Enlightenment Essays (840 words) - Age Of Enlightenment, Philosophes

Enlightenment The Enlightenment is a name given by historians to an intellectual movement that was predominant in the Western world during the 18th century. Strongly influenced by the rise of modern science and by the aftermath of the long religious conflict that followed the Reformation, the thinkers of the Enlightenment (called philosophes in France) were committed to secular views based on reason or human understanding only, which they hoped would provide a basis for beneficial changes affecting every area of life and thought. The more extreme and radical philosophes--Denis Diderot, Claude Adrien Helvetius, Baron d'Holbach, the Marquis de Condorcet, and Julien Offroy de La Mettrie (1709-51)--advocated a philosophical rationalism deriving its methods from science and natural philosophy that would replace religion as the means of knowing nature and destiny of humanity; these men were materialists, pantheists, or atheists. Other enlightened thinkers, such as Pierre Bayle, Voltaire, David Hume, Jean Le Rond D'alembert, and Immanuel Kant, opposed fanaticism, but were either agnostic or left room for some kind of religious faith. All of the philosophes saw themselves as continuing the work of the great 17th century pioneers--Francis Bacon, Galileo, Descartes, Leibnitz, Isaac Newton, and John Locke--who had developed fruitful methods of rational and empirical inquiry and had demonstrated the possibility of a world remade by the application of knowledge for human benefit. The philosophes believed that science could reveal nature as it truly is and show how it could be controlled and manipulated. This belief provided an incentive to extend scientific methods into every field of inquiry, thus laying the groundwork for the development of the modern social sciences. The enlightened understanding of human nature was one that emphasized the right to self-expression and human fulfillment, the right to think freely and express one's views publicly without censorship or fear of repression. Voltaire admired the freedom he found in England and fostered the spread of English ideas on the Continent. He and his followers opposed the intolerance of the established Christian churches of their day, as well as the European governments that controlled and suppressed dissenting opinions. For example, the social disease which Pangloss caught from Paquette was traced to a "very learned Franciscan" and later to a Jesuit. Also, Candide reminisces that his passion for Cunegonde first developed at a Mass. More conservative enlightened thinkers, concerned primarily with efficiency and administrative order, favored the"enlightened despotism" of such monarchs as Emperor Joseph II, Frederick II of Prussia, and Catherine II of Russia. Enlightened political thought expressed demands for equality and justice and for the legal changes needed to realize these goals. Set forth by Baron de Montesquieu, the changes were more boldly urged by the contributors to the great Encyclopedie edited in Paris by Diderot between 1747 and 1772, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Cesare Beccaria, and finally by Jeremy Bentham, whose utilitarianism was the culmination of a long debate on happiness and the means of achieving it. The political writers of the Enlightenment built on and extended the rationalistic, republican, and natural-law theories that had been evolved in the previous century as the bases of law, social peace, and just order. As they did so, they also elaborated novel doctrines of popular sovereignty that the 19th century would transform into a kind of nationalism that contradicted the individualistic outlook of the philosophes. Among those who were important in this development were historians such as Voltaire, Hume, William Robertson, Edward Gibbon, and Giambattista Vico. Their work showed that although all peoples shared a common human nature, each nation and every age also had distinctive characteristics that made it unique. These paradoxes were explored by early romantics such as Johann Georg Hamman and Johann Gottfried von Herder. Everywhere the Enlightenment produced restless men impatient for change but frustrated by popular ignorance and official repression. This gave the enlightened literati an interest in popular education. They promoted educational ventures and sought in witty, amusing, and even titillating ways to educate and awaken their contemporaries. The stories of Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle or Benjamin Franklin, the widely imitated essays of Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, and many dictionaries, handbooks, and encyclopedias produced by the enlightened were written to popularize, simplify, and promote a more reasonable view of life among the people of their time. The Enlightenment came to an end in western Europe after the upheavals of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era (1789-1815) revealed the costs of its political program and the lack of commitment in those whose rhetoric was often more liberal than their actions. Nationalism undercut its cosmopolitan values and assumptions about human nature, and the romantics attacked its belief that clear intelligible answers could be found to every question asked

Let the Word Do the Work

Let the Word Do the Work Let the Word Do the Work Let the Word Do the Work By Maeve Maddox When language-mutilator Yogi Berra said that something was like deja vu all over again, everybody laughed. Lately I get the feeling that some people who say it dont know its a joke. Yogis belts and suspenders approach to words seems to be on the increase. Weve all seen ads that offer a free gift. Sometimes its an absolutely free gift. Its as if people dont trust a word to mean what it means. Some recent examples from the media include: adequate enough, a navy sailor, an army soldier, coupled together with, and the maroon-colored Jaguar. Sometimes explanatory constructions are necessary in certain contexts. One can refer to a Mafia soldier, for example, but if the context is the evening news about the Iraq war, a listener can be trusted to understand the word without tacking on army. Besides sounding foolish, the practice of bolstering a word with a a word that replicates its meaning weakens the expressiveness of the language. Here are some redundant combinations Ive heard or read lately in the media. The careful writer will avoid such nonsense. return back progress forward forests of trees other alternatives continue on evacuated out regress back penetrate through speeding too fast refinanced again a human person charred black a baby nursery reiterate again fast forward ahead socialize together two twin towers added bonus end result new innovation very unique Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should KnowBetween vs. In Between5 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

