Leadership approach suggested by Lao Tzu

Leadership approach suggested by Lao Tzu First of all let us define leadership? Leadership is a very essential issue and can be understood in different views. It would be very hard to give leadership a general definition because many writers have tried without reaching an accord. According to Mullins, 2005, Good Leadership involves the effective process of delegation and empowerment. The Leadership relationship is not limited to leader behaviour resulting in subordinate behaviour Susan Ward, 1997 gave a simple definition of Leadership as the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Leadership in simplest terms can be defined as an ability through which you can gain followers. To gain followers requires authority but does not exclude the lack of reliability to achieve this. Whether you are the managing director or a shift leader, the way you lead is the single biggest success factor for everyone you work with. Leaders change the organisations around them. They make a difference to the business, rather than just making the business work. Leadership is about what you do. It involves learnable skills that can be applied to the tasks that occur in every business. Storr A. 1996 Leaders can generally be defined as those who take action when they do not want to leave things to chance. Leadership can also be defined as an instrument of goal achievement Bass 1990:15-16 Leadership is behaviour, not a position Bass 1990 The superior leader gets things done with very little motion. He imparts instruction not through many words but through a few deeds. He keeps informed about everything but interferes hardly at all. He is a catalyst, and though things would not get done well if he werent there, when they succeed he takes no credit. And because he takes no credit, credit never leaves him. Lao Tse, Tao Te Ching Famous Quotes on Leadership To lead people, walk beside them As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honour and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate When the best leaders work is done the people say, We did it ourselves!' Lao-tsu If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch. Jesus Christ Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry. Winston Churchill Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50% of your time in leading yourself-your own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct. Invest at least 20% leading those with authority over you and 15% leading your peers. Dee Hock Founder and CEO Emeritus, Visa Leadership is intentional influence. Michael McKinney People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives. Theodore Roosevelt Four rules of leadership in a free legislative body: First, no matter how hard-fought the issue, never get personal. Dont say or do anything that may come back to haunt you on another issue, another day. Second, do your homework. You cant lead without knowing what youre talking about. Third, the American legislative process is one of give and take. Use your power as a leader to persuade, not intimidate. Fourth, be considerate of the needs of your colleagues, even if theyre at the bottom of the totem pole. George Bush Former President of the United States Chester Barnard, 1997, believes that a good leader must have qualities such as Validity, Endurance, Intellectual Capacity, Persuasiveness and he should be responsible for any decision taken. THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP The Rise of Contemporary Leadership Theory Theories of leadership in any period are driven by a set of convictions and hopes on the part of the theorist. One certainty is that swift societal development makes it crucial to keep ones pulse on social changes and their implications for how groups of human beings can best be led, a natural assumption in the writings of leadership theorist Rosabeth Moss Kanter and numerous other scholars. A challenging view is that human nature is stagnant and unchanging and that the lasting lessons of history provide surer instruction in leadership than do the passing ripples of modernity. Ironically, the exemplars of this view are relatively ancient figures such as Lao Tzu and Machiavelli TRAIT THEORY OF LEADERSHIP: Trait theory is all about the types of personality tendencies and behaviour linked through effective leadership. Many theorists argued that key leadership trait include motivation; desire to seek power, self confidence to name a few. The biggest disapproval of this theory is that it suggests that leadership personality are inherited hence one is born with them. BEHAVIORAL AND STYLE THEORY OF LEADERSHIP: Another theory you should include in your leadership dissertation is Behavioural and style theory of leadership. In this theory the theorists stated that unlike the trait theory, leadership is not a set of traits but a pattern of motives. The Behavioural leadership grid model by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton based on concern for people and concern for productivity which are the basis of five different leadership styles. Studying this model will give you very clear emphasize of how to identify a clear leader. SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY: This theory presumes that different styles of leaderships are better in different situations. Many theorists have given their views about this theory. Its better to understand what each theorist proposes as to understand what they perceive is the right action on a certain situation. CONTIGENCY THEORY: Contingency theories of leadership focus on particular variables related to the environment that might determine which particular style of leadership is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, no leadership style is best in all situations. Success depends upon a number of variables, including the leadership style, qualities of the followers, and aspects of the situation. PARTICIPATIVE THEORY: Participative leadership theories suggest that the ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. MANAGEMENT THEORY: Management theories (also known as Transactional theories) focus on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a system of reward and punishment. Managerial theories are often used in business; when employees are successful, they are rewarded; when they fail, they are reprimanded or punished. RELATIONSHIP THEORY: Relationship theories (also known as Transformational theories) focus upon the connections formed between leaders and followers. These leaders motivate and inspire people by helping group members see the importance and higher good of the task. Transformational leaders are focused on the performance of group members, but also want each person to fulfil his or her potential. These leaders often have high ethical and moral standards. Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Kendra Van Wagner, 2001 Leadership at All Levels Leadership whoever is doing it is about creating positive change to achieve long-term objectives. 1.1 Leadership involves setting goals, then moving the business towards them. Making the best use of resources, including peoples potential, is the key skill. 1.2 Leaders have to earn the authority to lead. For example, in a new job you should usually start by asking questions. You need a sound knowledge base before you start making decisions on technical issues. People need to be convinced of a leaders expertise and determination. 