Simmons Case Study

Introduction With stiff competition in the global environment, companies and business organizations have been forced to redesign the organization structure to ensure that all the stakeholders are satisfied. Like customers, employees are valuable assets since they influence the success of an organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Simmons Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is the role of the top management to enrich jobs so as to satisfy the needs of the members of the core team or junior employees. The success of prominent companies such as Wal-Mart, Starbucks and Apple is attributed to their appropriate management styles which create good working environment. Consequently, this encourages junior level managers and the rest of employees to be responsible for all aspects of organization. The Objective of the Great Game of Life (GGOL) Program As indicated in the introductory part, an organization can develop and grow only if it has effective workforce. In the recent times, most organizations and companies have adopted cultures which focus on promoting growth and development of all employees. In the paradigm case, the top management has been striving to create and maintain operational excellence among employees. Prior the coming of Eitel, the company had 18 managers working in different plants. As a result, unhealthy internal competition occurred between them. Barely three months after he took over the post of CEO, Eitel redesigned the organizational structure which led to the birth of Great Game of Life (GGOL) program. The main objective of the program was to promote growth of every employee by inculcating the desire to make the right choices in life. Basing on his long term experience, Eitel believed that leaders are responsible for professional and personal growth. The program was meant to encourage the plant managers and other leaders at Simmons to focus on enhancing prod uctivity as well as pursuing professional growth (Casciaro Edmondson 2007a). Simmons should implement GGOL program Basically, the program was introduced to instill significant individual change amongst organizational leaders so as to revolutionize organizational culture which would facilitate implementation of defined business strategy. Before rolling out the program to other leaders of the organization, the top management visited Callaway Gardens in California to experience it. According to Casciaro and Edmondson (2007), the program was praised by the leaders who attended it. They believed that the program would create a trusting and productive culture for the entire company. Despite the advantages cited by the top management team, there are several issues and challenges that accompanied the implementation of the program. First and foremost, the managers of different plants did not favor the program on the premise that it would require total change in the organization structure an d system. As such, it can be suggested that most of them opt to resign.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When Eitel introduced the concept of 18 in one, the company lost a number of managers. This condition has detrimental effects on the entire organization. The program is also expensive to implement hence would erode profitability in the long run. Therefore, the program should not be implemented (Casciaro Edmondson 2007a). Steps to achieved Positive Results upon Implementation of the program In most cases, change in an organization is resisted by different stakeholders. Therefore, the top management must carefully plan and design how it can implement it effectively. In the paradigm case, the implementation of GGOL program is likely to be hampered by resistance from some members of executive team and plant managers. The stakeholders would tend to resist the program for fear of unknown, loss of job security, habit, insufficient resources, fear of loss of power and bad timing. If in the event that the program is adopted and implemented, various steps should be taken in order to achieve desired objectives. It is advisable that the following steps are taken: Step One: Establish appropriate processes and practices that would drive change management: After ascertaining the need and the importance of the change (GGOL), it is important to craft a plan that would facilitate smooth handling of the change. The procedures for handling the program should be defined. These include procedures for requesting adoption and implementation of change, scheduled for implementing it, how it will be applied and how the organization will back out changes that give rise to problems. Responsibilities of various stakeholders and tools to be used should be defined. Step Two: Communicate the change to key stakeholders so as to gain the necessary buy-in: Every vehicle available wou ld be used to communicate the need and the importance of change to all stakeholders of the organization. Informing all the stakeholders of the program helps to instill positive attitude amongst them. This will guarantee optimum support from them. Step Three: Empowering action: The employees or the members of management body should be empowered so as to get rid of obstacles during implementation of the program. Modify systems and structures that may influence the attainment of objectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Simmons Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Step Four: Implement and monitor the program: The GGOL program is applied and the results monitored. In the event that positive results are not achieved, backing out of changes is pursued. Step Five: Evaluate and report on the program implemented: It is important to provide feedback on all the results of the new program. Effect of GGOL program on managerial or employee culture of Simmons Any change has impacts on managerial or employee culture in an organization. It affects the way the employees and the top management do things. In the Simmons case, adoption and subsequent implementation of Great Game of Life program would affect the culture. The program would incorporate various aspects of management in the organization. Currently, the company has a dictatorial management and a centralized system. With the implementation of the program, employees would be incorporated into decision making processes as that would facilitate realization of the vision of achieving both personal and professional growth amongst employees. The management has to abandon the culture of dictatorial management and adopt inclusive management styles (Casciaro Edmondson 2007b). Management of Emotional Elements Associated with implementation of Great Game of Life Program Emotions management is one of the greatest challenges in change implementation. It is easy to change policies and physical infrastructure but it is hard to convince organization’s stakeholders (employees) to abandon their accustomed habits, and push them to embrace change paradigms in their working environment. In this case, emotions should be managed otherwise the intended results may not be achieved. One of the ways is of achieving this is by ending uncertainty. Some employees and members of executive team tend to react to change because they are not certain of its consequences. It is important that the vision of change is explicitly revealed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Providing justification for implementation of the program is another important way of managing emotions. Employees should be convinced about the need of the program. The benefits that the change would bring should be made clear. The third way of managing emotions is allowing employees and members of the executive team to take up ownership of the program. They should be fully engaged in the processes of change (Casciaro Edmondson 2007b). Conclusion Change is inevitable in any organization especially in the fast-changing environment. It can have either negative or positive effects on the organization. In order to achieve the desired results, change should be carefully planned and implemented. All the stakeholders should be involved in change implementation otherwise positive results will not be achieved. References Casciaro, T. Edmondson, A. (2007a). Leading change at Simmons (A). Boston: Harvard Business School. Casciaro, T. Edmondson, A. (2007b). Leading change at Simmons (B). Bo ston: Harvard Business School. This essay on Simmons Case Study was written and submitted by user Christina Wagner to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mixture Definition and Examples in Science