Global e-business ( two question in the sources) Essay

Global e-business ( two question in the sources) - Essay Example Many successful businesses are revamping their existing business structure and adding e-business components to their primary business model in order to enjoy the opportunity created by the disruptive web technology. Nonetheless, the extent of adapting to electronics business varies according to the companies, as some of them employ entire electronic business models and some only adopts support functions, like, communications. The purpose of this project is to devise the way in which Azinsu, an apparel brand with a niche market, can use benefits of internet based technology, so as to expand its market and modify traditional business structure, thereby going global. The aspects of e-business, which will be covered in the course of discussion, are design and manufacturing department and also, supply chain logistics. The appropriate mode of the company to cater to the needs of foreign customers will also be elaborated. Azinsu is an apparel company that has been extremely successful in creating its own brand in the female clothing industry. The product of the company has been highly popular among clients of the upper-end market, like, celebrities. The company has successfully created a niche market, where it has been consistently selling quality products. The traditional mode of operation of the company is, however, creating a constraint in sales. This is because products that are produced by the company are in huge demand all over, but lack of global presence is restricting them from having a global customer base. Presently, the company is devising new line of products, like, shoes and fragrances, which greatly appeal to the current target market, mainly consisting of fashion conscious women, who have the wherewithal to purchase the company’s products. In order to understand the juxtaposition of e-business in the traditional business model of

Artificial Artifacts, Like Robots Research Paper

Artificial Artifacts, Like Robots - Research Paper Example These aspects of robots interaction with humans has made man to start considering robots as 'companions', rather than tools or appliances. Those who posses these machines do not seem to settle for a simple solution, but rather continue to invent and improve these machines to resemble human beings. The biggest question at this point, probably, is for how long would or should the human race continue to take this? Does it mean that eventually the robots may end up taking the world away from us? Does it mean that every human problem would eventually start getting robotic solution as time goes by? These are very crucial sentiments that must be addressed sooner rather than later (Tillrch, 2006). Impressively is how the founder of the artificial intelligence John McCarthy attempts to respond to the above question. He clearly puts his opinion on the existence of these robots that resemble human beings as a problem waiting to explode (Tillrch, 2006). ... Marvin's Minsky, another Artificial intelligence pioneer echoes McCarthy's point of view by arguing that in case an individual gets used to order a household robot to do certain things probably he/she may go ahead to command fellow human beings to do such boring, disgusting and unspeakable things that they are used to order the robots to do (Markus, 1991). Therefore, to him, Morality must be instilled in these robots and it must begin with the owners of these machines (Markus, 1991). A close look at many industrial countries and in particular South Korea, then one would be interested to see how the introduction of these human like robots would impact the human race. What concerns us is that we do want to see the introduction of these robots making lives of human beings better and easy; the question is what would be the side effects. For example, the South Korean government is embarking on a mass production of these robots with an aim that by 2020, every household should own one. Toda y, these robots in South Korea work as tourist guides in museums and English teachers in schools. Therefore, from a personal point of view, moral and professional ethics, which include code of conduct, should be introduced to these machines (Markus, 1991). Following a study carried out by Peter. H. Kahn Jr. in the laboratory, the results is that there is a clear relationship between how we reason and behave in relation to continuous interaction with robots. What is true is that there many robots in the market and they are easily available. The robots can cause a tremendous change in behavior with those who interact with them. Therefore, there should be moral values accompanied with their production and

Reading a Health Record Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading a Health Record - Coursework Example Abdomen: Benign, Genitalia: normal with red sacral area. Extremities 3+ pitting edema to the knees. Neurological: good and on track. The patient doesn’t sleep well, has increased pedal edema and no symptoms of coughing or fever. X-ray displays Left pleural effusion, congestive heart failure and pneumonia. In the case of patient assessment with cognitive heart failure, left pleural effusion and pneumonia a dosage of Diurese was administered, four antibiotics, blood cultures and sputum test. The patient is admitted and put on bed rest with oxygen mask. Behavioral problem – patient constantly complaining of poor living conditions of the facility, staff and food. She doesn’t want to sleep in her room. Causal factor appears to having trouble with anger or adjustment problem and severe end-stage cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is caused by hardening of the arteries responsible for bringing blood into the heart. As the arteries narrow the heart lacks oxygen and gradually it becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood. This condition is diagnosed when heart has irregular heartbeat and fractional ejection is lower. Fractional ejection can be tested through MRI of heart, echocardiogram, cardiac blood pooling image and gated SPECT. Change of certain lifestyle habits that lead to heart failure. Introduction of a Pacemaker to help the heart beat slow down or beat normally. There are surgery procedures like angioplasty and cardiac catheterization that helps good flow of blood in the veins. If a patient fails all treatment then heart transplant would be the only alternative left. (Libby & Braunwald, 2008) The patient was put under the right diagnosis given her symptoms and the treatment of the disease. The patient tested positive for Ischemic cardiomyopathy. The patient displayed all symptoms as projected in the hospital records that matched the