1.3 Leading a team means developing and motivating individuals and group. This includes helping people find meaning and purpose in what they are doing, so that it is seen to be worthwhile. Leaders create more leaders. By setting a positive example and allowing people to learn and develop on the job, you encourage them to take a more proactive role. 1.4 Leaders must often press ahead where managers see problems and back off. For example, every new product idea will face a series of obstacles. A leader will find a way around each of them. Leaders at supervisor or office level need backing, as it is often difficult for them to be recognised as leaders by their workmates. Odirone, George S. 1961. How managers make things happen VIEWS ON LEADERSHIP Leaders and leading are different. Leading is initiating change by developing the plan, implementing and evaluating the plan. Leaders work with others at all levels to explore the nature of the required change. A leader learns from others, mentors, and coaches. Leading is the verb, leader the noun. Both are necessary for change. Linda Burnes, 2001 Leadership is self discovery, and facilitation for others. It is the energy potential that evolves from the synergy of being in the right place and in the right frame of mind at the right time. This definition requires one to intuitively discover self, develop keen intuition, seek a positive attitude, utilize active listening skills and practice honest communications. Bass 1990 Leadership could also be the balancing energy for mind, body and spirit harmony. Leadership can be compassionate: Compassionate leadership is the ability to be there for others, without withdrawing and without judgment. Unconditional compassion for us leads naturally to unconditional compassion for others. There are whole parts of ourselves that are so unwanted that whenever they begin to emerge in ourselves or others, we run away. We can learn to use all the unwanted things in our lives to awaken compassion for ourselves and others. We can then relate compassionately to people and things we would rather push away. A compassionate leader is centred, accepting, honest and clear, helping others find their path toward wholeness while seeking wholeness oneself. LAO-TZU view on Leadership To lead people, walk beside them As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honour and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate When the best leaders work is done the people say, We did it ourselves! Lao Tzu From the above quote from Lao Tzu, his views on what a good leader should be are listed below: A good leader should be able to always sort himself out by adopting an array of self-oriented mechanisms to improve self performances such as self goal-setting, self-reward, self-criticism and by reconstructing his approach to management in alignment with the strategy of being a good leader. A good leader should always be able to walk the talk, and to demonstrate the tight link between rhetoric and deed to others. A good leader should apply this attitude to his subordinates, embracing them in their own goal-setting and provide positive strokes wherever possible. A good leader should believe in team work and have a self-leading culture. A good leader should be selfless, extremely humble and never take full praise for any success the team makes. Manz and Sims 1991 CONTEMPORARY LEADERSHIP Democratic Leadership This is a type of contemporary leadership. Unlike Lao Tzu, Bass (1990) defined leadership a general definition on Leadership. He defines Leadership as an interaction between two or more members of a group that often involves a structuring or restructuring of the situation and the perceptions and expectations of the members. He also explained that Leadership occurs when one group member modifies the motivation or competencies of others in the group. Any member of the group can exhibit some amount of leadership His own view on leadership is viewed as constituting only constructive behaviours aimed at pursuing group goals. This type of leadership was described by Lewin and Lippitt 1938; as a kind of leadership that involves the democratic leaders relying upon group decision-making, active member involvement, honest praise and criticism, and a degree of comradeship. They believed leaders using the other styles were either domineering or uninvolved. In democratic leadership, Kutner (1950:460) explains that Leaders need authority but the delegation of authority in a democratic group is never a mandate for any leader to employ authority without the eventual approval of the group. Democratic leaders are the kind that must be accountable for the decisions they make as individuals and the roles they play in the democratic group. (Starhawk 1986) Their position in the network of power relations also makes these leaders responsible for making lines of authority, power and decision making clear and visible. They must keep their agendas and motivesopen and visible, not hidden. (Starhawk 1986; 272) Conceptions of Democratic Leadership Distributing Responsibility among the Democratic group (DEMO) Here, the democratic leader seeks to spread responsibility rather than to concentrate it. The essence of democratic leadership is that it shall promote opportunities for the fitting initiative of those within the society, and in the manner the latter desire. Nagel (1987) goes further arguing that democratic leadership should not merely ask members to take on responsibility; at times, the democratic leader must be demanding in reminding people of their collective responsibilities. Some members may be less than enthusiastic to do their share, and leaders who allow free riders to exploit fellow citizens do not serve their communities well. Empowerment Here, Gibbs (1971) describes this as asking fellow members of the DEMOs to take on responsibility, this is one of many ways in leaders can help develop members decision making capabilities. The members must be skilled at wide variety of tasks, such as speaking, thinking and organizing (Evans and Boyte 1986). Democratic Leadership can augment members skills by setting high but reasonable standards and asking members to challenge themselves (Tead 1935). Members ability may develop through taking on new responsibilities, but leaders can also pay a direct role by offering instruction or suggestion, particularly when asked to do so. Democratic leaders show genuine care and concern for the members of the DEMO (Starhawk 1986, Desjardins and Brown 1991) but not in a way that makes them into a substitute parent of guardian. A democratic leader must never manipulate the masses through shrewd exploitation of their mentality Aiding Deliberation Democratic Leaders must distribute responsibility appropriately and empower other group members, but they must devote the bulk of their time and energy to ensuring productive and democratic decision-making. Deliberation is the heart of democracy (Barber 1984; Mathews 1988) Democratic leadership aids the deliberative process through constructive participation facilitation, and the maintenance of healthy relationships and a positive emotional setting. Conclusion In conclusion, one would believe this quote from Linda Burnes saying Leaders and leading are different. Leading is initiating change by developing the plan, implementing and evaluating the plan. Leaders work with others at all levels to explore the nature of the required change. As a leader you have to learn to commune your idea or the vision of your company to the people you want to follow you. You must have zeal because you have to show your followers that you want to accomplish the goal as badly as they do, your zeal will drive them. You must learn to be a great decision maker. Sometimes, leaders must face times of pressure where they are forced to make quick decisions; a great leader must have this skill. You must be a team builder. To become a great leader, you must first make your followers great, you must have the authority to give your team responsibilities, and trust them too, and you must slowly make them greater and greater. You must also have character because your innate character strengths play a critical role in your leadership style. You must also be able to understand your followers and be able to speak their language in order to communicate properly with them. From research leadership can viewed as a phenomenon that is constantly changing. This essay has highlighted some leadership approaches and behaviours but there is no predicted way of behaviour for a leader. It is a matter of contingency

The Eclectic And Reflective Nature

The Eclectic And Reflective Nature The outline of the case including factors in connection with history, presentation and the need for a revised therapeutic approach in many ways mirrors the clinical case evaluation detailed by Sherry (2006) in the application of an Attachment Theory Approach to the Short-Term Treatment of A Woman With Borderline Personality Disorder and Comorbid Diagnoses. This study highlights the difficult support/treatment pathway of borderline personality disorder (BPD) which stems from the comorbidity with other diagnoses including severe depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (Zimmerman Mattia, 1999) and harmful misuse of alcohol and other substances (Trull et al, 2000) which are all clearly present in Ruths life. The symptoms typically identified with these disorders are often challenging to mental health practitioners and there appears to be a groundswell of opinion that suggests the disorder is largely untreatable because they are entrenched within the personality and coping mechanisms of the individual. (Raven. 