To what extent do you agree with free market economies being more Essay - 2

To what extent do you agree with free market economies being more effective than a mixed economy - Essay Example they are free to decide on what to produce and purchase in the market respectively. In the free market economy, also known as the laissez-faire economy, the producers decide on what to produce as per the market demand and prices. In the latter, the government plays a very limited role in terms of deciding what is to be produced. In this case, the government has little or no command to direct on what goods and/or services are to be produced. However, in a command economy, the government has high command and control over dictating what types of goods and services are to be produced for the market, and the amounts to be produced. On the other hand, the mixed economy is likely to be characterised by conflict since the economy is controlled by both the market forces and the government in terms of determining the types of goods and services to be produced. The mixed market economy is based on decision making by individuals and businesses for the private sector, and government decisions and regulation for the public sector (Anderton, 2012). Free market economies are likely to be more effective due to the dynamics in the market decision making, i.e. the consumers dictate what is to be produced in terms of consumption demand in goods and services. The producers will choose the best cost-effective method of production for higher profit, and firms produce goods and services in terms of consumer demands and tastes, i.e. they produce goods and services which consumers are willing and able to purchase. The free market is effective due to the existence of healthy competition that allows for opportunities for profit making for firms and businesses, and at the same time ensures consumer satisfaction. The free market responds quickly to consumer demands, where goods and services are produced and delivered with due regard to demand. The mixed economy is likely to be characterised by conflict due to override of authority, by either the government or individuals and businesses, in the determination of the allocation of goods and services. In the mixed economy, the government influences the market through taxation rates and setting laws to regulate the market economy. Additionally, the government provides basic services for communities, such as healthcare, education and policing, and hence hinders the investment in these sectors by individuals in the private sector. However, the government plays a critical role in regulating business and market standards for the facilitation of healthy competition in the private sector and consumer satisfaction. The government is also effective in controlling the consumption of harmful goods through illegality declaration or high taxing (Gillespie, 2012). In the mixed economy, the government easily influences the aggregate market demand in its attempts to manipulate its budget deficits or surplus, known as the fiscal policy, for the realisation of economic goals (Rodrik, 2011). The free market economy is more effective, for it creates opportunities for innovation and welfare improvement in both the individual and public interests, where individuals are allowed to make independent decisions that affect their own wellbeing (Rodrik, 2011). Individual consumers have the capability to make institutional arrangements for the enhancement of suitable interaction

Computer Technology Essay Example for Free

Computer Technology Essay The education system world wide has been vying to raise the quality of education as reflected in the volumes of research regarding quality education and teacher effectiveness. In the light of the rapid advancement of technology, more research attention has been given to the integration of information and computer technology (ICT) with the educational design and curriculum. It has been included for since computers were invented, however because of the rapid rate by which modernization occurs, the ministries of education for every country must be able to cope up by intensifying the rate degree of integration while upholding quality content and instruction as well. In present Saudi Arabia, the application of satellite technology had been the focused issue because of its potential to elevate the quality of teaching and learning at all levels (Al-Sharhan 2000). Studies have shown Australian states as a model for the significant links communication systems provide for students across the nation to interact and add valuable substance to their learning (Al-Sharhan 2000). The potential of such satellite communication new instated in Saudi Arabia and its uses for educational purpose is yet an area to be discovered and studied because of the reduced equipment, maintenance and operational cause that this technological advancement provides (Al-Sharhan 2000). However, the education system in Saudi Arabia must be prepared by properly equipping their teachers, their curriculum, and their students for the changes that would occur as the operation of the satellite communication are full-fledged. The important focus of this management plan is to introduce ICT and integrate it into the method of quality teaching and learning to the highest degree possible. In ten years time the great need to close the â€Å"performance gap† between the schools and colleges in terms of achieving the goals of a world class high quality education would be eradicated if not it would totally minimal compared to the global leaders in education (Kelly 2001). The current status of the education system defined by limited technology. Studies are still underway into how the satellites can be used however, at present; there are still no clear terms in how it must be used before this quality teaching and learning framework. Planning for improvement must be based upon the baseline or the â€Å"initial audit† of the school and college to include the opinions of the parents, the students, and the staff as the starting point for quality management (Kelly 2001). Considerations must be a unified expected outcome, the welfare of the internal customers, the key persons responsible for implementation and task assignments and a means to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan (Kelly 2001). Overview There must be a close consideration for the content and educational design for the integration of ICT into the curriculum and into the classroom instruction (Naidu 2003). Content refers to the information or in the scenario of the ICT integration, electronic information that the students would get as learners (Naidu 2003). Educational design refers to the processes that the educators would use in planning and providing the education for the students (Naidu 2003). The faculty needs to be prepared and guided for the integration of the technology. As the method of instruction would be elevated and modernized, the teaching quality must be improved as well and not be forgotten in the excitement for advanced technology (Fraser 2004). Regulatory and quality assurance would be increased, however there would be a shift from a managerial system to an academic accountability system for the teachers in the college as they have more freedom as well as responsibility when their methods for instruction grows wider (Fraser 2004). The increased emphasis on quality and accountability would be a response to the changes that the colleges and universities would have with a change in their material conditions as the satellite technology become fully accessible and utilized in education (Fraser 2004). As most teachers are used to the traditional technologies, they must be aware that every tool that would become available has something unique and valuable to offer (Clark et al. 2003). Technology can enrich any course subject in ways the traditional method cannot (Clark et al. 2003). In terms of assessment such ICT programs, a web-based assessment reflects the continuum of assessment types because of their nature of improvement (Naidu 2003). Traditional assessments were known to lack a variety and autonomy as well as student choice, they were also lacking in work-based application and project-based learning as well as limited peer and self-assessment strategies (Naidu 2003). ICT-based assessments would be introduced in this plan to be able to evaluate the quality of an ICT-integrated education system. Satellite communications are used for different applications that can both be used for educational purposes; one is for remote sensing, taking pictures and capturing scientific data and the other for telecommunication purposes (Al-Sharhan 2000). Their difference in purpose can point to different themes and school activities by which they would be used. The telephone link would be one of the most important contributions this satellite technology can have for the schools of Saudi Arabia (Al-Sharhan 2000). Theoretical Foundations Expected Outcome Teachers. The computer and all the benefits it can provide have been massively changing the perception for teaching instruction (Nicholls 2002). The expectations have become higher in terms of teacher preparation and delivery in relation to quality education (Nicholls 2002). The teachers can not be one way or the other when it comes to technology; most of the time, some either ignore technology because of the lack of trust and knowledge or rely on them because of familiarity (Nicholls 2002). The implementation of this plan would enable the teachers to be comfortable with teaching with technology. In less than ten years, the staff would become so familiar with ICT that it would be the new normalcy when it comes to quality education. The elevation of standard for the Saudi Arabia schools would reflect that not only a few subjects would make use of such ICT-based curriculum, but it would be a requirement for every subject course and professor. The educators would be the ones introducing technological advancement to their students with their methods and in turn the students would be equipped to use them because of such instruction. Students. The satellite technology would be able to accommodate a large number of students simultaneously and over an extended geographical area (Al-Sharhan 2000). Most of the students are more IT literate and expect technology to be used for teaching by the educators (Nicholls 2002). The teachers, who are well-equipped in operating technology, would be able to customize their activities to fit the needs of the students. It encourages the students to go beyond the lecture to expand their learning and to conduct self-directed study (Nicholls 2002). The school may have web-based discussion forums, electronic mailing lists that enhance student participation and individualized learning (Nichols 2002). The Education System. The integration of ICT and the use of satellite technology can be potential for elevating the standard of the education system in developing countries to overcome specific problems such as loosing high quality teachers due to emigration to other countries, shortage of physical equipment and materials in many schools (Al-Sharhan 2000). The combat against high adult literacy can also be fought better given the Open University potential for online learning (Al-Sharhan 2000). It also provides the solution for segregating male and female students that would be difficult in physical classrooms but would be possible with online classrooms that would give more educational opportunities to women than before (Al-Sharhan 2000).

Nigeria Essays -- Africa Culture Papers

Nigeria Modern Nigeria is an archetypal cauldron, enmeshed with a variety of cultural groups and traditions, nevertheless united by the prospect of forging a unique independent national identity. Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba and Igbo are among the largest of those, in the forty -three years since the end of colonial occupation, struggling to maintain their linguistic and cultural affiliations while simultaneously converging t o create a syncretic sense of Nigerianness. Subsequently, as one means of understanding art, in essence, is as a celebration of identity, artwork in the post -independence era manifests this struggle; thus, placing artists at the epicenter of cultural iden tification. In the 1960s, artist Uche Okeke emerged as an integral figure in the development of Nigerian art, and thus, Nigerian identity. Drawing from his Igbo heritage, Okeke effectively appropriated pre -colonial artistic traditions and applied them in an â€Å"art for art’s sake† context. Okeke’s work, however, is not a mere recontextualization and revitalization of â€Å"old† forms. Rather, informed by historical situation, Okeke’s artworks are personal testimonies of struggle characterized by a natural synt hesis of traditional and contemporary form and context. As an emblem of identity in post -colonial Nigeria, however, the doctrinal aesthetic of â€Å"natural synthesis† promoted by Okeke is not a simple combination of old and new; it’s true nature is multi -tiered and specific to individual interpretation. Evident in Uche Okeke's 1982 etching Ana, Asele and Badunka, â€Å"natural synthesis† represents a merger of uli design forms a nd Igbo cosmology; a synthesis of traditional design and contemporary applications; and a unification of writing and drawing in which theme... ...nd Nigerian Contemporary Art. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. 2002. Wilis, Elizabeth Anne. â€Å"Uli Painting and Identity: twentieth century de velopments in art In the Igbo speaking region of Nigeria.† Ph.D Thesis at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Vols. 1 -2. 1997 Consulted Ejiogu, N.W. â€Å"Body Decoration and Mural Painting in Oraifite and Aquleri † Unpublished B.A. Thesis at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 1971. Forde, D. and G.I Jones. The Ibo and Ibibio Speaking Peoples of South Eastern Nigeri International African Institute, London. 1962. McCal, John C. â€Å"Social Organization in Africa †. Africa. Indiana University Press. Okeke, Uche. Creative Conscious. Asele Institute, Nimo, Anambra State, Nigeria. 1993. Otenberg, Simon. â€Å"We are Becoming Art Minded†. Vol. XXI. No. 4. pg.58 -67. 1988.

