Alzheimers Disease Essay - 2090 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alzheimer’s disease is relentlessly destroying the brains and lives of our nation’s older adults, robbing them of memory, the ability to reason, and affecting their emotions and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain. The longer we live the greater the risk: one out of every two Americans aged 85 and older and one out of every 10 aged 65 and older are afflicted with the disease. It affects two groups of people: those with the disease and the loved ones who care for them. By the year 2050, an estimated 14 million Americans will be in its grip. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive disease of the brain, which is characterized by a gradual loss of†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The first signs of Alzheimer’s disease include difficulty in remembering recent events and performing familiar everyday tasks. As the disease progresses, the affected person may experience confusion, personality and behavior changes, impaired judgment, and difficulty finding words, finishing thoughts, or following directions. In the early and middle stages of AD, people with the illness may be painfully aware of their intellectual failings and what is yet to come. These changes occur at widely varying speeds in different people, and not all changes occur in everyone, but the outcome is always the same. Eventually, people with Alzheimer’s disease completely lose the ability to care for themselves and must be confined to bed with constant care. In the latest stages of disease the brain can no longer regulate body functions, and victims die of malnutrition, dehydration, infection, heart failure, or other complications. Alzheimer’s disease progresses slowly, taking between three to eighteen years to advance from the earliest symptoms to death; the average duration of the disease is eight years. Unfortunately, science has not yet found a cure. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who discovered Alzheimer’s disease, was a gifted German scientist who was born in the mid-nineteenth century. Though he will be forever linked to the disease that bearsShow MoreRelatedAlzheimers Disease945 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurological disease; it often attacks the brain tissues causing memory loss of one’s identity and regular behaviors. Statistics indicates that the rate of predicted people to get Alzheimer’s will increase briskly as time goes on. There are currently no cures for such disastrous disease, but there are currently approved treatments available that can help people within the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Once the disease is too far alongRead MoreAlzheimers Disease3170 Words   |  13 PagesThe Role of Caregiving to Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Megan Zann April 27, 2012 Health Psychology Dr. Ackerman Introduction It is normal to periodically forget your keys or a homework assignment, because you generally remember these things later. However, individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease may forget things more often, but they do not remember them again. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease has dramatically increased because people are living longer. This is a result ofRead MoreEssay on Alzheimers Disease1503 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that gets worse over time. It leads to nerve cell death, and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions. It gradually destroys a persons memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities such as talking, eating, and going to the bathroom† (What Is Alzheimer’s). Early symptoms include personality changes, memory impairment, problems with language, decision-making ability, judgmentRead MoreAlzheimers Dis ease Essay2414 Words   |  10 PagesAlzheimers Disease Alzheimer’s disease is the disease of the century. This disease is affecting many lives, families, and caregivers. This research presented is to help educate on the topic of Alzheimer’s disease, which many people aren’t aware enough about. Statistics are given to show how extreme this disease is, and how many people it’s affecting in society. Also statistics are presented that give the amount of money being spent relating to Alzheimer’s disease. This research explainsRead MoreAlzheimer’s Disease Essay2544 Words   |  11 PagesAlzheimer’s disease defined: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, terminal, degenerative brain disease. It is the fourth leading cause of death in adults and currently affects over four million people in the United States. This number is expected to increase over the next several years as the baby boomers age, until it reaches fourteen million by the year 2025. Alzheimer disease generally occurs in people over seventy five years of age; however it does strike people in their forties, fiftiesRead MoreEssay on Alzheimers Disease2405 Words   |  10 PagesAlzheimers Disease is a condition that affects 50% of the population over the age of eighty five, which equals four million Americans each year. It is becoming an important and high-profile issue in todays society for everyone. There are rapid advancements being made in the fight against this disease now more than ever, and the purpose of this essay is to educate the public on the background as well as the new discoveries. There are many new drugs that are being tested and studied every day whichRead MoreEssay on Alzheimers Disease813 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Topic: Alzheimer’s Disease Specific Purpose: To help my audience understand what Alzheimer’s Disease is. Thesis Statement: The need to educate people on Alzheimer’s Disease for family members or friends in-case a loved one is diagnosed. Introduction: A. What would one do if their family member or friend knew of someone who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease? What would they do to help or take care of this family member? Well, I work in a nursing home with the elderly with this diseaseRead MoreAlzheimers Disease Essay2168 Words   |  9 PagesAlzheimer’s disease or AD is an incurable disorder of the brain that results in loss of normal brain structure and function. In an AD brain, normal brain tissue is slowly replaced by structures called plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques represent a naturally occurring sticky protein called beta amyloid and in an Alzheimer’s brain, sufferer’s tend to accumulate too much of this protein. Neurofibrillary tangles represent collapsed tau proteins which, in a normal brain along with microtubulesRead MoreEssay on Alzheimers Disease 512 Words   |  3 Pagesmajor medical advancements like the world has never seen before, some diseases still continue t o plague the human race and confuse even some of the brightest scientists today. Unfortunately, Alzheimer Disease (AD) is one of them and it affects between 2.4 and 4.5 million people in America. Alzheimer’s is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 65, but in rarer cases people as young as 16 have it. Since it is a degenerative disease, patients develop it with few symptoms at an earlier stage, but thenRead More Alzheimer’s Disease Essay1176 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease of the future. With the growing aged population, this disease, which affects primarily the elderly, will become of increasing relevance to the medical profession. Also, the high frequency of Alzheimer’s, and the high cost in labor, money, and material of caring for its victims shall put considerable burden on the society as a whole. Here, however, these issues are not going to be debated. Instead the pathology of Alzheimer’s will be reviewed

The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson and Eudora Welty’s A Worn...

In literature there are many different critical views, in which all of them have very distinctive ideas and beliefs. The value of these critical views is decided by the reader and may be different to each one. When a reader approaches a work of literature they bring their own views and experiences with them, so each reader will read each story differently. And even the same reader will never read the same story the same way twice due to things that may have changed in his or her life. In Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† (509-15) and Eudora Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path† (568-74) one reader my feel sympathy while another does not fill anything. So what is the â€Å"correct† response to these stories? In â€Å"The Lottery† the author uses many†¦show more content†¦The next character would be Mr. Graves which one can blatantly see the ominous mean of death and the dead being bared in a grave. Then Old Man Warner which on a first r eading one may not see because it’s not so much a double meaning as it is a play on words, warn-er. In which one could gather that since he is the oldest man in the town he has been there for a long time and could warn the other of â€Å"The Lottery†. After that is Mrs. Delacroix which could also be a hard one to catch but the literal translation in French to de-la-Croix is of the cross. So when a reader sees all of this on their subsequent readings one would see from the introduction of all of the characters that there is a somber warning (lively men die without warning by crucifixion) for Tessie Hutchinson; who shows up late and says that she â€Å"Clean forgot what day it was,† (Jackson 511) showing that she is a free spirit. This makes her stand out in the story letting the reader know the warning is for her. Then last but not least there is Mrs. Dunbar who had to draw for her husband because he had a broken leg and ever since the early days of sacrifici al killings they have never offered someone or something with broken bones because it would not please the gods and after all that was the whole point of the killing. Eudora Welty also uses a lot of themes and symbols to help readers connect to her stories. In her story titled â€Å"A Worn Path† she uses a number of situations whereShow MoreRelatedSymbolism : A Warn Path, And Shirley Jackson s `` The Lottery ``1636 Words   |  7 PagesSymbolism has been used for hundreds of years it has been used to help writers express different elements of their work. Katherine Mansfield the author of â€Å"Miss Brill,† Eudora Welty author of the short story â€Å"A Warn Path,† and Shirley Jackson author of â€Å"The Lottery† all use symbolism wonderfully in their work. They all use symbolism in a different way but they all use this process to help describe a deeper thought or meaning behind elements of their work. Symbolism is putting a symbolic meaning behind