Mixture Definition and Examples in Science In chemistry, a mixture forms when  two or more substances are combined such that each substance retains its own chemical identity. Chemical bonds between the components are neither broken nor formed. Note that even though the chemical properties of the components havent changed, a mixture may exhibit new physical properties, like boiling point and melting point. For example, mixing together water and alcohol produces a mixture that has a higher boiling point and lower melting point than alcohol (lower boiling point and higher boiling point than water). Key Takeaways: Mixtures A mixture is defined as the result of combining two or more substances, such that each maintains its chemical identity. In other words, a chemical reaction does not occur between components of a mixture.Examples include combinations of salt and sand, sugar and water, and blood.Mixtures are classified based on how uniform they are and on the particle size of components relative to each other.Homogeneous mixtures have a uniform composition and phase throughout their volume, while heterogeneous mixtures do not appear uniform and may consist of different phases (e.g., liquid and gas).Examples of types of mixtures defined by particle size include colloids, solutions, and suspensions. Examples of Mixtures Flour and sugar may be combined to form a mixture.Sugar and water form a mixture.Marbles and salt may be combined to form a mixture.Smoke is a mixture of solid particles and gases. Types of Mixtures Two broad categories of mixtures are heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures. Heterogeneous mixtures are not uniform throughout the composition (e.g. gravel), while homogeneous mixtures have the same phase and composition, no matter where you sample them (e.g., air). The distinction between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures is a matter of magnification or scale. For example, even air can appear to be heterogeneous if your sample only contains a few molecules, while a bag of mixed vegetables may appear homogeneous if your sample is an entire truckload full of them. Also note, even if a sample consists of a single element, it may form a heterogeneous mixture. One example would be a mixture of pencil lead and diamonds (both carbon). Another example could be a mixture of gold powder and nuggets. Besides being classified as heterogeneous or homogeneous, mixtures may also be described according to the particle size of the components: Solution: A chemical solution contains very small particle sizes (less than 1 nanometer in diameter). A solution is physically stable and the components cannot be separated by decanting or centrifuging the sample. Examples of solutions include air (gas), dissolved oxygen in water (liquid), and mercury in gold amalgam (solid), opal (solid), and gelatin (solid). Colloid: A colloidal solution appears homogeneous to the naked eye, but particles are apparent under microscope magnification. Particle sizes range from 1 nanometer to 1 micrometer. Like solutions, colloids are physically stable. They exhibit the Tyndall effect. Colloid components cant be separated using decantation, but may be isolated by centrifugation. Examples of colloids include hair spray (gas), smoke (gas), whipped cream (liquid foam), blood (liquid),   Suspension: Particles in a suspension are often large enough that the mixture appears heterogeneous. Stabilizing agents are required to keep the particles from separating. Like colloids, suspensions exhibit the Tyndall effect. Suspensions may be separated using either decantation or centrifugation. Examples of suspensions include dust in air (solid in gas), vinaigrette (liquid in liquid), mud (solid in liquid), sand (solids blended together), and granite (blended solids). Examples That Are Not Mixtures Just because you mix two chemicals together, dont expect youll always get a mixture! If a chemical reaction occurs, the identity of a reactant changes. This is not a mixture. Combining vinegar and baking soda results in a reaction to produce carbon dioxide and water. So, you dont have a mixture. Combining an acid and a base also does not produce a mixture. Sources De Paula, Julio; Atkins, P. W.  Atkins Physical Chemistry  (7th ed.).Petrucci R. H., Harwood W. S., Herring F. G. (2002).  General Chemistry, 8th Ed. New York: Prentice-Hall.Weast R. C., Ed. (1990).  CRC Handbook of chemistry and physics. Boca Raton: Chemical Rubber Publishing Company.Whitten K.W., Gailey K. D. and Davis R. E. (1992).  General chemistry, 4th Ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing.

Ancient Near East Essays - Civilizations, Western Asia, Free Essays

Ancient Near East Millions of years ago the procreant low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris was probably the home of some animal life, but no great civilizations. However, things change over time, and just a few thousand years ago the same fertile low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris became the home of a very rich and complex society. This first high society of man was located in what some still call ?Mesopotamia?. The word ?Mesopotamia? is in origin a Greek name meaning ?land between the rivers.? The name is used for the area watered by the Euphrates and Tigris and its tributaries, roughly comprising modern Iraq and part of Syria. South of modern Bagdad, this alluvial plain was called the land of Sumer and Akkad. Sumer is the most southern part, while the land of Akkad is the area around modern Bagdad, where the Euphrates and Tigris are closest to each other. This first high, Mesopotamian society arose as a combined result of various historical, institutional, and rel igious factors. The reality of these factors occurring at a specific place within the fabric of space / time indeed established the basis for this first high civilization. Items like irrigation, topography, and bronze-age technical innovations played a big part along with the advent of writing and the practice of social conditioning (through the use of organized religion) in this relatively early achievement of man. The factors of irrigation, inherent topography, and useful bronze-age technical innovations paved the way for the agricultural revolution to occur in the land of Sumer and Akkad. The people of the Tigris and the Euphrates basin, the ancient Sumerians, using the fertile land and the abundant water supply of the area, developed sophisticated irrigation systems and created what was probably the first cereal agriculture. This historical factor resulted in an excess of production of cereals, dates, and other commodities. The consequence of excess is the emergence of a productive peasant agricultural system and a redistributive economy that fuels the progress of civilization. Without a doubt, the Sumerians were highly innovative people who responded creatively to the challenges of the both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Not just any spot on the planet is a good prospect for irrigation, and it is the topography of the land and the intelligence of the people that allowed efficient irrigation systems to develop. The precipitation in the mountains to the north is large and rainfall-agriculture is possible, but in the low lands, precipitation is slight and rain is concentrated in shortly lasting showers in the winter period of December-February. Without irrigation, agriculture in this area is not possible. The gentle sloping topography of the California- like valley affords numerous irrigation possibilities. The topology is not perfect, and because the riverbeds are actually raised as a result of sedimentary precipitation, the river can change its course as the result of a flood. Attesting to this fact are the ruins of many famous ancient cities, like Eridu, Ur, Nippur and Kish that are now far from the river, but were in the past situated at the banks. Successful irrigation can not be underestimated. Bronze-age technical innovations played a big part in the advancement of civilization. The metallurgical qualities of malleability and hardness made bronze a good choice for construction tools. The bronze tools expedited the construction of public buildings necessary for evolving civilization and government. Furthermore, tools of bronze aided in the erection of fortifications surrounding the cities, like security walls. Tools and related mechanical innovations like the wheel fueled the progress of early civilization, but metallurgy and tools were just part of the formula. In looking at the ?big picture? of possible historical factors, one must not forget the effects of climatic determinism. Many attempts have been made to explain the course of history because of large-scale climatic change. These theories are called climatic determinism, but again this is just part of the picture. In the name of determinism let the record show that the climate of this era was at least conducive to irrigation of a desert valley because of snow and rain in the northern and eastern mountains. Furthermore, as far as determinism goes, the term ?economic

