Technology Guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology Guide - Essay Example Business tools like Indix, Connect Multichannel, Retail Connect and Robin e-commerce customer service. The most advanced of the tools that I recommend are Indix and Connect Multichannel, which can be integrated with Retail Connect. Indix software solution is available on-line at www.indix.com. The solutions that can be realized by using indix software are; real-time inclusion of product pricing, availability of the products, other channels where the products can be located, competition attributes and an assortment of the products. The software can be acquired as a mobile application or an API that can be directly integrated with the golf shop. The API has advanced functions that will benefit the golf shop. The search function of the API returns names of stores with product and IDs, product brand names and product suggestions in the same category (Indix, 2015). The advanced search of the software will return detailed catalog information of the product from all the stores where it is s old. It also returns the price information from the across all the stores offering the product. Finally, the software will provide information on all the prices the product was sold at in the past month. Connect Multichannel and Retail Connect are provided by the www.intelligentretail.co.uk website. The software can be implemented separately of as one bundle into the golf shop. The software offers a central place for stock control, advanced reporting on sales and product details from different channels (Intelligence Retail, 2015). The software also has an inbuilt functionality that automatically connects to Amazon; eBay and Google Products Connect. It will allow the golf shop to sells its products through the more trusted channels like Amazon and Ebay. This will eventually increase the sales of products from the golf

Equity vs. Equality and Merit in Compensation Essay

Equity vs. Equality and Merit in Compensation - Essay Example The author of the essay Equity vs. Equality and Merit in Compensation makes a detailed analysis of considerations related to the principles of equity and equality that has been very much a part of the debate about the structure of reward or compensation systems since the early 1970s. Researcher finds that apart from issues related to the inequality of sexes in a society and gender mainstreaming, the principles of equity and inequality also have an impact on matters related to egalitarianism, racial equality and poverty alleviation as well as the satisfaction of the wants or desires of an individual through the selling of their skills and expertise. At the end the author comes to the interesting and thought-provoking conclusion. Whereas the principles of equity and equality as well as the notion of merit in the allocation of resources or rewards, such as compensation or wages represent some of the fundamental considerations associated with such decisions, employees generally feel happ y when they know that they have been fairly treated in regard to their compensation under the circumstances in which they may find themselves. Equity with an attempt to consider the requirements of a job when deciding on pay usually results in the fairest determination of compensation as an individual is fitted to a job. Equality is fair for a group, but can disadvantage individuals while recognition of merit provides employee satisfaction in terms of the recognition of their outstanding work efforts.

A Criticism Of Incompatibilism

A Criticism Of Incompatibilism In Van Inwagens paper, An Argument of Incompatibilism, he posits in his consequence argument that, under determinism, there is no moral consequence of intentional actions. It is hard to think that one can act without free will. We seem to be able to make our own choices in life every step of the way, yet we are still exceedingly aware of situations and even decision that we seem to have no control over. This is the issue philosophers often encounter in the study of free will in our causally determined world. The subject of free will has been a matter of intense debate in the philosophical community for ages. Not surprising, seeing as its very concept has profound implications on metaphysical, deontological and moral grounds; the absence of free will puts into question the existence of moral responsibility, free thought and even our own existence. However, the compatibilists think that there are certain flaws in some of the premises of Inwagens argument that make it unreliable. David Lewis points out that two of the premises in Peter Van Inwagens Consequence Argument do not support it being viewed completely in the strong or weak sense of determinism. Incompatibilists such as Inwagen have trouble with the idea of determinism, or at least in the context of free will. Determinism is the view that there is a predetermined future that is created by events in the past while being governed by the laws of nature (Van Inwagen, 1983). A common example of determinism is the predestination paradox of time travel. What you do in the past affects what happens in the future, but unfortunately the future stays the same no matter whatever you try to do because you would still have caused the future regardless. When you apply determinism to something like intentional actions, it means that what youve done could have been predetermined to happen due to something having happened in the past. In the context of the free will debate, compatibilists subscribe to this very concept of determinism. This philosophical viewpoint is commonly brought up in free will related arguments. A reason for this is that that the idea of a causally determined future is d istressing when applied in the context of free actions. That is to say, that because everything is predetermined, there is technically no free will; whichever actions one believes they are doing is in fact simply an illusion. In his paper, Van Inwagen outlines seven propositions, which encompasses the Consequence Argument that argues against that fact. His argument seeks to remove determinism from the arguments of freewill due to the fact that it is deemed incompatible. In his Consequence Argument, Van Inwagen uses an example of a governor choosing not to raise their hand and influence the process of the final deliberation of a criminals death sentence. In this argument, he outlines the conditions that would have governed free will in a deterministic world in the form of six premises. In the Consequence Arguments first three premises, the argument outlines that intentional human actions are causally necessitated because they all happen within the natural, causally determined, world (Zimmerman, 2010). That is to say, the actions are determined to happen. The argument then goes on to outline the notion that if an event is necessitated by prior events, it could not have happened other than the way it actually happens (Zimmerman, 2010). This follows that because of the previous propositions, human actions cannot happen in any other way than what has already happened. For instance, following the arguments logic, I could only open a door ajar when I chose to do so because I was causally determined to do so. Finally, Inwagens Consequence Argument finally goes onto the topic of free will; a person can only be considered free if he can actually do otherwise on an action. Unfortunately, as stated before, any action a person does happens because it could not be done otherwise. Ultimately, following this line of reasoning, the person cannot do otherwise and is thus following the illusion of free will as he performs his seemingly intentional actions. Now, returning to the Inwagens example of the governor, we see what implications Inwagens argument has on this proposed scenario. By the logic of the Consequence Argument detailed earlier, the governor, despite having chosen to refrain from raising their hand, is not performing the action under their free will. In fact, according to the Consequence Argument, if determinism is true than there is no free will involved in the governors action. This has some severe implications on that particular subject. What it means is that since free will is not involved in his performing an action that would ultimately be responsible for sending a man to his death, the governor cannot be held morally responsible for that act. Hence, by this logic, the absence of free means one could not possibly be held morally responsible for anything they do. This certainly sounds like an outrageous, yet distressing, conclusion. How could there be any form of responsibility, or any rational thought even, in a dete rministic world when every action is seemingly predetermined? It is with this thought in mind that Van Inwagen argues that free will and, by extension moral responsibility, has no place in the deterministic world. So does this mean we can safely remove the possibility of free will in determinism? The compatibilists say otherwise. David Lewis, a compatibilist himself, has an interesting critique of Inwagens argument. In his paper, Are We Free to Break the Laws?, he argues that there are ways responsibility-grounding freedom of action (Zimmerman, 2010) can exist alongside determinism. Compatibilism is the view that free will does have a role together with determinism, specifically soft determinism. In his paper, he divides determinism into two different categories, hard and soft determinism. Hard determinism is defined, as a sort of determinism in where there seems to be no room for free will. Soft determinism, on the other hand, is the belief of the exact opposite, allowing for free will in the deterministic world. Lewis himself is a soft compatibilist. In Are we free to break the laws? he argues that there is a flaw in the consequence argument. Lewis admits that [he is] able to do something su ch that, if [he does] it, a [causal law will] be broken (Lewis, 1981), although he claims that the incompatibilists behind the Consequence Argument takes this claim to the extreme or what he calls the strong sense. To an incompatibilists, this statement can be taken to mean that he can break the very laws of nature (Lewis, 1981). These are the definition of the weak and strong theses. The difference between the two is that the weak thesis, which says that a [causal law will] be broken (Lewis, 1981) implies that whenever he decides to take an action, the act itself is what causes a law to be broken. A nice analogy of the weak thesis can be summed up with a simple rock thrown at a window. If someone throws a stone and in the process breaks a window, then, following the logic of the weak thesis, the act of throwing the stone is what ends up breaking the window. On the other hand, the strong thesis suggests the very act of performing an action means that he himself has broken the law. U sing the same example from before, instead of the act of throwing the stone, it is the thrower himself who breaks the window. Lewis outlines an important distinction between two different ways of viewing the premises of Van Inwagens Consequence Argument. The difference between the strong and weak theses plays an important part in Lewis argument. Lewis rejects the strong thesis that the Consequence Argument seems to imply but accepts the weak one. From the weak thesis he posits that one can actually do otherwise in the Consequence Arguments presumably unyielding deterministic actions. Lewis introduces a concept, which he calls a divergence miracle, since breaking a causal law requires nothing short of one. A divergence miracle is a divergence in the causal history that occurs before the act is performed. That is to say, that prior history may have been changed had the governor from Van Inwagens example raised his hand. Although, thats not to say that this would not be the case had the person simply chose not to have done so, Lewis claims that a miracle might have taken place, only to have its work undone by a second miracle (Lewis, 1981). This is where the weak thesis plays a significant role. Lewis states that for him to perform an a ction that would result in the breaking of a law, a divergence miracle independent of his own actions offers an alternate causal history that would allow the lawbreaking action to be possible. Lewiss paper draws attention to two premises from Inwagens Consequence Argument, most specifically the fifth and sixth premise. In Inwagens sixth premise, he states that a person could not have rendered a law of nature false (Van Inwagen, 1983). Lewis cites an example, which Van Inwagen has used in defense of this premise, of the possibility of the construction of an apparatus that can potentially violate the laws of physics. It follows that, following the rough outline of the sixth premise, if it is possible such an apparatus can be made then the laws of physics have certainly been rendered false (Van Inwagen, 1983). However, according to Lewis, while this proposition can be rejected, on the grounds that we have no choice what the laws of nature are (Van Inwagen, 1983), and in turn support viewing it from the strong sense. That is to say we cannot break the laws of nature. However, this defense is not suitable when being viewed from the perspective of the weak thesis. Inwagens sixth premise has an opposite effect. In defense of his fifth premise, he says that there is no way he can render false a conjunction that the Spanish being defeated in the past with the proposition that he will never visit Alaska (Van Inwagen, 1983). Inwagen believes that the reason one cannot render that false is that any deviation from actual events would be incompatible with any past state of the world taken with the laws of nature (Van Inwagen, 1983). Lewis counters this argument by saying it is completely irrelevant due to the fact that the claim of ones inability to render those false is only true in the sense of the weak thesis, but it completely neglects the strong thesis. The problem with these premises, according to Lewis, is that the arguments that Inwagen uses to support these premises are not sounds, seeing as neither of them addresses the Weak and Strong Theses. Generally the problem with the Consequence Argument, according to Lewis, is that it is not consistent in its premises. As outlined earlier, Inwagens fifth and sixth premises cannot both be viewed according to either the Strong or Weak Theses alone. This has the effect of weakening Inwagens argument, since it lessens the severity of the deterministic viewpoint; the inconsistency in views shows that that part of the argument seems unsound. In addition, Lewiss concept of divergence miracles also offers some welcome changes to the determinism that Inwagens Consequence Argument paints less rigid and unyielding. Such inconsistencies ultimately undermines what would normally be a rather solid argument convincing us of what would seem to be a no space for free will alongside determinism. Peter Van Inwagens Consequence Argument is seemingly unsound given that the argument does not hold up completely well when viewed from the Strong or Weak Theses that David Lewis had outlined. Incompatibilists have produced a fairly strong, if disturbing, argument of the potential link between determinism and free will. However, the viewpoints that result from the rejection of compatibilism, such as hard Incompatibilism and libertarian incompatiblism, seem far more alarming. One either outright rejects free will while the other posits that the world is not complete causally determined. Compatibilism on the other hand seems easier to accept.

