons learned at various milestones in the planning of the project. The final meeting of the Group 12 team was a brainstorming session to identify various challenges we had during the creation of the Sodor project plan and how the challenges where managed. CONCLUSION This paper details how the Group 12 team managed the Sodor project from design to the closeout phase. It explains in detail the various factors responsible for the success of the team in arriving at the final project plan; and also the various challenges Group 12 team had and how those challenges where managed to produce positive results. The paper sheds light on the key factors that affect various stages of the project and how they where harnessed and utilized positively by the Group 12 team. REFERENCES Scholtes, P.R. Joiner, B.L. Streibel, B.J(2003) The team handbook.3rd Edition, Oriel Incorporated, USA. PMI(2008) A Guide to the Project management body of knowledge. 4th Edition, PMI, Newton square, USA. Hoegl, M(2004) ââ¬ËSmaller teams-better teamwork: How to keep project teams small. Business horizons, Vol.48, Nos.3, pp.209-214. Church, A.H(1998) ââ¬ËFrom both sides now: the power of teamwork-fact or fiction?. Team performance management, Vol.4, Nos.2, pp.42-52. Hackman, J.R(1987) ââ¬ËThe design of work teams. In: Lorsch, J.W(1987) Handbook of organizational behaviour, Prentise-hall, USA, pp.315-342. Trent, R.J(2003) ââ¬ËPlanning to use of work teams effectively. Team performance management: An international journal. Vol.9, Nos.3, pp.50-58. Zenger, J. Musselwhite, E. Hinson, K. Perrin, C(1994) Leading teams:mastering the new role. Irwin, Homewood, USA, pp.14-15. Trent, R.J(1996) ââ¬ËUnderstanding and evaluating cross-functional sourcing team leadership. International journal of purchasing and materials management. Vol.42, Nos.2, pp.29-39. Peters, L.H and OConnors,E.J(1980) ââ¬ËSituational constraints and work outcomes: the influences of a frequently overlooked construct. Academy of management review, Vol.5, Nos.3, pp.391-397. Zander, A.F(1980) ââ¬ËThe origins and consequences of group goals. Retrospections on social psychology. Oxford university press, New York, USA. Bullock, R.J and Lawler, E.E(1984) ââ¬ËGainsharing: a few questions and fewer answers. Human resources management. Vol.23, Nos.1, pp.23-40. Grachev, M.V. Rogovsky, N.G. Bobina, M.A(2006) ââ¬Ë3M: Role model for emerging markets? Thunderbird International Business review, Vol.48, Nos.6, pp.803-821. Iles, P and Hayers, P.K(1997) ââ¬ËManaging diversity in transnational project teams. Journal of managerial psychology. Vol.12, Nos.2, pp.95-117. Pinto, J.K and Slevin, D.P(1988) ââ¬ËCritical success factors across the project lifecycle. Project management journal. Vol.19, Nos.3, pp.67-75. Cohen, S.G and Bailey, D(1997) ââ¬ËWhat makes teams work: Group effectiveness research from the shopfloor to the executive suite. Journal of management. Vol.23, Nos.3, pp.239-290. Scott-Young,C(2009) ââ¬ËTeam management for fast projects: an empirical study of process industries. International journal of operations and production management. Vol.29, Nos.6, pp.612-635. Akgun, A.E and Lynn, G.S(2002) ââ¬ËAntecedents and consequences of team stability on NPD performance. Journal of technology management, Vol.19, pp.263-286. Earley, P.C and Mosakowski, E(2000) ââ¬ËCreating hybrid team cultures: and empirical test of transnational team functioning. Academy of management journal. Vol.43, Nos.1, pp.26-49. Ochieng, E.G and Price, A.D.F(2009) ââ¬ËManaging cross-cultural communication in multicultural construction project teams: the case of Kenya and UK. International journal of project management. Vol.10, pp.101-106. Saj-Nicole, A.J and Damon, B(2009) ââ¬ËHow to pick a good fight. Harvard business review. Vol.87, Nos.12, pp.48-57. Christina, S(2009) ââ¬ËTeam management for fast projects: an empirical study of process industries. International Journal of operations and production management, Vol.29, Nos.6, pp.612-635.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
A Whole New Brushing Experience, Mon! :: Analyzing Crestââ¬â¢s Whitening Expressions Advertise
Analyzing Crestââ¬â¢s Whitening Expressions Advertisement What do palm trees, fresh citrus, and teeth have in common? Crestââ¬â¢s new Whitening Expressions in Fresh Citrus Breeze of course. In the January 2005 issue of Seventeen Magazine Crest debuted a new advertisement for their new line of Whitening Expressions toothpaste, which featured their Fresh Citrus Breeze flavor in gel form. From this advertisement it is easy for the viewer to see the emphasis Crest is placing on their new product: Whitening Expressions. When first introduced, toothpaste was a chalky mint flavored substance. Since then toothpaste has evolved into many other flavors and textures. When purchasing toothpaste there are not only one or two different brands, but there are several different brands and under that there are several different flavors and styles. In the advertisement Crest is introducing the newest member of its family, Whitening Expressions in three truly new flavors. Crest Whitening Expressions are a new spin on toothpaste, in Cinnamon Rush, Extreme Herbal Mint, and Fresh Citrus Breeze; Crest presents its customers with a new experience for their mouth. As well as flavor and texture evolution, the field