How personal and societal values Essay

(How personal and societal values can influence ethical decision-making) Nurses may be faced with ethical conflicts. As nurses we must examine our own beliefs and feelings regarding ethical issues and not impose our own values on any patient or caregiver. At the same time, it is our duty to also support appropriate behavior and to protect our patients from harm. Ethical issues involve the good and bad of moral duty and moral obligations. Nursing can be considered an ethical nterprise since it often involves an alternative action when providing care (Gilliland, 2010). It concerns doing well and avoiding harm. The nursing code of ethics is a great resource to follow when faced with ethical dilemmas. In the Marianne case study, it states that â€Å"she has no advance directives, but her husband wants to try everything† and the children believe that Marianne â€Å"would not want to undergo surgery only to be kept alive with poor quality of life. † An advice that nurse may give to Marianne’s family is to help them be aware of the result of the medical procedures. Marianne’s husband needs to know that once she undergoes surgery there is a good chance that they will need to have some lifestyle changes. As nurses, we should be able to provide the family with an objective view of the importance of each action as well as provide some emotional support that Marianne’s family need to deal with to their current situation. In the second case, with Nurse Jane having witnessed acts of negligence from her olleague, there may be things to consider that might make Nurse Jane’s decision.

Disney Movies

The negative influence of Disney movies on children Disney movies have a target audience of young impressionable children. Although Disney movies on first glance are entertaining and educational for the young mind it actually has many hidden messages that children do not realize are negative and believe that what they see is what is true. Disney movies contain a negative representations that are racist towards ethnic groups, sexism towards the behaviour and treatment of women, and construct false realities which are destructive to the human dignity.Disney movies contain stereotypical ideologies related to ethnicity that construct a negative representation. In many different Disney movies different ethnic groups are represented in different shapes and forms, some positive, others very offensive. As young children watch these movies they are exposed to all it's content and belive that what they see is true. Disney does not directly display the racism but make it so that it is infered. Specifically, in a Disney movie the black community is shown as hyennas.The hyennas are represented as noisy, rude, and disruptive. For instance, when a boy was walking down the street with his mother a group of black children were playing in the park. The boy told his mother that the hyennas were behind them. The boy who watched the movie was made to believe that when he hears a noisy group it clicks in his mind that they are of the black community. The young boy does not know that it is wrong as he was exposed to the Disney movie that made him believe that racist stereotype.By the same token, in another Disney movie the mexican community are represented as little chihuahuas with an accent and negative stereotypes. Likewise the asian community is represented in one movie as siamese cats with slender eyes. As a consequence children who watch Disney movies are exposed to many racist stereotypical ideologies that construct negative representations. Secondly, Disney movies contains neg ative ideologies related to norms of behaviour for genders and age. How Disney portrays gender in their movies is in one of the most negative ways.Young boys and girls will watch the movies and will learn not only how to treat the other gender but also stereotypes on their own gender. Children will also learn that age is not just a number, it defines who you are as a person. Disney movies show older men as wise, smart know it alls which is all not that bad but not a truthful statement. It also shows that older women are mean, villeanous, evil, and rude which is also a false statement. Disney labels stereotypes on age groups that children believe and associate in real life.Similarly, Disney labels portrays negative ideologies of the norms of behaviour of both men and women. In fact in a very famous Disney, â€Å"Beauty and the Beast† the stereotypes are very easily seen to an educated eye but to a childs eye it's just new information. In â€Å"Beauty and the Beast† ther e are many ideologies presented, a very obvious one is how the Prince Adam the Beast treats Belle, how Belle believes she can change the Beast. In the movie Belle is treated with huge amount of disrespect, being locked in her room and told to starve, getting abused physically and verbally.Belle also thinks that even though the Beast is mean and cold hearted she can change him in to a prince charming. When a child is exposed to how Belle is treated, how the Beast is such a powerful man, and how Belle still believes she can change him, the child will start to think like it is portrayed in the movie that women do not need to be treated properly, men are the dominant, strong and brave gender, and even though women are mistreated they will keep coming back in hope to change them.As a result, Disney movies portray negative ideologies to children related to norms of genders and how they are treated and how age affects the intellectuallity and personality. Lastly, Disney movies construct a false reality of this generations culture. By implementing all the different ideologies of race, gender, age, and many others a young child is easily influenced into believing that what he sees in his/her favorite disney movie is a reality of every day life.When a child learns negative ideologies such as stereotypes of ethnicity (like the boy who referred to a group of black children has hyennas as he remembered from a movie the laughing and noise they made) they start to believe that what happens in the film is also happens in reality. Young girls especially are the most influenced as in Disney women are portrayed as always cooking, cleaning, getting verbally, physcially and emotionally abused and just taking it.Young girls start to believe that it is a reality and it is their job to do those chores and it is acceptable to be treated poorly. Disney through their movies construct a false reality of how today's generation works and destructs the human dignity. In closing, Disney movi es contain a negative representations that are racist towards ethnic groups, sexism towards the behaviour and treatment of women, and construct false realities which are destructive to the human dignity.As a result of all the the negative stereotypes, young children who do not know any better than what they see in their favorite Disney are made to think that negative ideologies such as racism and sexism are acceptable in today's reality. As a consequence children are given a propaganda by disney that they can not deconstruct since they are so young and construct a misrepresentation of society. In brief, Disney movies negatively influence children.

