Designing a Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Designing a Research Proposal - Essay Example Leadership plays an important and crucial role in shaping the beliefs and mindsets of employees affecting the overall growth and development of organisations. From the international business perspective, it can be said that the role of leaders become all the significant considering the fact that they have to deal with different people belonging to different cultures. This makes leadership a challenge requiring proper assessment and evaluation (Sternberg, 2002). In last few years, the role of leaders has changed a lot. Leaders are becoming mentors guiding their team and organisation to achieve organisational goals and objectives. At the same time; leaders have to face a number of issues in the form of motivating the team members, balancing between the personal and organisational goals, assessing the impact of internal and external factors, and understanding the business needs in the present as well as in the near future (Miner, 2005). This also clears that leaders need to have an effe ctive and influential communication power in order to deal with various internal and external issues. ... For this purpose, few research objectives have been designed discussed as follow: 1.3: Research Objectives The research objectives play an important role in making the research more specific and result oriented. The research objectives formulated for the research are as follow: To critically analyse and discuss the role of leaders in changing the organisational value creation process through effective and efficient communication To ascertain the role of leaders in changing the face of organisations in an effective manner To ascertain the association between the leadership role and effective communication in the organisational value creation process To ascertain ways through which the communication strategies can be developed and implemented and thus reflecting a positive organisational growth from leadership point of view 1.4: Research Questions The researcher has further formulated few research questions being discussed as follow: 1. What is the role of communication in the effectiv e leadership? 2. How communication can enhance the overall organisational value in a systematic manner? 3. What is the role of leaders in developing and implementing communication strategies? 4. What benefits can be derived through effective communication? 1.5: Rationale for the Research Topic The rationale for the research topic is based on the fact that leadership plays an important role in shaping the organisational objectives along with aligning the sources and resources in a meaningful and value oriented manner. At the same time, this can only be done through effective and compassionate communication. This states that communication plays an important role in defining the organisational objectives along with helping each other in the value

Southwest Airlines Essay Example for Free

Southwest Airlines Essay Southwest Airlines has employed unique operational strategies, incorporating industry revolutionizing methodologies, while developing and sustaining a strong corporate culture that has allowed Southwest Airlines to be profitable for a phenomenal 30 straight years and capture the Airline Industry Service Triple Crown five years in a row from 1992 to 1996. Southwest Airlines own success threatens whether it can maintain the strong corporate culture responsible for its prosperity while growing and adding additional routes. More pressing than the long-term strategy however were the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 that created uncertainty in the general environment of US economic trends and the task environment coping with new government security regulations that challenges whether the business model Southwest Airlines was founded on needs to adapt to continue to provide profits to stockholders. Southwest Airlines Organizational Structure Culture Southwest Airlines began in concept in 1967 and took its first flights in 1971 connecting three underserved metros in Texas: Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. Founding members Rollin King and Herb Kelleher pursued a strategy that focused mainly on cost-leadership (goal to make flight less expensive than driving between destination points) and niche strategies (business and pleasure fliers with simple itineraries and short trips) while also offering differentiation (high frequency departures to destinations via point-to-point flights) that did not demand a premium from the customer. The founding strategy drove decisions that resulted in Southwest revolutionizing the industry. Although the aviation industry is considered highly technological, much of Southwest’s organizational design dimensions reflect conscious choices to reduce complexity, partially as a result of regulatory constraints the company faced early in its existence. Southwest was first limited to intrastate routes when it began and following deregulation of the industry in 1978 Southwest was only allowed to fly directly to adjoining states from it base at Love Field in Dallas. Southwest chose to standardize on one type of jet airliner, the Boeing 737. The choice of the 737 allowed for routinization of parts ordering, inventory control, maintenance tasks, and training, significantly reducing expenses. Southwest also chose not to incorporate the hub-and-spoke system intended to increase available seat utilization. The point-to-point route system allowed Southwest to turnaround flights much more quickly gaining greater seat utilization. Other factors reducing complexity included the decision not to serve meals and limiting checked-in baggage on short flights. Early job descriptions in union contracts were not highly formalized; ground crews, flight crews, and boarding personnel were not required to adhere to subdivision of tasks and instead were asked â€Å"to do whatever else might be needed to perform the service† to get a flight off. Agents, or liaisons, with a great deal of autonomy and wide variety of resources to bear on the flight servicing process were incorporated also. Southwest broke away from the conventional boarding system of pre-assigned seats using colorful boarding passes given to patrons on a first-come, first-serve basis encouraging early arrival of customers and preventing mediation of an accidental double assignment to a seat. In yet another innovation, after being kicked out of all the major ticketing and reservation systems except Sabre in 1994, Southwest created the first â€Å"ticketless† travel program and leveraged internet technology to become the first airline to establish a home page to sell tickets on the Internet. Currently Southwest Airlines management is organized as a team minimizing horizontal and vertical differentiation. In addition to founder and chairman, Herb Kelleher, the management team also includes, Jim Parker (CEO), Colleen Barrett (COO), plus three executive vice presidents responsible for operations (Wimberly), customer service (Conover), and corporate staff services (Gary Kelly). The top management members spend a great deal of time together and serve as a cross-functional team making decisions as one. Within Southwest there is minimal hierarchy of authority although the locus of power is centralized within this team. In contrast to highly vertical organizations, the team has a wide span of control since Southwest is more heavily staffed with mangers responsible for coordinating functions at the front-line operating level. Although the organizational structure and design of Southwest Airlines are key factors to Southwest’s success and longevity, probably the most important factor is the culture that has been nurtured and firmly established by its charismatic founder Herb Kelleher that gives Southwest Airlines its sense of identity. Throughout the organization stress has been placed on the value of â€Å"family† and affects everything from the way new recruits are hired to the way union contracts are negotiated. Southwest Airlines has a very strong â€Å"Club† Organizational Culture that incorporates at least six of the seven elements of culture: innovation (first frequent flier program, ticketless flight, first Internet home page), orientation toward people (partnering with unions, acknowledgement of exceptional employees by the culture committee), results-orientation (efficiency and adherence to 15% growth strategy that maintains a strong balance sheet to manage for bad times), easygoingness (jeans for corporate attire, Texas greetings, hugs), attention to detail (winning Airline Industry Service Triple Crown 5 years in a row), and collaborative orientation (team turn-arounds, nobody saying â€Å"it’s not my job†). Clear adherence to the core values of profitability, low cost, family, fun, love, hard work, individuality, ownership, legendary service, egalitarianism, common sense, good judgment, simplicity, and altruism are expected and reinforced through rites, ceremon ies, symbols, and myths. Just being hired at Southwestern Airlines is a rite in itself that Kelleher once described as â€Å"a near religious experience†. Candidates for entry-level positions were interviewed in groups of 30 and monitored for signs of interest, concern, and empathy for the presenter. Frequent fliers were even included in the interview panel to ensure Southwest would hire people who fit in with the â€Å"Club†. Passing the six-month probationary period is one rite of passage while being nominated to the Culture Committee was definitely both a rite of passage and a rite of enhancement providing a high amount of exposure to the corporation management and employees. Advancing to the position of operations agent is a definite rite of enhancement since it could position an employee to be a prime candidate for other front-line management jobs. Ceremonies reinforcing the cultures and values of Southwest Airlines are the responsibility of the Culture Committee and it is tasked to create the Southwest Spirit and Culture where needed; to enrich it and make it better where it already exists; and to liven it up in places where it might be ‘floundering’. The annual awards banquet is the biggest companywide event of the year for which employees from all over the system are brought to Dallas and honored for their length of service. Southwest Airlines emphasis on personal relationships keeps the employee turnover rate hovering around 7%, further ensuring that â€Å"graybeards† are around to help enforce the values and culture of the corporation. In Dallas, at the corporate headquarters, employees find walls lined with pictures of other employees receiving awards for community service activities. The pictures serve as strong symbols that reinforce that the Southwest Airline culture inspires extra-role performance, specifically organizational citizenship behaviors such as altruism. No doubt the awards ceremony also provides an opportunity for many of the legends of Southwest to be told that solidify the â€Å"we vs. them† mentality derived from the Southwest’s organizational experience fighting court battles just to survive and other unique events such as organizational founder Herb Kelleher arm wrestling a competitor for the legal rights to use an advertising logo. The organizational structure and design of Southwest combined with the organizational culture that has been nurtured has served Southwester Airlines well. Southwest Airlines success is evidenced by 30 straight years of profits and being able to grow to become the fourth largest U. S. airline (in terms of domestic customers carried). However, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 resulted in a dramatic drop in airline customers and the issuance of over 200 industry regulation directives in the span of 60 days. The directives had a huge impact on the task environment Southwest and the other airlines operate within. Almost overnight, in an effort to win back airline customers, all of Southwest Airlines competitors became low-fare carriers temporarily negating one of Southwest’s marketing advantages. Security issues made the handling of passengers, baggage, and other matters more complicated and time consuming. Additionally many of Southwest’s best customers (business travelers), who due to their â€Å"last-second† arrivals at the gate, fall into the terrorist profile requiring that they be searched before being allowed to board the flight, further causing delays and threatening the validity of Southwest’s corporate motto, â€Å"you are now free to fly about the country†. Other airlines have added additional time into their flight schedules to manage perceptions of a key industry statistic that is very important to potential customers when purchasing a flight ticket; on-time arrival percentage for the particular airline. These factors have reduced profits, almost ending Southwest’s string of 30 consecutive years of profit, and placed Southwest next to last amongst major US airlines in percentage of on-time arrivals. At this point management is pondering whether changes in the fundamental business model are necessary to protect the bottom line and increase on-time performance. Proposed Solutions Analyzing post 9/11 performance in the airline industry convinces us that Southwest Airlines business model of frequent departures, unassigned seating, point-to-point flights, equipment standardization, strong family culture, and managed growth is sound. Amongst major US Airlines only Southwest and JetBlue were profitable between first quarter 2001 and first quarter 2002. In fact, cost/seat mile for Southwest has decreased in the period and revenue should increase as the US becomes more convinced of airline security and other airlines are forced out of the low-fare segment to try and earn profits. Management may be caught up in comparing its net income to its own past performance when they should be comparing it relative to its competitors who are doing far worse. Changing the business model in an environment of uncertainty would be disastrous resulting in employee turnover (feeling they no longer fit the company), huge hiring and retraining costs, and additional costs associated with attracting a new type of customer. Southwest’s business model displayed its resilience and daptability, when Southwest made the decision to increase schedules, after 9/11, and to continue to add Norfolk to its list of cities served. The decision allowed Southwest to increase market share in passenger miles flown from 7. 5% in first quarter 2001 to 7. 8% in first quarter 2002. Increased market share should increase revenue and profits when security regulation stabilizes and customers return to the airlines. The on-time arrival percentage is a skewed inaccurate statistic being manipulated by Southwest’s competitors. Although turnaround times have grown from 24 to 27 minutes this is still far superior to the industry average which is twice as much. However, to ensure last minute arrivals are boarded quickly we believe Southwest should go ahead and hire or pay for additional security in the gating areas in the short-term. Eventually new security equipment, such as high resolution x-ray scanners, will be deployed upstream of the gating areas by the US government, mitigating the need for preboarding searches. Southwest’s employees, with their strong sense of company ownership, will serve as the alarm to tell management when the added expense of federal security agents is no longer needed in the gating areas. Adding time to flight schedules increases the likelihood that a reduction of one flight departure from each city could be necessitated at a great reduction in profit ( 56 cities X 96 passengers X 500 miles avg. flight. X $. 8 profit cents/mile = $750,000 using 2002 profit data, = $3,494,400 using 2001 profit data of $1. 30 cents/mile). In order to continue growth, Southwest should first pursue adding the long flights, similar to the Oakland to Baltimore route, connecting highly serviced cities. The high seat utilization coupled with low per-flight labor costs will increase profits without requiring additional labor expenses that would be incurred if new cities were added to the service list. JetBlue is making a handsome profit on these longer flights. When the market has stabilized Southwest should once again pursue adding new cities to their service list while continuing to add longer flights. Finally the inaccurate perception by industry analysts, and potentially future customers, that Southwest service levels are declining should be aggressively attacked using one of Southwest’s legendary strengths, humor in advertising. The culture committee should be recruited to brainstorm advertising ideas pointing out that competitors cannot beat them in service levels so they have to cheat to beat the system. After all, Southwest Airlines continues to be #1 in fewest customer complaints for the last twelve consecutive years. Ads could humorously depict travelers boarding competing airlines in summer vacation attire, being passed in mid-flight by hot air balloons and hang gliders, and deboarding during blizzard conditions. The ending tag line would reassure current and future customers, â€Å"You are still free to move about the country†.