of advertising has also evolved. Viewer expectations no longer just pertain to product, but also advertising for that product. Viewers expect a higher quality advertisement, and that is exactly what Crest presents its viewers with. High tech graphics, and brilliant ideas fill the page as Crest presents itââ¬â¢s viewer with a giant dollop of orange toothpaste as the focal point of the ad. Fresh Citrus Breeze, this is the giant squirt of gel in the center of the page, and inside of this blob of orange gel in a sort of snow globe effect appears a typical tropical scene with a palm tree, ocean tide and sailboat. Directly following the dollop of gel is a block of dual colored text that captions the picture above. The first sentence of the text is describing the product featured above, while the rest of the caption describes the other flavors available in the new Whitening Expressions. After the text the three flavors are presented in their different forms near then bottom of the page. The viewer now has seen all of the flavors and styles of the new product. The tropical setting gives this advertisement a new take on the emblematic mint paste.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
David Cronenberg :: essays papers
David Cronenberg The director I chose to do my Analysis/Research paper on is was David Cronenberg. After screening The Dead Zone, Cronenbergââ¬â¢s work impressed me. Prior to this class I had never heard his name, even though I had seen previous works such as The Fly. Since I had already viewed this movie I resorted to alternate movies he had directed. I was able to locate The Brood and Videodrome. The main reason I chose Cronenberg for my director had to do with his style. His movies are not the typical horror flick one has come used to today. When I was younger these movies were low budget and have a character such Jason from Friday the 13th running around with an ax and a hockey mask. Today the industry has progressed to Ben Wilson from I Know What You did Last Summer running around with a sharp hook for a hand. Somewhere between these two genres Mr. Cronenbergââ¬â¢s work fits in. He is not obsessed with the body count as many other horror directors are and is also able to develop a plot r ather rare in this type of a film. The three films I chose were able to walk a fine line between horror and science fiction, Videodrome in particular. While The Dead Zone was more of an action film with The Brood being the most true horror movie. I can tell that none of these films were high budget, they could even be considered a little cheesy leading to a cult status. Cronenberg definitely likes the use of blood, particularly when a person is shot by a gun, quite a lot of splattering. In The Dead Zone when Frank kills himself and the sheriff shoots his mother the use of blood is quite elaborate. Frank is covered in blood when he is discovered and the mother seems to almost explode when shot. In the Videodrome everyone Max shoots has the same exploding effect. And in The Brood when Doctor Raglan shoot the little freaky kids there is the same use of blood as in Videodrome. But when the freaks or creatures bludgeon Juliann and Barton to death blood is once again splattered for effect. Also there are other similarities, all three of the films were made to appear in the cold (probably to do with the fact that they were all shot in Canada) and utilized darker colors.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Communications Paper
Communication Paper Ana Espinoza SOC-110 April 29, 2010 Zack Zardo Communications Paper Attitude is the first thing people usually sense in communication. Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior. There are two different types of communication, verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication usually means spoken or in some cases signed, as in American Sign Language, it also includes; rate, volume, pitch as well as articulation and pronunciation. Nonverbal communication is facial expressions, body movements (i. ; shoulder shrugs, slight shutter in the body (at the sight of something disgusting)), diversion of eye sight (example: flirting, staring, looking away when looked at. Great example from Wiki answers. com is, a man comes home late, he hears from the kitchen the slamming of pots, pans and cupboard doors. He enters the kitchen, asks his wife, ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the matter, honey? â⬠Sh e answers, ââ¬Å"Nothing! â⬠as she slams another cupboard door. Now she has spoken the word ââ¬Å"Nothingâ⬠, but it is her unspoken communication that tells him that ââ¬Å"Nothingâ⬠is not the real answer. It is clearly communicated by her actions. Men and women are really not the same. Their thinking, acting, communicating and many other behaviors are different. One can make broad generalizations about males and females. The primary difference between these genders is that men are resolvers and women are relaters. Being resolvers, men tend to focus on doing, resolving issues, finding solutions and solving problems. As relaters, women generally focus on pleasing, understanding, feelings, communicating, exploring emotions, making connections and being understood. An opposite gender can understand differently than the other because we all perceive things