Russian Media as a conveyer ideology and a tool of hegemony

Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, news regarding Russia’s economic and political state has been spread abroad to other countries through the work of the media. The ideas represented in the Russian media have been responsible for the perception that the acquisition of material goods is not only desirable but indispensable to life and normality. The influence of the media might be considered hegemony, which is represented by the control of one group (the media) over a larger population (the Russians). This control manifests itself in the perceptions of prosperity that are held by many Russians, largely because of the glamorization of Western culture as presented in the media. Because of the influence that this perception has had over the lives of many Russians, it is often thought on the one hand that all Russians currently live their lives in abject poverty. Because many cannot currently afford the expensive things they see Westerners enjoying, they consider themselves as living at a low standard, and this perception is also passed on to the West. On the other hand, it is also believed in some circles that the pomp that can be seen in the major Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg is an accurate measure of how all Russians live. This too has stemmed from the above-mentioned media hegemony and the perception of material wealth that is passed on to the public as â€Å"normal.† The media has, therefore, been responsible for bombarding consumers with such views that promote wealth and materialism as being indispensable to any successful economic society, and this has led to inaccurate perceptions of the Russian economic situation. During the Soviet Union era, Communist ideology acted as a barrier to the entrance of Western ideas and views into the minds of the Russian public. However, with the fall of Communism and the deregulation of the media, an ideological hegemony began to arise. This hegemony has been fueled by the media. As a result, Western ideas of capitalism and materialism began to mingle freely with Russian socio-economic ideology. This ideological change is evident in the attitude of Yegor Gaidar, Acting Prime Minister of Russia following the Soviet Union’s collapse. He said, â€Å"Our main goal [is] the construction in our country of a stable and, at the same time, dynamic and prosperous Western-type society† (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000, p. 14). This opinion was made public to the Russians through the media. Gaidar continued to explain that the main difference between the Russian and the Western civilizations at the time was the development of a market economy and the right of citizens to own property. At such a crucial period of change, this ideology held by the leader also found its way into the minds of the Russians via the media. Because of this, more and more Russians began to strive for the material possessions characteristic of the typical Western society (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000). It is by the hegemonic efforts of the media that these and other ideas have been placed in the minds of the Russians. The effectiveness of the media in effecting this change in the Russian perception of Western civilization has been demonstrated in public opinion polls taken by Russian citizens. The citizens of the West are generally considered by Russians to have such enviable qualities as wealth, inviolable rights to property, high compensation for labor, and talent for entrepreneurship (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000). This can even more convincingly be attributed to the effect of the media as it has been noted by Russian thinkers that the order in which these qualities are valued by Russians does not represent the true hierarchy of value given to them by Westerners. Rather, it represents the extent to which these needs are perceived as unsatisfied within the lives of the Russians. The Russian media has played the role of portraying as indispensable those Western values that correspond with areas of Russian lack, and the media has made these values â€Å"especially visible against the background of impoverishment and economic hardships in Russia† (2000, p. 19-20). Because of the sheer visibility of the way Westerners live, which is made possible by the existence of the media in all its forms, Russians have perceived it as necessary to strive for these idealistic material values. In addition, their lack of material wealth has been perceived by those who look on as evidence that the Russians live in abject poverty. The media’s hegemonic control over the minds and perceptions of Russians and Westerners alike is evident in other ways. The ideas put forth to Russians via the press (as well as via media access to programming originating in the West) have led to what has been termed the capitalist revolution. With the West as its model, Russia has evolved into a society that contains a â€Å"business elite† (Lavelle, 2004). Within this society, the rise of the business elite has led to wealthy and propertied class that has become very visible in both the Russian and Western media. These persons, who are often celebrated by the media, are seen in such personalities as business tycoon Andrei Melnichenko. He has been publicized as the person who has had a large hand in the transformation of the Moscow MDM Group into a corporation that grosses three billion dollars a year (BusinessWeek, 2002). The media broadcasts the lifestyles of these extremely wealthy Russians who have a core of senior-level employees that also enjoy the fruits of capitalism. These persons live publicly in the very affluent and expensive areas—cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg. These cities now boast very high costs and standards of living in a country that had been widely perceived as being filled with persons who live below the poverty line, and this is shown to the world through the media. In fact, according to a worldwide cost of living survey, St. Petersburg ranks as having the 12th highest cost of living in the world. Moscow’s reputation is even more astounding as it ranks as the world’s most expensive city, (Mercer Consulting, 2006). Despite the general Western perception of Russia as having a struggling market economy, the media is now beginning to demonstrate that Russians have been able to afford the highest living standards and costs in the world. Two major implications derive from the fact that the two major Russian cities have been ranked among the most expensive in the world. One is that the perceptions of this country generally engendered by the media are to some extent quite erroneous. Many Russians are as able to afford material goods as their Western counterparts, and poverty is not the general state of all the persons who reside in the former Soviet Union. In fact, according to business reports, Russia’s general standard of living has been on the rise in recent years. This is demonstrated by the fact that its citizens have begun to feel a higher level of security in their economic situation (BusinessWeek, 2002). While in the early 1990’s inflation rates had been in triple digit numbers, by 2002 this had fallen to a mere 17 per cent. By that time too, the stock market index had risen by 27 per cent in the year, and Russians were being reported as â€Å"starting to trust Russia [because] money is coming back† (2002, p. 13). These views are now being over-represented in Western perceptions of Russia as a way of counteracting the previous media-created perception of the poverty of Russians. However, the fact that Moscow and St. Petersburg fall among the most expensive cities hides the fact that once one leaves these highly publicized cities, one is bombarded by a stark decrease in standard of living. What is not represented now in the Western media is this exaggeration of the capitalist gap (between the very rich and the very poor). The media largely demonstrates to the Westerners the wealthy side of Russia—perhaps as a means of de-emphasizing the prevalent idea of Russians as suffering in abject poverty. The media’s hegemonic influence urges Westerners to see the affluence of the large cities without giving a wider view of the whole country. This view would demonstrate the steep decline in living standards as one leaves these economic centers. The media represents a body that to a large extent controls Russians’ and Westerners’ perceptions of how Russia’s wealth compares to that of the rest of the world. This media hegemony carries out a two-fold deception, in which all Russians were once considered by Westerners as living in abject poverty, but that now is beginning to demonstrate all Russians as being wealthy. No balance appears to have been struck between the two views, as the media fails to present an accurately proportioned view of the situation. The media also demonstrates its hegemony in its ability to coerce Russians into viewing the property of Westerners the true measure of economic success. This fact is widely considered as a reason for the biased view of the Russian situation: Russians have been found to grasp for these material things, and these possessions often hide their true areas of lack. References BusinessWeek. (2002). â€Å"Russia’s new wealth.† Business Week Online. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on March 26, 2007 Diligensky, G. & S. Chugrov. (2000). â€Å"The West† in Russian mentality. North Atlantic Treaty   Ã‚   Organization. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 Lavelle, P. (2004). â€Å"Forbes’ Paul Klebnikov: a victim of political terrorism.† In the National   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Interest. July. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 Mercer Consulting. (2006). â€Å"Moscow is the world’s most expensive city while Leipzig is the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cheapest one in Europe.† City Mayors Economics. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.citymayors.com/features/cost_survey.html

Agree or Disagree with Dissections

Why Do We Dissect ? The art of dissection allows for people to gain knowledge about the organisms around them in a very unique way. Dissection involves the cutting open and examination of animals or plants. Some of the earliest dissections date back to the third century where they were performed by Greek physicians. They used dissections as a means of gaining a broader understanding of their own species. Today dissections are an essential part of life. Dissections are popularly used in autopsies to determine means of death and by students to gain a better understanding of animal and human body. I personally think dissections are the best way to learn about our own bodies through examining other animals. This is because of homology or similarities between certain animals and humans. I’ve experienced homology in frog dissections. The internal structure of the frog was similar to the internal structure of the human body. Dissections were performed live and virtually. The live dissection of the frog allowed me to gain a true understanding of the organ systems compared to a virtual dissection done on the computer. I believe live dissections are better, they allowed me to learn more about the specimen by providing a better sense of the size and structure of the specimen. Through a live dissection I also gained lab experience in using dissection tools, safety procedures and equipment. When preparing for a lab practical a live dissection is more sufficient than a virtual dissection. It is easier to identify internal structures when you’ve examined them up close In conclusion dissections are one of the best means of gaining knowledge about the body and internal structure of a specimen. They allow for humans to discover homology between them and other animals such as frogs. Dissections can be performed live or virtually and to me live dissections are supreme because they allow for a more in depth and hands on examination. Thus leading to a better understanding of the specimen. | |