Strengths and weaknesses of situational leadership model

Strengths and weaknesses of situational leadership model According to situational leadership models in general, leaders should adopt different leadership approaches depending on the situations that they encounter. Leadership competencies which work in one given situation may not be effective under different circumstances (Graef, 1983). In other words, other factors must be taken into account when deciding which leadership style to use in a given situation. Therefore, successful leaders can be characterised as those who are able to adjust their leadership styles according to situations which warrant their intervention. The Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Model is built on the concept using follower maturity as the key issue which affects adjustment in leadership styles.  [1]  Follower maturity, which defines the readiness of followers to perform in a given situation, is based on two major factors the ability and confidence in performing the tasks. Four leadership styles which emerge from this two-by-two matrix model (see Table 1) are Participating, Selling, Telling and Delegating. All these four leadership styles have varying levels in terms of follower ability and confidence. Table 1: Hersey-Blanchard Situational Table Leadership Model High PARTICIPATING STYLE Followers are capable but Relationship Behaviourunwilling and not confident SELLING STYLE Followers are unable but willing and confident DELEGATING STYLE Followers are capable, willing and confident TELLING STYLE Followers are unable, unwilling and not confident Low Task Behaviour Low High Managers who are keen to use the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Model must first fully understand or be able to assess/gauge the level of maturity of its subordinates with reference to their readiness or commitment to perform their job tasks.  [2]   Based on the case analysis presented and the leadership model depicted in the table above, it can be concluded that John Terrill had adopted the Delegating Leadership Style in dealing with the situation at DGI Internationals Technical Services division. Delegating Leadership Style Looking at the two-by-two matrix, the Delegating Leadership Style is described as Low Task, Low Relationship, whereby intervention from managers is kept to a minimum with the assumption that the subordinates are able, willing and confident of accomplishing the tasks at hand. Managers who adopt this style of leadership will allow their followers or subordinates to take responsibility for their assigned tasks with minimal supervision from them. In the case of DGI Internationals Technical Services division, John Terrill practiced the delegating style based on the profile of the team in his division. Since it was stated that all 20 of his subordinates are engineers who are highly paid and best educated, it can be deduced that this group of employees are high performers in their area of expertise within the organization. Management will not be willing to pay them highly if they do not possess high level of job maturity, which refers to their job capabilities and confidence in accomplishing their tasks as engineers. Based on their aptitude and the fact that the engineers requested top management to stop making them spend too much time on writing reports, Terrill was able to gauge that the employees possess high capabilities of performing their tasks and are also willing and confident to do their job provided that they were given the opportunity and time needed to accomplish their tasks. The engineers did not need much prompting and directions from him to take on new initiatives which help contribute to their productivity. Terrills delegating style can be further identified when he promised to stay off the engineers backs and also make sure that top management did the same. This indicates that Terrill will not interfere much with the daily tasks of the engineers because he believes the engineers know what are expected of them, what they are supposed to do and do not need much direction from Terrill to accomplish their tasks. Strengths of Delegating Style This style of leadership empowers followers to be responsible for their own actions and decisions. For example, the engineers are given high autonomy in completing their tasks with minimal supervision by Terrill. For mature followers who have high level of job readiness, this leadership style will give them a great sense of accomplishment which acts as motivator to give their best and increase productivity (Hersey and Blanchard, 1988). In this case, the engineers are able to concentrate on accomplishing their tasks and productivity of the division will improve. Empowerment allows for a certain degree of independence which promotes accountability and creativity in individuals. A leader who is able to delegate his authority in terms of job accomplishment will have time to focus on other strategic matters. Followers of this leadership style will feel more trusted and will build a closer working relationship with the leaders and foster better team work. Inadvertently, it will be easier for Terrill to turn around the department because his engineers will have more respect for him and will not hesitate to help him achieve their goals. Weaknesses of Delegating Style Measurement of job readiness is subjective and based on several factors, mainly job ability and job confidence (Hambleton et al., 1977(. However, if a leader wrongly gauged the job readiness of his followers and leave it to them to accomplish certain tasks, he may not achieve the desired results at the end of the day. This style of leadership is open to abuse. Followers may be able, willing and confident to perform the tasks but they may also take advantage of the low intervention from their managers so that the tasks may not be completed on time or productivity is not up to par as expected. A leader is able to delegate the tasks to his followers but accountability of the job still lies with the leader. To sum up, job delegation should be a gradual process until the leader is satisfied and confident that the tasks can be accomplished with minor supervision. However, in the real world, there is no single leadership style that can be applied in all situations. Effective leaders should be able to adjust their leadership styles according to the situation at hand. Leaders who are able to adopt different styles based on what is required of them will be most successful. Question 2 What do you think was John Terrills source of power? Do you think it is effective? The concept of power can be defined in varying ways but generally power is regarded as the ability to influence, affect and mobilize the attitudes and behaviour of others. The term power, authority, domination and control are often used interchangeably as there is a thin line separating their meanings (Pheby, 2004). However, power is not exclusive to only managers and leaders as opposed to authority which comes with certain legitimate positions. Power is able to shape ones actions and behaviour; thus, it can be maintained that decision making can be influenced with the existence of power sources in a system. In an organizational context, power is directly related to hierarchy or structure and legitimacy which come with positions. The ability of those in higher ranking positions to influence their subordinates is driven by power. It is an element which is able to shape managers and followers, and is the key underlying factor for leadership effectiveness. In fact, one of its most important functions is to build interdependency between leaders and followers. Ogden et al. (2006) entails that power need not have goal compatibility but only dependence. Researchers French and Raven (1959) had studied the sources of power and successfully listed them in five distinct forms. The five bases of power in organizations which are able to affect success in leadership are described as follows: Category Source of power Description POSITIONAL POWER Legitimate power This source of power usually comes with specific roles and positions in organisations. This power is also embedded in formal job descriptions that are mutually agreed to by employees in an organisation. Generally, people holding higher position are able to exert more organisational power compared to those in lower ranking jobs. Reward power Normally associated with the formal authority to allocate organisational rewards to employees. This type of power can weaken if the reward is no longer perceived as valuable by the receiver. Coercive power The person holding this power is able to impose punishment. In organisations, punishments can be in the form of reprimand, disciplinary action, suspension, demotion, dismissal, etc. Coercive power is usually associated with authority and can be used as a coercion tool at the workplace. PERSONAL POWER Expert power The ability to influence based on a persons knowledge, skills and expertise which originates from within an individual. This type of power is normally acquired by experts in certain fields. May not necessarily linked to position or authority in an organisation. Referent power An individual with referent power is looked upon as a role model by others. The individual usually possesses a charm, appeal, charisma or admirable qualities which others want to identify with. These five sources of power can be broadly categorised into positional power and personal power. Positional power refers to external power which is vested in an individuals formal role, position or authority. Legitimate power, reward power and coercion power fall in this category. On the other hand, expert power and referent power can be grouped as personal power because they involve internal or personal traits which belong to individuals. In DGI Internationals case study, John Terrill applied a combination of both position and personal powers to solve the problem faced by his subordinates in the Technical Services division. 