The Debate Between Darwinism and Creationism Essay

The Debate Between Darwinism and Creationism - Essay Example Twenty years after the publication of On the Origin of Species, a crusade against this heretical doctrine came forward by the name of Creationism. Liberal churchmen and evangelical Christians had started embracing the evolution theory laid down by Darwin and his supporters. The creationists took upon themselves the task of outlawing the doctrines of evolution in the 1920s. Presently, they continue with this battle in the name of religion. William Jennings Bryan, a Presbyterian layman, made a huge claim about eliminating Darwinism from its roots in public schools. This strengthened the purpose of other creationists and the success encouraged them to continue with their efforts. Bryan was extremely disappointed to learn that Darwinism was used as a tool by the German military to cause war. Both democracy and Christianity were deeply affected by this havoc. He saw the whole of United States collapsing in this disbelief and the spread of the disease was far more rapid than he could imagi ne. He was â€Å"convinced that the teaching of Evolution as a fact instead of a theory caused the students to lose faith in the Bible, first, an in the story of creation, and later in other doctrines, which underlie the Christian religion†. In 1922, the same year in which Bryan started his crusade against the scientists who were the main cause; Will the I am Bell Riley stated the most important reason for the fundamentalists to oppose the scientific notions of evolution as being just a hypothesis and not a science.

Uninvolved Parents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Uninvolved Parents - Essay Example The essay "Uninvolved Parents" overviews the categories of parents behavior with their children – authoritarian, permissive, authoritative or uninvolved, though concentrating on the uninvolved one. Some of these categories have a positive effect in molding the character of children, and others less so, but none of these is as destructive to children as uninvolved parents. Uninvolved parents are completely uninterested in the welfare of their children, and they are dismissive and non-caring. They disregard their children completely as far as the emotional attachment is concerned. Sometimes, they event neglect the basic needs of their children when it comes to their wishes vs. their children. My childhood and teenage are a story filled with exactly this – neglect, exploitation, and even abuse, mental, physical as well as sexual. My parents inherited big through the death of my grandfather, which made them go into the drugs business. They became addicts themselves and dealt in drugs through the home. They even forced me and my sister to tend to the dealers that came by the house for the drugs. There was a lot of money that my parents inherited, but we still had no running water, no electricity, no food, tons of roaches, and fleas in our house. Our drugged parents were totally detached from our well-being. We had no value in their lives. All my father did be scaring us and using us. Not only did we deal with physical beatings but also we had to endure our father’s sexual abuse.

The Violent Content in Mein Kampf Essay Example for Free

The Violent Content in Mein Kampf Essay Im a parent in West Allis, WI and Im writing a letter to all the schools of Wisconsin to put the book Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler under review because of its R rated material that should be banned from all schools. This book must to be banned from all Wisconsin schools because of its violent, racist, and anti-semitic content. This book should not be allowed in schools what so ever and there needs to be a end to it now. First off the book Mein Kampf needs to be banned because of its violent content. For example in the book it says how hitler envisioned the mass murder of Jews, and a war against France to precede a war against Russia. There should not be books allowed in schools that tell you about how killing Jews was okay. Second off the book has to be banned from schools because of its racist and anti-semitic content. In the book its explains hitlers racist and anti-semitic vision for Germany. Which has a negative impact on people. This R-Rated material should not be allowed in schools in Wisconsin nor anywhere because of its inappropriate content. These are just a couple of reasons why this book must be banned from schools. The book Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler must be banned from all Wisconsin schools because of it violent, racist, and anti-semitic content. It is important that this book gets banned from all Wisconsin schools because there is no need for students to read or learn about all this inappropriate and R-Rated content. Yes I believe there is a need to read and learn about World War Two, but I also believe that there is Dear Wisconsin Schools

Friendship Essay example -- Friendship Essay

A friend by definition is someone you know well and regard with affection and trust. I am not a very outgoing person, and to be totally honest, I am very isolated from other human beings. Except for my family and people at school. I cannot say who I would like to have as friend. I never given much thought. Perhaps I like God to be my friend. He is not selfish and very forgiving. He knows the hearts, seeing you for you; the imperfections, the motives, the joys and virtues. I could say what qualities a friend should have. A friend is loyal, reliable, trustworthy, and loving. The friend is loyal by sticking by you through good times and bad times. She would not gossip behind your back, spilling intimate details of your life. She would try to defend you and praise you. You can always rely o...

