Charismatic Leadership Essay

Abstract This essay gives an overview of various leadership types and focuses on the charismatic leadership. It attempts to explain the charismatic leadership process with an example of Mahatma Gandhi as a charismatic leader. It goes further and explores the attributes that a charismatic leader possesses. The essay also tries to find out various effects of charismatic leadership on the organization. While mentioning the positive effects of the charismatic leadership, it also investigates the â€Å"dark† side of the charismatic leadership. After reading the essay the readers are expected to have gained enough familiarity with this kind of leadership and at the end of the essay I would like to put forth a couple of questions regarding charismatic leadership which have remained unanswered after reading the material I have cited. Introduction Any type of organization runs successfully when it is piloted by a skillful and influential leader. While leaders motivate their followers, it is not the only thing leaders can do. A good leader can structure the organization in the way he wants. He represents the culture of the organization and most importantly, it has been observed that effective leaders posses a capacity to increase the productivity of the organization. Various scholars categorize leadership styles in a different way. Lewin (1939) classifies leadership styles in three categories: Autocratic Leadership, Democratic Leadership and Delegative (Laissez-Faire) Leadership [1]. Max Weber classifies leaders as Bureaucratic Leader, Traditional Leaders and Charismatic Leaders [2]. In  1978 Burns defined yet another classification: Transactional Leaders and Transformational Leaders [2]. Burns Transformational Leadership is similar to Charismatic Leadership style proposed by Weber. Since 1978 a lot of research has been done on various aspects of charismatic leadership. In this essay I would like to focus on charismatic leadership, its attributes and traits in charismatic leaders. What is charismatic leadership? Weber defines charismatic leadership as â€Å"resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him† [3]. He envisaged religious leaders like Jesus as charismatic leaders. Later researches considered various social-political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi as charismatic leaders. Dictators like Hitler also had some charismatic traits. These were the leaders with exceptional qualities which made them almost god-like for their followers. The charm of such people made their followers go behind these leaders without questioning them. While analyzing such a strong bond between the leaders and his followers Weber focuses on the social patterns and conditions under which the leader exists. However, the later researches throw light on the psychological attributes of the leaders which make them successful charismatic leaders. Research shows that charismatic leaders appeal strongly to the values of the followers and it is this psychological bondage between the two which makes the charismatic leadership succeed. Neither the sociologically oriented Weberian approach nor the psychological approach alone can explain charismatic leaders. The approaches together, however, give the better analysis of charismatic leadership. Charismatic Leadership Process Charismatic leadership process is seen as a compound product of three  factors: The leader and his attributes, the social situation which demands for such a leader and the interaction between the leader and his followers. Charismatic leadership process undergoes six steps from the rise of the leader to the final routinization and thus the fall of the leader [4]. I would like to identify Mahatma Gandhi as a charismatic leader and explain these six steps with an example of his leadership in India’s non-violent freedom movement. Step 1: Identification This step takes place from the composite mixture of the three factors mentioned above. It is a stage where the aspiring leader is on the social horizon; the followers are in distress and are looking forward to someone who will identify himself with their problems. The social situation is increasingly getting worsened in this stage. This is the time when the leader establishes him as a potential leader but the followers, by large, remain passive. In Gandhi’s leadership this can be said to have taken place during the years 1915-1920 when Gandhi was back to India from a successful movement in South Africa. India had no tall leader whom it could depend on and Gandhi’s charisma was just started showing its colors (Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha) [5]. Step 2: Activity Arousal In this step the leader arouses the follower to become the part of the change. Followers who were passive admirers of the leader till the earlier phase become active supporters of the leader and the cause for which he is identifying himself. The longer this stage lasts the longer is a span of the charismatic leadership. In Gandhi’s case this step lasted from 1920 till 1930. Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement in 1921 is a precise example of activity arousal stage where he awakened the whole country to rise against the British rule [6]. Step 3: Commitment Commitment stage in the charismatic leadership is without any doubt the most  interesting step in the process. This step takes the charismatic leadership at the peak and at the same time this is the phase when the charismatic leader starts losing his charisma. This step starts by demonstrating the extreme commitment of the leader towards the goal and same commitment from the followers towards the leader. This demonstration often takes the shape of some kind of sacrifice on the part of the leader or impending danger on the leader. This sacrifice or danger makes the image of the leader as courageous and dedicated in the eyes of many followers. Interestingly, this same act makes some of the elite followers disillusioned and they start suspecting their leader as pompous and hypocrite. This is the stage where the leadership can be bifurcated into two categories as a personalized leadership and socialized leadership. The first type of leadership tends to become authoritarian and exploita tive. The second type of leader is more egalitarian and he will share power and responsibility with others. In either way, the personalized leader will become dictator and will lose his charisma and the socialized type of leader will help routinizing the leadership! The example for personalized leader can be of Hitler who ultimately became a dictator. Gandhi can be seen as a fusion of both types with definitive inclination towards socialized type of leadership. For Gandhi the commitment stage can be said to have lasted from 1930 to 1935. Salt Satyagraha can be considered as the peak of his charisma and the diplomatic failure at the Round Table Conference can be seen as the first symbol of the next step of the disenchantment [7]. Step 4: Disenchantment This phase is quite unavoidable and sometimes even intentional on the part of the leader. Many times social structure brings the disenchantment stage. Sometimes, because the leaders themselves know that they are not immortal, they try to bring the routinization in the leadership. This routinization brings the feel of loss of goal to some followers. This step may lose some of the strongest followers from the leader. This step is also an outcome of  the scenario when the leader seems to be failing. As the charismatic leaders are not very good at the formal procedural leadership [4] more routinization brings more failure and more disenchantment of the followers. In Gandhi’s case disenchantment started from 1933 and lasted till 1938 in which stage he lost many of his old followers like Subhas Chandra Bose [8]. However this is the phase where the process of routinization seemed to have taken place distinctly. Step 5: Depersonalization This step is a logical follower of the earlier step of disenchantment. Disenchantment starts because of routinization and it leads to the depersonalization and formalization of the leadership. The leadership style becomes more and more like bureaucratic leadership. The leader starts delegating his tasks to his followers. This phase comes in Gandhi’s leadership during 1938-1942. This is the period when he made it clear that Jawaharlal Nehru will be his political heir. It is the time when he withdrew himself partly from the active politics [9]. Step 6: Alienation This is a process of disintegration of the three factors mentioned in the beginning which had come together in phase one. In this step, due to the formalization and bureaucratization of the leadership, charismatic leadership becomes increasingly redundant. The followers feel that the organization and the leader are going away from the initial goal and thus they start alienating  themselves from the organization and the charisma of the leader fades as the social situation which has made him appeal to the masses has changed. This stage does not necessarily mean the failure of the leader. In many cases, having achieved the goal for which the charismatic leader had risen, the leader becomes redundant for his followers and the goal itself becomes redundant for the leader. Years 1942-1948 show this phase in Gandhi’s leadership. Though Gandhi remained popular and worshiped leader of India till his assassination, his charisma faded gradually in his last years [10]. Attributes of Charismatic leaders After having described what is charismatic leadership and how does it work, it is interesting to find out what makes one a charismatic leader. What are the attributes that a charismatic leader posses or what are the traits which make someone a potential charismatic leader? It is clear from the above discussion that the actual rise of such a leader is a composite function of various variables. However, this section will try to describe the personal traits that make a person a potential leader. There are some attributes which are exhibited by a person at his childhood or adolescence which make a person potential charismatic leader. This statement is quite ambitious and somewhat exaggerated. However, the converse of the sentence is true. The research shows that charismatic leaders do show some specific pattern of behavior at their adolescence [11]. Parental Attachment Style and Parental Psychological Control [11] It has been observed that a way a child is attached to his parents in his adolescence plays important role shaping him as an effective charismatic leader. It is seen that young adult securely attached to his parents tends to form a positive relationship with his followers in the later life. Many of the qualities possessed by a charismatic leader such as self-confidence, self-esteem are also found in a child who has a parental attachment style which is secure, autonomous and displays relatedness. These attributes are considered as positive attributes in parental attachment style for the development of a charismatic leader. It is also obvious that these qualities in the parental attachment style make the child emerging to an adult more self-aware and help him making sense of his place in the world. Empirical research suggests that charismatic leaders also have same sense of self-awareness and they are often introspective in evaluating their own beliefs. Thus, it is proposed that there is a positive relationship between parental attachment style and displays of charismatic leadership by  emergent adult. It is seen, on the other hand, that parental control impedes the development of an emergent adult. Excessive psychological control by parents on the child makes him insecure and less confident. This proves to be a barrier in his development as a charismatic leader. Parental psychological control also acts as an obstacle in establishing social relations and it create a situation of isolation for the emergent adult. Psychological control is seen as a negative factor in emergent adults’ displays of charismatic leadership Apart from above mentioned attribute, which attempts to answer the question â€Å"who are the charismatic leaders†, there are some attributes which try to answer the question â€Å"what makes a person a charismatic leader†. Here are some traits which can be identified with the charismatic leader [12]. Self-Monitoring One of the qualities of the charismatic leaders is that they watch themselves. They are constantly aware of the fact that their followers are watching them and so they find it important that they portray a good picture of themselves for their followers. As the charismatic leaders are born out of the blend of social scenario and follower’s needs, it becomes imperative for such leaders to constantly identify themselves with that social scenario and the need. Charismatic leaders can manage that only if they monitor themselves to make sure that they are still answering to the same plea which made them such a popular leader. Self-Actualization Self motivation is an important part of charismatic leadership. The leader gets motivated by the social scenario without being prompted about it. He can address his followers with the vigor only when he is self-actualized himself. It has been observed that such leaders not only motivate themselves but they have a capacity to transform this self-actualization to their  followers as well. They actually raise their followers from one level to the higher level. Motive to Attain Power Charismatic leaders often do not seek conventional power. They may not ask for an official post or position but what they look for is a social power. They want their follower to respect them and see them as their saviors. They want to win the position in their follower’s hearts. They look for identifying themselves with their follower’s values and shared beliefs. Such leaders are rated high on their social skills to persuade the masses and appeal them to their hearts. It is this power which keeps them popular for longer time. Self Enhancement Charismatic leaders are known for their self-correcting nature. They judge themselves on a strict scale. They continuously strive to become better. They, in fact, know that it is this â€Å"superiority† in them which makes them different from their followers. Charismatic leaders believe that when eventually they will bring their followers to their present level of â€Å"superiority†, they themselves should have gone one step above it to remain their leaders. Openness to Change While most of the other types of the leaders try to maintain status-quo as they are often afraid that change might depose them from the power, charismatic leaders are open to change. In fact, they represent the change and many times they prove to be the ones who bring about the changes. It is interesting to note that charismatic leaders are most powerful in the situation which demands the changes! Outcomes of charismatic leadership Having seen the process of the charismatic leadership and the attributes which the charismatic leaders posses, it becomes unavoidable to discuss the outcomes of the charismatic leadership. Many scholars see charismatic leadership as positive force which yields desirable results. However there  are some scholars who focus on negative aspects of the charismatic leadership. We will see both sides of the charismatic leadership. It is observed that charismatic leadership motivates followers to give extra output than what is expected from them otherwise. It also achieves self-actualization in its followers [12]. It is seen that charismatic leadership works in a social structure to heighten the morale of the followers. It shapes the society the way the followers and the leader had dreamt. In the business world also the charismatic leadership works positively. It increases the overall performance of the organization. It creates a sense of  fulfillment in the followers. It also creates a sense of unity and belongingness in the followers towards the organization. Charismatic leadership also has severe negative effects in some cases. The shared vision and ideas between the leader and followers create enormous energy in the organization. The leader can employ this energy in destructive way. The more the leader’s self-confident is the more are the chances that the leader will misuse the power. It’s been observed in many cases that charismatic leaders have abused their powers. Many companies have witnessed their high rank leaders going corrupt [13]. Because of excellent communication abilities of the charismatic leaders and due to the fact that they display some kind of charisma, the whole organization follows these leaders wholeheartedly and there remain absolutely no resistance for the leader. Without any check on the power, it doesn’t take time for the leader to go corrupt. Any healthy organization shows competition for power which also represents tussle between values and with lack of this tussle there remains no control on the leader. Followers of the charismatic leaders are so blinded by his charisma that they might even do some acts that they wouldn’t have done ordinarily. Atrocious acts by German soldiers under Hitler’s leadership are an apt example [13]. It was an unquestionable loyalty for their leader that compelled them to act in the way that they mostly wouldn’t have acted otherwise. Discussion This essay explains enough information about the charismatic leadership. There are some questions about the charismatic leadership which have still remained unanswered. After describing the attributes of the charismatic leader and the positive and negative outcomes of the charismatic leadership, it remains unknown that what makes a charismatic leader a â€Å"hero† and  what makes him a â€Å"villain†. Are there any specific attributes that make charismatic leader as a â€Å"hero† or a â€Å"villain†? The second question is regarding the â€Å"making of charismatic leaders†. After establishing that the charismatic leaders have certain characteristics, it remains to see that if everyone having those attributes can become a successful leader. And this question gives rise to yet another question that whether a charismatic leader can be â€Å"made†. Is it possible to â€Å"create† charismatic leaders by formal education? Third and last qu estion largely depends on the first two questions: If such charismatic leaders can be created by professional training then is it possible to create a â€Å"hero† type of charismatic leaders and avoid â€Å"dark side† of the charismatic leadership? Note: Although I have mentioned charismatic leader as him throughout the essay, the latest research shows that women are more apt to become a charismatic leaders [14]. I have mentioned the charismatic leaders as him because of the fact that most of the charismatic leaders known to the world are men and the examples which I have used are all male leaders! References 1. Lewin, K., R. Lippitt, et al. (1939). â€Å"PATTERNS OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN EXPERIMENTALLY CREATED SOCIAL CLIMATES†. Journal of Social Psychology 10(2): 271-299. 2. â€Å"Transformational Leadership† nmsu.edu. 21 November 2008 3. â€Å"Charismatic Domination† Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 22 November 2008 4. Jacobsen, C. (2001). â€Å"Dynamics of charismatic leadership: A process theory, simulation model, and tests.† Leadership Quarterly 12(1): 75. 5. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 1, revised ed., pp. 198-213, The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960 6. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 2, revised ed., The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960 7. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 3, revised ed., pp. 91-131, The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India,1960 8. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 5, revised ed., pp. 85-101, The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960 9. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 6, revised ed., pp. 1-45, The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960 10. Tendulkar, D. G. Mahatma, vol. 8, revised ed., The Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1960 11. Towler, A. (2005). â€Å"Charismatic leadership development: role of parental attachment style and parental psychological control.† Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 11(4): 15(11). 12. Jung, D. and J. J. Sosik (2006). â€Å"Who are the spellbinders? Identifying personal attributes of charismatic leaders.† Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 12(4): 12(15). 13. DeCelles, K. A. and M. D. Pfarrer (2004). â€Å"Heroes or villains? Corruption and the charismatic leader.† Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 11(1): 67(11). 14. Groves, K. S. (2005). â€Å"Gender differences in social and emotional skills and charismatic leadership.† Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 11(3): 30(17).