The First Punic War (264-241 BCE) :: essays research papers

The First Punic War (264-241 BCE) Since the beginning of time, man has waged war on his neighbors, his friends and his enemies. In many cases these wars were caused by power-hungry nations that were in the process of expanding their empire and ended up stepping on the toes of another superpower or ally of a superpower. In the case of the first Punic War between Rome and Carthage, Carthage was extending its empire and they stepped on Rome’s toes. During the course of this war the winner was unclear but at times victory seemed eminent for both sides until Rome finally won. The Romans had control in the first part of the war but this would not last. After the Romans first win they decided that they needed a victory over the city of Carthage but this would turn the tides in favor of the Carthaginians. For some 15 years after this defeat of Rome the tides went back and forth between the two but would eventually lead to the Romans victory. After the victory, Rome made some very harsh demands and Carthage filled thos e demands even though some of them were very extreme. The first Punic War started with a request by the locals in Messana for the Romans to aid them in defeating the Carthaginians. Messana was at the southern tip of Italy and would be a great asset to the already superior naval fleet of Carthage. Rome saw this to be a good opportunity to halt the expansion of the Carthaginian Empire and to stop the possible attack on Italy (which was controlled by Rome). Despite this fact the Roman council debated on whether to attack on these premises or not, but eventually it was decided that they would wage war on the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians were then told that they must halt their invasion or war would be waged. They did not stop and Rome declared war. The first battle was fought entirely in Sicily, in 263BCE, and since the Romans were the superior fighters they took the ground battle and continued to prevail until 256BCE. After the victory over Carthage, the Romans began besieging Greek cities that allied with the Carthaginians. The Romans sacked these cities, which caused them to harden their resistance. Rome realized that to beat the Carthaginians they needed to build a fleet and in 261BCE they began building. To counter the Romans inexperience at sea they used a device called a corvus (a large gangplank with a spike on the underside).

Ethics Social Justice Essay

The ethical issues that were identified in the case study of Guerrilla Government in EPA’s Seattle Regional Office were cumbersome. The first of many to create unethical situations was the administrator of EPA’s Seattle regional office in 1981, John Spencer. His staff remembers his tenure for all the unethical actions he took such as using tax payer’s money to buy a membership for the EPA in the Chamber of Commerce (O’Leary, 2014 p. 48). His actions continued even after numerous attempts to advise him that his actions were against federal guidelines and caused serious conflict of interest questions. He also allegedly took several personal trips to Alaska to handle affairs related to his previous job on public expense. In addition, he requested as personal driver to take him to and from and requested modifications to the EPA office building without getting prior approval from the General Services Administration thus violating federal law (O’Leary, 20 14 p. 48-54). There was also unethical conduct displayed by Ernesta Barnes ‘successor, Robie Russell. In March of 1987, Russell made his unethical behavior known when the local media announced that a veteran engineer had quit his job due to being angry that he was being transferred involuntarily to another job. At that point, Russell began making decisions that had once been a group effort behind closed doors. Workers who were once performing analysis, were cut out of the decision making process. He was even believed to have removed important comments in reports before they were released to the public. He was also known to back out of his support for the development of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and then recall that support later in a testimony to the U.S House of Representatives who were considering the proposal. He stated that â€Å"The EPA does not oppose the environmentally acceptable development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge†.

