Charismatic leadership Essays

Charismatic leadership Essays Charismatic leadership Paper Charismatic leadership Paper A team is a group comprised of individuals who come together for one common goal. Teams face many obstacles such as conflicts, commitments, communication barriers, and leadership roles. Although a team will be confronted with obstacles, team mates must develop resolutions in order to achieve the common goal. Conflict is the result of dissatisfaction, frustration or incompatibility in relations between individuals or groups of individuals such as organizations, cultural groups, nations, management groups, age groups and in a wide range of other situations. Conflict is possible in a wide variety of situations and perspectives. This paper describes a number of different methods for effectively resolving conflict among members of a work team. The paper first characterizes the different stages of work team formation and explains when and why conflicts are most likely to arise. The paper then lays out some ground rules for dealing with conflicts within the work teams while emphasizing the importance of establishing project goals as well as good communication between members. Finally, the paper describes the three different types of conflicts that may arise. In the first stage forming, new team members seek guidance from team leaders. This is an excellent time for a leader to clearly establish goals and objectives. These goals and objectives should translate into expectations. The second stage, storming, is where competition and conflict occur. Conflict and Resolution 3 A new team must be permitted to allow for new personalities to demonstrate levels of flexibility for attitude adjustments. Patience is difficult at this stage but as conflict occurs; the group must work with the understanding that clear expectations are in place to establish rules for whom is responsible for specific tasks, for who is in charge, and what rules lead to reward and discipline. Having established clear expectations prior to or in stage one of the group process can therefore simplify aspects of this stage. In the third stage, norming, group dynamic forms. If expectations have been clearly established, the group begins to think as a unit. Thus, the group can exchange levels of creativity to meet expectations. In the fourth stage, performing, expectations are met at a new level. Here, a group evolves into individual members excelling while still adding to the dynamic of the group. Clear expectations are established when a group successfully gets to this stage. In the fifth stage, adjourning, the group should again be meeting clearly established goals. In other words, clearly established expectations help avoid apprehension during dismissal. Time management and how to achieve a successful balance in our lives among our many activities is something every person needs to know and practice. Often, prioritizing our day or week is not easy, yet by implementing some strategic personal initiatives, we can take giant strides toward meeting our goal of more effective time management. However negative conflict results in upsetting the team composition, which in turn leads to failure of the team to achieve its objectives. The notion that conflict should be avoided is one of the major contributors to the growth of destructive conflict in the workplace. The bad view of conflict is associated with a vision of organizational effectiveness that is no longer valid (and perhaps never was). Conflict can be directed and managed so that it causes both people and organizations to grow, innovate and improve. However, this requires that conflict not be repressed, since attempts to repress are more likely to generate very ugly situations. Common repression strategies to be avoided are: non-action, administrative orbiting, secrecy and law and order. There are three approaches to handling conflict: Traditional (avoid all conflict), human relation (conflict is natural and is dealt with in an appropriate manner) and interactions (some degree of conflict is required to achieve progress particularly in the workplace). A key element in understanding and adapting to these different concepts is often rooted in ones sense of self and self-disclosure. Having an array of individual differences can make the environment endlessly challenging. Growing diversity creates a view of individual differences in increasingly different ways. Conflict and Resolution 5 One important variable in organizational behavior is based on oneself concept. Ideas of self vary from one historical era to another, from one socioeconomic group to another, and from culture to culture, but all these thought patterns are part of the interplay between human beings. Conflict is an expressed struggle; it is a given consideration whenever there are differences among members in a group. An expressed struggle may be verbal or non-verbal, so long as one group communicates effectively the different sentiments that he has about the issue to the other group. A difference in the perceived incompatible goals is another antecedent that cannot be avoided during team conflicts. The individual and his or her work situation are affected by how he handles such issues as conflict resolution, stress management, interpersonal communication, and non-verbal communication. These dimensions of everyday life have to be addressed by everyone, and how well he manages to do this determines his own sense of well-being and self-esteem, on the one hand and how he is viewed. An individuals lack of an understanding of how communication skills work and how important they are to other individuals will seriously impede that persons ability to resolve conflicts, while individuals who have good strong communication skills are able to deal with emotional conflicts quickly and easily. Conflict and Resolution 6 It appears that there are many processes and structures used to teach these things to individuals but they do not always work in the way that they should and many people are left with difficulties in communication when he faces some type of emotional conflict with another individual. It is important for these individuals to develop skills in communication and collaboration that are very effective and when they learn how to deal with emotional conflict management they become assets not only for the clients that they deal with but for their employers as well. Commitment means to agree and/or pledge. In other words, you he must follow through with the commitment as promised. It requires one to evaluate a situation and figure out what can be added or needs to be accomplished. When one commits it is held as a promise to self and/or others. In a learning team environment members of the team are assigned various tasks. Each team member is responsible to complete his tasks. When other people are affected by the commitment it is important to complete the tasks. Learning Teammates are committed to complete his assignment s in an orderly manner. It is also important to give your team mates the best. Maintaining a commitment to yourself gives one a sense of pride and accomplishment. It also allows people to accomplishment their goals. Renewing commitments is important because each person is able to evaluate and assess the various goals that have been set. Conflict and Resolution 7 This is also used as a tracking system so that you are aware of what goals have been achieved and what areas still need work. It is difficult to commit to something by verbally communicating the commitment to others. Therefore, it is advantageous to write the commitment on paper. This can also be used as a tracking system. When you are able to document your progression, it is easier to visually see your progression and failures. This tracking system allows you to evaluate and strategize their goals. Barriers to effective communication spring up just about everywhere in day-to-day life but they can often be most apparent in the work environment. In the past, a major barrier to communication may have been the distance separating one business location from another, but in the modern world of the Internet and satellite communications, there are still many other barriers, which get in the way of effective communication in the workplace. A barrier is anything that gets in the way of the purpose of the organization, or causes people to misunderstand each other. Since communication is a key to just about every aspect of every organization, it is an important and valuable tool for every person in the organization, and if used effectively, it can add to the success and value of the organization for everyone involved. As one communications expert noted, Without communication, not even the first steps can be taken toward human cooperation, and it is impossible to speak about organizational problems without speaking about communication, or at least taking it for granted. Conflict and Resolution 8 Communication refers to the process of creating shared understanding between two individuals or between an individual and a group. This includes that communication is a process of interacting with others. For example, talking is not communication. Having someone hear that talking and create meaning from it is communication. This illustrates one of the main features of communication that it is a transactional process. A transactional process is defined as, a process in which two or more people exchange speaker and listener roles, and in which the behavior of each person is dependent on and influenced by the other There are many different methods of Leadership. Most groups and teams generally use five levels of decision-making: command, consult, majority, consensus and unanimity. It is easy to understand that these decision types are very closely related to the time constraints before a decision is determined. When the command type of decision-making process is used, the leader identifies the tasks at hand and designates responsibilities to all the members. This type of decision-making can be accomplished in the shortest possible time-it however, has a major drawback. It will be difficult for the leader to get buy-ins for the task from team members if the members do not agree with the decision made. Another method is leading highly motivated and skilled people, who have produced excellent work in the past, and have a history of efficiency. Conflict and Resolution 9 Once a leader has established that his or her team is confident, capable and motivated, he or she can step back and let them get on with the task. In this type or organization, if the leader interferes, he or she can generate resentment and detract from his effectiveness. By handing over ownership, a leader empowers his or her group to achieve their goals. What is important to note about this leader, in handing over the ownership, he or she has also relinquished their own active involvement in the process, and thereby diminished his or her influence, and thereby his or her level of effectiveness. There is also the leadership with power. It has different levels of power. The first being reward power or the ability to provide rewards for a job well done. The next is coercive power or the ability to punish for an unacceptable performance. The last type of power that a leader has within an organization is legitimate power or his actual position that gives them the right to have authority. A leaders degree of power in the organization is given with the status of his position. A manager will use these powers at different times depending on the details of the situation. The first one is the talker and the one who receives the communication is the listener. Conflict and Resolution 10 Often, one hears the term lack of communication when some misunderstanding occurs between these two parties, which most of the time implies that whoever delivering the message did not do an effective job. This may not always be true. Unfortunately, few know how to be good listeners. Statistics indicate that the normal, untrained listener is likely to understand and retain only about 50 % of a conversation. One has to develop appropriate skills and techniques to be a good attentive listener during individual conversations and during meetings and lectures. Strange as it may sound, there are courses and training sessions conducted to develop listening skills Other forms of leadership involve direct and indirect leadership. Direct leadership involves those activities which the principle does himself/herself, with very little assistance from anyone else. Alternatively, those activities that are carried out through teachers are regarded as indirect leadership activities. The ability of a leader to lead and appeal to others around him is important. Charisma is defined as charm, personality, appeal, magnetism that an individual possesses. It is a trait most think they are born with-charisma can however also be taught with varying success to people who do not possess it. Emotional resilience and rational thinking in addition to the qualitative leadership skills are important requirements for a charismatic leader. Conflict and Resolution 11 Organizational motivation is an area where charismatic leadership can be used very successfully. The art of knowing how to lead and the ways of leading may differ between various leaders.