2009) As is common with many people who experience severe mental distress, Ruth has been unable to respond to the demands of the workplace and therefore financial insecurity is likely to be a significant factor for her and also in shaping the life options and experiences of her daughter, Megan. Gould (2006) identifies some of the most pertinent and enduring difficulties that contribute to child poverty in situations where parents have poor mental health and details the difficulties of securing employment (just 24% of people with long term mental health issues in employment), the typically low level of remuneration for people in this category and inflexible nature of moving from benefit claimant through into employment as limiting factors in increasing the life chances of children and young people in this kind of situation. To support this claim the more general findings of Tunnard (2004) are highlighted which link parental ill health problems and family poverty and indicate that 50% of dis abled people have incomes below half the national average, this rises to 60% for disabled adults with children (Gould 2006). Speculation in this report suggests that the figures would be worse in families where one or more parents experience significant and enduring mental problems. Therefore it is reasonable to presume in the case of Ruth and Megan that their level of income is and will remain at a low level without some significant lifestyle changes. Specific links between financial hardship and mental health are taken from an unpublished paper by Social Exclusion Unit in 2004 detailing the impact of poverty on mental ill health, the difficulty people experience had in accessing financial advice /services, disproportionate dependence on state benefits, fluctuating incomes determined by health status and the challenge of securing the right level if benefit/personal finance. General findings about the impact on family poverty are also relevant in the case of Ruth and Megan and it is a factor that is very likely to add to the symptomology common to people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Furthermore, as benefits and social care resources are constrained against a backdrop of central governments drive to put people back into work, Spencer and Baldwin (2007) argue that many parents in the UK are expected to bring up their families in the context of unreasonably scarce resources. Therefore, practitioners need to take into account Ruth and Megans social and economic factors when assessing their individual needs, risk and in determining a therapeutic pathway for this family. As might be expected, given these negative financial, health and well-being determinants social exclusion is a likely to be a factor that needs to be overcome if an holistic, person-centred approach is to be adopted in supporting this family. Developing strategies to overcome the destructive behaviours that Ruth has developed as her personal coping from mechanisms is a key factor in addressing the wider concern of her and Megans social exclusion and isolation. Megans current situation, which is one of compromised opportunity, a limited social life, burdensome responsibilities, isolation, scarce personal resources and a lack of attention to her own needs, represents the situation of many carers in the UK, especially so those who have or have had responsibilities as a young carer. . Research by Aldridge and Becker, (1999, p.306) suggests that children who provide caring support to parents with mental illness will be more susceptible to increased levels of anxiety, depression, fear, change in behavioural and social patterns as well as being more at risk of transmission of the particular parental condition. As caring moves through into adulthood the future tends to remain bleak and research from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (2010) reports increased evidence of poor health, low income and a general sense of hopelessness for carers in the light of on-going cuts to social care budgets. The prospect for any significant improvement is equally depressing. In considering the details of this case the eclectic and reflective nature of social work is an approach that seems suitable for the complexities supporting people with mental ill health, particularly the ever changing presentations of people who have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Payne (2009, p.100) describes the usefulness of these approaches in case work highlighting how practitioners can adopt and use theories together, perhaps all at once or perhaps successively or use different theories in different cases. Because this method requires significant skill and discernment Payne cites Epstein (1992) who suggests that flexible team approaches to reflection, debate and application offer a useful way forward to the delivery of flexible moment to moment practice in response to complex cases. Payne (2009) identifies systems theory as being an important aspect of eclecticism. Pincus and Minahan (1973) applied the approach to social work practice and describe three types of system these being informal or natural (friends/family), formal (community groups, etc.) and societal systems (hospital/schools, etc.). People with mental health problems are likely to have some difficulty in using helping systems to improve their health, life experiences and general well-being. Applying systems theory involves identifying the point, and problems individuals experience in the interactions with their environment. The phases of this include assessing; making/negotiating contracts; forming/coordinating actions; re-forming and influencing action systems; terminating change efforts. Payne (2005) extends the application of this approach and makes clear links to ecological systems theory, crisis theory/models and task centred working. The application of these, particularly crisis intervention, could work in connection with Ruths current difficulties and potentially offers short term bridge toward longer term therapeutic work. However in adopting this approach it is wort h considering the caution raised by Doel (2009) and he notes that if done poorly than crisis/task centred work can become inflexible, routine and possibility lead to some level of social control. Doel suggests using these methods should be accompanied by training that considers factors such as values, attitudes and their application in practice. Sherry (2007) identifies the increasing consideration and application of attachment theory (Bowlby 1973) in the causation of borderline personality disorder and cites numerous influences as threats to attachment in childhood. Risk factors in this regard include sexual traumas (Laporte Guttman, 1996), parental neglect (Paris, 1997, 1998), family instability and emotional neglect all of which are considered to contribute to the development of personality styles in adult life. For practitioners, the reasoning of Ivey 1989 who suggested extreme behaviour by clients could be linked to their development history and the way they respond and bring meaning to their experiences in later life. Therefore poor parenting experienced by Ruth could have been instrumental part in the development of behaviours that for her now carry the label of borderline personality disorder (West Sheldon-Keller (1994). Therefore the gathering of information in assessment processes can be a crucial factor in worki ng out the style and content of social work intervention. In considering the pathways of someone who experiences significant mental health issues it is clear that from many perspectives that society perceptions, life opportunities and thereby individual well-being are compromised in many areas of life. The fight for a more balanced and supportive approach to mental health has been carried by the service user/survivor movement for many years and the need for reform has led to many campaigns. It is easy to understand the need secure better treatment and push through system reforms given oppression, rejection and widespread ignorance that characterises the history of mental health in the UK. Ferguson (2008) highlights how the now accepted position of the survivor movements pushing for greater recognition of the plight of people with mental health issues came from the enduring effects of stigma, powerlessness, inequality and segregation which have been utilised to push governmental thinking and maintain mental health, well-being and social care as political issues. The fight for improved rights and opportunity among the survivor movement only really gathered pace in the 1970s (Campbell 1996) (Beresford, 1997) and in the early stages tended to focus on small scale self-help and mutual support initiatives. More recently there has been greater, towards collective national campaigns concerning treatment, responding the revisions of the mental health legislation and broader struggles to change attitudes and understandings of madness and distress. This has been key to shifting the stigma of mental health and clearly it is something that needs to continue. General concerns expressed by Campbell (2005) link well to Ruths situation