Honest Abe Abe Lincoln essays

Honest Abe Abe Lincoln essays Abraham Lincoln, Honest Abe, is one of the greatest American Presidents. He is known today for his Presidency in which he fought the Confederacy during the Civil War and abolished slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation and later the Thirteenth Amendment. He was an intelligent, honest, and just leader who governed at a critical time in American history. Lincoln was born on the twelfth of February 1809 in a cabin three miles outside of Hodgenville, Kentucky. He was later forced to move to Indiana. As a child Lincoln worked on his familys farm clearing fields and tending crops. He liked to read but unfortunately received hardly any formal education. In fact, his entire schooling only amounted to about one year of attendance. (Brit. 23) In 1830 Lincolns family moved to Illinois. Lincoln didnt want to be a farmer, so he tried other professions: rail-splitter, flatboat man, storekeeper, postmaster, surveyor, an army man, and a profession in Law. In 1932 Lincoln, at twenty-three years old, decided to run for the Illinois State legislature. Lincoln was to campaign for local improvements such as better roads and canals. However, a war with the Indians broke out before Lincolns campaign could get going. In response, he joined the Army. After his short wartime, Lincoln returned to politics and lost the race of Illinois Legislature. In 1834 he ran again and was elected- second of thirteen. At the age of 25 Lincoln was a member of the Illinois Legislature. After his term in the legislature, Lincoln found he needed more money. So, he started studying law on his own. He accepted a job in Springfield at John Todd Stuarts practice. In the late 1830s Lincoln found the love of his life, Mary Ann Todd, the daughter of a rich banker. She got engaged to Abe in 1840 and the two were married in 1842. They had thee children together, Willie and Tad Lincoln. In 1946 Lincoln won...

ghmmmmmmmmmm essays

ghmmmmmmmmmm essays The existence of Irony in A Good Man is Hard to Find Irony is a used in stories to contradict statements or situations to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true. In Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the author uses irony as a main function to tell the story. The Grandmother in the story is the main character in which the author uses irony. The title in itself, grandmothers imperativeness to bring her cat and her insistence on not going to Florida, all illustrate the authors use of irony in the story. The title of the story ,A Good man is hard to find is ironic in itself. A good man in society is not seen as a killer or a man in prison. The Misfit is not what society would call a good man . He has escaped from prison and has killed his own father. The grandmother speaks of him being a good man many times. I know youre a good man .. I know you must come from nice people (grandmother 391). At the beginning of the story the grandmother speaks of the misfit a s a criminal whom she would never bring her grandchildren near which contradicts her final opinion. The existence of Irony in A Good Man is Hard to Find Irony is a used in stories to contradict statements or situations to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true. In Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the author uses irony as a main function to tell the story. The Grandmother in the story is the main character in which the author uses irony. The title in itself, grandmothers imperativeness to bring her cat and her insistence on not going to Florida, all illustrate the authors use of irony in the story. The title of the story ,A Good man is hard to find is ironic in itself. A good man in society is not seen as a killer or a man in prison. The Misfit is not what society would call a good man . He has escaped from prison an...

Should I Go to a Big or Small College

Should I Go to a Big or Small College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One of the main factors to consider when choosing a college is the size of its enrollment. This is one of the first things college search websites ask you to specify because it’s an easy way to eliminate a bunch of schools. But what if you aren't sure whether you’re interested in big or small colleges or what the benefits and drawbacks are for each? In this article, I’ll provide a rundown of the characteristics of large and small colleges and the ways they differ from one another. What Is a Big College? Schools with more than 15,000 students are usually considered "big" colleges.These schools offer diverse social experiences and a wide variety of learning opportunities.They are places where you'll constantly encounter new and exciting things to do and meet all different types of people. Examples of big colleges include: New York UniversityUCLAFlorida State UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityTemple University Pros of Attending a Big College There are lots of opportunities for socializing and meeting new people. Big colleges usually have a wider selection ofacademicprograms. There are extensive collections of research materials andstate-of-the-art research facilities. There's more variety in housing choices. There will be more extracurricular clubs and activities. Big colleges havewell-funded athletic programs. They often attract famous or otherwise distinguished faculty. Cons of Attending a Big College You could end up in huge lecture classes that contain hundreds of students, resulting inless individual attention from professors. There's more administrative red tape;if you wanted to switch majors, for example, you might have to get more signatures and approvals than if you went to a small college. If you don’t speak up for your needs and interests, you could get lost in the crowd. You have to be willing to go after opportunities at a big college because no one will seek you out and give them to you. It’s more common for students to get TOO immersed in the myriad social opportunities and neglect academics. Should You Choose a Big College? A big college may or may not be right for you depending on your personality and what you’re looking to accomplish in the next four years.If you’re someone who constantly seeks out new experiences and loves meeting new people, you may thrive at a big college.You’ll have the opportunity to meet people from many different cultural backgrounds and attend a huge variety of social events. Since there are so many people, if you’re willing to explore, you're likely to find others who have the same interests as you.You’ll almost certainly find extracurricular and academic opportunities that align with your passions.If you’re interested in sports, large colleges are also more likely to have well-funded athletic programs and facilities. If you want to gain experience as a research assistant or get your start in academia, a big college might also fit well with your goals.With top-notch research facilities and distinguished faculty, large universities have all the resources you need to find these types of opportunities.If you attend a large research university, you're more likely to be presented with opportunities to collaborate on projects with professors who are leaders in their fields. This could lead to being listed as a coauthor on groudbreaking research papers or presenting research at high-profile conferences. Large universities must provide cutting edge research facilities so that their high-profile faculty can continue to make new discoveries and publish work. Undergraduates can often access these facilities and reap the benefits in their own research endeavors. In many cases, this leads to an advantage in admission to graduate school programs that value students who have already demonstrated a knack for research. If you’re an independent person who is comfortable advocating for yourself, a big college environment will probably play to your strengths.There's less individual attention and direct guidance, but if you’re willing to seek out the resources for yourself, you may have many more opportunities at your disposal than you would find at a small college. Florida State University: It looks pretty, but I can only imagine what kinds of many-legged horrors are hidden in the vegetation. What Is a Small College? Generally, a small college is defined as a school with less than 5,000 students.These schools are characterized by a close-knit student community and a greater focus on undergraduate teaching by professors.You’ll always run into people you know and will have access to more individual academic attention. Examples of small colleges include: Babson CollegeFranklin CollegeMiddlebury CollegeOberlin CollegeVassar College Pros of Attending a Small College You can get to know most people and will run into familiar faces everywhere you go. At small colleges, the camaraderie amongst students is often very strong. You’re likely to get more individual attention from professors and have smaller class sizes. Professors, not Teaching Assistants, teach most classes- in general, there is more of a focus on undergraduate education. There are usually opportunities to create individually designed majors rather than being stuck with the programs that are officially offered by the school. Small colleges often have stronger advising systems for students. You may have more opportunities to gain leadership experience because there will be less competition than at big schools. Cons of Attending a Small College There are often fewer research facilities and resources. You'll find less variety in social life and less emphasis on large sporting events. There are usually fewer major choices (although as I mentioned, you can often design your own major which is pretty cool). Small colleges can be very isolating,especially in rural locations. There will be less variety in housing choices. Should YOU Choose a Small College? If you like being part of a strong community and feeling comfortable and familiar with your surroundings, a small college may work for you.Going to a small college can make meeting new people a bit easier.If you become friends with just a few of your classmates, you’ll see them around frequently, and it’s more likely that you’ll find connections with others in the community.Going to a small college makes it easier to relate directly to other students since there is a less dramatic range of experiences on campus. Did you enjoy small class discussions in high school? Did you have a close relationship with your teachers?These are both things that are more likely to be a part of the small college experience.You’ll have more interaction with your professors and get the opportunity to learn directly from them rather than being taught by TAs. Professors will get to know you on an individual basis and give thoughtful feedback on your work. You may also have more chances to collaborate with professors on research since you won't be competing with a large pools of graduate students. Additionally, curriculum at small colleges tends to be more flexible. If there's a unique academic path that you want to take that doesn't quite fit with the school's requirements, your advisors will help you make it happen.If you have more of an introverted personality and are hoping to find sustained support in college from your professors and advisors, a small college may be the right choice. Oberlin College: I can't think of any stereotypes about Ohio...Ohio's boring! HA The Compromise: Medium-Sized Colleges What about schools that have between 5,000 and 15,000 students?These are the Goldilocks schools - not too small, not too big.If you feel that certain aspects of both large and small colleges appeal to you, you might want to look at these medium-sized schools.This is tricky, though. You could end up getting the best of both worlds or missing out on the things you liked about one or both of the other types of schools. For medium-sized colleges, it’s particularly important to look at the specifics of what the school offers in the form of research facilities, class sizes, and extracurricular opportunities.A medium-sized college may have more big college characteristics or more small college characteristics depending on its location and the composition of its student body.If the school is in a city, the social life might be more like a big college since there will be a lot going on around campus and you'll interact with more people outside the student population. On the other hand, in a rural area, you might get more of a small college sense of community and familiarity. Examples of medium-sized colleges include: Carnegie Mellon UniversityEmory UniversityHoward UniversityTufts UniversityVanderbilt University In the next section, I’ll show you how to search for colleges by size so you can check out schools that are large, medium, and small and get a clearer picture of how they line up with your preferences. How to Search for Colleges By Size This information is all well and good, but how do you actually find schools that have the enrollment size you’re looking for?I would recommend using College Navigator for your initial search.You can specify thesize range you want if you click on â€Å"more search options†: Notice that you can you cannarrow your search down to schools that are the right size and also specify any other basic qualities that matter to you.The top of the search box allows you to search for colleges bystate or zip code and by program type. Once you get a list of schools, you can add any that sound promising to your â€Å"favorites† and even compare statistics side by side to see how they line up with your preferences. College Navigator will give you data about tuition, financial aid, enrollment, and admissions for the schools you choose.Once you have a good idea of which ones you like, you might consult another site to get more information about how students view the school and any other qualities you’re curious about. I would recommend Cappex, a college matchmaking site, for conducting the more in-depth part of your search since it offers both hard data and student reviews on all aspects of campus life.When you create a profile, you can specify your preferences for school enrollment size to get appropriate matches.You can also search for the schools you found on College Navigator and learn more information about them through their Cappex profiles.With these search options, you can start compiling a list of schools that you like by narrowing down your choices by size first and then figuring out if they have other features that interest you. Summary Big and small colleges differ in the characteristics of the social scene, the resources available, and the structure of classes.Big colleges are great places for motivated students to have diverse experiences and access high-quality research materials.Small colleges are great options for students who want to learn directly from professors and gain strong ties to the community.When searching for schools, you should take these characteristics into account and decide which type of college is a better fit for you personality and goals. Here's a quick questionairre that includes some of the major points from above so that you can get a sense of whether a big or small school is right for you. If the majority of your answers are "yes", you should look into big colleges first. If the majority of your answers are "no", small colleges might be better. If the majority of your answers are "sometimes", you might look into medium-sized colleges, or size may not be as important of a factor in your college decision as it is for other people. Yes Sometimes No I love meeting new people. I enjoy being exposed to unfamiliar situations and perspectives and having a wide variety of social experiences in general. I am a very independent learner. Class size is not important to me. I don't feel the need to have a close relationship with my professors. I like attending big sporting events. I'm looking for a school with extensive research facilities. I have a major in mind already. Keep in mind that not all big colleges and small colleges have the same characteristics - these are generalizations, not hard facts.Make sure you do your research to find out exactly what each school offers and how it will make your college experience worthwhile. What's Next? Looking for some great resources that will help you in your college search? Read my article on the best college search websites. The Common Application makes it easy to apply to a bunch of schools without filling out a bunch of different forms. Find out which schools use it here. Aiming high in your college search? Read this article on what it takes to get into Ivy League and other highly selective schools. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Was Andrew Carnegie a good man Research Proposal