Strategic Planning vs Strategic Intent Essays

Strategic Planning vs Strategic Intent Essays Strategic Planning vs Strategic Intent Essay Strategic Planning vs Strategic Intent Essay What is a Strategic Planning? It is a well written mission statement for any organization which drives its business towards its goals be it profits, standards, market value, customer satisfaction? Can the plan be flexible or adaptable as many of you have discussed here? I believe that every organization need to follow the strategic intent in todays ever changing world. There are some factors that can be predictable but many factors are not. An organization, in order to succeed need to have a vision, set goals based on that vision, make a planned path to achieve it, have enough flexibility for unforeseen changes in the environment, adapt to these changes, adjust their paths if and when needed and keep moving towards the goal. Can any organization make a centralized set Strategic Planning and expecting each of its business units to follow and succeed? I think it is quite impossible to follow it in the Hospitality industry. Our industry being a very dynamic industry which is affected by so many unpredictable changes, viz. location, general economy, political/ civil unrest, weather, festivals, sporting events, global focus, air lifts, communication media, marketing, publicity etc. etc. ; that if a full circle strategic intent is not put in place, then organization should expect failure. To answer to the first question I do agree with Mintzbergs assertion that strategic planning can actually hamper an organization unless th e plan has left a HUGE room for flexibility and adaptility, but then is it really a well written plan then? To give a simple example of our resort, we are based in a relatively remote exotic island with a great data base of repeat guests. We were running smoothly until a major factor became a hindrance – the Airlift. American Airlines cut down on many flights coming to the region as part of their strategies and are further reducing flights. Did our plans include this huge change – no? We had to adapt, learn and adjust. If we were following a strategic plan based on linear analysis and results, we were set for a failure.