and the pressing structural concerns that tend to bring of poverty, lack of opportunity, isolation, boredom, hopelessness and therefore a continuing commitment to state imposed legal and medical restrictions are clearly relevant to the case study. Evidence of the negative impact of mental ill health can be found in the health inequalities highlighted in research carried out for the Disability Rights Commission in 2006 which showed that people with severe mental illness are at higher risk of ill health across a number of conditions. Their report Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap highlighted increased incidence of clinical obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure among people with severe mental health issues. It also noted higher risks in connection with people developing high blood pressure, stroke, respiratory problems and bowel and breast cancer. They are also more likely to smoke. Althou gh the reasons for this inequality are complex and have far reaching implications for public health policy makers, the consequence remains that people who experience long-term mental ill health die on average 5 to 10 years younger than other people, often from preventable illnesses. The response to this research and the continued focus on issues of inequality, injustice and stigma by organisations such as Rethink Mental Illness is yielded some significant results with increased focus on physical health being pursued within community mental health teams, increased focus on talking therapies and Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill moving through to the House of Lords for further debate. (Rethink, 2012) However it is increasingly apparent that people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder are subject to a specific type of stigma and discrimination that impacts on the relationships that are key to achieving to achieving some level of stability in their lives, these being the therapeutic links with practitioners within community mental health services. Ruths condition unfortunately fits in with the perception held amongst professionals that it is almost or completely untreatable. Personality disordered patients are often described as the patient physiatrists dislike and are often viewed as time wasting, difficult, attention seeking, and manipulative bed blockers. (Hadden Haigh, 2002). Having previously highlighted the significance of person-centred theory and approaches in developing therapeutic alliances, it is supremely that discrimination within helping professions can be raised so easily as central limiting factor. Markham (2003) highlights multiple differences in th e reactions of professional staff towards people who have a diagnosis of BPD. The suggestion is that the label leads to increased social rejection, deceased optimism and adoption of stereo typical attitudes by staff therefore creating risk of less favourable and thereby effective treatment as compared to other groups of people with severe and enduring mental health issues. As might be expected, the research draws heavily on labelling theory: The negative service user experience detailed by Wright Jones (2012) in typifies Ruths historical therapeutic pathway and include direct quotes that are clearly relevant: Rightly or wrongly, I interpreted the label as a sign that I was fundamentally flawed, that the bad parts of me far outweighed any good attributes that might also be part of my personality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and being told that I had a personality disorder and that there was no cure or treatment. The inference was that I was just made this way and that was the end of it. The article also highlights the findings of Pilgrim (2001) who suggest that poor responses to personality disorder occur because causes are not known and that treatment outcomes are often unpredictable and unreliable. In considering this kind of evidence, it is easy to understand Ruths resignation following another A E admission which in her mind will bring about yet another dissatisfying cycle therapeutic hopelessness with little chance of any success. (should this paragraph be justified or left centred?) The situation raised in the case study typifies many of the negative issues associated with the support that people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder receive: dismissive attitudes, inconsistent approaches and authoritarian approaches seem to be consistent themes and are obviously not changing the nature and outcomes of therapeutic interventions. While it might be difficult at this stage, it seems important for Ruth to take some responsibility possibly self-managing some degree of the presenting risk which is consistent with the guidance provided by Wright and Jones (2012) and is also in line with best practice as detailed in the NICE guidance (2009). This should be clearly stated within the care plan. Mead and Copland (2000) suggest that people are able to grow through positive risks taking and that empowerment through person centred support can reframe typical service user response to difficult, crisis situations. Practically this can be supported through clear and effective care planning and this should be built into an individuals treatment and crisis plan. Ruth, along with her care coordinator, should carefully consider strategies to manage acute and chronic risks developing and incorporating these in the care plan as appropriate. This will ensure consistency when the care coordinator is absent, ensuring that Ruths care and support follows boundaries and consistency agreed with her and thereby ensuring she is treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Although risk to self which Sherry (2007) clearly links to the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder must be responded to in the context of community mental health services, admission to psychiatric inpatient unit should only take place as a last resort and the least restrictive options should be pursued. The stepped care model offers a useful statutory response and if risks remain elevated then Ruth should be considered firstly for the high intensity team then a referral crisis resolution and home treatment team, notwithstanding any negativity that may surround her historical presentations. If possible extra support from care coordinator would be the ideal solution, as this would utilise the therapeutic relationship in place to support and guide Ruth through her crisis. In consistently challenging situations Ruths care coordinator could also explore with Ruth and Megan a self-directed support (SDS) package. This package could support with activities of her choice and it is po ssible for this to be used for Ruth to explore and access some community resources therefore building social networks for Ruth and relieving Megan of some of the pressure of her carers role. Hatton and Waters (2011) identify the relative success of SDS/personalisation in connection with people experiencing mental health issues and this is at its most beneficial when individuals pursue direct payments and secure support on their own terms. Whichever option in terms of on-going support is chosen then it seems that there is need for a more collaborative, shared approach both in connection with risk and also around longer-term support strategies. The work and theories of Rogers (1956, 1957) define the core conditions of counselling including unconditional positive regard (UPR), empathy and congruence for therapeutic relationships to succeed particularly so in the context of personality change. It is important to note that this is a value based approach and faith that the person can shape their own positive future if the condition highlighted above can be provided. It is not a set of tools and techniques that can be turned on and off to suit practitioner needs at a given time or opportunity. It links well to considerations around motivational approaches and Ruths and Megans desire to move on is a good indicator in this regard. Fundamentally, by adopting humanistic approaches, the aim is to develop a pattern of interaction and support which keeps Ruth centrally involved in the nature and shape of the therapeutic relationship which will naturally involve key decisions about, risk, treatment options, care planning and goal planning. Clearly this type of interaction is difficult to outline to all involved professionals but careful entries and assessment within electronic records can help significantly in modifying the responses all statutory workers who may encounter Ruth in the professional work. If this person-centred approach is adopted then it will represent a significant shift in the care and support Ruth has received in her short psychiatric career.

