SAQ 1116 Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SAQ 1116 - Scholarship Essay Example Review and evaluate each method in the context of your own dissertation proposal and justify why you have or have not chosen either method as a means of data collection. While designing a research method, a key question is what should be the number of respondents. In research design, we must consider the tradeoff between efficiency (by increasing no. of respondents) and richness (by increasing depth of our questions) of data. Interviews can be unstructured, focused with more structure or highly structured resembling a questionnaire. Questions asked in an interview can be a 'Pure Inquiry' (What happened), 'Exploratory Diagnostic Inquiry' (What did you do) or even 'Confrontive Inquiry' (Have you thought about doing this). Since answers are in more detail, they provide in-depth or 'qualitative' data. Questionnaires are used generally to ask only 'Highly Structured' questions. Though it is obvious that you do not get much depth or quality answers, the efficiency of data is improved. Since a vast number of cases can be studied, the risk of interviewee bias and other problems can be reduced. Both quantitative and qualitative data offer alternative advantages and benefits that eventually serve the validity and the credibility of the entire research project. However, due to the nature of the dissertation, which requires much exploration, getting more quality and in-depth answers would be more desirable. Therefore, significant weight will be attributed to the qualitative approach, which is 'Interview Technique'. SAQ 13: Briefly review the Action Research and Case Research papers and compare each method as appropriate means of data collection or methodology for your dissertation research project. (500 words approx) Answer: Action Research Action Research (AR) is an approach to research that aims both at taking action and creating knowledge or theory about that action. Action Researcher takes action and is not merely a spectator. However, since AR projects are situation specific, they do not 'aim' to create universal knowledge. At the same time, it may extrapolate to other similar situation. Action Research is highly interactive requiring cooperation between the researchers and the client. AR is used to understand, plan and implement change in the style of working and should be conducted in real time. AR is appropriate when the research question describes an unfolding series of action and an analysis as to how and why these actions could change to improve the working. The Action Researcher needs to act in a facilitative manner to help clients inquire into their own issues and create and implement solutions. An AR cycle comprises three types of steps: 1. A pre-step: to understand the context and its purpose. 2. Six main steps: to gather data, feedback and analyse data, and to plan, implement and evaluate the action. 3. A meta-step to monitor. Case Research Case Research (CR) is based on analysis of a limited

PowerPoint slides, and videos of Topic 3, selected ONE issue of Essay

PowerPoint slides, and videos of Topic 3, selected ONE issue of significance and relevance to our time - Essay Example Fighting on behalf of God in the event that one is wronged makes the religion to be viewed as intolerable to the human race that are bound to do wrong. In the video interviews with Hamza Yusuf, it is evident that the Islamic religion has gone through a number of changes as it tries to fully entrench itself in the Western countries such as the United States. After the happenings of 11th September 2001, the view of Islamic religion has been changed to that of a religion marked and characterized by war and terror which has also been witnessed recently in other parts of the world. However,-Hamza Yusuf (1/6, 10mn)-Hamza argues that acts of terrorism should not be limited to those who profess the Islamic religion only hence the Muslims need not to be subjected to such accusations. It is a known case that people who profess other religions such as Christianity, have also lead to the death of many people such as the 1994 Rwanda genocide in which both communities involved were