In Every Cloud there is a Silver Lining

There I was weeping tirelessly for hours on end, almost creating a miniature pond on the ground. My months of preparations had gone to waste. All my plans and decisions I had hoped to undertake ruined. I had planned out my great voyage to the head chief for months. Each and every step I was to take was already decided. But according to my tradition I had to get permission from my mother before leaving. Then it all happened without even listening to all I had to say I heard ‘NO'. A word I feel no man can define and a word that should never exist in anyone's dictionary. There I was foolishly weeping when my motive was to show how much better our lives would be without these traditions yet following them my self. I was to do what I believe was my destiny. I was to do what I believed god created me to do. 1000's of 1000's of years of tradition had been followed in my community. Tradition that I believed was pointless, insensitive, meaningless and inappropriate to follow. Without anyone's consent again I set out to break and change these traditions for our betterment. I packed my bags and headed straight for Chief Souza, the man who is believed to be our god. The man with endless power at his fingertips, what he said happened and he was the only man who could fulfill my destiny. Getting to his home was the least of my worries. I simply had to walk for a short 2 1/2 hours down the sandy graveled road leading straight to his village and his home. I set off without any delays and a short while later I found my self and the grand gate and luxurious village of Chief Souza. My body pushing itself towards the door and with one final deep gulp of air and pushed open the doors. Then I realized I had already achieved a lot and am much closer to achieving my ‘destiny'. Without wasting any time in greetings and worthless talk on my health and family with the Chief I got straight down to the point. I shared a piece of my mind with the Chief not leaving any detail or feeling behind. I never feared his immense power and now in front of him certainly I would not. Step by step telling Chief Souza exactly what my motive is and the reason behind my decision to fight against my tradition. Finally completing my argument against our tradition I looked eye to eye with the Chief. He stared at me as if I had gone crazy and just then I realized what a mess I had got myself into. I realized what a dim-witted person I was to barge into the most superior man's house in the entire community and blast him about how shallow our tradition is. But then again I believed it was my destiny and this is the backbone in my life. This is why I lived. Then something struck me, something hard and heavy and within seconds I dropped to the ground like a stick. Upon awakening I found a rope around my neck and a sack over my head. Despite not being able to see anything I knew the Chief had found my words as an insult to his community and ordered for me to be hung. It hurt really badly as I never even had the chance to question my community on what they found wrong with my words. What was wrong if I had my own opinion about the community and our tradition? It was too late I felt the plank beneath my feet, currently keeping me up, being pulled till I had nothing to balance on. My life had come to an end but my soul would not rest until I accomplished my goal. My mother cried and cried endless for days, wondering ‘Where had I gone wrong in education my son? Why, why, why did he not listen to me? ‘ Everyday each member of the community considers ‘What did he say wrong? He shared his feelings something no one has the courage to do. ‘ Each member of the community started looking at life from a different perspective a perspective in which they can live their lives how they wanted to and not by what their tradition, our tradition, my tradition said. My community members finally realized what I was trying to project. Within a couple of days, I gained my biggest victory our tradition was altered and every member of our community was free to live life their way! Then it became clear to me, if I had not sacrificed my life for the betterment of my community the changes done to our tradition now would never have happened. So even in a dark cloud like the death of a community member came, there really is a silver lining in it. Now my soul will rest in peace!

Food Adulteration Essay

Kraft Foods offer a wide variety of products. They offer delicious foods and beverages for every lifestyle on the go. While exploring the website of Kraft seems to define their product mix as foods that are geared more towards the people on the go. I would define their product mix as health/wellness foods, quick fix meals, snacks and beverages as well as offering a Premium line of foods. In their health/wellness foods they offer products in a â€Å"light† form such as things like Philadelphia light cream cheese and reduce fat cookies. For meals on the go or quick fix meals Kraft have designed meals like the Kraft Mac & Cheese Cups, frozen meals and sandwich kits. They offer a wide variety of snack foods including everyone’s favorite cookie Oreo’s and Splendips. The Premium line that Kraft offers includes foods like DiGornio Pizza and Oscar Myer bacon. Kraft offers 8 product lines with over 50 different brands. Kraft’s product mix is the offering of their premium foods, such as DiGornao Ultimate Pizza which is made as a higher quality pizza then the standard. Tombstone Mexican Style Pizza is offered as a convenience food as a favorite food of teenage boys. It was designed for the ease of cooking a easy, quick, healthy meal. Tang is real fruit goodness of oranges. Everyone will surely love its sweet, refreshing flavor plus the added nutrition it gives. It is also instant drink mix offering the convenience food again. South Beach Diet foods are part of their healthy yet, convenience foods. The line offers alternatives to other popular diet fads. South Beach Diet foods play on wholegrain and the correct or right fats like canola oil and olive oil. In this line they also offer bars for a fast way to fill a craving during the day.