Was Andrew Carnegie a good man - Research Proposal Example He also worked with three presidents to create peace. It is important to note that in America a person has to "have money to make money" and having money created opportunity for Carnegie to get into circles that he would have been shut out of in other circumstances. He used his money to fund programs and buildings for the working class because it was his hope to "uplift them"(Krass 55). Carnegie was born in Dumferline Scotland in 1863. He quickly understood the plight of the laborer because his father was one. His father was a weaver in the linen industry that lost his job when the linen industry upgraded to use machines for weaving and the hand weavers lost their jobs (PBS, par. 2). It is believed by this writer than at that point, Andrew understood that he would need to do something better if he were to help his family. The family left Scotland when Carnegies mother insisted and they moved to Pittsburg, PA in America. Andrew was paid $1.20 a week with 12 hour days to be a "bobbin boy" which meant that he would supply bobbins new bobbins and take away the ones that were full (PBS, par. 6, Krass 29). This was hard work but it gave Andrew an understanding that this wasnt the type of work he wanted. He also received a real taste of poverty which he didnt like. He eventually moved to another bobbin job where he received $2 an hour to do the work and became a major breadwinner for his family (Krass 29). This may have been the place that Andrew learned to control his emotions because he was afraid of the boilers. However, this is also a trait for a good businessman. Carnegie did several things to rise in business. It seemed that he could look forward and see the bigger picture and he was always open to opportunity. For instance, he walked two miles to Pittsburg with his father to inquire about a job at a Telegraph office. This job was told to him by his uncle. He went and

Seven Years' War Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Seven Years' War Paper - Essay Example British colonies stretched along eastern coast of North America from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia in the north to Georgia in the south. Most of the older colonies extended their claims far westward. As the continents geography was unknown colonial authorities granted provincial charters arbitrarily. As their main centers were situated closely to the coast the y had increasingly growing populations so British settlements and fur traders were expanding inland across Appalachian Mountains. Nova Scotia which had been conquered by the British during Queen Anne’s War retained numerous French-speaking population, principally based on the shores of Northumberland Strait and the Bay of Fundy. Moreover the British claimed Rupert’s Land and established Hudson’s Bay Company to trade with Indians. In spite of the British and French claims the vast areas were under control of indigenous tribes. To the north of Abenaki and Mi'kmaq still dominated parts of Acadia, eastern provin ces of present day Canada and Maine as well as Nova Scotia (Jennings, 1988). Iroquois League held sway over Ohio country as well as over the most part of present day Upstate New York; however the former included populations of Mingo, Delaware and Shawnee. These tribes were formally the tributaries of Iroquois League so were restricted by the latter in authorities to conclude agreements. As soon as the war broke out the French also began to use their business connections to recruit from the native tribes in the western part of Great Lakes region (an area that was not a matter of controversy between the belligerents). Cherokee and Iroquois League rendered support to the British until disagreements ignited the Anglo-Cherokee war in 1758. In that very year the government of Pennsylvania worked out Treaty of Easton. According to that agreement Ohioan tribes swore neutrality in return for concession of the lands. The rest of the northern tribes for the most part took the side of the Frenc h, their main supplier of arms and ammunition and trading partner. Both British and French diplomacies did their best to secure support of Cherokee and Creek tribes’ neutrality. It was common for both small gangs and individuals to take part in hostilities on the different side of the conflict. By the time when the war broke out there had not been any French regular army units in North America though were few British ones. As a rule French possessions in North America were defended by 3.000 troupes de la marine made up of colonial regulars. Some of them had experience in woodland warfare. Also militia bands used to be called for when needed. British colonies enrolled militia units to fight the natives when needed yet did not have any regular forces there. Seven Years changed social, economic and political relations between the main European powers (Spain, Britain and France), their possessions and colonists and indigenes which inhabited the disputed territories. Britain assum ed control over Acadia, French Canada and other possessions inhabited by some 80, 000 predominantly French-speaking Catholics. The deportation of the French-speaking Acadians began in 1775 and made this land available for new migrants from Europe as well as from the southern colonies. Lots of Acadians were resettled throughout British North American provinces, though many moved to France or to Louisiana which they had hoped to stay French. Some of them were exiled to colonize such diverse places as Falkland

Compare and contrast King Gilgamesh with Enkidu Essay

Compare and contrast King Gilgamesh with Enkidu - Essay Example Actually, it was to foil Gilgamesh that the gods created Enkidu, purposely to bring balance to the city of Uruk, which Gilgamesh’s abuse of power terrorizes. Thus Enkidu becomes Gilgamesh other self – a reflection of his weakness, as Enkidu made him painfully realize his inherent limitation as a human – his mortality, which drove him to seek eternal life. This, according to Davis (2000) is the underlying question in the epic: â€Å"Why have the gods withheld eternal life from humanity?† (p. 70). â€Å"Gilgamesh, where are you wandering? The life that you are seeking all around you will not find. When the gods created mankind they fixed Death for mankind, and held back Life in their own hands.† (Kovacks, 1989, p. 85) And it was in his search for eternal life, as he challenges death, that the answer to this question is revealed. The gods denied humanity of eternal life, because what makes human life precious, thus meaningful is no other than death. Af ter Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh desire to escape of death gave him the reason to live. It is also his fear of death that transformed Gilgamesh from a ruthless ruler to a responsible one, by which he left behind a legacy that outlived him. As Brown (1996) explained, â€Å"without death [Gilgamesh’s] life would be meaningless, and the adventures that make up the epic would disappear. In celebrating Gilgamesh†¦ we celebrate that which makes us human.† (para. 6) On the other hand, Gilgamesh is Enkidu’s strength, since with the elders entrusting Gilgamesh to his care implies recognition of Gilgamesh’s weakness of the wilderness. As such, serving Gilgamesh has given Enkidu his worth. Gilgamesh, do not put your trust in (just) your vast strength, but keep a sharp eye out, make each blow strike its mark! 'The one who goes on ahead saves the comrade.'1 'The one who knows the route protects his friend.' Let Enkidu go ahead of you; he knows the road to the Cedar Forest, he has seen fighting, has experienced battle. Enkidu will protect the friend, will keep the comrade safe. Let his body urge him back to the wives (?). (Kovacks, 1989, p. 25) Gilgamesh and Enkidu although sharply different are very much alike. If Gilgamesh is a civilized man born two-thirds god and one-third human in the city of Uruk, yet acts uncivilly and inhumanely, killing the sons and raping the daughters of his people, on the other hand, Enkidu is a primitive man born akin to a wild beast, yet acts with compassion with the beasts whom he grew with, protecting them from trappers and freeing them whenever trapped (Kovacks, 1989, pp. 4, xix). Such difference portrays the contrast between the civilized and the primitive. That civilization, as Brown (1996) noted, transforms the primitive man with no return, corrupting his innocence and weakening him, yet giving him wisdom to see life beyond the wilderness (para. 9-10) allowing him to grow and enjoy the luxuries that c ivilization could offer to life like wine, women, and comfort. Though born and raised differently, both similarly possess super-human physical strengths that made them both feared: Gilgamesh by his people and Enkidu by the trapper. Thus both are to be tamed: Gilgamesh by the people of Uruk to live peacefully, whereas, Enkidu by the tra