Airline industry analysis by Porter’s Five Forces Essay

The Airline industry provides a very unique service to its customers. It transports people with a high level of convenience and efficiency that cannot not be provided by any other industry or substitute. Airline companies pride themselves on the way they treat their customer during the flight. They have things such as food, drinks, entertainment, and a welcoming staff. The service of transportation is provided in other industries but the airline surpasses all of them when it comes to timeliness. The geographic scope of the airline industry is at a global level. Some firms are able to fly their planes all over the world while others focus on smaller geographic areas. The five forces model is one way to answer the first basic question in strategic management; â€Å"Why are some industries more attractive than others?† This model shows the five forces that shape industry competition; threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers, and competitors. In order to analyze the airline industry we have look at each of these forces. Bargaining power of Buyers The airline industry is made up of two groups of buyers. First, there are individual flyers. They buy plane tickets for a number of reasons that can be personal or business related. This group is extremely diverse; most people in developed countries have purchased a plane ticket. They can do this through the specific airline or through the second group of buyers; travel agencies and online portals. This buyer group works as a middle man between the airlines and the flyers. They work with multiple airline firms in order to give customers the best flight possible. Between these two groups there is definitely a large amount of buyers compared to the number of firms. There are low switching costs between firms because many people choose the flight based on where they are going and the cost at the time. This is some loyalty to firms but not enough for high switching costs. Each customer needs a lot of important information. They need to know the details of what  is provided during the flight. Buyers need to understand the timing of the flight and the safety aspects of flying in general. The service provided is unique. Each airline has a niche. Some airlines focus on cost, while others focus on having the best amenities, etc. Overall the bargaining power of buyers has an extremely low threat in this industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Next we look at the bargaining power of the suppliers. In this case the major suppliers are the airplane manufacturers. The top two manufacturers in the world currently are Boeing and Airbus(Odell,Mark). In this industry the inputs are extremely standardized. Airline companies only seem to differentiate with amenities. The planes are very similar. Currently some manufacturers are trying to make their plans more ecofriendly. Airline companies cannot easily switch suppliers. Most firms have long term contracts with their suppliers. Planes are such high capital products that firms probably make long term loan agreements and have more favorable credit terms when they don’t switch companies. It is difficult to enter into the plane manufacturing industry because of the capital needed to enter. The amount of money and expertise needed to make even one plane is around 200 million dollars. For this reason there are very few suppliers in the airline industry. Airline firms are the only source of income for these manufacturers so their business is extremely important. Based on these things the bargaining power of suppliers has a low threat as well. Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrants is another major aspect of the five forces. This aspect has a low threat for the airline industry. There are two aspects that do however raise the threat level. First, there are extremely low switching costs. Second, there are no proprietary products or services involved. Even with these two aspects the industry still has a very low threat overall. Existing firms have a large cost advantage. This industry requires  a large amount of capital and without a strong customer base there will be little to no profit in the first few years. Existing firms can and will use their high capital to retaliate against newer firms with whatever means necessary such as lowering prices and taking a loss. Although there are low switching costs between brands, consumers tend to only chose well-known names. Airline tickets are expensive so people don’t want to give that money to firms they don’t trust. There is also a huge safety aspect involved and most consumers feel safer with firms that have been around for a long period of time. This industry requires plane and flying experience which also lowers the threat of entry. When firms decide to enter the market they first have to become licensed which can take about a year. After that they are constantly being regulated by several organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. The time and money spend to solely open an airline company is enough to prevent most people from entering the industry. Threat of Substitutes After looking at the threat of entry it is important to also consider the threat of substitutes. This industry has a medium substitute risk level. There are substitutes in the airline industry. Consumers can choose other form of transportation such as a car, bus, train, or boat to get to their destination. There is however a cost to switch. Some means of transportation can be more costly than a plane ticket. The main cost is time. Planes are by far the fastest form of transportation available. Airlines surpass all other forms of transportation when it comes to cost, convenience, and sometimes service. Consumers do sometimes choose other methods for various reasons such as cost if they are not traveling very far which raises the risk. Rivalry among Existing Players The last area of the five forces is the rivalry among existing players. The rivalry in the airline industry is very intense for many reasons. The industry is currently very stagnant. It seems to be in the mature stage of the business cycle. The number of competitors stays the same in the long run  and it doesn’t seem to be under or over capacitated. The fixed costs are extremely high in this industry. This makes it hard to leave the industry because they are probably in long term loan agreements in order to stay in business. The products involved or the planes are highly complex which also heightens the competition. The competition is lessened by the brand identities of different firms. For example, Jetblue is known for its amenities and Southwest is known for its low prices. The market share seemed to be equally distributed because each company has its own part of the market and because switching costs are low none of the firms can really hold a large percentage of the market. The strongest forces in this industry are the competition of existing firms and the power of suppliers. The rivalry of existing players is high and will push out any firm that doesn’t have enough capital. Suppliers are strong forces because planes are so costly to make. If the suppliers changed the credit terms by even a small amount it could mean a significant loss for the firm. On the other hand the other forces involved seem to have a weak threat. It is costly and time consuming to enter the market which lowers the risk of entry. Buyers have a weak force because of the low switching costs and substitutes are weak because they are usually too costly. The profit in this industry is high because for most people flying in necessary. It is not a trend which makes this industry profitable for the long term. Airlines that are more profitable are in a better position because they usually have more planes and a larger variety of flights which provides further convenience for the consumer. Recently there have been some changes in some of the forces. Some airplane manufacturers have been making ecofriendly planes, which is a change in the bargaining power of suppliers. This would differentiate the products, raising the threat of suppliers. Another recent change is the use of web portals such as Expedia to book flights. This positive change creates a whole new group of buyers and makes purchasing flights faster and easier. The increase in gas prices has also been a positive change for the industry  because it lessens the power of substitutes. People are more willing to fly to their destination if driving would be more expensive. After looking at the Five Forces Model firms should make dealing with the competition their main priority. The other areas in the model seem to have an overall low threat so existing firms don’t have to focus on those areas as much in their business strategy. Now that we have brought you through our Porter’s Five Force analysis, the last thing that is important to consider when exploring an industry, are the dominant economic features. The next section of our report will give you an overview of what features affect the airline industry most.

History of Art and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

History of Art and Technology - Essay Example Ideas that come from it are formulated by one’s reaction to the changing of sceneries as the vehicle moves from one point to another. This experience can only be felt by the person being transported, by the passenger. For one who sees a vehicle passing by, the vehicle itself is nothing but a mobile speck in seemingly still scenery. For the cargo forwarder or the airline staff, whose job is to ensure the delivery of things and people to another location, the vehicle is a means for completing a service or a business process. Therefore, their impression of the vehicle is nothing more but practical and mechanical. The philosophers and the more introspective artists have a higher degree of appreciation with a vehicle ride. For the philosophizing passenger, who seats by window of a vehicle and watches the changes of the scenery outside happening in rapid succession, a vehicle provides him something more than just a travel through space and time. As he absorbs the sight in his mind, he also transports himself from the real sensible world to one that is fictitious or surreal. What he sees are real but the quickness of the changes does not allow him to grasp fully its reality. With portions after portions only of what is real absorbed in his mind, it becomes convenient for him to create his own imaginary world. This paper provides a description and analyses of what the airline passenger or experiences as he takes a flight from an airport to another. This experience is presented in the form of an analogy to the airplane’s ten-point manual. Each point of the manual shall be the basis of the description for what the passenger notices and absorbs as he is transported. An airplane provides the passenger the sensations of being in â€Å"a relatively inert body traversing the world at high speed.† (Morse 109) This mode of transportation, however, is often the preference of

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Discussion - Essay Example The arguments against using these measures to fight unionization are that the organization can take a role which has more empathy and understanding more than anything else. The actions are indeed extreme as they deal with the jobs and relations of the employees on the job. I believe most managers would find a way to deal with their employees in a more honest way and come out in a clean manner. They would not find an excuse to do away with the aspect of unionization that has been a source of bane at the organization. Most managers would discuss these aspects with their employees and find a common ground so that they do not lose out on a number of different organizational counts. In essence, I would do the same things and make myself clear before deciding what course of action to adopt in the long run. I am of the view that being truthful about one’s dealings in the organization is essential. Managers have a duty to avoid unionization especially if the organization does not believe in such a philosophy but it is always good to come out cleanly for the betterment of the business and the relationships that develop between the managers and their subordinates. Employees join unions because they believe unions would raise their voice as a whole and in a collective fashion. Therefore I would agree with the truth of the statement more than disagreeing with it. However I believe that the element of unionization has been blown out of contexts in the recent years and unions are not as strong (negatively) as these used to be in the yesteryears. Now unions are all about bringing in collective good, not only for the sake of the organization but also for their own selves (Edwards 2003). I agree with this statement because it offers the employees a sense of security with regards to the basis of their jobs, and tells them in what stead their

What steps have governments taken to solve the problem of employment Essay

What steps have governments taken to solve the problem of employment since 1980 and how effective were they - Essay Example loyers are willing to offer and what workers are willing to accept explains why United Kingdom unemployment is so much higher than in the United States, where taxes and benefits are considerably lower. The interaction between the welfare state and a changed economic environment, Krugman argued, can also explain why unemployment has increased so much in United Kingdom. The change he emphasized was declining demand for low, skilled workers in industrial nations. Such a change would tend to increase income inequality by depressing the wages of low-skilled workers. But large disparities in incomes are what the United Kingdom welfare state was designed to prevent. The collision of market forces pushing toward greater income inequality with government policies that prevented such inequality has resulted in growing unemployment in United Kingdom, especially among low-skilled workers. In analyzing the reasons for declining demand for these workers, Krugman expressed skepticism about the importance of increased competition from newly industrializing nations. Although intuitively plausible, this explanation has been found to have little empirical support according to Krugman. Instead, he at tributed the declining demand for low-skilled workers to technological change that devalues the market value of manual labor. The same forces raising unemployment in United Kingdom, Krugman claimed, have caused rising poverty and income inequality in the United States. With less generous social service benefits, low-skilled workers in the United States have seen their real incomes decline. Krugman did not see any painless way out of the tradeoff between more poverty and more joblessness. Transforming low-skilled workers into high-skilled workers through improved education and training might seem the obvious solution. But raising education levels can be done only gradually, and government training programs are not particularly effective. Some modest improvement in United Kingdom might

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany Research Paper

Communication, Conflict, Negotiation and Leadership in Germany - Research Paper Example The Hofstede Model identifies cultures based on five dimensions: power distance, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and long-term/short-term orientation (Hofstede, 2001). The models' scores countries on a scale of 0 to 100 and there are comparisons made between and among countries. Hofstede initially made the scores during the 1970s but succeeding grades provided in recent years have proved that the grades are still valid. Additional 200 studies were further made to validate the indexes done by Hofstede. The model could be used in dealing with communication, negotiation, management, business, and marketing in the global scene (Hofstede, 2001). 2.1. Power Distance Power distance dimension refers to the belief of individuals in the lower echelon of the society that power is unequally distributed. Hofstede suggests that inequality is endorsed by the members instead of the leaders. Countries that scored high in power distance maintain all individua ls’ role in the society. In cultures with low power distance, roles have to be defined. Germany has a score of 35 in Hofstede’s power distance which is 36% below the world average and 14% below the U.S. score. The score shows Germany’s decentralized societies and flat organization structures. Most important, Germans are loyal to their employers and would not disclose company-related data to unauthorized groups or people (Workman, 2008). 2.2. Masculinity/Femininity In masculine societies, the important aspects are achievements and success while feminine societies focus on caring for other individuals. Masculine societies do not promote sharing of households between males and females. Also, feminine cultures show men’s involvement in shopping activities (Eurostat, 2002). Germany scored 66 points on masculinity, which is 32% higher than the world average and 6% higher than the U.S. Based on Hofstede’s scores; Germans do value earnings, advancement, mo ney, and recognition. Most Germans value success and their current state as the global performer have been sustained. 2.3. Uncertainty Avoidance The concept of uncertainty avoidance pertains to the reaction of people when dealing with ambiguities. Countries with high scores of uncertainty avoidance require established rules and structures. People in this culture are not open to changes and have low flexibility. Meanwhile, cultures with low uncertainty avoidance operate with few rules and are more open to opinions. Germany’s score in this dimension is 65 points which are 2% higher than the world average and 41% higher than the U.S. This indicates that Germans are less open to risks and are more concerned with security. Most important, Germans are disciplined and insists on strict conduct codes. 2.4. Individualism/Collectivism Individualistic cultures show individuals who focus on their own welfare and their immediate family members.