Essay on Death and Sorrow in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays

Death and Sorrow in Frankenstein Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is filled with death and sorrow. They occur in almost every aspect of the book. The four "squares" of the book, Walter, Victor, the monster, and the cottagers, all suffer from them at one time or another. Some perceive Frankenstein as a horror story; however, in actuality it is a book of tragedy and despair. Every page reveals more misery than the page before. Thus, death and sorrow are inevitable in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Walter has an interesting turn of events towards the end of the book. He is forced to abandon his quest to the North Pole, he is faced with the monster and must hear the monster's plans for self-destruction, he has to watch idly as his new friend, Victor, passes from this world. He has such noble dreams and aspirations, but they are all brought to a halt because of his chance meeting with Frankenstein. Or, was his expedition doom from the start because of the nature of wanting to do what no other man had done? Was it his ambition that led him to untimely failure? The evidence from the text proves that possibly he was never meant to surpass his peers and obtain the glory that he pursued. Victor experiences very little joy at all after the creation of the monster. He suffers from numerous bouts of depression, he most tolerate the deaths of his brother, best friend, and wife, all of which were murdered at the hands of the monster. His friend Justine is executed because of the death of William, for which she is falsely accused and convicted. His father also dies after the murder of Elizabeth, Victor's ill-fated bride. With so much death surrounding his life, how is it possible that Victor could still be cognizant of his actions when he decides to pursue the monster and end its violent fury? He can't. Victor's mind is so clouded by the sorrow and pain of his past that he is blinded to the fact that he is attempting to destroy a creature with far greater physical strength and speed than any mortal. Much of his conflict appears to be created by the monster, when in fact the torment comes from Victor's own hands because he himself created and gave life to the monster. The monster lived in a world of eternal turmoil and strife.

Drink Raw Milk

Drink Raw Milk Having spent the majority of my life on a dairy farm, I have had the privilege of enjoying fresh, clean, delicious raw milk. There is nothing like it! I would be willing to wager that very few have ever experienced the enjoyment of sipping a tall, ice-cold, creamy â€Å"straight from the farm† glass of milk. There is nothing in the world that compares with the overall taste, the nutritional content, and the health benefits found in raw milk. Raw milk should be an option for everyone to consume. There are warnings and new research advising consumers to avoid raw milk and raw milk products. Indeed, I was surprised to read Nelson (2010) that, â€Å"Raw milk stands alone as the only food that has ever been outlawed, and its advocates point out that it took a constitutional amendment to ban alcohol,† (p. 3). Nonetheless, the movement seems to be gaining in popularity. The Oake Knoll Ayrshire farm in Foxborough, Massachusetts owned by the Lawton family is a perfect example of the momentum that the raw milk movement has gained. â€Å"Lawton figures that she has 200 weekly customers, versus just a handful two years ago,† (Gumpert, 2008). With the â€Å"organic† fresh products movement and the increased accessibility to farmer’s markets, consumers have become more aware of these alternatives. According to the president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a foundation that stands strongly behind the raw milk movement, an estimated half a million Americans or more are consuming raw milk. There are many issues surrounding the raw milk versus pasteurized milk debate, but at this time I want to focus on the issue of choice. The taste of raw milk is the first thing I think of every time I drink pasteurized milk. There are drastic differences in taste, sweetness, and texture. Raw milk is mild, creamy, and even sweeter than pasteurized milk. â€Å"Fresh milk has a delicate flavour contributed by compounds of low molecular weight in trace amounts. Heat treatment affects the flavour of milk and produces detectable off-flavours,† (Aboshama, 1977). Many raw milk consumers testify that one of the main reasons they drink raw milk is for the flavor and creamy texture. In a New York Times article, several raw milk drinkers’ sentiments are voiced about the taste of raw milk: â€Å"richness and density,† â€Å"complexity of flavor,† and â€Å"we trust the traditional food chain [flavor] more,† (Drape, 2007). The best tasting milk is going to come from cows that are pasture-fed. There is a direct relationship between what the animal eats and the taste and nutritional value of the milk. â€Å"Products from pasture-raised animals are healthier [tastier] for you to eat than those from grain-fed animals for many reasons. Animals get more readily available nutrients from fresh pasture plants than from grains, so their products contain more vitamin E, beta carotene, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids,† (Schivera, 2003). This pasture-fed cow’s milk is the high quality raw milk that so many people are seeking out and defending. This high standard of milk resembles that of which most Americans once lived on, when either everyone owned a cow or knew someone who did. Research done by Levieux (1980) explains that two types of protein exist in milk; they are casein and whey. Unlike casein, whey protein is deconstructed during pasteurization (p. 93). These proteins play an important role in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Colman, Hettiararchychy, and Herbert (1981) reported that many vitamins and minerals are attracted to these proteins and potentially bind to them. This bond can facilitate their absorption by the digestive system. Pasteurization destroys the ability of certain proteins in milk to bind the important vitamin folate and hence help its absorption (p. 1426). The components of raw milk that are thought to be most affected by the pasteurization process are the water soluble vitamins and the proteins. According to research completed by Rolls (1973), there is approximately a 10% loss of vitamins BI, B6, B12 and folate and a 25% loss of vitamin C (p. 10). Ultimately, raw milk provides the consumer with more available vitamins and minerals than pasteurized milk. The following chart compares the nutritional values of raw milk and pasteurized milk and clearly shows raw milk offers far more benefits than pasteurized milk. NUTRITIVE VALUE OF RAW MILK Vs. PASTEURIZED MILK (Chart) Category ComparedRaw MilkPasteurized Milk 1) Enzymes:All available. Less than 10% remaining. 2) Protein:100% available, all 22 amino acids, including 8 that are essential. Protein-lysine and tyrosine are altered by heat with serious loss of metabolic availability. This results in making the whole protein complex less available for tissue repair and rebuilding. ) Fats: (research studies indicate that fats are necessary to metabolize protein and calcium. All natural protein-bearing foods contain fats. )All 18 fatty acids metabolically available, both saturated and unsaturated fats. Altered by heat, especially the 10 essential unsaturated fats. 4) Vitamins:All 100% available. Among the fat-soluble vitamins, some are classed as unstable and therefore a loss is caused by heat ing above blood temperature. This loss of Vitamin A, D, E and F can run as high as 66%. Vitamin C loss usually exceeds 50%. Losses on water-soluble vitamins are affected by heat and can run from 38% to 80%. ) Carbohydrates:Easily utilized in metabolism. Still associated naturally with elements. Tests indicate that heat has made some changes making elements less available metabolically. 6) Minerals:All 100% metabolically available. Major mineral components are calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur. Vital trace minerals, all 24 or more, 100% available. Calcium is altered by heat and loss in metabolism may run 50% or more, depending on pasteurization temperature. Losses in other essential minerals, because one mineral usually acts synergistically with another element. There is a loss of enzymes that serve as leaders in assimilation minerals. NOTE:Bacterial growth in Raw Milk increases very slowly, because of the friendly acid-forming bacteria (nature's antiseptic) retards the growth of invading organisms (bacteria). Usually keeps for several weeks when under refrigeration and will sour instead of rot. Pasteurization refers to the process of heating every particle of milk to at least 145 F. and holding at such temperature for at least 15 seconds. Pasteurizing does not remove dirt, or bacterially-produced toxins from milk. Bacterial growth will be geometrically rapid after pasteurization and homogenization. Gradually turns rancid in a few days, and then decomposes. Note. The above chart on nutritive values was cited from â€Å"Report In Favor Of Raw Milk: Expert Report and Recommendations,† by A. Vonderplanitz and W. C. Douglass, 2001, Retrieved from http://docs. google. com Raw milk offers many health benefits which include physical, digestive, and even cognitive health. Perkin (2007) reference cites one of his earlier studies Perkin (2006) that, â€Å"Found protective effects of unpasteurized consumption on current eczema and seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms,† (p. 627). This research has been supported by others such as Waser (2007) who questioned why most farming children seem not to suffer from these ailments. There are many examples of research that show raw milk’s health advantages. Nelson (2010) identifies published studies that find evidence for the following health benefits: Childhood consumption of raw milk resulted in significant reductions in the development of asthma, eczema, and hay fever (in Nelson 2010, p. 6). Consumption of â€Å"farm milk† showed a significant inverse relationship to asthma and allergies in a study of nearly 15,000 European children (in Nelson 2010, p. ). Although the follow studies are dated and have been continually dismissed by popular science, this research shows a correlation between early childhood consumption of raw milk and the absence of certain childhood ailments. Children who drank raw milk were less likely to develop cavities and higher resistance to tuberculosis (in Nelson 2010, p. 6). Raw milk prevented scurvy and protected against flu, diphtheria and pneumonia (in Nelson 2010, p. 6). I find it ironic that we currently immunize children (and some adults) for several of the above diseases. It makes me wonder whether the consumption of raw milk (or the lack of) has played a significant role in the necessity for these immunizations. Milk in it’s cleanest, rawest form offers the most health benefits to the consumer. The controversy surrounding the legality of raw milk continues to rage on, although the focus should be to eliminate the production of â€Å"dirty† milk. I recall from my time on my parents’ dairy farm that as long as the bacteria count remains below 100,000 per ml, organisms if present, cannot represent significant health hazard. Nelson (2010) confirms that not only does state regulators require a bacterial count of 100,000 per ml for milk slated to be pasteurized, they require the bacteria count of Grade A Raw milk to remain under 30,000 per ml (p. 5). The solution to the raw milk debate is in the creation of a universal standard for all milk, not in the banning of unpasteurized milk. The pasteurization process continues to be of great value for mass produced milk, where animals are kept in confined spaces and reated with antibiotics and hormones, but there is no reason to deny the consumer the enjoyment of high quality unpasteurized milk. The purpose of this essay is to provide you, the reader, an explanation of the benefits of raw milk. Even though these benefits exist, many people have never tried raw milk because it continues to be illegal in many states. Drape (2007) reports that while human consumption of raw milk is illegal in fifteen states, there are 26 states that raw milk can be bought in with cer tain restrictions. In my opinion, this is possibly information that many of you have been denied because many health officials (pressured by politics and large corporations) fear that unpasteurized milk is unsafe. The evidence I have presented, illustrates that untreated milk tastes better, has a higher nutritional value, and offers health benefits above and beyond pasteurized milk. At the very least it has a better flavor, with none of the damage caused by the pasteurization process. I challenge everyone to find a local dairy farmer who produces clean, raw milk and enjoy a glass.