Contemporary issue in marketing - Airline industry on service quality Essay

Contemporary issue in marketing - Airline industry on service quality and relationship marketing - Essay Example Airline industry is a key economic strength of any country because airline industry has big impact on other industries such as manufacturing, finance and tourism. Presently, the worldwide airline industry comprises more than 23,000 aircrafts, offers service to more than 3700 airfields all over the world. In the year 2006, it had been calculated that approximately 28 million flights transported more than 2 billion passengers worldwide. For the last 20 years, the air travel had increased considerably by 5%. In the US, the aircraft industry contributes 8% of GDP (MIT, n.d.). According to IATA (International Air Transport Association) the forecasted global air journey increased almost 5% annually from the year 2000–2010. The most dynamic growth of aviation industry had been seen in Asia/Pacific region compared to Europe and North America. In Asia/Pacific region the aviation industry is increasing by almost 9% annually. In the 1990s, the aviation industry had suffered heavily due t o economic recession and Gulf war. The member airline of IATA had experienced losses of almost 20.4 billion USD from the year 1990 to 1994. Subsequently, Aviation industry had realised the importance of service and customer relation and thus certain airlines had invested a lot to improve the quality of service offered to customer. Many new attractive strategies had been introduced to draw and retain customers (Standford University, 1999). Importance of Service Quality in Airline Industry In aviation industry the competition is strong and it is growing rapidly. The airline companies had realised the need for providing more attention towards customer in order to face the competition because customers are the primary element of every business. Good customer satisfaction can bring profitability to an airline company and it can be achieved by good service. An efficient service quality is characterised by good customer segmentation, tailored service, measuring the feedback of customer and measurement of company performance (Bozorgi, 2007). Customer satisfaction is the feeling or attitude towards a service. If a customer is satisfied about the service, in future the customer will engage in purchasing the service again. Thus, customer satisfaction and service quality is interrelated with each other. The reason for dissatisfaction in aviation industry can be caused by late departure of flight, reservation of ticket, poor catering service and bad attitude of air crew members towards customers (Bozorgi, 2007). In the year 1987 and 1988, the bad customer service had been recorded in the US aviation industry regarding flight problem, reservation problem, and refund of money, customer service, smoking activities, tourism issues and others. These factors have led to dissatisfaction of customers, and for that reason the customer complaints had grew over 500% in the year 1987 (Bozorgi, 2007). Perceptions of customers and service quality are useful in forecasting the effectiven ess of a company. Many companies intend to employ customer service based

Risk Analysis and Ethical Considerations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk Analysis and Ethical Considerations - Essay Example As the discussion there are three main events under this theory. First all actions must be judged from the consequence of the actions. Secondly, the judgment is about the quantum of happiness these actions have generated. Lastly, each person’s welfare is equally important and actions must be directed to this objective. There are two sub theories of Utilitarianism. Van Wyck explains that under Act Utilitarianism theory the view taken is that a right action is one that is also chosen by another individual, and the common intention is to produce at least the same good result. Under this theory an action is taken for the larger good even if it means abandoning or ignoring a rule or set of rules. In other words ends justify the means. This study stresses that the proponents of the other theory called Rule Utilitarianism believe firmly in observing rule and not encroaching on others happiness even if the happiness of a larger group is likely to be affected. This means that rules are meant to be followed to preserve sense and balance in a society. The other group called Deontological theory hold that obligations must be followed irrespective of consequences. Deontologists insist that actions are morally in the wrong not because of their consequences, but because fundamentally these actions are a moral violation (Boxill). Morally right mans approved by God and morally wrong means disapproved by God. The will of God is the arbiter of right or wrong. In 1907 Henry Sidgwick expanded the Greatest Happiness principle to conclude that welfare of the people was more paramount than mere happiness. He felt that utilitarianism could be used to balance the morality of â€Å"common sense:† In effect Sidgwick attempted to bring utilitarianism into mainstream thinking of other less philosophical theories on ethics.

Contemporary issue in marketing - Airline industry on service quality Essay

Contemporary issue in marketing - Airline industry on service quality and relationship marketing - Essay Example Airline industry is a key economic strength of any country because airline industry has big impact on other industries such as manufacturing, finance and tourism. Presently, the worldwide airline industry comprises more than 23,000 aircrafts, offers service to more than 3700 airfields all over the world. In the year 2006, it had been calculated that approximately 28 million flights transported more than 2 billion passengers worldwide. For the last 20 years, the air travel had increased considerably by 5%. In the US, the aircraft industry contributes 8% of GDP (MIT, n.d.). According to IATA (International Air Transport Association) the forecasted global air journey increased almost 5% annually from the year 2000–2010. The most dynamic growth of aviation industry had been seen in Asia/Pacific region compared to Europe and North America. In Asia/Pacific region the aviation industry is increasing by almost 9% annually. In the 1990s, the aviation industry had suffered heavily due t o economic recession and Gulf war. The member airline of IATA had experienced losses of almost 20.4 billion USD from the year 1990 to 1994. Subsequently, Aviation industry had realised the importance of service and customer relation and thus certain airlines had invested a lot to improve the quality of service offered to customer. Many new attractive strategies had been introduced to draw and retain customers (Standford University, 1999). Importance of Service Quality in Airline Industry In aviation industry the competition is strong and it is growing rapidly. The airline companies had realised the need for providing more attention towards customer in order to face the competition because customers are the primary element of every business. Good customer satisfaction can bring profitability to an airline company and it can be achieved by good service. An efficient service quality is characterised by good customer segmentation, tailored service, measuring the feedback of customer and measurement of company performance (Bozorgi, 2007). Customer satisfaction is the feeling or attitude towards a service. If a customer is satisfied about the service, in future the customer will engage in purchasing the service again. Thus, customer satisfaction and service quality is interrelated with each other. The reason for dissatisfaction in aviation industry can be caused by late departure of flight, reservation of ticket, poor catering service and bad attitude of air crew members towards customers (Bozorgi, 2007). In the year 1987 and 1988, the bad customer service had been recorded in the US aviation industry regarding flight problem, reservation problem, and refund of money, customer service, smoking activities, tourism issues and others. These factors have led to dissatisfaction of customers, and for that reason the customer complaints had grew over 500% in the year 1987 (Bozorgi, 2007). Perceptions of customers and service quality are useful in forecasting the effectiven ess of a company. Many companies intend to employ customer service based

Macroeconomic Principles and Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macroeconomic Principles and Policy - Essay Example A policy to fight a recession would need to take into account these numerous variables. One area that the government can control is the money supply. The Federal Reserve is tasked with monitoring and stabilizing the amount of currency in the economy. In recent years, they have accomplished this by controlling the interest rate. A lower interest rate will stimulate borrowing and investment. This will put more money into the economy as the money supply grows. As more money enters the economy, purchasing picks up and the economy grows and expands. However, the expanding economy also signals the potential for inflation. With high inflation, people have less purchasing power and the economy may falter dramatically. While controlling the money supply may be helpful, it is usually not a good long-term solution and should be used to stabilize and not control the economy. There could also be external factors that are working against the economy. High oil prices have taken money out of consumer's disposable income. Recent events such as natural disasters and inclement weather have also created hardships for consumers. The recent winter weather in the West devastated farmers while providing an additional blow of higher beef prices. There also may be cyclical pressures that are extending the recessionary period. This could be the result of a correction for the recent boom in the real estate market. Many borrowers were strapped with debt beyond their realistic means by below prime lenders. Credit card debt has also risen dramatically and consumers who are servicing these debts do so at the expense of their purchasing power. Global economics may have some effect on the flat GDP as more products are outsourced and offshored. While free trade agreements have made a system of corporate nations around the world, it has resulted in flattening the median income and created an underemployment situation in the US, which may contribute to a prolonged period of recession. This period may be exaggerated by mounting consumer debt and more difficulty managing it. All these events contribute to the consumer's negative outlook on the economy. It creates what Banik (2002) calls a climate of fear where the psychological behavior of consumers creates a cycle of recession. While 18 months may seem like a considerable downturn, with the right combination of external events and loss of consumer confidence, the recession could continue to hold back the economy for several more months. The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply The Federal Reserve (Fed) controls the money supply by controlling the reserves that banks are required to hold against deposits. By buying and selling US Treasury securities, the Fed controls the amount of reserves and therefore the money supply. With more money in reserve, banks are free to loan out more money. They also control what is known as the currency component. It is a smaller portion of the money supply that deposits and withdraws currency from banks. Together with the reserve deposits, these two factors make up what is known as "high powered money" (Schwartz 2002). Interest rates are another method that the Fed has used to control the money supply. "In recent decades the Federal Reserve...interpreted a rise in interest rates as tighter monetary policy and a fall as easier monetary policy" (Schwartz 2002). This is a method of controlling the demand for money by making it

Advertisment Essay Example for Free

Advertisment Essay â€Å"Someone’s trash is another person’s treasure.† Trash can be used to describe many things, things like objects dirty or worthless. We rarely think of trash to be used to describe a person for their worth or their looks. The media today tries to portray a â€Å"perfect† image of what a person should look like when in reality people are beautiful just the way they are. Nobody is trash. The advertisement that I choose was one that was promoting Gold’s Gym. The picture was of a black metal trashcan tilted ever so slightly to the left, but standing firmly in powdery whitish yellow beach sand. The trashcans shadow lays to the right of it assuming that it is a little past mid day. The background is bursting with colors ranging from white, blue, and green in the ocean and a baby blue in the sky with wispy clouds barely covering the sky. The main object in the picture is the trashcan. It is a black metal can with a yellow color wrapped around the middle third of it. In the yellow, a text is written in black and it says, â€Å"Keep Our Beaches Beautiful† and in smaller font says, â€Å"(and pick up the trash, too).† Finally, on the bottom â€Å"Gold’s Gym† is written in bold gold font, on the black trashcan, a little smaller than the other font. The colors are vivid in contrast, making the picture warm and it creates instant happiness. The bright yellow stands out from the black trashcan causing the observer to first focus on the trashcan and the writing. Once the observer reads what the trashcan has to say, they then look out onto the ideal ocean with the almost perfect sand that looks as playable as a puppy and as soft as a pillow. That is the view of beautiful. The ad has a double meaning to it. The trashcan is there to keep the beach clean from all the trash. Beautiful. The writing on the trashcan saying, â€Å"Keep our beaches beautiful† and then Gold’s Gym advertising written under that is promoting that people go and workout at the gym to be fit. Beautiful. What is beauty? According to this, the ad claims that at least a part of being beautiful is working out and looking fit. Is that really true beauty? People work hard to become that â€Å"perfect† image that society and the media has embedded in our minds. This was most likely a hugely successful ad, solely because it hit close to home with many people who have low self-esteem. â€Å"The ‘Beach body’ can be achieved by signing up for a year at Gold’s Gym,† is what people are thinking when they see this ad. The beach looks so beautiful in the ad that people become motivated enough to work out so they look â€Å"good† at the beach rather than being the â€Å"trash† on the beach. They just want to fit it and have a sense of belonging. Are people really trash? The ad sure thinks so. Even though the trashcan aspect is directed more so to the actual trash that is on the beach, it still symbolizes that people are trash if they are ugly. A person can become beautiful by attending Gold’s Gym, so why wouldn’t they just do that if that were all they needed to become beautiful? People nowadays are so focused on body image; women start having eating disorders in order to be â€Å"beautiful†, while men think they are only beautiful if they have a six pack or huge muscles. The advertiser at least thinks that he is good looking or fit in order to have credibility. They have a high sense of self-esteem because they think that being beautiful relates solely to a person’s appearance rather then as a whole, both inside and out. This ad is about more than just keeping beaches clean and promoting Gold’s Gym, it is about the image of people. The media has twisted the real image of people so much so that if a person doesn’t look good then they are called â€Å"trash.† Are people really trash?