China-Iran Economic and Security Relationships and Its Impact on the Essay

China-Iran Economic and Security Relationships and Its Impact on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Essay Example has more than a quarter of the total world oil reserves, Iran has the fourth largest oil reserves and Iraq has huge oil deposits and is second to Saudi Arabia in terms of quantity. (10) On the other hand, DAB and Kuwait are also abundant in oil (9) and are considered as two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. What is more important around this region is that the cost of production of oil is usually low compared to the cost of production other oil producing countries. Several states in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Iraq, employs cheap labour thereby effectively reducing the cost of production even more. Since the cost of producing oil is much lower in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, these countries earn more income from their operations than most other oil producing countries. Furthermore, with low oil production cost, countries around the Gulf like Iraq and Saudi Arabia have more flexibility in the events where prices of oil in the world market dive. The instability of prices of oil in the world market makes it difficult for other oil producers to keep up with the fluctuations of prices. However, since oil is the primary source of energy all over the world and it is difficult to find alternative sources of fuel, consumers have to go through the ups and downs of prices. Every time there are disturbances in the Middle East and production of oil is affected, the prices will shoot up. For instance, if a crisis in Middle East causes a net deficit of four million barrels of oil a day – this estimate could double in just a short time.(6) This gap in the production and the consumption of oil could cause a huge imbalance in the supply and demand for oil. This means that when disturbances happen in the Gulf area, a series of economic events will be triggered as oil production in the area slow down. The United States understands the role that the oil producing countries are playing in the Gulf. It also sees the grave consequences of a slowdown in the

The management strategy of Blackberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The management strategy of Blackberry - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is Blackberry as a major player in the smart phone and mobile email markets around the world. The brand was designed and developed by the Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM) and has been operational in the smart phone markets since 1999. The typical Blackberry device is created to function as a personal digital assistant, portable media player, internet browser, gaming device and many other similar functions. The largest competitive advantage available to Blackberry devices in comparison to other smart phones is their ability to send and receive push email and instant messaging while preserving a lot of security through patented encryption methods. Typical Blackberry devices support many instant messaging features including the Blackberry Messenger. For the fiscal year 2011, Blackberry sales accounted for 3% of all mobile device sales around the world. This makes RIM the sixth most popular device manufacturer in the world, as 25% of all mobile de vices manufactured in the world are smart phones. The trademark Blackberry Internet Service is offered in 91 countries through some 500 mobile service operators who provide differing mobile technologies. An estimate from October 2011 places the number of global Blackberry subscribers at 70 million. The greatest market penetration of Blackberry smart phones is in the Caribbean and Latin America with market penetration levels of up to 45% in the region. ... s that Android has the largest market share at 13% followed by Blackberry at 10% with Apple lagging behind at 9% while Windows Phone stands at a measly 1% only. The British market is also seeing a general increase in smart phones in the overall mobile phone market. Within this scope of expansion, the share of RIM increased by 4% while Apple expanded by 2% to their overall market share. However, these increases pale in comparison to strides by Android that grew to twice its previous market size. The increase from Android’s end can largely be attributed to mid-range headsets manufactured by HTC and Samsung that are also supporting Windows small market share (Brill, 2012). Blackberry’s and its competition’s overall market share reveals a lot given that Blackberry stands at 22.3% of the smart phone market while Android stands at 45.2% with Apple lagging behind at 18.3%. When these figures are compared to the market growth rates reported previously, it becomes clear t hat Blackberry’s greatest competition stems from Android. In order to find a better marketing scheme it is necessary to study why Blackberry is losing to Android in certain areas and gaining in others. While Blackberry is losing fast to competition from Android around the world, but consumers in Spain and the United Kingdom are holding strong to Blackberry. The youth market is supportive of Blackberry because of the large volumes of text messages and instant messaging services used by them. The primary usages of young consumers are messaging services that are harder to use in conventional handsets when compared to smart phones such as Blackberry. One major advantage available to Blackberry when compared to Android is the trademark QWERTY physical keyboard that is standard to all Blackberry devices but

English Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

English Legal System - Essay Example back which I feel endorses my question answering skills which involves a clear breakdown of the question into all possible components, researching each component separately, and developing a comprehensive answer to the question. From the feedback, it is clear that I have good ability to dissect a question in such a manner that all components of the questions are set out. Secondly, the feedback endorses my research skills in regards to the components of the questions dissected above and my ability to answer each component satisfactorily. Moreover, it endorses my brevity, which inculcates ability to communicate clearly using minimum words possible. Besides that, I learn that my question answering technique and structure meets the legal writing skills expected of me, whereby I bring out the issues clearly, discuss the rules applicable, analyse the application of the rules on the issues raised and ability to make a valid conclusion which is supported by the case laws and authorities generally. Finally, I learn that I have mastered the art of referencing using the OSCOLA format. Referencing forms a key part of academic writing. I believe that I can replicate my academic writing skills into legal writing and drafting. I am conscious that I still need to keep learning to better my skills. However, key developmental issues emerge from the feedback. I need to learn to read through judgements in order to understand why judges ruled the way they did. I understand that rules that emerge from case laws are supported by a particular line of reasoning by the respective judge. Further, I understand that it is important to understand the reasoning of judges as it shows why judges ruled the way they did. To add, it is clear to me that I have to widen the scope of my research and cease relying on only one book. I understand this to mean that I have to answer the question with appreciation of the fact that several viewpoints on a certain issues may exist. Authors may approach an

Assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

2 - Assignment Example The company owns over 7 million hectares of land across the Northern Territory and Queensland. The company’s strategy is to operate in diversified agribusiness operations and bring innovation in existing business practices in order to achieve long term gains. ActivEX Limited is an Australian mineral and exploration company that specialises in identifying, acquiring, and distribution of minerals. The company aims to increase shareholders’ value by investing into quality projects including minerals such as gold, copper, cobalt, etc. The company is involved in activities such as drilling, soil testing and mapping, data compilation, and reviewing. Adcorp Australia is a leading advertising agency owned locally and offers services including branding, advertising, creative design, event management, media planning and promotions. a) The monthly returns of the three companies are calculated using the following formula: Monthly return = (Current adjusted close price/Previous adju sted close price) – 1 The historical prices of the three companies are obtained from Yahoo Finance and the individual monthly returns of the three chosen stocks are shown in the appendices section. The period under study was for 61 months ending on Dec 31, 2012. The calculations are made in the MS-Excel spreadsheet application using the above formula to calculate monthly returns. Then the average monthly return is calculated using the Excel function AVERAGE that computes the average of given numbers. The standard deviations of adjusted closing prices are calculated using the STDEV function of MS-Excel. Standard deviation is the measure of risk of investment which measures the stock volatility over a given period of time. The expected return from the stock is calculated using the CAPM (Capital Asset Pricing Model) approach, where there is the concept of Beta. From the above summarised risk-return analysis, it can be said that the returns of all the three stocks are equal since beta is very close to zero but it is positive. This means that investment in either of the companies is safe as it is apparent that the standard deviation of market index (AORD) is more volatile than the chosen stocks. From the theory of risk-return, it can be said that the higher the risk, the higher would be potential return. This is true in case of AORD since the risk borne by the investor must be compensated by higher expected returns. When the individual stocks of the companies are compared to AORD, it can be said that all the three stocks have lower standard deviation or risk associated with investment. This would alternatively mean that the returns from these stocks would be lower due to less associated risk. This can be verified from the expected return that calculates the estimated return from the stock using CAPM. In this study it was found that expected return of AORD was higher than the three chosen stocks due to a higher risk. Also, for the given return, the rational i nvestor would select the stock that is least risky and in this study riskiness of investment is determined using standard deviation. A higher value of standard deviation means that the stock is more risky and vice versa. From the above table, it can be said that Activex Limited is the least risky (the lowest standard deviation among other two stocks) and Australian Agriculture Co. Ltd is the riskiest (the highest standard deviation among other two stocks). b) In order to estimate the beta for each of three chosen