Osmotic Pressure Effect on Plasma Membrane of Blood Cells

Osmotic Pressure Effect on Plasma Membrane of Blood Cells Syed Ibrahim Introduction The plasma membrane is vital as it defines the boundary between cells and their environment (Heidcamp et al., 2014). Plasma membranes are crucial in maintaining electrochemical gradients, controlling material exchange, and allowing signal transduction (Zhao et al., 2004). The purpose of this lab was to identify isoosmotic solutions by examining the effect of osmotic pressure on the plasma membrane of blood cells and Elodea guard cells; as well as to understand cell viability and membrane integrity using the Trypan blue exclusion assay. To examine the effects of osmosis, animal blood cells and guard cells from Elodea leaves were examined in this lab. Plasma membranes are found in both animal cells and plant cells; however, cell walls are only present in plant cells (Freeman et al., 2011). It was expected that these cells would shrink in hypertonic solutions, stay the same size in isotonic solutions, and swell (in the case of Elodea guard cells) or even burst (in the case of animal blood cells) in hypotonic solutions (Heidcamp et al., 2014). Since glucose has a van’t Hoff factor of 1 while potassium chloride (KCl) has a van’t Hoff factor of 2, it was predicted that 0.15M glucose and 0.07M KCl would be the isoosmotic solutions for both the animal blood and the Elodea guard cells. Concentrations greater than the isoosmotic solution were expected to be hyperosmotic, while concentrations less than it were expected to be hypoosmotic. Viable cells have intact plasma membranes (Heidcamp et al., 2014). In this lab macrophage cells, a type of leukocytes, were treated with various compounds and the effect of these compounds on the membrane of the cells was examined using Trypan blue, which differentially stains viable and non-viable cells based on whether the cells have an intact plasma membrane (Freeman et al., 2011; Strober, 2011). Of the three known compounds, it was predicted that hepes-buffered RPMI (HPMI) would damage the membrane the least as it contains vitamins and supplements, and it was predicted that methyl ÃŽ ²-cyclodextrin (MÃŽ ²CD) would damage the cell the most as it removes cholesterol from plasma membranes (LifeTechnologies, 2013; Rodal et al., 1999). Results The following three equations were used in calculations. Equation 1 was used to calculate osmolarity, in order to determine the osmotic effect of a particular solution, (Heidcamp et al., 2014). Equation 2 was used to calculate osmotic pressure and Equation 3 was used to convert Celsius temperature to kelvin temperature (Heidcamp et al., 2014; USMA, 2012). Where: = osmolarity = van’t Hoff factor = molar concentration Where: = temperature = temperature Where: = osmotic pressure (kPa) = van’t Hoff factor = molar concentration = ideal gas constant = (Chieh, 2002) = temperature Part A: Lab 2 Report Sheets Please refer to attached sheets. Part B: Answers to Assigned Questions Based on the observations of my colleagues and myself, 0.15M glucose and 0.15M potassium chloride (KCl) were the isotonic solutions for the Eloda guard cells, while 0.15M glucose and 0.035M potassium chloride (KCl) were the isotonic solutions for the animal blood cells. Solutions with solute concentrations greater than the isotonic solution were hypertonic, while concentrations less than it were hypotonic. Based on the observations from the lab, 0.6M glucose and 0.3M glucose were hypertonic for both the plant and blood cells, while 0.07M glucose and 0.035M glucose were hypotonic for the plant and blood cells. Additionally, 0.6M KCl, and 0.3M KCl, were hypertonic for the plant cell, while 0.07M KCl and 0.035M KCl were hypotonic for the plant cell. As well, 0.6M KCl, 0.3M KCl, 0.15M KCl, and 0.07M KCl were hypertonic for blood cells while there were no observed hypotonic KCl solutions for blood cells. It is expected that the isotonic solutions of glucose and KCl will have the same osmolarity. Based on Equation 1, osmolarity is the product of the van’t Hoff factor and molar concentration. Since glucose has a van’t Hoff factor of 1 while potassium chloride (KCl) has a van’t Hoff factor of 2, it is expected that glucose will have double the molar concentration of KCl to obtain the same osmolarity in the isotonic solutions. The observations from this lab reveal that for plant cells, glucose and KCl had the same concentrations for isotonic solutions; while for animal cells, glucose had approximately four times the molar concentration of KCl for isotonic solutions. This may have occurred due to the subjective nature of classifying tonicity, and since these observations were split up amongst four groups, their subjective impressions may have been different. Ideally, one group to do all four sets, but due to limited time in the lab, this was not possible. Tween-20 is a non-ionic type of surfactant that can be used solubilizing agent for membrane proteins (Iwahashi et al., 1991; Sigma, 2003). Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a protein that adsorbs onto negatively charged portions of the membrane bilayer, forming temporary gaps in the membrane, thus increasing the permeability of the membrane (Tsunoda et al., 2001). Based on this information, Tween-20 would likely cause more damage on the membrane bilayer, resulting in more blue cells (after the Trypan blue exclusion test). Therefore, the odd unknown is most likely Tween-20, and the even unknown is most likely BSA. Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: Tween 20 [sorted by relevance] Reference: Iwahashi, K., Tsubaki, M., Miyatake, A., Miura, S., Hosokawa, K., Ichikawa, Y. (1991). Catalytic properties of cytochrome P-450scc from bovine and porcine adrenocortical mitochondria: Effect of tween20 concentration. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 38(6), 727-731. Search Engine: Google Search Terms: Tween-20 Reference: Sigma. (2003). Tween-20 (P5927) Product Information. SigmaAldrich. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/content/dam/sigma-aldrich/docs/Sigma/Product_Information_Sheet/1/p5927pis.pdf Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: â€Å"bovine serum albumin† [sorted by relevance] Reference: Tsunoda, T., Imura, T., Kadota, M., Yamazaki, T., Yamauchi, H., Kwon, K. O., et al. (2001). Effects of lysozyme and bovine serum albumin on membrane characteristics of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol liposomes. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 20(2), 155-163. Based on the Trypan blue exclusion assay observations recorded in Table 2.2, unknown 1 (most likely Tween-20) caused the most damage to the plasma membrane as it had the highest percentage of blue cells (60%). Tween-20 belongs to the class of polyoxyethylene sorbate combounds (Boxtel et al., 1990). Among many functions, these compounds solubilize the proteins and lipids found in the plasma membranes, thereby lysing the membranes (Boxtel et al., 1990). This allows Trypan blue to enter the lysed membranes, making them blue. Discussion and Conclusions Summary of findings In the first part of this lab, the effects of osmosis were examined on animal blood cells and Elodea guard cells. It was determined that isoosmotic solutions for the Eloda guard cells were 0.15M glucose and 0.15M potassium chloride (KCl), while the isoosmotic solutions for the animal blood cells were 0.15M glucose and 0.035M KCl. Solutions with solute concentrations greater than the isotonic solution were hypertonic, while concentrations less than it were hypotonic. It was expected that the isotonic solutions of glucose and KCl would have the same osmolarity, since neither of them can easily diffuse across the membrane without the use of a channel or transport protein (Heidcamp et al., 2014) . Based on Equation 1, osmolarity is the product of the van’t Hoff factor and molar concentration. Since glucose has a van’t Hoff factor of 1 while potassium chloride (KCl) has a van’t Hoff factor of 2, it was expected that glucose would have double the molar concentration of KCl to obtain the same osmolarity in the isotonic solutions. The results from this lab do not reflect this theoretical expectation. This may have occurred due to the subjective nature of classifying tonicity. Ideally, one group should to do all four sets of observations for Table 2.1, but due to limited time in the lab, this was not possible. In the second part of this lab, membrane integrity and permeability was examined using the Trypan blue exclusion. Normally Trypan blue is not permeable in living cells. However, if the plasma membrane is not intact, Trypan blue is able to enter the cell, staining it blue (Heidcamp et al., 2014; Strober, 2011). Once treated with the specific compounds (such as glycine or Tween-20), the Trypan blue exclusion assay was performed on the RAW macrophage cells. Afterwards, the number of blue (non-viable) and non-blue (viable) cells were counted and their respective percentages were calculated. Glycine is smallest of the twenty common amino acids, and nearly all (97%) of treated cell remained viable (Freeman et al., 2011). Methyl ÃŽ ²-cyclodextrin (MÃŽ ²CD) is a compound that removes cholesterol from plasma membranes, making the membrane more permeable, and it resulted in only 55% viable cells (Rodal et al., 1999). Hepes-buffered RPMI (HPMI) is a medium that contains vitamins and supplements that can be used for cell growth, and nearly all (98%) of treated cells remained viable (LifeTechnologies, 2013). In addition to these three compounds, the cells were treated with two unknowns. The odd unknown resulted in relatively few (40%) viable cells, while the even unknown resulted in many (85%) viable cells. Tween-20 belongs to a class of detergents which are known to solubilize membrane proteins, thereby lysing the membranes (Boxtel et al., 1990; Iwahashi et al., 1991). Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a protein that forms temporary gaps in the membrane, thus increasing the permeability of the membrane (Tsunoda et al., 2001). Based on the literature, Tween-20 would cause more damage on the plasma membrane resulting in fewer viable cells. Therefore, the odd unknown was determined to be most likely Tween-20, and the even unknown was most likely BSA. Answer to questions An organism that thrives in high-salt environments is known as a halophile, such as Halomonas meridian (James et al., 1990; Ventosa, 1998). Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: halophile Reference: James, S., Dobson, S., Franzmann, P., Mcmeekin, T. (1990). Halomonas meridiana, a New Species of Extremely Halotolerant Bacteria Isolated from Antarctic Saline Lakes. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 13(3), 270-278. Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: halophile Reference: Ventosa, A., Nieto, J., Oren, A. (1998). Biology of Moderately Halophilic Aerobic Bacteria. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 62(2), 504-544. Methyl ÃŽ ²-cyclodextrin (MÃŽ ²CD) is a compound that removes cholesterol from plasma membranes (Rodal et al., 1999). Thus it is expected, that MÃŽ ²CD makes the plasma membrane more permeable, and allows Trypan blue to enter the cell. The results from this lab agree with this, as a relatively large percentage (45%) of cells treated with MÃŽ ²CD was stained blue in the Trypan blue exclusion assay. Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: methyl beta cyclodextrin Reference: Rodal, S. K., Skretting, G., Garred, O., Vilhardt, F., Deurs, B. V., Sandvig, K. (1999). Extraction of Cholesterol with Methyl-beta -Cyclodextrin Perturbs Formation of Clathrin-coated Endocytic Vesicles. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 10(4), 961-974. The predictions are below: Acetone is an organic solvent that solubilizes lipids from the plasma membrane (Jamur Oliver, 2010). High concentrations of acetone can disrupt lipid packing in the membrane, thereby increasing membrane fluidity and permeability (Posokhov Kyrychenko, 2013). Therefore is predicted that acetone will increase cell permeability and allow some of the Trypan blue into the cell, staining some cells blue. Methanol is an organic solvent that dissolves lipids from the plasma membrane (Jamur et al., 2010). Methanol can increase the rotational mobility of membrane lipids, increasing its fluidity (Joo et al., 2012). Similar to acetone, it is expected that methanol will increase cell permeability and allow some of the Trypan blue into the cell, staining some cells blue. Saponin is a detergent that selectively removes cholesterol from the plasma membrane, resulting in small holes in the membrane (Jamur et al., 2010). This would act in a manner similar to MÃŽ ²CD, likely causing the cell to be permeable to Trypan blue and staining many cells blue. Triton X-100 is a non-ionic detergent that non-selectively solubilizes proteins from the plasma membrane (Jamur et al., 2010). This would act in a manner similar to Tween-20, likely causing the cell to be highly permeable to Trypan blue and staining a large percentage of them blue. Search Engine: PubMed Search Terms: cell membrane permeability Reference: Jamur, M. C., Oliver, C. (2010). Permeabilization of cell membranes. Immunocytochemical Methods and Protocols, 588, 63-68. Search Engine: Web of Science Search Terms: effect of acetone on membranes Reference: Posokhov, Y. O., Kyrychenko, A. (2013). Effect of acetone accumulation on structure and dynamics of lipid membranes studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Computational Biology and Chemistry, 46, 23-31. References Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2008).Molecular Biology of the Cell(5th ed.). New York: Garland Science. Boxtel, R. M., Lambrecht, R. S., Collins, M. T. (1990). Effect of polyoxyethylene sorbate compounds (Tweens) on colonial morphology, growth, and ultrastructure of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Apmis, 98(7-12), 901-908. Chieh, C. (2002). The Ideal Gas Law. Ideal Gas. Retrieved October 5, 2014, from http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c120/idealgas.html Freeman, S., Harrington, M., Sharp, J. (2011). Biological Science (Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada. Heidcamp, W., Antonescu, C., Botelho, R., Victorio-Walz, L. (2014).Laboratory Manual: Cell Biology BLG311(Fall 2014 ed.). Toronto: Ryerson University. Iwahashi, K., Tsubaki, M., Miyatake, A., Miura, S., Hosokawa, K., Ichikawa, Y. (1991). Catalytic properties of cytochrome P-450scc from bovine and porcine adrenocortical mitochondria: Effect of tween20 concentration. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 38(6), 727-731. James, S., Dobson, S., Franzmann, P., Mcmeekin, T. (1990). Halomonas meridiana, a New Species of Extremely Halotolerant Bacteria Isolated from Antarctic Saline Lakes. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 13(3), 270-278. Jamur, M. C., Oliver, C. (2010). Permeabilization of cell membranes. Immunocytochemical Methods and Protocols, 588, 63-68. Joo, H., Jang, H., Yun, I., Bae, S., Chung, I., Bae, M., et al. (2012). The Effect of Methanol on the Structural Parameters of Neuronal Membrane Lipid Bilayers. The Korean Journal of Physiology Pharmacology, 16(4), 255. LifeTechnologies. (2013). RPMI 1640 Medium, HEPES. Cell Culture Transfection Reagents. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://www.lifetechnologies.com/order/catalog/product/22400089#productDetailPage Posokhov, Y. O., Kyrychenko, A. (2013). Effect of acetone accumulation on structure and dynamics of lipid membranes studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Computational Biology and Chemistry, 46, 23-31. Rodal, S. K., Skretting, G., Garred, O., Vilhardt, F., Deurs, B. V., Sandvig, K. (1999). Extraction of Cholesterol with Methyl-beta -Cyclodextrin Perturbs Formation of Clathrin-coated Endocytic Vesicles. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 10(4), 961-974. Sigma. (2003). Tween-20 (P5927) Product Information. SigmaAldrich. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/content/dam/sigma-aldrich/docs/Sigma/Product_Information_Sheet/1/p5927pis.pdf Strober, W. (2011). Trypan blue exclusion test of cell viability. Current Protocols in Immunology, 21(3B), A.3B.1–A.3B.2. Tsunoda, T., Imura, T., Kadota, M., Yamazaki, T., Yamauchi, H., Kwon, K. O., et al. (2001). Effects of lysozyme and bovine serum albumin on membrane characteristics of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol liposomes. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 20(2), 155-163. USMA. (2012). Metric System Temperature. U.S. Metric Association. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/temps.htm Ventosa, A., Nieto, J., Oren, A. (1998). Biology of Moderately Halophilic Aerobic Bacteria. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 62(2), 504-544. Zhao, Y., Zhang, W., Kho, Y., Zhao, Y. (2004). Proteomic Analysis of Integral Plasma Membrane Proteins. Analytical Chemistry, 76(7), 1817-1823.