Alcohol and its Effects on the Human Body

The Campral website mentions that about 17. 6 million drinkers in the U. S. are considered alcoholics, or at least experience drinking problems to a certain degree. With the country’s current population being listed by the U. S. Census Bureau site at 303,963,066 people, this would amount to a staggering figure of 1 in 20 Americans finding trouble with this type of substance abuse. Drinking alcohol does not automatically qualify an individual as an alcoholic. While many would identify two to four types of drinkers, the Alcohol Treatment Clinics site was able to classify individuals who drink alcohol under six classes.These are health drinkers, social or responsible drinkers, problem or irresponsible drinkers, under aged drinkers, binge drinkers and alcoholics. The first type of drinker or health drinkers, would typically consume alcohol for health-related reasons. They are moderate drinkers who usually prefer to drink red wine, which is widely- known for its benefits to the car diovascular system. One example would be the French people whose healths have often been linked to their dietary habits that include wine. Social or responsible drinkers are those individuals who drink alcohol only during particular occasions.They engage in drinking to be able to interact or socialize with the group. They do not regard alcohol highly, but think of it as just an addition to meals. Their consumption of alcohol is done at a leisurely pace and they would never combine drinking with risky behavior such as driving. Working professionals who drink to have a feeling of belongingness and to facilitate conversations with coworkers in corporate parties or events easily come as an example for this category. On the other hand, problem drinkers would be the polar opposite of social drinkers. They can become very obnoxious and angry once they are drunk.Sometimes, they experience a loss of memory with regards to the events that transpired during their drinking session. This type of drinker does not have a definitive stereotype, and most probably could be described as an individual who â€Å"transforms† or â€Å"morphs† drastically when drunk. Their behavior when drunk might stand in stark contrast to their normal sober behavior. A specific type of problem drinker would be under aged drinkers. This classification was created due to the differences in the physical and psychological states of these individuals as compared to older people.Legal action may also arise for those individuals under this classification. The legal age for drinking is generally pegged at 21 in the United States, with exceptions made for cases covering health and religious reasons. Binge drinkers can go without alcohol for long periods of time. However, they tend to overindulge themselves during the times that they do drink. Some problems that can be caused by binge drinking are alcohol poisoning, uncontrollable mood swings and eventual alcohol dependency or alcoholism. In t erms of their behavior, they may act either as problem or social drinkers.Although aggressive behaviors as well as the usual symptoms of being drunk may or may not be exhibited by this group, a high possibility of causing severe damage to the liver and other health issues remains a great threat for them. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking habits. They often turn to alcohol to be able to deal with problems and drink an excessive amount of strong alcoholic drinks regularly. Because of this, they would often find it hard to function in other aspects of their lives, such as in their jobs. Their relationships with significant people in their lives may also take the backseat in their list of priorities.People who regularly face problems and turn to alcohol to â€Å"drown† them as well as those experiencing regular episodes of depression seeking to find â€Å"euphoric† feelings may turn into alcoholics, especially when they become reliant on the substance to deriv e that desired state. Those people who continuously indulge in alcohol for whatever other reason or at other levels, may also be candidates to becoming alcoholics as well. Some argue that this is due to the genes that a person carries. In its website, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was also able to identify four major symptoms which characterize alcoholism.The first sign would be the presence of strong cravings or urges to drink within an individual. Next would be a person’s inability to halt drinking once he or she has engaged in this activity. Upon stopping drinking, an individual may also suffer several withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and shakiness, collectively termed as â€Å"physical dependence†. Lastly, an increase in tolerance for these substances often results to alcohol dependents drinking greater amounts of alcohol to induce euphoric or â€Å"high† feelings. Reactions to alcohol may vary from one afflicted individual to the next.Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, depressed, quiet or withdrawn. They may also feel tense, sad, anxious or confused. Alcoholism, like any other illness, may strike at any age. These individuals may be aware of the consequences of alcoholism, but the compulsion to drink within them often overpowers them, so they just can’t stop drinking. Alcohol becomes the most important part of their lives. It totally consumes them so that all their thoughts and actions somehow become associated with alcohol. Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the body.When coupled with an individual’s failure to take care of his or her nutritional and physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking, matters are further complicated. The effects on major organ systems are cumulative, which also includes several disorders for the digestive system. Blackouts, hallucinations, and extreme tremors may be experienced by the alcoholic. Aside from occasional emotional instability or â€Å"mood swings†, permanent damage to other systems such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems may also be induced in alcoholics (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).The organ most probably vulnerable to damage would be the liver, since this is where alcohol breakdown takes place. If constantly left to the task of removing alcohol from the blood, the liver may eventually become worn out. This may hinder the liver from properly performing its usual duty of removing other harmful substances in the body. One of the most dangerous diseases of the liver caused by long-term alcohol use is cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis causes the liver to become inflamed and scarred, which leads to the destruction of the liver and eventually the person’s death (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).Alcohol also affects a person’s cardiovascular and circulatory systems. It causes an increase in blood pressure, which makes the heart pump harder to be able to cir culate blood around the body properly. This may cause an increase in heart rate while at the same time reducing the heart muscle’s pumping capabilities. Abnormal heart rhythms may also be developed due to severe alcohol consumption. In fact, long-term and heavy use of alcohol may cause a condition of the heart called alcoholic cardiomyopathy.The consumption of alcohol reduces the effectiveness of heart muscles to contract and may eventually lead to heart failure (Snyder 39). Lack of blood flow resulting from this condition may also lead to multiple organ system failure. One’s nervous system is also not spared from the damage. Doctor Salomon Snyder states that â€Å"alcohol’s action on the brain is what causes people to feel intoxicated. A sudden intake of large amounts of alcohol may result in death because nerve impulses to the brain are dangerously blocked. Alcohol also has an increasing effect on our brain chemistry, which causes our behavior to change.This can make people do things that they would not do when they are sober† (37). Over time, heavy drinking may cause permanent damage to the central nervous system. Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can make you sleepy, confused, uncoordinated and unsteady. Heavy drinking can cause or worsen urinary incontinence, problems with walking, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, high blood pressure, and bleeding in the digestive tract (Snyder 40). Some other observations on alcohol usage according to the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs, include its immense effect on our brain.This results in difficulty walking, poor balance, and slurring of speech. At higher alcohol levels, a person’s breathing and heart rate will also be slowed and vomiting may occur. Alcohol is also known to cause sleep disturbances. Numbness and tingling sensations may also occur in the arms and legs due to the low thiamine levels (38). Most people see alcoholism as a disease closely related to males. It is shown by the figures however, that as many as half of the nation’s alcoholics are actually women.The reason why most female alcoholics cannot be seen is that they are usually closet drinkers. You rarely see women exhibiting behavior associated with alcoholism in public, while this phenomenon may be more readily observable for men. It is actually easier for a woman alcoholic to damage her body than it is for a man. The physical damage is aggravated since women generally wait longer to seek help since the society places a greater stigma on women than on men with regards to this. The livers of women are not as capable of processing alcohol when compared to those of men.This makes women alcoholics susceptible to developing liver problems with lower levels of alcohol in their bodies and after shorter periods of drinking (Snyder 62). The presence of large amounts of alcohol in women may interfere with fertility by upsetting the hormones in their body and can increase t he chances of a miscarriage. Women alcoholics who become pregnant may cause damage to the fetus in their wombs, which is called fetal alcohol syndrome. It can cause complications such as physical deformities and mental retardation (Labtestsonline).Elizabeth Somer claims that â€Å"women are more susceptible to tissue damage from elevated alcohol levels and have an increased risk for breast cancer, osteoporosis and dementia† (224). She goes on to mention that over 60 health problems can be linked to this addiction, including damage to the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The mechanism has yet to be determined on why alcohol is considered a carcinogenic or cancer-causing substance, but most theories point to alcohol’s tendency to increase the amount of estrogen present in a woman’s body.Increased levels of this hormone have been linked to occurrences of cancer. People suffering from alcohol dependency perceive indulging in alcohol consumption as a ne cessity. Problems of whatever nature in their lives are ignored by these individuals so long as they can persist in their drinking. Thus, people afflicted with the disease often find themselves hindered from achieving their full potential as productive members of the society. By continuing in this sort of behavior, these individuals might go on to create not only problems for themselves, but also for others around them.Alcohol causes a change in brain chemistry which results in changes in behavior such as increased aggression and reduced fear which may lead us to take needless risks. Alcohol can cause people to be rude, verbally abusive, and physically threatening. This is because some people turn to alcohol to express hostile feelings that they wouldn’t be able to express when they are sober. These factors almost always lead to trouble or confrontations with people around the alcohol dependent, including complete strangers. Perhaps no other scenario presents this more clearl y than when people drive while under the influence of alcohol.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, an individual was killed in alcohol-related car crashes about every half-hour, while injuries occurred every two minutes during 2005. Half of roughly 400 children riding with the drunk driver dying during that span died. Overall, alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths amounted for about 40% of the total traffic-related deaths for 2005. These crashes amount to about 51 billion dollars lost each year. Alcohol alone does not cause alcoholism, because if it did, everyone who drank would be an alcoholic.There are a number of factors that lead to alcoholism. Some scientists support the argument that becoming an alcoholic is purely the result of an individual’s genetics. Because of genetics, people tend to inherit an inability to handle alcohol, just like other people inherit other diseases from their parents (Niaaa. nih. gov). This may explain why alcohol ism seems to run in families from generation to generation, and why some people become alcoholics from the first time they drink. Aside from one’s genetics, one also cannot discount the role of one’s environment as well as the lifestyle one engages in.If children were exposed to drinking with drinkers who were careful and moderate for example, they would be more likely to become responsible drinkers. However, if they grew up seeing heavy alcohol use they would be more likely to also engage in that act also. Children that are exposed to a large amount of peer pressure from the kids around them also increase their likelihood of drinking. Some may start out as social drinkers who are able to control their drinking, but they may lose this control and be carried away, eventually becoming alcoholics themselves (Alcoholtreatmentclinics.com). Alcoholism seems to run in families. Although there is nothing conclusive, some studies have shown that all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative (Snyder 100). Like many drug abusers, alcoholics often drink hoping to â€Å"drown† feelings of anxiousness or depression. Some drink to reduce strong inhibitions or guilt about expressing negative feelings. The first, and probably one of the most difficult things that an alcoholic must do, is come to an admission that they have a problem.It is unlikely that they will be first to admit it, and they may usually deny that they are being controlled by their addiction. With their inability to discern things for themselves, other individuals such as close friends or relatives may sometimes have to take the initiative in reporting potential alcoholics. The difficulty with this lies in the fact that people cannot be forced to seek help against their will, unless special circumstances are present like being ordered by the court to do so. The NIAAA website offers eight steps for people who want to aid alcoholics who are unwilling to seek help.The first step, stoppin g â€Å"cover ups†, calls for those closely related to the alcoholic to finally make him or her accountable for the consequences arising from the addiction, instead of presenting excuses for the afflicted individual to others. This may be quite a difficult process, since our initial reaction would be to â€Å"protect† family or friends. When putting things in perspective however, we may eventually come to the conclusion that allowing alcoholics to be accountable to the products of their actions would be a much better option than continuing to risk his or her life because of our consent in their addiction.By taking this step, we are actually starting to really offer protection to them. An attempt must then be made to talk to the drinker. It was recommended that this be done immediately after any conflict or problem developed due to alcohol abuse. This must be done in a private setting where both parties involved must be calm and sober. One can choose places where relaxe d feelings are being evoked like the bedroom, or any other location where your conversation is not likely to be disturbed.By accomplishing this step, the alcoholic individual is shown that their rights are still being respected, while at the same time emphasizing the seriousness of your intentions. The third step calls for the concerned individual to voice out his or her growing anxiety regarding the alcoholic’s substance abuse, and how this has developed problems, including the most recent conflict. If the alcoholic has a tendency of being verbally or physically abusive towards people when drunk, this would be the appropriate time to mention it.Choose words which would be most effective in finally making the afflicted individual aware of just how grave the situation really is. Consequences of the drinker’s refusal to get help must then be stated next. These may include things such as moving out of the house. The site mentions that this is not a form of punishment for the drinker, but is performed to protect people close to the individual from harm. One should always be prepared to perform the statements that were mentioned at this stage and not simply bank on making empty threats.The degree of just how radical your threats would be, should of course, depend largely on the offenses made by the alcoholic mentioned in the third step. In the fourth step, a schedule may then be made for the local counselor or organization within the area, after gathering data on possible options for treatment and the alcoholic gives his or her consent. With regards to this, one can locate the best possible sources of help via the internet or by consulting the local directory. When the scenario arises that the alcoholic would refuse to cooperate, a friend may be called upon to perform the first four steps.Choose a friend who the alcoholic has great trust in, or perhaps someone who has already undergone rehabilitation themselves. Individuals with past experiences deali ng with alcohol problems may be very effective at this point, since they may provide deeper insight on how the rehabilitation process works. They may also provide the needed moral support when the alcoholic finally relents to seek professional help. Another option might be to confront the alcoholic as a group. With a group, one would essentially obtain several inputs regarding the situation.One of these ideas could prove to be the critical element in the alcoholic’s decision-making process. Coming face-to-face with several people may also heighten the situation’s level of gravity as perceived by the alcoholic. This step however, must always be performed under the supervision of a trained health care professional familiar with such matters to ensure. A briefing may be done prior to the confrontation to ensure that no actions detrimental to the goal of making the patient seek help will be committed. Lastly, individuals who live or know alcoholics might want to join group s such as Alateen, which caters to children of alcoholics.Organizations such as these provide the needed information and support for people who are closely connected to alcoholics to watch out for themselves, whether the alcoholic chooses to get help or not. If the alcoholic was physically abusive during the drunken state, it would of course be wise to know the options that one has in the situation. By getting adequate information, misery and regrets might be avoided by a lot of people, like averting situations when an alcoholic would inflict lifelong physical deformities on people close to him.Alcoholism is a disease that cannot be totally cured but people can at least recover from it and return to a normal way of life. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website mentions how an effective program of medication and counseling may aid individuals in their struggle towards stopping alcohol abuse. Although the effects may vary from one person to the other, just like in other illnesses, the Institute firmly believes in the effectiveness of alcohol treatment. Family, friends, counselors and organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous may offer the needed help and support towards the recovery of the afflicted individual.Sometimes, entering a detox center may even be necessary since this recovery process can be extremely difficult. In fact, some withdrawal reactions may include high fever, loss of appetite, nausea, uncontrollable shaking, hallucinations and even possible coma or death (Snyder 40). Limiting an individual’s intake of alcohol is deemed an ineffective strategy for alcoholics. Stopping the substance abuse may call for the outright absence of alcohol in one’s life. Some medications have been recommended to help alcoholics with regards to this. These include disulfiram (Antabuse ®), naltrexone (Depade ®, ReVia ®) and acamprosate (Campral ®).They may aid an alcoholic in alcohol reduction if not abstinence. Each type of medicine works in a different way. One’s craving for alcohol may be reduced, deter symptoms from alcohol abstinence from manifesting or make a person feel sick after alcohol consumption. No one medication however is deemed totally effective. Each case must still be assessed carefully before choosing which type of medicine to take. Just as much as alcoholics should not be feared, they should also not be loathed by our society. As mentioned in the earlier part of the essay, some people develop the drinking habit out of their perceived inability to handle problems.At the onset, this â€Å"habit† may actually be curbed through adequate attention and moral support being given to the individual by friends and family. Parents who try to educate their children on proper or social drinking might be doing their children a big favor, instead of letting young kids have their first drinking experience with peers. They can include ideas on just how much â€Å"too much† to dr ink is, as well as place specific rules on what activities to avoid upon consuming alcohol (driving, swimming, and other risky activities).Valuable insights may also be gleaned by parents from the experience of drinking with their children regarding their child’s behavior when engaging in the activity, and if the situation should arise, when their kids are drunk. If a person does get afflicted with the disease, there would still be many options available to counter the disease as mentioned before. Although it could prove to be a lifelong struggle, there are individuals who have been able to master the affliction and become successful people in society, with famed writer Stephen King being one of them.The issue of alcoholism is clearly not an easy one to confront not only for those mired in this addiction, but also for the people around them. Although the fight to recovery may not be easy, the right attitude from all the people involved combined with proper education on the to pic, could mean the difference for the health and safety of many people within our country. With the right approach, we can finally see the handling of alcoholism as an issue of giving second opportunities and success, instead of resigning ourselves to its usual tragic outcome. Works Cited â€Å"Alcoholism.† Labtestsonline. org. 1 May 2008 Chopra, Deepak, M. D. Overcoming Addictions. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997. â€Å"FAQ for the General Public. † Niaaa. nih. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Impaired Driving. † Cdc. gov. 1 May 2008 Mack, Avram H. M. D. , John E. Franklin, M. D. , and Richard J. Frances M. D. Treatment of Alcoholism and Addictions. New Jersey: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. , 2001.Snyder, Solomon H. M. D. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs – Alcohol and Alcoholism. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1992. Somer, Elizabeth. 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. â€Å"Types of Drinkers. † Alcoholtreatmentclinics. com. 1 May 2008 â€Å"U. S. POPClock Projection. † Census. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Understanding Alcoholism. † Campral. com. 1 May 2008