Greatest Threats to the Environment in Russia

Report Greatest threats to the environment in Russia Russia has major environmental problems left from the Soviet Union. Those ills have been developing for years and years. Air, water and soil are equally polluted. Air quality Russia's air is among the most polluted in the world. According to the estimate only tiny percentage of urban population breathes the air that is not harmful. Level of air pollution is dangerous, especially for the inhabitants of large industrial cities such asMoscow, Saint-Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and many others. Every year there are more and more cars in large cities and their emissions worsen the quality of the air. Water quality Poor potable water quality Is a major concern. Nearly all Russian rivers and lakes are polluted both by industrial and household sewage. Paper factories taint the water of the largest Russian lakes LadoJskoe and Baikal. Water In the river Volga Is so dirty that It Is now unsuitable even for Irrigation. Soil and forests Land quali ty Is declining.Considerable amount of agricultural land have been ontaminated by Industrial toxic agents, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals. Chernobyl disaster caused radioactive contamination of vast territory. Coniferous forests In Siberia are disappearing because of acid rains, pollution and fires. Forests In Chernobyl area are polluted with radioactive element, therefore fires there are even more likely than In Siberia. Solutions Ecological problems are difficult to be solved. For example, forests In Chernobyl area cannot be decontaminated.Nevertheless If government understand the Importance f ecology and Invest large amounts of money Into the solutions of environmental problems, lots of things can be done to make air, water and soll cleaner. Poor potable water quality is a major concern. Nearly all Russian rivers and lakes are the largest Russian lakes LadoJskoe and Baikal. Water in the river Volga is so dirty that it is now unsuitable even for irrigation. Land quality is declining. Considerable amount of agricultural land have been contaminated by industrial toxic agents, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals. rests in Siberia are disappearing because of acid rains, pollution and fires. Forests in Chernobyl area are polluted with radioactive element, therefore fires there are even more likely than in Siberia. Solutions Ecological problems are difficult to be solved. For example, forests in Chernobyl area cannot be decontaminated. Nevertheless if government understand the importance of ecology and invest large amounts of money into the solutions of environmental problems, lots of things can be done to make air, water and soil cleaner.

Adolescent Theory

The theories of child development evidently depict the rational process that occurs in adolescent. The following presented in the study justify the processes that occurs in adolescent. Before concluding in the best possible theory for adolescent, let us analyze and scrutinize three major views of adolescent development. According to the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson, the stage of adolescent is role fidelity versus role confusion. In this stage, an adolescent begins to establish his or her own character, personality and ideations. The build of â€Å"who you are† occurs in this phase. Peers influence, social organizations and getting into fads are some of the ways that this stage utilizes to promote appropriate expression of adolescence (McCormick & Pressley, 2006, p.144-146). According to the Cognitive theory of Piaget, this stage of adolescent belongs to the last stage of Formal Operation stage. During this stage, the cognitive functioning is highly organized and develop ed. The child in this stage has the ability to grasp abstract reasoning and theoretical concepts unlike in the former stage, concrete operations, wherein the person moves only through logical operations.This stage is the most flexible stage wherein the reasoning starts to break away from the content and goes right into thought exploration (Pelaez & Novak, 2004, p.225). The last theory to be tackled is the psychosexual theory of Sigmund Freud, the father of modern psychology. The theory states that the primary contributing factor for man’s overall nature is the libido. In this theory, Freud categorized the stage of adolescence to the Genital stage. This is most advance phase in the theory of psychosexual.It suggests that resurgence of sexual impulses occur in the genital regions of both sexes. Psychologically, this is the phase wherein attraction between the opposite sex occurs. The gratifying centers of the body are the genitals (Sperry, 2003, p.22).In the analysis of the the ories identified, psychosocial theory proves to be the most evident theory that explains the development that occurs in adolescents. It tackles mainly the social background of this particular age group; viewing the relationship mechanism that are employed in their interaction with other individuals.The only weakness; however, is the theories reliance to sole social aspect of adolescent development. Over-all perspective view that adolescent are more inclined in social interactions than any other fields; hence, this theory proves to be the best explanatory perspective for the development of this age group. ReferenceMcCormick, B. C., & Pressley, M. (2006). Child and Adolescent Development for Educators. Guilford Press.Pelaez, M. B., & Novack, G. (2004). Child and Adolescent Development: A Behavioral Systems Approach. Sage Publications Inc.Sperry, L. (2004). Sex, Priestly Ministry, and the Church. Liturgical Press.

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Phylum Porifera - Essay Example The sponges were considered to be plant-animal classification until 19th Century because they were not able to move, especially during their adult life where they attach themselves to a rock. However, this paper aims to evaluate in a critical aspect about the notions that Phylum Porifera is paraphyletic rather than monophyletic. The essay achieves its purpose by providing credible sources to demonstrate the comparative knowledge of morphology and embryologoy in an effort of evaluating the suggested hypothesis. The paper demonstrates the suggestions of the notion in respect to bilaterian’s ancestors. The sponges are among the simplest animals in the Kingdom Animalia. Their feeding system is unique among other types of animals. However, the evolution of animals is believed to transform the sponges from their earlier form of multi-cellular organisms to the present day animals. As earlier mentioned, it is learnt that Poliferans had an early branching event, which resulted to their separation from other metazoans. The sponges differentiate themselves from other animals in different nature such as lacking digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems. On their side, they adapt themselves by maintaining the constant flow of water through their pored bodies in order to get oxygen and food, as well as removing waste from the body. In addition, their shape of the body is adaptive to maximal reliability of water flow though their central cavity, where it uses a hole called osculum to deposit the nutrients. Most of the sponge species feed on the food particles or bacteria in the water, where some of them host micro organisms for photosynthesizing processes to act as endosymbionts. Such associations ensure there is maximum production of oxygen and food in the water, as compared to what they consume. However, some sponges that live in environment with small or no food have become carnivores since they mainly prey on

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History - Essay Example When industrialization came, machines replaced small weavers, farmers left their lands because of obtrusive laws, and many families had to work at factories and had to live in the cities. Life in the cities meant higher living expenses, working longer hours and extremely stretching of expenses. Wife and children had to work for eighteen hours and the only time family came together was to sleep. They had no choice but to live together in one housing unit with other families to save on costs. Thus life of family at the start of industrial revolution was unbearable because working families often lived in slum areas with unsanitary conditions. Children received little education, often sickly, and suffered stunted growth. Mortality rate was great with 50% of children dying before reaching age two. Another significant consequence was inequality in groups because women and children were paid less and were required to work more hours. Factory owners were happy to employ children because they could manipulate children easier than adults, often thru beatings. Children as young as eight years old were sent to textile manufacturing, coals and mines. Workers during this time were locked up in a system where they had no control. B. Discuss the relationship between the Industrial Revolution and the development of capitalism.

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Report - Essay Example From the performance, it can be noted that teacher Smith is rated good in all the years both in first grade as well as second grade. This is because of the good job that she did while in class with the students. The presentation for both years one and two are as shown below. It is important to note that in all the graphical presentations, 1 and 3 are first grades while 2 and 4 are second grade. However the good performance, the first grade in year one was not that pleasing. Another good performance was realized from what was done by Casey. This therefore made her to be the best in terms of ranking of the teachers from all the averages made. The graph below shows the good work from the students that she taught This is a very credible that can best show the efforts put in place by the various teachers. It is important to highlight that a good teacher shows continuous performance all through the session. Whenever the performance of a teacher goes down together with the averages, it clearly denotes that something is not right somewhere and the students are not being given the best in terms of delivery. Whenever a student is not given the best in terms of teaching, it is important to reiterate that this will be effectively shown in the student performance. In the discussion of the validity of criteria 2,it can be clearly noted that this method of evaluation is very much sensitive as it is much demanding for a teacher to make it happen that the average is above 548 which is the district mean. This therefore means that the teachers who make it to this or more than this is very much hardworking and so they are good teachers. This is because making sure that all students excel such that even when the average is calculated it stil remains above the

Organizations on the Move Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Organizations on the Move - Essay Example Finally, the study will try to evaluate different remedies (like regulation of accounting/financial markets, regulation of incentives or regulation of punishment) to stop financial fraud. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Nortel Networks Corporation 4 Mechanisms to Align Managers with the Interests of Shareholders 7 Meltdown of Nortel More as a Failure of â€Å"People† 9 Why Do Businesspeople Keep Making the Same Mistake? 10 Remedies 11 Business Education 11 Regulation of Accounting/Financial Markets 11 Regulation of Incentives 11 Regulation of Punishment 12 Nortel Networks Corporation Nortel Networks Corporation is a well known telecommunication company. The company has its headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The company was founded by Charles Fleetford Sise Sr. in the year of 1882. The company has pioneered telecommunication boom in Canada during 1990s. Market capitalization of the company was more than $350 billion Canadian dollars in July 2000. Nortel account ed for more than 37 percent of the Toronto Stock Exchange during 1990s. The company offers various telecommunication services like wireless and broadband communications, global networking solutions etc. Share price of Nortel increased by 300% in the year 2000. The company has expanded business in North America rapidly. The company has revolutionized the concept of internet application in telecommunication industry. Market capitalization of the company has touched a record $398 billion in September 2000. The company has experienced a sudden fall in market capitalization during the year 2002. Market capitalization of the company slashed down to mere $5 billion in august 2002. The accounting system of the company has failed to produce a stable financial condition. Many top level corporate managers resigned during the tumultuous period. Government seized the trading in Nortel stock. Share price of the company was decreased by 335%. CEO of the company John Roth resigned in November, 2001 . Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed fraud charges against the company. The company is currently in liquidation phase. Factors that Contributed to the Rise and Fall of Nortel Reason for the Rise of Nortel can be summarized in following manner. Breakup of American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) has created an entry scope for small telecommunication companies. The market has suddenly become oligopolistic in nature. The telecommunication equipment market was dominated by Western Electric, an AT&T subsidiary before 90s. Nortel took the opportunity and entered in telecommunication equipment market. The company fulfilled the market demand with vast array of service mix like wireless and broadband communications, global networking solutions. Cellular market has achieved an outstanding growth during 1990s. Growth in cellular market automatically created a demand pool for telecommunication equipments. Demand for telecommunication services has increased by more than 50% during 1 990s. Nortel emerged as telecommunication service provider in the cellular market boom period. The company established itself as major supplier of telecommunication equipments. Nortel fulfilled the telecommunication equipment demand pool generated by cellular market. Personal computers were introduced by IBM and Macintosh during late 1980s. These two companies have revolutionized the concept of using computer in home. Customers using personal computer were well aware