Test: History of Michigan

How many of them were foreign-born? A) B) 22% C) 14% 5. The earliest mining in Michigan was for what mineral? A) iron B) silver C) gold D) copper after conducting extensive surveying and geological studies that confirmed the existence of copper deposits throughout the Awaken Peninsula, who published a report in 1841 that changed the course of Michigan economic, political and social development? A) Henry Rowe Schoolmate B) Lewis Sacs C) Douglas Houghton D) Robert Rogers 7. The Public Improvement Act ran into problems because 1 837 was not an opportune time for Michigan to seek purchasers for bonds.How did President Andrew Jackson's â€Å"Specie Circular† policy make it even harder for Michigan to find potential investors? A) it demanded that land purchased from the government had to be sold in plots no smaller than 1 60 acres B) it demanded that land controlled by the government could only be purchased by white males who had been born in the United States C) it demanded that al l land purchased from the government be paid for in gold or silver D) it demanded that all land purchased from the government be paid for in paper money issued by specie-backed banks 8.Following the Civil War, copper reduction in Michigan soared from 25 million pounds in 1872 to a peak of 267 million pounds in 1916. During what years did Michigan lead the nation in copper output? A) 1900-1940 B) 1847-1887 C) 1916-1956 D) Present day (Michigan still is the nation's largest producer of copper) 9. What was the Annotation Boulder? A) a 1/2-ton Potatoes Stone discovered in the Upper Peninsula B) a 1 -ton piece of granite used the carve the capstone of the Michigan State Capitol Building C) a 2-ton piece of iron discovered sticking out of the ground at the base of Iron Mountain D) a 3-ton boulder made of pure copper 10.How did William A. Burt determine in 1844 that large deposits of iron ore were located in the Upper Peninsula? A) he tripped over a piece of iron ore that Was sitting expos ed on the surface B) he found large chunks Of iron ore stuck to the roots of a tree that blew over during a windstorm C) the needle of his magnetic compass kept spinning wildly whenever he walked over specific patches of ground D) Native Americans showed him samples of raw iron ore they had made into decorative ornaments 1 1 . When Michigan first became a state, its capital was Detroit.However, many felt that Detroit was dangerously lose to Canada if another war with England should break out. As a result, the capital was moved further west to a village in Ingram County. How did the capital city come to be called â€Å"Lansing? † A) a man named John Lansing donated 1 00 acres of land to the state for the purpose of constructing the capital city B) many of the settlers in the village were from Lansing New York, which was named after John Lansing, chancellor of New York from 1801-1810 C) the city was named after Edward Lansing, a noted Indian fighter during the War of 1812 D) th e city was named after Stevens T.Lansing, Michigan first territorial governor 12. An 1850, Michigan voters approved a new constitution, which for the first time granted voting rights to what group(s) of people? A) blacks B) aliens (foreign-born immigrants) and Indians who renounced tribal loyalties C) women D) free white men who did not own property 13. A person in 19th-century America who believed that the institution of slavery needed to be done away with was referred to as a/an: A) polygamist B) abolitionist C) suffragist D) secessionist 14. During the 1 sass and sass, a great era of reform swept across the UnitedStates. One issue in particular caused a great deal of excitement. It grew out of a movement called the Washington Society that had been founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1840. What did its members advocate? A) the prohibition of alcohol (forbidding its manufacture, sale and consumption) B) abolition of slavery C) greater civil rights for women, including the right to vo te D) abolition of polygamy (as practiced by the Morons as well as by some Utopian communities elsewhere in the U. S. ) 15. The Michigan State Flag has a blue shield in the center with the word â€Å"Tubbier† printed on it.What was this word mean? A) Honor above all. B) I will defend. C) Victory or death. D) Truth and justice. 16. Michigan residents who were opposed to slavery organized a secret transportation system to assist escaped slaves reach free soil. What was this transportation system called? A) Freedom Trail B) Underground Railroad C) Michigan Canal Company D) Overland Cartage Company 17. What was the most difficult challenge Charles Harvey faced when trying to construct the Sault Set. Marie Canal so that ships carrying ore from Lake Superior could sail into Lake Huron?A) Indian attacks Harvey's work crews ere attacked by small but fierce bands of local Indians on at least five different occasions B) elevation Lake Huron was 22 feet lower than Lake Superior C) strik ing workers Harvey's workers, most of whom were immigrants who were ovenirked, underpaid and far from home, stopped working for three months until the were promised a raise in pay and better working conditions D) high water two years of record snowfalls plus months Of continual rainfall caused a situation where lake levels were so high that it was nearly impossible for Harvey's men to dig the channels for the proposed canal 18.Please match each term with the correct definition. Michigan politician who introduced the concept of â€Å"popular sovereignty† in 1848 during his unsuccessful bid to be elected President of the United States. B. Lewis Sacs an escaped slave in Detroit who was captured by slave catchers and about to be returned to Kentucky when a mob of whites and blacks attacked his captors, freed him, and then took him to Canada. E. Thornton Blackburn a Mormon who left Utah in 1848 moved with a group of followers to Beaver Island in Lake Michigan and established a col ony. He later proclaimed himself to be the island's king. A.Jesse James String a Detroit merchant who spent a small fortune trying to acquire the Annotation Boulder so he could charge people 25 cents to see it. D. Julius Leered a fierce anti- slavery proponent who came to Detroit in 1859 to hear Frederick Douglass speak. He then told Detroit abolitionists of his plan to start a full-scale slave revolt by raiding the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). C. John Brown 19. According to the facts listed on the graphic celebrating Michigan 17th birthday, Michigan has miles of Great Lakes shoreline. A) 2,288 miles B) I ,288 miles C) 3,288 miles D) 4,288 miles 0. N 1854, a new political party was formed In Jackson, Michigan. This new party sought to offer an alternative to the Democrats and the Whig who were then in power. What was this new party called? A) Know-Nothing B) Republican C) Free Soil D) Progressive 21 . During the 1 sass, what was the dominant political issu e in Michigan and the nation? A) the abolition of slavery across the nation B) prohibition of alcohol C) slavery and its extension into the Western territories D) restricting foreign immigration 22. Michigan used road building techniques that were used in other parts of the county with lots of trees.What type of road had a surface made of thick, flat wooded boards laid next to each other in a row to provide travelers with a smoother ride? A) corduroy road B) hewn plank road C) tree ford D) plank road (or highway) 23. A person in 19th-century America who believed that a man should be able to be married to more than one woman at a time was called a/an: A) abolitionist B) polygamist 24. Public lands were surveyed into townships, each of which measured 6 miles by 6 miles and consisted of 36 sections. Sections were then subdivided into smaller parts and sold to the public.If one section = 640 acres, how many cress were in a quarter quarter section? A) 320 acres B) 160 acres C) 80 acres D ) 40 acres 25. Where is the Annotation Boulder today? A) on display in the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing B) on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC C) somewhere at the bottom of Lake Superior (it was lost when the ship taking the boulder from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit sank during a storm) D) it no longer exists–it was melted down during World War II to help the war effort 26. Some state legislators in Georgia are arguing that it's time to correct a mistake made by a surveyor 200 ears ago.Georgia claims that its border should extend about 1 mile further north to the 35th parallel (into what is now the state of Tennessee). What would Georgia gain if its northern border were to be changed? A) The resort communities of Gatlinburg and Seville (home of the Dolly's resort) would no longer be part of Tennessee, but sit in Georgia–thus bringing badly needed revenue from taxes and tourist dollars into the Georgia economy. B) Georgia would ha ve a share of the Tennessee River–a waterway with about IS times the flow of the river metropolitan Atlanta currently depends on for eater.C) Georgians total size (in square miles) would increase enough that Georgia could claim to be the largest southern state in the U. S. 27 . According to local legend, the healing powers of Mount Clemens' sulfur-rich mineral water first became known when: A) baseball legend, Babe Ruth–whose career looked like it was coming to an end because of arthritis in the player's shoulders and arms–hit three home runs in a single game after two weeks of treatments in a â€Å"Bath City† spa. B) Presidential A. Garfield was taken to Mount Clemens for treatments after he Was shot by a would-be assassin.C) a horse, suffering from old age and rheumatism, became rejuvenated by drinking and rolling in Mount Clemens' water. 28. An the 1 8305, canals provided an effective and affordable means of transporting freight and passengers. How did canal boats move up and down the canals? A) They were propelled by small steam engines called â€Å"donkey engines. † B) They were equipped with sails which caught the wind and propelled the canal boats through the water. C) Each canal boat had a crew of men who used long poles to push the canal boat through the water.D) The canal boats were attached y large ropes to a team of mules or horses on the shore which pulled the canal boat through the water. E) The canal boats were rowed by crews of men with large oars. 29. Mount Clemens' â€Å"Bath City† era ended when the â€Å"Arrears,† the city's last bath house, burned down in 1974. However, a company called Mineral Essentials is providing visitors with access to the city's healing waters today. How are they doing it? A) When a customer goes for a treatment, s/he sits in a tub into which powder distilled from Mount Clemens' water has been mixed with regular tap water.