Human Liver Anatomy and Function

Human Liver Anatomy and Function The liver is an important vital organ that also happens to be the largest internal organ in the body. Weighing between 3 and 3.5 pounds, the liver is located in the upper right area of the abdominal cavity and is responsible for hundreds of different functions. Some of these functions include nutrient metabolism, detoxification of harmful substances, and protecting the body from germs. The liver has a unique ability to regenerate itself. This ability makes it possible for individuals to donate part of their liver for transplantation. Liver Anatomy The liver is a reddish-brown organ that is located below the diaphragm and superior to other abdominal cavity organs such as the stomach, kidneys, gallbladder, and intestines. The most prominent feature of the liver is its larger right lobe and smaller left lobe. These two main lobes are separated by a band of connective tissue. Each liver lobe is internally composed of thousands of smaller units called lobules. Lobules are small liver segments containing arteries, veins, sinusoids, bile ducts, and liver cells. Liver tissue is composed of two main types of cells. Hepatocytes are the most numerous type of liver cells. These epithelial cells are responsible for most of the functions performed by the liver. Kupffer cells are immune cells that are also found in the liver. They are thought to be a type of macrophage that rids the body of pathogens and old red blood cells. The liver also contains numerous bile ducts, which drain bile produced by the liver into larger hepatic ducts. These ducts join to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct extending from the gallbladder joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct. Bile from the liver and gallbladder drain into the common bile duct and are delivered to the upper portion of the small intestines (duodenum). Bile is a dark greenish or yellow fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It aids in the digestion of fats and helps eliminate toxic wastes. Liver Function The liver performs a number of vital functions in the body. A major function of the liver is to process substances in the blood. The liver receives blood from organs including the stomach, small intestines, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder through the hepatic portal vein. The liver then processes, filters, and detoxifies the blood before sending it back to the heart via the inferior vena cava. The liver has a digestive system, immune system, endocrine system, and exocrine functions. A number of important liver functions are listed below. 1) Fat Digestion A key function of the liver is the digestion of fats. Bile produced by the liver breaks down fat in the small intestines so that it can be used for energy. 2) Metabolism The liver metabolizes carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the blood that are initially processed during digestion. Hepatocytes store glucose obtained from the break down of carbohydrates in the foods we eat. Excess glucose is removed from the blood and stored as glycogen in the liver. When glucose is needed, the liver breaks down glycogen into glucose and releases the sugar into the blood. The liver metabolizes amino acids from digested proteins. In the process, toxic ammonia is produced which the liver converts to urea. Urea is transported to the blood and is passed to the kidneys where it is excreted in urine. The liver processes fats to produce other lipids including phospholipids and cholesterol. These substances are necessary for cell membrane production, digestion, bile acid formation, and hormone production. The liver also metabolizes hemoglobin, chemicals, medications, alcohol and other drugs in the blood. 3) Nutrient Storage The liver stores nutrients obtained from the blood for use when needed. Some of these substances include glucose, iron, copper, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K (helps blood to clot), and vitamin B9 (aids in red blood cell synthesis). 4) Synthesis and Secretion The liver synthesizes and secretes plasma proteins that act as clotting factors and help to maintain proper blood fluid balance. The blood protein fibrinogen produced by the liver is converted to fibrin, a sticky fibrous mesh that traps platelets and other blood cells. Another clotting factor produced by the liver, prothrombin, is needed to convert fibrinogen to fibrin. The liver also produces a number of carrier proteins including albumin, which transports substances such as hormones, fatty acids, calcium, bilirubin, and various drugs. Hormones are also synthesized and secreted by the liver when needed. Liver-synthesized hormones include insulin-like growth factor 1, which aids in early growth and development. Thrombopoietin is a hormone that regulates platelet production in bone marrow. 5)Immune Defense The K​upffer cells of the liver filter the blood of pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and fungi. They also rid the body of old blood cells, dead cells, cancer cells, and cellular refuse. Harmful substances and waste products are secreted by the liver into either the bile or the blood. Substances secreted into bile are eliminated from the body through the digestive tract. Substances secreted into the blood are filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine.

The eNotes Blog Explaining the Kindle toDickens

Explaining the Kindle toDickens Recently, Rachel Walsh, an illustration student at the Cardiff School of Art and Design, was given the following project: Explain something modern/internet based to someone who lived and died before 1900. Cardiff chose the Kindle and to explain it to Charles Dickens. She took forty books Dickens either wrote, were among his noted favorites, and a few books of her own selection she thought he would enjoy. Then she painstakingly created miniatures of each work, rendering their covers in minute detail, carved small portals into a regular sized book and placed each tiny tome in the spaces. That way, she could show Dickens how an eReader stores dozens (in reality, hundreds) of books in a single slim volume. What else might we explain about our modern/connected world to someone who died before the turn of the twentieth century? Here are some suggestions from loyal Official Blog readers: Explaining Farmville to John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) How do you explain the thrills of virtual farming to the man who single-handedly, and largely on foot, populated the American Midwest with apple trees? Explaining Wikipedia to Noah Webster I wonder how Webster, called the Father of American Scholarship and Education, would feel about this equal-access encyclopedia. Maybe hed be fine with it, but I have my doubts Explaining Match.com to Jane Austen Somehow I do not think Ms. Austen would be amused. Explaining Google Earth to Christopher Columbus Native Americans probably wish this had been around. Explaining Modern Crime Scene Forensics to Sherlock Holmes (Okay, we know Holmes is a fictional character, but you get the idea.) How about you?   Wed love to hear what sorts of modern marvels you might try to explain to a person living before 1900. What would your pairing be?

11 Six Figure Jobs Beyond Doctor or Lawyer

11 Six Figure Jobs Beyond Doctor or Lawyer You don’t have to become a doctor or a lawyer to make $100k a year or more. Take a look at these 11 six figure jobs you may not have thought of as quite so high-paying. Keep in mind that compensation can come in many more forms than just your annual salary. And remember to keep your options open! 1. Special AgentLet alone the fact that the job title is super cool, you can make over $120k per year as an FBI agent. Or an agent for similar companies or law enforcement. To get hired, you’ll probably want a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, plus some military or law enforcement experience. These jobs can be action packed or desk-oriented, but most will likely require some extra non-standard or on-call work hours.2. Airline PilotAgain, you’ll want either military flight experience or a degree in aviation, physics, or some other related field. In addition to your flying skill, good quick-thinking and savvy leadership is required. Nonstandard schedule again, but also routinely $120k and above.3. Regional Sales ExecutiveA college degree may or may not be necessary here. You’ll have to work your way up and through the company a bit, getting to know the product backwards and forwards, but if you have what it takes and you have excellent communication skills, you could easily hit the executive level, and your total compensation could easily breach $100k per year.4. Nurse PractitionerNPs are required to have a Master’s degree in nursing, plus whatever state level qualifications and certifications apply. But they can also build their own private practices, have some control over their schedules, and make $100k or more per year.5. Reservoir EngineerIdentify and go after gas reserves underground. All you’ll need is a degree in chemical engineering, and the determination to get the necessary experience in a very technical and nuanced field. But the compensation is usually over $125k, sometimes as high as $143k.6. DentistOkay so this is kind of like being a doctor or lawyer, and you’ll need all the schooling that entails. Four year degree, doctorate in dentistry, qualifying and licensing exams†¦but most dentists run their own practices and make between $125k and $130k per year.7. Equity Research AssociateIf you’re good with numbers and can acquire a bachelor’s degree in finance or economics, this might be the right field for you. You’ll analyze financial trends and do all the fun stuff of investment banking without the ulcers. Typical total median pay, with commissions and other compensation: $100k per year.8. GeophysicistIf you love rocks, and the Earth in general, then get yourself a degree in Geology, then another one. There is a surprising range of positions out there for geophysicists. And you could make nearly $120k per year.9. Physician AssistantPAs are like NPs. They also require a master’s degree, but you go through different programs. The only difference is PAs have to work more closely with MDs and so have less flexibility and autonomy, but they still break $100k per year.10. Drilling EngineerDrill baby, drill. If you have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or another relevant field, and you are confident and comfortable managing a team where safety is of the utmost importance, than this field could be for you. Expect to make around or over $110k.11. Software ArchitectIf you’re more the indoor type, and love technology, then get yourself a degree in math, computer science, software engineering†¦ or just show your coding mettle in other ways. You might need to put in some long hours, and you’ll have to have Batman-esque skills in order to provide company’s with the tools they need to operate at their best, but you can make over $130k per year.

Children in Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Children in Sweatshops - Essay Example International conventions mandates that anyone under the age of eighteen is a child. According to this standard, the ILO estimated that there were two hundred forty-six million children involved in labor in 2000. Also, there were an estimated eight and a half million children that were involved in forced or bonded labor, armed conflicts, and commercial sexual exploitation. The earliest child labor laws were enacted in 1836. In Massachusetts, children under fifteen were required to attend school for at least three months out of the year. In 1842, a maximum of ten hours per day could be worked by a child. Many other states began to follow suit after the Massachusetts laws and early trade unions formed to protect children in the work force. There were many steps that took place after this, and much opposition to child labor laws, but the Fair Labor Standards Act was finally passed in 1938. This was the time that child labor laws in the U.S. were federally regulated. The focus of many of these laws that were passed dealt with children that worked in factories. Laws requiring children to attend school in England were passed in 1881. There are many reasons that child labor is still able to be used today. For example, many countries have exceptions written into their laws which allow child labor to still be exploited. In Nepal, the minimum age for working is fourteen, but there is an exception to the law which allows them to work in plantations and brick kilns. Similarly in Kenya, there are laws that prohibit children under 16 from working, but that does not include the agricultural force. Bangladesh also does not set regulations regarding agricultural or domestic work. India and Bangladesh typically have the worst reputation internationally for child labor. There are laws in both countries prohibiting children under fourteen from working, but these

Retaining key employees in times of change Coursework

Retaining key employees in times of change - Coursework Example During such instances, the organization must assess suitable strategies to retain the employees. According to the article, the retention process rarely works if the company uses money only to persuade the employees. Since the retention process is mostly directed towards the high risk employees or the employees that could lead to major impact if they depart, other measures must be undertaken to ensure that the continued working of the organization is guaranteed in spite of the changes. Some changes pose challenges that money alone cannot address. Prior to the transition, the line managers must work together in determining the employees whose retention is critical. Some of the factors considered in determining critical employees in retention include those who exhibit exceptional institutional knowledge, technical expertise, and direct relationships with the management. Specifically, individuals involved in departments such as IT, finance, as well as the administrative sector have uniqu e knowledge concerning organizational systems therefore qualify to be in the retention list. These individuals are usually difficult to replace. Once the list of critical employees is created, the management then prioritizes them according to available retention strategies. This is important since not all individuals would be persuaded using certain incentives such as money. This implies that specific employees have unique requirements and money may not fulfill them.