Impact Of Leadership Styles

Impact Of Leadership Styles Leadership styles Transactional leadership and transformational leadership have gained attention over a period of last few decades (Bass, 1988; 1990; Bass and Avolio, 1993; Hartog, et al., 1997). According to Kirkpatrick Locke (1996), Transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership both are directly related with numerous workplace outcomes such as job satisfaction, group performance, employees performance, and organizational commitment. These results have also been tested in different research settings (Al-Dmour Awamleh, 2002).In spite of this, the effects of managerial leadership styles from transformational and transactional perspectives have not been validated in IT firms. A key objective of this study is to fill this knowledge gap. This study will assess the effects of transformational and transactional leadership styles on employees performance in IT firms in India. According to Lewis et al (1998), In the 21st century, managers and leaders are expected to cope with a rapidly changing world of work. Hooper Potter (2000) suggests that managers will have to be competent leaders in order to transform their people to achieve the required company outcomes. Ryback (1998) describes a 21st century leader as having the ability to demonstrate a greater empathy and concern for people issues than his/her earlier counterparts. Managing projects in the information technology domain remains challenging, since various global trends contribute to rising complexities. Software development projects account for a very large portion of the overall IT outsourcing market. According to Dibbern et al. (2008), prior information technology research has provided a list of possible reasons why IT offshore outsourcing projects fail to meet the initial goals and expectations of both client and vendor. However, research is still limited dealing with leadership and management of Information technology projects (Lee 2008; Mao et al. 2008). Carson et al. (2007) states that one of the most important issues within project management is leadership. However, research about the crucial leadership styles focusing on IT projects is still limited. IT projects experience high failure rates since many years. The Standish Group reported significant time and cost overruns, add to by not fully meeting quality expectations of the project sponsors (Xia and Lee 2004). The primary reason, however, are not technological, but rather managerial issues (Scott and Vessey, 2002). Sumner et al. (2005) states that to successfully implement technical projects, strong project leaders with superior leadership skills are essential which will offers the potential to contribute to IT project success. Durham et al. (1997) states that research has proved the importance of leadership behaviour for team effectiveness, and for employees performance. According to Sumner (2000), lack of leadership or ineffective leadership is among the top hindering factors for IT project success. IT leaders of ten lack interpersonal leadership skills, because technical employees get promoted to become project leaders due to their technical knowledge, not for their people management capabilities (Rosenbaum 1991). The effect of transactional and transformational leadership style on employees performance have been validated on Health, Retail, Education and manufacturing sectors. There is a limited knowledge or research conducted on the leadership style of the project leader/team leader in the IT sector and how it affects the employees performance. This research aims to investigate the relationship between the effective team leader/Project manager leadership style and subordinates performance. The literature review discusses the link between Transformational leadership and employee performance and also the link between transactional leadership styles and employees performance. Objective of the Research This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership and transactional leadership style on employees performance. The objectives of this research are: Evaluation of the employees performance in relation to the transformational and transactional leadership styles. Assessing the employees preference over transformational and transactional leadership style. Finding the recommendations to improve employees performance with the help of transformational and transactional leadership style. Literature review Leadership and performance Yukl (1994) defined leadership as a social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization. Max Weber is one of the major contributor of leadership and theorists to observe the parallel between the industry mechanization and bureaucratic forms of organization (Morgan, 1998).According to (Bass, 1990 Morgan, 1998) , the classical theorists such as Henri Fayol and F. W. Mooney, loyal advocates of bureaucratization in contrast to Weber, identified methods through which this kind of organizational structure could be achieved. These classical theorists set the basis for many modern management techniques. Webers concern about bureaucracy, however, did not affect theorists who set the stage for what is now known as classical management theory and scientific management (Stone et al., 2005).Scientific managers focused on the systematic management of individual jobs while the Classical theorists focused on the design of the total organization (Stone et al., 2005).Scientific management, an approach introduced by Frederick Taylor, was technological in nature (Hersey, Blanchard, Johnso n, 1996). Taylor initiated time-and-motion studies to analyse work tasks to improve worker productivity in an attempt to achieve the highest level of efficiency possible. He has also been accused of viewing people as instruments or machines to be manipulated by their leaders. Under scientific management theory the function of a leader was to establish and enforce performance criteria to meet organizational goals; therefore, the focus of a leader was not on the individual worker but was on the needs of the organization. Emerging theorists encouraged leaders to recognize that humans were not machines and could not be treated as such. During mid-1940s, a post bureaucratic shift moved everyone taking responsibility for the organizations success or failure (HeckscherDonnellon, 1994). Researchers started to examine the relationship between the leader behaviour and the other outcomes such as follower satisfaction level, organizational productivity and profitability. According to Griffin and Moorhead (2011),two of the first behavioural approaches to leadership were the Michigan and Ohio state studies which were conducted during 1940s and 1950s.The results of the Michigan studies suggested that there are two fundamental types of leader behaviour, job -centered and employee-centered which were presumed to be at opposite ends of a single continuum. The Ohio State studies also found two similar kinds of leadership behaviour consideration and initiating structure but this research suggested that these two types of behaviour were actually independent dimensions. These characteristics could be either high or low and were independent of one another. A new theory of organizations and leadership began to emerge based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied (Stone et al. 2005). Maslows (1959) Hierarchy of Needs says that once a workers physiological, security, and social (intrinsic) needs were met, productivity would only be possible if the employees ego and self-actualizing (extrinsic) needs were also met. During 1950s and 1960s, the behavioural theories came into existence. According to Bass (1990), Theorists began to consider behavioural concepts in their analysis of organizational leadership and focused to understand the relationship between a leaders actions and the followers satisfaction and productivity. Barnard was involved in including behavioural components and his work focused on the behavioural components analysis of organizational leadership.Barnard claimed that leadership involves accomplishing goals with and through people (Bass, 1990). Subsequently, the goal of effective leadership was evolving and was moving away from classical and scientific management theories that treated workers as machines. According to (Johnson et al, 1996, p. 100), the real power centers within an organization were the interpersonal relationships that developed among working groups. Based on the idea that individuals operate most effectively when their needs are satisfied, a new theory of leadership began to emerge. McGregor (1960) work was closely linked to behavioural theorists, providing a foundation for the future emergence of transformational leadership. McGregor Theory Y says that individuals do not essentially dislike work and, under certain conditions, work could actually be a source of great satisfaction (Pugh Hickson, 1993). Theory Y assumed that individuals would employ self-direction and self-control, accepting and seeking responsibility (Pugh Hickson, 1993).During 1960s, researchers acknowledged that leaders did more than simply act they often had to react to specific situations, and thus, the situational/contingency theory of leadership evolved (Stone et al., 2005). However, in an appa rent return to the one best way of leadership, recent studies on leadership have contrasted transactional leadership with transformational leadership. According to Cummings and Schwab (1973), Leadership is perhaps the most investigated organisational variable that has a potential impact on employee performance. For the strength of an organization job satisfaction plays a vital role which has significant effect on employee performance.Walumba Hartnell (2011) suggests that the word performance is used to pass on the individual aptitude to be inspired, stirring, pioneering and to determinant to achieving the goals on an organization. Bass (1990) and Burns (1978) suggest that strong leaders outperform weak leaders, and that transformational leadership generates higher performance than transactional leadership. The researcher aim is to discuss whether the transformational leadership does really stimulate the employees for higher performance. From this we can conclude that transformational leadership stimulate higher performance. Cummings and Schwab (1973) suggest that in order for an organisation to perform an individual must set aside his personal goals, at least in part, to strive for the collective goals of the organisation. Employees are of paramount importance to the achievement of any organisation and hence effective leadership enables greater participation of the entire workforce, and can also influence both individual and organisational performance (Bass, 1997; Mullins, 1999). For an effective organisation, there must be effective and stimulating relations between the people involved in the organisation (Paulus et al. 1996). It is generally accepted that the effectiveness of people is largely dependent on the quality of its leadership and hence effective leader behaviour facilitates the attainment of the followers desires, which results in effective performance (Fiedler and House, 1988).Previous study results shows that there is a positive relation between satisfied employees and organization, as the performance of the satisfied employees are more productive for the organization then less satisfied employees (Ostroff,1992).Leadership is connected with employee performance (Ogbonna Harris 2000). The main idea of every organization is to enhance employee performance. Howell, Merenda (1999) Goodwin (2001) suggested that transformational leadership plays an imperative role in increasing job satisfaction as well as role play to achieve organizations goal and employees acts. Transformational leadership correlated with subordinate skills with work worth to assess employees performance as stated by Walumbwa, Avolio Zhu (2008). According to Ozaralli (2002), Organisations increase employees performance by giving empowerment to their team members. Researchers have studied that the employee performance is increased under the extraverted leadership when employees are passive and the result will be opposite if employees are proactive (Grant, Gino Hofmann, 2011). Researchers have also studied the employees performance with variety of variables. Opren (1986) observed that, satisfied employees not only be the cause of increasing employee performance but also they dont think to leave organization. Su, Baird and Blair (2009) feels, the level of productivity will be high when the employees are satisfied. According to Biswas (2009), the supporting style of manager also plays incredible role for increasing employees performance. Transformational leadership originated from charismatic leadership. House (1977) suggests that the personal characteristics of the charismatic leader include a high degree of self-confidence, strong moral convictions, and a tendency to influence others as well as engaging in impression management behaviours to boost trust and confidence in the leader. Furthermore, the articulation of a mission, setting challenging goals, and arousing motives are also important. Burns (1978) was the first person who identified the concept of transformational leadership. He suggested that transformational leadership is observed when leaders encourage followers to boost up the level of their motivation, morals, beliefs, perceptions, and coalition with the objectives of the organization. Bass (1985) proposed a new theory of transformational leadership and outlined its components. Transformational leadership engages followers by appealing to their upper level needs and ideas that yield higher levels of fo llower satisfaction and performance (Bass, 1985; Bryman, 1992).According to Schepers et al. (2005), transformational