differently. For example, one gender can see the glass as half full, and the other can see it as half empty. Even though it is the same thing, we all see, hear, understand or comprehend things differently because of our gender. Communicating across cultures improves productivity and promotes healthy and happy learning and work environments. It helps to understand cultural differences and language problems/barriers. However there are problems and challenges of cultural differences or communication. Culture can be viewed by which groups of people understand and interpret or view the world. Generally there are two types of cultural differences. They both affect communication. Differences in body positions and movements; and differences in views and practices concerning various factors of human relationships (time, space, intimacy ect. ). Body languages differ among cultures as well. For example, sitting versus squatting, and manners of walking, communication with body parts- hands, arms, head ect, may also vary by culture. Diversity describes the reality of a national and world community made up of people from different cultures with different kinds of languages and social customs very different from our own. Communicating with different cultures does not come easy, because of a lack of knowledge. It is important to be open minded, listen and try to understand others differences. Put yourself in their shoes. Our ways of thinking and our orientations to our environments are important, we each learn diverse culturally based sets of perceptual communication contexts. For someone to fully understand communication across cultures they would need to learn a little about it in order to successfully communicate. Touching and hand shaking are important to understand in cultural communication. Some cultures do not like much touching. Their handshake may be taken as weak. Other cultures that are okay with touching, have different greetings, ranging from embraces to kisses to even nose rubbing. Differing attitudes toward various factors of human relationships cause communication problems. While American English is the predominant language in the United States the number of non- native English speakers continues to grow. Although many tools can help create a productive diverse environment, one of the most important is good communication skills. We must try to be careful in our choice of word or expressions because once something is communicated it cannot be taken back. To improve communication we must better understand what t is to communicate. Verbal and nonverbal communications are the two key aspects of communication, (especially important in high context culture). In order to communicate effectively we need to utilize these communication skills. The way cultures and genders do things are all different. We do not all walk, talk, and act the same. We do not all wake up the same, pray the same, think the same or believe in the same things. Culture is often at the root of communication challenges. Exploring historical experiences and ways in which various cultural groups have related to each other is key to opening channels for cross-cultural communication. Becoming more aware of cultural differences as well as exploring cultural similarities, can help you communicate with others more effectively. References Http://wwwindependent. co. uk/news/science/womens-brains-uareu-different-from-mens-ndash-and-heres-scientific-proof-870849. html. Http://www. slideshare. net Http://www. university of phoenix. com (2008) Small group and team communication. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, SOC-110 Website. Http://www. wikianwers. com
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Assessment of Victim(s) Possible Injuries or Illnesses
Going by what happened in the scenario that we were given, a lot of things can not be ruled out. It was said that the day was ââ¬Å"hot and humidâ⬠. Apparently, the couple had been walking all day without a rest and has had their lunch without a drink. The man was definitely dehydrated due to the low level of water content in his body and the weather. Fatigue can not also be ruled out because of the stress that he has gone through without taking a rest. This most likely led to heat stroke because the man was reported to be ââ¬Å"unresponsiveâ⬠and that his skin feels ââ¬Å"hot and dryâ⬠. In the case of the wife, her own illness is still in the preliminary stages, probably because her body system was more resistant than that of her husband. The husbandââ¬â¢s throat must have been very dry, which might have led to his not being able to breathe properly. This must have led to his falling forward from his chair. Recommended First Aid Procedures to be implemented: The first thing that I will recommend is that the man should be made to lie down in a way whereby the head is lower than the body. After this, it is recommended that you put your hand into the manââ¬â¢s mouth in order to allow free airways. Then, one should administer the ââ¬Å"ABCâ⬠method of resuscitation. If possible, try to give the man a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and make sure the man is still lying down. Dip a piece of clothe into water and give the man a tepid sponging. In the case of the wife, give the woman water and make her sit down and be calm. Then try fanning the man and keep the place as airy as possible because of ventilation.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Do government surveillance and data mining operations do more good in Essay