Eltons interpretation of the roles of Somerset and Northumberland Essay Example for Free

Eltons interpretation of the roles of Somerset and Northumberland Essay Geoffrey Elton presented a view of Somerset as an incompetent leader, who failed to fill the political vacuum the ascension of an infant monarch had created; nonetheless, he was noble minded and had visionary aims. On the other hand, Elton saw Northumberland as ambitious and power greedy; however, he did recognise that Northumberland had introduced welcome reforms to the finances and administration, which certainly marked an improvement upon Somersets rule. In this essay, I will argue that Eltons assessment of their reforms and actions was correct, although his judgement of their characters, although true to a certain extent, has been exaggerated. Somerset demonstrated very little concern for humanitarian reform, as has been said by historians such as Elton, and his rule merely exacerbated problems at the end of Henrys reign. However, Northumberland showed more political ability in tackling the equally bad situation he faced and was not as power hungry as Elton suggested. There were significant problems at the end of Henrys reign. His foreign policy had led to a poor financial situation; wars with France and Scotland, although a matter of national pride, actually achieved very little and led to huge debts. Over 2 million had already been spent on the war with Scotland, however victory would have far outweighed these huge financial repercussions. Somerset, therefore, inherited huge financial problems with huge debts and a debased coinage; in addition, the war with Scotland continued and hostilities with France were high. However, it would be a mistake to say that the situation was at a point of no return, Somersets political inability is demonstrated in his failure to deal with the situation inherited from Henry. Indeed, his actions worsened the financial status of the Crown and served only to escalate discontent in his reign. Somersets political inability is shown in his failure to discontinue the damaging Scottish war; he didnt realise, as his successor did, that the Scottish war was unsustainable. Rather, Somersets decision to continue the war was the worst possible start for his rule and indicative of his inability, it lead to a poor economic situation throughout his protectorate and also to his neglect of the more important issues facing his subjects. The Chantries Act (1547) that continued the dissolution of the monasteries in Henrys reign created inflation; as a result, prices, especially grain, rose rapidly fuelling discontent among the poor. Had Somerset been more politically astute, he would have ended the Scottish war and undertaken financial reform. Instead, he made little or no effort to resolve the economic problems and left Northumberland with a worse situation than he had inherited. In this respect, I agree with Elton, who said that Somerset was without any sign of administrative or political sense, 1 this was not, however, limited to his economic policy. Somerset also inherited a nation divided on religion. Henry, although he had split from papal authority, never made the full transition from Catholicism to Protestantism as Northumberland did later in the Edwardian period. Rather, the doctrinal modifications, which followed the split from Rome, resulted in a confused nation. The ten articles of 1536 had seemed to establish England as Protestant; however, the six articles 3 years later represented the return of some Catholic doctrine. As a result, there was a certain confusion and ambiguity as regards the state religion to some extent to do with the competition of the conservative and reform factions of the court, but also the fact the Henry had never been totally converted to Protestantism. Nevertheless, since he followed a monarch who had implemented perhaps the largest religious reform in the history of the church, Somerset had to deal with a situation of religious insecurity. Arguably, the effects of religious reform are harder to forecast than the effects of economic policy; therefore, it is easier to condemn Somerset as inept on the basis of his economic policies than it is on the basis of his religious reforms. Somersets religious reforms moved towards Protestantism with the introduction of a new Prayer Book and the Act of Uniformity as well as the Chantries Act, which abolished the remnants of Catholicism. However, in an attempt to appease both sides of the spectrum, a certain ambiguity still remained and Catholicism had not been categorically denied. However, the reforms were met only with discontent, for some it was too extreme and for others too moderate. The Treason Act, which ended restrictions on the discussion of religious doctrine, served only to make matters worse and led to disorder. In terms of religious reform, the outcome would have been more stable had Somerset done nothing. We have seen that religious turmoil was the result of a lack of continuity in the short Edwardian and Marian eras. This suggests that a period of stability following the fast paced religious reform of the Henrician rule would have been beneficial in Somersets protectorate. However, as we have noted, the outcome of religious reform would have been much harder to gauge at the time. While Somersets religious policy is not the sign of an expert politician, it cannot be used to condemn him to the same extent as his economic record. His religious reform, therefore, supports Eltons view that Somerset had talked much about liberty but had produced disorder. 2 His aim to appease the extremes can at least be seen as well meaning, while his actions were not those of an experienced politician; furthermore, his belief that appeasing the extremes was possible at this point is arguably naive. Somerset was poor at dealing with the growing feeling of discontent in England. Not only was he largely responsible for the growth of discontent due to his economic and religious policies, but more importantly, instead of dealing with the roots of discontent he attempted to control the disorder that resulted. The Vagrancy Act (1547) was a heavy-handed attempt to control the public, it meant that anyone out or work for 3 days would be branded with a V and sold into slavery for two years. He put out the message that dissent was not to be tolerated, though his action was strong it showed few signs of effective leadership. As his reign progressed it was clear that he showed no signs of dealing with the root of the issue, rather to avoid rebellion. A reform programme was supposedly being put together by John Hales, who later turned out not to exist. Furthermore, having blamed the problems on enclosure, reforms to remedy the problem were merely piecemeal and demonstrated indecisiveness. Somerset was inept; the paranoid measures preceding his fall such as bans on football and on the spreading of rumours simply confirm the hypothesis that Somerset had no real understanding of the political situation. In a similar vein to his belief that he could appease the religious extremes, attempting to pacify a discontented populace with piecemeal anti-enclosure measures and a fake reform programme was equally naive. Somerset fell from grace because of his own inability to rule; Eltons assessment was clearly correct: Somerset was disastrous as a leader. 3 However, Eltons view of Somerset as a humanitarian reformer with the best intentions exceeds the reasonable bounds of optimism. Most people, who have a most basic sense of human rights, would see the Vagrancy Act as simply morally corrupt. His poor management of the economy and heavy-handed measures of control hit those most in need the hardest. This demonstrates almost a total disregard for the needs of the poor; furthermore, anyone regarded as a humanitarian reformer, or at least a man with good intentions, would be incapable of passing the Vagrancy Act. It has been conceded that some good will may have lay behind his religious reform, also anti-enclosure legislation may show faint concern for the poor. However, such evidence is far outweighed by his record of controlling legislation. Somerset was not a humanitarian reformer; Elton seems to have avoided the conclusion that a rudimentary presentation of the facts would suggest. Rather, the failure of anti-enclosure legislation is evidence of Somerset appeasing the elite as well attempting to pacify the poor, an end from which he could gain a lot more politic al capital. Indeed, far from concurring with Eltons thesis on this issue, I suggest that Somerset was motivated by a desire to secure his own position of power. His continued use of proclamations as well as his neglect of the Privy Council demonstrates this theme. The Treason Act had done more than permit religious discussions; it repealed a previous act, which said that royal proclamations had the same force as acts of Parliament. Consequently, Somerset was now able to issue proclamations without the consent of his council and he frequently availed himself of this opportunity. Indeed, on average Somerset issued 13 more proclamations per year that usual. Furthermore, his attempts to hold onto power by control rather than tackling the root issues point to a man who was motivated by a need to secure his own position. Elton did recognise his neglect of the council: He alienated his fellow councillors whose feelings and ideas he persistently ignored. 4 However, Elton did not recognise the power seeking nature of Somersets character. I would agree with Heard who presented Somerset, not as a man with noble aims as Elton suggests, but as an arrogant self-seeker. 5 Therefore, It seems that Elton was correct in his judgement of Somerset as an inept leader as demonstrated in his economic and to some extent his religious policies as well as his abysmal handling of a situation of unrest, which he himself had created. However, Somerset was power seeking, not a man of noble aims; his record of legislation was clearly not motivated by a concern for the poor. Elton said: It is difficult to say who did more harm to the country they were supposed to govern. 6 It can certainly be said that Somerset exacerbated the poor situation after Henrys reign, the economic situation worsened through continuation of the wars and the Chantries Act. Religious confusion was not eased and arguably fuelled dissent and he left a country in unrest after the rebellions that led to his fall. Therefore, I agree with Eltons view that he was inept and cause harm to the country, although I disagree with Eltons view of Somersets aims. Northumberland, on the other hand, introduced welcome reforms. Elton argues as much, however I believe Elton exaggerated his assessment of Northumberland as power hungry; furthermore, Northumberlands effective reforms did not harm the country and it is unjust to tar Northumberland and Somerset with the same brush. Northumberland inherited a worse situation than Somerset and demonstrated political astuteness in his action, which dealt with the root of the problem. In addition, his dealings with the Privy Council and use of proclamation were far removed from the power hungry tactics of Somerset. Though his religious policy was arguably harsh and his attempts to alter the succession seem power seeking, Elton exaggerated this element of Northumberlands character. Arguably, Northumberlands best move was to end the Scottish and French wars. Indeed, the way in which the two leaders dealt with the wars can be seen as key in defining their rule and also how we interpret their ability. The treaty of Boulogue, although bad for England in the short-term, allowed the finances to improve and Northumberland to focus on the serious social unrest, Somersets mess that Northumberland was forced to deal with. The treaty is a clear indication of Northumberlands superior ability to Somerset; indeed, this theme is shown throughout the governance. Far from harming the country, Northumberland had shown realism and taken the first step towards recovery. Furthermore, re-evaluation of the coinage and prohibition of usury in 1552 helped to improve the economy. Northumberland, in contrast with Somerset, made some positive achievements; his economic policies helped to reverse the terrible situation left by Somerset. Moreover, his governance seems to have shown a commit ment to reform, which had a current and lasting positive effect. The reformation of the revenue courts was indicative of this commitment to reform. In 1549, five ministries were responsible for collecting money and the situation was worsened by corruption in some courts. Although reform was not carried out under his rule, the recommendations of the Royal Commission were carried out in the Marian era. Therefore, the Boulogue treaty coupled with other economic policies and a clear commitment to financial reform demonstrates that Northumberland was an able politician. Northumberlands economic policies were sound and he should be praised for steering a course out of the economic disaster created by Henry and worsened by Somerset. Indeed, it is arguable that Northumberland set the foundations for stable finances through into the Marian and Elizabethan eras. Elton notes that in Marys reign financial and administrative recovery owed nothing to the queen or her policy. 