How to Improve the Customer Service at Starbucks Research Proposal

How to Improve the Customer Service at Starbucks - Research Proposal Example The author of this essay assumes that the Starbucks coffee company grew from a small, regional business into the undisputed leader in the coffee industry by purchasing the best quality of coffee with facilitating an unmatched store experience. The coffee buyers of the company have maintained long-lasting relationships with the farmers and have believed that it paid the premier prices in the industry for top quality beans. With time passing by, Starbucks grew into one of the world’s largest and the most recognizable brands. Starbucks initiated with retail stores where customers could enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and buy the high-quality whole bean coffees which are roasted, modified beverages, food offerings, and other coffee-related products. In addition, Starbucks introduces a diverse selection of music, film, literature and art to its customers. They have always been looking for innovative and exciting ways to expand the coffee-house experience. The fact that Starbucks workme n avail more benefits, stock options as well as promotional opportunities, not only amuses them, but it results in a positive energy which can be experienced by most of the customers who visit their stores. Even though, Starbucks’ performance is terrific, there is always an opportunity to better it. In the company’s race to make more money, it is sacrificing its relationship with the customers, thereby, eroding its brand value. It’s the relationship with the customers and not the innovation in its products, which will form or sever the company.... 2. Need for this research There is no restaurant chain in this world which would be able to take lightly the decline in its customer traffic. However, for Starbucks, it is an indication for all chains to re-examine their positions in the market and take efficient steps towards securing their existent customer base and attract new customers. The Starbucks Company lost its customers for the first time ever in its fourth quarter, with traffic dropping down by 1 per cent through successive years, although, the store sales rose up to 4 per cent simultaneously (Cebrzynsky, 2007). There could be many reasons to this decline. Starbucks grew so rapidly that it ignored the fact that it initiated as a neighborhood coffee-house, and thus, the consumers do not possess the same emotional feeling for Starbucks which they once had. In order to find a solution for that, the company has planned to improve its services in which the field managers shall spend more time in the stores in order to ensure the quality of service, and the new stores receive additional training. The economic context in which Starbucks was forced to act was the promises to improvise services, reduce growth and expand the marketing efforts, being the typical respondents to decline in the customer traffic. The customers of Starbucks gradually realized the impact of this economic slowdown and, as a result, the Starbuck's customer depreciation has a great significance for

The Systems Development Life Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Systems Development Life Cycle - Essay Example This involved establishing the business processes used by the company. This is necessary so that the processes are redesigned to take advantage of the modern system solutions operating characteristics. Data analysis is also quite useful in the determination of the system requirements. To accomplish this, a study on flow of information in the organization is carried out in order to come with dataflow diagrams that will be quite important in the design of the system (Somers & Nelson, 2004, P.258). Decision Analysis is meant to identify the decisions that are made by the manager. The main decisions that are made by the manager are identifiable at in individual level. Gathering of this information will help in the actual development of a system that will assist the managers to make decisions (Somers & Nelson,2004,P.259). This method is valuable when the primary objective of the system is decision support. There was also process analysis that was meant to review business processes of the company. In this stage, the processes of an organization are identifies and divides into a number of events that can either change or add data. Modification and reengineering of these processes help in improving the operations of the organization through improving service, cost reduction, quality and management information The development of an accounting information system can be successful if the process is divided into different phases or stages. The phases in the field of software development is referred to as System development life cycle(SDLC) which comprises Planning and Investigation, System Analysis,Design,Coding ,implementation, maintenance and Follow up. The planning and investigation phase needs the creation of a team to carry out an investigation on the current system and provide recommendations to a steering team. The main focus of the team is to come up with a way handing the request of

The evaluation of Coca Cola Company Corporate Sustainability Report Essay

The evaluation of Coca Cola Company Corporate Sustainability Report 2012-13 against the Global Reporting Initiative 3.1 Guidelines - Essay Example The consumers and employees are very much concerned about social and environmental issues. So the company gets involved in performing all these activities to satisfy its customers and employees. CSR plays an important role in the growth and success of the company. Strategies of corporate sustainability focus on green product and services. Coca Cola’s strategies of corporate sustainability have changed over time as per its business needs and requirements. The concept of corporate sustainability is based on two vital principles. One principle focuses on increasing the resource of the company by benefiting society or environment. Another principle of corporate sustainability focuses on reducing risk of the company by increasing its business opportunities. This essay focuses on value creation process of the company by performing various sustainable approaches. According to GRI guidelines CR reporting must serve the needs of company’s stakeholders. It helps them to gain credibility. In the present time the stakeholders are using multiple channels to reach maximum number of people. The companies merge information of CR in their annual report. GRI guideline is gaining its popularity in recent years. To increase CR reporting programs GRI is putting a huge effort to promote its guidelines throughout the world. For example US and China are presently focusing more on connecting traditional standard setter with GRI program like SEC, IIFAC etc. GRI is launching a new guideline to make improvement in its standards. CR reporting will be benefited by improving global standard and performance of CR activities. Presently 80% of G 250 companies and 69% of N100 companies are following GRI guidelines and standards in developing their CR Report. Earlier these percentages were very low. According to GRI guidelines CSR reporting is an

Discuss how two authers use language to extend their meaning Essay

Discuss how two authers use language to extend their meaning - Essay Example Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener, A Tale of Wall Street" tells the story of a man called Bartleby, who develops a passive resistance to his employer. The employer feels it so difficult to cope with his employee's decision to disobey his master's orders. The tragedy arises from Bartleby's reluctance and inability to find out the reasons for his passive rebellion, and the employer's failure to understand and accommodate the reasons for Bartleby's resistance. Critics have given numerous interpretations for this work. Some have tried to interpret this work as a criticism of the psychological effects of capitalism in its 1850s form. Other critics argued that it is a parable of human condition in general. Any way the modern readership of the story is largely due to its capability to generate various interpretations. These various interpretations happen due to the numerous meanings that the words can bring to the readers. This can be done most perfectly by introducing an unreliable narrator. The narrator in Melville's story, the lawyer serves this purpose beautifully. Many critics remarked about Melville's use of this unreliable narrator. Lawyer himself admits that he is a man of assumptions, and his prejudice prevents him, in many occasions, to give the accurate details of the events. After some initial events, like the lawyer's description of Turkey's unpredictable behavior, it is clear for the reader that they need to interpret everything that the narrator tells. This gives a wide opportunity and scope for the readers. The narrator's final statement, "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity" (Melville 2006), is considered as the most controversial statement in the story. Some traditional critics interpreted it as the statement of a fraud, who fails to measure Bartleby's essence or a sensitive penetration of a sensible man to the essentiality of meaning. These contrasting definitions points out to the language of Melville, which gives numerous interpretations to the readers. When referring to Moby-Dick, James Guetti has opined that Melville's language is "pervasive, special and artificial kinds of languageserve to draw our attention to the limitations of such language" (Guetti 1967). As in The Metamorphosis, a metamorphosis is seen through out the story is the case of language. This linguistic metamorphosis suggests the change of lawyer's attitude towards Bartleby at the very crucial juncture when Bartleby's passivity becomes a threat to the professionalism of the lawyer. At this point, the language of the lawyer to describe Bartleby becomes stronger than before. Now "apparition", or a harmless ghost changes to "incubus", or an usurper. (Melville 2006). There are many symbols that Melville used in the story, which turns out to be motifs rather than symbols. One such symbolism is the finding of the narrator that Bartley has earlier worked with the dead-letter office: "Dead letters! does it sound like dead man" (Melville 2006). The dead letters have many symbolisms. It acts as a metaphor of hard work and toil of the then emerging middle-class. Wall is another recurrent symbol used in the story. The office room, located at Wall Street, has walls outside when viewed through all the windows. Bartleby has a habit of staring blankly at the walls. The wall is a symbol for the psychological imprisonment of Bartleby. These symbols of failed communication represent

Research log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research log - Essay Example However, as I went on to review the research, I was able to establish the highlights and the major aspects of the issue which were meant to make me understand the events as they unfolded. I was able to learn the extent of the animosity felt by terrorist groups against the US and how these feelings stemmed mostly from the US foreign policies in the Middle East and in developing nations. I was also able to learn how these US foreign policies have been viewed by many Middle Eastern nations as purely economically based and more to the point – oil-based. In the first few days of the research process, I was able to enhance my organizational research skills. Before the research, I did not have an organized way of carrying out research or in carrying out any of my academic tasks. I actually often ended up repeating myself or doing things twice because I did not have good organizational skills. However, as I was going through the process of research, I was forced to come up with a logi cal and orderly system in gathering data and in sorting out the data that I was able to gather. In so doing, I knew where to get the information I needed and which part of the research they would be placed. I was also able to establish the information I still needed to research and what type of information I needed. I believe that the part of the research which was well organized and well done for me was the third chapter because the materials and information were well organized and logically flowed from one idea to the next. I believe that that part of the research process was able to highlight my strengths as a researcher and as a student. However, there were also some challenging and difficult parts of the research process for me. It was very challenging for me to gain an objective and well-rounded information about the topic. There are different sources of information about the topic and I tried my best to sift through these in order to come up with the best and the most objecti ve sources of data. When I was about to finish the research and data gathering process, I was more or less ready to plan and to write the initial chapters of the paper. In order for me to make a good start however on the paper, I was planning to read the â€Å"Unholy wars: Afghanistan, America and international terrorism† by Cooley and â€Å"Fighting suicide bombing: a worldwide campaign for life† by Cherny. In order to successfully write the first chapter, I was called on to spend much time in researching about the 9/11 attacks itself. The areas of my research for this week included the assessment of the different events leading up to the 9/11 attacks and the immediate aftermath thereof. I found out that there were possible signs which indicated a possible attack on US soil, however no definitive threat was seen and was considered an immediate threat to the US and its inhabitants and territories. In order to ensure a good understanding of the subject matter, I highlig hted the importance of gaining balanced and objective research materials. I used both library searches through books and journals in order to facilitate data gathering. I also used the internet to search for possible recommended materials relevant to my research. Before I started with the research proc

Stress in Air Traffic Controllers Research Paper

Stress in Air Traffic Controllers - Research Paper Example In an increasingly competitive global environment, where the scramble for resources and the search for tangible opportunities seem to have overtaken any other global undertaking, the importance of commercial aviation cannot be overemphasized. Commercial aviation plays a very central role in the overall growth of any economy across the world. It is therefore imperative to look into the key issues that govern the aviation industry to ensure its success and proper functionalism. The concept of aviation security comes in as one of the most pressing issues in this regard. The commercial aviation industry continues to face a number of challenges with respect to safety and security of the passengers it transports. While it can be argued that much progress has since been realized in addressing and instituting safety measures, it is worth noting that safety is so important that any effort could never be enough (Sweet 2009). One of the most pressing issues that affect commercial airline operators is the high-stress levels evidenced in air traffic controllers (Dekker 2007). Indeed, this job requires high levels of expertise, knowledge, and practical application of this experience. As such, the air traffic controllers are normally expected to demonstrate high amounts of alertness considering that their duties are very core toward air safety. They are required to display a mixture of interpersonal skills together with human cognitive aspects in a way that blends well to give high-performance levels. Stress is indeed a very negative phenomenon that must always be addressed as a safety measure in the aviation industry. In ATC, stress is normally a very great playing factor that limits proper functionality and performance.  