Tom Wolfe’s: O Rotten Gotham Essay -- New York City Literature Transpo

Tom Wolfe’s: O Rotten Gotham â€Å"It got to be easy to look at New Yorkers as animals, especially looking down from some place like a balcony at Grand Central at the rush hour Friday afternoon.† (Tom Wolfe). â€Å"O Rotten Gotham† argues that New Yorkers are in a state of behavioral sink. It would not be long before a â€Å"population collapse† or a â€Å"massive die off†. Throughout the article, Wolfe made his opinion clear. He believes everything New Yorkers go through is unhealthy and inhumane. Humans were compared to rats using the overcrowding, the ways of life, and the filth as examples. From the adrenaline rushes and car horns to helicopter noises and constant overcrowding, New York City is a constant stress causing environment. Dr. Hall, another author presented in the article, saw this overcrowding in the city causing a lot of problems. He states that work takes place in massively congested areas such as small cubicles in offices. This, however, is not just a problem in New York City. All across the US people are confined to a cubicle for their work space. It is not the end of the world either. You are there a certain amount of hours a day, and when workers come home they can relax and spread out. New York City homes are not the most spacious, but they are not as bad as being in a cubicle. Wolfe really makes you look at the differences your environment can make and how it affects its citizens. One with no knowledge of city life would probably be disgusted of it after reading this article. If they were looking to move to New York City, they would most probably think it through again. Who would want to live in filth with animals? What Wolfe doesn’t mention in his article are all of the good things about New York City.... ...ace to place to fit the needs of the area. When you listen to Wolfe, you get one side of the story. Without knowing the other side anyone would agree with him and his opinions. Thirty years ago the city was on its way to a massive behavioral sink, but has been cleaning up its act. The streets, subway systems, workplaces, and attractions have all cleaned up and done there part. More and more people are living in the city. Wolfe believes that this city is on its way to the sink, but the city is proving him wrong. SOURCES: Anderson, Chris and Runciman, Lex. A Forest of Voices: O Rotten Gotham. Peter. www.citynoise.org/index.php?article=610 O’Sullivan, David. Morehead State University student from Yonkers New York. Crime Rates and New York City. http://www.policetalk.com/nyc_crime_rate.html NYC Subway Systems. http://www.ny.com/transportation/subways/

The Unforgetable A Rose for Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner

The Unforgetable A Rose for Emily In "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, we see how past events effect the main character Miss Emily, especially her mental state. She seems to live in a sort of fantasy world where death has no real meaning. Miss Emily refuses to accept or even recognize, the death of her father or that of Colonel Satoris. She does not want to acknowledge the fact that the world around her was changing therefore Miss Emily surrounds herself with death. What Faulkner tries to state in this story is that you should not let death overpower your life. A person should try and let go of their beloved ones after they have passed away. He also tries to state is to always expect the unexpected, like when Miss Emily killed Homer. Faulkner chooses to use third person narration in this particular story for a couple of reasons. He tries to show Emily's world to us as seen through the eyes of a respectable resident, so we can understand the town life as if we lived there. This way we were able to understand how the people of Jefferson thought of her. If the story would have been told in first person we would not have been able to relate to Miss Emily. The reason for that would be, if she would have been the narrator we would have understood the story in a hole different manner. Faulkner used third person narration and from that we were able to find out many things about Miss Emily's past. For instance the death of her father, the love she had for Homer, and how she felt the need for affection. Those ideas she would have kept to herself, if she were to have told the story. The language and dialogue that Faulkner provides Miss Emily with enables the readers to understand how she feels about the town. She is not very pleased with the changes that have occurred therefore she lets everyone that she comes in contact with know how she views those specific changes. For example when the new Mayor tells her that she owes taxes in Jefferson, she just keeps on insisting that she does not owe any money.

Decision Making at the Top: The All Star Essay

Sunru Yong prepared this case solely as a basis for class discussion and not as an endorsement, a source of primary data, or an illustration of effective or ineffective management. This case, though based on real events, is fictionalized, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental. There are occasional references to actual companies in the narration. Copyright  © 2008 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the permission of Harvard Business School. M I C H A E L B E E R S U N R U Y O N G TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial Emma Richardson squinted at the TerraCog GPS (Global Positioning System) prototype in her hand. She zoomed in until the display showed a clearer satellite photo of the lake 200 feet in front of her and into which her Labrador had already happily bounded. Most weekends, Richardson made the hike to the lake to clear her mind and, on occasion, to test new GPS models from her employer, TerraCog, Inc. Unfortunately, with the â€Å"Project Aerial† launch meeting scheduled for the next day, it was difficult to enjoy this particular hike. Emma wondered how to get all parties to reach an agreement on the price point for Aerial. TerraCog had started losing share to a competitor, Posthaste, and it was imperative to get the new product to market. Arriving at the lake, Richardson gave in to the urge to check her phone and grimaced as she noticed two new voicemails. The first message was from Allen  Roth, the director of design & development (see Exhibits 1 and 2 for an organizational chart and brief biographies of key managers): â€Å"Emma, it’s Allen. Listen, Tony and I have been over these cost numbers on Aerial. We cut all that we could and we ended up with only a 7% or 8% reduction to cost. Unfortunately, I don’t think this will get us to the price point that Sales is looking for. But I don’t need to remind you that we gave Sales the features and functionality they wanted in Aerial, so I’m not going back now to ask my team to do the impossible. We’ll hash it out tomorrow, but I figured it best you hear it from me.† The second message was from her boss, Richard Fiero, the company president: â€Å"Emma, I wanted to check on Aerial. I heard grumbling from Ed and the sales team on Friday. They seemed frustrated with Tony Barren’s production team. Make sure Production has its act together. Tony should know he’s on thin ice after the recent production fiasco on that sonar project-he’s got to succeed on Aerial. We need to have Aerial on shelves at the start of Q3. Some board members are worried, so Aerial will be near the top of the agenda at the board meeting next month.† 2184 A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 0 8 For the exclusive use of B. Shi This document is authorized for use only by Bixi Shi in Organizational Behavior- Fall 2014 taught by Elaine Wong University of California – Riverside from October 2014 to December 2014. 