Category Management (CM) And Its Scope In Improving The Performance Of Essay

Category Management (CM) And Its Scope In Improving The Performance Of Retail Organisations - Essay Example Earlier, product manufacturers have assigned the duty of selling a particular product to the product manager. However, the evolution of CM forced the organizations to create a new post; category manager. Earlier organizations give more importance to product managers whereas modern organizations give more importance to category managers. This is because of the fact that marketing of a category of product is easier than marketing a particular product. For example, smartphones are conquering the market at present. It is easy for Samsung or Apple like smartphone manufacturers to market tablets along with smartphones since both smartphones and tablets almost belong to the same category. In short â€Å"CM helps category manager to sets the prices of all brands in the category so as to maximize total category profits† (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17). ... In short â€Å"CM helps category manager to sets the prices of all brands in the category so as to maximize total category profits† (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17). Moreover, it enhances the interactions between between retailers and wholesalers and helps them to reap more profit (Kulikova, 2012, p.67). This paper analyses how category management can improve the performances of retail organizations. Scope of category management in improving the performance of retail organisations CM starts from the definition of category and ends in the category implementation. Between these starting and end points, CM travels through other steps such as identification of category role, category assessment, category scorecard, category strategies, and category tactics. The figure given below explains various steps involved in CM. (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17) After category implementation, organizations review the success and failures of CM. The category review process helps organizations to ident ify the strengths and weakness of existing CM and modify it to restart the CM process in a more efficient manner. In short, CM helps organizations to polish or fine tune the existing business strategies all the time and manages the selling of a particular category of products in an efficient manner. A typical category management framework is described in the following illustration. Category management framework (Effective day-to-day category management, 2011, p.3) From the above illustration, it is evident that market insight elements such as consumers, trends, economy, competitors and suppliers help an organization to formulate company goals related to customers, strategies, finance etc. Identification of goals helps a company to formulate strategies necessary for the promotion of a specific

Should Companies google Applicants or seek Facebook Profiles in the Research Paper

Should Companies google Applicants or seek Facebook Profiles in the Hiring Process - Research Paper Example Kennedy and Macko (2007) also argued that the information available on the site is personal in nature and should not be investigated by employers for conducting the hiring process. However, the information that is present on social networking sites is posted by the user with his full consent. It is a commonly accepted fact that there are privacy concerns on the internet and social networking sites. The candidates whose information is searched by the employers are also aware of such privacy concerns and would refrain from posting personal details and information if they feared its viewing to the general public. Jones, Schuckman and Watson (2007) included an interesting, yet alarming figure regarding the degree of fraudulent and violent instances in organizations on an annual basis; US retail businesses tend to suffer more than $50 billion approximately in a single year due to fraudulent activities, violence in the workplace and organizational assets theft. Such increasing rate of loss es and fraudulent activities provoke the organizations to perform due diligence regarding the applicants to ensure that their resources, training and development ventures are not wasted on individuals who might not be trustworthy or loyal human beings. When an organization employs an individual, a relation of mutual trust is developed between the concerned parties. As a result, many organizational secrets and assets might be managed by the employees. It is vital for employers to confirm that the information provided by the applicants is accurate and personal conducts of the employee will not hurt the stature of the company. DeKay and DeKay (2008) included relevant figures regarding the degree of lies that are often witnessed in applications and resumes. They revealed that around 70% of college graduates lie about their qualifications when they apply for jobs. This is an appalling figure that needs to be reduced with the help of effective measures. Fishman and Morris (2010) stated th at such inaccurate information can be confirmed by means of

Byzantine and Islamic systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Byzantine and Islamic systems - Essay Example While previous adaptations played a major role in shaping the conflict that occurred between the Byzantine and Islamic empires, they were insufficient to operate on their own due to the consistent changes and dynamics that had occurred in the empires over time (Miller, 2002 n.p.). Therefore, it was inevitable for both systems to adapt a unique and current tactics and strategies that would not suffice for the intended dominance and supremacy wars. The Byzantine system borrowed more from the already collapsed Roman Empire of the 4th century, since they were more or less founded on similar principles (Watson, 2010 p87). Similarly, the Islamic systems also borrowed very much from the Huns, who were ancient Muslims who also had engaged in fights with the earlier Roman opponents, only that there was an addition of more Islam zeal during this period (Esposito, 1988 p37). Thus, it is apparent that both systems adapted strategies that would enable them defeat their opponents, which included f orging ties with the neighboring empires to reinforce their might. Nevertheless, through academic research, this explorative paper concluded that both the Byzantine Empire and Islamic System had military, cultural and economic force. However, the analysis found that the Islamic empire had a religious force behind their push, which served to compensate for the lack of a sophisticated administrative system, like the one that the Byzantine Empire had already put in place. Military within Byzantine Empire was made up of a large force, which did not reduce despite several incursions from the Muslims, owing to the continued growth of the population within the Byzantine Empire (Watson, 2010 p82). Byzantine Empire Military managed to maintain a huge force starting the 10th century through the 12th century, although the sufficient resources required to create such large armies and enhance their efficiency had dwindled over time, making it impossible for the empire to establish a large effici ent national army. The strength of the Byzantine Empire Military was based on the establishment of a sophisticated administrative system through the 10th and the 11th century, referred to as the theme system (Haldon, 2002 p12). This system divided the whole Byzantine Empire into several administrative units, which were then able to consolidate their authority over the territory they manned, at the expense of the establishment of large national army, which would require much resources and logistical planning and strategies. The thematic system was applied as an effective solution tool, to counter the Islamic army attacks, which were being experienced from different sides of the Byzantine Empire, making it possible for rapid response to the attacks, as opposed to the large national military response, which would be delayed by the logistical and the resource requirements (Miller, 2002 n.p.). The essence of the thematic military strategy applied by the Byzantine Empire, was to maintain a full time field presence of the troops in different regions of the empire that were prone to attacks, something that would not be efficient, through the use of a large national army (Esposito, 1988 p42). Military within Islamic System was based on a different system, which was an element of the previous adaptations from the Huns, who were also involved in conflicts with the earlier Roman Empire. The ‘hit and run’ tactic was the one the Muslim system mostly applied in their assault against the Byzantine Empire, which was perpetually threatened from various quarters. However, while the Muslim system borrowed the tactic from the Huns, who had previously engaged in a series of battle with the Roman Empire, they invoked the religious

Current and Non-Current Assets Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current and Non-Current Assets Paper - Essay Example For instance; accounts that are receivable are the owing by clients and these should be reflected in the balance sheet in the value realizable. To this those accounts whose collectibility is uncertain must be free of an allowance referred to as doubtful debts and thus should reflect the realizable value. The realizable value is the amount expected to be taken in cash form in reasonable terms. Cash equivalents are those securities that are near-cash like treasury bills of the US expected to mature in three-month time or in a shorter period. Inventory on the other hand, may not always be liquid in conditions of crisis. For example; those commodities that are perishable in nature, high fashion goods, seasonal commodities, things subjected to obsolescence due to their technological nature or the items of trendy nature. Due to the fact that inventory can easily fall in value, it must be reflected in the balance sheet at the value lower of market and cost values. (Livingstone and Grossman, 2001) While currents assets are utilizable or consumable within a year, non-current assets are different in that they can be used fore more than one year. Relatively non-current assets are costly and they aid a business to operate over a long time. Attention in the management of current assets is centered on their transportability and liquidity, but it’s different when it comes to non-current assets. Non-current assets demand attention because of their expensiveness in terms of cost and the long time horizon coverage. This nature of non-current assets calls for an extensive time view in acquisition, planning and management. Non current assets are usually acquired for utilization in the business operations and they are not purposed for resale. They give to the businesses economic benefits for a period extending longer than one accounting period. They are classified into two categories; tangible and intangible. Tangible assets are also

Byzantine and Islamic systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Byzantine and Islamic systems - Essay Example While previous adaptations played a major role in shaping the conflict that occurred between the Byzantine and Islamic empires, they were insufficient to operate on their own due to the consistent changes and dynamics that had occurred in the empires over time (Miller, 2002 n.p.). Therefore, it was inevitable for both systems to adapt a unique and current tactics and strategies that would not suffice for the intended dominance and supremacy wars. The Byzantine system borrowed more from the already collapsed Roman Empire of the 4th century, since they were more or less founded on similar principles (Watson, 2010 p87). Similarly, the Islamic systems also borrowed very much from the Huns, who were ancient Muslims who also had engaged in fights with the earlier Roman opponents, only that there was an addition of more Islam zeal during this period (Esposito, 1988 p37). Thus, it is apparent that both systems adapted strategies that would enable them defeat their opponents, which included f orging ties with the neighboring empires to reinforce their might. Nevertheless, through academic research, this explorative paper concluded that both the Byzantine Empire and Islamic System had military, cultural and economic force. However, the analysis found that the Islamic empire had a religious force behind their push, which served to compensate for the lack of a sophisticated administrative system, like the one that the Byzantine Empire had already put in place. Military within Byzantine Empire was made up of a large force, which did not reduce despite several incursions from the Muslims, owing to the continued growth of the population within the Byzantine Empire (Watson, 2010 p82). Byzantine Empire Military managed to maintain a huge force starting the 10th century through the 12th century, although the sufficient resources required to create such large armies and enhance their efficiency had dwindled over time, making it impossible for the empire to establish a large effici ent national army. The strength of the Byzantine Empire Military was based on the establishment of a sophisticated administrative system through the 10th and the 11th century, referred to as the theme system (Haldon, 2002 p12). This system divided the whole Byzantine Empire into several administrative units, which were then able to consolidate their authority over the territory they manned, at the expense of the establishment of large national army, which would require much resources and logistical planning and strategies. The thematic system was applied as an effective solution tool, to counter the Islamic army attacks, which were being experienced from different sides of the Byzantine Empire, making it possible for rapid response to the attacks, as opposed to the large national military response, which would be delayed by the logistical and the resource requirements (Miller, 2002 n.p.). The essence of the thematic military strategy applied by the Byzantine Empire, was to maintain a full time field presence of the troops in different regions of the empire that were prone to attacks, something that would not be efficient, through the use of a large national army (Esposito, 1988 p42). Military within Islamic System was based on a different system, which was an element of the previous adaptations from the Huns, who were also involved in conflicts with the earlier Roman Empire. The ‘hit and run’ tactic was the one the Muslim system mostly applied in their assault against the Byzantine Empire, which was perpetually threatened from various quarters. However, while the Muslim system borrowed the tactic from the Huns, who had previously engaged in a series of battle with the Roman Empire, they invoked the religious

Disproportionate Representation of African American Students in Special Education Essay Example for Free