PHL317Marx and Marxism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PHL317Marx and Marxism - Essay Example Marx and Engels underline a leading role of the working class supposing that popular revolution could overthrow the repressive oligarchies of wealth and did not set them apart from the principles of democracy but, on the contrary, placed them squarely in the mainstream of the mid- nineteenth-century democratic tradition. "The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority in the interest of the immense majority." Thus they could make the equation that "to win the battle of democracy" would be the same thing as "to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class." A "democratic constitution" would produce the "rule of the proletariat" (Marx and Engels 2006). Thus Communist Manifesto could assert even more plainly in a contemporaneous article that "a necessary consequence of democracy in all civilized countries is the political rule of the proletariat" (Marx and Engels 2006). Marx and Engels did indeed mistake the birth pangs of industria lism for the death throes of capitalism (Selsam and Martel 43). What is important for is that political strategy rested upon these expectations--however fanciful--of a geometrically multiplying proletariat and an impending economic cataclysm. First, the Manifesto asserted, when free competition is viewed as a process over time, the inevitable result is a concentration of ownership, with the less efficient enterprises going bankrupt or bought up by the more efficient. This law of concentration applies not only to industry but also to agriculture and distributive enterprises. Thus the manifold gradations of preindustrial society give way to a great gray mass of almost undifferentiated wage earners. This tendency of capitalism to replace skilled by unskilled labor is scarcely mentioned by Marx's followers nowadays-for obvious reasons--yet it clearly belonged to the original prognosis. These events lead to dissatisfaction of the working class and force them to oppose the regime. In this case, it becomes the first way of revolution and further class struggle (Szporluk 84). The idea that the working class leads the revolution is based on the concept of majority rule. Marx conceived that each successive class was "called to rule" and to emancipate mankind in some degree. During each period of emancipation, history awarded majority support, as it were, to this ruling class, because the masses would perceive the leadership of the chosen group genuinely to advance the interests of the whole society. So it had been in proper bourgeois revolutions, when the masses had provided the muscle for the bourgeoisie in its struggle to break out from the fetters of feudalism. So it would be again when the proletariat was called upon to play its ultimate emancipatory role, but not, perhaps, before the compass needle of universal suffrage registered "various deviations" (Szporluk 89). Among these, Marx also seemed to anticipate that the successful creation of a republic would dissolve the tripartite class alliance, leaving the more radical proletarian minority at first i n opposition to a "pale" democratic government representing the petty-bourgeois and peasant majority. He implied as much when differentiating himself politically from one of the leading "petty-bourgeois" democrats" The Communist Manifesto states: "The bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionizing the

Analysis of the mondus operandi of a manager Essay

Analysis of the mondus operandi of a manager - Essay Example It includeÃ'• all Ã'•yÃ'•temÃ'• where groupÃ'• of people are involved to achieve a Ã'•pecific Ã'•et of goalÃ'•â€  (Weihrich-&-Kootz,-1994). To bring about theÃ'•e aimÃ'•, aÃ'• defined and created by each individual buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• to reach itÃ'• goalÃ'•, there are three main management roleÃ'• aÃ'• defined by Mintzberg, which include the InterperÃ'•onal, information roleÃ'• and the deciÃ'•ional roleÃ'•. TheÃ'•e in-turn encompaÃ'•Ã'• more Ã'•pecific dutieÃ'• which will be diÃ'•cuÃ'•Ã'•ed later. Manager CaÃ'•e-Ð…tudy:BuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• Name – Playtec Pty LtdName – Matthew Ð…tewartAge – 29Phone No – *******PoÃ'•ition Held – General ManagerBuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• Ð…ize – Ð…mall (approximately 20-employeeÃ'•)BuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• DeÃ'•cription – Playtec Pty Ltd iÃ'• a manufacturer of indoor Ã'•oftplay equiptment, diÃ'•tributed nationwide and occaÃ'•ionally overÃ'•eaÃ'•. AÃ'• a General Manager of a Ã'•mall buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'•, MatthewÃ'•â€™Ã'• management roleÃ'• conÃ'•iÃ'•t of interdependent-factorÃ'• coordinated into an organiÃ'•ed ‘Ã'•yÃ'•tem’ to allow efficient allocation of reÃ'•ourceÃ'• through well-planned adminiÃ'•tration, complimenting D.A HoltÃ'• definition of "defining organizational objectiveÃ'• and then articulating Ã'•trategieÃ'•, tacticÃ'• and objectiveÃ'• that are neceÃ'•Ã'•ary to achieve theÃ'•e objectiveÃ'•." (Holt,-1987,-p.793). TheÃ'•e are divided into the three main Ã'•egmentÃ'• of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility, collectively known aÃ'• the Mintzberg’Ã'• Management roleÃ'•. Under InterperÃ'•onal management roleÃ'•, Matthew iÃ'• Ã'•een aÃ'• a ‘figurehead’ in playtec, Ã'•ometimeÃ'• being referred to aÃ'• the â€Å"heart’n’Ã'•oul† of the company. Although not the buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• owner, the role of a leader iÃ'• one he haÃ'• aÃ'•Ã'•umed, taking-on the reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility of planning and providing future growth under one’Ã'• ‘umbrella’ of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility for operationÃ'• and employeeÃ'•. Taking a large amount of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility for

Interview report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Interview report - Essay Example The interview was carried out in his small office, and the subject was asked ten questions to which he responded comprehensively. Interview responses The subject expressed his passion for teaching language especially to ESL students because as he put it, â€Å"teaching someone a new language is as good as creating a new life. â€Å"You see them change over time and you can’t help but be delighted†. When asked whether he uses computer software to teach English, his response was affirmative and he said that computer software makes a good part of his teaching. This was followed by a follow-up question. Have you always used computer software in the language vocabulary acquisition for ESL students? His response was: when I began teaching English to ESL students, there was no computer software to offer second language acquisition and teaching was mainly done using one to one communication with the students and also by the use of books. However, as computers became more popul ar, the use of computers to teach language became very popular too, and there have been numerous computer nuggets that were designed to help ESL students to learn English vocabulary very efficiently. This software can be classified into two classes, those designed to be used by ESL students who are learning on their own; and those designed to be used in conjunction with the teacher. This software started becoming available and popular in early 2000s and was not popular in the 90s (Peterson, 2009). I only started to use it later after I had been teaching English for a number of years to ESL students. Follow up question: do you see any positive difference between now that you are using the software and when you were not using software to teach ESL students? He responded to this follow up question by saying that there were positive and negative consequences of using computer application for language vocabulary acquisition. The use of computer applications by students and especially ESL students to learn new vocabulary is helpful because the computer applications that the students use make it easy for the students to access information in a more convenient way. However, this will depend on whether the student is conversant in the use of computer in general. If the student is not very savvy with regard to the use of computers, using these applications will not help very much in making the student learn vocabulary, but will only make it harder. The subject was indicating that computer packages can be used to increase the efficiency by the students to learn new vocabulary, but this can only happen if the students are computer savvy. He added that in most cases, ESL students are also not computer literate, and this causes a big challenge in getting them to use the computer application to learn new vocabulary. The next question was: why would computer software be useful in helping the students be able to acquire language acquisition? This question was asked in order fo r the subject to demonstrate why he thinks that the use of software can be useful in some cases to help the ESL students to learn new language vocabulary. His response was: â€Å"With the use of computers, it is much easier to browse through the information because computers work very fast. When a student is using a computer application to learn the meaning of a new word, he is able to browse the database and get a number of important aspects of a new

General Manager Essay Example for Free

General Manager Essay 1. Planning administration †¢ Provide leadership and vision to the organization by assisting the Board and staff with the development of long range and annual plans, and with the evaluation and reporting of progress on plans . †¢ Oversee preparation of an Annual Report summarizing progress on short and long range plans. †¢ Research and write discussion papers, analysis documents and proposals as needed to assist the organization in determining and meeting its long and short term goals. 2. HR management †¢ Recruitment and contracting of company and project staff; †¢ Employee development, and training; †¢ Policy development and documentation; †¢ Employee relations; †¢ Performance management and improvement systems; †¢ Employment and compliance to regulatory concerns and reporting; †¢ Company-wide committee facilitation including planning, production, staff and †¢ Board of Directors, including arranging meetings and agendas, attending and minuting meetings; 3. Project management: †¢ Manage hire and distribution of music scores and parts, including any performing rights payments. †¢ Oversee the booking of tours this includes: venue liaison from negotiating the deal to distribution of audience questionnaires, programs and merchandise. †¢ Oversee organization of company transport, subsistence and accommodation. †¢ Liaise with Production Manager to oversee hire and delivery / transport of all technical and production equipment. 4. Marketing and PR: †¢ Manage advertising opportunities in other theatre program, press and at venues. †¢ Organize the availability of company members for media/PR events as necessary. †¢ Oversee content, production and distribution of all marketing and publicity materials (posters, program, flyers, mail outs, brochures etc) with director, designer and project manager. †¢ Manage press development; †¢ Co-ordinate the invitation of potential future promoters and supporters of the company. 5. Financial management †¢ Provide recommendations regarding investments and cash strategies. †¢ Oversee preparation of annual budget, regular variance statements and annual audit. †¢ Provide vision regarding overall financial health of the company. †¢ Provide vision and leader ship in long range fiscal planning to ensure the continuity and solvency of the company. †¢ Provide recommendations regarding effective utilization of long and short term debt, including refinancing and purchasing/sales. †¢ Oversee fundraising efforts. 7. Production/QC: †¢ Insure accurate documentation of production and quality control data and records. †¢ Direct and oversee site production activities and personnel. †¢ Oversee and ensure high safety standards at all times. †¢ Direct production activities to insure safety and compliance with quality control standards, regulatory compliance, and lease agreements. †¢ Oversee and/or ensure good housekeeping at site at all times. 6. Administrative management †¢ Ensure client and vendor file integrity (documents, analytical information where required, communication notations, etc.). †¢ Maintain general oversight and insure accuracy of records including A/R, A/P, Inventory, etc. †¢ Assist in development of forms and tools to increase company efficiency and risk management. III / Job specification of general manager job description 1. A minimum of five years of experience in business management, planning and financial oversight. 2. A minimum of five years of experience in personnel management, including hiring, supervision, evaluation and benefits administration. 3. A minimum of three years of experience working with a board of directors and committees. 4. College graduate or equivalent experience. 5. Proven skills in business and financial management. 6. Demonstrated ability to work with student member owners. 7. Demonstrated ability to work in a proactively diverse and inclusive organization. 8. Excellent, proven interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills. 9. Demonstrated ability to manage and supervise a staff team. 10. Effective problem solving and mediation skills. 11. Demonstrated ability to share skills and knowledge with others. 12. Proficiency with office computer equipment and software. 13. Demonstrated ability to multi task and work in a fast paced office setting. 14. Proven ability to cope with conflict, stress and crisis situations. III/ TYPES OF EXECUTIVE JOB DESCRIPTION Executive job descriptions include JDs as follows: 1. CEO job description 2. Executive Director job description 3. Operations manager job description 4. Executive assistant job description 5. General manager job description Source: Executive job description and interview questions dictionary III / Compensation and benefits Net salary: 2.950 USD/month. Email: [emailprotected]