2184 | TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial 2 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL Neither message was encouraging. The Aerial meeting the next day, involving  the sales, design & development, and production departments, was now guaranteed to be contentious. It was March 2008-only two months since Richardson had been promoted to executive vice president. Fiero had tasked her with moving TerraCog toward greater operational alignment and increasing cross-departmental cooperation. Richardson had already been tested by both inventory problems and quality issues, which had led to significant tension between the U.S. headquarters in Chicago and the production team in Shenzhen, China. Now, disagreement over the proposed price point for Aerial threatened to derail the launch of the prototype in her hand. Company and Industry History TerraCog was a privately held company specializing in high-quality Global Positioning System (GPS) and fishing sonar equipment. Founded in 1977, TerraCog got its start manufacturing high-end sonar equipment for serious sport fishermen and boaters. In the late 1990s, the company had introduced its first GPS products, marketed specifically to hunters, hikers, and campers. Management believed that it was the company’s skill at translating retailer and user feedback into exceptional product design and functionality that fueled the growth of its GPS business. Through attentive channel management and, as Fiero put it, â€Å"a deep understanding of what specialty retailers needed,† TerraCog had developed strong relationships with its key accounts. Fiero also believed that TerraCog’s grasp of its consumers’ preferences and usage had given it an edge over GPS manufacturers whose core business was in automotive applications. The firm had built its GPS line for the serious outdoor enthusiasts’ market, and the products had won plaudits for durability and value-added features like the integrated compass and barometric altimeter. Moreover, industry reports indicated that the TerraCog GPS outperformed competing products on navigation. TerraCog’s proprietary firmware-a custom computer program embedded into hardware that â€Å"ran† functions-optimized the GPS chipset’s Wide Area Augmentation System  capability, which provided more precise navigation. The company was not always first to market. In fact, TerraCog had found it was free to lag in technological innovation with little risk because, when the company finally introduced new products, they surpassed those of competitors in addressing customer needs. Customer word-of-mouth recommendations had given TerraCog strong momentum with its handheld GPS. In early 2007, TerraCog prepared to enter new, underserved GPS sub-markets, including cycling and fitness applications. â€Å"Google Earthâ„ ¢ for your GPS† At the Summer 2006 Outdoor Retailer Show-the biggest trade show for vendors of outdoor goods-a competitor, Posthaste, had unveiled a GPS prototype called â€Å"BirdsI† that displayed satellite imagery. The imagery was not live, but rather static satellite photographs that had been â€Å"stitched† into a single view. This was a marked improvement on the simple, vector-based graphics used by the rest of the industry (see Exhibit 3 for a comparison). This did not impress the TerraCog team. The imagery was crisp and had a certain visual appeal, but TerraCog’s research showed that BirdsI technology did not offer substantive performance improvement over the standard maps in TerraCog’s GPS system. Furthermore, the TerraCog team was convinced that Posthaste’s receiver lagged TerraCog’s product in both accuracy and reception quality. While the TerraCog team dismissed the Posthaste concept, a number of key buyers and product reviewers found it an exciting innovation. One magazine reviewer observed, â€Å"Imagine having For the exclusive use of B. Shi This document is authorized for use only by Bixi Shi in Organizational Behavior- Fall 2014 taught by Elaine Wong University of California – Riverside from October 2014 to December 2014. TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial | 2184 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES 3 Google Earthâ„ ¢ built into your GPS-it’s much more compelling to look at an actual satellite image than to have yellow for land, blue blobs for water, and grey squiggles for roads.† Based on the buzz, TerraCog’s executives debated whether to upgrade to satellite imagery. However, they realized that adding the feature to the existing GPS platform required upgrades to processor speed and memory, as well as new firmware. After some deliberation, the company dropped the idea as a non-essential fad. TerraCog’s management remained confident that the company’s core customers were discerning purchasers who would value durability and performance over dressed-up graphics. In October 2006, with much fanfare, Posthaste introduced BirdsI as â€Å"the only handheld GPS with satellite imagery.† BirdsI had an exclusive launch at two major national outdoor retailers, both of which were key accounts for TerraCog. Within two months, TerraCog’s sales representatives in the field reported impressive sell-through rates for BirdsI nationwide. While the product’s success surprised TerraCog, management attributed it to the ebullience of the holiday shopping season. The TerraCog team was confident that the popularity of BirdsI wouldn’t last. Project Aerial However, by spring 2007 TerraCog’s sales reps were noticing increasing customer demand for a GPS with satellite imagery like BirdsI. Ed Pryor, vice-president of sales, began pressing for a reversal of the decision not to develop the product. â€Å"It’s embarrassing to have no answers for our retailers when they ask for our version of this,† he said. â€Å"Look at it from our perspective. We’ve changed the compensation plan for the whole Sales team-including me-so we take a real hit if we don’t reach our sales targets. Customers now want something different, and I can’t tell my reps we have no  plans to develop the product they need to hit those targets.† In response to these repeated requests, TerraCog’s president, Richard Fiero, changed his mind on satellite imagery, if only to satisfy the â€Å"gadget† appeal of such an innovation. The initiative was dubbed Project Aerial. In order to speed development and avoid the costs of new moldings and major reconfiguration, the team decided to redesign within the existing GPS platform. Shortly after making the decision to proceed with Aerial, Fiero and Pryor met with Allen Roth, director of design & development. Roth brought his key managers to the meeting: Cory Wu, who oversaw software and firmware, and Alice Gorga, who managed hardware design. RICHARD FIERO: Allen, we’re obviously in a hurry to get to market. But we don’t want something slapped together – let’s make sure we get this product completely right the first time. Our reputation for quality is paramount. ALLEN ROTH: Understood. Are we including all the same features that we have in our current GPS line? ED PRYOR: Yes. We plan to offer Aerial at approximately a $50 retail premium to the current top- of-the-line GPS, so it’s important to maintain the same high-end functionality. ALLEN ROTH: What about speed? Satellite imagery requires a lot of processing power, so without some serious juicing, Aerial might run slower than you’d like. ED PRYOR: I think we’ll be okay there, Allen. Our consumers are tech-savvy-they know there’s an inherent trade-off to get more sophisticated graphics. As the meeting ended, Roth indicated that they would have to do some careful planning to keep costs as low as possible, but he was sure the product design could be completed by year’s end. At that point, they could hand it off to production to develop detailed cost estimates, which would allow the  sales team, in consultation with finance, to determine pricing and develop a go-to-market plan. For the exclusive use of B. Shi This document is authorized for use only by Bixi Shi in Organizational Behavior- Fall 2014 taught by Elaine Wong University of California – Riverside from October 2014 to December 2014. 2184 | TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial 4 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL Given the manufacturing lead-time, TerraCog expected to get Aerial to stores by the 2008 holiday season (see Exhibit 4 for timeline of events). The product development team members did not greet the Aerial decision with enthusiasm. First, they felt that a redesign of the total platform-including firmware, external case, internal components, and TFT (thin-film transistor) display-was feasible if management could extend time to market by six more months; the resulting product would be superior and the project would be more stimulating technically to the team members. Second, they had several other ideas for new products that they believed would position TerraCog to capitalize on growth in cycling and fitness GPS applications, and Project Aerial was forcing them to put aside these more exciting projects. Finally, with company co-founder Harold Whistler preparing for retirement, Roth was eager to prove his readiness to be the next VP of design & development. The Aerial project impeded his building of a product line he could truly call his own. Aerial Pre-Launch Meeting As promised, the design team completed Aerial by the end of 2007. Late in January 2008, the production team received the design specifications it  needed to establish production methods, conduct a pilot run, and estimate costs. As the new executive vice president, Emma Richardson was tasked with overseeing the product launch. She scheduled a launch meeting in early March with sales, production, and design & development. In the past, Fiero and Whistler had been very involved in new products and tended to make quick decisions. TerraCog’s growth forced Fiero to take a step back from the launch process, while Whistler had cut back to part-time hours. There were many more employees involved in Aerial than in past product launches, and Richardson worried that the size of the group might threaten the focus and thwart decision making. She needed to finalize decisions on costs, pricing, and initial production volume. At the start of the pre-launch meeting on March 7, Richardson looked down the table, seeing Ed Pryor, Allen Roth, production director Tony Barren, Cory Wu representing software and firmware, and Alice Gorga representing hardware. Richardson opened the meeting by asking Barren to present his cost estimates. Barren looked around grimly and did not mince words: â€Å"This thing’s expensive to build. It looks the same, but Aerial’s got higher-end components and it’s more complex to manufacture.