leaders allow employees to think creatively and analyse the problem from numerous angles and explore new and better solutions of the problem. Gill et al. (2006) suggested that organizations can reduce job stress and burn out by applying transformational leadership. Transformational leadership focuses on more sensitive side of organizational interactions like vision, culture, values, development, teamwork, and service (Fairholm, 2001).Bass (1998) claims that by emphasizing the symbolic and expressive aspects of task goal efforts and the important values involved, the transformational leader makes the difference. There are three mechanisms in Transformational Leadership: Leaders give values to their subordinates, motivate their subordinates and persuade in mounting or varying followers needs (William, Richards, Steers James, 1995).Transformational leadership is comprised of four central components. Bass (1985) suggests that Charisma is the key component of transformational leadership and it generates profound emotional connection between the leader and follower. According to Bass Avolio (1990) Charisma is operational through vision where the charismatic leader earns the respect and trust of followers, which leads to the acceptance of challengin g goals. The second transformational component is inspiration where leaders provides followers with challenges and meaning for engaging in shared goals and undertakings (Bass Avolio, 1990).Another major component of transformational leadership is individualized consideration, the leader first identifies the individual needs and abilities of followers and then mentors and coaches them, and also uses delegation (Bass Avolio, 1990). The final transformational component is intellectual stimulation, the leader helps followers to think on their own and analyse problems from their personal perspectives, encourages creativity, innovation, and challenge conventional wisdom (Bass Avolio, 1990). Most of the researchers had associated transformational leadership with employees performance and job satisfaction and argued that transformational leadership can be the best predictor of employee performance (Raja Palanichamy,2011).Transformational culture boosts both the organization and the employees performance without enforcing extra burden (Schlotz, 2009). Prior researcher has demonstrated that followers who work under transformational leaders are motivated and committed which facilitates their satisfaction with jobs (Givens, 2008). Masi cook (2000) believed that transformational leadership style is only the factor of increasing employee productivity.However,Parry Thomson ( 2002) claimed that it is important to adopt the appropriate leadership style for the success of an organization and examining, praising and assessing a leader do not truly assures the followers honesty in this case transformational leadership becomes inapplicable. According to Kuhnert Lewis (1987), transactional leadership is an exchange between followers and leaders desired outcomes by fulfilling the leaders interest and followers expectations, which involves promises or commitments embedded by respect and trust. Bass (2000) suggested that effective leaders accommodate the interests of their subordinates by giving contingent incentives, honour and promises for those who auspiciously succeeded in fulfilling the commitments of the leaders or the organization. On the other hand, Bryman (1992) argues that transactional leadership behaviours do not even qualify for a true leadership label because of the fact that the leader and follower agree, explicitly or implicitly, that desired follower behaviours will be rewarded, while undesirable behaviours will draw out punishment. He states that since it is based on exchange, transactional leadership does not seek to motivate followers. Bass (1985) and Burns (1978) suggest that total reliance on this lea dership style may cause performance and satisfaction to suffer. As modelled by Bass, transactional leadership is comprised of two fundamental dimensions: contingent reward and management-by-exception. Contingent reward takes place when the leader provides rewards if followers perform in accordance with the contractor expend the necessary effort. In Management-by-Exception, the leader takes action only when major deviations from plans are evident. Unlike Burns (1978), Bass (1985) insists that, to be effective, leaders need to demonstrate features of both transactional and transformational leadership. HowellMerenda (1999) conducted their research on transactional and leadership in forecasting employees performance and concluded that transactional leadership style is a positive predictor of followers performance. Gadot (2007) claimed that the transactional leadership style is weakly associated with performance. Ponce et al. (2006) Indicated that there is a dominance of the transactional leadership style over transformational style. Halpin et al (2006) suggested that leadership behaviours and team performance outcomes revealed that transactional leadership behaviour is significantly related to team performance. According to Jung et al. (1999), to make transactional leadership more effective, appropriate usage of contingent reward is an important feedback to assemble expectations with followers in term of their performance. Janssen Yperen (2004) acknowledged that transactional leadership assists the efficiency by enhancing innovative job performance and job satisfaction. From this we can conclude that some authors believe that transactional leadership stimulates higher performance and some believe that it is weakly associated with performance. Empirical evidence tends to support the view that leaders will maximize their effectiveness when they exhibit both transformational and transactional behaviours (Avolio et al, 1988; Bass Yammarino, 1989).Bass and Avolio (1994) and Ristow (1998) conducted research in different environments and found that transformational leadership has a positive influence on employee performance, and therefore organisational performance. Research conducted by Pruijn and Boucher (1994) showed that transformational leadership is an extension of transactional leadership (Bass, 1997).Bass and Avolio (1994) stated that the difference between these two models is that followers of transformational leadership exhibit performance which is beyond expectations, while transactional leadership, at best, leads to expected performance .Ristow (1998) suggested that transactional leaders were effective in markets which were continually growing and where there was little or no competition, but this is not the case in the markets of today, where competition is fierce and resources are scarce. Brand et al. (2000) has clearly shown that transformational leaders are more effective than transactional leaders. Brand et al. (2000) showed the evidence gathered in South African retail and manufacturing sectors, and also in the armed forces of the United States, Canada and Germany, points towards the marginal impact transactional leaders have on the performance of their followers in contrast to the strong, positive effects of transformational leaders .This research has been further supported by research conducted by Ristow, et al. (1999), according to which there was a positive relationship between certain styles of leadership and organisational effectiveness within the administration of South Africa cricket. Bass and Avolio (1997) conducted research on the topic of transformational and transactional leadership, an appropriate instrument was identified, called the MLQ(Multi factor leadership questionnaire ).The questionnaire contains statements that identify and measure the key aspects of leadership behaviour, and each statement in the questionnaire relates to either transactional, transformational or non-transactional leadership factors. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Type of Research Design The type of research design that will be used in this study is quantitative research design, survey method. The present study is quantitative in nature because I will use quantitative data which is collected through questionnaire. Then the first step of my study will be to make worth by the validity by as its focus using positivism approach. Positivism paradigm will be used in this study is on understanding the ideology of multiple participants in their locations and work place. The survey design is chosen because it provides a quantitative description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population. So that, it can best show the level of relation between leadership styles and employees performance. Sampling technique and measures The level of leadership qualities possessed by project managers/team leaders and the subordinates in XXXXX Company will be determined by the questionnaires distributed to a random sample of employees. Hence project managers/team leaders as well as their subordinates will be the participants of the study. Questionnaires will be distributed to a sample population of 50.All the questions are close-ended and are measured using Likerts Five Point scaling ranging from 1 (Never) to 5 (Always). The advantage of using close ended questions is that the results can be presented in the form of statistics and answers can be pre-coded so that the responses can be fed into a computer. Pilot survey has been conducted to check if there any problem in the questionnaire before the real investigation and the final version of the questionnaire has been set up. The transformational leadership is measured by the following components Idealized attributes, idealized behaviour, intellectual simulation, confi dence, individual consideration and inspirational motivation. The transactional leadership is measured by the following components contingent reward and management by exception (active). The performances measured that are included in this study are extra effort, effectiveness and satisfaction. Data Collection Instruments, Variables and Materials As a primary data collection instrument questionnaires will be distributed to a random sample of employees. The questionnaire is adapted from Multi factor Leadership Questionnaire; commonly called MLQ, developed by Bass Avolio (1990). The study will also make use of secondary sources of data such as relevant books in leadership and related areas. The data will be analysed with the help of descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis to find out the most relevant leadership styles and relationship of these leadership styles with the selected outcomes such as extra effort, effectiveness and satisfaction. According to my opinion, the MLQ holds well in studying leadership behaviour. Previous research shows that to study the leadership behaviours most of the researchers have adopted MLQ.The MLQ is valid and reliable and has been used extensively worldwide (Bass and Avolio, 1997; Whitelaw, 2001). It has proven to be a strong predictor of leader performance across a broad range of organisations (Bass and Avolio, 1997).The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (self-rated) is used to get evaluation of leadership behaviour and organizational effectiveness (Bass and Avolio, 2000). The MLQ is a questionnaire describing behaviour and employees performance outcomes, each rated on 5 point scale. It measure transformational, transactional leadership and employees performance outcomes like satisfaction, effectiveness and extra effort. The previous researchers have used MLQ which consists of two versions, one for the leader to complete, and one for the raters of the leaders to complete. The leaders complete a questionnaire describing their own leadership style, whilst the raters complete a questionnaire regarding the leadership style of their specific leader. These two versions consist of exactly the same statements, except that they are written from different perspectives. These two versions are known as the leader version and rater version respectively. I would be following the same approach. Reliability and validity are the statistical criteria used to assess whether the research provides a good measure (Whitelaw, 2001).The MLQ has been tested for reliability and validity in a number of settings (Pruijnand Boucher, 1994). The MLQ (Bass Avolio 2000) is one of the widely primary instruments used and accepted to measure transformational and transactional leadership styles.MLQ has gone through many revisions to strengthen its reliability and validity. Also more than 200 doctoral dissertations and master thesis have used the MLQ (Bass Avolio 2000). After collecting the data from the participants then SPSS software will be used for the data analysis. After recording the data into SPSS software, Descriptive statistic will be used to get the overall summary of the variables. In the table of descriptive statistic, the values of mean, Standard deviation and also the maximum and minimum values are obtained for leadership and performance variables which would define the response rate of the respondent. Descriptive statistical analyses will be performed to measure general demographic characteristics of the sample including age, gender, and years of tenure with the company. These analyses are unrelated to research questions or hypotheses but they are discretionary and exploratory in nature. The researcher believes that some of this demographic information may be useful and if any of the data proves interesting or significant in any way it may be an area for future research but it is not the focus of this study. Secondly, total scores wi ll be analyzed. Finally to test the hypotheses framed for the relationship between dependent and independent variables and to check the value that how much change comes in dependent variable due to independent variable, multiple regression analysis will be used.