Radio Shack Report

Executive Summary RadioShack Corporation is a popular electronic store within the United States of America. Within this report an assessment of RadioShack Corporation performance in the years 2004 to 2006 will be provided. This assessment looks on: * Changes in Chief Executive Officer (CEO) * The results of the changes in the CEO * The financial performance of RadioShack in the specified period * Managerial problems facing RadioShack in the specified period. From this report we hope to give a concise representation of what happened in RadioShack in the years2004-2006.As a group of consultants we aim to identify problems facing the company. Along with this we will provide solutions and recommendations to these problems based on our assessment. Introduction: Radio Shack is a consumer electronics goods and services retailer that operates about 4400 stores across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, the company also operates about 800 non-branded kio sks (small booths) from which wireless handsets and accessories are sold. The firm’s headquarters is located in Fort Worth, Texas and as of 2006, there were approximately 40000 workers employed to the company.The case presented to the group highlights the problems faced by Radio Shack which started in the year 2004. The instability in the position of CEO and executive management of the firm, financial troubles, disgruntled employees and poor communication skills have been identified as the main problems which sought to wreak havoc throughout the firm. As consultants hired by the Radio Shack Company, our main objective would be to state, with clear reasoning, the core problems affecting the company, as well their appropriate solutions.In addition we would aim to devise suitable plans which would aid the company in moving forward. Along with this we will present recommendations which would foster better development and growth within the firm for the future. Background: Within t he years 2004-2006, RadioShack had undergone instability in upper management and poor financial performance. One reason for such instability is caused by the frequent changes in CEO’s. Over the period, three persons had the role as CEO. The first, Leonard Roberts left the position to join the board of members at RadioShack.The second, David Edmondson left due to his fake qualifications. The third was, Julian Day, who was employed by the Board of Members and the Executives to turn the company around (University of Nortedame, 2007). It is not beneficial to a company to have a critical position such as the CEO changed so frequently. Each person set different goals and have different ways of achieving them. Therefore, whenever there is a change in CEO the goals of the business change too. Hence, the company is affected as it has to stop and change its path whenever a new CEO takes over.This ultimately affects the immediate performance of the business. With the frequent change in CEO’s employees may become lazy in completing the task they were given. They may also become confused in regards to what to do. Others may even stop doing the task once they are informed that the CEO will be changed. Thus, this reduces the overall productivity of workers. Consumers too will be affected as their needs and wants are not being satisfied efficiently due to changes in the company. As a result, the company is now seen as inefficient as they fail to satisfy customer needs.The company is further affected as employees will have to be paid although the company is not earning. Poor communication skill is another issue which is a result from instability in upper management. Workers were unaware of the decisions to cut staff until after a press release. It was the managers at RadioShack that informed their team of the reduction and the medium that will be used (Joyce, 2006). As a result, employees questioned the company policies and began losing confidence in them.Also ma ny felt disrespected based on the medium used inform them of job cuts (Joyce, 2006). Discussion: Between the years 2004 – 2006, Radio Shack had a fully grown problem tree. This conclusion was made after carefully analyzing, deliberating and discussing the case at hand within the group. A number of issues were defined and can be characterized in the following groups: Leaves Inability to Motivate Employees Financial Instability Branches Poor Internal Control Poor Internal communication Bad Business Ethics Root Dysfunctional / Incompetent Top ManagementThese issues will be discussed in this section in the order in which they are defined. Leaves i. Financial Instability * RadioShack Corporation in comparison to its competitors is underperforming (University of Nortedame, 2007). Their net income is significantly low and lags behind competitors. * RadioShack saw stock prices closing at relatively low trading prices. ii. Inability to Motivate Employees Radio Shack lost the confidenc e of its workforce following a sudden press release made by Day. He announced the company’s action plan in moving forward to recovery.This action plan included firing hundreds of employees as a means to decrease expenses and improve its long-term competitive position in the market place (Poole, 2007). Branches iii. Poor Internal Control Radio Shack had undergone numerous executive changes. The most significant being the changes of CEO’s in a two year period. The one which stands out was that of David Edmonson who left the position after admitting he lied on his resume about two academic degrees which he did not have (University of Nortedame, 2007).This is a major issue as measures should have been in place to check all persons qualifications before hiring. 4. Poor Internal Communication Management had failed to inform employees that jobs were to be cut. Employees were informed internally after a sudden press release given by Julian Day in 2006. To not inform your emplo yees first of such job cut may lead to many feeling separate from the company (Poole, 2007). Also, this further affects the company performance as employees are caught up wondering if they will be fired rather than focusing on getting the job done. 5.Bad Business Ethics Most would agree that no matter the means of firing, the notion remains the same. It is best to fire someone face to face. Communication is a two way process and several instances RadioShack engaged in a one way communication process based on the approach to fire employees (Gaertner-Johnston, 2006) . Clearly Radio Shack ignored this and as a result they had disgruntled employees. The way in which the letter was written also shows poor business ethics. In Business School it is taught that when delivering bad news, the bad news should not be delivered first.RadioShack ignored this and gave the employees a concise email informing them that they were no longer needed. Root 6. Dysfunctional / Incompetent Top Management Th e core cause of all of Radio Shack’s problems was the inability of their top management team to effectively do their job. Had they been overseeing more efficiently by the Board of Members and executives these branches and leaves could have been avoided. Radio Shack had left the corporation solely in the hands of Julian Day. As a newly appointed executive, he was left totally in charge of the company’s turnaround plan.The board of directors and executives confidence may have been justified based on Julian day previous work. Nonetheless, they had failed to exercise their authority in incorporating the company values, claims and policies with Julian Day’s creative genius and business operating skills. Conclusion: In evaluating this case and highlighting the many issues, it is fair to say that RadioShack Corporation is not in a very secure financial position. This statement is made on the basis that they suffered from problems which include: †¢Inability to moti vate employees Financial instability †¢Poor internal control †¢Poor internal communication †¢Bad business ethics †¢Dysfunctional/ incompetent top management Improvements are therefore needed in these areas of the company if it is to survive and grow. In order to do this, RadioShack Corporation must first find solutions to their core problems. The core problems were identified to be poor internal communication, bad business ethics and dysfunctional/ incompetent top management. These problems are the root causes which all the other problems stemmed from.This case analysis basically provided justified issues that were evaluated and discussed as it relates to RadioShack Corporation. Recommendations: In order to alleviate some of these problems faced by RadioShack Corporation, the group of consultants generated some recommendations. Based on the findings in this case, it is recommended that: †¢In trying to rebuild a company that is in great financial depression, the manager should review all aspects of the business and work along with the current staff, rather than deciding to cut staff as the first objective.The management team at RadioShack Corporation should focus on their internal performance first in order to increase profitability and revive the finances of the business. †¢Another recommendation is that the board members should exercise their authority by ensuring that Julian Day ideas were ethical and stuck to the policies of the company when making major decisions. Bibliography: University of Nortedame. (2007). RadioShack Corporation: You’ve Got Mail. Mondoza College of Business. Joyce, A. (2007).Fired Via E-Mail And Other Tales Of Poor Exits. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/09/AR2006090900103. html Poole, L. (2007). RadioShack lays off employees via e-mail. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://usatoday30. usatoday. com/tech/news/2006-08-30-radioshack-ema il-layoffs_x. htm Gaertner-Johnston, L. (2006). Fired by Email. Retrieved November 9th, from http://www. businesswritingblog. com/business_writing/2006/09/fired_by_email. ht