† He gave a high-level overview of product-cost breakdown and concluded by saying, â€Å"I’ll be blunt. You’re going to have to sell this product for a lot more than you thought. If anything, we have been too aggressive in our cost estimate. We can’t lower it beyond what I’ve presented.† ED PRYOR: I know you think your estimates are sound, but that isn’t going to help us. With these numbers, we would have to sell Aerial for $550 to maintain our margin. We’d be two years late to market with a price point $100 over BirdsI. CORY WU: Tony, those cost estimates are surprisingly high. We tweaked the firmware without overhauling it, so it’s basically the same components. It doesn’t seem justified that the costs should come out as you say. ALICE GORGA: I’m not sure, Cory. Those costs look realistic, given how my  team upgraded the hardware. Sales probably just needs to reconsider how to position this thing. I think – ED PRYOR: Wait, are we here to talk about positioning or pricing? Fiero and I already figured out how we’ll position the product, so let’s just get the pricing straightened out. For the exclusive use of B. Shi This document is authorized for use only by Bixi Shi in Organizational Behavior- Fall 2014 taught by Elaine Wong University of California – Riverside from October 2014 to December 2014. TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial | 2184 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES 5 TONY BARREN: Well, we don’t perform miracles. The cost won’t change, and I’m not going to cut corners in production. I had my head handed to me the last time we had quality issues. ED PRYOR: Allen, your designers must be able to tweak something, right? Hate to say it, but maybe you guys need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to solve this problem. ALLEN ROTH: Ed, we’re well into a couple of other projects now. Frankly, I don’t think this is Sales’ call to make. We already put other projects on hold for Aerial, and we’ve given you what you requested. The discussion continued, but it became clear the group was at an impasse. Richardson suggested ending the meeting: â€Å"Why don’t we wrap it up for now and meet again next week? In the meantime Tony and the Design team should look for opportunities to cut these costs.† As the meeting adjourned, Pryor announced to the room, â€Å"If we can’t lower these costs and fix the finances on Aerial, I can’t sell it. I won’t try.† Resumption of Aerial Pre-Launch Meeting One Week Later Roth and Barren had spent much of the intervening week reviewing the cost estimates. When the team re-gathered on March 14, the participants seated themselves around the conference table (see Exhibit 5 for a seating chart). Becky Timmons, the CFO, was in attendance. At the last minute, Harold Whistler also decided to join the meeting. As Emma Richardson passed out copies of the new cost estimates, she explained that Roth and Barren had agreed to make minor changes to the Aerial prototype, and that they now felt it could be produced for approximately 8% less than the prior week’s estimate. On this basis, the Aerial could be priced at $475, about $100 more than the current full-featured TerraCog GPS. A long silence followed, then Cory Wu spoke up. â€Å"Eight percent-that’s all? I don’t understand it. I’d like to know where the differences lie between our costs and PostHaste’s on BirdsI. There’s got to be room for more cuts.† Barren snorted derisively. â€Å"You can’t wish away the costs,† he said. â€Å"We’ve cut what we can. Last time we got pressured into being too aggressive on cost estimates and then we got burned when the price of plastic went through the roof. I’m not making that mistake again.† Allen Roth concurred, pointing to the drivers of the cost increase: â€Å"Incorporating the satellite imagery requires five times as much memory as our standard graphics. That increases cost-but if you cut it, you undermine Aerial’s value proposition. Then we also did some reconfiguration internally, and that increases the labor required to put one of these together.† He paused, surveying the frustrated faces around him. â€Å"I don’t like the situation any more than the rest of you do, but we’ve got to be realistic. Look at the numbers in front of you-there’s nothing we can do to further reduce costs.† As everyone scrutinized the new cost estimates, the meeting broke into several conversations. Ed Pryor and Richardson huddled together, while Allen Roth and Tony Barren carried on a conversation with Harold Whistler. After several minutes, Richardson realized she needed to get the discussion back on track. She addressed the entire group, saying, â€Å"We have the estimates, so we just have to set a price that makes sense for the company. What do you think, Ed?† ED PRYOR: We have to consider the selling price of the Aerial relative to competition. Posthaste is selling at around $250 to dealers, which means they retail for around $400. Garmin just announced For the exclusive use of B. Shi This document is authorized for use only by Bixi Shi in Organizational Behavior- Fall 2014 taught by Elaine Wong University of California – Riverside from October 2014 to December 2014. 2184 | TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project Aerial 6 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL their satellite-image version, which will hit shelves at somewhere around $395 MSRP. You all are talking about $475 retail, and that’s too high. We have to be in the ball park with our list price or we’ll be shut out of the game. EMMA RICHARDSON: What should list price be? ED PRYOR: $425 tops-but we should be lower than that if we are going to be aggressive at recapturing lost share. Let’s not kid ourselves. The way we’re trending, same-store sales will be down 10% this year. And this is with the GPS handheld market growing. HAROLD WHISTLER: What if we relax our margin requirements for once? BECKY TIMMONS: Absolutely not. We’re cutting it close already. HAROLD WHISTLER: Okay, then how about a redesign? Let’s go to market with what we have, and I’ll have my team take another look at possible changes that we can incorporate later. ALLEN ROTH: I’m afraid that’s wishful thinking, Harold. Given the product requirements the sales team called for, the cost is as low as it will get. CORY WU: I don’t know about that. The changes we made to meet sales’ requirements were not enormous. Why would they contribute to such a large increase in projected labor costs? TONY BARREN: Cory, you and Harold can run the numbers for yourself. Then you’ll see that these high costs are real. BECKY TIMMONS: I’d still feel more comfortable if we could price it at $500 retail. With fuel costs still rising, the cost to get these here from Shenzhen will only increase, and we run the risk of our margins really getting squeezed. ED PRYOR: Becky, you don’t understand how competitive this market is! Even at $475, why would anyone give us shelf space? We are late to market and we’d be pricing at a substantial premium. And is the product superior enough to justify that premium? I’ve been trying out our prototypes and I’m concerned about the speed. The update speed is terrible, and switching between functions is just – ALLEN ROTH: Come on, don’t start talking speed now. We were clear from the start that we would trade some speed to get new functionality and features. ED PRYOR: Well, my sales managers are going to be fuming. Fiero told them  Aerial would be available at $400, and now you are talking about a minimum of $75 more than that. I still want to see Cory or Harold take a crack at reducing unit cost. Emma Richardson took a deep breath. The company needed a â€Å"go/no-go† decision on the existing Aerial, and whether to do so at a competitive price in the hope that costs might be cut in the future, or at a high price. She wondered fleetingly what the consequences might be if the company abandoned Aerial altogether. As things stood, the arguments and finger-pointing were bound to continue, and the group would never come to a decision on its own.