Analysis on John Locke’s Prose Approach Essay Example for Free

Analysis on John Locke’s Prose Approach Essay John Locke’s politically inclined state of establishing the innate sense of liberalism in his work is a manifestation of his political theories as well as with his deliberative arguments on certain instances that belie the natural and rational premises landscaping the governmental realm of ethical obligation as vanguard in illustrating the various interpretations reputable laws. Locke’s character in prose has dignified his capability to distinguish the form of biases which coherently occur in most obscure pieces in the world of literature (Locke, 1994). Moreover, such is evident that his contributory echelon on political philosophy and argumentative statements on ideas which seemed to be true to the eyes of many has been refuted in the most intellectual manner thus substantiating such manifestos in a precise and concise way (Locke Goldie, 1997). Perceivably one of the astounding works of the aforementioned author is Two Treatises of Government, wherein he had been named as a father of modern constitutional state thus creating a masterpiece crediting his worth as a writer and a historian (Forster, 2005). The amazing factor of his work is well delivered in his method in categorizing the ideas which he wishes readers to swim on to thus not making them leave the gist of the whole thought. In the light, he expands his words to a rather conventional type but not too obsolete for that instance, so as not to drive away the enthusiasm of his work the contemporary state (Forster, 2005). His prose, being factual and persuasive at the same time explicitly denote his grandeur and ability to trigger classical concerns yet delivering an association if unorthodox political opinions armed with spontaneous solutions to his established squabbles . The fundamentals surfacing in his works may utterly sound confusing; however, it could then be taken to assumption that such is a ‘tricky’ way to launch a new label in the vortex and competition in prose writing and English mind despotism (Simonds, 1995). References: Forster, G. (2005). John Lockes Politics of Moral Consensus. New York: Cambridge University Press. Locke, J. (1994). Two Treatises of Government. United Kingdom: Salem Press, Inc. Locke, J. , and Goldie, M. (1997). Locke: Political Essays. New York: Cambridge University Press. Simonds, R. T. (1995). John Lockes use of classical legal theory. International Journal of the Classical Tradition, 3(4), 424.