Disproportionate Representation of African American Students in Special Education Essay Abstract In 2011 there is still disproportionate representation of African American Students in special education classes. This can be defined as conflict in the education environment because, government legislation mandates that No child be left behind, yet African American students, males in particular, are disproportionately being just that, left behind. The purpose of this study is to discuss disproportionate representation. What it means and who it affects most will be identified. Contributing factors such as socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity will also be discussed. Possible solutions in the form of equity and early intervention will be discussed as well. Lastly with these factors identified, it is the hope that feasible and probable solutions can be reached or at least recommended. Review of Literature For more than 40 years the topic of Disproportionate representation has been addressed by scholars. The data collected has been qualitative and quantitative. According to Bollmer, Bethel, Garrison-Morgen, and Brauen â€Å"The issue of disproportionate identification and placement of racial/ethnic minorities in special education has been investigated extensively (Bollmer, Bethel, Garrison-Mogren, Brauen, 2007). † They go on to share that the risk ratio, which is used to compare one racial/ethnic groups likelihood of receiving special education and related services to all other students is one of the most useful tools in this research (Bollmer, Bethel, Garrison-Mogren, Brauen, 2007). Sometimes referred to as disproportionality, disproportionate representation covers both over and underrepresentation. Overrepresentation happens when the percentage of students from one group is larger than expected based on their numbers in the general population. Underrepresentation is occurring when a specific group of students are involved at a lower rate than their numbers in the general population. According to Beratan â€Å"The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education is as clear of a racist outcome as one can find. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) formally recognizes such disproportionate representation as a problem in special education (Beratan, 2008). † He goes on to share the following thoughts and statistics: A) Greater efforts are needed to prevent the intensification of problems connected with mislabeling and high dropout rates among minority children with disabilities. B) More minority children continue to be served in special education than would be expected from the percentage of minority students in the general school population. C) African-American children are identified as having mental retardation and emotional disturbance at rates greater than their White counterparts. D) In the 1998-1999 school year, African-American children represented just 14. 8 percent of the population aged 6 through 21, but comprised 20. 2 percent of all children with disabilities. E) Studies have found that schools with predominately White students and teachers have placed disproportionately high numbers of their minority students into special education (Beratan, 2008). Disproportionate representation not only speaks to the overrepresentation of African-American students labeled as learning disabled, but also to the gross lack of African-American students being labeled gifted. Bonner and Jennings share â€Å"According to the literature, African American males have been disproportionately place in special education classrooms and underrepresented in gifted and talented programs (Fred A. Bonner I. M. , 2007). † Bonner and Jennings go on to say that â€Å"The story of the African American male in gifted and talented programs is one of widespread underrepresentation (Fred A. Bonner I. M. , 2007). † Bonner and Jennings further share that lack of instructor referrals, substandard performance on standardized norm-referenced test scores and student and family choice contributed to the underrepresentation of African American males in gifted programs (Fred A. Bonner I. M. , 2007). The  authors continue to expound on this phenomenon by stating â€Å"Due to the potential for underachievement among African American students in first, second, and third grade, a time in which most identification processes for these programs are implemented, these students often go unidentified (Fred A. Bonner I. M. , 2007). † Artiles and Bal maintain that African American males and Native American students appear to be the most affected groups at the national level (Artiles Bal, 2008). While disproportionate representation has touched all minority groups, African American males in particular have continually been identified as the most over represented population in Special education. Several factors are said to contribute to the disproportionate representation of minority students in Special Education. Yolanda Anyon shares: Barton and Tomlinson (1981) argue that the identification of students with learning disabilities and subsequent placement in special education is a form of social control to minimize problem behaviors in mainstream classrooms. Other researchers have documented that teachers and principals refer children for special needs assessment who are causing the biggest problems in the classroom be it passivity, failure to learn material or aggressiveness (Anyon, 2009). She further goes on to share â€Å"in this way, special education primarily serves social control functions in schools as it legitimizes the removal of â€Å"deviant† students from regular classrooms (Anyon, 2009). † Socioeconomic status is said to increase the likelihood that student will be placed in special education. It is also said that race and ethnicity of students can be a large variable that causes excessive amounts of students of color to be referred and placed in special education. Skiba and fellow scholars share: Among the most longstanding and intransigent issues in the field, the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has its roots in a long history of educational segregation and discrimination. Although national estimates of disproportionality have been consistent over time, state and local estimates may show varying patterns of disproportionality. A number of factors may contribute to disproportionality, including test bias, poverty, special education processes, inequity in general education, issues of behavior management, and cultural mismatch/cultural reproduction (Skiba, et al. , 2008). They further go on to say that â€Å"special education was born out of, and owes a debt to the civil rights movement†, alluding to the fact that both the inspiration for and the strategies used by those whose work resulted in the initial national special education legislation came from the civil rights movement (Skiba, et al., 2008). They also maintain that â€Å"concerns about racial inequity were central to litigation that led to the promulgation of the first special education legislation (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, IDEA) (Skiba, et al. , 2008). The scholars aptly point out the irony of racial disparity rates of special education service remaining one of the key indicators of inequity in our national educational system (Skiba, et al. , 2008). An additional contributing factor that they share is â€Å"A second factor that might contribute to a disproportionate rate of representation in special education among students of color are sociodemographic factors associated with economic disadvantage (Skiba, et al. , 2008). Skiba, et al, give this insight into the role of poverty in disproportionate representation: In order to directly assess the contribution of poverty to the disproportionate representation of African American students in special education, Skiba et al.(2005) studied the relationship of special education enrollment, race, socioeconomic and demographic factors, and test score outcomes in a sample of 295 school districts in a Midwestern state. Across ordinary least squares and logistic regression equations, poverty made a weak, inconsistent, and often counter-intuitive contribution to the prediction of disproportionality across a number of disability categories (Skiba, et al. , 2008). While there are no definitive causes of the issue of disproportionate representation the above named ones come up in study after study which lends ample credence to them as real and possibly surmountable issues. â€Å"It might well be expected that the students whose educational opportunities are limited will be more likely to be referred for special education services (Skiba, et al. , 2008). Another point expressed by Skiba and fellow scholars is: Of the possible links between general education practices and special education disproportionality, however, only the proportion of culturally consonant teachers in the teaching force has been directly investigaed. Serwatka, Derring and Grant (1995) found that as the percentage of African American teachers increased, overrepresentation of African American student in the emotionally distrubed category decreased. Similarly, in a cross-state comparison, Ladner and Hammons (2001) found that the discrepancy of African American and white rates of eligibility for special education rose in direct proportion to the percentage of the teaching force that was White, especially in districts with a White percentage of more than 60% (Skiba, et al., 2008). Just as there are no definitive causes identified, there are not any fool proof solutions laid out for correcting the issue of disproportionate representation. There are varying thoughts about strategies such as the following: If disproportionality in special education is multiply determined, no single intervention strategy can be universally relied on to reduce racial disparity. Rather, complex causality clearly suggests the need for comprehensive and multifaceted assessment and intervention plans. In particular, the possibility that the determinants of disproportionality are locale-specific suggests that remediation plans must be driven by local needs assessment capable of identifying unique local patterns (Skiba, et al. , 2008). Early intervention approaches are said to possibly reduce disparities to the level that economic disadvantage is at work (Skiba, et al. , 2008). â€Å"Early intervention would not be expected to address systemic failures or bias and would hence fail to address disproportionality that is due to institutional inequity (Skiba, et al. , 2008). † Researchers are beginning to look at the problem of disproportionate representation within the arena of equity studies (Artiles Bal, 2008). According to the authors â€Å"researchers, practitioners, and policy makers continue to debate this problem and critical questions remain unanswered (Artiles Bal, 2008). They go on to question the ability to, or lack thereof, explain how the phenomenon of disproportionate representation consistently remains in existence. Artiles and Bal have raised the following questions â€Å"How have researchers approached the study of this problem, and what are some key gaps in this knowledge base? Does the problem exist in the United States only (Artiles Bal, 2008)? † These scholars have chosen to conduct research on â€Å"the problem of disproportionate representation as related to equity concerns in educational systems’ responses to difference (Artiles Bal, 2008). Artiles and Bal share the following about equity in the United States educational system: Educational equity in the United States has aimed historically to enhance access and participation for students considered different. For instance, programs were created to address the educational needs of students who have different ability levels or whose proficiency in English is limited (i. e. , special education and bilingual education, respectively) (Artiles Bal, 2008). They further go on to share that special education in the United States was created as an answer to some of the issues of difference: The creation of special education was a landmark achievement in the attention of students considered different on the basis of ability. Special education legislation entitled these students to free and appropriate public education, individualized educational programs, due process, and education in the least restrictive environment. Interestingly, an increasingly louder debate has emerged in the past 40 years in the United States about the disproportionate representation of ethnic minority and poor students in special education (Artiles Bal, 2008). Laws that require states report placement data as it pertains to socioeconomic and racial lines to stay abreast of the problem of disproportionality have been imposed. States and school districts that find themselves faced with the issue of disproportionate representation are required to take remedial actions to address it (Artiles Bal, 2008). If equity is the solution and special education was designed to level the playing field, why then the issue of disproportionality? This same question is posed by Artiles and Bal, â€Å"But why then is placement in programs that purportedly address equity issues for students with different ability levels considered a problem when it involves other groups of different students, namely, ethnic minorities and poor students (Artiles Bal, 2008). † While that is a very rational and valid line of questioning, it is far too complicated to answer without factoring in the historical issues that plagued African American students long before special education legislation was implemented. Conclusions Disproportionate representation of African Americans in special education is not a new phenomenon. It has been studied and researched for well over 40 years. Whether it is referred to as disproportionality or disproportionate representation, the terminology covers both over and under representation within a group. While most of the research addresses overrepresentation, there is some out there that speaks to the underrepresentation of African Americans in gifted programs, more specifically African American males. There are no concrete reasons for this phenomenon, but several different factors have been considered contributing factors. Socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity are often the most discussed contributing factors. Special education having roots that stem back to civil rights legislation lends a great amount of credence to the belief that those two factors are probably the leading cause of disproportionate representation. The research shared a very specific accusation of how racism plays a very real part in disproportionate representation. Examples to that end were that studies have found that schools with predominately White students and teachers have placed disproportionately high numbers of their minority students into special education and African-American children are identified as having mental retardation and emotional disturbance at rates greater than their White counterparts. In regards to equity Skiba and fellow scholars give this advice to educators in regards to making effective interventions: Thus, educators and policy makers seeking effective interventions to close special education equity gaps must be willing to openly discuss and address issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, culture, and language. Moreover, processes chosen to address inequity must have at their core a mechanism to ensure that the perspectives of all stakeholders, especially those of historically marginalized groups who have been the recipients of unequal treatment, are represented when interpreting data on racial and ethnic disparities (Skiba, et al. , 2008). As educators we must take heed to the information shared about disproportionality. Though this information is not new, it must continue to be shared as if it was. While this resarch was specifically about African Americans, other minorities are affected by disproportionate representation. I will be more cognizant of how I determine whether or not to suggest a student be tested for special education services. It is so easy to refer them, before taking the time to investigate the reasons behind the undesireable behavior. Works Cited Anyon, Y. (2009). Social Theories of Learning Disabilities: Understanding Racial Disproportionality in Special Education. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 44-57. Artiles, A. J. , Bal, A. (2008). The Next Generation of Disproportionality Research Toward a Comparative Model in the Study of Equity in Ability Differences. The Journal of Special Education, 4-14. Beratan, G. D. (2008). The song remains the same: Transposition and the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 337-354. Bollmer, J. , Bethel, J. , Garrison-Mogren, R. , Brauen, M.(2007). Using the Risk Ratio to Asess Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education at the School-District Level. The Journal of Special Education, 186-198. Fred A. Bonner, I. M. (2007). Never Too Young to Lead: Gifted African American Males in Elementary School. Gifted Child Today, 31-35. Skiba, R. J. , Simmons, A. B. , Ritter, S. , Gibb, A. C. , Rausch, M. K. , Cuadrado, J. , et al. (2008). Achieving Equity in Special Education: History, Status, and Current Challenges. Exceptional Children, 264-288.