Different historians views o essays

Different historians views o essays Different historians views on whether Henry VII was modern or medieval. The statement that Henry Tudor created a new monarchy is one that was even debated at the time. Throughout the years historians views have consistently contrasted and changed. The actual new monarchy theory is owed much to the historian J.R.Green and his reference to the events of 1471-1509 in his book Short History of the English People (published in 1876) as the emergence of a new monarchy. J.R. Green suggests this monarchy restored the power and authority to the crown after the events of the war of the roses. He also hinted at the start of tudor despotism an idea supported by several early 20th century historians. Albert Pollard was one of many historians to expand on J.R. Greens theory and move the beginning of the new monarchy to 1485. This is hardly surprising as the date coincides with the beginning of a new dynasty that lasted well over a century and is considered a period of great change and achievement. In particular Pollard emphasised the Tudors creation of the nation state. This way he could make parallels with modernising monarchies in France and Spain. Early 20th century historians historians look highly on the Tudor government as it was se en as creating the basis of the modern nation state. In the last 50 years the concept of Henry VII creating the new monarchy is greatly opposed. The majority of historians argue that no new monarchy existed or that 1485 marked only a dynastic change. J.D. Mackie was the first to challenge in The Earlier Tudors (1952): In England as elsewhere the new monarchy did not emerge fully developed in the year 1485 or in any other year. This factor was not always recognised. Geoffrey Elton preferred to shift the development of the new monarchy to the 1530s and the reforming of Henry VIIIs minister Thomas Cromwell. Elto ...

Civil Disobedience essays

Civil Disobedience essays What rhetorical strategies were applied by Martin Luther King Jr. in Letter from Birmingham Jail and which of those was likely most important in influencing the readers of that time? In Birmingham, Ala., in the spring of 1963, King's campaign to end segregation at lunch counters and in hiring practices drew nationwide attention when police turned dogs and fire hoses on the demonstrators. King was jailed along with large numbers of his supporters, including hundreds of schoolchildren. His supporters did not, however, include all the black clergy of Birmingham, and he was strongly opposed by some of the white clergy who had issued a statement urging the blacks not to support the demonstrations. From the Birmingham jail King wrote a letter of great eloquence in which he spelled out his philosophy of nonviolence. This essay, entitled Letter From Birmingham Jail demonstrates Kings exceptional literary prowess by his mastery of several rhetorical strategies to persuade. Kings rhetorical strategy to influence his audience in Letter From Birmingham Jail is that of a three-pronged approach. In an effort to aid in King's goal to alter societal structure, its evils, and its balance of power, he attempts to appeal to the logical, emotional and as well as spiritual side of his critics. Kings first presents an appeal to our logic or reasoning. He does this by effectively showing a direct relationship between the reasoning for his position against segregation and its resulting actions of passive resistance by those oppressed by it. Dr. Kings appeal to our logic is most evident when he gives the reasoning for his statement "I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Klu Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice" *. He dedu...

A Guide to Business Letters Types

A Guide to Business Letters Types There are a number of types of business letters in the English language. Accomplished English speakers should be able to write the following types of business letters to be successful in business. Its helpful, to begin with, gaining a clear understanding of business letter writing basics. Once youve understood the basic layout styles, standard phrases, salutations, and endings, you should continue to improve your business letter writing skills by learning to write the following types of business letters. Do you know what type of business letter you need for a task? Making an Inquiry Make an inquiry when you are requesting more information about a product or service. The inquiry letter tends to include specific information such as product type, as well as asking for further details in the form of brochures, catalogs, telephone contact, etc. Making inquiries can also help you keep up with your competition. Use this letter template to ensure you receive a prompt reply. Sales Letters Sales Letters are used to introduce new products to new customers and past clients. Its important to outline an important problem that needs to be solved and provide the solution in sales letters. This example letter provides an outline, as well as important phrases to use when sending out a wide variety of sales letters. Sales letters can be improved through the use of personalization in some means in order to ensure attention. Replying to an Inquiry Replying to inquiries are one of the most important business letters that you write. Successfully replying to an inquiry can help you complete a sale or lead to new sales. Customers who make inquiries are interested in specific information  and are excellent business prospects. Learn how to thank the customers, provide as much information as possible, as well as make a call to action for a positive outcome. Account Terms and Conditions When a new customer opens an account it is essential to inform them of account terms and conditions. If you run a small business, it is common to provide these terms and conditions in the form of a letter. This guide provides a clear example on which you can base your own business letters providing account terms and conditions. Letters of Acknowledgment For legal purposes, letters of acknowledgment are often requested. These letters are also referred to as letters of receipt and tend to be rather formal and short. These two examples letters will provide you with a template to use in your own work and can be easily adapted for a number of purposes. Placing an Order As a business person, you will often place an order. This is especially true if you have a large supply chain for your product. This example business letter provides an outline to make sure your order placement is clear so that you receive exactly what you order. Making a Claim Unfortunately, from time to time it is necessary to make a claim against unsatisfactory work. This example business letter provides a strong example of a claim letter and includes important phrases to express your dissatisfaction and future expectations when making a claim. Adjusting a Claim Even the best business may make a mistake from time to time. In this case, you may be called upon to adjust a claim. This type of business letter provides an example to send to unsatisfied customers making sure that you address their specific concerns, as well as retain them as future customers. Cover Letters Cover letters are extremely important when applying for a new position. Cover letters should include a short introduction, highlight the most important information in your resume and elicit a positive response from your prospective employer. These two examples of cover letters are part of a larger section on the site providing all the information you will need on taking an interview in English during your job search.

Race, Multiculturalism, Inclusion and Education Essay

Race, Multiculturalism, Inclusion and Education - Essay Example It is the hope of this author that such a level of analysis will allow the reader to at least briefly engage with the important means by which identity is formed and how the education or, and the educational process for that matter, can seek to integrate more fully and appropriately with these identities. One of the more nebulous of the concepts which has been discussed above is necessarily that of race. Ultimately, race has been used as means of categorizing humans by cultural, genetic, geographic, anatomical, linguistic, social, religious, or historical means. As a function of this, the very definition of race is something that sociologists and anthropologists continue to argue about. Due to the many determinants of race that exist, is oftentimes been decided that since no working and firm definition of what defines one and what defines another can readily be agreed upon, ethnicity, or the means by which an individual is defined as a result of culture and geographic origin, is a fa r better identifier of people. Broadly speaking, race, and racial definitions is something that the educator must integrate with; whether or not they are of the opinion that such a definition is ultimately helpful. Due to the fact that the educator is responsible not only for integrating directly with the society but also with explicating and defining the means by which past history has taken place and continues impact upon the stakeholders within the classroom, race is not a topic that can merely be brushed aside and deemed as a prior an unsuccessful method of grouping individuals. The fact of the matter is that even as academia and society as a whole differs upon an approach and appreciation for such a concept, it remains incumbent upon the educator, and educational process by extension, to continue to place a level and degree of focus upon the importance that race necessarily engenders. Regardless of the potentially flawed an incomplete understanding and appreciation for how race impacts upon the individual and society that the students might necessarily have, it is incumbent upon the educator to seek to distance himself/herself from any of these faulty pre-conceived and ultimately unscientific interpretations (Race, 2011). However, this must be done delicately in with a degree of understanding that encourages discourse while the same time maintaining civility and promoting individual and group rights within the student body. Within such a dynamic, it is possible for the educator to seek to broach the topic with as little intrusion and divergence into unhelpful interpretations and norms as is possible. Similarly, ethnicity, and its interpretation within modern scholarship, is something of the golden standard with respect to seeking to differentiate one individual/group from another. However, it should not be understood that such an approach is invariably on flawed. Rather than relying upon racial distinction as a means of defining one group from another, an d ethnic approach necessarily places the primary emphasis upon geographic region of origin and/or cultural influences that impact upon the individual. In much the same way, the educator might just as well as a a second-generation German immigrants who resided in Mexico for most of his formative years as Mexican. Further, from the educator’s standpoint, ethnicity, and the interpretation thereof, has become one of the primal

Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis - Assignment Example Rest of the paragraph is built on the topic sentence and every sentence further builds the reader’s thought on the subject. Sentences are structured beautifully and cohesively. The paragraph is so tightly structured that the exclusion of even a sentence can damage the comprehension of the topic. Contrary to this paragraph # 1 rather starts with a slack sentence. Reader finds it hard to get into the theme of the paragraph. This cause a jerky start and reader jumps to next sentence in order to get to the bottom of the idea being presented. But one can only find the topic sentence in the last line of the paragraph. Rest of the paragraph is a product of loosely knitted sentences with least or no cohesion among ideas and elements of the paragraph. Most of the sentences are structured in a complex manner which decreases the readability of the paragraph. The sentence structure irritates the reader and he finds it hard to focus on the idea being presented. Redundant vocabulary and loo se connection between ideas and sentences also cause boredom. The relentless use of punctuation further destructs the continuity of the paragraph.

Financial Analysis of General Electric CO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Analysis of General Electric CO - Essay Example GE is investing in cleaner technologies and being recognized for the effort. GE Company is well managed. The data are mostly positive over the years. The company is showing growth in all the areas. It is also low geared and showing positive growth in profitability, liquidity, efficiency measurements. The company seems to be in the maturity phase. Analysts are positive about the growth of the company. So, the company has not topped its potential as yet. Appendix 1. Return on Investment (ROI) = {Profit before taxes (PBIT) / Investment (total assets - current liabilities)} 2006: {24,620 / (697,239 - 220,514)} x 100; 2005: {22,696 / (673,321 - 204,970)} x 100 2. Gross Profit Ratio = (Gross Profit) / Total Revenues) x 100 2006: (89,281 / 163, 391) x 100 ; 2005: (81,142 / 147,956) x 100 3. Return on Equity (ROE) = {Profit after taxes / Shareholder's Equity }x 100 2006: (20,666 / 112,314) x 100 ; 2005: (18,661 / 109,351) x 100 4. Earnings per share (given) 5. Working Capital = Current Assets - Current Liabilities 2006: (438,728 - 220,514) ; 2005: (378,269 - 204,970) 6. Current Ratio = Current Assets : Current Liabilities 2006: (438,728 / 220,514) ; 2005: (378,269 / 204,970) 7. Acid Test (or Quick) Ratio = Quick Assets : Current Liabilities (Quick Assets = Current Assets - Equity) 2006: (390,902 / 220,514) ; 2005: (336,121 / 204,970) 8. Total Asset Turnover = Revenue / Total Assets (fixed + current) (times) 2006: (163,391 / 697,239) ; 2005: (147,956 / 673,321) 9. Fixed Asset Turnover = Revenue / Fixed Assets (times) 2006: (163,391 / 258,511) ; 2005: (147,956 / 295052) 10. Cash Turnover Ratio = Total Revenues / Cash Balance s (times) (Cash Balances = Cash + Accounts Receivables) 2006: (163,391 / 28,229) ; 2005: (147,956 / 23,676) 11. Gearing ratio = {Total Debt Capital / (Total Debt Capital + Equity ) }x 100 2006: {432,957 / (432,957 + 112,314)}x100 ; 2005: {370,437 /

The Gynecologic Oncology Group Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Gynecologic Oncology Group - Article Example The members of the organization place great trust in the Ingres database system. They see it as a reliable and accurate service which minimizes their costs yet helps them reach their goals. Back when such a database service was not available to the group, correspondence was probably not as easy or efficient. Results would have been difficult to share or view and they probably took a while to publish and send out. Without the database provided by Ingres, the group might not have had as many members and its members were probably not able to participate as much. They would have announced successful and unsuccessful clinical tests through newsletters or journals, released in volumes which are separated by months at a time. Though this would still get the message through, the development in cancer research would not be as progressive and geographically extensive. Atomic PR for Ingres. Gynecologic Oncology Group Relies on Ingres Database for Critical Cancer Research and Treatment. 7 April 2009. 8 April 2009 .

Relevance of Portfolio Theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model Essay

Relevance of Portfolio Theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model - Essay Example In fact risk taking is directly linked to larger amount of earnings. In order to lure investors, risky investments must offer greater returns. Actually risk and returns go hand in hand. It is the belief of investors to distribute their risks and so they diversify their investments as well. They always like to make their investments in a portfolio of assets as they never like to stack all their eggs in one basket. Hence what really matters is not the risk and returns alone, but the risk and return on a portfolio of assets on the whole. According to James Bradfield (2007, p167) an assortment of securities is known as a portfolio. Portfolio theory is a conventional scrutiny of the relationship between risk and return on the risky securities. The rate of returns is particularly measured through alpha, beta, and R-squared. A random variant denotes the rate of return from a portfolio. The computation of the probability distribution generating the returns rate of the security contained in the portfolio depends on the probability distribution creating the value for the portfolio. The hypothesis is helpful for a patron. It helps them to decide and allocate their funds in risky securities thus creating a portfolio. This investment indicates the preferences with regard to the combination of risk and anticipated returns of the investors. The CAPM is a link between the risks and returns on the investments. After (Sharpe, William F.1964, pp. 425-442) developed the CAPM theory several other researchers have developed the theory with giving importance to the diversifiable and non-diversifiable risks of different investments. Previously the CAPM had only a single risk factor which was the risk of the entire movement of the market. This risk is denoted as "market risk" and the formula for CAPM is as follows: E (Ri) = Rf +i [E (RM) - Rf] Where E (RM) = expected return on a "market portfolio" i = measure of methodical risk of asset i comparative to "market portfolio". "The expected return for an asset i according to CAPM is equal risk free rate plus a risk premium" (Frank J. Fabozzi and Harry Markowitz, 2002, p.67). Later on research was conducted and the creators of CAPM theory related diversifiable which are unsystematic risks and non-diversifiable which are systematic risks for all the securities in the portfolio. Some management individuals conceived that CAPM is not genuine as it dominates participating management and investment study. Frank J. Fabozzi and Harry Markowitz states "even though the idea is not true it does not mean that the constructs introduced by the theory are not important. Constructs introduc

Assess the impact of re-introducing rent control on the market for Essay

Assess the impact of re-introducing rent control on the market for housing - Essay Example However, these challenges did not last for long as the abolishment of the controls and execution of short-hold tenancy resulted to a rejuvenation of the private rented sector that continues to develop even today. Essentially, critics such as George Osborne and Assar have a rational foundation to their arguments, as most people would agree that setting prices lower than those the property owners would charge could make the economy less appealing, especially for the investors (Sloman&Garrat, 2012). However, the are other influences of rent control different from the common observation and conception that elimination of the controls is more efficient as it could provide a more desirable housing market for potential investors. Rent controls and any adjustments to the tenure legislations could influence the housing market in multiple ways but there is always a risk of overlooking other essential aspects that also have considerable effects on the development of the economy. Relative to a glance on history, instigated rent controls in the United Kingdom varied from a straightforward freeze during the world wars to fair rents regimes in the sixties aimed at removing the impact of scarcity in the ren tal market. The initial step was an increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest Act of 1915 limiting rents for unfurnished homes (for the working class) to specific levels at the beginning of the war in 1914(Glaeser&Luttmer, 2003). Typically, the regulation of rent in the United Kingdom has had vast challenges in the past even with the main objective revolving around ideas such as advocating for affordability. Moreover, the short-range act introduced prior to the World War 1, mysteriously managed to be in place up to the late 1980s making people more alert of proposals such as the one by the Labor Party. Resolutely, this essay focuses on explicating effects of re-introducing rent control on the market for housing based

Relevance of Portfolio Theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model Essay