hierarchy of Morality :: essays research papers

Excerpt from â€Å"The Immorality of Morals and the Future of Amorality† Most authors seem to promote one or the other of two functions for morality, internal cohesion and external threat. However morality served both equally well. In Darwinism, Dominance and Democracy by Somit and Peterson, the authors state, "Humans are social primates, closely (almost embarrassingly) akin genetically to the chimpanzees and only slightly less so to the gorillas. Working over at least 10 million years, natural selection has endowed the social primates with a predisposition (to understate the matter) for hierarchical social structures. That is, they invariably form groups, troops, tribes, and societies characterized by marked differences in individual status in terms of dominance and submission, command and obedience, and by unequal access to many of the good things of life. This form of morality then serves inclusive fitness; it is there for one reason, to improve the survivability of the tribe. SOMIT AND PETERSON later state, "Indoctrinability, then, toge ther with dominance, hierarchy, and obedience, is one of the innate behavioral capacities and characteristics of our species. As might be expected, in most instances indoctrinability serves to support and reinforce these generally authoritarian tendencies. Under other and fairly special conditions, though, indoctrinability provides a window of opportunity for the acceptance of democratic ideas and of political actions that, if successful, lead to the establishment of a democratic polity." And later, "From a neo-Darwinian perspective, individual selection for indoctrinability in a language-capable species makes sound evolutionary sense. When individuals accept the same values, conflict and violence will be diminished, resulting in a more stable society. From the vantage point of the conforming individual, relative order and tranquility, in turn, are likely to result in greater reproductive success and, hence, inclusive fitness." The idea of morals and values are one of the most debated topics in the world of critical thinking. Life times can be spent philosophizing about the morality of our human race and the shared â€Å"innate† values. Hence forth this excerpt which talks directly (as well as indirectly) about the genealogy of values and morals in a society of humans comparatively to that of nature. There are many ideas brought forth from this paragraph, most stemming from the doctor of the Natural Selection, Charles Darwin. The basis of Darwin’s studies stem from change over a long period of time for the betterment of a group or species. Darwin’s studies that mostly of physiological changes revert to development of needed traits for the increased survival of a group.

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Emma Thompson she creates a vivid and dramatic film by conveying the original author’s intent. Sense and Sensibility is a 1995 British drama film directed by Ang Lee. The screenplay by Emma Thompson is based on the 1811 novel of the same name by Jane Austen. The actors develop their characters and had an amazing performance. Throughout the movie Michael Coulter took advantage of the use of cinematic techniques. Also in the film included a lot of thematic ideas that depicted in some way the era and conventions in order to maintain certain thematic ideas.Through the use of character portrayal, visual imagery, and thematic ideas the film writer creates a successful movie. The actors develop their characters and had an amazing performance. All characters played an excellent dramatic role and each of them stood out as individuals. Barbara Shulgasser of the San Francisco Examiner states, â€Å"Thompson creates a world so believable in its absurd rigidity th at we feel we have known these characters all our lives. † She brings the characters alive through the diction she is presented to the viewers.In the film each character has a role and each character plays that role and that helps to get the author’s character across to the audience. Throughout the movie Michael Coulter took advantage of the use of cinematic techniques. Jenny Beaven and John Bright develop setting, costuming and make-up to help give viewers a visual story as well as auditory. Jack Kroll opined, â€Å"As writer and actress, Thompson has all right Austen rhythms and filmmaker Ang Lee orchestrates with sensitivity and style.The screen teems and brilliant costumes and crackles with dialogue that turns English into verbal Mozart. † Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works and is one of the most enduringly popular classical composers. For the movie to be compared to one of the most popular cla ssical composer show the hard work and dedication to a great performance. Through the use of pantomime and action characters creates an interesting environment and develop the different themes.Also in the film included a lot of thematic ideas that depicted in some way the era and conventions in order to maintain certain thematic ideas. Usually when two individuals have a mutual connection fate will combine the soul mates together; that theme is related to the film because of the beginning to the end the results were unpredictable. Barbara Shulgasser of the San Francisco Examiner enthused, â€Å"The movie is so intelligently wrought, and so full of good spirit that even those who have behaved badly are at the end given the chance to seem human and pained by their own weaknesses.At the end of the movie everyone was married; they experience both romance and heartbreak. In conclusion through the use of character portrayal, visual imagery, and thematic ideas the film writer creates a su ccessful movie. The characters help to promote the movie through great performances. The cinematic technique was used creatively and helps dramatically disclose the story. Thematically the information is presented in someway about the era and conventions in order to maintain certain thematic ideas.

Competency, Alliance Building, and Character

â€Å"Competency† is technically defined as â€Å"the behaviors that employees must possess or must obtain to input into a situation to be able to complete high levels of performance† (Le Deist et. al., 2005). â€Å"Alliance Building†, on the other hand, is technically defined as â€Å"the ability to work with other members of the workforce† (Competency.., n.d.). Explaining further, an employee should be able to: 1) exhibit capabilities within the group; 2) respect or value other co-employees or co-workers in spite of cultural and individual differences; 3) assume multiplicity of tasks and functions while working with other people; 4) listen, contribute ideas, show inventiveness, acknowledge other peoples’ inputs/involvement/contribution; 5) identify and describe group responsibilities; 6) accept constructive criticisms; 7) distinguish conflict;8) utilize â€Å"conflict management skills† including: identification of conflict, knowing the iss ues, taking into consideration other employees’ points of view, thinking of solutions, brainstorming the results, explaining the resolution process appropriate to the job, justification of the option selected, application of the choice picked, as well as, reflecting on the result/effect; 9) etc (Competency.., n.d.). â€Å"Character†, however, technically refers to â€Å"the positive characteristics that an employee should possess to be able to carry out his or her task and functions excellently† (Competency.., n.d.). These positive characteristics include the following: 1) confidence; 2) willingness to accept responsibilities; 3) capability of working realistically; 4) ability to develop great beliefs consequently reflecting an excellent character; 5) capacity to relate with other employees who â€Å"show signs of character†; 6) honesty; 7) tolerance; 8) wisdom; 9) â€Å"selfless service†; 10) hardworking; 11) concerned with others and not just him self or herself (Tartaglia, 1999).â€Å"Competency†, â€Å"alliance building†, as well as, â€Å"character† contribute largely to success (Tartaglia, 1999). All the aforementioned are needed in order for a person to succeed in any given endeavor (Tartaglia, 1999). Let us take for instance, in the workplace, specifically in a restaurant, an employee should possess competency so that he or she will be able to perform at his or her best (Tartaglia, 1999). He or she should always strive to cook and serve the best dishes (Tartaglia, 1999). Furthermore, alliance building should also be included in his vocabulary, because if for instance, he or she feels that he or she is always right or blames/resents others, he or she is impatient or intolerant, he or she is a fault-finder, then he or she does not have the capability to work with others (Tartaglia, 1999).In addition to that, if he or she has excuse for every mistake or failure he or she commits, then he or she does n ot have the â€Å"character† to make it or to succeed in his or her chosen endeavor (Tartaglia, 1999). Similarly, if he or she is dishonest, as well as, if he or she is unwilling to go the extra mile to serve others, for instance, he is only willing to work during his or her schedule and does not voluntarily help others especially if he or she feels that his or her work is already done for the day, then he or she does not have the â€Å"character† needed to succeed in his or her chosen career (Tartaglia, 1999).Another field where â€Å"competency†, â€Å"alliance building†, and â€Å"character† is necessitated is in the â€Å"Research Consultancy Firm† (Tartaglia, 1999). Here researchers should have competency to perform very well; this in not only to keep their jobs but to be promoted as well (Tartaglia, 1999). They should be able to satisfy their clients with their research works, thus competency is really required (Tartaglia, 1999). Allia nce building is also important in the Research Consultancy Firm, for instance, the researchers need statisticians to do statistical analysis for them to be able to complete their research works so they really need to be flexible enough to work with others (Tartaglia, 1999). Last but not least, doing research takes a lot of time, energy, and patience, thus â€Å"character† is needed in order to succeed in it (Tartaglia, 1999). Also, since satisfaction of clients is very important in this field, it is important that researchers learn to accept constructive criticisms, negative feedback, and great understanding to be able to improve, if not perfect, their work (Tartaglia, 1999).ReferencesCIPD. (2007). Competency and Competency Frameworks. Retrieved September 1, 2007 fromhttp://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/perfmangmt/competnces/comptfrmwk.htmCompetency-Based Performance Standard for Ability to Work with Others. (n.d.). RetrievedSeptember 1, 2007 fromhttp://www.ed.state.nh.us/education /doe/organization/adultlearning/Guidance/rubrics/work-others.htmLE DEIST, F.D. and WINTERTON, J. (2005). What is competency? Human ResourceDevelopment International, 8(1), 27-46.Tartaglia, L.A. (1999).   The Seven Marks of Character. Retrieved September 1, 2007 fromhttp://home.earthlink.net/~denmartin/fla.html