Answer and summarize Management HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer and summarize Management HR - Essay Example This alignment is to align HR function with business strategy, understand the various aspects of the business and familiarizing with the challenges encountered by leaders so that the various issues can be tackled from both employees and the leader’s perspective. A strategic partner determines the business strategy and oversees the implementation of such strategies. It is imperative to involve key executive leaders and to develop a good team rapport while coming up with HR policy guidelines and strategies, which are very crucial in guiding the organization. In business, the customer is usually the primary concern. To satisfy the customer, the HR head should ensure that the employees are made to feel at home. When employees are happy, customers are also happy. While there may be a success in some organizations with regard to human resource management, in others it remains very elusive. HR is more about understanding the needs of the business and acting with these needs at heart. There should always be contact with the rest of the company to ensure ease of doing business. From a team standpoint, specialization coupled with hard work, enthusiasm, consistency and diligence are of core importance. Strategic partnership with an inclination towards the people element put people first, with the key being retention and development. Long-term forecast is usually desirable, and the agility of the company can make it reap handsome returns faster. Synchronized teamwork is necessary especially in light of changing functions that may occasioned by downsizing. The employees are greatly helped by assisting them in ranking growing responsibilities. An open door policy style of management is attractive. The manager leaves the door â€Å"open† to foster transparency and frankness with employees of the company. In order to encourage performance, the company motivates employees by paying or rewarding

Solving problems and making decisions Coursework

Solving problems and making decisions - Coursework Example For instance, a while ago we in the business-planning department observed that the companies have fallen out there track in one of the major business elements. Therefore, we start digging the facts to try to rectify the problems to enable reinstatement in the right path. After we identify the problems, we escalated the solutions to the management to take the decision for the problem solving. We are currently undergoing various challenges regarding our attempts to manage the flow of oil and gas production especially after the collapse in oil prices. The greatest challenge is that the business continuity, the nature and effectiveness of the staffs will help the organization in overcoming any problems. As a member of the organization, we face significant workforce challenges because of collapse in oil prices. This calls for a reevaluation of our problem cycle regime specifically as it appertains to an economic recession. The report offers a guidepost for identifying and solving problems in my organization; I sought out various guideposts to effective problem identification and compiled various solutions drawn from the best practices The falling out of the company in one of the major business elements requires a managerial team that who gather data and analyze the business element as the first step in finding the solution to the problem. Additionally, the team needs to identify some possible solutions while weighing up the advantages, disadvantages and risks of the business element in within the organization. Finally, the team needs to decide the most appropriate action to bring back the business element on track. The solutions to the problems of bringing back the business element need to gain acceptance among the administrative team through theproper analysis of the advantages, disadvantages and risks of the business element.Moreover, the team must follow the appropriate model in developing the solutions as going through various stages such as

Community Teaching Essay Example for Free

Community Teaching Essay Health promotion is very important in todays society. There are many things people can do in order to maintain good health, yet most are uninformed about this. Obesity is one of the leading health concerns in America and must be dealt with immediately. It is because of this that a student has decided to teach a fifth grade class with twenty three students about what obesity is, what problems it causes, and how it can be avoided. The teacher uses visual aids, games, trivia, and much more in order to get the students more interested in what they are going to learn. The teacher informs the students about how important it is to make healthy eating choices by using the food pyramid as a guideline. Students are also informed that exercise is key to living a healthy lifestyle. The teacher begins the class by playing a quick game. The teacher then asks the students to each take out a piece of paper and write down as many fruits and vegetables as they can. The students are told that the person who has thought of the most fruits and vegetables will win a prize. When finished with the game, the teacher will then introduce the topic of obesity to the children and the importance of preventing it by eating healthy foods. Students are told that obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is more than just about looks. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure (J.Crawford,2014). The teacher then tells the students that in the past ten years, obesity in children in the U.S has gone from 7-18 percent (CDC,2012). The main portion of this lesson revolves around the food pyramid. The food pyramid consists of 6 essential healthy food groups: Grains/rice, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat/fish/poultry, fats/oils/sweets. The food pyramid acts as a guideline by showing students the necessary servings of each food group in order to stay healthy. It is essential for students to understand the food pyramid because it is a roadmap to healthy living. The students were not only taught about healthy eating, but also other ways to ensure that they maintain their health. One thing they were taught is the importance of being active daily. Students can do things such as playing sports, running, or bike riding in order to stay healthy and have fun doing it. It was said that rather than avoiding all types of junk food, it is better to simply eat it in moderation. The end of the lesson consisted  of trivia questions that the children answer in order to win a prize. By teaching the students this information, the teacher can ensure that they will live a better life. The epidemiological rationale for this topic is very serious. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years (CDC,2014). The percentage of children age 6-11 years in the U.S. who were obese increase from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Rate of obese adolescents ages 12-19 years increase from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period (CDC,2014). Obese adolescents are more likely to have pre-diabetes. Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for coronary heart disease, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, social and psychological problems such as poor self esteem. Reducing childhood obesity is a public health priority that has substantial health and economic benefits(Maurer, Frances, C. Smith, 2013.) The teacher claims that the overall teaching experience was quite enjoyable. It is extremely beneficial to be able to teach young children about topics that they are not well informed about. By teaching children about such serious health hazards at a young age, it is more likely that they will strive to take the necessary measures in order to avoid these hazards. The teaching experience allowed the teacher to see how much children knew about health promotion as well as what they wanted to know. The teacher learned how to make different topics easily understandable for children and as well as making the entire learning process fun and enjoyable. This experience helped the teacher realize that even by teaching a small group of children from one school, it is possible to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of Americas children. The community responded rather positively to the teaching. The students were excited to learn about new health promotion tips through a series of games and activities. The children were shocked to see how serious obesity really is as well as how many children it has affected throughout the country. Before this lesson, the children believed that eating healthy meant cutting out all types of sweets and sugary drinks completely. The children were elated to hear that they can be healthier while still enjoying some of their favorite desserts. Kids  react positively to games and rewards because it makes learning more fun. By getting the kids attention, the teacher ensures that they are listening and paying close attention to everything that the teacher has to say. After learning about obesity and the many negative affects that come from it, the children promised to change their eating habits as well as be more active in order to make sure that they stay fit throughout their lives. The children agreed to eat more fruits and vegetables and to play outside much more. The children have promised to limit the amount of time they watch television and play on the computer and replace it with riding their bikes or going to the park. This teaching process has taught the teacher about not only her strengths, but her weakness as well. The teacher is easily able to relay information in simple terms so that the children can understand as well do things such as creating games and trivia in order to make the lesson more exciting. Some weaknesss or improvements that the teacher can make includes being able to connect with the students on a closer level in order to truly help them understand the topic as well as finding new and creative ways to reward the kids when they answer questions correctly. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to take a short survey regarding how well the teacher taught the lesson as well as how much the kids enjoyed it. Though the teacher received high scores from each child, she knows that there is still room for improvement and is determined to make these changes for the next teaching session that may occur.