Research in Intellectual Disabilities Free Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the relationship between challenging behaviours, mood and Interest/Pleasure in adults with severe and profound Intellectual Disabilities. Answer: Research Methodologies The article by (van Timmeren, et al., 2017) examines cross-sectional studies to determine the prevalence of health problems among adults suffering from severe or profound intellectual and motor disabilities (SPIMD). Although previous studies have shown that patients often experience different patterns of health issues, little is known on their high level of risk of secondary health complications if not detected and diagnosed in time. To achieve this end, they adopted the use of systematic review as the most appropriate method to assess relevant research studies that addressed the research area of interest. The authors relied on secondary data to gather relevant information on the subject area of interest. Thus they conducted a database search using a broad range of terms related to physical health as opposed to specific health terms to ensure that all potentially relevant studies were captured for the review. In the end, a total of 20 studies were sampled to be analyzed(van Timmeren, et al., 2017). The study population included relevant cross-sectional studies and peer-reviewed articles published in English in the years between 2004 and 2015(van Timmeren, et al., 2017). The sampling procedure involved the selection of literature that had a focus on physical health, and thus all studies that concentrated on mental and behavioral disorders were excluded from the study. Further, the study adopted cross-sectional study design which according to (Green Thorogood, 2013) is the most appropriate in quantifying the prevalence of health-related issue in health sciences. Two independent reviewers were set to analyze the characteristics of the included studies and extract relevant data utilizing a protocol designed specifically for the review. Univariate data analysis was adopted to examine the rate of prevalence of physical health problems in the included studies(van Timmeren, et al., 2017). According to (Burke Heller, 2016), many adults suffering from intellectual and development disabilities are often encountered with yet another problem of many unmet needs such as lack of proper housing, employment assistance, and basic health care. To them, the number of people waiting for these services is on the rise, thus presenting the need to identify the discrepancies in the extant literature about the unmet requirements of the patients in the adult service provision programs in the United States. However, considerably little empirical research has been done to clearly state who among the patients have the greatest needs that are not met and thus are eligible for the limited funding from the government(Burke Heller, 2016). The study used qualitative research design where survey questionnaires were used to collect primary data from a target population of 10,894 people who were suffering from intellectual and developmental disabilities. The authors used a simple random sampling technique to get a manageable size of 3000 which comprised of the caregivers of the patients who were either on or off of the waiting list. Pointedly, the authors targeted specifically those caregivers who were 18 years and above and their offspring were also over 18 years at the time of the data collection. All respondents whose family members were receiving services from the Medicaid waiver were excluded from participating in the study(Burke Heller, 2016). Moreover, upon receipt of the completed survey questions, all responses that had incomplete data or were completed by state caregivers were excluded from the final entry and subsequent coding and analysis. They used univariate analysis as well as multiple regression methods to determine how the caregivers and the PDD contributed to the increasing number of unmet service needs(Burke Heller, 2016). The growing need to stimulate a sense of independence and self-determination among people with development disabilities (PDD) has seen many scholars examining the travel requirements and behavior of these groups of individuals. Arguably, the ability to move to wherever one desires is one essential element in determining the level of ones autonomy to choose whatever one needed. However, the extant literature places a lot of emphasis on the people with only physical disabilities with little attention given to those individuals with non-sensory developmental incapacities. Thus, in their paper, (Wasfi, Steinmetz-Wood, Levinson, 2016) sought to establish the reasons for the desired but unmet transportation needs of adults who have developmental disability. In other words, the study attempted to bridge the existing gap in previous studies by presenting empirical evidence that(Green Thorogood, 2013) transportation desires but unmet needs are not only limited on the physically disabled. The study used descriptive research design which according to(Green Thorogood, 2013) involved observing the subjects in their natural environments without interference. To this end, primary data was used in the study partly because there was no adequate secondary data for the particular population of interest. The researchers used a survey to gather data from the field and this conducted in the residential areas of the individual participants in order to compute their neighborhood walkability. This involved computing connectivity of the streets, access to leisure parks and activities as well as land use mix (Wasfi, Steinmetz-Wood, Levinson, 2016). Although people with developmental disabilities form approximately 1.2 or 1.65 percent of the United States total population at the time of the study, the study population included only those either working or living in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The sampling procedure was done through collaborative efforts with the disability and commun ity services organizations in the region(Wasfi, Steinmetz-Wood, Levinson, 2016). The study utilized logistic regression analysis to determine the given reasons for the inability of PDD to make desired but untaken expeditions. The study by(Bernstein, Visconti, Csorba, Rojahn, 2015) is founded on the premises set by previous studies by Hayes et al. (2011) who attempted to expand and replicate the findings of Ross and Oliver (2002). Using 52 institutionalized patients with ID, Hayes et al. (2011) observed that the occurrence and severity of challenging conduct varied significantly between those who had behavior problems on the one hand and those who did have on the other. Thus in the efforts to expound of the findings of the previous scholars, (Bernstein, Visconti, Csorba, Rojahn, 2015) sought to examine whether the mood and interest of adults suffering from either moderate or profound intellectual disability (ID) had predictive challenging behavior or not. However, contrary to the extant literature, the researchers used a combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs. According to (Jacobsen, 2016) a combination of the study designs provided the researchers an opportunity to study and cr itically compare many different variables at the same time while observing the developmental changes in the target population both at individual and group levels. The study used primary data that was gathered from a study population of 50 adult participants who were living in the habilitation home located in Budapest, Hungary. The residential facility was deemed fit for the study because it provided accommodation for adults (over 18 years old) who were suffering from intellectual disabilities. Secondary data was also used to supplement the findings of the data gathered from the field. The sampling procedure for the potential participants in the study involved the selection of only those patients who displayed either severe behavioral or mental health problems to demand closer professional attention (Bernstein, Visconti, Csorba, Rojahn, 2015). Both comparative and multiple regressions analysis was used to determine whether the rating of mood and interest of the patients were predictive of their changing behavior. Evidently, the authors used the former analysis method to provide a comparative synthesis of their findings and the previous study o utcomes. At the same time they wanted to predict the value of the patients mood and interest on the basis of the value of their challenging behaviors such as which included stereotypic, aggressive and self-injurious (Bernstein, Visconti, Csorba, Rojahn, 2015). References Bernstein, A. M., Visconti, K. J., Csorba, J. R., Rojahn, J. (2015). The relationship between challenging behaviours, mood and interest/pleasure in adults with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 59(11) 1033-1041. Burke, M. M., Heller, T. (2016). Disparities in Unmet Service Needs Among Adults with Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. Green, J. . Thorogood (2013). Qualitative methods for health research. California: Sage Publications. Jacobsen, K. H. (2016). Introduction to health research methods. . Burlington: Jones Bartlett Publishers. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.sa/books/about/Introduction_to_Health_Research_Methods.html?id=j0F-8jQ4FvICredir_esc=y van Timmeren, E. A., Schans, C. P., Putten, A. A., Krijnen, W. P., Steenbergen, H. A., Schrojenstein Lantman?de Valk, H. M., Waninge, A. (2017). Physical health issues in adults with severe or profound intellectual and motor disabilities: a system. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 61 (1)30-49. Wasfi, R., Steinmetz-Wood, M., Levinson, D. (2016). Measuring the transportation needs of people with developmental disabilities: A means to social inclusion. Disability and health journal.