Democracy Essay

Democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office. The key role of citizens in a democracy is to participate in public life. Democracy is also a system of rule by laws, not by individuals. Democracy is not a government. It is a way of thinking and a responsibility. In a democracy there is no corruption in power because it is a transparent system; the governing doctrine states that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government, which allows for effective public oversight. Like a sculptor, democracy grows with its work and appreciates its art Citizens have an obligation to become informed about public issues, to watch carefully how their political leaders and representatives use their powers, and to express their own opinions and interest. Voting in election is another important civic duty of all citizens. But to vote wisely, each citizen should listen to the views of the different parties and candidates, and then, make his or her own decision on whom to support. It is important that women participate fully both in politics and in civil society. In a democracy, every citizen has certain basic rights that the state cannot take away from them You have the right to have your own beliefs, and to say and write what u think. No one can tell u what u must think, believe, and say or not say. There is freedom of religion. Everyone is free to choose their own religion and to worship and practice their religion as they see fit. Every individual has the right to enjoy their own culture, along with other members of their group, even if their group is minority. Democracy Essay 2 In a democracy, the rule of law protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and limits the power of government. In life there is no greater pursuit than that of equal voice. Every day people are fighting for the right to be heard. Democracy is that right on a grand scale. Democracy is not only being heard, but being listened to. Democracy is when u is given an equal vote on decisions that directly affect you. And when given this tremendous responsibility, people will surprise you. They rise to the occasion and educate themselves on the issues at hand. They also work hard to ensure that the next generation is knowledgeable. All citizens are equal under the law. No one may be discriminated against on the basis of their race religion, ethnic group, or gender. No one may be arrested, imprisoned, or exiled arbitrarily. No one is above the law, not even a king or an elected president In a democracy, the youth are educated. From birth they are taught that their voice matters and their vote counts. These are rights they must fight to maintain and will prosper from. No, democracies are not free of flaws. Some say that there is no way that something as simple as a popular vote could null the evils of unlawful power or social inequality. These woes are valid, but democracy can work. There are still consequences to right wrongs, and laws to help keep peace and balance. There is a difference between freedom and chaos. Without democracy, society suffers. In dictatorships there is no celebration of thought or creativity. A country cannot thrive if others; opinions are not appreciated. With only one opinion adhered to, the country will be at a standstill. As patience begins to wither, anger begins to rise like mercury in a thermometer. Each decision made with no consideration for those affected, every failed law, every time the system overlooks another citizen, every personal right Democracy Essay 3 is stolen, adds a degree to that temperature. Finally it becomes so hot that the citizens, like an overheated thermometer explode in anger; the people will revolt. This has happened many times in history. Our own country was built from this frustration and the fight for freedom. Without democracy, we lack progress in thought, technology, and polices; society is halted. The U. S. has thrived from our ability to create and then take said creations and improve them. Is this not the age of today? We do, want to, and communicate everything now. Without the right to improve, we would never have developed the technological world we live in. Without the voice to express innovative ideas, without the freedom to explore, we would never have achieved what we have. Stuck in the past we would stay. What would we do without progress? Democracy, like a car, gives you what you put into it. If u built it to be unhealthy, then it will pollute the air with poison. If you do not maintain its engine, it will fail you. The power of education fuels it forward, and most importantly people decide its fate.

Internet uses in University courses Essay

The research by Wang (2007) discusses the issue of internet use specifically by lecturers in a university setting. The researchers examined three research questions in their study. The first was to determine whether or not professors in universities were effectively utilizing the internet as an instructional aid. The second was to assess the extent to which the internet is being used in such settings and the last was to analyze how students perceive the use of internet in the classroom by lecturers. The study involved a total of 624 students registered in the three major colleges of a single university in the Pacific Rim of the U. S. This was at a public university and the respondents were from both sexes, 62% of whom were females. These students also represented a cross-section of areas of study in education, business and the arts and sciences. The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire designed by the researchers. For each item on the questionnaire the respondents were required to produce their response based on a 1-5 Likert scale. The statistical package SPSS Â ® was used as the data analysis tool. The researchers obtained descriptive statistics of the data using primarily the means. Based on the means produced from the students’ responses the researchers determine that the internet is not being effectively used by lecturers in university classrooms and that where such use existed it was not wide-spread. Additionally the researchers add that lecturers were far more comfortable to allow students to utilize this resource independently and made little attempt to facilitate students’ usage of the internet or incorporate such into the classroom. The implications of this finding are that university lecturers will need to get training in the different tools that the internet has to offer so that they can more effectively incorporate them into their classroom. In addition there is the suggestion that students are more capable than professors in manipulating these tools and thus lecturers need to update themselves. One strength of the study is that it involved the views of students from a cross-section of majors so that it gave a more rounded view of internet use across the university and was not limited to certain areas of study. However there is need to have a more broad-based analysis of the internet usage situation across multiple universities in different regions of the U. S. so as to determine if geographical or other factors are a hindrance to usage. Furthermore the survey depended solely on the views of students and did not take into consideration what the lecturers themselves felt. It would be useful to get their views to see if what the students report conforms to that of the lecturers. References Wang, Y. (2007, April). Internet uses in University courses. International Journal of E-Learning, 6(2), 279-292.