A Comparison of Healthcare in Canada and the United States Essay

Canada’s healthcare system started in 1946 and is made up of a group of socialized health insurance plans that provides coverage to all Canadian citizens. It is publicly funded and administered on a provincial or territorial basis with in the rules set by their federal government. Since the late 1960’s Canada essential has had a universal health insurance system covering all services provided by physicians and hospitals. In 1966 Lester B Pearson’s government subsequently expanded a policy of the universal healthcare with the medical care act. Canada’s healthcare system is the subject of political controversy and debate in the country. While healthcare in America began in the late 1800’s but was truly born in 1929 when Justin Kimball introduced low cost healthcare to teachers in Dallas. Healthcare in the US is mostly privately funded but we do have a few publicly funded entities, such as Medicare and Medicaid. By 1971, all Canadians were guaranteed access important medical services regardless of income, employment, or health. Canada has one of the highest life expectancies and he lowest infant mortality rates of industrialized countries, which many attribute to Canada’s health care system. In 1984, the Canada Health Act was passed. This act added provisions that prohibited extra billing and user fees for covered services. To support the ten year plan, the federal government increased health care to the Canada Health Transfer from 2006-2007 until 2013-2014 to provide growth in federal funding. On the other end the United states private for profit insurers based our premiums on age, gender, health status, and pre-existing conditions only covering the healthiest people and avoiding the sickest individuals which in turn e... ... a lot of criticism about the wait times; some have been known to wait in the emergency room for four hours. Although on the other hand, there is an upside to having to wait. By prioritizing the high risk patients verses the lower risk patients, help to eliminate patient mortality rates. The government has since stepped in to help alleviate the long wait times. Unfortunately, the wait times on average are just as bad, if not worse here in the states, with one important difference. In Canada no one gets turned away, while in the states, if you do not have the proper documentation according to your plan, you may end up waiting double the amount of time. Works Cited †¢ G.G. Frasier, â€Å"An Audit of Surgical Waiting List,† New Zealand Medical Journal (1991) †¢ www.snopes.com †¢ www.canadianhealthcare.org †¢ www.hc-sc.ca †¢ www.huffingtonpost.com