People Management Case Study Essay Example

People Management Case Study Essay The SITUATION: the Ben Brooks’ dilemma Ben Brook, 43 years old, a solid professional with 20 years of experience at Livingstone Corp. , is extremely disappointed for not having been promoted CEO of his company. For the first time in his life, he is reflecting about his personal and professional history and choices, trying to get some lessons for the future. He considers quitting his company for a CEO job in another one. The FACTS: Ben Brooks’ personal and professional life Our starting point will be to understand (through a 3 pages letter) who Ben is as a person, and as a professional. We can deduce several key personality clues, based on the facts in the letter: ? An â€Å"achiever†: born in 1935, graduated with honors, joins Livingstone at the age of 23, promoted to an important position after only 4 years in the company, promoted youngest ever Executive VP (35 years old) after 12 years in the company. ?Loyal to the company and proud of it: entire career at Livingstone (20 years) ? â€Å"Work-aholic† at the expense of his family: regularly spend evenings and weekends in the office. Forgets about taking vacation. Immersed by work, leaves all energies in the office and fails in dedicated some to his wife and kids. One anecdote: after divorce, lives in a NYC hotel close to the office. ?Self-confident: believes others will notice and reward him for his own professional skills. ?Small (or none) circle of friends: having written this letter, at this point in time, to a professor he has neither seen nor talked to in the past 20 years seems like a strong sign that he had nobody closer with whom share his dilemma. The ANALYSIS: Ben Brooks’ profile 1. Psychological Type We will write a custom essay sample on People Management Case Study specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on People Management Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on People Management Case Study specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer With the limited information available in the letter, we can guess Ben is an NT TYPE (â€Å"Intuitive Rational†): Ben is fascinated by power, he is very ambitious and believes he will progress and be recognized / rewarded by others as a result of his own personal competences. As we said, he is a â€Å"work-aholic†, his competence seems never enough to him and he lives permanently with the fear to â€Å"fail† (ie. to not getting as high as he believes he deserves). He is a â€Å"visionary† and permanently challenges the status-quo: a good example is the â€Å"direct cost model† Ben developed and implemented at Livingstone only 2 years after having joined the company. In his professional relationships with others, NT types are arrogant in that sense that they assume a small contribution from his peers and team since, ultimately, â€Å"they are not as good as I am†. At the same time, as contradictory as it may seem, he can be as highly demanding with others as he is with himself. The NT types could go as far as hurting others’ feelings without even noticing it. Worth noting: there is nevertheless one component in Ben’s personality which could have led us to classify him rather as an SJ type. Ben is committed to deliver on his promises and objectives and, in that respect, he values duty above all and dedicates all of his time and energy to his work. That said, an SJ type is also very sensitive to others, to bringing harmony to the relationships and his â€Å"duty sense† goes beyond work to also his family. This is clearly not the case for Ben. ? To further complete this picture, Ben seems to be more of an INTROVERTED type: difficult to say through the letter but he does not seem like a very social or externally-focused person. He does not seem to be sourcing his energy from others, but rather from himself and his work. He definitely prefers communicating in written, even to a professor he has not seen for the past 20 years (! ) which clearly shows how little genuine interest he has in knowing how others (the professor) are doing: he dedicates 3 pages to talking exclusively about himself and his dilemma. On the 4th axe, Ben seems more like a JUDGEMENT type: he enjoys planning is work and is excited about reaching objectives. That said, we do not have much more information about this topic. 2. Motivational profile Reading through his letter, we can sense Ben has consistently been moved by mostly INTRINSIC MOTIVATIONS, with some component of EXTRINSIC MOTIVATIONS but a total absence of TRANSCENDENT MOTIVATIONS. Let’s elaborate slightly more: Most important motivation for Ben seems to have been his own self-fulfillment at work, the satisfaction of being a competent professional facing challenges and delivering results (INTRINSIC MOTIVATION) with the objective of being rewarded by the company with increasingly important jobs, power and status (EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION). Economic compensation, although also important (as for most of us), seems to play a secondary role for Ben. In his letter, he explains his jobs and some key business achievements yet never mentions other people, his teams, the role they played on his success or the impact he, as a manager, had on their development (lack of TRANSCENDENT MOTIVATIONS). This analysis is coherent with the conclusion we can drive from his (lack of) personal life: Ben acknowledges he failed in dedicating time and energy to his family and was not surprise when his wife left him. He talks about this â€Å"personal drama† in a very dispassionate manner, as a â€Å"logical fact†: another indication of the little relevancy of TRANSCENDENT MOTIVATIONS. How does this affect his LEADERSHIP ABILITY? Nobody, no matter how good of a manager he/she is, could be perceived as a true leader by his/her organization, if he/she does not display a minimum of TRANSCENDENT MOTIVATION, ie. a unique interest and empathy about others and about doing what is better for others’ well-being. This motivation is a must in order to be able to generate VALUES in the organization. Ben thought his personal needs would be fulfilled with MATERIAL and PROFESSIONAL components. He disregarded AFFECTIVE needs or, equally worrying, he thought it was other people’s role (his wife) to provide him unilaterally with some affection. 3. Leadership Style and Competencies Ben appears as an EXECUTIVE LEADER, a â€Å"DOER†. He has vision for the business and the skills to get there. He relentlessly focus on results, on delivering on objectives and is highly involved and committed to do so. This single-minded focus leaves little room for other people: he is egocentric and lacks genuine interest in others. He is a poor listener and could end up manipulating others (even unconsciously) in his will to get results at any cost. Ben is ambitious about his career and concerned about his own success above all. Through his 20 years of successful career progression, Ben has certainly demonstrated both BUSINESS and MANAGING COMPETENCIES (otherwise he would probably not have become Executive VP). As previously said, Ben has a vision for the business, knows how to administrate people and resources in order to be effective in delivering results. On the contrary, lacking of Transcendent Motivations, Ben has been unable of bringing a SENSE OF MISSION to his leadership. Further, he has probably even been unconscious and unaware of the importance of this sense of mission. Ben has lacked the critical PERSONAL COMPETENCIES required to lead others behind a common â€Å"vision†, a higher level commitment than merely objectives or tasks. With strong Business and Managing competencies, Ben has been able through his career to deliver results and to motivate his teams â€Å"on the short-term† by merely leveraging on their extrinsic and intrinsic motivations (LIDERANCA TRANSFORMADORA). Nevertheless, as it is, Ben would be unable to motivate an organization behind a higher-end, longer-term mission (LIDERANCA TRANSCENDENTE), and this is certainly what Livingstone top management has identified as a gap for Ben to become the company CEO. In the words of another leadership specialist, Ben is certainly a COMPETENT MANAGER, he organizes people and resources to reach objectives. He is probably an EFFECTIVE LEADER, with a vision to engage others towards the pursuit of stretching goals. But he is not at the top leadership level, the LEVEL 5 EXECUTIVE, who builds solid organizations and preaches with his own example and humility, rallying the organization behind a common mission, one which transcends extrinsic and intrinsic motivations to truly make an impact on people’s well-being and, ultimately, on the society. Advice I would give to Ben Brooks Throughout the above analysis, the advice I would give to Ben is to take quality time and start a well-thought process of personal change. Any personal change process requires: -First, to acknowledge the need for a personal and a professional change: Ben has done so already, at least on the professional side, as we can see in his letter. He does not yet seem concerned about the importance of a well-balanced personal and emotional life and its positive impact on his leadership ability. Second, the willingness to change: Ben is starting to realize this as he says he will certainly behave differently if he joins a new company. -Third, to act, to plan the change and to execute it, as an iterative process. For a mid-aged person like Ben, with 20 years of professional experience in the same company (hence, already with a personal risk-aversion profile), changing profoundly anchored habits will be a very difficult exercise. Further, Ben is currently frustrated and angry about his top management decision and he will probably lack the necessary objectivity in analyzing his own case and the true reasons why they believe he is not ready to be the CEO the company needs. I would hence advice Ben to reach out to a professional coach who, same as psychiatrics do, will help him dissect the information and drive conclusions and who will design, with him, the steps needed for the change. I would advise him to start by complementing his own in-depth reflection with the feedback he could get from several peers, subordinates and friends/family about who is Ben, how does he behaves, how is he perceived. This will be the starting point, the raw material to start the work with the coach. Also importantly, this process will take significant time and effort, yet it is crucial if he wants to become not only a better rounded senior leader for an organization, but also a happier person. I would suggest that he puts aside, for the moment, his prospection for new jobs. Ideally, if this is financially possible, he would quit his job and dedicate some time (some months) entirely to himself and his change process. Probably 20 years of experience do â€Å"buy you† the right to do so and the personal â€Å"win† will be worth the time and the salary. Ultimately, I believe Ben will be better off leaving his company: he has accumulated significant frustration that will impact him in his daily work and, as he says, he will probably not make it to CEO there in the mid-term. That said, I believe he should also think whether â€Å"becoming CEO† is his true objective. The title â€Å"per se† does not say much. He should be more factual in writing down the â€Å"must have† and the â€Å"negotiable elements† of the ideal job he wants and, with the help of his coach, identify the type of jobs and, as importantly, the type of companies where he could find it. In my opinion, these are the lessons Ben Brooks should learn for the future Driven by his own professional ambition, Ben has failed in taking a â€Å"helicopter view† to evaluate his personal and professional life on a permanent mode. He has failed in growing as a leader and as a person to go beyond efficacy (delivering on results), to leave a positive mark on those surrounding him and to make his beloved ones happier and his collaborators more profoundly committed about a mission. A leader is not a â€Å"top level† leader if he does not: -First, knows himself (â€Å"Self-Awareness†), his motivations, his style, his strengths and weaknesses, the impact he makes on others, -Leverages his own emotions and skills to be more effective and empathic in working with others, to get the most out of them (Emotional Intelligence) -Has a genuine interest for other people, Behaves as a change agent, an influential leader well beyond a â€Å"doer† delivering business results -Knows how to manage his own career and his personal time and, ultimately, balances both (Work Life Balance) to be an example as a professional but also as a human being. Ben invested all his time and energy on his own effectiveness as a manager and thought this would be enough to take him where he wanted to be. He invested all the time in his company, his projects and results and failed to dedicate time and energy to his beloved ones but also to himself. The best investment one can make, at any time in life, is the investment made to become a better person and a better leader, more genuine and more engaged to excel not only in results, but also in the positive impact we have on others. Ben is still on time to do so and excel in this new professional adventure, whatever makes him happier, with or without the â€Å"CEO† title in the business card.

marx and marxism essays

marx and marxism essays 2. First noted by John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government, labor is a source of value. Stated simply, the work a person does is worth money or a wage. This is a fundamental, arguably the fundamental principle, in the capitalist economic system. Most critics of the system argue capitalism exploits the worker because he is not paid and cannot be paid the full value of his labor, because this is the profit for the capitalist or employer. In describing a utopian capitalist world, Robert Heilbroner writes, The laborer who contracts to work can ask only for a wage that is his due. What that wage will be depends . . . on the amount of labor time it takes to keep a man alive. (157) However, for profit to exist for the capitalist or employer, the worker must work for longer than just his subsistence for the same wage. This, what Marx calls, surplus value, is the profit. However, what I have just described is the utopia of capitalism, at least for the worker and leads into what may be the single worst consequence of the failure of government regulation during early capitalism and today, a failure to regulate the workday and enforce a living wage. A living wage, most simply, is a wage that allows a person to support themselves and their family. The text How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis will serve as evidence of the consequences of lack regulation of the wages and the workday in early capitalism, as well as help to demonstrate how the same reality exists today for many. he has done what he could with merciless severity where he could to smother every symptom of wakening intelligence in his slaves. In this effort to perpetuate his despotism he has had the effectual assistance of his own system and the sharp competition that keep the men on starvation wages (140) Riis description of an early capitalist, the sweater of Jewtown th ...

Why I became an independent book designer Reedsy

Why I became an independent book designer Reedsy The success story of an independent book designer: An interview with Mark Ecob Have you done much work with independent authors? If so, is there anything different about it?Loads. When I started my company, I made it my business to seek that kind of brief in an ever-changing publishing landscape. Now, a good proportion of my work is for independents, self-publishing platforms or ventures like Unbound who bring books to readers in new ways.It’s definitely simpler and you’re given greater freedom. The best independent authors are receptive to industry expertise, which still has a massive part to play.It’s also very rewarding to know that the work you do can bring someone’s book to life, and hopefully success. In a large publishing house, I felt disconnected from the authors. Now I work directly with them, I’ve realised why I do what I do.Thanks for your time Mark.Check out other #freelancerfriday interviews on our blog!Have a look at Mark Ecob’s profile on Reedsy, or even ask him for a quote!

A summary of the statutory framework within which all recruitment and Assignment

A summary of the statutory framework within which all recruitment and selection at A G - Assignment Example Of course, a number of techniques and instruments will reveal this information about the applicant. The managerial candidate can only tolerate a reasonable amount of intervieweing, testing and disclosure of personal information. Perhaps it is the duty of the managers to exercise prudence and request only information that is essential and relevant to the job. By contrast, where skills are relatively scarce, where recruitment is costly or where it takes several weeks to fill a vacancy, turnover is likely to be problematic from a management point of view. This is especially true of situations in which you are losing staff to direct competitors or where customers have developed relationships with individual employees as is the case in many professional services organisations An organizational structure is composed of various positions designed to accomplish systems, goals, and objectives. Variety of managerial activities is essential to keep those positions staffed with personnel who have the knowledge, the skills, and he motivation to perform the roles effectively. It is becoming clear that considerable confusion emerges in an organization when the activities are performed independently. (Robbins, 2004) What is needed is an integrated system to deal with the total array of personnel activities. These include human resources planning, recruitment, selecting, induction, training and development, the intent of which is to attract in the organization personnel conceptualized in the design of the various positions filled. Organisations are the grand strategies created to bring order out of chaos when people work together. Organizations provide the skeletal structure that helps create predictable relationships among people, technology, jobs and resources. Wherever people join in a common effort, organization must be used to get productive results. Another difficulty in the recruitment and selection process concerns selection and hiring because time and cost are involved in making decisions. It is important to identify the factors that goes with the approach such as advertising expenses, agency fees, cost of testing materials, time spent for preparing test materials, time spent in interviewing applicants, cost for reference follow-up, medical examination, start-up time required for the newly hired candidate to get acquainted with the job, relocation, and orientation about policies of the organization. - A flow chart indicating the steps to be taken and the documents that should be produced, from initial discussions about the vacancy, through to finalisation of the appointment - Copy and layout for a newspaper or web