Relevance of Portfolio Theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model - Essay Example In fact risk taking is directly linked to larger amount of earnings. In order to lure investors, risky investments must offer greater returns. Actually risk and returns go hand in hand. It is the belief of investors to distribute their risks and so they diversify their investments as well. They always like to make their investments in a portfolio of assets as they never like to stack all their eggs in one basket. Hence what really matters is not the risk and returns alone, but the risk and return on a portfolio of assets on the whole. According to James Bradfield (2007, p167) an assortment of securities is known as a portfolio. Portfolio theory is a conventional scrutiny of the relationship between risk and return on the risky securities. The rate of returns is particularly measured through alpha, beta, and R-squared. A random variant denotes the rate of return from a portfolio. The computation of the probability distribution generating the returns rate of the security contained in the portfolio depends on the probability distribution creating the value for the portfolio. The hypothesis is helpful for a patron. It helps them to decide and allocate their funds in risky securities thus creating a portfolio. This investment indicates the preferences with regard to the combination of risk and anticipated returns of the investors. The CAPM is a link between the risks and returns on the investments. After (Sharpe, William F.1964, pp. 425-442) developed the CAPM theory several other researchers have developed the theory with giving importance to the diversifiable and non-diversifiable risks of different investments. Previously the CAPM had only a single risk factor which was the risk of the entire movement of the market. This risk is denoted as "market risk" and the formula for CAPM is as follows: E (Ri) = Rf +i [E (RM) - Rf] Where E (RM) = expected return on a "market portfolio" i = measure of methodical risk of asset i comparative to "market portfolio". "The expected return for an asset i according to CAPM is equal risk free rate plus a risk premium" (Frank J. Fabozzi and Harry Markowitz, 2002, p.67). Later on research was conducted and the creators of CAPM theory related diversifiable which are unsystematic risks and non-diversifiable which are systematic risks for all the securities in the portfolio. Some management individuals conceived that CAPM is not genuine as it dominates participating management and investment study. Frank J. Fabozzi and Harry Markowitz states "even though the idea is not true it does not mean that the constructs introduced by the theory are not important. Constructs introduc

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 89

Reflection - Essay Example Moreover, we chose a crew chief Eric who gives each one different task. The team leader writes down the requirements’ for me and responds to questions discussed while finding solutions. This is more efficient in this course because, for example, someone who do not know how to cut the handgrip from the racket, we can solve it together. I am not good at writing; the team leader helps us to fix the grammar. Consequently, I am unable to achieve the primary objective of Senior Design Projects, utilize knowledge as a senior student, and perform an important open-ended design project. The object of this project is to improve the treatment method for the patient that needs a lot of professional knowledge. For example, we need to design games for this project and still I have not learned how to compile a complete 2-D game. However, for the 3-D design, I can use Abaqus CAE, which I learned, from Miami University to develop the initial model for the handgrip. I also used the knowledge from physics class to cut the handgrip from the rocket (Marshall 1). The course achieved the Miami Plan requirements for a capstone experience. It provided a real business environment while doing the project. First, we need to understand context by defining and considering the boundary of the problem through conducting research and considering realistic constraints. The limitations include technical and economic factors, social implications, and environmental considerations. Secondly, thinking critically by solving open-ended problems, establishing objectives and criteria by brainstorming ideas and alternatives. Finally, we need to communicate designs and results effectively with Birkdale Pediatric and Neuro Clinic. For this project, I have limited professional knowledge such as neural therapy. Besides, I never contacted the neural therapy before I entered the Birkdale Pediatric and Neuro clinic. Real business industrial environment, designers improve the function

Television broadcast Essay Example for Free

Television broadcast Essay 1. The pressure announced on last nights television weather broadcast was 29.92. Explain how this was measured and give the units. Would this be considered an unusually large or low pressure value? A pressure announced on the weather forecast of 29.92 is an average measurement. It is measured with a barometer and in the United States the units of measure are inches of mercury, or inHg. This is what meteorologist are referring to in their forecasts. 29.92 inHg is a measurement within the normal range. This may be referred to as air pressure, atmospheric pressure or barometric pressure. They are all the same thing. Low pressure readings are associated with stormy weather and precipitation, while high pressure readings are indicated by clear and calm weather. Here is Portland, Oregon, where it rains 9 months of the year, we experience normal pressure readings of 29.92 inHg or slightly higher or lower. It only changes when we have exceptionally worse or better weather. 2. If the earth did not rotate, how would you expect winds to blow with respect to high and low pressure centers? With no earth rotation, winds would blow in straight lines. They would move from a huge high pressure region, the side in direct sunlight, to the lowest pressure region. This would be the dark side of the earth. The side the sun never touches. Cold air from the dark side would then be pulled back to the sunny side in straight lines to be warmed and then pushed back again. The dark side would be in a constant state of stormy weather, while the sun side would experience beautiful clear, calm, sunny days. If it didn’t get cooked by the sun, that is. 3. If the pressure gradient force remained the same but the earths rate of rotation decreased slightly, would you expect the speed of the geostrophic wind to increase, decrease or remain about the same? If pressure gradient winds remained the same but the earth’s rotation slowed geostrophic winds would increase. The Coriolis force is a force based on the earth’s rotation. Because the earth spins objects in the atmosphere do not move in straight lines. The earth’s rotation causes them to veer of course. This is the CF. Pressure gradient winds (PGF) along with CF balance out geostrophic winds. If the earth slowed, the CF would decrease, so geostrophic winds would have to increase to maintain this balance. 4. Explain why it is much more difficult to measure snowfall amount than rainfall amount. Rain is measured by the amount of liquid contained in the measurement device. Whatever is amount of liquid is in the device, is the  measurement. However snow, has various factors that can impact its measurement. First of all snowfall measurement is based on how much liquid there would be if the snow was melted into liquid form. There are several factors that can impact how much snow is measured in a device. Wind can move snow from high points to low points and vice versa. The surface on which the snow is falling onto can also impact a measurement. The length of time the snow has been on the ground and how compact it is can also effect measurements. Measuring in several places and then using an average can give a more accurate total. Meteorologists usually forecast snow amounts giving a range of totals due to these factors which make it challenging to give an exact forecast. 5. Would you expect to find a subsidence inversion to be associated with high or low pressure? What effects might a subsidence inversion have on weather conditions at the ground? Subsidence inversions happen in areas of high pressure. A mass of cold air sinks slowly and is heated by adiabatic compression lower in the atmosphere. This causes this type of inversion. Subsidence inversions are high in the atmosphere and never reach the bottom because of turbulent mixing. The top of a subsidence inversion can usually be indicated by a smoky or dusty looking layer that has a distinguishable line. This line marks the top of this inversion. Effects can include low visibility and poor air quality. References Ahrens, C. D. (01/2014). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere, 7th Edition [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved fromhttp://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781305439733

Romeo and Juliet s Theme of Youth and Excitement Rather than Sentimental Love :: Papers

Romeo and Juliet 's Theme of Youth and Excitement Rather than Sentimental Love Although scenes of youth and excitement do exist, I totally disagree with the critics. I believe the play consists of sentimental love between Romeo and Juliet and that the scenes of youth and excitement are used only to implement tragedy. I will now back up my opinion with evidence and quotes from the play. To begin with, the first fight occurs between the servants, this serves to inform the audience of the feud and prepares us for the fight scene in Act 3 Scene1. The ball scene plays a major part in the play, it is an exciting scene but its included to enable the characters to meet. It all starts when the Montague's sneak into the Capulet's ball. Romeo and his fellow Montague's are able to get into the ball because it is a 'Masked Ball'. Just these small details tell the audience that their love was meant to be, almost like fate. Romeo is enjoying the party when suddenly he sees a beautiful looking young woman. From here onwards he cannot take his eyes off Juliet just like she cant with Romeo. I don't believe that Romeo had fallen in love with Rosaline but this time he had, with a different girl 'O she doth teach the torches to burn bright' Romeo did not say these things about Rosaline and this then strengthens the point that he had fallen in love with this girl who he doesn't even know the name of. Meanwhile, Juliet was being forced to marry an older man against her own will, but all this would change as she would do anything to be with Romeo. Romeo pulls Juliet behind a pillar and kisses her before even speaking to her. Juliet then finds out that Romeo is a Montague "My only love sprung from my only hate" this quote says it all she loved him dearly but could not be seen with him as they are on opposite sides of two rival families in Verona.

How Home-Schooling Really Got Started :: Essays Papers

How Home-Schooling Really Got Started People have often been known to find comfort in numbers and to therefore enter into social contracts with others living around them. People feel safer in groups and so they choose to give up certain rights and privileges for protection from their peers. This inevitably leads to domination of man over man. People choose leaders to make their decisions for them, or they do as the majority says. It is very rare for people to make rational decisions and carry to them to their full potential once they have entered into a social contract. The desire to follow the crowd which is created by this social setting is deplorable and is therefore the main object of critism in Henrick Ibsen’s play An Enemy of the People. The characters in this play all live together in a town ruled by what is known as the compact majority. This majority is led by a group of town officials who come up with plans and policies on which the people may vote. This system offers no chance for the freedom of individuals. Beginning with a speech discussing â€Å". . . the colossal stupidity of the authorities,† Doctor Stockmann deconstructs this appalling social system. This speech criticizes the lack of intelligence the authorities have shown and the need for their destruction. If freedom is to exist for individuals, the first step must be to do away with worthless officials and authorities that force the people to make a choice from the narrow selection they provide. What is right in one situation may not hold true in another, but the authorities force all people to live under the same laws with the same punishments instead of allowing for diversity. However, Stockmann does not stop there. In fact, he says t hat the authorities are not the main problem, but that instead â€Å"The most dangerous enemy of truth and freedom among us is the compact majority.† This majority follows its leaders blindly without ever giving thought to any alternative outside of the shielded path on which they are directed. â€Å"People that do that are . . . so very far from distinction.† These people have given up their won right to think and have doomed themselves to lives that can never meet the full potential of the human experience.