Human impact on climate Essay

Abstract Climate change has long been a controversial issue among governments and world bodies. It is defined as the variation in the Earth’s global climate or in regional climates over time. These variations may be caused by a multitude of factors, some of which include geological changes within the Earth itself, changes in forces outside the earth, or human activity. When talking about this issue, two terms are often interchanged to refer to these variations in normal weather patterns, namely global warming and climate change. The two however, while similar, belong to different spectrums. This paper seeks to examine the role of human activities as a form of climate change. Overview Global warming simply pertains to the recent gradual warming of the temperature in different locations around the earth. Climate change, as defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), talks of variations in weather in general, but which are caused particularly by human activity. Although there have been steps taken towards curbing the destructive effects of climate change, there continues to still be a sense of apathy on the parts of some governments with regard to it. The continued burning of fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles and other machines are directly responsible for producing air particles that contribute to warming the earth’s atmosphere. The conversion of forests to farmland or real estate developments has also reduced the amount of trees overall, thus cutting down the chances of more trees mitigating the carbon levels in the air, as well as absorbing and acting as a natural control for floods. Effects of Climate Change Climate change will have many effects on the environment, some of them already visible while others are slowly already being experienced in different parts of the world. Currently, scientists project that the mean global temperature will rise about 3 degrees Celsius, assuming the amount of carbon dioxide in the air doubles due to continued use of fossil fuels. Another projection was the rising of the mean sea level by about 50 cm, a relatively significant rise in light of the fact that computer model estimates have shown that several low-lying states and countries may, in part or whole, be submerged by the rising water level. The warming of temperatures at the mid-continent levels, as well as those in higher latitudes, will also be greater as compared to other locations. It has therefore been predicted that a considerable amount of polar and glacial will melt, as well as the continued warming of the oceans. These two events will constitute for the most part the increase in water levels mentioned earlier. Also to be seriously affected is the ecosystem, along with the natural order of the environment. Due to the heat that would be generated, more tropical climates would be prevalent, thus the focus on migration as well as agricultural production and output would shift all over the world. For the wildlife, the changing ecosystems would directly affect their natural habitats and breeding places. As it is, researchers continue to forecast that global warming may cause the easier proliferation of disease due to the idea that disease-carrying insects and other animals may migrate to other locations due to the changing weather. The hydrologic cycle will also intensify, with changes in water supplies as well as weather seasons such as droughts and flood, which could then greatly affect crops and other natural sources of food. Lastly, the effects of climate change on the broad concept of international security cannot be discounted. With more poor countries potentially facing an environmental disaster of catastrophic proportions, masses of refugees could converge on those remaining industrialized and highly urbanized nations that remain only somewhat affected. Also, should fossil fuel use not be successfully curbed in time, the scarcity of it will only mean that nations who have remaining reserves will become more powerful and dominant in the world stage, with new influential nations possibly developing.