1. Positional power Being appointed as the head of Technical Services Division clearly indicated that John Terrill held legitimate power over the department. As the new boss to a team of highly paid and skilled engineers, it can be assumed that John Terrill himself possessed quality traits which made top management at DGI International very confident that he can turn the non-performing department around. Terrill first demonstrated his legitimate power during his meeting with the engineers. First, he cleverly gained the engineers confidence by showing great concern for their welfare. Then he exerted his legitimate power by demanding to know the reasons for their lack of productivity and factors which hamper their expected performance. His ability to influence the engineers to voice out their grievances which affected their performance showed that he was successful in getting to the root of the departments productivity problem. In this case, Terrill did not use any reward or coercive power because he did not impose any reward or punishment in getting to the root of the problem and then making sure that his engineers would carry out their tasks after that. He used empathy and diplomacy as a leader by exerting his influence to make them follow his instructions. Terrill also exercised his authority when he issued immediate order for reports to be sent to his office instead of the headquarters as warranted by top management. He was well aware that his orders were against top managements instructions, but he was not afraid to use the legitimate power vested in his position to stand by his decision to keep the management off the engineers backs as promised. 2. Personal power The top managements concern about the low productivity further showed the importance placed on his team. Terrill understood that his team of engineers is crucial to the organisations growth since they are the best educated and highly paid employees in the company. From this profile alone, Terrill knew that his division held a lot of expertise required in the manufacturing of refinery equipment. Knowledge and skills of the engineers are highly valued by the organisation, which was why they were never reprimanded for their lack of productivity before. In other words, the engineers have expert power which made them indispensable to the company. Terrills source of expert power was also derived from the engineers knowledge and skills. He could anticipate that top management would agree to his recommendation that management should not bog down the engineers with daily reports because their engineering expertise is a critical resource in meeting the companys production objectives, whereas internal reports are only administrative requirements. In this example, Terrill obviously used the divisions expert power to negotiate with top management to stay out of their way so that they can carry out their engineering work as expected, and hopefully increase productivity as expected of them. Terrill seemed to have gained support from his engineers because they cheered him when he was about to meet top management to fight for their cause. If he successfully gets top management to agree with his plight, he will undoubtedly build his referent power and be admired for his charm and charisma in carrying out his task as their leader. It can be summarized that Terrill effectively used his legitimate power to influence his engineers to confide in him about problems that they faced which hampered productivity of the division. Terrill also successfully exercised the divisions expert power to ensure top management did not impose trivial matters (such as writing internal daily reports) which consume much of the engineers time so that they could concentrate on accomplishing their engineering tasks. Question 3 Henry Mintzbergs research indicates that diverse manager activities can be organized into ten roles. Identify two of these roles that John Terrill performed in carrying out his duty. According to Henry Mintzberg (2004), based on his research on the various activities of managers in a business setting, the roles of managers can be classified into ten types as depicted in the following table: CATEGORY ROLE ACTIVITY Interpersonal Figurehead Perform duties which are symbolic and ceremonial. Regarded as symbol of authority. Leader Directing, motivating, training, advising, influencing, encouraging, promoting development of others. Liaison In charge of internal and external information links. Engage in exchange of information. Informational Monitor Process and assess information. Maintain information and contacts. Disseminator Transmit information to other via phone calls, memos, notes, etc. Spokesman Representing organisation to outsiders in public relations capacity. Decisional Entrepreneur Project initiation, business identification and leads for opportunities. Disturbance Handler Handles internal crises and conflicts involving employees, and also external changes. Resource Allocator Responsible for allocation and sets priority for organisational resources via budgets, etc. Negotiator Negotiates with suppliers, unions, etc. Through his research, Mintzberg (1973) also managed to conclude that all the above ten roles fall into three broad categories which are interlinked. To illustrate the point, all three interpersonal roles Figurehead, Leader and Liaison provide information. Informational roles Monitor, Disseminator and Spokesperson process the information and act as a link to all the managerial roles. Meanwhile, the decisional roles make decision on how to deliver the information to other parties. All these ten roles can be applied to any managerial situation depending on the requirement of the circumstances. Based on Mintzbergs theory, in the DGI Internationals case, John Terrill played the roles of Liaison and Negotiator. Liaison John Terrill applied his interpersonal skills excellently when he first approached the engineers to seek information on their current problems which affected their productivity. During his meeting, he played his role as a liaison or intermediary between the engineers and top management. He did not reprimand the engineers for the poor performance of the Technical Services division without first finding out the cause of their low contribution to productivity; instead, he offered to resolve the conflict by trying to get to the root of the problem and find a lasting solution that will help them to increase their output in the organisation. His openness may have encouraged the engineers to confide in him even though he was new to the organisation. Terrill also successfully executed this role by openly showing his concern for the staffs welfare. Perhaps this helped open up the communication channel between him and the engineers because they feel that Terrill was acting in their interests. After that, the engineers willingly voice out their grouses and complaints when Terrill asked them point blank as to why the division was not performing as expected. His networking skills were clearly demonstrated when he empathised with the engineers and responded positively that engineers in the Technical Services division should not be tied down with paperwork if top management expected them to be more productive. Instead, they should be allowed to focus more on accomplishing their engineering tasks. In his liaison role, Terrill tried to maintain positive relationship with the engineers and not take sides with the top management by using any form of coercion on his team. His objective was to turn around the division and increase the engineers productivity. Therefore, he carefully played his role by offering them a possible solution. Using the power vested in his position as the manager of the team coupled with the mandate given by top management to solve the productivity issue, Terrill issued an order which was against the wish of company management. To illustrate, while the company management requires that the engineers turned in daily reports to headquarters, Terrill ordered them to turn in the reports to his office instead. However, Terrill had anticipated a showdown with top management and had already thought up a plan to back up his actions. He had proven that while the engineers were asked to turn in daily reports, actually nobody in top management would need the report dai ly because for three weeks, nobody in headquarters enquired about the missing daily reports. Negotiator In solving the low productivity issue of the Technical Services division, Terrill also played the role of a negotiator. This role was demonstrated during his first management meeting with the engineers. He explained to them the managements concern for the low productivity of the division despite being the highest paid and best educated group within the organisations. He also asked them to voice out their grouses and the possible reasons for their non-performance. When he found out that the engineers were demotivated by the amount of daily reporting that they had to do instead of focussing on their engineering tasks, Terrill asked the engineers to carry out their engineering duties like they were supposed to and increase the divisions productivity while he took care of the daily report generation problem with top management. He convinced them that he would stay out of their way and get the top management off their backs so that the engineers can accomplish their tasks as expected. Wit h Terrill at the helm of the division, the engineers are able to concentrate on their primary tasks and not worry about other petty issues. The engineers were also confident that Terrill will be able to prove a point to top management by keeping the daily reports in his office, and they seemed to have supported his actions. During the showdown with top management in the presidents office, Terrill displayed his negotiation skills by informing top management that the main reason for Technical Services divisions low output was that the engineers were more occupied with writing daily reports than actually doing their engineering tasks. He successfully proved his point by showing top management that the high stack of report produced over the last three weeks were not read by anyone because no one asked to look at them. He evidently showed them that the amount of time spent on writing the report had gone to waste, and that the precious time