Habit Is Stronger Than Reason Essay

â€Å"Habit is stronger than reason.† To what extent is this true in two areas of knowledge? Human beings have naturally found a way of wanting to discover, analyze and find out things. In more modern times humans have been taught to think in certain ways due to what they want to do in life or through their ancestors that passed down traditions that is carried on through them i.e. culture and religion. The two areas of knowledge I chose were mathematics and history. There is always an explanation in each area of knowledge; in mathematics we can say that there is always reasoning behind everything. But in an everyday life we use mathematics habitually, for instance if you woke up in the morning you had to take two vitamins, every human (unless given a diagnosed problem and or no education) can tell the difference of two, and knowing that you have to take two. Only because mathematics is in bedded within our lives from a very young age and in this case habit is stronger than reason. This all changes once you get to a higher and more difficult level of mathematics because there is no way that the quadratic equation is used on a daily basis as a habit (unless you’re some sort of super genius). So, in the case that mathematics at a beginner level, habit is much stronger than reason. Depending on how the individual grew up and was raised, the knowledge could be affected. It could be tradition to carry on the knowledge of their ancestors. In history there are many sides to the historical even which took place for example World War two, Hitler himself would have had different views and experiences throughout the war and he or someone else may have documented it different to a American journalist who was seeing the opposing side of the Germans, he could be writing his own views according to his country and not only the entire war itself. History is in bedded in the learner, and even the teacher could be accounted for, due to the fact that most of the knowledge i s learned in school at a young age so say if the example of world war two was given again; a German teacher could have a different view point than a American teacher. A good personal example is during the first year of secondary school, I was in history and slavery was being taught; note that I was the only white person in the class. We were learning about the transport and the enslavement off of West Africa and the teacher was so good at explaining how the white masters treated the slaves and was so enthusiastic in his descriptions. At the end of the class no one uttered a word to me just because I was white. This example can also relate to the race of the learner. Every race has its own history behind it, the reason why racism is currently still around is because of peoples history and how their opinions were changed through group knowledge. Reasoning could be stronger than habit through the beliefs and experiences of that individual. However the believes could have been forced against them through family, but looking at a different point of view, it could be because that the family was set certain rules and wanted to continues the family tradition. This could relate to history because it was what their ancestors taught them into believing, and if one of the family members spoke out they could be frowned upon. Religion could be used as this family tradition, for instance if a family who were Christians their entire life, had a family member who was an Atheist, spoke out and gave their opinion would not only be frowned upon by his family, but in the families eye let down by whom they believe in. Without the area of knowledge, answering that question could go both ways â€Å"is reasoning stronger than habit.† It all depends on which cases are matched to the reasoning and habit, because mostly people act differently, people have different views. There are ways though that habit is stronger than reason, due to the fact that people are altered in becoming addicted to something, whether it may be cigarettes and or drugs. The abusers minds are altered from the substance which makes the cigarette and or drug addictive, this means that whatever the substance may be, it has convinced the human mind and body that it needs it. Often the human body and mind changes if it hasn’t got that substance in awhile, for example in crack cocaine abusers, there body tends to crave and need the substance again after it has been taken. It makes the body and person depressed, anxious, irritable, and exhausted even angry of the drug isn’t consumed. This proves that habit is stronger than reason, only due to the fact that the mind has been altered in to believing that it wants that certain substance even though they know it’s completely bad for the body. The question is habit stronger that reasoning is a yes, but also a no due to the fact that the question can be altered depending on what the back ground of person is and what they’ve learnt and experienced, plus the influence of addictive substances. The question could be asked vis versa is reasoning stronger than habit? It could be answered as a yes and no as well because yet again most people are different.

Gallery Review †Nancy Lang Essay

Today, the 9th of March, I have heard of the Pyo Gallery, and as soon as I heard that it was in Wangjing, I changed my plan from going to the Dashanzi District to trying the new place. It was hidden in several other galleries. I was lucky to get there before the exhibition time was over. The owner was a Korean, who kindly explained some paintings for me. I was glad to find out that they currently had an exhibition of Nancy Lang’s art. I have always wanted to find out more about Nancy Lang ever since I have seen her in person at the art fare I have been to, in Korea last summer. There was her trademark series of ‘Taboo Yogini’ paintings of which I have seen one piece of it before. Among all of the paintings that looked similar in overall size and image, I preferred this particular painting the most. Nancy Lang is an American born-Korean Pop artist who is very young and innovative. This piece of her is named the ‘Taboo Yogini, Swinger’ and has an enormous size of 210 x 175 cm. She used mixed media on canvas to create this huge piece. This painting was finished in the year 2006, when she was 27. On this humungous canvas, there is a big character in the middle which has the body of a robot and a head of a girl with some abstract and obscure figures as legs. The subject has a basket full of tennis balls in its right hand. The light-blue background is solid with no value. The most interesting aspect about this art piece is the mysterious figure placed in the center holding the viewers attention. This piece looks more like a collage than a painting with images attached on the screen. The positive space is the one and only subject on the canvas. The body, which appears to be a robot, contains the three primary colors with a considerable amount of white. These colors together form a fancy image of a child’s robot toy, attracting the viewers’ eyes to the center of the figure, which is where the head is placed. An image of the head of a human girl is used, juxtaposing the robot body. In the figure’s right hand there is a basket of lime green tennis balls. In the lower part of the art piece, as the legs of the main subject there are two obscure figures that could be hardly described. On the left side there is a fan shaped quadrilateral printed on a shiny material, and on the right side there is a figure that seems like a mixture of blood vessels and bones. The objects do not seem to have any connection between them, but as a whole they get together very well forming one huge body. The negative space is painted in one tone of light-blue, which helps the subject to stand out. Unlike its visual texture the actual texture of the piece is very smooth just like a painting. Nancy Lang is famous for her mysterious art pieces and unconventional performances. She is a multi-talented young woman who wants to be famous and rich, according to her own words. She actually has played a violin in the middle of a street wearing Victoria Secret lingerie and red high heels with kabuki style makeup. In her series of Taboo Yogini, she mixes up diverse icons to create a sort of cyborg that she declares to be the ironical face of the democracies we live in. According to her, this character Yogini, which originally means a yoga trainee, points to an existence between an angel and devil. So the name of her series ‘Taboo Yogini’ is in a way representing both good and bad. I think the half-robots that appear on her pieces also represent Nancy Lang herself and the various different sides of her. Nancy Lang’s paintings are very obscure and difficult to understand. When I first looked at this piece, I was totally blown away by the innovative design of the image. However, I could never see the ironical face of the democracies before I read the explanation. These mystical figures, which look almost like monsters, keep appearing on her canvases expanding the viewer’s imagination and interpretation of them. Still, I think they are insufficient to clearly deliver the author’s true intention of creating such images. Nevertheless, it is impossible for one to see through the genuine mind of an author. I really like Nancy Lang and her innovative spirit. She is afraid of nothing, even the awkward stare of others.