Definitions Of The Concept Of Dignity Nursing Essay

Definitions Of The Concept Of Dignity Nursing Essay The essence of this essay is to give an in depth understanding of the concept of dignity in the care system. This essay will focus on the issues discussed in the group Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) presentation; define and critically analyse the concept of dignity from different perspectives, in relation to its abstract and subjective nature. How dignity is maintained by health professionals, influenced by cultural differences, and look at some current initiatives used to promote dignity in practice. Furthermore, I will focus on my experiences in practice to illustrate the concept of dignity, using relevant theories to support my discussion. I shall conclude using Gibbss framework to reflect on the group presentation. I have chosen to focus solely on Dignity of identity as it relates to my chosen area of nursing. Nordenfelt identifies four concepts of Dignity: Dignity of Menschenwà ¼rde,  Dignity of merit,  Dignity of moral stature, and the Dignity of personal identity. In my definition of dignity, I will dicuss definitions that relates to elderly people in care. As an adult nursing student specialising in the care of the elderly, who are the main users of health services, the knowledge gained in the process of this essay will be applied to every adult in my care. Definitions of the concept of Dignity Dignity is a difficult concept to define, and has a strong association with respect. Dignity is defined as being worthy of respect. (DH,2003) cited from Andrew and Alison however, The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCEI; 2006) pointed out that although defining dignity may be difficult, people know when they have not been treated with dignity and respect. The definition of dignity from the oxford dictionary talks about the innateness of dignity in human as it is natural. This is also embedded in Article 1 of the United Nations General Assembly Declaration of 1948, reiterate in 1996 by the United nations International Bill of Rights, which states, that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights (United Nations, 1996).(matiti). From the EBL group presentation Professor Lennart Nordenfelts theories on dignity were discussed; firstly, Dignity of merit- based on hierarchical position in society, dependent on economic/social class can be hereditary. Secondly, Human Dignity gives rise to the value of being human, and the Dignity of moral stature based on a persons moral autonomy/integrity and, lastly Dignity of identity which focuses on human beings self-respect, including notions of integrity and autonomy, and may be violated when a person is prevented from doing what they want to do or are entitled to do, or by physical assault and humiliation. The last aspect of Nordenfelts definition of dignity, which is the dignity of personal identity, is the one that can be related to the elderly. Due to possible limited capabilities associated with ageing individuals they could be subjected to their dignity being violated, as their condition may result in them being dependent on others for their daily activities of livin g, thus depriving them of their right from doing what they would want or entitled them to do, which may bring about physical assault and humiliation. *missing quote to be inserted, upon confirmation of source** The Royal college of Nursing (RCN) has made it clear that dignity applies equally to those who have capacity and those who lack it. Everyone has equal worth as human being and must be treated as human beings and must be treated as if they are able to feel, think, and behave in relation to their own worth or value. *missing Dignity in Care quote to be inserted, upon confirmation of source** It is evidenced from my research on the definition of dignity that people perceive dignity differently due to its subjective nature. Nonetheless, there is no general agreement on what dignity actually means. Julie Clark, 2010. However, there is a consensus that it is a value possessed by every human being. Everyone irrespective of circumstances should be treated with dignity. Nordenfelt argues that, Menschenwurde is the basic platform. Each older person has his or her intrinsic value, which entails a number of rights, among other the rights of the UN Declaration. People do not lose any of these rights because they have reached a particular age. **(Dignity in care for older pp)** Badcot states that, Kant I Cited in Gallagher et al 2008 holds that human beings posses dignity because they are rational, autonomous creatures with intrinsic value who can pursue and determine their own ends. Kants definition of dignity in relation to intrinsic value appears to rely upon possession of autonomy. ` Treating patients or clients with dignity is considered as part of providing them with quality care and allowing them to experience quality of life which can be violated according to Nordenfelt due to their circumstances; illness or old age. (Dignity in Care text book) PROMOTING DIGNITY IN CARE It is of paramount importance that healthcare practitioners promote dignity in care at all times. There are conditioning factors and attributes that have been put in place to govern dignity in care situations. One of the most important conditioning factors is for the nurse to gain a full understanding of the concept of promoting dignity in order to provide good nursing care to our adult patients. In care situation, dignity may be promoted or diminished by the following factors; physical environment, organizational culture and the attitude and behaviour of the nursing team in the way care are carried out. There are several ways in which patients or client dignity can be promoted. According social institute of excellence (2010) there are 8 main factors that promote dignity in care. Few of which I will explain with example. Dignity can be promote by health care professionals by involving patients in their own care, empowering to make their own decisions and choices concerning their care. Treating patient or client as an individual involves listening to them and to avoid caring for them as a group, encouraging independence and giving time and choice. For example, give patient choice of how they would like to be dressed by asking them to choose cloths of their choice. When communicating with patient, it is important to express respectful verbal and non verbal communication; Listening, responding, allowing time and use of therapeutic communication when required. Healthcare professionals should cultivate the habit of approaching patient in an appropriate manner thus, with respect and professionally. Providing patients with necessary information regarding their health, results in them having sense of value. Explain procedure to gain consent cooperation prior every procedure and including them in their care by giving them choice and freedom to express their feeling of makes them feel a sense of belonging and that nurses are not dominating the care they offer. Maintaining privacy is important. For example, during procedures, curtains should be pulled around patients bed using peg, to ensure privacy. Keeping the environment clean is very important. For example, a commode should not be left at the patients bed side after use. It is concluded that reflection on, and improvements to, the care environment makes a significant contribution to patients, relatives and staff feeling valued and respected.(Matiti) When dignity is present people feel in control, valued, confident, comfortable and able to make decisions for themselves. When dignity is absent people feel devalued, lacking control and comfort. They may lack confidence and be unable to make decisions for themselves. They may feel humiliated, embarrassed or ashamed. It is of paramount important to organise and involving elderly people in stimulating activities, particularly those in a nursing home in as this will help to prevent isolation. According to 2008 Gallagher et al it states that old age may intimidate dignity due to the fact that the amount of social inclusion and participation are limited. When patient and client are not treated with respect and dignity it tends to gave negatives impact on their wellbeing thus affects them psychologically and socially. dignified treatment correlate most closely with high satisfaction with the hospital stay, thus indicating that patients who perceive that they are treated with dignity are happier with their overall hospital experience. (matiti) (chochinov et al, 200b) Matiti) indicated a link between loss of dignity and various negative effects, such as psychological and symptoms distress, heightened dependency needs and loss of will to live It is affirmed by legislation and ethical of the profession that, all healthcare professionals to at all times promote patients dignity and respect. (chochinov et al, 200b) Matiti) indicated a link between loss of dignity and various negative effects, such as psychological and symptoms distress, heightened dependency needs and loss of will to live INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE DIGNITY The desire to restore dignity to the heart of nursing is an attempt to challenge and redress some of the delegation and overspecialisation that has occurred over the past decade, which have perpetuated the perceived erosion of care (Scott, 2000). However, (Maben and Griffiths, 2008). From dignity champion exerts that Campaigns for dignity in care may not necessarily result in the change of values, attitudes and beliefs that are perceived to be lacking in nursing As it has been stated that dignity is difficult to define and that care professional might not be equipped with the necessary skills and Knowledge required of them to treat client with dignity however, there are governing bodies which are in place to help health practitioner in using initiatives to promote dignity. These initiatives are readily available as a guide to healthcare/care provider in order to effectively and adequately treating client with respect and dignity. Adherence to these initiatives, consequently result in meeting clients needs as individual and providing quality care. Design for patients dignity is another body that promotes dignity. They have created a number of initiatives to help practitioners in care setting. These includes, universal gown which caters to all sizes as well as cultural and religious beliefs. The gown also covers all part of the patients body including the front and the back which gives patients privacy and allows them to feel secure and many more. http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/challenges/Health/Design-for-Patient-Dignity/Case-studies/ 23 December 2012 My home life focuses on elderly people, this is why it has been chosen my home life movement is also a governing body who formed a variety of initiative which aspire for best practice includes a sense of security; this involves gaining trust and maintain confidentially unless on a need to know basis. A sense of significance allowing them to feel sense of worth and valued , recognising their presence, listening and understanding their needs, empowering them in order for them to make choices and decision about their lives. A sense of continuity All of these initiatives help to promote their dignity because they feel a sense of belonging. (Nolan et als Senses Framework). From my research it is evidenced that several research have been carried out to promote dignity in care settings. One of these initiatives is Dignity in Care network set up by SCIE (SOCIAL CARE INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE).The 10 point Dignity Challenge is the framework and the gold standard this initiative aims to restore dignity at the heart of the health and social care orofessionals Initiatives from the department of health including the National Service Framework for older people, the follow-up Next steps document and the Dignity in care Campaign incorporating the dignity challenge, all aim to promote the necessary changes in culture that are needed to ensure that older people and their carers are treated with respect, dignity and fairness. The Department s Essence of care: Patient-focused benchmarks for clinical governance also offers a framework for healthcare professionals to use in measuring their practice relating to privacy and dignity. The Healthcare Commission report Caring for Dignity (2007) maintains that dignity is a human rights issue and should be the underlying principle when delivering services. However, there is little guidance and no way of measuring how well a service respects a persons privacy and dignity. Dignity is a complex concept which means different things to different people, but is de ¬Ã‚ ned as being made up of two parts: having self-respect and being respected by others. Maintaining dignity helps to preserve our self-worth and identity; this is particularly important in care settings where residents are often vulnerable, and caring practices can make people feel undigni ¬Ã‚ ed owing to their personal and intimate nature. It is often easier to identify when dignity has been lost rather than when it is being maintained. (Nursing Residential Care, August 2009, Vol 11, No 8) (Privacy and dignity in continence care: research review) PRACTICE EXPERIENCE. that devalues and does not respect the dignity of the individual should be confronted. Mrs Husseins smiled and said thank you. My mentor replied that it is our job to care for patients needs. Mrs Husseins dignity of identity was compromised as the care assistant took the advantage of Mrs Husseins condition to violate her dignity of identity for her own conveniences. Professor Wilfred exerts that Dignity is promoted when individuals are enabled to do the best within their capabilities, exercise control, make choices and feel involved in the decision making that underpins their care. I had my clinical placement in a stroke ward where i came in contact with people with different types of stroke and those on rehabilitation pathway. There were several instances where I experienced how patients dignity was being maintained and conversely, compromised. For the purpose of this essay a pseudonym will be used in order to protect confidentiality (Nursing and Midwifery Councils code of conduct 2009). I cared for Mrs Hussein, a 75 years old, Asian woman who was admitted into the ward with ischemic stroke which left her with right sided weakness of both limbs. (Walsh 2002) defines a stroke as an interruption of the blood supply to a part of the brain and the development of neurological deficits. Mrs Husseins health condition required her to be dependent on carers has she requires help for almost all her activities of daily living. During the morning shift I supported the care assistant to wash her. We sought for her consent and asked if she would like to have her bath, curtains were pulled around using peg and her private part covered with towel until the private part needed to be washed, ensuring that her privacy and dignity were maintained. The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC 2009) exerts that people should be treated with respect and dignity. After we finished bathing her, I headed to her cupboard to get her cloths, but the care assistant said she is wearing the hospital Gown because she is incontinence of both urine and faeces. Mrs Hussein said she does not want the Gown that she prefers her own clothes because the hospital gown does not cover her body properly, she explained. Unfortunately, her request was ignored. Despite the code of conduct (NMC2009) that states that You must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences. Also, International Journal of Nursing Practice 2011; 17: 336-341 also asserts that Listening to patients is a necessary precursor to respecting their dignity in care and in supporting their sense of their own dignity Mrs Hussein was not looking happy as her wish was ignored. I intervened by moving closer to her, held her hand used the therapeutic communication skill. I held her hand to explain to her that I will get one of the carers that will assist in changing her to her own cloth. The attitude and communication skills of the individual practitioner can do much to ensure that these and other similar experience are not made worse. Matiti I reported the situation to my mentor and she came with me to change her. . According to Wilfred (professor in dignity of older people) Any practice Those patients on rehabilitation pathway were at all times given the choice of what to we particularly the women were encouraged to wear their personal cloths as they may need to go for physiotherapy. This is done at all times to maintain patients dignity. I also experienced an 82 years old man who was admitted into the ward and was confused. Due to his condition he always undressed himself. This resulted in making the decision for him to be relocated to the side room. The idea of being in the side room alone led to him not be attended to as he was confused and could not use the call bell Control of the bowel and bladder is something which people develop as small children and loss of this important to preserve a persons privacy and dignity during such care. Sufferers to feel child-like and stigmatised. Older people with continence problems often feel a loss of dignity in care settings (Nursing Residential Care, August 2009, Vol 11, No 8 During my placement I also noticed that when there was a shortage of staff, the patients dignity tends to be diminished. For example, in the stroke ward where I was, patients who were unable to feed for themselves required assistance but due to the shortage of staff patients had to wait for turns to be fed as a result, their food must have gone cold which then diminishes their dignity because if they were able to feed themselves they would not have to wait for assistance. The hospital toilets particularly, the ones in shared bays are relatively small for carer to manoeuvre which sometimes subject patients dignity being diminished. It is believed that one of the factors inhibiting dignity in practice is as result of the healthcare professionals not adequately equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge required of them to be able to carry out their work effectively. Also, the fact that the concept of dignity is a very difficult to define, it is difficult to give a specific definition that may be used to underpinned practice. (Anderberg et al, 2007). Therefore, there is need to help healthcare workers in practice to identify practical ways of promoting patient and client dignity Patient dignity is feeling valued and comfortable psychologically with ones physical presentation and behaviour, level of control over the situation, and the behaviour of other people in the environment (Baillie, 2007, p.247).Matiti Within healthcare settings, how patients feel they are viewed by staff caring for them, or how staff feel they are viewed by colleagues and patients, can affect self esteem. If a persons own standards are met, they develop a sense of pride, have high self-esteem and feel worthy. Matiti Access to lavatory/bathroom facilities There is often insufficient access to lavatory/bathroom facilities with staff unavailable to help and alternatives, such as commodes, offered that people found embarrassing and undignified. This diminished their dignity and result in the patient not wanting to call for toilet. Pulling of curtains during procedures is crucial at all times. . Conclusion Dignity in care is not the sole responsibility of one professional group: all health and social care professionals need to be dignity champions. Nurses are more aware and informed of the different dimensions of peoples Wilfred (professor in dignity for older people) nursing times REFLECTION ON EBL Reflection is a process of reviewing an experience to describe, analyse, evaluate and to inform learning of practice (Reid 1993) cited in Sully and Dallas. Gibbs reflection cycle process (1988) will be used to reflect on my presentation. This comprises of six features and listed below in chronological order. DESCRIPTION: reflecting on the EBL process, on the first week, trigger was given to the group to analyse and discuss the implication for practice. We worked, strived and researched together as a team for four weeks. The process started by electing chairperson and a scribe. Thereafter, topic was shared amongst us as subgroups to research upon, which we all came to agreement. According to (Thompson et al 2006) working together is the nature of nurse education to explore theoretical and clinical principle and applied them to practice. Each week, prior to the presentation date each subgroup came up with their research and we discuss on our research and asked every member of the group for an individual input before the arrival of our facilitator. Finally, research carried out was put together and we decided between ourselves who would like to present. In the end we were all happy with our performance and the marks awarded, as the marks will be added to individual final marks. FEELINGS: Feelings and thinking are considered the most essential aspect of the reflective process; therefore, great care should be taken during this process (Ely and Scott, 2007). Prior to the presentation, we were overwhelmed with feelings of nervousness and jittery, as well as incompatibility of the group members. There was a fear of time management, as we had only 30 minutes to present. Presenters had rehearsed before the proper presentation was carried out to ensure that we bit the time. In the end, the time management was perfect and our presentation was splendid. EVALUATION: The good thing about the teams was that there is always a good turnout for extra meeting out the normal class hour. Although, some do came late for sessions but get the group informed. Working as a team was a great experience; it gave me more confident and better understanding of the topic. The EBL presentation has shown me how to develop my knowledge and skill, effective listening skill was observed at the time of the presentation. However, on the last meeting day before the presentation, there was issue of summarizing two different slides on the power points this brought a bit of argument but it was summarised and we all settled amicably. The presentation provided me with an in-depth knowledge of the dignity in care. According to (Elly and Scott 2007) evaluation process is a stage that enables one to reflect on the performance of your experience, what was wrong and right about your experience. ANALYSIS: in the process of EBL study i developed the knowledge and skill of gathering and sharing information, effective communication and listening skills as well as the spirit of working together for the benefit of achieving common goal. Also, the process gave me the privilege to gain in-depth insight on how dignity can be promoted in care setting, initiatives to promote dignity and the impact of undignified care on the elderly and the vulnerable people in general. Analysis is the process of making sense of the whole experience or situation and putting it in context (Bulman and Schutz 2008). ACTION PLAN: when next the opportunity of group presentation arise, I will try and volunteer to take part in presenting for the group as this will help boost and build my communication skills and developed confidence to face the audience. Action plan according to (Ely and Scott 2007) is a way of planning for the future and organising yourself in case similar events occur in the future. Conclusion: This essay has provided me with relevance information regarding EBL presentation, the trigger and the use of Gibbs reflective cycle 1988.