Do government surveillance and data mining operations do more good in protecting against terrorism than they do harm in violating privacy - Essay Example Though sanctioned by the Bush administration, the constitutionality of these acts are being questioned. Another issue is whether wiretapping and data mining are acceptable ways of investigating terrorist threats. The President addressed the controversy in a radio address from the Roosevelt Room by saying that he has the authority to approve wiretapping and surveillance programs and that such activities are being done to protect the Americans' civil liberties. He also claimed that it is a necessary means to prevent terrorist attacks from happening. Bush also condemned the actions of press and media outfits who have exposed the supposedly top-secret program. However, many legal analysts find Bush's arguments unconvincing. The Jurist columnist William Banks in his article, "NSA Eavesdropping and the Fourth Amendment" argues that NSA's domestic surveillance program impinges on the people's rights, especially that of the Fourth amendment, which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. His conjecture is that individuals have reasonable expectation of their privacy, so they are therefore entitled to it. Banks believes that warrantless surveillance is not only unconstitutional, it lays a groundwork for abuse. James X.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Corporate Governance and Ownership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words
Corporate Governance and Ownership - Essay Example The analysis of this paper shows that globalization plays an important role in dissolving the existing corporate ownership and strengthening the corporate governance in these three countries. However, this analysis also shows that because of its strong inherence and utility derived from specific features of these three countries, the characteristics of ownership and corporate governance and its effects still remain in these countries. Finally, this paper also touches on the potential of other elements that effect on the corporate governance from different perspectives. II. Introduction Corporate ownership has been one of the biggest concerns of corporate governance for many years. Many previous research argues the prevalence of widely held corporations in the United States in which corporate ownership is dispersed among small shareholders1. Under such structures, the main concern of corporate governance is how to reduce the potential conflict between the interests of managers and sto ck holders, or so-called agency problems.2 However, as we look outside the United States, especially in countries with poor minority shareholder protections, even the largest firms often have controlling shareholders3. In those countries, the central agency problem is how to restrict the expropriation of minority shareholders by controlling shareholders through the improvement of minority protections4. Corporate ownership in Asia is also largely different from the U.S. Asian characteristics, as containing a high concentration of ownership comes from family, state and group ownership and low liquidity of shares5. Claessens investigated the separation of ownership and control in 2980 publicly traded companies in nine East Asian countries6 (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand). This study finds that in all countries, especially in Indonesia, Japan and Singapore, voting rights consequently exceed cash-flow rights through p yramid structures and cross-holding. It also finds that more than two-thirds of firms in these countries are controlled by a single shareholder7. It is not hard to anticipate that under this corporate structure, the conflict of interests between majority and minority shareholders cause adverse effect on the corporate governance. Several studies show that the concentrated ownership causes the low market valuation of firms and expropriation of minority shareholders in Asia8. This expropriation is more detrimental in a country with weaker legal systems9. Although differences between countries are significant, White Paper on Corporate Governance in Asia emphasized that the protection of minority shareholders rights was particularly critical in Asia10. Basically, there are three types of corporate ownership in Asia, which are family, state and group ownership. More than half of Asian corporations are family-owned. Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand show high degrees of f amily ownership. State control is significant in China and Singapore. In Japan and Korea, group companies are characterized by interlocking cross-holdings of equity. These characteristics of corporate structure, however, have gradually changed in the 21st century because of Asian economic growth and capital globalization. Corporate governance in Asia has been subjected to the reformation due to the criticism for its weakness after the Asian financial crisis. It seems that as the Asian market played a
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