Profile of Gangster John Dapper Don Gotti

Profile of Gangster John 'Dapper Don' Gotti The following is a profile of John Gotti, the former godfather of the powerful Gambino family. Born: October 27, 1940, in Bronx, New York Childhood Years At the age of 12, his family moved to a rough part of Brooklyn, New York.Gotti dropped out of school in the eighth grade and began his full-time involvement in street gangs and petty crimes. 1960 - 1969 In his mid-twenties, he became associated with the Gambino Family and became close to Underboss Aniello Dellacroce. Gottis specialty at that time was hijacking freight trucks at Kennedy Airport.On March 6, 1962, Gotti married Victoria DiGiorgio, by whom he had five children: Angela (born 1961), Victoria, John, Frank and Peter.In 1969, he was sentenced to three years in prison for hijacking. 1970 - 1979 In 1973, he participated in the killing of James McBratney. McBratney was one of three kidnappers and murderers of Manny Gambino, nephew to Carlo Gambino.John Gotti was convicted of the murder and sentenced to seven years in prison, two of which he served before being released.Once out of prison, Gotti moved quickly up the ranks, for his part in the McBratney murder. During that same time, dying Carlo Gambino appointed Paul Castellano as his successor.Now a capo, Gottis loyalty laid with his mentor, Neil Dellacroce, and it was well known the Gotti felt Gambino should have appointed Dellacroce as his successor and not Castellano.Around 1978, Gotti was named a capo and continued to work in top ranks under Dellacroce. 1980 - 1989 Personal disaster struck the Gotti home. John Favara, a friend and neighbor, ran over and killed Gottis 12-year old son, Frank. The incident was deemed an accident. Four months later, Favara vanished, never to be seen again.In February 1985, Castellano and five Family bosses were indicted in the Commission Case. Castellano was also was faced with the news that his mansion was wiretapped and conversations were overheard which resulted in some of Gottis crew getting indicted for narcotic trafficking.During that same time, Castellano gave Thomas Bilotti the capo position, which put him and Gotti on the same level. It was said that once Dellacroce died, Bilotti would be named Underboss, putting him in the position of Godfather in the event Castellano went to prison.Faced with the prospect of life in prison, many worried Castellano might turn coat.In December 1985, Dellacroce died of cancer. Two weeks later Castellano and Bilotti were shot to death in Manhattan. Gotti Becomes Godfather of the Gambino Family With Castellano, Bilotti and Dellacroce all gone, Gotti took control of the largest Mafia family in the nation, setting up his headquarters at the Ravenite Social Club.In 1986, Gotti was charged with racketeering but managed to elude prosecution.Over the next few years, Gotti became a media hound. He paraded in his expensive suits and coats for the media, who always seemed to be there ready to take his picture.The press nicknamed him Dapper Don because of his charismatic charm and good looks, and Teflon Don because charges against him never seemed to stick.Gotti demanded that the Family capos and soldiers come to the Ravenite to show their respect to him. This compromised many of them by exposing them to television coverage, a fact that late came back to haunt some of them. Gottis Downfall Begins After bugging the Ravenite Social Club, the FBI eventually managed to get an RICO (Racketeer-Influenced Corrupt Organization Act of 1970)Â  case against him because of over 100 hours of tape that implicated him and others in racketeering schemes.Underboss, Sammy the Bull Gravano, after hearing Gotti saying derogatory things about him, turned coat and partnered with the government to testify against Gotti.Gravano confessed to 19 murders but received complete immunity for his testimony against John Gotti. His nickname Sammy the Bull then changed to Sammy the Rat. Gravano was given only a five-year sentence and then entered the Witness Protection Program.Gotti and several associates were arrested in 1990. Gotti was convicted by a jury in the United States District Court in New York on April 2, 1992, for 14 counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, loan sharking, racketeering, obstruction of justice, illegal gambling, and tax evasion. John Gotti Jr. was acting boss for Gotti while he was in prison. Gottis Prison Years His time in prison was not easy. He was sent to an older federal penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, where he was kept in a solitary-confinement cell 23 hours a day for nine years.June 10, 2002, after battling cancer for several years, John Gotti died at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.A large funeral was held in New York City, where many members of the Gambino Crime Family came to pay their final respects to their fallen leader. The Aftermath It is said that John Gotti, Jr. is now the head of the Gambino Crime Family.

Color scope Case Management Accounting Essay Example

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

#1 - Essay Example As such, the seven sins as provided by Brown are applicable in describing the nature of man and the character that may dwell in him if controlled by them. Besides, Brown names seven virtues which are cardinals to human living. These, he relates to faith, hope charity, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. The temperance of a person determines the ability to take charge and respond to a situation properly and whether hot or cold, it must be controlled. By virtue, man lives by faith and hope, it is what keeps him going and living. In the event of acquiring more wealth, it is good to be helpful and have mercy to others. This is a true virtue of charity (Olsson, pg.80). The traits provided are guidelines to what human character should be based on. Like Mahatma Gandhi wrote, knowledge without character and science without humanity could be among the blunders that cause violence. It is also true to note that a society lacking the necessary virtues and possesses by the described sins may be a plagued

To what extent (if any) is racism a product of modernity Answer with Essay

To what extent (if any) is racism a product of modernity Answer with reference to the writings of David Goldberg - Essay Example It is vital, however, to demonstrate its modernity if we are to show how racism, rather than being a problem of individual pathology, is embedded in the structures of the modern nation-state.† (Lentin) David Theo Goldberg, leading scholar of critical race theory, contends, â€Å"Race is one of the central conceptual inventions of modernity" and that "we have come, if often only silently, to conceive of social subjects foremost in racial terms.† (Goldberg, Racist Culture p.3) Throughout his work, The Racial State, he further argues â€Å"that race has marked modernity and its development constitutively, that the racial state is in this sense the paradigmatically modern social formation." (Goldberg, Racial State, p.148) In his view the modern state sees itself as homogenous, seeing anyone who does not fit the social mold as worthy of exclusion. The exclusion can be as literal as segregation or figurative as in the sense that members must assimilate or be ostracized. This shows the central racist tendency of the modern state and racism as a product of that tendency. Anthropologist Audrey Smedley views race and racism in this way. â€Å"I argue that race was institutionalised beginning in the 18th century as a worldview, a set of culturally created attitudes and beliefs about human group differences.† Smedley is convinced of this, and along with many modern anthropologists believes that the basis for current racism has its roots in African slavery specifically. She does not make the claim for slavery itself as the root of racism, since before the modern era many people were enslaved. In Malik’s view, Smedley’s contention is somewhat courageous. â€Å"For much of the past half century, politicians and scientists have largely spoken with a single voice on the issue of race. The experience of Nazism and the Holocaust made racial science politically unacceptable. It also shaped the scientific consensus that race was a social myth, not a

Takehome midterm Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Takehome midterm - Assignment Example Bus on the other hand reasons that males get jealous due to physical cheating since he may not be certain about the paternity of the child born out of the relationship. Therefore, the thought of not being the father is laced with jealousy. On the part of women, emotional jealousy springs up if the woman is not sure about protection of resources for the children. According to these thinkers and scholars, the brain is configured with inbuilt with innate or unchangeable parts or forms of computational intuitions. This is to say that human beings are born with some skewed form intelligence which is to imply that human minds are pre-disposed with some form of knowledge. For instance, if a person is born, he or she would intuitively know what plants, people, non-living things, living things are. However, if a physical impact or injury is occasioned to the brain, then it would mean that the brain would be in a position to recall all the things that it had learnt and knew prior to the injury. This is to imply that a brain damage or injury cannot erase all the things and concepts that the brain knew prior to the injury on it. 3) Pinker and Tomasello both address the issue of poverty of stimulus when trying to explain language acquisition. How does it support Pinker’s view, and what does Tomasello have to say about Pinker’s argument? According to Pinker, human brains are innately and unequipped with the ability of them to speak languages even if the people are not necessarily the taught. This is to say once a person is born, he or she would have the instinctive ability to speak a language regardless of the geographic environment in which the person is born into. According to his line of thoughts and arguments, a child once born would have the ability to speak instinctive languages, but since their brains develop, it becomes difficult for their developing brains to grow accordingly since there are not educated on

Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Report - Coursework Example Communication can only be successful and effective, it has to be two way. Therefore, this implies that a good manager should not only be a good orator but also a good listener. This means that it is not only the managers who would be the cause of communication breakdown in the organisation but the employees as well. Employees need to have the confidence to share any concerns they may have concerning the running of the organisation since in the end they also have some stake in the performance of the organisation. The aim of this report was to identify the possible causes of lack of communication in the organization, and from these propose possible recommendations that could ensure better management, and greater and better communication between managers and the staff. Fear makes the staff feel the urge to protect them. In such a case, they are likely not to be open to sharing any interests or thoughts pertaining to their work in the organisation. Consequently, this will result in subdued communication in the organisation. This makes it hard for the staff in the organisation to work towards attaining the goals and objectives of the organisation. Inevitably, the organisation will suffer and lose its competitive edge in the overly competitive market. According to the egalitarian theories of leadership, everyone at the place of work are equal and need to be treated like so. This will ensure that the employees feel free enough to easily share their views. In an instance where the members of the organisation lack any form of commitment to the achievement of the goals and objectives, they tend to slack. They will not have the drive to perform well or do their assigned work to the best of their abilities. The staff will barely focus on what it takes in order for the organisation to success. The result of this is normally lack of communication. According to Douglas McGregor’s Theory Y of management

Lean implementation and supply chain development at Oak Hills Case Study

Lean implementation and supply chain development at Oak Hills - Case Study Example The mergers and acquisitions which characterize the company have an implication on the supply chain and thus it is necessary that the company implements strategies which will not impact negatively on the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain. The competition in the market is growing as illustrated by the rise of competitors such as Triangle Corps. The competition is stiff within the market because the two companies deal in the same products and services. The essence of effective supply chain development within Oak Hills is attributed to the fact that the company is in the process of being acquired even though the acquisition process has not been successfully completed. The revenues of the company are expected to rise as the combination of companies is to offer an array of upstream services. Oak Hills is in dire need of improving its supply chain processes in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. The special testing instrument as the main product of the Oaks Hill manufacturing facility requires applying a lean system in ensuring that all of the operations within the supply chain are coordinated. With the headquarters of Oaks Hill being in Houston, it needs to coordinate the activities of all of its branches so that they are integrated into a common business unit. As a result, the special project of the facility in testing oil and gas exploration can achieve its goals and objectives. The most important stakeholder of any supply chain is the customer (Hilletofth and David 264). This means that customers must be given priority consideration in the processing of the activities of a supply chain. Both the external and internal customers of the facility must be given due consideration in the supply of the products so that their needs are met. The effectiveness of a supply chain can only be achieved through the

People Management & Performance in Contemporary Organisations Essay

People Management & Performance in Contemporary Organisations - Essay Example From this study it is clear that an effective performance appraisal system should also be implemented that will rate the employees according to their performance. Thus, adopting all these measures, the company can reduce its high attrition rate of graduate trainees and continue the normal organisational activities with greater productivity.This report stresses that  Pearl and Mutual Benefit Insurance Company (PMIC) is a financial service based organisation wherein higher rate of attrition of the employees has been witnessed. This can be justified with reference to the data produced at the end of the year 2014 revealing that 60% of the recruited graduate trainees have left the company for varied purposes such as change in career settings by shifting from one sector to other. One of the reasons behind this disturbing fact can be deemed as the persistence of inefficiency in the procedure of recruiting and selecting the trainees. It will be vital to mention in this similar concern that the recruitment procedure of PMIC must be structured in a strategic manner in order to select the potential graduates who would deemed fit with the company’s sales and hard driving oriented culture.  In accordance with the provided data on the case study, it can be ascertained that several graduate trainees who have been expensively recruited as well as trained have not obtained high ratings for their respective performance during annual appraisalsa.