Essay --

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Individual Management/Leadership Style

There are few, if any, hotter topics in management, business and organization theory at the present time than ‘leadership'. Leadership is the block at the top of the model of a good team, not because it is most important, but because it is the ultimate goal of an effective, efficient team. A good leader shares responsibility and glory, is supportive and fair, creates a climate of trust and openness, and is a good coach and teacher. Yet the test of a truly good leader is that the team operates as smoothly whether the leader is present or absent. Problem solving, decision making, team participation and conflict resolution are fundamental leadership activities. Rarely, are there any dead certainties in the world of business – especially in the current and foreseeable climate of uncertainty, ambiguity and paradox. Fear of failure, consequent risk-aversion and reluctance to move very far from ‘safe ground' or comfort zones can severely limit the quality relevance and na ture of decisions taken by those in managerial and leadership roles (Autry 50).Problem solvingSuccessful problem solving involves a search for the best problem space as well as the best program. Problem solving involves processing information. This is a three stage process:1. Recognizing the task environment. First, one perceives the events, interprets these invents and recognizes the nature of the task—e.g. notice disquiet in the office and see that the task is to identify how the disquiet can be resolved.2. Transformation into the person’s problem space. Next one views the task in a specific way. Here one has to be quite specific about the goal—what has to be done, where one stands in relationship to the goal and what kinds of acts need to be carried out in order to reach the goal. For example, from experience one will know that one cannot jump to any quick conclusions about the source of the disquiet in the office but will know how to set about finding out th e source of the disquiet.3. Processing the data and moving towards the goal. Depending on how the problem space has been conceived, one uses various kinds of information given with the problem or drawn from memory to process the data so as to move towards the problem solution. For example, in the illustration one will have had experience, of diagnosing problems of unrest in the office and will be able to call upon this experience along with information noted which is specific to the current situation in the office.In the course of working through the above steps the problem solver will notice whether any of the steps or series of steps he or she makes reduces the distance to the goal—i.e. resolving or solving the problem. If this seems to be the case then the problem solver will continue with that line of enquiry. If the steps do not seem to be productive then alternative steps will be followed. Progress and search for solutions are related to constant feedback of information obtained from people and objects in the problem situation.Problem solving involves the search for the most successful programs. However, successful problem solving may not so much be a search for a successful program as a search for the best problem space. It would seem, however, that both are required to increase the likelihood of finding good solutions to problems.Decision makingDecision making is effective when the leader is aware of and uses many methods to arrive at decisions. Consensus is often touted as the best way to make decisions—and it is an excellent method and probably not used often enough. But the team the leaser also uses majority rule, expert decision, authority rule with discussion, and other methods.Effective decision making is essential to a team's progress; ideally, leaders that are asked to solve problems should also have the power and authority to implement solutions. They must have a grasp of various decision-making methods, their advantages and disa dvantages, and when and how to use each. Leaders that choose the right decision-making methods at the right time will not only save time, but they will also most often make the best decisions.A key aspect of the leader's decision-making style, in bringing about productive synergy, is the ability to create opportunities for dialogue and shared reflection with others which lead to joint ownership of problems, solutions and decisions. Communication is crucial in the natural development of synergy. Simple techniques such as the use of open-ended questions can help to strengthen rapport as a necessary preliminary to peak communication, eg:†¢ ‘How could we do that better?'†¢ ‘What would be a viable option that would give us ‘x' but would avoid doing ‘y'?'†¢ ‘What would you really like to see happen here?'†¢ ‘What would you do?†¦ What would you do next?†¦ and then?'†¢ ‘How could we make  £50,000 saving on the fi rst stage of project ABC?'†¢ ‘Let's take your idea of starting with product development – then let's see it from marketing's perspective, before we commit to a decision'.†¢ ‘I like your proposal – let's build on that and see if we can improve on Graham's target'.The asking of ‘open' questions, in a non-threatening, non-judgmental way, with appropriate attendant body language, eg nodding, ‘mirroring' posture and gesture, reinforcing and adding to the other's contributions – are simple, but crucial techniques for giving positive messages of approval and encouragement. A demonstrable shift from authoritarian to supportively authoritative demeanour may be essential, before peak communication, synergy and ‘flow' – indicating personal authenticity in decision making – can come about between people, with the resultant mutual and shared payoffs.In the interests of both operational synergy and strategic crossfunctiona l interdependence, so-called ‘private intending' in decision making needs to function at a level which reconciles the need for fast, adaptable individual initiative, on the one hand, with necessary collaborative responses, on the other. As organisations reduce, hierarchically, and become flatter structures, with greater emphasis upon project team working, so decision-making needs to be considered increasingly, as a natural team process, as well as an individual role prerogative – particularly as crucial end results come more and more to depend, ultimately, upon willing and accountable collaborative effort.Team participationA team is a group of people who share a common purpose and work in a coordinated and interdependent relationship. Teams help members create a positive culture; one identified by high-trust levels. Team relationships allow members to align with the culture and the team’s purposes. They lead to synergy. Successful leaders who commit to — a nd deliver — outstanding results, do so as a result of the effective leadership and management of their teams. They understand that their route to success is, inevitably through engaging, focusing and mobilizing others' brainpower, horsepower and commitment.Team participation engages the mental and emotional involvement of leaders and followers: that is, the involvement of the member’s egos as well as their physical and mental capacities. Teaming also asks members to exercise their creative self and to increase their personal sense of responsibility through involvement. Team members need to recognize that the corporation wants their total involvement. And, when given, involvement increases the member’s sense of responsibility and ownership for the corporation and its results.If communication is the most important team characteristic, participation is the second most important. Without participation, you don't have a team; you have a group of bodies. Balanced par ticipation ensures that everyone on the team is fully involved. It does not mean that if you have five people each is speaking 20 percent of the time. Talking is not necessarily a measure of participation. We all know people who talk a lot and say nothing. It does mean that each individual is contributing when it's appropriate. The more a team involves all of its members in its activities, the more likely that team is to experience a high level of commitment and synergy (Depree 52).Balanced participation means that each team member joins the discussion when his or her contribution is pertinent to the team assignment. It also means that everyone's opinions are sought and valued by others on the team. Participation is everyone's responsibility. As a team moves from a forming stage to more mature stages of group development, team members must make certain that everyone is an active participant. If you have team members who did not participate early in the formation of the team, they wi ll withdraw even more as the going becomes more difficult. Two important things influence team participation: the leader's behavior and the participants' expectations.A leader's behavior comes as much from attitude as from anything. Leaders who are effective in obtaining participation see their role as being a coach and mentor, not the expert in the situation. Leaders will get more participation from team members if they can admit to needing help, not power. Leaders should also specify the kind of participation they want right from the start. Will everyone share their own ideas and then decide what to do or will the group discuss the pros and cons of the leader's idea?Leaders need to create a participative climate. They must make it a practice to speak last to avoid influencing others. Often a leader may put an idea on the table â€Å"just to get things started.† But what happens? Everyone jumps on the idea and stops thinking. People may feel, â€Å"Well, if that's what she wants, that's it.† Leaders need to reward risk taking. Those â€Å"half-baked† partial ideas that people bring up may be just what gets the team moving toward a solution, idea, or new opportunity (Denis, Lamothe and Langley 69). Leaders must always protect the minority views. Anyone can think like everyone else. It takes courage to think and speak differently.Conflict resolutionConflict, while sometimes productive, often represents a negative effect on organizational interaction. Diversity sometimes intensifies conflict. Differing values, customs, and beliefs among employees provide the foundation for conflict. This kind of cultural diversity can produce negative results, confusion, and stress. While diversity produces more ideas, it also forces people to clarify their views. Conflict resolution becomes a significant leadership task in which leaders become mediators of difference. They need to be power brokers to allocate influence and resources. Leaders often need to r esort to any of the following strategies for dealing with conflict (Storey 11):Domination – assuming the decision and rejecting dissenters,Containment – ignoring the issues, minimizing them, demanding rationality and objectivity in making the decision/dealing with the issues, maintaining control and confining the issuesCapitulation – getting one party to back down and surrender  Compromise – accommodating dissenters' positions insofar as is possible and asking each to give up some intractable positionsIntegration – seeking a conclusion satisfying to parties involvedSeveral forces are driving us to adopt conflict resolution strategies associated with values integration: the move toward excellence and cultural diversity, changes in demographics, and increasing pressure for innovation and creativity.ReferencesAutry, James. (1992). A. Love and Profit: The Art of Caring Leadership. New York: Avon Books, 1992.Denis, J.L., L. Lamothe and A. Langley (200 1) â€Å"The dynamics of collective leadership and strategic change in pluralistic organizations†, Academy of Management Journal 44(4).Depree, Max. (1989). Leadership Is an Art. New York: Doubleday.Storey, John. (2004). Leadership in Organizations: Current Issues and Key Trends. Routledge: New York.