Adversity and Its Effects in a Man for All Seasons

A Man for all Seasons is a play that was written by prolific English writer, Robert Bolt. Born in 1924, he worked as an insurance agent before joining the World War II as a Royal Air Force officer. He worked as a school teacher, after his time at the force, before embarking on writing this particular play. The same year he wrote it; it featured as a play in London and New York. It is crucial to understand the background of the play to understand it with more power. According to Kincaid, it is useful to understand that for many years in England there had been hostility to the clergy, because the Church had great worldly powers, property, and wealth, while many members of the clergy were corrupt and self-seeking. (11) With this play, Bolt wanted to bring out the strong characteristic steadiness of standing on one’s feet and owns ground in what one believes irrespective of what others think or say. The main character, Sir Thomas More, is a judge who is steadfast and firm in his beliefs. He is not easily swayed by people’s opinions, influence, threats, and intimidation. He objects to endorsing King Henry VIII’s plan of divorcing his wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn. The King having promoted Sir Thomas to the position of Lord Chancellor of England, and Thomas being his long standing friend, will automatically guarantee Sir Thomas agreeing to support him. He wants Thomas to publicly endorse his divorce plan, but Thomas More feels Henry’s actions are not justified, and the divorce is not appropriate. This is backed by Greene when he affirms that even as Nobles, universities and the Clergy fell into line behind the King, More’s silence on the matter resounded thunderously. Despite the king’s unhappiness with More’s decision to remain silent, he stands firm and refuse to do what everybody else did even though the pressure on his family grew stronger and stronger (7). This shows his autonomy and independence in making his own informed decisions unlike the likes of Cromwell and Richard Rich who act as the King’s â€Å"yes men† doing all his bidding. Cromwell, the king’s intimate, works for the king to have More falsely persecuted and beheaded. We will develop here three main kind of adversities that More had to face: authoritarian, Family, himself. Sir Thomas More’s strong character and moral integrity are alluded to by the title of the play, A Man for all Seasons. The title is a reference to More’s never changing character and direction in life. According to Miller, More was a character with extraordinary blending of gaiety and gravity and for his flexible adaptation to company of all sorts. However, he knew how to compromise and not go out of his way; he did not bend rules, adopt or change for the sake of anyone, even King Henry VIII apart from his own God (26-27). This statement concisely puts down his beliefs and what kind of person he was. Thomas works within the boundaries of his own principles and in the end, dies for what he believes in. Lee compares Sir Thomas More with Roper. At the beginning of the play when the two of them are talking, Roper seems really devoted to his principles but as the play continues on, we learn that Roper is in fact not as true to his values as Sir Thomas More is. Lee talks about the â€Å"Romanticized† vision of a prison that Roper has compare to the reality of what More is living. When Roper visited More in prison he even encouraged More to give up when he saw the â€Å"awfulness of prison†. (319). His obstinate sense of self -righteous and defense for justice sees him earn many foes and adversaries. Just like Roper, many people pretending to be More’s friends turned out to become his enemies plotting behind his back for his downfall. His family, friends, and colleagues turn their back on him, and the adversaries from both his seniors and juniors continue swelling. The following are some of the most significant and outstanding adversaries Judge Sir Thomas More earns himself and faces off with. His many adversaries rise from his strong stands and refusal to bow down to the social order. His main and most prominent adversaries are the authorities and technocrats in the country. Upon meeting with Cardinal Wosley, then the Lord Chancellor of England; Thomas More reviews the decision by King Henry to divorce his wife Catherine and marry Anne and the subsequent decisions. He states his disapproval and says he doubts the Pope will give his assent on this divorce as it is confirmed by Greene when he describes the King’s feeling about the decision of Rome as ‘Frustrated’. The king was very disappointed with the decision of the Clergy and Henry vainly sought to increase the pressure on Rome. When that failed, Henry began to target the English Clergy. (7) It is from this particular point that Wosley declares a witch hunt on the judge, having him investigated and falsely accused of receiving bribes, and insult towards the King. These represent the authoritarian adversary, the adversaries that Sir Thomas More has to face that hold the keys of the government and have power and authority to hurt him according to the law. Although they are not following the law when they persecute him, they pretend to do so. The other adversary in the authority level that Sir Thomas encounters is King Henry VIII’s closest confidant, the recently promoted cardinal secretary, Cromwell. He is used by King Henry as a tool to fight and suppress Sir Thomas due to his stand against the King’s planned divorce. Here we are going to see the kind of adversity that was apply to More by his so-called friends in their thirst for power, they did not hesitate to step over him on their ascension to power. Cromwell plans for Thomas’ downfall by collaborating with the corruptible Richard Rich who is a low ranking functional authority. Cromwell offers Richard an opportunity to advance his career and climb the social ladder in exchange for information about Thomas and testifying falsely against him. Cromwell goes ahead and come up with a false case of how Sir Thomas received a bribe and brings to evidence: the silver cup that Sir Thomas gave Rich. At this point as readers we are already amazingly disgusted by the machinery these two people are putting together to get Sir Thomas More down. Eventually, this leads to the conviction and beheading of Thomas. On this matter, Abraham Lincoln said: â€Å"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power†. Rich was a good men, probably able to stand adversity with a good self-esteem, but when power was proposed to him, he gave up his conviction. The trut however, is that Thomas received the silver cup oblivious that it was a bribe. Yet, on realizing, he gave the cup to Richard as he did not want anything to do with it. Cromwell, goes ahead to meet with the Duke of Norfolk, another supposed friend, to get him to fix More in a bad light concerning the bribery scheme. The duke, however, proves to him that silver cup, in fact, was passed on by the judge as soon as he realized it was a bribe. Cromwell insists that the duke cooperates and participates in the grand scheme to bring Thomas down. This is because King Henry expects the duke of Norfolk to fully participate in the persecution of Thomas. Thomas woes continue pilling up when Signor Chapuys turns against him and joins the witch hunt. Signor Chapuys’ adversary towards Thomas arises from the breaking of the illusion that Chapuys was under concerning Thomas’ friendship towards the Spanish. Cengage Learning explains the relationship on Sir Thomas More with Chapuys as follow: In speaking with More, Chapuys tries to hide his true motives which are political, with flattery and references to religion. Because he is devious himself, he hears hidden meanings in what More says which leads to misunderstanding. 14) This quote explains why Chapuys did not understand More. He was trying to prove that More aleegiance to spain was no longer and so Chapuys thought that he had found an ally in Thomas to protect the interest of Catherine of whom he was cautious and concerned that she is embarrassed or insulted by King Henry as she is the aunt of the king of Spain. The Spanish ambassador states that he was unsuccessful in per suading More to support Spain saying, as it is affirmed by the sentence Chapuys uses in the play when he says, â€Å"Goodness can be difficulty† (Bolt, 62). Thomas’ refusal to accept the letter of appreciation that is sent by the King of Spain is also a possible source of the aggravated hostility from the Spanish diplomat, Signor Chapuys. All of these men are complotting against someone they knew, someone they worked with, and for some of them someone they had a close relationship with. Adversity can come from authority, friends and sometimes both. The other adversary of Thomas is King Henry VIII who is Thomas’ friend and King.. The king desires to get a son as the heir that his wife Catherine has not borne. He, therefore, plans to get a second wife to fulfill this, and it is here he seeks the support of the lord chancellor of England, Sir Thomas More. More is a devout Christian, and of strong moral standing; hence, he does not approve of this. Although he does not publicly or openly voice his displeasure, he is silently opposed to this. Johnson explains that it is probably to protect his family the best he can that he acts like that, â€Å"He is well aware of dangers on the horizon but does not want to cause them to worry by addressing the dangers directly. 7) At first, More enjoys a somewhat ‘safe zone; by remaining silent about the King’s plans. This comfort zone is trespassed when the King demands the vocal support of the wise, respect public figure. When the King visits him at Chelsea home, in London, More tells the king he will not agree to his plan. The King storms out in anger telling More that he will only leave him alone if he does not openly voice his disagreemen t for his planned divorce of Catherine and marriage to Anne Boleyn. This aggravates and worsens their relationship, which had been set on the rocks earlier. This was when Thomas More had declared he was going to resign if the Church of England Bishops were going to go along with the Parliament’s Act of Supremacy. This Notorious act puts the King as the absolute head of the Church of England, as well as the overall ruler of England State: the genesis of their conflict. This hostility towards the Judge comes to a boiling point where he flatly refuses to take an oath of allegiance in the King’s name, another creation of the King’s puppet parliament. Boughey posits that, â€Å"Henry VIII Wanted to look powerful and strong. [†¦] Henry VIII was a powerful king who was completely in charge of England. Nobody was stronger than Henry VIII, not even Parliament. (1). This is how the king was perceived in real life, probably it was the reason why he was described like that in the play and Sir Thomas More was described then stronger than the parliament and stronger than the King. This is the proof that Thomas More stood strong against the adversity even when it was his King and friend. This adversity can represent a symbol between the King and More with the king symbolically representing the monarchial absolute power and More representing civil law. Thomas’ refuses to have the King rule even his conscience. As a result, he is ready and willing to keep his honesty at all costs, even if it means losing his life. Kincaid expresses Thomas More’s willingness to die for his principles in this little paragraph: When More’s wife was sent to prison to visit him in the hope that she would persuade him to sign the Oath, she told him that he might, if he signit, have another twenty years of life. More answered with his usual wit that if she had offered him a thousand years, he might have been tempted, but twenty years in exchange for an eternity of damnation was a very poor bargain. (9). The kings tries to give More a chance but he refuses and choses to remain faithful to his principles. Thus, coming back to our symbolism, the civil law win over the absolute power meaning that absolute power in one’s hand can be lethal. Thomas’ ethics and integrity is based on a strong base. In the play, other characters appear to be good people but do not have as strong a base as the Judge. The duke of Norfolk for example seem to be a good guy. However, he does not understand More’s motivation. As Lee puts it, â€Å" The behavior of the duke of Norfolk are dictated by yet another good, the benefit of friends. The constant for Norfolk is the preservation of friendship with the people of the here and now, and thus, he cannot comprehend more’s insistence on risking those friendships for his love of a heavenly God. (313).

Thomas Aquinas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Thomas Aquinas - Essay Example Through the scriptures, God has several definitions that vary across cultures and religions. He is an all-powerful person who can fill a person with the Holy Spirit and the power to differentiate right from wrong. According to Aquinas, many preachers describe God every Sunday at congregation, but the fact is that, each religion has its own preacher, with their own message about the existence of God and his abilities. That calls for the need of a universal language about God because of the disagreements that occur because of his various descriptions in the society. The argument about the nonexistence of God is not reasonable, according to Thomas Aquinas. The bible, Quran, and other religious scriptures have received considerable bashing over the messages they perpetrate, especially on the topic of violence. Considering the traits God is given, this is not supposed to be the case because He is not a violent person. For that reason, the concept of a special theory arises that can outline the regulations, laws, way of life, or the performance of required acts in observance to

Unit 6 Case Management Seminar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 6 Case Management Seminar - Research Paper Example 279), which may be performed by Case Managers. Thus, it is imperative for Case Managers to know how to complete a provisional DSM Diagnosis. A social history is an accurate account of the client’s family and societal background, educational level, whether special assistance was required in the past, information regarding alcohol or drug abuse or any legal problems associated with the client. The Mental Status Examination (MSE) forms an integral part of the social history, capturing subtle visual and verbal attributes of the client. It involves observations based on our client’s general appearance, cognitive functioning, behavior intelligence, thought process and content, reality testing, affect, suicidal or homicidal ideation, impulse control, judgment and insight. As described in the text, it is useful in Case management by helping clinicians understand what has been going on with the client between sessions and to determine the best course to follow with each individual† (Ch. 18, p. 314). Case Managers are required to assess the client’s environment in order to understand their specific needs and goals. Our author mentions, â€Å"Sometimes you will be asked to go to someone’s home to do an assessment or to do an interview. People’s surroundings often hold clues to the way they are currently structuring their lives.† (Ch. 18, p.313). Case Managers need to carefully assess the appropriateness of the surroundings after proper inquiry, to order to judge the client’s needs. Importantly, Case managers must look at the way the person keeps his home. Our author rightly adds that â€Å"this tells something about the person’s capacity to attend to the routine details of living, or it may indicate a debilitating mental illness, such as hoarding† (Ch. 18, p.313). Thus, an ecological perspective helps understand the client’s needs and accordingly define