Budgets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Budgets - Assignment Example Operational review enables the company to compare its current data with the past. By looking at the past trend and history of the company the company will establish its position in comparison with the past. Financial ratio technique enable the company to take current financial statement apply mathematical formulas to it and then coming up with a metric. Once financial ratios are applied in other companies then it becomes possible to compare one company to another. Financial ratio technique is the best because it enables a small company to compare itself with a bigger company (Platen & Heath, 2009). Financial ratio also makes it possible for companies that are equal in both size and capacity to compare their performance. Operational review will not be giving a company its true positions in the market because the company will not compare itself with others. 2 If the workload required to keep business fully in operation is not estimated correctly, this will drastically reduce the value of operating budget because before making any budget proposal one is first required to estimating the workload required to accomplish its activities so as to determine the budget allocation (Platen & Heath, 2009). ... the task of allocating funds to the operation of various departments or sections within the company organization, and thus making sure each area has what it needs to manage its assigned tasks efficiently Rigidity reduce the value of operating budget, operating budget ought to be adjusted from time to time because more often there are surprises within organizations. Changes should be allowed to be made to the budget because frequently there are shifts in the amount of revenues generated. At some point in the middle of the business there could be adjustments in regard to projected changes in consumer demand. 3 Time: How long will it take to implement a project right from its initial stage until its completion? This includes the time taken by staffs. It is the number of hours and days that a project or program take before its impact is recognized. A project that takes the shortest time to be completed is given a score of 5. The faster the project is the lesser the resources that will be used (Hope & Fraser, 2003). Every initiator or overseer of a project should ensure that he takes time seriously because time is of essence. If the project was intended for specific population within a specific time delay will render that project useless because it will no longer serve its intended purpose. Impact: The changes in a situation that results from the combined effects of project activities, or the extent to which the goal are achieved. Impact also refers to any unintended positive or negative changes that arise from a project completion. If project have a great impact it means that it is successful. A project with greatest impact is given a score of 5. For a project to be rated successful its impact must be felt across the board (Hope & Fraser, 2003). In the course of executing

Images of nurse and nursing Essay Example for Free

Images of nurse and nursing Essay The article entitled â€Å"Perceived and real barriers for men entering nursing: Implications for gender diversity,† aimed to explain the barriers, whether perceived or real, for men seeking a career in nursing. It is theorized that the public image of nursing is that of a traditional feminine career. However, in lieu with the recent nursing shortage that has been plaguing the country, it is speculated that men remain as an untapped reservoir of potential nurses and need to be targeted through recruitment strategies (Roth Coleman, 2008). The authors established in their paper that if the barriers, whether real or perceived, can be addressed to suggest strategies that can ameliorate these barriers, then the recruitment of males into the profession may help in providing more nurses to fill the shortage. The image of nurses has been long depicted as a young female taking care of the ill and subordinate to male physicians and administrators (Roth Coleman, 2008). These women are also perceived as not capable of making important decisions and were handmaidens to the physicians. Furthermore, it was researched that according to most students the reason why they did not choose to enter the nursing career is because of a perception that they would not attain job satisfaction and the second was that nurses were too squeamish (Roth Coleman, 2008). Most young men believed that nursing is a profession for females and that they have fears of being perceived as gay or being feminine. Other barriers mentioned was the absence of the historical contributions of nurses who were male, considering that most nursing texts use the pronoun she in referring to nurses and that nursing education programs have been unsuccessful in creating an environment that is conducive for men, e. g. the lack of male professors and clinical instructors. However, there are still a few men who have chosen to enter the nursing profession and a major factor that engrossed men to the nursing profession was the influence of parents, specifically mothers, which are employed in nursing or other healthcare professions. Also, most men in the profession had previous careers and perceived their nursing career to be better than anticipated. The authors suggest that to ameliorate the current barriers, the public perceptions of nursing that create barriers for male nurses has to be challenged. Other suggestions that they presented include the increasing the number of males in the nursing academia and communicate through scholarly articles how gender diversity has enriched the profession. The discussions in schools should include more often the history of men in nursing and that they should also target nontraditional male students that are older and diverse. In response to this article, I deem that there is a truth to what the researchers have speculated that there is perceived barriers that inhibit the males from entering the nursing profession. In lieu with this, the suggested ways in how to ameliorate the situation can help in possibly encouraging the men in joining the profession. It can be noted that majority of the nurses, whether or not working in the clinical setting, students or professors teaching in the academia are females. It has been greatly noted that many male nurses have made the profession more diverse and the physical attributes of males are needed in certain nursing work. Being a nurse, whether or not one has the passion for it and considers it a calling, or was just a nurse by chance, should always bear in mind that this is a profession that only aims to care and hope for the best in the client or the patient’s wellbeing. Furthermore, I deem that the nursing profession should not have any gender biases, as it is a profession that only seeks to care for humanity, both males and females.

Use of Excessive Force by Police :: Police Law Legal Force Essays

Use of Excessive Force by Police Introduction: Police officers are given a significant amount of discretion simply due to the nature of the job. Officers are faced with many threatening situations forcing them to react quickly yet appropriately. They have the power to infringe upon any citizen's rights to freedom and therefore they must use this power effectively. One major concern with the amount of discretion officers have is their power to decide when to use force or when to use lethal force. Manning (1997:295) argues that it is generally accepted that police should be allowed to use force. He also explains that there is an uncertainty among people as to what constitutes excessive force. The line between what is necessary and what is extreme is very thin. Use of force is no doubt one important aspect in policing; however, force should also be used with great discretion. If officers do not use force on every suspect they encounter they may be creating a negative environment for the community. The community policing style is defined by David M. Allender as (2004:18-19), ?Community policing is a philosophy of full-service, personalized policing where the same officer patrols and works in the same area on a permanent basis, from a decentralized place, working in a proactive partnership with citizens to identify and solve problems.? The most important factors to community policing include personalization, partnership and problem-solving (Allender, 2004:19). The idea is to create a relationship with citizens that is trustworthy and honest. When officers begin to use force to control the community, citizens began to view officers as authority figures instead of service officers that are there to protect and serve. This results in a break down of the relationship between officers and the community. In community policing force should only be used if other efforts are deemed ineffective. The use of force can pertain many different actions a police officer participates in. Force can range from simply verbal commands to the dangerous use of lethal force. Police no doubt need to have discretion to use force to protect themselves as well as community. Guidelines need to be set so that officers continue to incorporate and maintain the concept of community policing. The purpose of this article is to inform readers that police discretion not only encompasses use of police profiling, responses to domestic violence, or choices in acceptance of gratuities but discretionary decision to use force.

Position Paper: Iraq War and Just War Theory Essay

Thesis: The war effort in Iraq that is currently being led by the United States fails to meet many of the qualifications of a just war as laid out in the Just War Theory, so one can take a position that the effort is unjust. I will argue that the United States not only disregarded some of the conditions of the theory, but that we actually broke most of the conditions which would be required in order for a war effort to be deemed â€Å"just†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the United States chose to go to war in Iraq, the international fallout following the decision was both dramatic and decisive. There was outcry from other countries who described the United States’ war effort as being â€Å"unjust†. Though there are many ambiguous ways to look at the justness of the war, the position that the war is unjust can be supported by the findings in the Just War Theory. The war effort in Iraq that is currently being led by the United States fails to meet many of the qualifications of a just war as laid out in the Just War Theory, so one can take a position that the effort is unjust. I will argue that the United States not only disregarded some of the conditions of the theory, but that we actually broke most of the conditions which would be required in order for a war effort to be deemed â€Å"just†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Just War Theory itself is not a document that leaves anything to chance. In fact, it is not ambiguous at all in the way that it defines a just war effort. Those who formulated the philosophy left no stone unturned. Instead, they were sure to include a detailed basis for understanding that was broken into two broad sections, with further explanation given in each section. The first condition for a just war that must be met is known as Jus ad bellum, which is the first set of criteria documented to determine if a war is just or not. According to the actual literature of the Just War Theory, this section â€Å"†¦Assesses the reasons for war and establishes the set of criteria we use for determining whether or not a particular war is legitimate† (Just War Theory). Included in this part of the Just War Theory are six sub-headings, including â€Å"just cause†, â€Å"just intentions†, â€Å"legitimate authority†, â€Å"publicly declared†, â€Å"last resort†, and â€Å"reasonable costs†. Together, these things help create a clearer picture of whether or not a war cause can be justified by those who wage war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The United States’ war in Iraq can be justified under the â€Å"just cause† part of Jus ad bellum, but in order for a war to be just, it must be able to pass all of the segments of this theory. Whether the war in Iraq fails first is in its intentions. According to this portion of the Just War Theory, â€Å"Just intentions demand that war should always aim for peace and that any war must be limited to its stated aim† (Just War Theory). In the case of the United States, this has not been the case. The cause at hand was just because it sought to liberate the Iraqi people from the tyranny of Hussein. Once that dictator was ejected, the war effort did not stop, though. Instead, it has turned into an occupation that has turned the United States into a conquering imperialistic nation. The real intentions of the war are hidden and are much more complicated that what meets the eye. The desire for control of oil and the political posturing in the Middle East are among those reasons. According to Stephen Jendraszak of the Ball State Daily News, â€Å"Our true motivation is oil, just as it has been in the past. After Sept. 11, the administration was stunned by the amount of Saudi involvement in the terrorist attacks† (Jendraszak).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third condition of this part of the Just War Theory was also violated. This deals with the authority to make war as an American nation. According to the Constitution of the United States, U.S. Congress has the power â€Å"To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water† (U.S. Constitution). Congress has yet to declare war in this situation, meaning that the U.S. led occupation is not just according to the theory. The Just War Theory also demands that the declaration of war be a public one. Since no declaration was made, there was obviously no public announcement of that decision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An interesting part of the Just War Theory is section e of the first part, where it discusses the idea of a â€Å"last resort†. In this case, the United States tried some diplomacy, but they did not exhaust all of their options. In fact, the U.S. government did much to get in the way of good diplomacy in this case. Instead of allowing United Nations’ led inspectors to look over the Iraqi grounds, the U.S. put undue pressure on the Iraqi government. In fact, the United Nations went so far as to pass U.N. Resolution 1441, which states that the U.N. is †Determined to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions and recalling that the resolutions of the Council constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance† (U.N Resolution 1441). It was the United States’ lack of patience in letting this resolution play out that is a primary reason why the war should be deemed, â€Å"unjust†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to those things, I take the position that the U.S. had no justification for going to war based upon article â€Å"f† of the Just War Theory. This is the part of the theory that weighs the costs of going to war against the cost of allowing the current situation to persist. Though the grievances in Iraq were many, they are far outweighed by both the human and financial cost that has resulted from the war. The United States has spent billions of dollars fighting the war in Iraq and the military has lost thousands of soldiers. On top of that, the civilian casualties in Iraq have been many. Because of this, I stand by the position that the war in Iraq is not a just one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second broad section of the Just War Theory is known as Just in bello. This is the part of the theory that deals with the actual undertaking of the war itself. Who can be attacked and how is a country allowed to make that attack? This section deals with two sub-points, identified as proportionality and discrimination. In regards to proportionality, the Just War Theory states, â€Å"The quantity of force must be in proportion to the aim of the immediate action, e.g. it would be disproportionate to employ a nuclear weapon against a sniper firing from a populated village† (Just War Theory). Given the fact that the Iraqi government and military led no attack against American forces in our country or abroad, it is easy to make an argument that the response was neither measured nor proportional. The United States started its effort in Iraq with a period of bombings that were known as â€Å"shock and awe†. This is itself is an indictment against the justness of the war, seeing as the name implies that the attack was meant to be proportionally great one in comparison to what would follow in the war. The attack, which consisted of United States’ bombers dropping large bombs on major places in Iraq, took out not only the Iraqi military locations, but also caused many civilian casualties. Given the fact that the original intention of the war was to go and liberate the Iraqi people from the tyranny of Hussein, this response lacks the proportionality that is required in order for a war to be called just. With that knowledge, one can easily take the position that the United States’ war effort in Iraq once again broke an article of the Just War Theory and could thus be called an unjust effort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second portion deals with discrimination, which is defined in much more detail in the document. This is something that the United States government has learned to do moderately well, but the many mistakes that have occurred thus far are enough to deem this war as an unjust one. In the literature of the Just War Theory, it states that discrimination happens when, â€Å"Combatants must discriminate between legitimate and illegitimate weapons and between legitimate and illegitimate targets† (Just War Theory). This implies that a measure of judgment is required by the leaders and those carrying out the war in order to understand what an appropriate weapon to use is and what an appropriate place to target is. As indicated earlier in the discussion over the â€Å"shock and awe† tactics employed in the early part of this war effort, one can easily see that the United States government did not do a great job of identifying targets and further, they used force that was far too strong given the circumstances. The nature of the war in Iraq has demanded that the United States military do a lot of fighting in close quarters and in civilian laden areas. The fact of that matter is that the U.S. has not correctly identified their targets and when they have, the weapons have been so strong that lots of collateral damage has occurred.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The war in Iraq can be described in a number of different ways and with a number of different words depending upon who is doing the describing. Many times, the political biases get in the way of actual discussion over whether or not the war was a just one. The Just War Theory, however, does not accommodate for any of that political posturing. It is a clear theory and given the facts that are laid out within it, one can easily take the position that the war in Iraq was an unjust one. Not only did the United States break a few of the conditions for the Just War Theory, they practically smashed the majority of them. By looking at the Just War Theory and applying it to the situation in Iraq, I come away with the feeling that the United States may have had a just cause, but they did not come anywhere near meeting any of the other conditions that are required in order for a war to be just. Works Cited United Nations Security Council. Resolution 1441. Retrieved from http://www.edenbridgetown.com/ethics/reference/war/un_res_1441.shtml United States Constitution. Article One, Section Eight. Retrieved from http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8 Jendraszak, Stephen. Jack Of All Trades: War in Iraq unjust, short-sighted. Ball State Daily News Online. 7 January 2003. Retrieved from http://media.www.bsudailynews.com/media/storage/paper849/news/2003/01/07/Opinion/Jack-Of.All.Trades.War.In.Iraq.Unjust.ShortSighted-1300588.shtml