In the Modern World, Image Is Everything

It only takes about seven seconds for a stranger to form a first impression of you. Especially in our modern world, the image we project of ourselves is becoming even more crucial since the increasing openness and inter-connectedness of the world makes it much easier for people to do ‘research’ on who you are. An image is paramount to all levels of society from the individual, to the corporate, to the national. Therefore, image does play a pivotal role in our lives in both the public and private domains. Nowadays, it is rare to find someone who does not have a Facebook profile or a Twitter account.Social networking has become a norm in our world today, with so many people putting up their personal lives on the Internet for anyone to see. What we choose to put on the Internet inevitably forms an image of ourselves that we present to others. This image will be able to make or break you regardless of whether you are in the public spotlight. Almost every celebrity has public ists that help him or her manage their public persona. It is often with their reputations that celebrities are able to land the most well paid jobs.Such employers view the celebrity’s good reputation as one that will be able to most effectively sell a product or a movie. Additionally, the way in which a celebrity manages his or her image when hit with a crisis affects his or her future employment prospects. For example, when Kate Moss was hit the scandal of her being photographed snorting cocaine, she did not do anything that would help fan the flame of the scandal. Alternatively, she continued working hard and producing the beautiful shots that her employers wanted. The scandal did not kill her career, as many would have expected.Moss’ career received a boost instead where she signed lucrative contract with Calvin Klein that effectively doubled her income. Additionally, an increasing number of companies are making use of social networking sites to gather background in formation on prospective employees. Countless people have lost out on amazing job opportunities because they posted pictures of them drunk on their Facebook profiles. This then proves that the image that portray of ourselves has a great impact on our lives in that it can help determine your success or failure in your chosen profession.In the corporate world, many businesses are also starting to realize the importance of the image of the company. Image consultants are being paid thousands of dollars to spruce up a company’s profile, where the company hopes that the better the image it presents the more successful it will become. Marketers and advertisers are also making use of prominent public personalities to help sell their products by making them more attractive to the masses. Given a small business, without a company website can be destroyed as a result of any acerbic comment on the Internet.Potential clients upon doing their research and discovering a bad review of the co mpany’s services will decide to patronize the services of another company instead. The significance of a good public profile is seen clearly in the aforementioned example, whereby a company can falter due to the lack of an image that the fails to showcase to the public. Thus, a positive image presented to the masses can prove to be the deciding factor of whether a company succeeds or fails in the event of a public relations problem, proving that image is indeed everything in the corporate world.On a wider scale, image is also critical to the many nations in the world. Small countries very often want to show the world that it is to be underestimated, while developing countries want to show the world that it is growing into its own and is just as capable. The most explicit examples of this are in the countries that vie to host the Olympic Games. Winning the coveted role of hosting the Olympics is often a great source of national pride for a country whereby it can show the world what it is capable of.The prestige that comes with hosting the Olympics is also immensely substantial thus accounting for the many countries wanting to host the Olympics. Even the first Youth Olympic Games was not spared from the competition between countries to host it. Singapore ultimately won this honour and it was widely celebrated by the government and its people. Almost all of Singapore’s youth were involved in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in one way or another.All were happy to serve their country in any way they could in this grand and prestigious occasion. Another apt example is when China hosted the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China poured billions of dollars into the organization of the Games and spared no expense in ensuring that the Beijing was ready to receive athletes from all around the world. The pride that the Chinese had in the fact that China was hosting the 2008 Olympics was evident in the hundreds of hours of dedicated service that the Chinese selflessly con tributed.Thus, image is of great significance on a national level where countries are able to display what it is made of and can be a source of great national pride. On the other may argue that image is nothing without substance to back it up. Take the example of a customer going to a company for a particular service due to an initial good impression of the company. However, if the company fails to measure up to the image it presents of itself, the customer will be hugely disappointed and will not patronize the services of that company again and might even influence others into avoiding that company.Although one should concede that â€Å"well done is better than well said† as spoken by Benjamin Franklin, the first impression is ultimately one that is more powerful where a good impression often results in good outcomes. Particularly in our modern world where people move so fast that they only have time for first impressions and where the image one presents is one of the most r eliable ways to judge a persons character in such a short time.We have seen in the paragraphs above that image does play a pivotal role in our individual lives, in the corporate world, and on the national level. Despite the fact that actions do speak louder than words and that substance is more important than the image, it cannot be denied that the first impression is often a strong and lasting one. Image is hence essentially everything in our modern world where people are more often than not caught up in flash and superficiality.