7 This adds strength to the argument that Northumberland deserves particular credit for his economic policy. Certainly, Elton was unreasonable to ask which of the two did more harm to the country. In doing so Elton comes dangerously close to equating the achievements of the two; however, Northumberland could not be accused of harming the country, particularly in reference to the finances. However, on this issue, it seems that this quote should be taken with a pinch of salt, for, within the same paragraph Elton praised Northumberlands economic policies. Ignoring that rather peculiar quote, I would concur with Eltons high acclaim of Northumberlands financial reforms, which Elton says provided the basis for sound finance in the reign of Elizabeth I. 8 His religious policy resulted in a largely more favourable result than that of Somerset. Northumberlands policy was clear; the Church of England was to become Protestant. The 1552 Prayer Books changed the services to meet Protestant doctrine and all glamour was removed in favour of simplicity. Somersets mistake had been to introduce half-hearted, indecisive reform that attempted to appease as many people as possible. By contrast, Northumberland was decisive; arguably, this was a risky strategy as it may have incited catholic rebellion. However, rebellions were small and Northumberland was successful in crushing them. It is clear that his religious policy was, once again, a sign of his political ability. Northumberland had recognised that decisive action would create the stability required after the fast paced and confusing reform of his predecessors. His religious policy has been accused of being harsh; though this may be the case, it was a successful policy. Furthermore, it is arguable that had Mary not usurped the Protestant reformation, Northumberlands religious policy would have enjoyed the same long-term success as his financial policies. Northumberlands successful consolidation of the reformation supports Eltons argument that he showed skill in public affairs 9. Further support for Eltons assessment of Northumberlands role comes from his handling of the social unrest. He deserves credit for his handling of the serious law and order problem during his rule. The aftermath of the 1549 rebellions and bad economic situation following Somersets fall coupled with three bad harvests and a collapse of the cloth trade meant that Northumberland had serious social unrest and disaffection to deal with. Rather than attempting to control and crush the unrest like Somerset, Northumberland attempted to solve the root problems and therein Northumberlands greater understanding of the situation is demonstrated. Sheep tax was abolished, enclosure commissions were abandoned, an Act in 1552 protected arable farming and a new poor law meant that Northumberland had a more successful social policy. Furthermore, his success with financial recovery enhanced his efforts at calming dissent largely through reducing inflation. In this regard, though not a humanitarian reformer, Northumberland demonstrated a concern for social justice 10, which was clearly greater than that of Somerset. Again I would support the view of Elton that Northumberland showed political skill demonstrated here by his social policy, which solved the root problems rather than attempting to control the dissent. Therefore, Elton was correct in pointing out the very positive achievements of Northumberlands reign. He played an important role in halting the financial and religious problems, which were created by Henry and exacerbated by Somerset. This was not a point that Elton expressly put forward, however I think this was a significant part of Northumberlands role, which should be emphasised. I would also agree with Elton that his financial reforms were influential far past his fall although I would venture to suggest that his religious reform also had an influence in the future, though to a lesser extent, in shaping Elizabeths policy 11. There may be an argument, however, to suggest that the assessment of Northumberlands role in the preceding paragraphs has gone too far to presenting Northumberland as a political genius. It must not be forgotten that Northumberland always had the benefit of hindsight, having seen the failures of Somersets reign. His financial, religious and social policies can all be seen as informed by the failures of Somersets reign. Whether, for example, Northumberland would have followed the same decisive religious policy had he been the direct successor of Henry is an interesting question. Therefore we must conclude that Northumberland was an apt politician, though certainly not anywhere near a political genius as we must recognise that he was able to learn from Somersets reign. It is possible to argue on the exact political abilities of Northumberland and how much advantage hindsight afforded him; however, the fact remains that his achievements were positive. While I may give more credit to Northumberland in some areas of his role, I would concur with Eltons view that Northumberland was an apt politician. Moreover, his view that Northumberlands rule marked an improvement on Somersets 12 is clearly correct and is supported by other historians, such as Alan Smith: Northumberland was a much more realistic and effective ruler than the traditionally overpraised Somerset. 13 Elton was correct in his assessment of Northumberland as greedy, however he has exaggerated the claim that Northumberland was power hungry. It is clear that this desire for power was present in his character as revealed in the desperate attempt to alter the succession at the end of his rule; nevertheless, it did not dominate his governance as Somersets desire for power motivated much of his policy. It is undeniable that during his rule his power and wealth increased significantly. Initially he gave himself the Earldom of Warwick and later became the Duke of Northumberland. He proceeded to make financial gains through land; many of his followers took the liberty to do the same. Clearly, he exploited his position to satisfy his greed and many argued this was at the expense of the King. Therefore, I would not argue with Eltons view that Northumberland was greedy. His desperate attempt to alter the succession is certainly a sign of a serious desire for power. He attempted in vain to abandon the previous succession acts of Henrys reign to bypass Mary and Elizabeth and install Lady Jane Grey, through whom Northumberland could retain a high level of power. It was a failure from the outset, he was unable to secure Marys arrest and upon the death of Edward the people of England opted unsurprisingly for the rightful heir. It was a dismal end to his governance and certainly evidence of a serious desire for power. However, as evidence of his desire for power, it should be viewed in the context of his whole governance. This was an act of desperation at the end of a rule in which his policies could not be seen as indicative of a thirst for power. Many of Somersets policies were methods of control to secure his position; moreover, he had demonstrated his desire for power through continued use of proclamation and a neglect of his council. Northumberland, despite the end of his rule, displayed a far more restrained policy and attitude to government, which leads me to the conclusion that Elton has exaggerated his claims of Northumberland as power hungry. Northumberland restored the Privy Council to its proper position under his guidance and control. Although he did not limit his power to use proclamations, he was much more cautious with their use making sure they were always based on parliamentary statute; furthermore, he made sure he consulted the council. This restrained attitude to government is evidence of him limiting his power and therefore is not demonstrative of desire for power. Of course, one could argue that he had learnt from Somersets mistakes and realised that the approach he took was the best way to keep in his councils favour and thus maintain power. This argument leads to the opposite conclusion that this attitude to government demonstrates his desire for power. However, the fallacy of the latter argument is that his attitude to government led to the retention of his position, not to power. His motivation for this relationship with his council was to remain in his position; the fact remains that through these means h is power was limited and therefore it seems that it is more reasonable to accept the former argument. His policy and governance was not indicative of power hunger. Therefore, his desperate attempt to alter the succession coupled with his moderate policy and governance as discussed above lead to the conclusion that he did have a desire for power, but not to the extent that Elton suggested. It is worthy of note that the very nature of Somerset and Northumberlands rules implies a certain extent of power hunger. Their positions relied upon taking advantage of the political vacuum opened up by the infant monarch. Therefore, I would agree with Elton that Northumberland was greedy, however to say that Northumberland was exceedingly ambitious of power 14 is an exaggeration and is not supported by his record in power. Lastly, it must be noted that though Northumberland may have displayed some unpleasant character traits, this does not infringe upon the success of his reform programmes. In brief conclusion, I agree with Eltons interpretation of the roles of Somerset and Northumberland to a certain extent. I agree with Elton that Somerset was incompetent and his role did indeed harm the country exacerbating the problems he inherited from Henry. However, Eltons view of Somerset as a humanitarian reformer is an error. Largely, I concur with Eltons view of Northumberland although I would give him more credit for dealing with serious problems he faced and leaving a lasting political influence. Furthermore, he was undoubtedly greedy, yet Elton has exaggerated his desire for power. If we ignore the characters of the two rulers, Eltons general view seems to be that Somerset was damaging whereas Northumberland brought forward marked improvements. In this general sense, I would agree with Eltons thesis. 1 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 208 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. p. 210 4 Ibid. p. 208 5 Heard, N. quoted from Webb, C. Was it the policies pursued by Henry VIII that caused the mid-Tudor crisis? http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/2809/page15.html 6 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 210 7 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 214 8 Ibid. p. 209 9 Ibid. p. 210 10 Smith, A.G.R. The Emergence of a Nation State. p. 71 11 Anderson, A. and Imperato, T. An Introduction to Tudor England 1485-1603. p. 154 12 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 209 13 Smith, A.G.R. The Emergence of a Nation State. p. 73 14 Elton, G.R. England under the Tudors. p. 209