Economic Problems of US

Most of the problems of the United States are related to the economy. One of the major issues facing the country today is social security. The United States was one of the last major industrialized nations to establish a social security system. In 1911, Wisconsin passed the first state workers compensation law to be held constitutional. At that time, most Americans believed the government should not have care for the aged, disabled or needy. But such attitudes changed during the Great Depression in the 1930's. In 1935, Congress passed the Social Security Act. This aw became the basis of the U. S. social insurance system. It provided cash benefits to only retired workers in commerce or industry. In 1939, Congress amended the act benefit and dependent children of retired workers and widows and children of deceased workers. In 1950, the act began to cover many farm and domestic workers, non professional self employed workers, and many state and municipal employees. Coverage became nearly universal in 1956, when lawyers and other professional workers came under the system. Social security is a government program that helps workers and retired orkers and their families achieve a degree of economic security. Social security also called social insurance (Robertson p. 33), provides cash payments to help replace income lost as a result of retirement,unemployment, disability, or death. The program also helps pay the cost of medical care for people age 65 or older and for some disabled workers. About one-sixth of the people in the United States receive social security benefits. People become eligible to receive benefits by working in a certain period in a job covered by social security. Employers and workers finance the program through payroll taxes. Participation in the social security system is required for about 95percent of all U. S. workers. Social security differs from public assistance. Social security paysbenefits to individuals, and their families, largely on the basis of work histories. Public assistance, or welfare, aids the needy,regardless of their work records. All industrialized countries as well as many developing nations have a social security system. The social security program in the United states has three main parts. They are (1) old-aged, survivors, disability, and hospital insurance (OASDHI), (2) unemployment insurance; and (3) workers' compensation. This tax was to be taken from the payrolls of the nation's employers and employees. The government felt that, like unemployment benefits, the social security should be financed by those who got the greatest benefit, those who worked, and were liable to need those benefits in the A plan that would affect those only who had paid such a tax for a number of years would have done those who were currently suffering under the Depression no good at all. As a result, the social security plan began paying out benefits almost immediately to those who had been etired, or elderly and out of work, and who were unable, primarily because of the depressed economic conditions, to retire comfortably. In this way, the government was able to accomplish two objectives: first, it helped the economy pull out of the depression, by providing a means by which old people could support themselves and, by buying goods and services, support others in the community ; and second, it showed the younger workers of that time that they no longer had to fear living out their retirement years in fear of poverty. Therefore, the social security payroll tax has been used to provide enefits to those who otherwise would have little means of support, and as of this writing, there has never been a year when Social Security benefits were not paid due to lack of Social Security income. (Boskinp. 122) Social Security benefits increased 142% in the period between 1950-1972. not only the elderly, but many of the survivers, the widows and children, of those who paid into the Social Security system, have received social security checks. These checks have paid for the food shelters, and in many instances the college education of the recipients. Unlike private insurance firms, the United States Government does not have to worry about financial failure. Government bonds are considered the safest investment money can buy-so safe, they are considered â€Å"risk free† by many financial scholars. (Stein p. 198) The ability of the United States Government to raise money to meet the requirements of the social security should be no more in doubt than the governments ability to finance the national defense, the housing programs, the State Department, or any of the other activities that the federal governmentgets involved in. By paying out benefits equally to all participate in Social Security- that is by not relying so heavily on total payments in making the decision to pay out benefits, the system is able to pay benefits to people who otherwise may not be able to afford an insurance program that would provide them with as much protection. One of the main reasons for the government's involvement in this program, is its ability and its desire to provide insurance benefits or the poor and widowed, who under the private market, might not be able to acquire the insurance to continue on a financially steady course. The government, then, is in a totally unique position to pay outbenefits that would be out of the reach of many American families. Another great advantage of this system, is the ability of the government to adjust the benefits for the effects of inflation(Robertson p. 134) Private insurance plans are totally unable to adjust for the effects of inflation with complete accuracy. In order for an insurance company to make this adjustment, they would have to be able to see forty-five years into the future, with twenty-twenty vision. When a private pensionplan currently insures the twenty-year-old worker, it can only guarantee a fixed income when the worker reaches sixty-five and a fixed income is a prime victim of inflation (Robertson p. 332) In order to adjust for that inflation, the private insurance firm would have to be able to predict what the inflation rate will be from the moment the worker is insured until the day he dies, and then make the complexadjustments necessary to reflect this in the pension plan. An inflation estimate that is too small will result in the erosion of the workers retirement benefits. Because the government, unlike the private insurance firm, can guarantee that it will exist well into the future, and will have the continued income of the Social Security tax to draw upon, it can make on-the-spot adjustments for changes in the inflation rate. Some adjustments, in fact, have been automatic in the recent years, therefore relieving the pensioners of the periodic worry of whether this years benefits would be adjusted, or whether the level of payments would remain stable, thereby, relative to the cost of living, making them poorer that ever before(Stein p. ). In the face of the government's ability to make those necessary adjustments and to continually finance the Social Security program, many opponents of the system argue that the government programs are driving out the private insurance industry. The statistics remain otherwise. The social security tax is one of the fewest taxes in the United States, and the only federal tax in the country, that is given for a specific purpose. All other taxes are put into another fund, so that welfare programs, defense, pace projects, and the other categories of government spending are all financed from one giant, uncategorized bowl of tax revenues(boskin p. 62). When the Social Security system was first established, it was felt that a direct payroll tax, based on the pay of the worker and paid both by employer and employee, would be the fairest way for the people that were currently working to pay benefits to those who weren't working, as well as to provide for some future requirements and disabilities. Therefore, a specially constructed payroll tax was used to fund the program. By measuring the amount taken in by the tax to the amount, not only that is taken out, but to the amount that will be taken out in future years, opponents of the Social security system make the case that the system will be unable to keep itself in such a manner indefinitely. And, if Social Security were a private insurance program, it wouldn't. But the fact is that Social Security is not a private program. it is funded by the government. Further, the government is in a unique position to change the laws of commerce and contract to adjust the system, making it more responsive to the needs of the retired, which, in turn, would reduce their need for the Social Security benefits. For example, the United states Government should raise the mandatory retirement age. By raising the age to sixty-eight, the Social Security System could delay paying out benefits for several years to thousands of people, saving the system a significant amount of money in benefits. For these reasons, the government is in a position which cannot be compared to private industry. In this sense, looking at social security as an insurance program and comparing it to other insurance programs in the private system could easily give the impression that the system is gong bankrupt, when in the reality it isn't. The thing to keep in mind about the Social Security system, then, is this: the system itself is in no fundamental danger of collapse. There is only temporary, cash flow situation that must be carefully looked at. The federal government pays out 4. 5 billion more in Social Security benefits as it collects in taxes every year. In fact, $4. 5 billion is a small price, compared to the other programs the federal government now finances from general revenue. Besides tapping the general revenue fund and raising the retirement limit to 68 or even 70,the government has the option of raising the Social Security tax or even reducing the benefits slightly. The government has so many options with regard to financing the benefits that the question becomes of the cash management, not quite as significant as the huge deficits that the Social Security has been accused of having. The government is already under way to help alleviate this cash flow problem. Public officials have debated which of the various ways would help best serve the public interest, and legislative action has been taken that would ultimately result of the Social Security system to a positive cash base. This shift would provide the workers of America with the same benefits they have been guaranteed since 1935- and have been paid, and expanded ever since. The social security system has withstood forty years of changing economic conditions and greater concern of public welfare. What would replace the system, if the critics had their way? The social security system has saved an untold number of people from disaster throughout many years. Many of the nations old people- some as young as sixty-two, a few over a hundred, live from Social Security paycheck to Social security paycheck, with this government program as their livelihood.