School Leadership

School Leadership Introduction In today’s era of heightened expectations, school leaders are in the hot seat to ensure effective and excellent educational outcomes. The multi-levelled pedagogic school leaders highly determine the mode of teaching students in schools and the effective application of the learning process.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on School Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Not only are they curriculum leaders but they are also educational futurists, disciplinarians, instructors, assessors, analysts, field experts and society builders (Davies 2005). They are involved in the core running of the school and act as a go-between in case of any arising conflicts between the parents, students, teachers, education participants such as unions and the society itself. This requires them to not only be sensitive when meeting student’s demands and needs but to also be critical thinkers so as to deliver val id judgments based on logic. School leadership is currently a complex concept with most leaders failing to balance their roles. It is evident that they are heavily inclined towards school management and accountability hence disregarding the effective mode of impacting knowledge to students to ensure quality teaching and learning. The outcome greatly reflects the quality of the school leaders’ pedagogy and their ability to give credible teaching instructions to improve learning in schools. Teachers need to have adequate knowledge of how to teach students and be able to implement and design the school curriculum. The following paper will therefore discuss the current change in pedagogical and instructional roles that seem to create imbalance in their competing roles and how the same can be reclaimed. School Leadership Previous studies have attempted to define the concepts, models and practises that characterise the effect of leadership in educational outcomes. Several contempor ary leadership theories have come up as a result. According to Davies and Ellison (2001), the distributional and transformational leadership theories are examples of such theories.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These two theories have been discussed by many scholars in an attempt to draw an understanding on the nature of school leadership and how it affects learning and teaching in schools. They also create a link between the leaders and the teachers themselves with an attempt of establishing the student outcomes that is derived from this relationship. Though the study on effective leadership based on this theories have not been concluded, it is evident that school leaders have a big role to play. Student performance is therefore attributed to the influence impacted through effective leadership. Successful school leaders give support and knowledgeable instructions to the t eachers, a practise that develops their inner intellectual powers. In addition, they also implement an effective organisation model that helps them strike a balance in their competitive roles. The studies on educational leadership draws a clear conclusion that school leaders requires to be actively involved in the institution’s learning and instructional programs. Principals need to balance the instructional and pedagogical roles together with their managerial roles to ensure exemplary student performance. The main goal in any learning institution is assuring parents and the society in general that their children are receiving quality education. Though managerial and compliance accountability roles play a big role in running a school, student performance should be made the core business, a concept that is ignored by many school leaders. Leadership Crisis In order to discuss how school leaders can become instructional and pedagogical leaders rather than just mere managers, it is important to look at the challenges facing school leadership. There has been increasing demands for effective schools and the achievement by students is entirely based on the key roles played by school leaders. Leadership challenges have played a big role in the transformation of quality teaching and learning (Duke 2010). The school leaders need to address these challenges as a step of regaining the lost glory. One of the main challenge relate to the leadership styles adopted by the leaders.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on School Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most school leaders lead through manipulation that tends to intimidate teachers. A research conducted indicates that 80% of school management is characterised by dictatorial leadership (Duke 2010). This can be due to various reasons such as nepotism or favouritism by the leader. Dictatorial leadership can also be applied in instances where the leader is involved in unscrupulous dealings and is afraid of being exposed by a certain teacher. In such cases, the dictatorial management style instils fear in such teachers who steer away from the leader’s affairs. This challenge begets teachers who in turn fail to perform in their role of impacting knowledge to students. The other challenge is the limited capacity by school leaders to qualify as effective leaders. There has been an increase in unqualified selection of leaders due to the lenient selection process. The mode of screening, selection and admitting the leaders have been ill-defined and lacking in its application. As a result, most school leaders are easily admitted based on their academic background only and not their knowledge experiences or skill disposition required to making an effective leader. In addition, there are inadequate training programs for principals. The training is important to upgrade their competence and qualification to effectively run a scho ol. Lack of dialogue between leaders and other participants in decision making is also a leadership crisis that has led to a decline in students’ performances. Such leaders fail to take criticism from teachers, students or even the society itself positively. This leads to such leaders applying the direct approach instead of a facilitative approach while making their decisions. This approach is bureaucratic in nature and tends to leave out important factors that can result to a disastrous decision. The other challenge worth noting is the lack of ownership in the mission and vision statements of the school. These statements play a big role in achieving the goals set by the school’s administration. In most schools, leaders have failed to expose the vision and mission to both teachers and students as an inspiration for them to work towards achieving the set goals and objectives. Most school teachers are up in hands to retain their position thus compromising the performance of students.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Instead of engaging both students and the teachers, they are busy pleasing the school board in a bid to secure their managerial positions and disregarding problems faced by teachers to facilitate effective learning (Grace 1995). The quality of education has declined over the past few years. It is important to note that most of these challenges were not faced twenty ago hence they can be resolved. The challenges not only lead to the leader’s disorientation but also affect the teachers and the students as well. Instructional And Pedagogical Leadership Versus Administrative Leadership An oration by William Walker during a conference held by educational leaders in Australia gives a clear analysis of who qualifies as a pedagogical leader. Delivered by Viviane Robinson, the article seems to focus on educational leadership and their ability to give instructions rather than just being mere managers (Robinson 2007). The roles in this kind of leadership are differentiated from that of a school administrator in various ways. One distinctive role is the mode of discharging their administrative duties. While the administrators apply a rather strict approach, a pedagogical leader has clear set goals that involve all the participants. The latter is more involved in the implementation of the curriculum, monitoring process and evaluation of teachers and allocation of resources to make the program successful. They also encourage team work and transparency as opposed to their counterparts through delegation of powers to their juniors, a tactic that enhances learning growth. Recent definition of an instructional and pedagogical leader by Pont, Nusche and Moorman (2008) has shifted to include teaching and learning. Some of the scholars have further defined this kind of leadership as ‘learning leadership’. The community in such a learning environment uphold team work as the guiding principal. This entails constant meetings by staff members to discuss, reflect an d modify the learning process together as a team. To further avoid any future conflict that