Bak Funeral Home Case Study Analysis

The funeral industry has changed very much. It has less similarity as in traditional way of funeral in 1975. There have been incredible alterations over the past few decades due to Federal Trade Commission (FTC). FTC has mandated alterations in the funeral service pricing, alterations in consumer preferences, and consolidation of funeral service providers. In 1984, FTC wanted funeral homes to offer customers with a general price list that disintegrates the prices of each component of the funeral.For instance, instead of charging one price of $9000 for all merchandise and services for funeral purposes, the funeral home must divide the charges into components, for example, $3450 for casket, $540 for embalming, $185 for cosmetology, hairdressing and placement in casket, etc. In addition, the FTC has declared that funeral homes may not require customers to buy a lot of items, in particular caskets or burial vaults from the funeral homes.Customers may buy either or both the components fro m a dealer apart from the funeral director and have the casket transported to the funeral home and the vault transported to the cemetery. Nowadays, there are several non funeral home dealers of these components. Customers can go online to buy caskets and vaults from the Funeral Depot or the American Casket Store with next-day delivery assured. A number of religious orders manufacture caskets that they market through â€Å"funeral resource centers† positioned in big cities. Moreover, the preferences of the customers have altered dramatically.About 30 years ago, nearly 93 percent of the families prefer to go for traditional funeral followed by earth burial. Today, the percentage of burials has declined by 71 percent, whilst the percentage of cremation has increased to 29 percent on national level (Ruhl and Wilson, 2008. p. 482, 484). The funeral industry has advanced from a comparatively plain local business that was in large portion unfettered into a contemporary industry cont rolled by multi mortuary business corporations struggling for economies of scale.2 a) Sabina need to calculate the depreciation of the rental property in order to buy the Bak Funeral Home. There is a need to check all tax issues methodically with a tax accounting professional, however the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in general allows devaluing the value of the construction on the property over a period of 27 and half years. This is the rational treatment of the fact that structures do wear out eventually, or become out of date owing to their older qualities no longer in demand. So, Bak Funeral Home has been generating some positive cash flow per year.However, now some of that income can be offset for taxes. The building is depreciated by cutting out the value of the land and dividing the building value by 25 years for annual depreciation (25 years because the building was constructed in 1980 and the valuation is being done in 2005). The depreciation calculation looks like this: 1 . Purchase price – Land Value = Building Value. 2. Building Value / 25 = Annual allowable depreciation deduction (Kimmons, n. d. ). The Bak Funeral Home has a depreciation value.Thus, it would not be feasible for Sabina to buy back the Funeral Home and ask her mother, Joan to rent her the existing building for $2000 per month. Individuals invest in property not only for the income prospective it presents, but also for the tax benefits that accompany owning and renting out assets. Possessing property and renting it out is a business. One can take in revenue (rent) and incur costs similar to any other business. The greater part of operating expense deductions comes from money that one has expended on the property.There are deductions permitted for mortgage interest and property taxes, in addition to deductions for insurance, maintenance, and mending on the buildings. One expense that requires no expenditure of money is reduction on the property. This is an accounting deduction that is permitted and is based on the general wear and tear on the building. If Sabina can show a loss on her rental property, where her expenditures exceed her income, she might be able to remove the loss on her tax return. The only way that she can deduct the loss is to be an active member in the supervision of the property.She can hire a property manager to carry out the day-to-day tasks, but she needs to be aggressively participating in appreciating terms of contracts, interviewing probable tenants, and approving expenses that go toward upholding the building (Tax Tips: All about Rental Property Tax Breaks, n. d. ). Hence, Joan (her mother) would agree to this arrangement. 2 b) Joan requires 11 percent cash flow return on her investment in the building. The market value of the building is $1800, 000. Sabina would not need to pay state and federal income taxes because the company would be operating at a loss.As the net income is declining year after year, that is why; Sabina shou ld not purchase Bak Funeral Home and operate it at its present location. 2 c) Now we need to check whether it is feasible for Sabina to purchase Bak Funeral Home business and operate it in nearby location. Sabina would be finding an investor who would be willing to purchase and build a new funeral home away from Regional Airport where land values are lower. At least ten residential lots will be required for car parking. Each lot is sold at $30,000.Building costs would be $900,000 and real estate cost $25000. Here also, the assumptions are made. Sabina would not need to pay state and federal income taxes because the company would be operating at a loss. It would be feasible for Sabina to buy back the Bak Funeral Home and operate it in nearby location as the values of the land seem to be lower. 2 d) Firms whose level of performance is below parity, or that finds it more and more difficult to flourish in the new economic world order, seeks and implements techniques to enhance performan ce and augment shareholder wealth.For those managers who are critically considering whether a merger or a consolidation would be feasible option for their firms, understanding the rules and methods governing these events will facilitate them to make their choice. Thus, given the current situation Sabina should approach Modelski Funeral Home and suggest that she merge the Bak Funeral Home Business into Modelski location. If the two businesses are combined, then both the business would be able to prosper and as the stake is 50-50, then it would not be any problem for the companies if they even incur losses.They will be able to compensate and they would also had a larger portion of market share in the industry. 2 e) In this case, Sabina should buy the Bak Funeral Home Business at the price which her mother, Joan is offering and would definitely merge with Modelski business. As she would be able to purchase the business at an interest free rate over a period of five years, thus it would be viable for her to buy the business. 2 f) Reputation indeed does work in case of Sabina as she has been managing her father’s business for few years. She herself is a brand as people are aware of her name and fame being a funeral director.However, if she goes by profit making motive, then it would not work in the long run. She should buy her Bak Funeral Home at the interest free rate which her mother is offering. 2 g) The price is based on the firm’s ability to generate a stream of profit or cash flow. The seller projects this stream of cash more than 5 or more years to compute the worth of the business. Often, discounted future earnings are applied which takes into consideration the time value of money – cash obtained in year 5 is discounted based on probable interest rates.In this process disagreements can crop up regarding estimation of cash flow and predictable sales projections. A lot of cash flow and EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes and amortizati on) protuberances employ â€Å"recast† numbers to reproduce the outcome on profits of perquisites that a business proprietor takes from the business (How to sell a small business, n. d. ). Thus, it would not be feasible for Sabina to get out of the funeral business and let her mother to sell the business at a price which is five times the cash flow of the company.3) In spite of of the prevention methods employed, probable threats that could arise inside or outside the organization which needs to be evaluated. Even though the exact nature of probable disasters or their resultant effects are hard to determine, it is advantageous to perform a complete risk assessment of all threats that can sensibly occur to the organization. Despite the type of threat, the objectives of business recovery planning are to guarantee the safety of consumers, staff and other personnel during and following a catastrophe (Wold and Shriver, n. d. ).