Guil Naquitz (Mexico) - Key Evidence of Maize Domestication History

Guil Naquitz (Mexico) - Key Evidence of Maize Domestication History Guil Naquitz is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas, recognized for its breakthrough discoveries in understanding plant domestication. The site was excavated in the 1970s by KV Flannery, using then-new methods of environmental and ecological sampling, and the results of those sampling techniques and other excavations that followed rewrote what archaeologists had previously understood of the timing of plant domestication. Guil Naquitz is a small cave  occupied at least six times between 8000 and 6500 BC, by hunters and gatherers, probably during the fall (October to December) of the year. The cave is in the Tehuacn valley of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) northwest of the town of Mitla. The mouth of the cave opens near the base of a large ignimbrite cliff rising ~300 meters (~1000 feet) above the valley floor. Chronology and Stratigraphy Five natural strata (A-E) were identified in the cave deposits, which extended to a maximum depth of 140 centimeters (55 inches). Unfortunately, only the top strata (A) can be conclusively dated, based on radiocarbon dates from its living floors and pottery which matches Monte Alban IIIB-IV, ca. 700 AD. The dates of the other strata within the cave are to an extent contradictory: but AMS radiocarbon dates on the plant parts discovered within layers B, C, and D have returned dates to nearly 10,000 years ago, well within the Archaic period and, for the time it was discovered, mind-blowingly early. Considerable and heated debate occurred in the 1970s, particularly about the radiocarbon dates from Guila Naquitzs teosinte (precursor to maize) cob fragments, concerns which largely dissipated after similarly old dates for maize were recovered from the San Marcos and Coxcatlan caves in Oaxaca and Puebla, and the Xihuatoxtla site in Guerrero. Macro and Micro Plant Evidence A wide range of plant food was recovered within the cave deposits of Guil Naquitz, including acorns, pinyon, cactus fruits, hackberries, mesquite pods, and most importantly, the wild forms of bottle gourd, squash and beans. Other plants attested at Guila Naquitz chili peppers, amaranth, chenopodium, and agave. This evidence includes plant partspeduncles, seeds, fruits, and rind fragments, but also pollen and phytoliths. Three cobs with plant elements of both  teosinte (the wild progenitor of  maize)  and maize, were found within the deposits and direct-dated by AMS radiocarbon dating to about 5400 years old; they show some signs of domestication. Squash rinds were also radiocarbon dated: they returned dates of approximately 10,000 years ago. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the American Archaic, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Benz BF. 2001. Archaeological evidence of teosinte domestication from Guil Naquitz, Oaxaca. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 98(4):2105-2106. Crawford GW. 2015. Food Production, Origins of. In: Wright JD, editor. International Encyclopedia of the Social Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition). Oxford: Elsevier. p 300-306. Flannery KV. 1986. Guila Naquitz: Archaic Foraging and Early Agriculture in Oaxaca, Mexico. New York: Academic Press. Marcus J, and Flannery KV. 2004. The coevolution of ritual and society: New 14C dates from ancient Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(52):18257–18261. Piperno DR. 2003. A few kernels short of a cob: on the Staller and Thompson late entry scenario for the introduction of maize into northern South America. Journal of Archaeological Science 30(7):831-836. Schoenwetter J. 1974. Pollen Records of Guila Naquitz Cave. American Antiquity 39(2):292-303. Smith BD. 1997. The Initial Domestication of Cucurbita pepo in the Americas 10,000 Years Ago. Science 276(5314):932-934. Warinner C, Garcia NR, and Tuross N. 2013. Maize, beans and the floral isotopic diversity of highland Oaxaca, Mexico. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(2):868-873.

Tundra Biome - The Habitat Encyclopedia

Tundra Biome - The Habitat Encyclopedia The tundra is a terrestrial biome that is characterized by extreme cold, low biological diversity, long winters, brief growing seasons, and limited drainage. The harsh climate of the tundra imposes such formidable conditions on life that only the hardiest plants and animals can survive in this environment. The vegetation that grows on the tundra is restricted to a low diversity of small, ground-hugging plants that are well-adapted to survive in nutrient-poor soils. The animals that inhabit the tundra are, in most cases, migratory- they visit the tundra during the growing season to breed but then retreat to warmer, more southern latitudes or lower elevations when temperatures drop. Tundra habitat occurs in regions of the world that are both very cold and very dry. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic lies between the North Pole and the boreal forest. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Antarctic tundra occurs on the Antarctic peninsula and on the remote islands that lie off  the coast of Antarctica (such as the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands). Outside of the polar regions, there is another type of tundra- alpine tundra- which occurs at at high altitudes on mountains, above the treeline. The soils that blanket the tundra are mineral-deprived and nutrient-poor. Animal droppings and dead organic matter provide the bulk of what nourishment is present in tundra soil. The growing season is so brief that only the topmost layer of soil thaws during the warm months. Any soils below a few inches deep remain permanently frozen, creating a layer of earth known as permafrost. This permafrost layer forms a water-barrier that prevents drainage of meltwater. During the summer, any water that thaws in the upper layers of the soil is trapped, forming a patchwork of lakes and marshes across the tundra. Tundra habitats are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and scientists fear that as global temperatures rise, tundra habitats might play a role in accelerating the rise in atmospheric carbon. Tundra habitats are traditionally carbon sinks- places that store more carbon than they release. As global temperatures rise, tundra habitats  may shift from storing carbon to releasing it in massive volumes. During the summer growing season, tundra plants grow quickly and, in doing so, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The carbon remains trapped because when the growing season ends, the plant material freezes before it can decay and release the carbon back into the environment. As temperatures rise and areas of permafrost thaw, the tundra releases  the carbon it has stored for millennia back into the atmosphere. Key Characteristics The following are the key characteristics of tundra habitats: extreme coldlow biological diversitylong wintersbrief growing seasonlimited precipitationpoor drainagenutrient-poor soilspermafrost Classification The tundra biome is classified within the following habitat hierarchy: Biomes of the World Tundra Biome The tundra biome is divided into the following habitats: Arctic and Antarctic tundra - Arctic tundra is located in the Northern Hemisphere between the North Pole and the boreal forest. Antarctic tundra is located in the Southern Hemisphere on remote islands off the coast of Antarctica- such as the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands- and on the Antarctic peninsula. Arctic and Antarctic tundra supports about 1,700 species of plants including mosses, lichens, sedges, shrubs, and grasses.Alpine tundra - Alpine tundra is a high-altitude habitat that occurs on mountains around the world. Alpine tundra occurs at elevations that lie above the tree line. Alpine tundra soils differ from the tundra soils in polar regions in that they are usually well-drained. Alpine tundra supports tussock grasses, heaths, small shrubs, and dwarf trees. Animals of the Tundra Biome Some of the animals that inhabit the tundra biome include: Northern bog lemming (Synaptomys borealis) - The northern bog lemming is a small rodent that inhabits the tundra, bogs, and boreal forests of northern Canada and Alaska. Northern bog lemmings eat a variety of plants including grasses, mosses, and sedges. They also feed on some invertebrates such as snails and slugs. Northern bog lemmings are prey for owls, hawks, and mustelids.Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) - The arctic fox is a carnivore that inhabits the Arctic tundra. Arctic foxes feed on a variety of prey animals that includes lemmings, voles, birds, and fish. Arctic foxes have a number of adaptations to deal with the cold temperatures they must endure- including long, thick fur and an insulating layer of body fat.Wolverine (Gulo golo) - The wolverine is a large mustelid that lives in boreal forest, alpine tundra, and Arctic tundra habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Wolverines are powerful predators that feed on many different mammal prey including rabbits, voles, lemmings , caribou, deer, moose, and elk. Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) - The polar bear inhabits the icecaps and Arctic tundra habitats in the Northern Hemisphere including areas of Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland and the Svalbard Archipelago. Polar bears are large carnivores that feed primarily on ringed seas and bearded seals. Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) - The muskox is large hoofed mammals that live in the Arctic tundra. Muskoxen have a sturdy, bison-like appearance, short legs and long, thick fur. Muskoxen are herbivores that feed on grasses, shrubs and woody vegetation. They also eat moss and lichens.Snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) - The snow bunting is a perching bird that breeds in the Arctic tundra and in some areas of alpine tundra such as the Cairngorms in Scotland and the Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia. Snow buntings migrate south during the winter months to escape the tundras coldest temperatures.Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) - The Arctic tern is a shorebird that breeds in the Arctic tundra and mig rates 12,000 miles to over-winter along the coast of Antarctica. Arctic terns feed on fish and invertebrates such as crabs, krill, mollusks, and marine worms.