Parenting Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parenting Today - Essay Example These parents know the best way of disciplining their children. This is so because they can watch the activities of the children and thus know them better. Punishment methods such as time outs enable the children to reflect on their behavior. Disciplined children are more likely to do well in academics especially when their parents are available at home to assist them. In addition, their availability helps their children deal effectively with any stressful issue that they may have (Brooks, 2011). There is a variety of factors that influence spillover. Work-family spillover occurs when the activities that take place at work affect an individual at home. On the other side, family-work spillover occurs when activities at home affects an individual at work. Job satisfaction results in to positive spillover and thus an individual go to his family with energy and satisfaction (Brooks, 2011). The sections of the population who experience positive spillover are mostly individuals who are satisfied with their positions at work. In addition, parents who spend time with their children experience positive spillover. Many studies have indicated that families enhance positive spillover. The sections of the population that have families thus experience positive spillover. A family composed of a father, a mother and two children can enhance the performance of the parents at work. One child can be very young and in kindergarten. The other child can be approaching adolescent. This family is likely to have a delightful time together, and activities that members can engage in are numerous. The parents will have to teach the young child how to read and write, and this can be satisfying and enjoyable to the parents. They have to advice the older child too on various issues such as changes occurring in his or her body. Such a family is small and thus easy for each of the parents to manage. The parents can also have spare time to discuss their

People Management & Performance in Contemporary Organisations Essay

People Management & Performance in Contemporary Organisations - Essay Example From this study it is clear that an effective performance appraisal system should also be implemented that will rate the employees according to their performance. Thus, adopting all these measures, the company can reduce its high attrition rate of graduate trainees and continue the normal organisational activities with greater productivity.This report stresses that  Pearl and Mutual Benefit Insurance Company (PMIC) is a financial service based organisation wherein higher rate of attrition of the employees has been witnessed. This can be justified with reference to the data produced at the end of the year 2014 revealing that 60% of the recruited graduate trainees have left the company for varied purposes such as change in career settings by shifting from one sector to other. One of the reasons behind this disturbing fact can be deemed as the persistence of inefficiency in the procedure of recruiting and selecting the trainees. It will be vital to mention in this similar concern that the recruitment procedure of PMIC must be structured in a strategic manner in order to select the potential graduates who would deemed fit with the company’s sales and hard driving oriented culture.  In accordance with the provided data on the case study, it can be ascertained that several graduate trainees who have been expensively recruited as well as trained have not obtained high ratings for their respective performance during annual appraisalsa.

Robin Hood Case Study Essay Example for Free

Robin Hood Case Study Essay 1) Create a basic organization chart for Robin Hood and his men. Robin Hood organization has a centralized top-down management style structure. Robin Hood is the CEO of the organization; his four lieutenants are directors of specific departments which are responsible for providing research and gathering information, finances, training, and provisioning. 2) What problems does Robin Hood have? What top 4 issues need to be addressed? * Misalignment of goals of the top executives and the subordinates (Robin Hood’s primarily goal is the personal vendetta with the Sheriff, while the main purpose of the majority of Merrymen is to reallocate wealth from rich to the poor or simply to gain profits) * Obsolete strategy to generate revenues (Travelers started to avoid the forest not to have their goods confiscated) * Food shortage (the growing band started to exceed food capacities of the forest) * The growing strength of the rivals (The Sheriff was growing stronger and becoming better organized) 3) Do Robin Hood and the Merrymen need a new mission and plan? Is continuing with the present course of action an option or is that now obsolete? The old mission of the Robin Hood has become obsolete due to certain changes in the internal and external environment. The old ways to generate revenues do not yield the expected results any longer as the travelers started to avoid the forest. There is mounting evidence that the old strategy is not working as the organization is facing a financial crisis. The declining vigilance and discipline of the Merrymen represent a growing problem that need to be addressed immediately. The shared enmity against the Sheriff which united the Merrymen of the organization has become of secondary importance to the new members leading to misalignment of goals. Therefore, Robin Hood and Merrymen need a new mission in order to respond to both internal and external changes. 4) Do you think make sense to impose a fixed transit tax to counter the decline in revenues? Why or why not? Imposing a transit tax on the travelers as a part of a new strategy of the organization can yield numerous benefits to its members. The flow of customers will increase as rich members will prefer to pay a tax and reach their destination faster going through the Sherwood Forest. They will not be afraid to have their goods confiscated. Transit tax will help to generate constant revenues and provide sustainable income to the group. The problems of insufficient funding and scarce resources will be solved. In order to convince the Merrymen that it is a good idea and not to lose farmers and townspeople as the allies, tax collection should be given a good cause. The part of the imposed taxes can be donated to raise the ransom for popular king Richard. 5) What is your opinion about expanding the band’s operations to a larger area around Sherwood Forest as a way of solving these problems? Why or why not is this a good idea? Expansion of the raiding area is a good tactical move as it can solve some problems associated with financing, scarce recourses, and even discipline. Since travelers are avoiding the forest, the scope of the operations needs to be extended outside of the forest in order to generate revenues. The gang needs to be broken down into smaller units in order to cover the extended area. Consequently it will be easier to train, organize, an enforce discipline in smaller units of Merrymen supervised by managers. 6) Should they try and end the campaign by killing the sheriff? Why or why not? Killing the Sheriff would only satisfy the thirst for Robin Hood’s revenge; however, it is unlikely to solve all the problems that organization faces. In fact it could also worsen the matter. The Prince would appoint the next Sheriff who would be just as bad if not worse. The friends and allies of the Sheriff would seek revenge and put more efforts into capturing Robin Hood. One of the common goals that united Merrymen which is the shared enmity and hatred against the Sheriff will be lost with the death of the Sheriff. 7) What are the pros and cons of accepting the offer of the Barons to assist in securing King Richard’s release from prison? There are numerous advantages in accepting the offer of the barons: * The gang will be granted amnesty and will not face persecution from the authorities any longer. * Robin Hood and Merrymen will eventually end the campaign against the Sherriff. * If the rescue is successful, they will return their law abiding life, become national heroes, and will enjoy the benefits of the new position such as generous rewards and protection from the new king. * By putting a fair and intelligent king on the thrown, Merrymen will help to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population of England. However, accepting the offer is a dangerous and risky venture. * Robin Hood and Merrymen will face a very powerful rival, Prince John, who has an army of trained soldiers, numerous spies, and abundant recourses. * In case of failure of the new campaign, the revenge of t he Prince John can be detrimental and can put an end to Robin Hood and his organization. 8) What course of action of the above choices would you recommend to Robin? Be specific about why you chose this and how it addresses the problems you identified in question 2. Robin should accept the offer of the barons to help to rescue King Richard. As mentioned above the new strategy of the organization will provide numerous benefits and help to solve many existing problems. New mission will align the goals and objectives of the top executive and other members of the group, ensuring consistency in overall strategy. Imposing a transient tax to raise money for the ransom will help to achieve financial strength of the organization. The travelers, farmers and townspeople who are interested in overthrowing Prince John will be willing to help Robin Hood and provide them with provision and financial resources, resolving the problems of the food shortage. Forming strategic alliance with the baron will help to gain competitive edge over the rivals. 9) How should Robin implement your recommended strategy? Make a list of the top five specific action steps (tactics) that he needs to take in order to implement this plan. * Meet with the barons (Inform the barons about accepting the offer, obtain details about King Richard captivity) * Enforce security within the organization (Stop recruiting new agents and improve internal control over Merrymen not to let the spies of Prince John find out about the new plan) * Send spies to Prince John’s court to be aware of rivals’ actions * Introduce a transient tax in order to raise money for ransom * Form a team that will deliver ransom and free King Richard 10) Show a new organization chart for Robin Hood and his men, based on whatever new course of action you recommend in question 8.