Analysis Of A Balanced Scorecard In Dell

Analysis Of A Balanced Scorecard In Dell Dell is a computer vendor operating online but utilising a retail presence. Their strategy involves specialising in giving the users a choice in what software and specifications they want on their computer. Their target customers are mainly home and business users as they specialise in business laptops as well as home media laptops. Their market segment is the computer vendor market. This segment is occupied by companies such as HP, Lenovo and Acer. In terms of market position, Dell is ranked around third in the PC vendor market with a market share of 10.5%. Competitors Lenovo and HP currently lead Dell in the market with 15.7% and 15.5% respectively (Gartner, 2012). Customers Appendix A. is the customer section of the scorecard Dell wants to become the biggest vendor of computers in the market and the only way theyre going to achieve that is by increasing their market share. Offering discounts would increase their sales and pricing their products more competitively would a similar effect; however this would adversely affect their per unit profit. On-time deliveries relates directly to the customers experience when ordering with Dell. If their computer arrives a week later than expected, theyll leave Dell negative feedback which will affect their customer service reputation, so its vital that they improve their delivery system as much as possible. Although its motivational, offering cash incentives for staff increases the staff expenditure for the year. I chose the number of customer returns to measure the quality of their products because well made products wont result in excessive customer returns. Improved staff training will result in less errors and better product reliability. The only faults in the products would be coming from the specific components, which can be replaced. The number of customer complaints relates to the quality of their customer service. This measure can also be used in conjunction with product launches to find faults in these products. There are limitations on how much they can improve their customer service. Staff retraining (whether its in customer service or in sales) costs a lot of time and money which could affect their financial statements. Financial Appendix B. is the financial section of the scorecard I chose sales growth by segment because it links in with Dells overall plan to take advantage of potential sales in different segments by enabling us to find out where specific sales patterns are occurring. An improvement of 10% seems a bit high but that takes into consideration the anticipation for Windows 8 as well as Dells plans to introduce new touch screen devices. Residual income is the difference between the companys profits and the charge for the use of capital within the business. It represents a good measure of the profitability of the company because it takes the cost of capital into account, something which gross profit margin wouldnt do. Inventory turnover is the rate at which inventory is sold and replaced over time. The target for this figure should be high because Dell specialises in using Just in Time production techniques to minimise their inventory holding, selling it more quickly. A limitation is that production could yield a higher error rate. This could result in more customer returns which would reflect negatively on their customer service. I chose return on invested capital as the performance measure for capital utilisation because it calculates the level of profit their investments generate. It also takes long term debts into account which gives us a better idea of how the profits cover those long term debts. Learning and Growth Appendix C. is the learning and growth section of the scorecard If Dell spends more money on their staff training then the staff will feel more invested than if they were trained for a short period of time. This would link in with their objective of making sure the employees are well trained and professional in their jobs. The only problem with implementing this is that it could easily run up the cost which could adversely affect their financial performance. In order to measure job satisfaction, Dell can use employee turnover which would give them a target to work towards (reducing employee turnover). By offering incentives such as bonuses or perks of the job they can reduce employee turnover however that runs the risk of increasing the cost of their employee wage and salaries budget. Customer surveys would be useful for finding out what new features are desired, whats wrong with the old products or product pricing. Surveys are cheap and cost effective, however they need to offer an incentive otherwise people wont do the survey. Changes to the market mean that Dell need to introduce new available technologies. Reviews and ratings are a suitable measure for this because of their critical nature. However they have to increase the RD budget in order to find out what technologies are practical. Internal Business Processes Appendix D. is the internal business process section of the scorecard Creditor days is a useful measure of improving credit terms with their suppliers since it shows us how long they have to pay them. The target to increase this amount was chosen because Dell is experiencing a low point in sales (during the last month or two). So improved credit terms can help them while theyre experiencing this difficulty. The problem with increasing creditor days is that doing this over a long term will result in working capital problems for them. By measuring the CO2 emissions, Dell can find out how well theyre doing in their global emission reductions. Utilising renewable energy sources can help towards this and improve their reputation. The only limitation is that the transition to renewable energy is a slow process which is contrary to the usual short term-ism of objectives. Energy efficiency is a good measure for how energy efficient the businesses operations are and using a survey to find out how to improve the business operations isnt going to pose a problem. In order to measure the level of recycled products, the rate at which they recycle and reuse (Dell, 2012) products is a useful tool for this purpose. With a 100% rate they can improve their environmental impact and appeal to more green-conscious customers. Critical Analysis of the Balanced Scorecard Benefits The balanced scorecard doesnt solely focus on short term goals in the business; its used to measure the success of a business in achieving long term objectives. This is good because it gives them a long term goal to work towards, taking into account all the other aspects of the business. As stated by Kaplan and Norton (1992) the scorecard puts strategy and vision, not control, at the center. It establishes goals but assumes that people will adopt whatever behaviors and take whatever actions are necessary to arrive at those goals. The measures are designed to pull people toward the overall vision. It measures performance as a whole instead of measuring performance on a departmental level. This is better than traditional management tools because it highlights what parts of the business are linked with each other. If one side is performing badly then all sides (and their goals) will suffer. Difficulties NÃ ¸rreklit argues: During the planning stage the measure variables may be benchmarked against those of the competition, but the scorecard does not presuppose any continuous observation of competitors actions and results or the monitoring of technological developments, which means that the focus of the model is static rather than dynamic (NÃ ¸rreklit, H. 2000). This poses a problem to Dell as theyre in a highly technological sector where they have to stay on top of new developments, so having a strategic model which is too static is counterproductive. The model also focuses on external commitment with employees. NÃ ¸rreklit states that: the employees will try to reach good results in the areas measured, but this will be to the detriment of other elements which may be important, too. It should be noted, however, that this problem is even greater if, as has traditionally been the case, only financial measures are used. (NÃ ¸rreklit, H. 2000). If the employees are focused on meeting the targets set out by the measures, theyll become too goal orientated and wont see the bigger picture of an objective. Conclusion The Balanced scorecard is an effective tool for setting strategic goals and finding out how we can measure their achievement. The problem with the static nature of the table is fairly significant however I believe that this can be rectified by keeping track of technological changes and monitoring competitors strategies. This can be done by studying their product releases or by looking at their expansion into other territories. The scorecard has its advantages in the sense that it avoids the typical short term goals that most managers aspire to achieve. With a focus on long term goals it allows the business to predict future changes to the market, changes that theyll have to adapt to. Word count: 1,500 References Bowhill, B. (2008) Business Planning and Control: Integrating Accounting, Strategy and People. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Dell. (2012). Dells Commitment to Zero Waste. .Available : http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/cr-earth-reduce-reuse-recycle.aspx. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Forbes. (2012). DELL INC (NASDAQ:DELL) Ratios and Returns. Available: http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/Ratios.jsp?tkr=DELL. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Gartner. (2012). Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 8 Percent in Third Quarter of 2012 as the Market Prepares for the Launch of Windows 8 . Available: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=2194017. Last accessed 09th Nov 2012. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (1992). The balanced scorecard-measures that drive performance. Harvard business review, 70 (1), 71-79. Norreklit, H. (2000). The balance on the balanced scorecard a critical analysis of some of its assumptions. Management accounting research. 11 (1), 65-88.