Reducing Construction Accidents in the UK Dissertation

Reducing Construction Accidents in the UK - Dissertation Example Elizabeth Paton explores courses of action undertook by the UK to respond to high-profile injury cases recorded in the construction industry. The article cites recent accidents reported in construction sites within London’s financial district. Statistics included in the report include the demise of over 50% of construction workers because of falling, the hiring of inexperienced workers, communication barriers, and highly demanded equipment. Paton considers this combination a recipe for â€Å"fresh hazards† that the UK, along with construction unions need to check and decrease (Paton, 2015). In 2014, the UK’s HSE (Health and Safety Executive) published a document that outlined the state of health and safety in the construction sector. An overview of the injuries reported from this industry noted that that this sector made up for 5% of injured UK workers. Out of 31% of all serious accidents, only 10% were reported, and 6% of over-a-week old accidents injured contra cted construction site workers (HSE 2015). An inquiry conducted by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions outlined approaches that could lower accidents in the UK’s construction sector. The inquiry’s report indicated that approaches that tackled the macro, mezzo, and micro aspects of accidents in the construction industry was necessary (HSE, 2013). This report is highly valuable for his project because it offers a systematic point of view of the precise way that strategies devised by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions could lower accidents in the construction sector.

The UK Mobile Phone Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The UK Mobile Phone Business - Essay Example This is so because success is based on an organisation's ability to create, rather than predict the future by developing those products that will literally transform the way the world thinks and view it self and the needs (Kanter 1995:71). Within the context of today's global competition, businesses and firms no-longer compete as individual companies but try to corporate with other businesses in their activities (Wu & Chien 2007:2). These researchers went further to argue that, this strategy has become quite common in many businesses including the retail clothing chain stores. The conventional vertical integrated company based business model is gradually being replaced by collaborative relationship between many fragmented, but complementary and specialized value stars and constellation (Wu & Chien:1). This paper aim at examining the changing external environment of businesses. The paper how ever focueses on United Kingdom Mobile phone industry. Using certain analytical techniques such as the PESTLE model the paper examines five environmental change drivers. These include, Economic factors, political factors, Technological and socio cultural. However, attention will be based on three of these factors. According to Johnson et al ... 2.0 The UK Mobile phone external business Environment LAYOUT OF THE PESTEL FRAMEWORK According to Johnson et al (2005), the PESTEL framework can only be used to look at the future impact of environmental factors and that this impact might be different from the past. Thus an understanding of how the factors in the above framework may drive change is only a starting point (Johnson et al 2005).There is a need for an understanding of the key change drivers. From the PESTLE framework outline above, the UK mobile phone industry like any other industry in the UK is affected by all the factors outlined in the framework. However, because this paper requires us to focus on four stories, these three factors are examined below. 2.2 Economic Factors All the economic factors can be regarded to have an impact on the UK mobile phone industry. For example, high unemployment rate, high inflation rates, low GNP trends and slumps in the business cycle will imply low disposable income, more dependence by the citizens on credit facilities, borrowed funds and thus alternative sources of finance. The US dollars is currently increasing at an increasing rate when compared to the British pounds, this will mean an increase in the currency exposure. Transaction and translation cost will be high in the UK, value of credit facilities if granted in UK pounds will fall. The value of mobile phones operator's assets in the US will increase when doing reporting in the parent company currency, the British pounds. What is the income distribution What are the shopping habits, what is it that other mobile operators offer that, others don't The future budget situation of the UK government Is the government striving at a surplus, deficit,