Research 101 Going to the Library in the Internet Age - Freewrite Store

Research 101 Going to the Library in the Internet Age - Freewrite Store â€Å"Let me Google that.† Today’s guest post is by Anne E. Johnson. Anne, based in Brooklyn, has written several novels and nearly 100 short stories. She is also an arts journalist. â€Å"Let me Google that.† For someone who loves research, those are four of the saddest words in English. Somehow the belief has spread that any information you need- about anything- is available by simply typing into a search engine. Yet libraries still exist. Don’t be one of those people who ignores them. You’re wondering why you should bother. What could some underfunded collection of books sticky with other people’s fingerprints possibly offer that the internet can’t? Glad you asked. Why Go to the Library? One of the best things about going to the library is what it can do for your work. As someone who has experience pitching both historical fiction manuscripts and journalistic article ideas, trust me: you want to stand out from the crowd. Anybody can Google. Not everybody can coax gems from library stacks. Potential agents and publishers can see those gems gleaming, and they’ll like what they see.       Another great reason to go to a library is psychological. It’s good for your brain and it’s good for your spirit. Let me count the ways: After a few hours of staring at your computer or tablet screen, do you feel kind of hollow and stale, as if you’ve wasted your day? I call that â€Å"Web Laziness† syndrome. You could just power down and go to the gym. But if you’re in the middle of a research project, try going to the library instead. The more time you spend in a library and get comfortable with it, the more you’ll get out of it. Your enthusiasm for your topic can’t help but grow. And a bonus: you’ll feel like a pro, and won’t hesitate to hit the stacks next time you need to do research. Unlike sitting with your laptop in a coffee shop or on your own couch, a library is a place where everyone is there to read and learn. Being in that environment can alter your powers of concentration. And learning is energizing. Treasures galore! There’s a lot to be gained from being near lots of physical books. When you wander along a library bookcase, looking for a call number, you scan the spines of hundreds of nearby volumes. Guaranteed, you’re going to find some amazing stuff that you didn’t know existed. And there’s also the possibility to see physical documents that almost no one else has ever been in contact with. Primary sources – letters, diaries, drafts of plays or musical compositions, captain’s logs, or anything else that is an original representation of a time or place are absolute gold if you write history or historical fiction, or just want to jazz up something with cool details.       A research library in a big city or at a university is the best place to find such things, but even your neighborhood public library might offer high-quality scans of rare documents. Libraries subscribe to scholarly databases that an individual can’t afford to buy access to. To use these databases, you will probably need a library card. Some might be accessible at home once you log in as a card-holder, but some will require you to show up at the library and use their computers. Planning your library visit If you really want to get a lot out of a day at the library, put in some time before you go. This is where the internet and physical libraries become one: You can use the library’s catalog from the comfort of your couch! Your prep experience can be practically paperless. Online catalogs allow the option of digitally bookmarking entries you’re interested in, or emailing them to yourself. Personally, I always make a working bibliography of every resource I want to explore, and I print it out and bring it with me so I can scribble notes on it (things like â€Å"out until Aug. 31† or â€Å"saw it, but not that helpful†).       And remember not to limit yourself to looking up books. Libraries also have periodicals, which nowadays are usually entirely electronic. The online catalog will probably include a way to search those magazines and journals for your topic. And then there are documentary films or historical radio broadcasts that might help you. Your list of resources doesn’t have to be perfect. You just need a starting point. Once you spend some time in the stacks, you’ll add some items and cross others out. Oh, and don’t forget to check the hours before you go, so you don’t waste a trip. What happens once you’re there? You walk in with your list. Now what? Libraries post maps to show where each call number can be found. Often you can snag a nice little bookmark with that info printed on it, and carry it with you. Pick a call number from your bibliography to start with, then go looking for that book. If the book isn’t where it’s supposed to be, or if you can’t figure out where the call number is kept, or if you’re just feeling overwhelmed by the whole process†¦don’t despair. There’s a living, breathing app for that.       That human over there is called a â€Å"librarian.† Approach him or her with a smile, and they’ll give you all the help you need. These folks went to school for this, so their skills go well beyond answering â€Å"Where is this book?† and â€Å"Where are the restrooms?† You could tell them what you’re working on, and see if they have any ideas! And, if you’re in a research library, there might even be a librarian who specializes in your topic. If you’re looking at rare or primary documents, the key is patience. Whether you’re lucky enough to get to handle the actual documents (a rare thrill, indeed) or you are instructed to look at an online database, take your time. Obviously, rare documents can be damaged, so don’t flip pages like it’s a cheap mystery novel you picked up at the airport. But more than that, remember that this is a special privilege. Savor it. Explore not just the words on the page, but what the pages are made of, what kind of ink and font is used. Take careful notes about everything you see and feel. Using all your senses will inform whatever you’re writing later. Need a photocopy of something you can’t check out of the library? Depending on what it is, that might not be allowed. But you have that nifty phone in your pocket; photograph the pages you need! If the material is not rare, you might be able to take it home for two or three weeks. You’ll need a library card (a good idea anyway, as we’ve discussed, so you have full access to all materials). More and more e-books are also available to check out. You order them via the library’s catalog, and they’ll show up on your e-reader, and disappear after the due date.    Try it. You won’t be sorry. Hey, I’m not knocking Google. There’s no disputing that internet search engines are ingenious tools that have changed the world. Still, sitting at your laptop is sometimes not enough if you want to understand a topic deeply. You can’t find what isn’t there, and you’ll never know what you’re missing unless you change how and where you look. So, next time you need to do research, give the ol’ library a chance – it might end up being your new favorite place to hang out. What do you love most about libraries? How have libraries helped your writing craft? Let us know in the comments!    Anne E. Johnson is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Her published science fiction and fantasy novels include Space Surfers (YA science fiction) and the Webrid Chronicles humorous space opera series: Green Light Delivery, Blue Diamond Delivery,and Red Spawn Delivery. She also has two published historical novels for kids aged 8-12. Nearly 100 of her short stories have been published in magazines, webzines, and anthologies. She is a longtime story judge for the RateYourStory website. Anne has an undergraduate degree in classical languages and a master’s in musicology, specializing in the Middle Ages; for over 15 years she taught music history and theory in New York. As an arts journalist writing about music and theater, she contributes a biweekly column and monthly CD reviews to Copper Magazine: The Journal of Music and Audio, and she’s been published in The New York Times, Stagebill Magazine, Chicago on the Aisle, WomenArts, Teaching Theatre Magazine, and Classical Voice North America.

How to Break Into the Greeting Card Industry

How to Break Into the Greeting Card Industry Making extra income doesnt have to take hours away from your leisure time. In fact, if you have a way with words, you can make as much as $75 in as little as half an hour. The greeting card industry is enormous and boasts billions of dollars in sales annually. Greeting card companies are always on the lookout for the next best idea and pay contributors very well. The pay scale ranges from $75 to $300 for a few heartwarming, romantic or funny lines. This makes greeting card writing one of the best-paid gigs for clever writers.   Anyone who has ever stood in a greeting card aisle and thought, I could write a better card than that, is welcome to send submissions to the dozens of card lines looking for freelance writers. Theres some basics that writers should know before pitching their ideas to card publishers: 1. Artists and writers are hired separately. A writers input on artwork may or not be solicited. Dont send your artwork unless its expressly permitted in the publishers submission guidelines. 2. Shop markets akin to your writing. Blue Mountain Arts creates poetic cards. Smart Alex creates racy humor cards. Peruse the companys current line so that you dont accidentally submit a raunchy birthday card to a devoutly Christian publisher and get yourself blacklisted. 3. Track markets and submissions.   Refrain from simultaneous submissions of card ideas. Feel free to submit rejected content to similar markets once its returned to you. Create a spreadsheet to help you keep track of when and where you sent each submission. Number your card ideas to make them easier to track. 4. Less is more. Writing cards isnt rocket science, but it is a distinct style of writing. Use words sparingly and intentionally. Cards are written in a conversational tone, not glittering Elizabethan prose. You should write greeting cards as if you are talking to your best friend, spouse or grandma, but not at the same time. That may make for an awkward card. 5. Broad approach has greater reach. Not everyone has had a Persian cat named Pocahontas recently pass away. However, there are many people who have recently lost a beloved pet. To those card buyers I send my condolences, because its awful to lose a pet. To card writers, I offer a piece of advice: Keep your ideas broad enough that they appeal to a large market, but narrow enough that they feel genuine to readers. 6. Request writers guidelines or research them online. Each card publisher has distinct tastes and submission preferences. In that way, they are very similar to literary agents and publishers. Take the time to do your homework. Many card publishers post their submission guidelines on their sites. Some will send their guidelines and current needs if you request them. This is the preferred method, because it clues you in to what they are shopping for in their next line. 7. Follow the publishers submission format. Greeting card publishers do not subscribe to a specified submission format. In this way they are akin to literary agents and publishers, but thats where the similarities end. Greeting card submissions are much shorter and far easier to compose than queries. This doesnt mean writers may fling grammatical caution to the wind. Be sure to follow the format so your submission isnt tossed. If the submission guidelines dont specify a format, the one provided below is acceptable: OCCASION: Birthday OUTSIDE TEXT: Place outside text here INSIDE TEXT: Place inside text here OUTSIDE IMAGE SUGGESTION: Place any art ideas here Marilyn Dunroe, mdunroe@gmail.com, 321-321-3321 8. Search for additional markets. Check the backs of the cards being sold in your local chain and specialty stores for publisher info. Most cards are imprints of American Greetings and other large publishers. They occasionally hold contests, but hire staff writers to create their content. Smaller publishers are more apt to accept unsolicited submissions. Card writing is a great way to earn extra income from the comfort of your home for the small sum of your clever quips. Ready to get started? Good. Heres a list of card publishers that accept submissions from freelance writers: Oatmeal Studios: Style: lighthearted humor Blue Mountain Arts: Style: poetic heartfelt verse Calypso Cards: Style: modern, sassy (offers a line of divorce cards) Smart Alex: Style: controversial and crude humor