Factors for Successful Behaviour Change Interventions

Factors for Successful Behaviour Change Interventions Critically assess the key elements that contribute to successful behaviour change interventions. The need for change Everyone wants a long and healthy life although some young people claim that they do not wish to be old. This is because of the negative connotations of old age. It is also a flippant opt-out of taking responsibility. The rationale behind a healthy style of living is unassailable. So why is it difficult to get people to change their ways? For many people, simply getting them to change at all is a major obstacle. As Niccolo Machiavelli observed more than 500 years ago,[1] â€Å"It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.† It is not only innate mule-like conservatism that hampers change. There are also positive attributes to the status quo. The tobacco industry has long attempted to portray smoking as cool, sophisticated and sexy. To the rational person, spending vast amounts of money to ruin your health and smell like an old ashtray cannot be cool, sophisticated or have any trace of sex appeal. Over many decades Hollywood has connived to portray smoking in a positive light and this does have at least a subliminal effect.[2] Simply giving people information about the risks of adverse lifestyles and the benefits of changing their ways is not enough. The relationship between smoking and lung cancer has been public knowledge since the report of the Royal College of Physicians on Smoking and Health in 1963 although the association was first suggested in 1950[3] and the association with other diseases in 1956.[4] There has to be a sustained approach with a solid theoretical background. Models for change The two theories that are most commonly employed in health promotion are the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Both are most commonly employed to produce changes in health promotion but the TTM model can be used to produces changes in other fields including industry. Both these models focus on the decision making process of the individual. Other models include the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). All four have been reviewed by NICE.[5] Transtheoretical Model The Transtheoretical Model was devised in the 1980s. It sees five stages of action. Stage 1 is the pre-contemplative stage. It is defined as having no intention to change in the next six months. To use smoking as an example, the person may not appreciate the true level of risk. They may be aware that there is adverse publicity about tobacco. Perhaps some people around them are giving up but they have not taken it seriously enough to think of doing so themselves. Any desire to change is still at a subconscious level. Stage 2 is the contemplative level. It is defined as intention to change in the next six months although it may take longer. The people involved are aware of the benefits of changing but they are also acutely aware of the challenges. They must decide the balance between costs and benefits. Stage 3 is the preparation phase. There is intention to take action in the near future and preparation is in hand. The people involved have already taken some significant steps to prepare for the change. Action is planned for the next month or so. With regard to smoking, they may have discussed it with other people. They may have sought out support groups and discussed prescription of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or bupropion. They may have set a date to quit. Stage 4 is action. The people involved have modified their thinking and behaviour. In this case, they have actually stopped smoking. Stage 5 is maintenance and focuses on sustaining the success. It is important to ascertain that the people involved do not relapse into the old behaviours and are confident of maintaining the new ones. They may focus on money saved, feeling healthier and enjoying food more. It is also necessary to address negative aspects such as possible weight gain. Health Belief Model The Health Belief Model is quite popular amongst healthcare professionals. It was developed in the 1950s in the USA to examine why there was a low uptake of a screening programme for tuberculosis. There are five steps: The first is perceived susceptibility. It relates to an individual’s feeling of how likely he is to suffer from a condition. It may run in the family or affect a friend. Many people seem to regard themselves as immune to certain illnesses. We all know the smoker who refuses to give up because he knows someone who smoked all of his life without any overt problem. Perceived seriousness is the next step. This is similar to susceptibility. Does the patient see lung cancer as curable? Does he see other smoking related diseases as manageable? The third step is perceived benefits and barriers. Patients weigh up the benefits against the costs of taking action. This means implication rather than financial costs. Fear of being excluded from his group of smoking friends may be a barrier. Uptake of cervical smears may be impaired by potential embarrassment. Self efficacy is step four. It is sometimes called health motivation. It describes how a person sees the ability to change behaviour. If a person thinks that he is unable to stop smoking this is a barrier. The fifth stage is cues to action. This is the trigger that initiates change. It may be an intervention from a health professional, an illness or a life event such as a new baby. Becoming pregnant can be a strong cue for women. Curtailing smoking Smoking cessation is a particularly relevant area to analyse. Smoking is the greatest avoidable contributor to ill health and premature death. Everyone knows of the dangers although perhaps they choose to underestimate them. Even young people still take up the habit. A Cochrane review found limited support for the effectiveness of multi-component interventions in the community to help prevent the uptake of smoking in young people.[6] Smoking tends to be most prevalent in deprived communities. A NICE public health guidance called â€Å"Identifying and supporting people most at risk of dying prematurely† focused mainly on smoking cessation and the provision of statins as being cost effective and clinically effective.[7] Both NICE[8] and CKS[9] have extensively reviewed the evidence and made recommendations with regard to smoking cessation. There are also plenty of Cochrane reviews.[10] NICE regards those of lower social class and pregnant women as a priority. Before the dangers of smoking were publicly known there was no difference in smoking habits between social classes. Now there is a distinct gradient[11] and it is said that smoking accounts for a significant amount of the decreased health and increased mortality through the social classes.[12] This is known as health inequalities. Key elements in changing behavior The first element of change has to be to implant in the individual’s mind that there is a need for change. With regard to smoking this may come in many ways. Public health messages often preach the wisdom of quitting. Health issues are raised whenever tax is increased and the price of cigarettes rises. This does reduce consumption.[13] Possibly milestones in life such as a 40th or 50th birthday may spur consideration of one’s health. Pregnancy is often a strong incentive to quit and both partners should do so to allow the baby a smoke free home. A Cochrane review was unimpressed at the evidence that getting both of a couple to quit together increased the success rate.[14] However, lack of evidence of efficacy and evidence of lack of efficacy are not the same and it does seem a good idea. The matter may arise during a consultation with a health professional. This may be when reviewing a directly relevant disease such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, ast hma or COPD or it may simply be brought up as it comes to light on the health promotion template. It has been shown that if GPs simply raise the issue during a consultation this can have an effect.[15] NICE suggests that people who are not ready to quit should be asked to consider it and to seek help in the future. Some people fail to understand the concept of risk. They need it explained in terms that they can understand. There is no certainty that a smoker will die of a disease related to his habit nor that a non-smoker will have a long and healthy life. It is useful to have some simple figures. About 1 in 5 non-smokers die before 65 years old compared with 2 in 5 smokers. Half of all smokers die of a smoking related disease. If you do the National Lottery in the hope of winning the jackpot the chance of doing so is 1 in 14 million. For young people who cannot imagine being as old as 30, a different approach is needed. Smoking accelerates the aging process in arteries, in the lungs, in bones and in the skin. For those who fear old age, they are bringing it on. Money, fitness and smelling fresh are also positive attributes. Nicotine is highly addictive.[16] There are other components to the urge. There is the ritual of lighting up and something to do with the hands as well as the image. All these must be addressed to help the individual to cope. Many people find it helpful to set a date to quit. This allows for some counselling before the event and for such matters as NRT or bupropion to be discussed.[17] The forum in which this is done may well be a smoking cessation clinic within primary care. It is usually nurse led. There may be one-to-one counselling but groups may also be helpful.[18] The members give each other mutual support and tips for how to cope. Having brought the person to the point of quitting it is important to give support through the potentially difficult time ahead. In the early days motivation is high. This must be sustained. Congratulate the person on the achievement. Make him feel good about himself. Reinforce the positive aspects of quitting. Some people collect the money that they would have spent on tobacco each day and put it towards their holiday. NRT can give a slow release background level of nicotine in the blood to help ameliorate withdrawal. It is very important that the individual does not smoke. Inhalation of nicotine gives a rapid surge and this surge contributes greatly to the addictive mechanism. Some people test that their patients have been abstinent by using a carbon monoxide meter.