should be spent by the engineers to accomplish other important engineering duties. He then suggested that management do away with the daily report and one brief report from his office on a monthly basis is sufficient. In conclusion, managers are involved in a myriad of activities when performing the managerial functions. These activities can be clustered into broad categories and identified into roles. By understanding these managerial roles, managers will be able to discharge their duties more efficiently and effectively. Question 4 Do you think gender makes a difference when it comes to leadership style? Use example(s) and literatures to support your stand. Gender is a socially constructed concept of men and women which varies according to cultures, societies, social classes and even periods in history (FAO, 1997). It is sometimes misunderstood as being biologically determined and solely related to the sexual characteristics of men and women. However, according to Bravo-Baumann (2000) gender relations involves how society determines the rights and responsibilities of women and men. Traditionally, the roles of women are mostly confined to household-related chores and nurturing of family. Many cultures across the globe regarded women as the weaker sex with limited roles to play in the social system. In some countries, women are even denied access to education, rights to freedom, and in extreme cases are relegated to subordinate status (Bass et al, 1971). However, with the rise of movements towards equality in gender in the modern world, more societies have begun to change their mindsets and accept the fact that women also have roles to play in the development of the society and economy (Inglehart and Noris, 2003). The last several decades have witnessed the emergence of women holding managerial roles in organizations. Although men still hold the fort, more women are seen entering the workforce with an increasingly number of them being promoted to high managerial positions (Druskat, 1994). However, many women nowadays earn their organisations mandate and are appointed as CEOs and MDs of companies. Currently, some countries are headed by female premiers and presidents, for example Australia and New Zealand. These show that women are fast being recognized in their roles as capable leaders. As a result of the increase in female leadership roles, there have been a string of researches aimed at studying the leadership styles and behaviour differences between men and women leaders (Statham, 1987; Carless, 1998; Davidson Ferrario, 1992; Van Engen et al., 2001). Some researchers failed to find disparities in leadership styles between men and women (Pounder and Coleman, 2002; Van Eagen, Van der Leedeen Willemsen, 2001). Even though there are varying outcomes from these researches, a majority of the research results agreed that differences in leadership styles definitely exist among male and female leaders. Conceptually, due to the differences in nature and characteristics of men and women, there are bound to be distinct features which affect their leadership styles. It is generally accepted that the leadership styles of men and women vary because of differences in behaviour of men and women which are shaped by society and culture (Eagley, Wood and Diekman, 2000). Women in leadership roles were seen to be more collaborative, less hierarchical and more cooperative, caring and promoting self-worth of others (Helgesen, 1990; Book, 2000; Rosener, 1995). In contrast, due to the masculine nature of men as perceived by societies, male leaderships tend to be more assertive, aggressive, controlling and confident (Eagley et al., 2000). The above findings are further supported by a study by Eagly, Karau and Johnson (1992) on leadership styles among school principals supported this notion. From the study, it was concluded that: Female principals are more task-oriented compared to male principals. In the role as school principal which requires more interpersonal ability, women display greater task-orientation. However, in male dominated roles, men will appear to be more task oriented (Eagley and Jonhson, 1990). Female principals are also more democratic or participative while male principals adopted a more autocratic or directive approach. Due to social values, experience and thoughts associated with feminine characteristics (Goldberger, Clinchy, Belenky and Tarule, 1987), women leaders generally use the soft approach when dealing with others. Hence, women naturally develop leadership styles that are more democratic and participative. Male leaders, on the other hand, adopted stronger approaches which are consistent with natural dominating and controlling characteristics of men. Differences in leadership styles have an impact on the effectiveness and direction of an organization. Leaders must be able to adopt different approaches when confronted with varying circumstances because not all situations will warrant the same types of actions. Hence, leaders are most successful and effective when they can evaluate a situation accurately and act according to the requirements of the situation instead of generally applying the same form of leadership across all circumstances (Fiedler, 1951). Leadership styles can also be affected by external factors such as the nature of work, business environment, organizational culture and industry structure. To illustrate the point that gender differences in leadership styles do exist (Kanter, 1991), we will take a closer look at Transformational (largely associated with women leaders) and Transactional (dominant in male leaders). The following table highlights the differences in the two types of leadership:  [3]   Transformational Leadership Transactional Leadership * Leaders motivate their followers by arousing their emotions and acting beyond the framework of exchange relations. * Leaders are proactive and help form new aspirations and expectations of followers. * Leaders are differentiated by their ability to inspire and provide individual consideration, stimulation and influence to followers. * Leaders help in creating learning opportunities and stimulate their followers to find solutions to their problems. * Leaders develop emotional bonds with their followers using their management and rhetorical skills and great visions. * Leaders encourage followers to strive for their goals beyond self-interest. * Leaders are conscious of the relationship between reward and effort. * Leadership is responsive with high orientation to solve present issues. * Leaders control the actions of their followers by depending on reward, inducement, punishment and sanction. * Leaders use rewards to encourage their followers to achieve desired results. * Leaders reinforce behaviour of followers for successful execution of plan. Source : http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com Introduced by James MacGregor Burns (1978), the transformational leadership concept defines an approach which encourages positive and valuable changes in performance and morale of followers based upon the behaviours and characteristics of leaders. Transformational leaders brought about changes in organizations by inspiring, motivating and sometimes acting as role models for employees to identify with (Bass, 1985). By being role models, such leaders will encourage employees to develop skills which could help them enhance their productivity. Transformational leadership style is often displayed by women leaders since women have innate nurturing ability (Kornives, 1991; Ross, 1990). This style can be effective in less-hierarchical organizations such as schools or retail outlets. In male dominated settings such as the military, transformational leadership may not be preferred. On the other hand, transactional leadership style is more visible in traditional organizational settings where male leaders are dominant (Rosener, 1990). Transactional approach values desired results in exchange for rewards, motivations or punishments; thus, transactional leaders will stress on higher productivity and offer rewards (or punishment) as motivation ( Burns, 1978). In conclusion, there are differences in leadership styles by gender. Women leaders generally tend to adopt a softer approach such as democratic and participative. These styles involve relationship with followers through understanding of their emotions and building the self-worth through motivation, aspiration and encouragement. Women leaders try to stimulate the working environment and develop confidence through empowerment (Burke, 1986). In contrast, men display more traditional leadership characteristics such as assertive, controlling, aggressive and dominating. However, the above differences do not limit men and women to any one leadership style. Regardless of gender, successful and effective leaders will find their preferred leadership style, that can be a blend of gender-specific roles, which is most suitable to the situation that they are in. Question 5 If you were the president of DGI International, would you recommend modifications in John Terrills leadership style that you would like him to adopt? Do you think it will be possible for John Terrill to make necessary changes? Why? In the DGI International case study, John Terrill adopted the Delegating Leadership Style (Hersey and Blanchard, 1982) based on the assumption that the team of engineers in the division that he was heading has high level of job readiness or maturity owing to the fact that they are the highest paid and best educated employees within the organization. Also, the statement made by Terrill that he will stay off the engineers back and get top management to stay off their backs too indicates that he will not interfere much with the engineers daily tasks. This indication further supports the notion that the team of engineers is able, willing and confident to accomplish their tasks without much direction or supervision from Terrill. Terrill was hired by DGI International to turn around a non-performing division. When he decided to adopt the delegating style, he must have based his decision on solid grounds highest paid and best educated group of engineers must have possess