Strategy illustration on External Analysis Essay

Strategy illustration on External Analysis - Essay Example The direct investments in Facebook have valued the company up to $50 billion. The company raised this money for making a further bolster its cash reserves. By this move, the company aimed to strengthen its reserves and surplus thereby increasing financial stability and limiting any liquidity risk by the company in the short term. The company also took care about the limited dilution factor of its shareholders. Macro Environment The investment thereby generated many questions among the shareholders of the company and the investor class as it was against their speculations. The company disclosed no immediate plans to invest the money rose by them and clarified that the money was raised to strengthen the cash position of the company. By this move, the company aimed to strengthen its reserves and surplus thereby increasing financial stability and limiting any liquidity risk by the company in the short term. The company also took care about the limited dilution factor of its shareholders. The company disclosed that under the transaction terms, it had option to accept between $375 million and $1.5 billion to receive from Goldman Sachs by the way of overseas offering. ... Facebook is incorporated in US through Macro-Economic forces in the country have a little impact of the company. Facebook is social networking build on a global platform where factors like inflation rates, interest rate and current exchange rates in bear some impact, but such impact can’t be considered influential. As the interest rates are slashed as a result of recession in the economy, the company could borrow money at a cheaper interest rate. Same is the case with changes in current exchange rates. Global Forces Barriers of trade and information sharing impact the company’s business in a primary way. Removal of such barriers helps the company to expand its operations in other countries. These also help in raising funds globally thereby giving advantage of cheaper funds. Growth in countries like India and China are posing increased opportunities of doing business in these countries. Technological Forces Being a social network company, technological forces impacts the company in a big way. Technology sector in the US includes more than 140,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $900 billion. AT&T, IBM, Intel, Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft are the major companies (US Technolgy Sector Analysis, 2010). â€Å"Industry concentration is high in many segments with the largest 50 participants generating more than 60% of the segment revenue† (US Technolgy Sector Analysis, 2010). Scientific discoveries and new product developments form the basis of profitability in this industry. Both large and small companies can compete successfully – the mammoths have access to capital and marketing and the miniatures have domain-specific expertise. In the period Aug-10 to Jan-11, the Application Software industry has been on a bullish trend before being thrust

Liquidation Assessment through Strategic Financial Statement Analysis Essay

Liquidation Assessment through Strategic Financial Statement Analysis - Essay Example The present research has identified that the year 2009 witnessed liquidation of 19,077 companies as per the figures of the insolvency service representing an increase of 23% from the year 2008. and out of 19,077, 6,335 companies have been declared insolvent. According to Adam, the figures are 13,434 as voluntary liquidations and 5,643 are compulsory liquidations totaling 19,077 as per the above report. Again in the UK, Red Flag Alert says that more than 140,000 were showing signs of financial distress in q4 2009. The figure is 6 % higher than Q3 2009 but 14 % lesser than the identical period in 2008. The corporate failures seem to unstoppable despite fiscal support by the Government, VAT reductions by 2.5% and the HRMC’s payment support for  £ 4.2 bn covering 242,000 ‘time-to-pay arrangements’. The U.S.based Circuit City, second largest retailer of electronics next to Best Buy went into liquidation of its last retained store after series of one liquidation after another in early 2009 rendering their final tally of 30,000 of employees jobless. One commentator has said that it was a well deserved as a poorly managed company. Needless to say, a recession has been responsible for this state of affairs. Recessions are considered a process of the plumbing of economics that removes the inefficient entities and paves way for reallocation of capital and labor to the most deserving entities. The faster the reallocation, the safer the investments. The three ways in which insolvency is dealt with are the liquidation, rescue, and workout. Liquidation is the process administered by the court for sale of the assets of the insolvent firm in piecemeal. A rescue is again a court intervention for rehabilitation, reorganization or restructuring of the insolvent firm with the objective of preventing its liquidation. A workout is an informal process where a court has no role and the creditors either reschedule their debts or allow settlement of debts at a disco unt.

Explain and discuss real property concepts Essay

Explain and discuss real property concepts - Essay Example This paper examines the real property concepts with regard to ownership, rights acquisition, disposal and transfer. The main difference between land and chattels is that land is immobile while chattels are built or placed on land. The ownership of property, real or personal, is determined by a court of law and arises where a person wants right to them. One can obtain rights that are enforceable by a court of law called the title on property based on the rules within a particular jurisdiction. The right to use varies from possession to usage and disposal of property. A person is granted rights upon the possession of a product and this is not different in the case of real estate. The law dictates that a person in possession of land can take legal action against another found trespassing on such property (Miller, 2012). This is brought out as a caution and to avoid cases of disorder. The person interfering with such property therefore needs to demonstrate superior right for the court to accede to such interference. The legal position for the transfer of property is by sale or as a gift. This is from the previous owned consensually to the potential owner and that also means a transfer of title. A will may be used in this case as it allows the distribution of the wealth of the deceased. In the case of a conflict of interest as witnessed in many real estate cases, the courts are called upon to rank the cases and subsequently resolve the conflict (Miller, 2012). These differences mainly arise due to inconsistencies and conflicts nor interest where the owner of the property transfers the valid title to another who is not vetted. These conflicts may also arise from fraudulent operations or mistakes. The identification of real property follows a verifiable and legal description of such property. The law provides that such description should make use of natural and manmade