Effects Of Climate Change On Vietnamese Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay

Effects Of Climate Change On Vietnamese Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay In the last decade, an overwhelming consensus has emerged among the worlds most reputable climate scientists that the world has entered a period of rapid global climate change, much of which is accountable to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (NSAC 2009). The agreement is demonstrated in the 1996 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body of leading natural and social scientists sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization. According to the panels report, an equivalent doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration will force a rise in global average surface temperature of 1.0 to 3.5 degrees Celsius by 2100. It will result in an increase of sea level by 19 to 59 cm. Because a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, average precipitation also will go up as much 10 to 15 percent (IPCC 2007). Agriculture is highly sensitive to climate variability and weather extremes, such as droughts, floods and severe storms. Even warmer climate may give positive effects on food production, the increased potential for droughts, floods and heat waves will pose challenges for farmers. Global climate change is also expected to impact agriculture by causing shifts in precipitation, soil quality, pest regimes, and seasonal growth patterns (NSAC 2009). The exact nature and degree of these changes for any given region will be difficult to predict. CASE OF VIETNAM Situated in South East Asia in the Indochinese Peninsula, Vietnam territory is lasting from 8Â °15 to 23Â °22 latitude and between 102Â °8 to 109Â °30 longitude (ADPC 2003). It has 329,314 sq. km of natural area, in which 7,348.5 thousand hectares (22.2 percent) is arable land, with population about 83 millions (WHO). Viet Nam lies in the region of tropical monsoon climate with a high temperature. The average temperature varies between 21Â °C and 27Â °C, rainfall volume of 1800-2000 mm/year and is not evenly distributed among the months of the year (Tran 2009). Versatile and various climates of the regions create a variety of vegetation and domestic animals which originated in the temperate, sub-tropical and tropical regions. Being an agricultural country, 75 percent of Vietnamese labor-force is engaged in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. This sector contributes roughly 20 percent to the GDP. The output value structure of agriculture, forestry and fisheries was 77 percent, 4 percent and 19 percent, respectively (Tran 2009). Vietnam is likely one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, because of its geographical location (Oxfam 2008). During the last 50 years, Viet Nams annual average surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.50 0.70 C, while the sea level along its coastline has risen by approximately 20 cm (ISPONRE 2009). The El-Nino and La-Nina phenomena have caused increasingly adverse impacts to Viet Nam. Changes in climate can have serious implications for economic development, especially in the agricultural sector, due to its direct exposure to and dependence on weather and other natural conditions. Studies for the Southeast Asian region show that climate change could lower agricultural productivity 2-15 percent in Vietnam (Bingxin et al. 2009). It is very likely that global warming is leading to an increase in weather extremes like heat waves and heavy rainfall. Droughts will occur more often, and that tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense. Vietnam has always been suffering from extreme weather events and is struck by typhoons annually. Strong winds and sea surges cause death and destruction along the narrow and low-lying coastal area, while heavy rains hit the mountainous hinterland and river deltas with floods and landslides (Vietnam Red Cross 2007). For example, the river flood in Mekong Delta in 2000 killed 548 people; it flooded and damaged 401,342 ha of rice fields. An estimated loss of this flood is about 250 million USD (Chaudhry Ruysschaert 2007). The peak occurrence for typhoon landfalls has been during the month of October in the Central region and November in the South. A partial explanation of this lies in the sea surface temperatures (SSTs), which decrease later in the season. T yphoons are generated where SSTs are 26 Â °C or above, and by September, this is only found in those ocean areas further south where the SST remains around 25-28 Â °C throughout the year (ADPC 2003). Climate change may lead to an increase in sea surface temperatures in higher latitudes and a resulting increase of typhoon activity in North Vietnam. An increase of extreme events, both in intensity and duration, will be the most catastrophic preventing the agriculture development. Flood damage is expected to be aggravated because of a predicted increase in daily rainfall of 12 19% by 2070. In other times of the year, an increase in evaporation and the variation in rainfall will intensify drought problems about 3 percent in coastal zones and 8 percent in inland areas by 2070 (Chaudhry Ruysschaert 2007). Climate change impacts on agriculture are also channeled through changes in temperature. According to the third assessment report of IPCC, the temperature in this century will increase by 4-50 C. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) modeler determined that, as a general rule, yield of rice will decrease by 0.5 ton per hectare for every 10C increase in growing seasonal minimum temperature (Javellana 2007). According to the medium emissions scenario, the average temperature is expected to increase by nearly 2Â °C in the southern regions of Viet Nam and up to 2.8Â °C in the northern regions by 2100. However, in the high emissions scenario this could be as much as 3.6Â °C in the North Central Coast region (United Nation 2009). So, it is predicted that yields of summer rice will decrease by 3 6% by 2070 when compared to the 1960-1998 period. The impact on spring rice may be more serious, especially in the north where yields are expected to decrease by 17% (Chaudhry Ruyssc haert 2007). The evapotranspiration rate will also increase due to increasing temperature, depicted in figure 1 2. Rainfall in the dry season will decrease by 2070 in Central parts of Viet Nam and droughts would occur more frequently, because rainfall would be concentrated in the rainy season (WHO). Figure 1: The projected change of mean daily maximum temperature since 1980s to 2070s (Le 2010) Figure 2: The projected change of mean daily minimum temperature since 1980s to 2070s (Le 2010) Climate also creates a shift in amount and pattern of precipitation. It will affect hydrology and runoff, which will alter the availability of water for irrigation and other uses. The projected runoff changes for the two major rivers from three organizations show different trends. In the Red River, the IPSL scenarios show decreased wet-season flow. GISS and MONRE projections show increased dry season flow. In Mekong River, major flow reduces under IPSL projection, depicted in figure 3 (Ringler 2010). Significant rice yield decline is observed in all scenarios, ranging from 4.2 percent in MONRE-2030 to 12.5 percent in IPSL-2030. The impact is especially large in the Central Highlands and the northern zones, highlighting the enlarged gaps in food supply in these regions. Although the impact of climate change is relatively moderate in the major rice-producing region of the Mekong River Delta, the average rice yield is projected to drop by 1.4-8.3 percent by 2030 (Bingxin et al. 2010). Figure 3: Percentage of Basin Runoff Changes (Ringler 2010) Besides increasing average temperature, global warming also raises the sea water level which has resulted in salt-water-invasion and land loss. A recent study on the potential impacts of sea level rise in 84 developing countries suggested that Vietnam would rank among the top 5 affected countries. About 43 million Vietnamese or about 55% of the countrys population are living in vulnerable low elevation coastal zones (LECZ) (38 % of Vietnams urban population) (Waibel 2008). In Vietnam, the sea level has risen between 2.5 to 3.0 cm per decade in the last 50 years, but with regional variations (Oxfam 2008). According to ADPC report, sea levels may increase by 9 cm in 2010, 33 cm in 2050, 45 cm in 2070, and 1 meter in 2100 (ADPC 2003). If sea level rises 1 meter, a national potential land loss is predicted of 12% which will expose about 17.1 million people or 23.1 % of the population (Schaefer 2002). The Mekong River Delta will be the most affected region with 1.77 million ha of saline l and, accounting for 45 percent of the land (Chaudhry Ruysschaert 2007). Land loss and sea water invasion in the Mekong River Delta and parts of the Red River Delta, which are the most important agricultural areas in Vietnam, will cause serious risks to farmers as well as agricultural exports, and possibly to national food security. In summary, climate change is a very real threat to Vietnamese socio-economical development. Higher temperatures, the rising of sea water level and extreme weather events will all have significant impacts across the nation. However, the concept of climate change and its effects are just well known by experts and management agencies. Dealing with the serious implications of climate change will be a major challenge for Vietnam in the next decades.

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia are Moral and Ethical Essay

Euthanasia is Moral and Ethical      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There has been much debate in recent American society over the legality and morality of a patients right-to-die.   Current legal statue prohibits any form of euthanasia, however, there are many moral and ethical dilemmas concerning the controversy.   For the purposes of this essay, I will define euthanasia as the implementation of a decision that a person's life will come to an end before it need stop.   In other words, it is a life ending when it would otherwise be prolonged.   There is an important distinction between voluntary euthanasia where the decision to terminate life coincides with the individuals wishes and involuntary euthanasia where the individual concerned does not know about the decision and has not approved it in advance.   I will be dealing specifically with the concept of voluntary euthanasia, for it seems intuitive that involuntary euthanasia is not only illegal but also profoundly immoral. Opponents arguments against euthanasia which fail to substantiate their claims, many proponents arguments highlighted by the right to autonomy, and empirical examples of legalized euthanasia all prove the moral legitimacy of physician- assisted-suicide.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Opponents of euthanasia generally point to three main arguments which I will mention only for the purposes of refuting them.   First, many cite the Hippocratic oath which reads, "I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel" as a reason to oppose euthanasia.  Ã‚   Clearly, the Hippocratic oath does condemn the practice, however, I do not find this as reason enough to reject the moral permissi... ...voluntary euthanasia will somehow snowball to involuntary euthanasia.   It is also powerful proof that voluntary euthanasia can be carried out legally and with no great harms to society or individuals.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The unsubstantiated claims of euthanasia opponents, many affirmative arguments supporting the moral permissibility of euthanasia, and the successful Dutch experiment with legalization all prove that euthanasia is a legitimate moral practice.   If we do not allow for individual autonomy in determining the scope and extent of medical treatment, then we are sentencing many terminally ill patients to a final stage of life filled with misery and wracked with unrelenting pain.   Instead, the moral and ethical course of action is to grant patients who request euthanasia the mercy and relief of a death with dignity.   