Determinants of Effective Leadership

Determinants of Effective Leadership Leadership is the behavior of an individual when he/she is directing the activities of a group towards a shared goal. A leader is seen as someone who sets the paths in an effort to influence people to adhere to those paths. Leadership is an action and not just a position. It can be shown via different people in various situations. A person is not born to be a leader but cultured through the upbringing and environment. A leaders personal characteristics are also vital for the developments and motivations of the organizations. True leaders such as the teachers who illustrated that leadership is an action (teaching and leading the students) and not a position. Touching the lives and affecting the outcome of many different expectations, a teacher is the epitome of a leader. A leader has his or her own style of motivating the people in the organizations. A leader must find the best skills in order to provide directions, motivations and purposes. Effective leaders are flexible. Organizational Leadership Model The effective leadership influence is not the same for everyone. It depends on their ranks in the organization and abilities which are required in leaders. The three basic leadership roles identified: initiation, speech, and management. 1. Initiation Initiation refers to planned decision making on policy formulation or structural change. These vital decisions are the determinants of the organizations culture and mission. 2. Speech Strategic decisions and methods designed for implementation within the establishment. It includes adjusting or adding on to the present structure towards new policy demands. 3. Management Management is putting into practice the policies and measures that are available to maintain the operations of the organization efficiently. These three kinds of Leadership are naturally executed at diverse ranks in the company with different abilities and skills. The top level management would initiate new policies that involve a change in the businesss structure or understanding the companys mission. An understanding of the entire organization, culture, mission, vision and how it correlates with the external parties is mandatory for these top level individuals. They represent the organization and what the business stands for. Understanding the policy decisions and practicing them to the existing organization via utterance or speech is usually made by the intermediate-level managers. They must uphold a two-way point of reference by taking orders from the above management and adapting them for the lower groups of people in the organization. Type of Leadership Process Typical Organizational Level Cognitive (Knowledge) Affective (Emotion) Initiation: Change, creation and elimination of structure Top echelons System perspective Charisma Speech: supplementing and piecing out of structure Intermediate levels: pivotal roles Subsystem perspective: two-way orientation Integration of primary and secondary relations: human relation skills Management: use of existing structure Lower levels Technical knowledge and understanding of system of rules Concern with equity in use of rewards and sanctions EXHIBIT 16.1 Three Leadership Patterns, Their Location in the Organization, and Their Skill Requirements  [2]   The companys policies and procedures will be administered by the Lower-level supervisors. These personnel must possess both the technical knowledge and a clear perception of the organizations rules in order to be successful. They have to continually deal with issues such equity, rewards and punishments in leading others. Leadership plays a crucial role in an organization since it always makes the difference between effective and ineffective organizations. Leadership is when a person manipulates others to perform a task at their own will which they would not normally do. Leadership is a vital process to an organization and it can be deliberated on three different stages; i.e. the individual, group and organization. Analysis at the individual stage: the leadership studies have paid attention on the successful leader personalities. Behaviors of both formal and informal leaders are focused at the group level. The effectiveness of an organization is decided by the relations between the leader, follower and circumstances. The studies have caused an emergence of situational theories or contingency theories of leadership. In Search for Leadership An organized search for leadership qualities first began after the turn of the century. The requirements in selecting and training efficient leaders were emphasized during the World War I and the quarter century between World War l and World War II; numerous studies were made to examine the personal characteristics of good leaders. These studies are usually referred as characteristic studies since the primary goal was to classify the traits and personal characteristics of successful leaders. The diverse methods used to study these leadership traits could possibly be the reason in the irregularities of the results. The manner of studies was not consistent in identifying the leaders. A majority of the studies was in comparing efficient with inefficient leaders or leaders with non-leaders. Some were identified by external observers, others selected by the group by way of recommendation or voting, nominated by observers such as teachers while some were chosen because they are in a leadership status such as student-body president or team captain. The studies were also conflicting in the way they deliberated on the traits. Some traits were measured by mental tests; others relied on viewers to spot the traits they have seen while some depended on the persons to report their own personality traits. The trait studies were quite unsatisfactory as a whole especially since they had hoped to cultivate a measure of leadership that predicted leader effectiveness accurately. The spotlight on the leadership research moved because of the flimsy results, to contingency studies which investigated more than just traits of a leader. Numerous traits formed an important divergence in leadership effectiveness and they interrelated with other conditional variables to stimulate the effectiveness of the leader. Physical Behaviors Physical factors such as height, weight, physique, energy, health, and appearance are also examined in the studies. It was concluded that there is a relationship between the above features and leadership. Apparently leaders have the tendency to be taller, heavier, better fitness, greater physique, higher energy output and more attractive in appearance. For example, executives in insurance companies were taller than policyholders, bishops were taller than clergymen, university presidents were taller than college presidents, sales managers were taller than sales representatives and railway presidents were taller than station agents. However, these types of results were not always reliable and consistent. The results neither are too weak in general and not consistent to be effective in selecting leaders nor are they helpful for training functions since not much can be made to alter most of these physical traits. Intellect It was generally agreed that leaders are more intellectual than non-leaders and the relationship was shown in the various studies. The relationship could probably begin from the reality that leadership functions largely depend upon careful problem solving. All three leadership roles initiation, speech and management necessitate great mental ability. In general, it is safe to assume that leaders are more intelligent than non-leaders but the relationships are small. Many other variables other than intellect inspire leadership effectiveness. It was also suggested that leaders should not be too intelligent than the group because associates who are notably brilliant than others are rarely chosen as leaders since the other members tend to snub them. Individuals with high IQs are inclined to have different sets of vocabulary, networks and aspirations that would create communication and inter-relations problems. Leaders do extremely well generally at school/college/university and score better grades. It is important for effective leadership to know how to do things. Thus general and practical knowledge are essential. Some studies have revealed the positive relationship between general knowledge and leaderships ability. Characteristic Traits Only a partial of the characteristic traits seem to be related to leadership and most are not especially convincing. It was suggested that the average leader is more used to social displays, greater initiative, persistent, knows how to get things done, self-confident, displays greater cooperativeness and adaptability, and possesses greater verbal skills to facilitate communication.  [3]  Leaders were found to be more emotionally mature than non-leaders in the personality integration or emotional adjustment. It can be concluded that personal characteristics are related to leadership. Effective leadership does not depend on a mixture of personality traits only because situational variables are also important since they always decide whether a character was associated with effective leadership either positively or negatively. Leadership must be considered as an interface of three variables: leaders characteristics, subordinates and nature of the task. Many styles of leadership were defined as a result of the studies of leaders behaviors. One of the earlier studies compared three leadership styles: authoritarian democratic and laissez-faire. The finest researches on the styles of leadership are made together at the same time; i.e. The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan. The researchers acknowledged two leader behaviors that were similar although the investigations were conducted separately. These two dimensions of leadership have been to form an instrument, called the Managerial Grid  [4]  , that has been used for research and training. Authoritarian, Democratic, and Laissez-faire  [5]  Leadership The diverse political systems in the United States and Germany before World War II inspired studies of leadership which evaluated the effects of three leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez faire. In the democratic leadership style, decisions were made by vote of majority; equal participation encouraged; criticism and punishment minimal. In the autocratic leader, the leader made all the decisions and others must follow the set procedures strictly. In the laissez-faire leader, there was minimal actual leadership and others were permitted to work and play as usual without proper directives. Initiating Structure and Consideration The two leadership factors were initiating structure and consideration in which consisted of leadership behaviors associated with organizing and defining the work, the work relationships, and the goals. A leader who has structure assigned people to do specific jobs, expected workers to follow set routines and meet deadlines. The consideration factor is showing friendship, mutual trust, warmth and concern for subordinates. Production-Centered and Employee-Centered Leader Behaviors Production centered behaviors were akin to initiating structure in which leaders would establish targets, gave directives, checked on operations and planned the group Employees work. Centered behaviors were similar to the considerations dimension in which the leader would develop a caring personal relationship with the subordinates and encouraged a two-way communication with them. The relationship between production-centered and employee centered behaviors are found to be independent scopes of leadership. A leader with strong production orientation does not mean that he is disinterested in the employees. Managerial Grid  [6]   A conceptual framework combining a concern for task accomplishment and a concern for people was created by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton called the Managerial Grid. Blake and Mouton assumed that the most effective leadership style is demonstrating both concern for production and concern for people. There are leaders primarily more concerned with accomplishing the production and task not concerned about people. This person wants the job done and schedule followed at all costs. There is also individual who is not concerned whether the group produces anything but concerned more about the members personal needs, interests and inter-personal relationships. An ideal leader wants to meet schedules and get the job done but at the same time is highly concerned about the feelings and interests of the group members. The Managerial Grid  [7]  is popular among managers. It is used extensively as part of a training program to assess their leadership style. However, the effectiveness of the Managerial Grid is not consistently supported. The burden of the situation, expectations of other group members and nature of the work performed interact in complicated ways that call for a variety of leadership styles. The leadership style is not always the most effective. SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP The effectiveness of the different leadership styles must be combined with different organizational factors to assess their effect effectiveness. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed a situational leadership model that combined three variables: (1) the amount of guidance and direction (task behavior) a leader gives; (2) the amount of emotional support (relationship behavior) a leader provides; (3) the readiness level (maturity) that follows, exhibit in performing a specific task or function Four potential leadership styles are created by combining different amounts of task and relationship behaviors. S1: Telling Give instructions and supervise performance closely. Suited for followers who are unwilling but of low maturity. S2: Selling Decide and provide opportunity for explanation. Appropriate for followers who are not able but willing. S3: Participating Sharing ideas in making decisions. Suited for followers who are able but not willing. S4: Delegating Responsibility handed over for decisions and performance. Appropriate for groups who are able and willing. Contingency Theory of Leadership The interaction of the leadership style and the situation. Fiedlers major contributions consist of: (l) identifying the leadership orientation of the leader and developing a way to measure it; and (2) identifying three situational factors influencing leadership and developing a method of measuring them. Leader Orientation Leaders were identified as either relationship-oriented or task-oriented. Relationship-oriented: look at others as coworkers and see close interpersonal relations as a requirement for accomplishing the task. Task-oriented: show a strong emotional reaction against people with whom they have difficulty working. Situational favorableness (1) whether the relationships between the leader and the members are good or bad; (2) the task is relatively well planned or not; and (3) the leaders authority is relatively strong or weak. The second most important situational variable was the task structure which was evaluated by judges who examined four aspects of the task structure. Clarity: which the requirements of the job are clearly stated, Multiplicity: which the problems encounter can be solved. Verifiability: which the correctness of the decisions can be ascertained. Specificity: which there are generally more solutions involved in performing the task. Group effectiveness Relationship-oriented leaders excel in situations of intermediate favorableness where concern for the group members is apparently a necessary prerequisite for motivating them to perform well. In these situations, people want to have leaders who care about them. Task-oriented leaders however are more effective when the situation is either very favorable or very unfavorable. impossible situation. Path-Goal Model Directive leadership: subordinates are told what to expected and specific guidance, standards, and schedules of work provided. Supportive leadership: subordinates are treated equally and concern for their well- being, status, and personal needs; develop pleasant interpersonal relationships among the group members. Achievement-oriented leadership: challenging goals are set and subordinates are expected to perform at their highest level, improvement in performance always. Participative leadership: subordinates are consulted on suggestions and ideas in making decisions. Situational factors Situational factors-the characteristics of the follower and environmental factors. Three characteristics of the followers have been identified as significant variables determining the appropriate leadership style: (1). Locus of control: Internal believe their rewards are based on their own effort. External believe their rewards are controlled by external forces. (2). Authoritarianism: an individuals willingness to accept the influence of others. (3). Abilities: The followers ability and experience influence a leader whether they are able to work with an achievement oriented leader or a supportive leader who patiently encourage and instruct them. The path-goal model identifies three environmental factors moderating the effects of leadership styles: the nature of the task, the formal authority system within the organization; and the group norms and dynamics. These environmental factors can influence the effectiveness of different leadership styles in a variety of ways. Normative Decision-Making Model of Leadership The normative decision-making model is a contingency theory of leadership. It does not assume any leadership style as appropriate for all situations. Leaders must develop a range of leadership styles and take on the style that is most appropriate to the situation. Leaders need to know when to consult others and when consultation is a waste of time. Although the leader may serve as the chairman of the group, the leader is simply one of the groups and does not try to influence the group to adopt a particular solution. Criteria for selecting a leadership style. The criteria used for assessing the efficiency of a leadership style: quality and acceptance. The quality of the decision refers to its accuracy and the extent to which it will achieve some objective. The quality of decisions depends on accurate and relevant information Conferring with other group members often provides additional information. Diagnostic decision rules. Managers choose the most autocratic of the styles to save time and minimize costs. If the aim was to further the subordinates personal development, the participative style is selected. In some strategies, the manager decides alone. At times, the manager makes the decision alone after consulting with the subordinates as an advisory group. Comparing the leadership models. All situational leadership models contribute to our understanding of the leadership by emphasizing the effect of external factors on a particular leadership style. Different leadership styles suggest styles that are determined by various situational factors. The models focus on different methods: different situational factors and different criteria for selecting the best style: task-oriented versus relationship-oriented. The four leadership styles: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented The normative decision-making model identifies three leadership styles: autocratic, consultative, and participative. The situational factors influencing the effectiveness of leadership are quite different in each of the models. An important reason for some of this difference is that the normative decision- making model equates leadership with making decisions and looks at only this function of leadership. In addition, the models use rather different criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of leadership. DETERMINANTS OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS Although deciding what makes an effective leader seems as if it should be a simple decision, however, individuals who are in the positions of leadership are faced with the practical question of deciding which leadership pattern to adopt. Choosing a Leadership Style One of the most popular models for selecting an appropriate leadership style is one that describes a variety of leadership styles along a continuum from highly autocratic to highly participative at the other. The forces in the situation include the culture of the organization. The successful leader is one who is aware of the situational forces and responds accordingly. Effective leaders must understand themselves, the group, company and social environment. Strategies for Improving Leadership Leaders capacity to reward the behavior of followers should not be overlooked and the ability of the followers responds otherwise. For example, organizations reward managers according to the performance of their group. As a result, the managers of high- performing groups are highly rewarded by the organization. Leaders who were more considerate created greater satisfaction among their subordinates; at the same time, changes in the behavior of the leaders could be caused by the performance of the subordinates. Constraints on leader behavior. Leaders have limited opportunities to influence others. Leadership effectiveness is inhibited by a variety of factors. For example the extent managerial decisions are pre-planned due to structure, technological specifications, laws and the absence of available alternatives. Leadership can also be forced by a variety of organizational factors limiting the leaders capability to either communicate with or to reinforce the behavior of the subordinates. The constraints imposed on leaders include external factors organizational policies, group factors, and individual skills and abilities. External factors. Leaders are constrained in what they can do because of various economic realities and a host of state and federal laws. Leaders who have unskilled followers will have difficulty leading irrespective of their leadership style. The availability of skilled followers is subjected to the external labor market. Organizational policies. The organization may limit a leaders effectiveness by hampering the amount of communication between leaders and followers and restricting the leaders ability to reward or punish followers. Group factors. Created by the dynamics of the group. If the group is highly unified and determined, it can limit the leaders ability to influence the group. Individual skills and abilities. The leaders own skills and abilities may act as constraints since leaders can only possess so much expertise, energy, and power. Some situations may simply require greater skills and abilities than the leader may possibly hope to possess. Substitutes for leadership. While some situations constrain leaders other situations make leadership unnecessary. These variables are referred to as substitute variables because they substitute for leadership either by making the leaders behavior unnecessary or by neutralizing the leaders ability to influence subordinates. Leadership is an extremely important function. It has an enormous influence on the value of groups and organizations. The complexity of the situation, however, may prevent us from knowing in advance which will be the most effective leadership behaviors. SUMMARY 1. Leadership refers to increasing influence which occur when an individual manipulates others to do tasks voluntarily which they would not do otherwise. The basic leadership roles include initiation of policy and structure, speech, and management. A need for leadership within organizations stems from the incompleteness of the organization design and the dynamic nature of the internal and external environments. 2. The studies of leadership were mainly studies on traits that tried to identify the characteristics of effective leaders. The studies focused mainly on physical traits, intellect and characteristic. The results were usually weak and inconsistent although some personal characteristics were always related to leadership. Most studies concluded that the characteristics of the subordinate and the nature of the task were as important as the characteristics of the leader in determining success. 3. Another approach to studying leadership set on leader behaviors; i.e. how leaders actually behave. One of the studies compared three leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic and laissez-faire. Although democratic leadership produced the greatest satisfaction, autocratic leadership had the highest levels of productivity. 4. Research conducted simultaneously at two universities identified two similar leadership behaviors. At The Ohio State University the researchers labeled these two leader behaviors initiating structure and consideration. At the University of Michigan the same two factors were labeled production-centered and employee-centered leader behaviors. These two leader behaviors appear to identify leadership functions essential to the effectiveness of a group. The two Factors have been used to form a matrix called the Managerial Grid which places a concern for production on one side of the grid and concern for people on the other. The research evidence does not support this conclusion consistently. 5. The unsuccessful research to identify leadership traits or universally superior leader behaviors caused an emergence of development of four situational theories of leadership. The theories suggest that the most effective leadership style depends upon situational variables particularly the characteristics of the group and the nature of the task. 6. A situational leadership model that matched different combinations of task behavior and relationship behavior with the maturity of the followers. As the followers increase, the appropriate leadership style is telling, selling, participating, and finally for highly mature followers, delegating. 7. The most appropriate leadership style was determined by assessing three situational variables: whether the relationships between the leader and the members were good or poor, the task was structured or unstructured, and the power position of the leader was strong or weak. When these three situational variables created an extremely favorable or extremely unfavorable situation, the most effective leadership style was a task-oriented leader. However, where there were intermediate levels of favorableness, a leader with a high concern for interpersonal relationships was more effective in these situations. 8. The path goal model theory is derived from expectancy theory. It suggests that effective leaders must clarify the target paths and increase its attractiveness for followers. Four distinct leadership styles are proposed in the model: directive, supportive achievement-oriented and participative leadership styles. The style most appropriate depends upon two types of situational factors: the characteristics of the follower and characteristics of the environment. Three of the most important follower characteristics include the locus of control, authoritarianism, and personal abilities. The three environmental factors include the nature of the task, the formal authority system within the organization, and the group norms and dynamics. 9. The three leadership styles include autocratic decision making, consultative decision making, and group decision making. The decision titles determining which style is most appropriate include such questions as whether the leader has adequate information to make the decision alone, whether the subordinates will accept the goals of the organization, whether subordinates will accept the decision if they do not participate in making it, and whether the decision will produce a controversial solution. 10. The influence of the group upon the leader should not be overlooked. The relationship between the leader and the group implies a reciprocal influence. Groups have the capacity to influence the behavior of their leaders by responding selectively to specific leader behaviors. The influence of a leader can also be constrained by several external factors, such as organizational policies, group norms, and individual skills and abilities. Other variables have been found to neutralize or substitute for the influence of a leader, such as the skills and abilities of followers and the nature of the task itself. POSITIONING ON LEADERSHIP CRISIS There are many leadership theories. Arthur G. Jago (1982)  [8]  had proposed a framework that organizes leadership theories based on each theorys focus and approach. Focus refers to whether the leadership is seen as a set of traits or actions. There is a universal formula of traits or behavior for an effective leader. However, effective leadership also depends on specific situations. The kinds of behaviors that leaders can actually perform in a group. The two leader behaviors that have been consistently observed including task-related activities, called initiating structure or production-centered activities, and interpersonal relations activities, sometimes called consideration or employee-centered activities. The incremental influence that one individual exerts upon another and that causes the second person to change his or her behavior voluntarily. Three leadership roles include origination of the structure by top-level managers, interpolation or adapting the structure by middle-level managers and administration or implementation of the policies and procedures by lower-level supervisors. I concur with A. Ange on the presence of leadership crisis but I also foresee the resolutions taken and are still being taken to resolve the problem. Many organizations are spending money in sending their employees to be groomed and trained for future growth of the company whereby they are exposed to different methods of management and how to be great leaders. Leaders are born to leaders but in some circumstances, situations and environments also play a huge role in creating a leader. Leaders come and go and new ones are always on the threshold to take over the empty space. The qualities of the leaders and their leadership styles vary but they are vital in the development and motivation processes of the organizations. There is