Project Performance Evaluation by Earned Value Analysis

Project Performance Evaluation by Earned Value Analysis Project Performance Evaluation by Earned Value Analysis – A Case Study Abstract- Earned Value management (EVM) is a well-known project management tool that uses information on cost, schedule and work performance to track the current status of the project. It uses information on cost, schedule and work performance to establish the current status of the project. The calculation of earned value is a very effective tool in measuring the progress of contractors in external projects. Computation of earned value can be part of an audit activity, or it can be integrated into the progress monitoring system. The concept of earned value is generally used in the context of fixed price contracts where the objective is to calculate the amount of payment that is due to the contractor. Keywords- Project Performance Evaluation, Earned Value, Cost Control, Forecasting INTRODUCTION Earned value analysis is a project control technique which provides cost and schedule performance measurements of the project. It is a frequently used method of performance measurement for projects. It integrates the project scope baseline and the cost baseline, along with the schedule baseline, to form the performance baseline, which helps the project management team assess and measure project performance and progress. EVM provides project managers and the organization with triggers or early warning signals that allow them to take timely actions in response to indicators of poor performance and enhance the opportunities for project success. Better planning and resource allocation associated with the early periods of a project might be the cause of this reliability. EVM IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EVM can be used for progress payments to contractors based on the earned value (EV) of contracted or outsourced work. Since such contractual arrangements create legal and financial obligations, it is important to consider the method specified for evaluating progress. These methods and tools for the determination of progress should be carefully considered and negotiated to achieve a fair and equitable environment that encourages successful accomplishment of contracted or outsourced project items. Once a project has advanced to a stage of performance, the consistent and constant flow of information on the true status of the project is essential. EVM is a methodology that associates project scope, schedule, and resource measurements to analyse project performance and progress. The fundamental principle of EVM is that the patterns and trends of performance, when compared against a soundly developed baseline, can be excellent predictors of the future project performance. Feedback is critical to the success of any project. Getting the relevant feedback in time enables project managers to identify problems early and make adjustments that keeps a project on time and on budget. EVM is considered by many to be one of the most effective performance measurement and feedback tools for managing construction projects. In EVM system, the three parameters that influence the project performance control are: Planned Value (PV) Planned value (PV) is the sanctioned budget assigned to a scheduled work. It may also be known as the Budgeted Cost for Work Scheduled (BCWS). This budget is allocated by phases over the life of the project, but at a given moment, planned value outlines the physical work that should have been accomplished. The overall PV is sometimes referred to as the performance measurement baseline (PMB). The total planned value for the project is also known as budget at completion (BAC) [1]. Earned Value (EV) Earned value (EV) is the measure of work performed at a specific point in time, expressed in terms of the authorized budget for that work. The EV being measured needs to be related to the PMB, and it cannot be greater than the authorized PV budget for a component. The EV is often used to calculate the percentage completion of a project. Progress evaluation criteria should be established for each work breakdown structure (WBS) component to measure work in progress. The earned value methodology used to plan the baseline should be used consistently to determine the earned value. Project managers monitor EV, both incrementally to determine current status and cumulatively to determine the long-term performance trends [2], [1]. Actual Cost (AC) Actual cost (AC) is the realized cost incurred for the work performed during a specific time period. It is the total cost incurred in achieving the work that the EV measured. In order for EVM analysis to be reliable, AC must be recorded in the same time period as EV and for the same activity or work breakdown structure component as EV. Fig. 1 shows the actual cost at time now, and indicates that the organization has spent more than it planned to spend in order to achieve the work performed to date. Fig. 1 Earned Value curve for a project over budget and behind schedule LITERATURE REVIEW Previous researches done on the EVM indicate that it is definitely one of the better practice to monitor a project. Therefore in this project we will be considering Earned Value Analysis for research purpose. Pramod M et al. (2014), recognise that the absence of an effective system for monitoring and controlling project cost is the main reason for cost escalation and delays in the project. Their study considers Earned Value analysis and Earned Schedule concept as the two monitoring systems which can be used to monitor a construction project. The study was done on a residential apartment in Bangalore. They concluded their research by saying, Earned Value Analysis is a great monitoring system for project cost control when the required information are cost oriented [3]. Jose Angelo Valle and Carlos Alberto Pereira Soares (2012), did a critical review of the application of EVA for the Amusement Park named Monica Park in Brazil, which was is documented with reports, graphs, analyses and comments. EVA had a relevant role in the integrated management of the project scope, time, progress, cost and risks and the procurement. Because of the implementation of EVA, the project finished on time and on budget. The findings of the case study are analysed and concluded with 10 recommended steps for future implementation of the EVA process [4]. Antony Prasanth M A and K Thirumalai Raja (2014), selected Integrated housing and slum development program (IHSDP) located in Mattampuram, Thrissur, Kerala, for case study. Budgeted cost of work performed was compared against actual cost of work performed and budgeted cost of work scheduled to assess cost and schedule variances, respectively. Based on the collected data, schedule of the project and cost for individual activities had prepared. It gave an idea of cost and time required for individual activities and for the entire construction. S-Curve was drawn showing the relationship between duration and cost of the project. From the calculation of various project performance indicators, they arrived at conclusion that the project has an unfavourable schedule variance of 9.5 which meant the project was behind schedule. A SPI of .62 and a CPI of 0.82 was obtained. EAC of 411.20 lakhs was obtained which is 74.02 lakhs more than the BAC at 337.18 lakhs [5]. EVM PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING PARAMETER Calculating Project Performance EVA analyses project performance by calculating performance variances and performance indices. Common variances include: Schedule Variance (SV):Schedule variance (SV) is the amount by which the project is ahead or behind the planned delivery date, at a given point in time. It is a measure of schedule performance on a project. It is equal to the earned value (EV) minus the planned value (PV). The EVM schedule variance is a useful metric which can indicate when a project is falling behind or is ahead of its baseline schedule. The EVM schedule variance will ultimately equal zero when the project is completed because all of the planned values will have been earned. Cost variance (CV):Cost variance (CV) is the amount of budget deficit or surplus at a given point in time. It is a measure of cost performance on a project. It is equal to the earned value (EV) minus the actual cost (AC). The cost variance at the end of the project will be the difference between the budget at completion (BAC) and the actual amount spent. Schedule performance index (SPI):The schedule performance index (SPI) is a measure of schedule efficiency expressed as the ratio of earned value to planned value. SPI indicates the rate at which the project is progressing. It is sometimes used in conjunction with the cost performance index (CPI) to forecast the final project completion estimates. An SPI value less than 1.0 indicates less work was completed than was planned. An SPI greater than 1.0 indicates that more work was completed than was planned. Cost performance index (CPI):The cost performance index (CPI) is a measure of the cost efficiency of budgeted resources, expressed as a ratio of earned value to actual cost. It is considered the most critical EVM metric and measures the cost efficiency for the work completed. A CPI value of less than 1.0 indicates a cost overrun for work completed and greater than 1.0 indicates a cost underrun of performance to date. Performance Forecasting As the project progresses, forecasts can be developed for cost and schedule performance. Common forecasting data includes: Estimate to Complete (ETC):The estimate to complete (ETC) is the expected cost needed to complete all of the remaining work for a control account, work package, or the project. The most accurate method is to develop a new, detailed, bottom-up estimate based on an analysis of the remaining work. Estimate at Completion (EAC):Estimate at completion (EAC), is the expected total cost of a control account, work package, or the project when the defined scope of work will be completed. The EAC is typically based on the actual cost incurred for work completed (AC), plus an estimate to complete (ETC) for the remaining work. Variance at Completion (VAC):The cost variance at completion (VAC), derived by subtracting the EAC from the BAC, forecasts the amount of budget deficit or surplus at the end of the project. The VAC shows the team whether the project is forecasted to finish under or over budget. This can be expressed as a percentage by dividing VAC by BAC. To complete performance index (TCPI):The TCPI is a comparative measure. It compares work completed to date with budget required to complete the remaining work. The TCPI data can be used as the basis for a discussion which explores whether the performance required is realistically achievable. It is the ratio of remaining work to the remaining budget. TABLE I EVM AS IT RELATES TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS Project Management Questions EVM Performance Measures Formula Schedule Analysis Forecasting: To know the status of project Time-Wise. Are we ahead or behind schedule? Schedule Variance (SV) SV = EV/PV How efficiency are we using time? Schedule Performance Index (SPI) SPI = EV/PV Cost Analysis Forecasting: To know the status of project Cost-Wise. Are we under or over our budget? Cost Variance (CV) CV = EV-AC How efficiently are we using our resources? Cost Performance Index (CPI) CPI = EV/AC How efficiently must we use our remaining resources? To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI) TCPI = (BAC – EV)/(BAC – AC ) What is the project likely to cost? Estimate at Completion (EAC) EAC = BAC/CPI Will we be under or over budget? Variance at Completion (VAC) VAC = BAC-EAC What will the remaining work cost? Estimate to Complete (EAC) ETC = (BAC-EV)/CPI CONCLUSIONS The study of various research works and case studies give an idea that Earned Value Analysis is a great monitoring system for project cost control. Therefore, in this paper I will be making an attempt to apply and analyse the use of EVM on a live project based on the findings and guidelines of the references. REFERENCES [1] PMI, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), 4th Edition, Project Management Institute, USA, 2008. [2] PMI, Practice Standard for Earned Value Management, 2nd Edition, Project Management Institute, USA, 2005. [3] Pramod M, K. Phaniraj and V. Srinivasan, â€Å"Monitoring System for Project Cost Control in Construction Industry†, in International Journal of Engineering Research Technology (IJERT), Vol. 3, Issue 7, pp. 1487-1491, July 2014. [4] Jose Angelo Valle and Carlos Alberto Pereira Soares, â€Å"The Use of Earned Value Analysis (EVA) in the Cost Management of Construction Projects†, International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology, pp1-11, Mar 2011. [5] Antony Prasanth M A and K Thirumalai Raja, â€Å"Project Performance Evaluation by Earned Value Method†, International Conference on Engineering Technology and Science, Volume 3, Special Issue 1, Feb. 2014.