The Last Day :: essays papers

The Last Day Confusion raced through her mind. The other life was just an action away. She didn’t want to be here anymore and she was ready to leave. She was tired of always getting hurt; nothing could be worse than the life she was living. Sure, there were people who loved her, but she didn’t love herself enough to stay here. All of the pain would stop with just one or two strokes of the blade against her wrists. Tristyn picks up the phone and dials a number she has dialed everyday for the past two years. â€Å"Hey girl!† Wendy says as she answers the phone. â€Å"Hey.† replies Tristyn. â€Å"I’m gonna have to call you back; I’m on the other line.† â€Å"No, it’s alright. Just one question†¦how do you slit your wrists? Is it sideways or up and down?† â€Å"I did it sideways, but you are supposed to do it up and down on the main artery.† â€Å"Alright, bye.† She hangs up the phone and sits for a minute. Everything would be so much easier if I just weren’t here anymore. I wouldn’t have to see her everyday and know that I can’t have her. Will everyone understand that I had to do this? I hate to hurt people but I just can’t take this pain anymore. I just hope that everyone understands, but at least I won’t be here to hear everyone talking about how stupid I was to take my life. They just don’t understand. Emili walks into the room and looks at the girl she used to love. â€Å"You can’t do this Tristyn! I’ll call the cops right now!† says Emili. â€Å"The cops aren’t going to do *censored* to me! Just go pack your stuff and leave me alone!! You don’t care anyway!† Tristyn shouts. All Tristyn can do is lay on the couch and cry. She prays that her mom can understand why she had to do this. She doubts that she will. Tristyn lies on the tan nubuck leather couch her mom bought her and reflects on her life and all that has happened to lead her to this low point. Tristyn had always been given all the things she ever wanted or needed. Her mom had always made sure that she never did without. Tristyn hoped that her mom did not blame herself for any of this. There was no one to blame but herself, she knew that, for getting pulled in once again, only to be hurt for the final time.

Belarus’ Economy

Belarus†s economy has done fairly well from the situation it started in. The economy has some strengths, but it is also not without its weaknesses. Also the Republic has not done yet enough to restructure its economy after the break up of the USSR. Belarus has a fairly well balanced economy with an agriculture capable of feeding its population and a well developed industrial base. Belarusian industry is capable of producing 1. 1 million tons of steel per year, and it manufactures machine tools, agricultural machinery, motor vehicles. It also has a well developed chemical manufacturing plants, and there is also a branch of industry for consumer goods such as radio, television sets and bicycles. Furthermore its industrial construction complex ensures a considerable scope of construction. The Republic also has a diversified agricultural crop ranging from potatoes and grain to flax and livestock. The agricultural sector accounts for 20% of the GDP while the industrial around 43%. Besides helping to develop the industry, Russia helped to develop the infrastructure of Belarus making most of the country accessible. Belarus has a reasonably well developed industry and a long history of agricultural development. Problems for the economy of Belarus began to arise after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The weakness with Belarusian industry is two-fold. It has to import much of its raw materials from other nations and it imports most of its energy. As a result industry came under severe economic pressure shortly after independence. The problem with its agriculture is that it that about two thirds of the peasants are still organized into collective farms and the remainder in state farms. A few private farms were established but the treatment they received from the state discouraged other from trying. Also Belarus has a 14% trade deficit, which increase the vulnerability of the economy. Another drag on the economy is the continuing cost associated with the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, estimated in 1995 at a quarter of the national economy. The southern part of Belarus was severely hit by the nuclear fallout and many of the estimated 2 million victims live in Belarus. The Belarusian economy has room for improvement, however if put in the right circumstances it could thrive. After the dissolution of the USSR the national economy of Belarus was being restructured to introduce science intensive and low power consuming industries. However, Belarus has seen little reform since 1995 when president Lukaschenko launched the country on a path of â€Å"market socialism. † Privatization of enterprises controlled by the central government virtually ceased in 1996. Only about 10% of all enterprises under central government control had been privatized. In addition, Lukaschenko has re-imposed administrative control over prices and the national currency's exchange rate, and expanded the state's right to intervene arbitrarily in the management of private enterprise. Lack of structural reform, and a climate hostile to business, have inhibited foreign investment in Belarus in 1995-97. Belarus†s economy consisted mainly of secondary industry, dependent on Russia and other Soviet republics for both raw materials and markets. The second problem is that it inherited a weak political leadership at independence that never managed to even begin economic reform. To make the conditions favorable for investments Belarus is taking steps for creating an adequate base of legal standards for foreign investment security, liberalization of taxation order and customs regulations, granting cost benefits to investors and providing various information and business services. The economy of Belarus has great potential. Its strengths can be strengthened and its weaknesses can be improved. Having a strong trading partner would put Belarus in a position to over come the crisis in its economy.

Pre-Historic Art and Egyptian Art

There were many differences between Pre-historic art and Egyptian art . One being that pre-historic art was before written history. Which roughly started about 40,000 BC as to were written was about 3,500 BC. Also many pre-historic sculptures which they date to be around 40,000 BC had three main aspects to it Found ,Portable ,Magical . A prime example of this would be the Venus of Willendorf which was dated around 25,00-21,00 BC. This figure shows the apparent large size of the breasts and abdomen ,which can be interpreted as a fertility symbol. The figure has no visible face as well which could mean that it was universal in the sense, that it could be any female not just a particular one. There were also many caves that were found with different types of paintings in them known as cave paintings. About 30,000 BC. One of the first cave paintings found was in 1911. Some of the Egyptian art was such as the palette of narmer about 3100 BC. The Narmer Palette is a flat plate of schist of about 64 centimeters in height. Its size, and decoration show us that it was a ceremonial palette, rather than an actual palette for daily us. Things like the Egyptian tombs or mastaba’s were made to perfection with detail and in most cases made out of gold. Pyramids themselves were magical works of art such as the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Egyptain sculptures were more detailed and never free standing always and a flat back piece to it to keep it from falling or balancing the weight.