may arise, the members are armed with a problem-solving model to come up with a solution. The community creates a learning culture that leads to student’s success. Administrative leaders on the other hand are more attentive to the general running of the school as regards its finances, school projects and other factors affecting the general management of the school. They isolate themselves from the learning and teaching process leaving it entirely to the juniors to device their own curriculum. This leads to teacher’s laxity which in turn leads to a decline in students’ performances (Anderson and Cawsey 2008). Striking a Balance between the Administrative Role and the Pedagogical/Instructional Role For school leaders to be classified as effective leaders, they need to get deeply involved in the learning and teaching process while at the same time managing their administrati ve role. While this seems to be a challenging task, it is possible through application of various workable solutions. While teaching and learning has been termed as the core business in any learning institution, the school’s management needs to be kept running to ensure success in the said core business. Failure to effectively manage one can render the other one futile. Several scholars have proposed some workable models that can help strike a balance between these competing roles hence reclaiming the lost pedagogical and instructional roles of school leaders. This balancing model can be analysed through five strategic dimensions that play a big role in impacting quality knowledge to students. One of the dimensions is through promotion and active participation in teacher learning development. Crowther, Ferguson and Hann (2008) argue that a school leader needs to be actively involved in all activities pertaining to professional and developmental learning. This has proved to ha ve great impact on the student’s performance outcome. The school leader can be involved through formal or informal contexts. Formal context entails organising and participating in staff meetings and formal professional sessions. The informal context requires the school leader to not only initiate team building sessions that bring together all the members of the staff but to actively participate in them too. Team building session helps the members to identify problems that hinder the learning process and to come up with solutions to these problems through rigorous discussions. Scholars have suggested that such leaders who take this initiative begin to develop a focus in the learning and teaching process. They further get to learn their staff and how they operate. This helps the leaders to know the problems that the staff members are likely to face hence helping them with adequate support ranging from teaching resources to coming up with a valid timetable. Lastly, they learn to appreciate all the stages and time-line involved in the transformation process. The dimension not only involves itself in the learning process but also the administration role. The leader learns to involve the members of the staff in matters that affect the general running of the school hence helping to strike a balance between the two competing roles. The other dimension is through planning, evaluation and implementation of teaching curriculum. The school leaders need to be directly involved in the teaching process through regular attendance in classrooms. Recent study has indicated that giving a feedback to the teachers regarding their teaching tactics in class has played a key role in positive student outcomes (Mullen 2007). Such leaders play a vital role in coordinating an effective school curriculum to be used in all the levels. They also work together with staff members to plan, evaluate and implement their teaching curriculum. The curriculum also ensures a monitoring policy that closely follows the progress of student’s performance and evaluating the results in order to enhance future teaching programs. An effective teaching curriculum not only ensures exemplary performance but also help to create a good image of the school’s administration to the society. The image is an indication that the school head has the managerial abilities to run the school’s administration. Another dimension requires the leaders to come up with goals and expectations. This is by establishing an effective and workable vision and mission statement and to own it. The mission and vision statement encompass the goals and expectations set by both teachers and the students. It is therefore important to actively involve them in setting up these learning goals. Though it can be argued that this dimension plays a very minimal role in student outcome, it has significant learning impact to the students and staff by allowing them develop a specific focus. The school l eader is able to give priority to student achievement by ensuring that the goals are met and that the teaching curriculum correlates with the set school objectives. On the other hand, the goals and objectives also oversee the general running of the school by acting as the guiding principles. Strategic resourcing is also another dimension that the leader should actively be involved in. Strategic decisions concerning allocation of resources to aid in the learning and teaching process have an indirect impact in the student performance outcomes. The resources cover the school staffing and provision of teaching materials that facilitate the learning process. What is important is the ability of the leader to secure adequate resources that relates to the pedagogical set goals and objectives. The school leader on the other hand gains an additional skill to allocate resources required in the managerial role as well. The last dimension is to make certain that an orderly and supportive learnin g environment is maintained. School leaders should ensure a safe and caring haven for both its teaching staff and the students. The intervention mode by school heads to ensure such an environment helps to create a balance between the competing roles. Some of the interventions include setting up a standard discipline code, ensuring minimal conflicts that tends to disrupt the learning process and to protect the teaching staff from undue pressure from outside participants such as the parents or the school board. Implications Of The Dimensions The final question that requires to be answered is whether the dimensions play any key role in striking a balance in a leader’s competitive roles so as to ensure quality learning and teaching process. The dimensions seem to create a link between the leaders and other participants involved in the learning process. This creates an implication of team work that helps in solving problems. It further helps to strike a balance by ensuring key eva luation in student performances that effectively embeds positive experiences. The dimensions also include all the key areas in the school environment and serves as a focal point of leadership that ensures flexibility in affecting decisions made by the participants. Conclusion In order for school leaders to strike a balance between being both administrative and instructional/pedagogical leaders, they need first to focus on effective mode of leadership rather than the bureaucratic approach. The school head should then apply the dimensions in order to effectively get involved in the teaching and learning process on one hand and the managerial role on the other. This makes the heads partake the student’s performance as their core business hence meeting the ultimate requirement as an instructional or pedagogical leader. Reference List Anderson, M and Cawsey, C (2008) Learning for leadership: building a school of  Professional practice. Camberwell, Australian Council for Educatio nal Research Press. Crowther, F., Ferguson, M and Hann, L (2008) Developing Teacher Leaders: How  Teacher Leadership Enhances School Success. London, SAGE Publications. Davies, B (2005) The essentials of school leadership. London, Paul Chapman Publishing and Corwin Press. Davies, B and Ellison, L (2001) School leadership for the 21st century. A competency  and knowledge approach. New York, Routledge. Duke, D.L (2010) The Challenges of School District Leadership. New York, Routledge. Grace, R.G (1995) School leadership: beyond education management: an essay in  policy scholarship. Bristol, The Falmer Press. Mullen, C (2007) Curriculum leadership development: a guide for aspiring school  leaders. Sydney, John Wiley Sons Australia Ltd. Pont, B., Nusche, D and Moorman, H (2008) Improving school leadership: Policy and  practice. New Zealand, OECD Publishing. Robinson, V (2007) William Walker Oration: School Leadership and Student Outcomes  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Identifying What Works and Why. [Online] Available at: www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2515/13723.