Essay on Janes Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper

Jane's Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper  Ã‚      "The Yellow Wallpaper," written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the late nineteenth century, explores the dark forbidding world of one woman's plunge into a severe post-partum depressive state. The story presents a theme of the search for self-identity. Through interacting with human beings and the environment, the protagonist creates for herself a life of her own. Charlotte Gilman, through the first person narrator, speaks to the reader of the stages of psychic disintegration by sharing the narrator's heightened perceptions: "That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don't care--there is something strange about the house--I can feel it" (304). The conflicting emotions of power and control versus loss of control are expressed in her reactions to her husband: "I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. . . .so I take pains to control myself--before him at least, and that makes me very tired" (304). The progressive stages of the narrator's loss of reality are eloquently shown in these passages: I always... Essay on Jane's Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper Jane's Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper  Ã‚      "The Yellow Wallpaper," written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the late nineteenth century, explores the dark forbidding world of one woman's plunge into a severe post-partum depressive state. The story presents a theme of the search for self-identity. Through interacting with human beings and the environment, the protagonist creates for herself a life of her own. Charlotte Gilman, through the first person narrator, speaks to the reader of the stages of psychic disintegration by sharing the narrator's heightened perceptions: "That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don't care--there is something strange about the house--I can feel it" (304). The conflicting emotions of power and control versus loss of control are expressed in her reactions to her husband: "I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. . . .so I take pains to control myself--before him at least, and that makes me very tired" (304). The progressive stages of the narrator's loss of reality are eloquently shown in these passages: I always...