How Managing with a Global Mindset

How managing with a global mindset adequately addresses some challenges raised by managing in a globalising world. ABSTRACT The globalising world has impacted and raised new challenges for organisations and leaders. Thinking about new perspectives and reframe old paradigms are required and fundamental to leaders succeed in the global competitive environment. This essay will explore how managing with a global mindset are becoming an important competence across boundaries and how it can open doors for thriving businesses worldwide. Table of contents 1.Challenges of managing in a globalising world †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 2. Competencies of global leaders †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 3. Global versus Local †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 4. Global mobility †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 6. Bibliography †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 2 Managing with a global mindset 1. Challenges of managing in a globalising world The globalisation process promoted significant changes in the businesses environment.In this context, global organisations have been the target of constant and intense transformations, which affect and require redefinitions of the leadership style adopted. These companies need global leaders, who are able to face the demands of a competitive and internationalised market (Adler, Brody and Osland 2001). Many multinational companies are facing a common challenge: the development of leaders able to manage global companies and take advantage of strategic opportunities. But do the global leaders require a set of capacities totally different from those required for national companies?What would be the main difficulties faced by global leaders when they extend their activities outside the domestic market? How does global companies can act in order to promote a global mindset among their leaders and employees? Some key traits of a leader, which can be carried out independently of the position or hierarchical level, has been considered as essential such as integrity, self-confidence, drive, desire to lead, communication, selfconfidence, and the potential to stimulate and capacitate its collaborators in the search for creative solutions and innovative alternatives, besides knowing the business (Kirkpatrick and Locke, 1991).On the other hand, global leadership, in addition to the above-mentioned characteristics, presents differentiated traits like the capacity to appreciate and deal with different cultures, as it is in direct or indirect contact with subsidiaries in other countries and even with main offices located in the same country, but with cultural differences. Additionally, inquisitiveness, self-awareness, capacity to embrace duality among others has been considered as core characteristics to lead global companies (Gregersen, Morrison and Black, 1998).The increased diversity that leaders in global roles need to confront and the challenges of operating over long distances and multiple time zones, often remotely, were seen to have particular significance for the leadership approaches and behaviours required. Higher risks, complexity and uncertainty due to constant changes in 3 Managing with a global mindset political and economic conditions are considered additional challenges that global organisations and leaders must deal with in developing th eir strategy.They need to maximise the benefits and opportunities of operating globally, manage the increased scale and scope that international operations require, build alliances across boundaries and understand international disciplines such as regulations, finance and human resources management that differ from those who operates only nationally. Furthermore, understand the business as a whole in a global context; the competition and market trends are essential for making well-informed business decisions and to stay ahead of the competitors.Managing in a globalising world also requires being innovative and having the courage to challenge the status quo (Gregersen, Morrison and Black, 1998). 2. Competencies of Global Leaders According results of a research carried out among global company leaders, successful leaders had a remarkable global mentality and they see and think about the world in a different way from those who let themselves be discouraged and disheartened in the face of global enterprise challenge. And what would be the essential trait that defines that remarkable mentality?According to Black (2006), it is curiosity and inquisitiveness. â€Å"They seek to try the local food and not international food at some five star hotels. They read the local newspaper, talk to the local residents. † Although this trend in search of new experiences may be an innate trait, and not something that is learnt, nothing prevents the companies from looking for this characteristic at the time of selecting its potential leaders and sending them to an international assignment. Although individual personality traits mould leadership capacities, the company’s culture has an equally vital role.Black (2006) describes what John Pepper, one of the leaders of Procter & Gamble who helped to make the company a global company in the 80s and 90s, did when he arrived in a country where he had never been before: he visited five local families and learned with them how the families washed their clothes, cleaned the house and dealt with the children’s hygiene in that culture. Pepper believed that the experience and real contact with local cultures makes the difference in becoming a global leader. 4 Managing with a global mindsetAccording to Manning (2003), most of the companies admit that technical competencies and organizational experience alone are insufficient criteria for the choice of a global leader. Pursuant to the studies developed by Black and Gregersen (1999), the crucial characteristic for leadership is linked to relationship skills and opening of new perspectives. The process of developing global leaders becomes a challenge, because the understanding of this movement experienced by them collides with personality traits that differentiate them from the rest.And such characteristics directly affect the work relationships and the effectiveness of the cross cultural leadership, the elements of which should be taken into consideration by the organisations for the selection and development of global leadership programs. It is indispensable for the leaders to know that in a scenario of connection and exchange of knowledge and of new management practices, functional and geographic mobility requires a global leader capable of enduring the pressures, constant uncertainties and resisting to the disruption of pre-set standards in order to adapt himself to a new reality.The global leader must have strategic worldwide vision in order to promote changes and capture the market opportunities. Additionally, they need to be adaptable, have capacity for managing uncertainty, ability to balance tensions and to understand people and fundamentally have open-mindedness, which is key for them succeed (Gregersen, Morrison and Black 1998). As Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. com, affirmed: â€Å"We cannot let short term investors and specialists frighten us and prevent us from experimenting†.One of the most redeeming fea tures of the culture of Amazon according to its CEO is the fact that it values experimentation. Bezos believes that it is an important attitude to learn and to innovate as a global company (Business Harvard Review, 2007). Experimentation is also a fundamental competence for global leaders that should explore new ideas, products and markets without fear, even when the return is not immediate. In the past, companies entrusted innovation to a few geniuses at the main office and simply appropriated it.Today, in a globalising world multinationals value and reap the fruits of the inventiveness of their employees wherever they are. 5 Managing with a global mindset 3. Global versus Local Global leadership â€Å"is not about doing business abroad. It's about managing an integrated enterprise across borders where you encounter different cultural, legal, regulatory and economic systems,† says Stephen Kobrin (2007), a Wharton professor of Multinational Management. â€Å"It's about opera ting in multiple environments trying to achieve a common objective. â€Å"No matter what the challenges may be many observers draw the attention to the fact that managing a global company is something very different from managing a domestic company. A German company that operates solely in Germany can be managed in a certain way. However, those in charge of an international company, depending on where it operates, have to review several of their assumptions regarding many things, from the development of the marketing strategies, regulatory framework to the human resources policies. Despite globalisation, â€Å"the world is not flat†.There are many variations in basic things that require adaptations, when leaders ignore them there is a high risk of compromising the company’s performance (Kobrin, 2007). A very good strategy for the company in Germany, based on an absolute understanding of the German market, may not work in Japan. Organisations and global leaders deal wi th the challenge of determining when a global and when a local solution is the most effective way to deliver to market. They need to determine where standards, products and processes need to adhere to worldwide frameworks and where local standards are more appropriate.Kobrin (2007) formulates the question of global leadership and interprets it as a clash with a basic paradigm: the exchange between integration and fragmentation. According his experience it is important to ask: Do the company react in a different way according to the market? Or do they operate the same way no matter where? The way each one reacts to individual markets depends on the common elements to those markets, he adds. In regard to technology, for example, the environment is less important. People use computer chips in the 6 Managing with a global mindset ame way, independently from which culture they belong or the language they speak. Therefore, the problem faced by the global leader is related to the pressure of the balance to be attained when the company has to answer to different markets in a different way, benefiting from the efficiencies of scale. Sometimes tension arouse between the managers from the country of origin and the local professionals. Lack of flexibility in dealing with local demands partly explains why some companies face a series of crisis in their global expansion.The global leaders need to be able to find a balance between the extremes. Believe that the countries are so different that any type of local intervention is impossible, and leave the management totally in the hands of local professionals is not a global strategy. It is crucial to find a balance and understand that there are differences to be respected, but might there are similarities and possible learning on both sides of the border. Empower local subsidiaries and local teams and at same time implement strategies that are globally effective is a huge challenge for global companies and leaders. . Global Mob ility Samsung Electronics, of South Korea, often mentioned as one of the most successful emerging companies, is an example of how a company can transfer world-class resources overseas. The company initially amassed solid experience in the development of products and operations globally. Being one of the most efficient electronics companies in the world used its capacities in large-scale manufacturing and its experience in innovation to launch the brand in new markets like USA and Europe.Next, Samsung invested heavily in research and development and in the global production, increasing even more its participation within the world marketplace. To make this possible, Samsung recruits people from different nationalities from different universities in the world. The company institutionalised its training and development, when it created an internal training centre and implementing a systematic approach to performance management. Moreover, Samsung encourage 7 Managing with a global mindse t transfer of capacities that requires executives who know how to apply tandard practices in diverse countries, contexts and cultures. This integration of markets, resources and talents – an essential element for global growth – does not yet occur in most of the companies, even among those who already do business around the world (McKinsey, 2007). Like Samsung, Shell re-allocates high potential managers placing them in various different positions in distinct sectors of the company, including overseas. To work in various positions overseas during several years is an indispensable part of Shell’s culture, states Mathilde de Boer, consultant of Leadership Development of Shell Learning.Though the employees are sometimes reluctant towards this policy of constant relocation — â€Å"when it comes to couples with each one having their own career, the challenge is even greater†, notes de Boer —, since willingness to travel and live overseas is a fund amental requirement for someone who wants to progress his career. â€Å"When someone decides to move into a higher position, he or she will have to face a job that implies moving to different locations†. The benefits of overseas experience are visible at the time the executives meet for more formal leadership training.As they have experience in many different situations, they quickly pick up new ways of doing things (McKinsey, 2007). According to McCall and Hollenbeck (2002), although global executives should be flexible people, sensitive to cultural differences, capable of dealing with complexities and willing to think globally, they need to develop or improve these competencies through travelling overseas, uniting with international teams, adhering to training programs focused on globalisation and or transfers to other subsidiaries. Training can contribute to global leader’s development and with the process of opening to the new.Aiming to extend the boundaries and re frame the actual mental map. Thus, training should confront the participants with the contrasts found in the world that engage most of their senses for a significant period of time (Black, Gregersen, 1999). Meanwhile, the process of global leaders’ training does not consider only their capacities and qualifications, but also the experiences lived and the lessons learn from their practical day-to-day. 8 Managing with a global mindset Diversify and amplify the leader’s cultural backgrounds may be essential for large multinational organisations that aim to keep or develop their competitive advantage.Manoeuvring across the global environment, spanning diverse countries, cultures and customers’ preferences and expectations, presents significant challenges but also opportunities. For this reason promote global mindset among the leaders through international assignments or rotations through different functions it is important to develop the leaders’ ability to d eal with uncertainty and change, gain a greater understanding of the organisation, develop networks and facilitate the transfer of knowledge across the company and beyond the borders. 5. ConclusionIt is not adequate to define a company as global based on the amount of offices it has overseas. The real measurement to define a company as global is the way in which it perceives the world. It is not only a question of the number of employees working around the world. What is important is the extent of their connection and collaboration with people in other countries. In reviewing the literature it becomes clear that there is a greater understanding about the importance of the strategic role that an effective global leadership plays in facilitating organisations’ ability to compete effectively in a very competitive globalising market.As a consequence many organisations are making particular efforts to tailor development programs to address leaders’ needs, such as encouragin g knowledge sharing and mobilising individuals and teams who have experience and expertise around the world to participate on projects where skills and best practice are transferred. Promoting multicultural training and how to manage international and virtual teams and rotating people through different functions.These methods have been applied to develop leaders’ ability to deal with ambiguity, uncertainty and change. Moreover, develop a global mindset and gain a greater understanding of the organisation to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. 9 Managing with a global mindset As companies are increasingly spreading around the world, it becomes very difficult to build an organisational culture of equally shared knowledge. Organisations need to take a proactive and integrated approach in developing global leaders.They need to be clear about the capabilities required of their global leaders, ensure that development initiatives are appropriate for their needs through regular eva luation and review, and support effective leadership practices and behaviours through all their human resources processes. On the other hand, leaders also need to focus on building their global mindset through an understanding of their own needs and focusing on self-development efforts. They need constantly practice the watching and listening attitude to able to manage potential dilemmas that arise from cultural differences.And make efforts to do not stereotype, recognising and valuing the benefits that differences bring through an open-minded approach. Seeking to bring diverging opinions together and make efforts to promote news ways of doing things. 10 Managing with a global mindset 6. Bibliography Adler, NJ, Brody, LW and Osland, JS 2001, Going Beyond Twentieth Century Leadership: A CEO Develops his Company’s Global Competitiveness Cross Cultural Management, Vol 8. Black, JS, Morrison, AJ and Gregersen, HB 1999, Global Explorers: The next Generation of Leaders, Routledge, New York, NY.Black, JS 2006, The mindset of global leaders: Inquisitiveness and duality. Advances in global leadership, Stamford, CT: JAI Press. Black, JS and Gregersen, HB 1999, The right way to manage expats. Harvard Business Review. Business Harvard Review, 2007, The institutional yes. An interview with Jeff Bezos, viewed on 10/11/11 . Gregersen, HB, Morrison, AJ and Black, JS 1998, Developing leaders for the global frontier, Sloan Management Review. Kirkpatrick, S and Locke, E 1991, Leadership: do Traits Matter, Academy of Management Executive.Kobrin, SJ 2007, What Makes a Global Leader? , The Wharton School, viewed 09/11/11, . Manning, T 2003, Leadership Across Cultures: Attachment Style Influences. Journal of Leadership an Organizational Studies, Winter. McCall, MW, and Hollenbeck, GP 2002, Developing global executives: The lessons of international experience. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. McKinsey 2007, Developing Global Leaders in Latin America, McKinsey Quarterly, viewed 09/11/11, . 11 Managing with a global mindset