Characteristics of abusers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics of abusers - Essay Example For example, domestic abuse or violence is associated with substance abuse. Reports from even civilized countries showed that the relationships have lost its meaning even in families. There are many cases in which the children were abused by their parents under influence of alcohol or drugs. This paper briefly analyses the role of substance abuse in domestic violence Domestic abuse is a term used to describe abuse by family members or intimate partners such as a spouse, ex-spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. It can take many forms, like intimidation, threats, violent behaviors etc to gain power and control over another person (Welcome to Chapter 1 of the Verbal Abuse Tutorial!, 2005). There are lots of reasons attached with the substance abuser’s behavior. These reasons can be physical as well as psychological. Sometimes these reasons can have deep roots in the childhood experiences. For example, some children might have witnessed their parents engaged in substance abuse which may motivate them when they grow up. They may develop their personality and attitude based on such experiences. They will think that such substance abuses are normal in the society and no need to refrain from it. â€Å"There must be 100 studies showing a genetic basis for abusive personalities and for many of the disorders† (MedicineNet, 2010). Heredity plays an important role in the making of a substance abuser. Parents with substance abusive character can have children of the same caliber. Most of the traits or behavioral characteristics of the parents will be transferred to the offspring through genes and hence the children unknowingly develop such abusive behaviors even when they brought up in a healthy environment. Some people often confess that they were engaged in substance abuse unknowingly. â€Å"Brothers and sisters will sometimes experiment, exploring sexuality. In alcoholic families, where boundaries and roles aren’t

History of Maya Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

History of Maya - Essay Example In the warm climate ÃŽ ¿f the Maya area, clothing as protection from the elements had never been a necessity. Maya clothing was used as decoration and the most spectacular clothes were for the priest. The Maya personages wore large ear plugs, necklaces, breastplates, ornaments attached to the nose, lips, waist, legs, arms, all were used for resplendent effect. Mayan peasants wore very little. The men had a simple loincloth or rather a band ÃŽ ¿f material that went once around their waist and then between their legs. Some at least possessed deerskin moccasins. The women had two garments a length ÃŽ ¿f decorated cloth with holes cut for head and arms, known as a kub. Man and women used a heavier square ÃŽ ¿f cloth known as a manta, which served as an overwrap on cold days, and as a night time blanket. The mantra was used as a curtain across the doorway. Cotton and sisal were cultivated on a considerable scale, and weaving was one ÃŽ ¿f the main occupations ÃŽ ¿f Mayan women. Authorities think that cotton was reserved for nobility and priests. While the dress ÃŽ ¿f the peasants was simple, that ÃŽ ¿f the nobility was much more colorful and elaborates. Although their clothing was sparse, the Maya were fond ÃŽ ¿f personal adornment. The ordinary people wore ornaments ÃŽ ¿f bone, shell, wood, and stone in their ears, noses, and lips. For people in the higher rank, the decorations were ÃŽ ¿f metal or jade. They also filed their teeth into points and sometimes covered them with plates ÃŽ ¿f what were to them precious stones. ... The Maya personages wore large earplugs, necklaces, breastplates, ornaments attached to the nose, lips, waist, legs, arms, all were used for resplendent effect (Brainerd 68). Mayan peasants wore very little. The men had a simple loincloth or rather a band f material that went once around their waist and then between their legs. Some at least possessed deerskin moccasins. The women had two garments a length f decorated cloth with holes cut for head and arms, known as a kub. Man and women used a heavier square f cloth known as a manta, which served as an overwrap on cold days, and as a night time blanket. The manta was used as a curtain across the doorway. Cotton and sisal were cultivated on a considerable scale, and weaving was one f the main occupations f Mayan women. Authorities think that cotton was reserved for nobility and priests. While the dress f the peasants was simple, that f the nobility was much more colorful and elaborates (Whitlock 43). Although their clothing was sparse, the Maya were fond f personal adornment. The ordinary people wore ornaments f bone, shell, wood and stone in their ears, noses and lips. For people in the higher rank, the decorations were f metal or jade. They also filed their teeth into points and sometimes covered them with plates f what were to them precious stones, such as obsidian, iron pyrites and most valuable f all jade. Paint was used lavishly on their bodies, and was applied by means f pottery shards dipped in the paint pot. The colors f the paints had significance. The Maya also practiced tattooing (Whitlock 44). Mayan villagers were overall well organized. The families had a certain distribution f land. Probably, each f the habitants