Old Wise Men Essay

Do all old men truly possess wisdom because they can see their death on the horizon? Wisdom is a valued trait in our society today. In both King Lear by William Shakespeare and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, the main characters were able to acquire wisdom after undergoing trials and tribulations. However, both of these men began their quest as completely different people. Morrie always emphasized the value of family and of love, while King Lear saw these qualities that could be used to boot his ego. Morrie was disappointed by the way things were in society, while King Lear did not care much about it and accepted it the way it was. Morrie viewed death as a natural thing and an ideal way to live, while King Lear still wanted to live life as a King despite giving and dividing his land between his daughters. Regardless of being very different character wise and beliefs, both King Lear and Morrie came to achieve wisdom by experiencing the fact of life; otherwise known as death. Both of these men differed in their values when it came to the life concept. Morrie believed that it was better to perish than to live a life without love, where he quoted â€Å"If you don’t have the support and love  and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden spoke â€Å"Love each other or perish†Ã¢â‚¬ (Albom 91). This quote shows Morrie’s view of love and has the opinion that it is better to die than to live a life without love. Although Morrie grew up with little love in his life, this is the reason why he emphasized the importance of love and family to him. Contrarily, King Lear believed that family only existed to serve his needs. â€Å"Tell me, my daughters, since now we will divest us both of rule, interest of territory, cares of state which of you shall we say doth love us most that we out  largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge?† (I.I.47-53). This quote illustrates King Lear’s feeling towards family. He set against his daughters against each other for his benefit. His love was conditional, even though Cordelia was his known favourite between his daughters he warned her. â€Å" How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little, lest you may mar your fortunes.† (I.I.94-95). This quote shows the fact that he believed that love in a family that is one-sided, he should only receive love but should not give any. On the contrary, Morrie’s love for this family was unconditional and a two-way street. However, Lear realized the value of unconditional love when Cordelia returned despite after disowning and cursing her but he was too late. While Morrie learned the value of love through the lack of having it earlier o in his life, King Lear  would learn it through the death of his daughter. Both cherish family and life more after coming to terms with the concept of death, and realize the trouble of their society. Both King Lear and Morrie Schwartz also had different perspectives on life and society. King Lear accepted the ranking of his society, of course, since he was the peak of the â€Å"great chain of being†. â€Å"All I ask is that you provide me with a hundred knights for my own entourage. I’ll keep only the title of king†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I.I.136-138). This quote depicts King Lear’s view of society and that he comes before the rest of society, depriving 100 knights form society for his benefit. Morrie, on the other hand, was disgusted with how his society was so materialistic. A quote from Tuesdays with Morrie, â€Å"Do you know how they brainwash people? They repeat something over and over again. And that’s what we do in this country. Owning things is good. More money is good. More property is good. More commercialism is good†¦we repeat it and have it repeated to us-over and over until nobody bother to even think other wise† (Albom 124). This quote demonstrates the disgust Morrie has with society and how it constantly promotes materialism rather than important values such as love, which is showed in this quote â€Å"You know how I always interpreted that? These people were so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes† (Albom 125). This quote shows that Morrie believes that people are  materialistic because of a lack of love within their lives. Furthermore, King Lear realizes the disorder of his society during his hardships. â€Å"Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand. Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back Thou hotly lust’st to use her in that kind for which thou whipp’st her. The usurer hangs the cozener. ( IV.VI.152-57). This shows both his disgust of the social customs of his time and how it favors the rich and frowns upon the poor. Lear regrets not being a just king and mistreating the poor people because he was too greedy. He bawled â€Å"Poor naked wretches, whereso’er you are, that bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, how shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you from seasons such as these? Oh, I have ta’en too little care of this!† (III.IV.30-34). Although Morrie was aware of the problems within his society and always fought against them, Lear only came to this conclusion and earn this wisdom through these tribulations. Morrie and Lear had contradicting views of death before they acquired their wisdom. First of all, Lear believed that he would die as a king and even with his old age he believed death was far in the distance, proven in the quote â€Å"All I ask is that you provide me with hundred knights for my own entourage. I’ll keep only the title of king†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I.I.136-138). Lear did not believe in preparing for his death or saying goodbye to loved ones, as he still wanted to live like a king even after diving his kingdom  and wealth. On the contrary, Morrie believed that death should be accepted in life. â€Å"Oh yes, you strip away all that stuff and you focus on the essentials. When you realize you are going o die, you see everything much differently†¦Learn how to die, and you learn how to live†(Albom 83). This quote shows that Morrie though if more people lived as if they were going to die at any moment, then the world could be a more positive place. Morrie was also very optimistic and grateful for his disease and how long he had to say goodbye to everyone he cherished. â€Å"It’s horrible to watch my body wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say  good-bye.† (Albom 57) On the other hand, King Lear was coming to terms with his mortality. When Gloucester asked to kiss his hand he replied â€Å"Let me wipe it first, it smells of mortality.† (IV.VI.125-126). It shows that Lear found his new humbleness and acceptance through death. Morrie and Lear both achieved wisdom by coming to terms with their deaths. King Lear and Morrie Schwartz are very much alike, although they were completely different people before they acquired their wisdom. They were both able to attain insight and satisfaction through difficult hardships and becoming aware of the problems that are in their society. They have learned that if more people are aware of death and live everyday as if they were to die tomorrow, they would have more fulfilling  and satisfying lives. Through acquiring wisdom they realized the importance of their family, and love. They only differed in respect where Lear is filled with regret while Morrie gains a higher appreciation for it. Death is something that we all must accept and Lear and Morrie finally embrace it.

Writing Task #5 (a job you want) Essays - Employment, Free Essays

Writing Task #5 (a job you want) Essays - Employment, Free Essays ESOL 0382 Prof. Marceau November 15. 2015 Writing Task #5 (a job you want) First, you need to think about what you are good at. Usually the things we love are the things we are good at. Research the fields and options that best deal with those interests so you can spend your time at work doing things that you enjoy. To begin, you can start off by simply researching job titles online. Second, talk to people who work in a variety of jobs. This will give you a better sense of what certain jobs entail. Many communities offer job fairs that can be found on your local city website. These are great opportunities to ask questions. You can ask friends or family members about their experiences too. Third, spend time job shadowing. Job shadowing is a career evaluation activity that allows you the chance to spend time with a professional currently working in a particular career field. You can see what its really like working in a certain job. Fourth, take a career personality test. There are many free tests on the web that will psychoanalyze your mind to help narrow do wn interesting jobs for you. These tests are designed to provide you with specific jobs that fit your unique interests and ultimately help you down a career path. You may even see jobs you didn't know existed be recommended to you. Finally, think about the lifestyle that is important to you. If you see yourself having a more lavish lifestyle, or one filled with travel, you may want to seek out a higher paying job. Look at the salary and wage averages for the jobs you are considering to decide if they will provide you the type of lifestyle you are looking for.