Leadership and performance Literature review

Leadership and performance Literature review An overview of the topic of leadership styles summarizes that the existing studies on how performance is affected by leadership style is separated into important phases. Early studies on leadership (frequently categorized as trait studies on leadership) concentrated on identifying the personality traits which characterized successful leaders (Argyris, 1955; Mahoney et al., 1960). According to them successful leaders are naturally born and those they have certain native characteristics which distinguish them from non-leaders (see Stodgill, 1948). However, there was significant difficulty in validating these characteristics led to widespread criticism of this trait approach, signaling the emergence of style and behavioral approaches to leadership (Stodgill, 1948). Style and behavioral theorists shifted the emphasis away from the characteristics of the leader to the behavior and style the leader adopted (Hemphill and Coons, 1957; Likert, 1961). The primry conclusion of these studies is that adoption of democratic or participative styles by leaders are more successful (see, for example, Bowsers and Seashore, 1966). In this sense, these early studies are focused on identifying the one best way of leading. Similarly to trait theories, the major weakness of style and behavioral theories is the ignorance of how important role situational factors play in determining the effectiveness of individual leaders (Mullins, 1999). It is this limitation that gives rise to the situational and contingency theories of leadership (for example, Fiedler, 1967; House, 1971; Vroom and Yetton, 1974) which shift the emphasis away from the one best way to lead to context-sensitive leadership. Although each study emphasizes the importance of different factors, the general tenet of the situational and contingency perspectives is that leadership effectiveness is dependent on the leaders diagnosis and understanding of situational factors, followed by the adoption of the appropriate style to deal with each circumstance. However, recent studies on leadership have contrasted transactional leadership with transformational. Transactional leaders are said to be instrumental and frequently focus on exchange relationship with their subordinates (Bass and Avolio, 1993). In contrast, transformational leaders are argued to be visionary and enthusiastic, with an inherent ability to motivate subordinates (Bycio et al., 1995; Howell and Avolio, 1993). Although the brief summary above indicates that research into leadership has gone through periods of skepticism, recent interest has focused on the importance of the leadership role to the success of organizations. Fiedler (1996), one of the most respected researchers on leadership, has provided a recent treatise on the importance of leadership by arguing that the effectiveness of a leader is a major determinant of the success or failure of a group, organization or even an entire country. Indeed, it has been argued that one way in which organizations have sought to cope with the increasing volatility and turbulence of the external environment is by training and developing leaders and equipping them with the skills to cope (Darcy and Kleiner, 1991; Hennessey, 1998; Saari et al., 1988). These claims are based on the assumption of a direct link between leadership and organizational performance. This assumption requires critical review. Widely celebrated cases of a direct leadership-performance link may be found in numerous anecdotal accounts of improvements of company performance attributed to changes in leadership (see, for example, Nicholls, 1988; Quick, 1992; Simms, 1997). However, empirical studies into the links between leadership and performance have been lacking. One notable exception is the detailed study of the impact of leadership on performance in the somewhat surprising context of Icelandic fishing ships. Thorlindsson (1987) suggests that variations in the performance of different fishing ships, under identical conditions, can be accounted for by the leadership skills of captains. Over a three-year period, Thorlindsson (1987) revealed that the leadership qualities of the ship captains accounted for 35 to 49 per cent of variation in the catch of different crews. Other studies which examine the links between leadership and performance coincide with the re-emergence of the one best way to lead debate. Of particular relevance is the resurgence of interest into charismatic leadership, which is frequently referred to as transformational leadership (Bass and Avolio, 1993). A number of researchers theorize that transformational leadership is linked to organizational performance (see, for example, Bycio et al., 1995; Howell and Avolio, 1993). Conceptually, it is argued that the visionary and inspirational skills of transformational leaders motivate followers to deliver superior performance (Nicholls, 1988; Quick, 1992). In summary, much of the above evidence presented as supporting the claim of a leadership-performance link is anecdotal and frequently over-concentrates on the transformational role of leaders in corporate successes (for example, Quick, 1992; Simms, 1997; Taffinder, 1995). It would appear that few studies have responded to the observation of Porter and Mckibbin (1988) that much of the research reported as supporting this claim is either inconclusive or empirically suspect. The limited or inconclusive character of research findings in this area suggests the need to investigate further the nature of the relationship between leadership and performance. LEADERSHIP TYPOLOGIES Several different categories of leadership paradigms have been suggested by various researchers. For example, Bass (1985) stated that there are four dimensions of transformational leadership, three dimensions of transactional leadership, and a non-leadership dimension of laissez-faire leadership (Bass, 1985). Avery (2004) suggested categorizing leadership into four leadership paradigms, while Goleman (1995) prefers six leadership paradigms  [1]  . Despite Basss (1985) model being acclaimed as making a major contribution to leadership, his theory has been criticized for various reasons (Yukl, 1999). One criticism is that his model overemphasizes the importance of one or two leadership paradigms (e.g. transactional and visionary), omitting the classical and organic paradigms Bass asserts that visionary (transformational) leaders are nearly always more effective than transactional leaders, but others (e.g. Judge and Piccolo, 2004; Wallace, 1997) dispute this. While this in itself does not invalidate the concept of visionary leadership, Bass attributes more to visionary (transformational) leadership than perhaps he should. As Avery (2004) suggested, both transactional and visionary leadership are valid forms of leadership, but visionary leadership may be applicable more broadly, including in situations where there are insufficient resources for the manager to rely on supplying external rewards (Judge and Piccolo, 2004), or where t he situation is complex and ambiguous, and relies strongly on follower knowledge and commitment. Avery suggests that there are other situations in which transactional leadership is the appropriate form of leadership, such as when followers are unwilling or unable to commit to the leaders vision. In contrast with Basss (1985) model, Averys (2004) paradigms provide a broad basis allowing for different forms of leadership that have evolved at different times and in different places. The paradigms are useful for showing that there is no single best way of thinking about leadership, rather that different kinds of leadership reflect social and historical roots. Averys paradigms allow leadership to depend on the context, respond to organizational needs and preferences, and involve many interdependent factors that can be manipulated (Bryman, 1992; Shamir and Howell, 1999; Yukl, 1999). LEADERSHIP PARADIGMS AND MEASURES Avery (2004) proposes 13 indices to differentiate between her four paradigms: classical, transactional, visionary, and organic. The nine indices included in this review are decision making, range of staffs power, power distance between leader and the staff, key player of the organization, source of staffs commitment, staffs responsibility, situation of management and leadership in the organization, situation of diversity in the organization and situation of control in the organization  [2]  . These nine criteria are considered more relevant for differentiating the four leadership paradigms than the other four criteria. Each paradigm is discussed in turn, including the distinguishing characteristics using the above nine criteria. Classical leadership is probably the oldest paradigm with its origins in antiquity, and is still used in contemporary organizations (Avery, 2004). This paradigm reflected the prevailing view in the business literature until the 1970s when the human relations movement led to more of a focus on followers and their environment. According to Avery (2004), classical leadership refers to dominance by a pre-eminent person or an elite group of people. This leadership can either be coercive or benevolent or a mixture of both. This happens because the elite individual or group commands or maneuvers other members to act towards a goal, which may or may not be explicitly stated. The other members of the society or organization typically adhere to the directives of the elite leader, do not openly question their directives, and execute orders largely out of fear of the consequences of not doing so, or out of respect for the leader, or both (Avery, 2004). Classical leadership has some limitations. The first occurs where the leader cannot command and control every action, particularly as situations become more complex and beyond the capacity of one person; or when additional commitment from followers is needed to get a job done, such as in reacting to changing circumstances; or when ideas about leadership change and followers no longer accept domination, or follower commitment starts to wane for other reasons. Another limitation is that this paradigm often relies on the idea of a great person, implying that only a select few are good enough to exercise initiative, and this belief can encourage followers to deskill themselves and idealize the leaders. Followers then seek and hold little power, leave the leader accountable for organizational outcomes, and make relatively little contribution to the organization (Avery, 2004). According to the nine distinguishing indicators, under the classical leadership paradigm leaders normally use an autocratic style for making decisions, invo lving followers in the decision making process never or very little; they do not empower followers. Followers have almost no power in the organization and as classical leaders tend to be highly directive, followers can be unskilled. The source of followers commitment comes from their fear of or respect for the leaders; the technical system becomes more regulating; the operations in the organization become more routine and predictable; and the organization is highly controlled by the leaders (Avery, 2004). A transaction or exchange process is the basis of the commonly employed transactional leadership paradigm (Evans and Dermer, 1974; House and Mitchell, 1974). The transactional leader recognizes subordinates needs and desires, and then clarifies how those needs and desires will be met in exchange for subordinates work. By clarifying what is required of subordinates and the consequences of their behaviors, transactional leaders are able to build confidence in subordinates to exert the necessary effort to achieve expected levels of performance. According to Judge and Piccolo (2004), three dimensions of transactional leadership are contingent reward, management by exception-active, and management by exception-passive. Contingent reward is the degree to which the leader sets up constructive transactions or exchanges with followers. The leader clarifies expectations and establishes the rewards for meeting these expectations. In general, management by exception is the degree to which the le ader takes corrective action on the basis of results of leader-follower transactions (Judge and Piccolo, 2004). As noted by Howell and Avolio (1993), the difference between management by exception-active and management by exception-passive lies in the timing of the leaders intervention. Active leaders monitor follower behavior, anticipate problems, and take corrective actions before the behavior creates serious difficulties. Passive leaders wait until the behavior has created problems before taking action (Howell and Avolio, 1993; Judge and Piccolo, 2004). According to Avery (2004, p.34), under the transactional leadership paradigm, leaders adopt a consultative style for making decisions. They engage in different degrees of consultation with individual followers, but the leaders remain the final decision-makers. Leaders do not very often empower followers, and followers have very low power in the organization apart from being able to withdraw from or contribute more of their labor. Compared with classical leadership, under transactional leadership the source of followers commitment comes from the rewards, agreements, and expectations negotiated with the leader rather than from their fear of, or respect for, the classical leader. The technical system becomes more regulating, the operations in the organization become more routine and predictable, and the organization is mostly highly controlled by the leaders. Avery (2004) argues that under transactional leadership, the followers knowledge base can be somewhat higher than under classical leadership. Compared with classical leaders, transactional leaders require staff somewhat more skilled on specific tasks. In the last three decades, visionary (transformational, charismatic) leadership has received increasing attention (Bass, 1985, 1998; Burns, 1978; Conger and Kanungo, 1987; House, 1977). It added a new dimension to organizational studies, namely the visionary aspect of leadership and the emotional involvement of employees within an organization. The basic notion is that a visionary leader can create an impression that he or she has high competence and a vision to achieve success. Subordinates are expected to respond with enthusiasm and commitment to the leadership objectives, and may be recruited because they share the vision. Bass (1985, 1998) developed a theory of visionary or transformational leadership whereby the leader inspires and activates subordinates to perform beyond normal expectations. According to Avery (2004), visionary leadership has limitations, even with the current literatures overwhelmingly positive view of it. Nadler and Tuschman (1990) pointed out that the unreal istic expectations followers often place on visionary leaders can create disappointment if things do not work out. Followers can become dependent on visionary leaders, believing that the leader has everything under control. Also, innovation can be inhibited if people become reluctant to disagree with a visionary leader. Avery (2004, p.39) distinguishes the visionary leadership paradigm from the other three paradigms as follows. First, leaders employ a collaborative style for making decisions. They share problems with their followers and seek consensus before the leaders make the final decision. Visionary leaders empower their followers, giving followers a much higher level of power in the organization than classical and transactional leadership. This is essential because the leader needs the followers input and commitment to realize his or her goals. Followers of visionary leadership need sufficient power to work autonomously towards a shared vision. The source of followers commitme nt comes from the influence of the leaders charisma and/or the shared vision, the technical system becomes still more complex, operations become more uncertain and unpredictable, and the organization is jointly controlled by the leaders and their followers. Regarding the followers knowledge base, visionary leadership requires skilled and knowledgeable workers who are attracted to, and share the leaders vision, and can contribute to realizing the vision. The fourth paradigm, organic leadership, is relatively new to organizational studies. Recently introduced by Drath (2001) and expanded by Avery (2004), organic leadership is likely to blur the formal distinction between leaders and followers. This paradigm relies on reciprocal actions, where team members work together in whatever roles of authority and power they may have, not based on position power (Hirschhorn, 1997; Raelin, 2003; Rothschild and Whitt, 1986). Employees become interacting partners in determining what makes sense, how to adapt to change, and what is a useful direction. Rather than relying on one leader, organic organizations are likely to have many leaders. Multiple leaders are valuable because as people cope with heterogeneous and dynamic environments, the knowledge and issues become too complicated for only a few leaders to understand (Avery, 2004). Organic leadership allows for people with different degrees of expertise on current issues to emerge and be accepted by the group as leaders. In addition, under organic leadership, there may be no formal leaders and the interaction of all organizational members can act as a form of leadership, held together by a shared vision, values, and a supporting culture. Under this paradigm where an organization has no formal leadership structure, an integrator role may emerge to actively link together the many parts of the organization (Avery, 2004). The emphasis is on emerging leadership rather than on people being appointed to leadership positions. However, Kanter (1989) argued that the downside of organic leadership that advocates autonomy, freedom, discretion and authorization may result in loss of control and greatly increased uncertainty. It is important to recognize that organic leadership is about generating a form of self-control and self-organization, where people have a clear sense of purpose and autonomy within a particular context (Meindl, 1998). This idealized organic leadership paradigm requi res differentiating from classical, transactional, and visionary leadership concepts by not relying on formal leaders. Furthermore, the enterprise has to trust in the capacity of its members to solve problems and make decisions in the interests of the organization. This idea clearly relies upon self-leading organizational members (Avery, 2004). According to Averys (2004, p. 39) distinguishing characteristics, under organic leadership an organization adopts a mutual agreement style for making decisions. Decisions need not be unanimous but can be based on consensus. The members have a high degree of power as a result of this shared leadership. Accountability and responsibility are shared as well. The source of followers commitment is based on the values and visions shared by all the members in the organization; a strong, shared culture; a technical system that is highly complex; operations in the organic organization become more self-organizing and unpredictable; formal control is pro vided by peer pressure and group dynamics, and a shared culture, vision, and values. Members are self-managing. Organic leadership seems particularly appropriate for professional and knowledge workers in dynamic, chaotic situations. This leadership paradigm relies on attracting and retaining highly trained and knowledgeable staff with self-controlling capabilities