The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punis Essays

The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punis Essays The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punishment Cases Sam Houston State University, Huntsville CJ 478W-Introduction To Methods Of Research The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punishment Cases Throughout history, minorities have been ill-represented in the criminal justice system, particularly in cases where the possible outcome is death. In early America, blacks were lynched for the slightest violation of informal laws and many of these killings occured without any type of due process. As the judicial system has matured, minorities have found better representation but it is not completely unbiased. In the past twenty years strict controls have been implemented but the system still has symptoms of racial bias. This racial bias was first recognized by the Supreme Court in Fruman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972). The Supreme Court Justices decide that the death penalty was being handed out unfairly and according to Gest (1996) the Supreme Court felt the death penalty was being imposed freakishly and wantonly and most often on blacks. Several years later in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), the Supreme Court decided, with efficient controls, the death penalty could be used constitutionally. Yet, even with these various controls, the system does not effectively eliminate racial bias. Since Gregg v. Georgia the total population of all 36 death rows has grown as has the number of judicial controls used by each state. Of the 3,122 people on death row 41% are black while 48% are white (Gest, 1996, 41). This figure may be acceptable at first glance but one must take into account the fact that only 12% of the U.S. population is black (Smolowe, 1991, 68). Carolyn Snurkowski of the Florida attorney generals office believes that the disproportionate number of blacks on death row can be explained by the fact that, Many black murders result from barroom brawls that wouldnt call for the death penalty, but many white murders occur on top of another offense, such as robbery (As cited in Gest, 1986, 25). This may be true but the Washington Legal Foundation offers their own explanation by arguing that blacks are arrested for murder at a higher rate than are whites. When arrest totals are factored in , the probability of a white murderer ending up on death row is 33 percent greater than in the case of a black murderer (As cited in Gest, 1986, 25). According to Professor Steven Goldstein of Florida State University, There are so many discretionary stages: whether the prosecutor decides to seek the death penalty, whether the jury recommends it, whether the judge gives it (As cited in Smolowe, 1991, 68). It is in these discretionary stages that racial biases can infect the system of dealing out death sentences. Smolowe (1991) shows this infection by giving examples of two cases decided in February of 1991, both in Columbus. The first example is a white defendant named James Robert Caldwell who was convicted of stabbing his 10 year old son repeatedly and raping and killing his 12 year old daughter. The second example is of a black man, Jerry Walker, convicted of killing a 22-year-old white man while robbing a convenience-store. Caldwells trial lasted three times as long as Walkers and Caldwell received a life sentence while Walker received a death sentence. In these examples, it is believed that not only the race of the victims, but also the value of the victims, biased the sentencing decisions. The 22-year-old man killed by Walker was the son of a Army commander at Fort Benning while Caldwells victims were not influential in the community. In examples such as these, it becomes evident that racial bias, in any or all of the discretionary stages, becomes racial injustice in the end. Smolowe (1991) also makes the point that Columbus is not alone: A 1990 report prepared by the governments General Accounting Office found a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty. In an article by Seligman (1994), Professor Joseph Katz of Georgia State and other scholars have made a separate point about bias claims based on the devalued lives of murder victims. Seligman also asserts that those claiming bias believe that it is in the race

Functions of the Human Body in Relation to Occupational Health and Research Paper

Functions of the Human Body in Relation to Occupational Health and Safety in the Working Environment - Research Paper Example   Similar to any mechanical system, the body might be stable or unstable and is able to bear a restricted gamut of physical pressures. Pressures might be forced internally or externally and might be severe or chronic. A helpful beginning in the deliberation of mechanical loading of the body is to differentiate between postural stress and task-induced stress. In the opinion of Grieve and Pheasant, postural stress is the expression used to signify the mechanical load on the body due to its posture. Posture can be defined as the average directions of the parts of the body in the course of time. (iii) Task-stress is dependent on the mechanical endeavor required to carry out daily tasks. It is a fact that majority of the repetitive tasks need a combination of static and rhythmic muscle activity. In the case of manual work, postural stabilization of the hands and arms is important for performing all but the complete movements in a purposeful manner. (iv) This stabilization is given by th e muscles more up the kinetic chain, muscles which cross the elbow and shoulder joints and have their origins in the cervical spine and thoracic areas. (v) When the task demands are quite above normal, the muscles might experience pain providing stabilization or in the muscles and joints of the effectors, or in both. In a period of time, a medical condition might develop. (Bridger 4-5) Explain why the role of individual susceptibility should b... identifying adverse effects on health and how you would use this information when considering potential scope and impact of situations with adverse effects on health. It is important to consider individual susceptibility when identifying adverse effects on health for which a separate branch has emerged known as ergonomics. Physiological problems happen when too much work is demanded from the body, to work awkwardly or to work under adverse environmental conditions. Fatigue happens mostly from work. To remain stable, the worker must not be more than tired at the end of his working day. Therefore the rest given into the task must be sufficient without becoming too heavy and unfeasible. In case of ergonomics, they access physical work through measurement of oxygen that is inhaled, change of heart rate, but are generally tied down by just being capable to calibrate people under semi-natural conditions. Nevertheless, in an identical fashion, they are able to calculate recovery from exhaustion. This bears a direct association with rest allowances, for example, it has been verified that even though learners require more rest compared to qualified workers , they are prone to make themselves tired by not resting sufficiently during the initial portion of their work. A natural balance exists between work and rest periods every day in which the quality and quantity of work are at the highest.  Ã‚     

New uclan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New uclan - Essay Example A wrong post or comment could trigger a negative reaction towards the company leading to economic, social and legal implications. While social networking today provides many opportunities it is advisable to understand the risks posed in order to take necessary steps to use social media responsibly (McNamara 2011, p.14). Every department needs to have a safeguard list to understand the safety aspects of social media. Before posting anything online consider what is termed acceptable and unacceptable behaviour on media terms. Every social site has a term of service that gives a clear terms and conditions, including safety tools and privacy (McNamara 2011, p.14). When engaging in publicity you need to have an understanding of your target audience. To optimize your brand’s publicity collect enough information of online audience’s behaviour. To sell online t is advisable to choose the advertisement carefully that way your target audience is clear (Kent 2008, p.21). Social sites give guidelines online on internet advertising to avoid instances such as cyber bullying, underage sexual exposure, illegal schemes and dangerous masquerades. It is wise for the organization to assign a moderator who can interact with the users and manage content online. Choosing to use sites that adhere to social networking legislations could also lead to good practice. Sites such as Bebo, MySpace and Face book stress are keen on safety use and guidelines and adhere strictly to the land’s laws. Carrying a risk assessment on data protection as advised by Kent (2008, p.24) will act as a good guide while choosing which sites to use. If the site has several administrators always ensure that the managers are clear about what is required of them when interacting with users and responding to posts. The administrators should refrain from inappropriate content, personating, racist or hate material, exploitation and glorifying of dangerous activities.