[19] Carbon monoxide is present in tobacco smoke and it binds to haemoglobin with 210 times the affinity of oxygen. Therefore, carbon monoxide is released slowly for a while after smoking. At what stage has a person successfully quit? Is it after a week, a month or 6 months? There is a joke that goes, â€Å"Giving up smoking is easy. I’ve done it many times.† This emphasises the great problem of recidivism. It is a problem with smoking, alcohol and drug abuse. Those who counsel drug addicts and alcoholics continue for a long time after abstention to ascertain that it continues. Alcoholics Anonymous will invite people to their meetings even years after they last had a drink. They know how precarious the position is. People who stopped smoking may restart 6 months, a year or even a couple of years after they quit. It is often said that ex-smokers are the most intolerant of the smell of tobacco smoke and this is good. People may choose to start again in times of stress or crisis. A typical scenario is when out drinking. Smokers often try to undermine those who have successfully quit. Perhaps they emphasise their own inadequacy. â€Å"Go on. Just have one. It will do you good!† are the sort of thing that alleged friends say. In the words of Alcoholics Anonymous, â€Å"One is too many and 100 is not enough.† One night out drinking can lead to complete reversion. This is less likely to happen now that smoking in pubs and bars is illegal but it is still a risk and should be discussed in counselling. Forewarned is forearmed. Reflection on learning in health promotion It is easy enough to read and learn the theories of health promotion but putting them into practice is another matter. There will always be surprises and there will always be areas to learn. No isolated incident comes to mind but there are a number of issues that have emerged with accumulated experience. Any reasonable person will look at the health issues involved and will conclude that the healthy way of life is the logical option. This applies particularly to not smoking. However, not everyone is reasonable and this includes highly educated people. Matters that are not much emphasised in health promotion advice and the literature are peer pressure and denial. It used to be said that the prevalence of smoking was higher amongst nurses at the completion of their training than at the start although the true incidence of smoking amongst nurses is uncertain.[20] There is no doubt that peer pressure within a school of nursing is high. Stress is also given as a reason for smoking.[21] However, stress is a subjective experience and it may be used as an excuse to conform to peer pressure. Practice what you preach is a common proverb. An obese healthcare professional who advises weight loss or one who advises cessation of smoking whilst be known to indulge personally, lacks credibility. However, the â€Å"sinner† is also less likely to attempt health promotion.[22] Nurses who smoke are less likely to believe the compelling arguments about the dangers of smoking.[23] This is unlikely to represent an objective scepticism about the evidence but simply denial. If all this applies to nurses, it is unsurprising to find that it is at least as true when dealing with patients. People have to be ready to change. The mere noting of the fact that a patient smokes and the raising of eyebrows is another cue for it to sink in. There is no point in trying to pressurise the person who is not yet ready but leave an invitation to return when the time is right. What makes a person believe? It is not the level of evidence. People will find all sorts of excuses to doubt the overwhelming evidence about smoking or to pretend that it does not apply to them. On the other hand it seems much easier to convince people that the MMR vaccine causes autism when there is not a shred of evidence to support the allegation.[24] The convenience of a belief is important. We must lead by example. The â€Å"sinner† as a â€Å"preacher† is unconvincing although the reformed â€Å"sinner† may be more credible. It is important not to appear as sanctimonious with a â€Å"holier than thou† attitude. We need to show empathy with those we try to help. This applies not just to the physical addiction to nicotine but to the demands of peer pressure. The latter is especially important for young people. It is very easy for the non-smoker to see only negative images of smoking. Ask the patient to make a list of all the good things about smoking and all the bad things about it. A similar technique is used when counselling drug abusers. There must be something positive about taking drugs or no one would do it. Similarly, there are positive aspects to smoking. This shows that there is empathy towards the positive aspects. It also allows the patient to see the balance and to believe that he is making his own decision. He is not being coerced or bullied. It is also important to be realistic about the negative attributes of smoking cessation. Honesty gives credibility. It is often not so much the nicotine addiction that is a problem. This wanes with time. It is the gain in weight.[25] Weight gain is much more visible than damage to lungs or arteries. Many teenage girls say that they smoke to aid weight control. In fact, starting to smoke as a teenager probably does not help at all whilst the later in life that smoking is stopped the more marked weight gain is likely to be. Exercise rather than smoking is much healthier and much more effective. Nicotine has a nauseating effect and so when it is withdrawn there is likely to be increased appetite. Food now tastes better and some people suck sweets to occupy their mouth. It is important to discuss the matter. Weight gain is bad for health but unless the gain is enormous the benefit of smoking cessation will greatly outweigh the dangers of weight gain. If the patient decides to start smoki ng again the result will be a fat smoker. The weight will not melt away. Health promotion is a very personal matter. It requires a relationship on a one-to-one basis. It requires trust and respect. The health promoter must be seen as an honest broker rather than an evangelist. This requires empathy and it requires respect of the patient too. It is an important and difficult decision and he needs help and support. 1 [1] Niccolo Machiavelli. The Prince. 1532. Translator: W. K. Marriott http://www.sonshi.com/machiavelli.html [2] Tickle JJ, Sargent JD, Dalton MA, Beach ML, Heatherton TF. Favourite movie stars, their tobacco use in contemporary movies, and its association with adolescent smoking. Tob Control. 2001 Mar;10(1):16-22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11226355 [3] Doll R, Hill AB. Smoking and carcinoma of the lung; preliminary report. Br Med J. 1950 Sep 30;2(4682):739-48. [4] Doll R, Hill AB. Lung cancer and other causes of death in relation to smoking; a second report on the mortality of British doctors. Br Med J. 1956 Nov 10;2(5001):1071-81. [5] Behaviour change: Taylor et al models review. NICE 2006. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/Behaviour_Change-Taylor_et_al-models_review_tables_appendices.pdf [6] Sowden A, Stead L. Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2002, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD001291. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001291.html [7] NICE. PH15 Identifying and supporting people most at risk of dying prematurely: guidance. September 2008. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/PH015Guidance.pdf [8] NICE. Smoking cessation. March 2006 http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byIDo=11375 [9] CKS Library. Smoking cessation. 2007. http://www.cks.library.nhs.uk/smoking_cessation [10] Cochrane Collaboration. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/index.htm [11] Jefferis BJ, Power C, Graham H, Manor O. Changing social gradients in cigarette smoking and cessation over two decades of adult follow-up in a British birth cohort. J Public Health (Oxf). 2004 Mar;26(1):13-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15044567 [12] Jha P, Peto R, Zatonski W, Boreham J, Jarvis MJ, Lopez AD. Social inequalities in male mortality, and in male mortality from smoking: indirect estimation from national death rates in England and Wales, Poland, and North America. Lancet. 2006 Jul 29;368(9533):367-70. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11226355 [13] Leverett M, Ashe M, Gerard S, Jenson J, Woollery T. Tobacco use: the impact of prices. J Law Med Ethics. 2002 Fall;30(3 Suppl):88-95. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12508509 [14] Park E-W, Schultz JK, Tudiver F, Campbell T, Becker L. Enhancing partner support to improve smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD002928. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002928.pub2. http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD002928/frame.html [15] Smoking cessation guidelines for health professionals: an update. Health Education Authority. West R, McNeill A, Raw M. Thorax. 2000 Dec;55(12):987-99. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmedpubmedid=11083883 [16] Russell MA. The nicotine addiction trap: a 40-year sentence for four cigarettes. Br J Addict. 1990 Feb;85(2):293-300. Review. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2180512 [17] Guidance on the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and bupropion for smoking cessation. NICE technology appraisal no. 39 (2002). www.nice.org.uk/TA039 [18] Stead LF, Lancaster T. Group behaviour therapy programmes for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD001007. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001007.html [19] Middleton ET, Morice AH. Breath carbon monoxide as an indication of smoking habit. Chest. 2000 Mar;117(3):758-63. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10713003 [20] The incidence of smoking amongst nurses: a review of the literature. Rowe K, Clark JM. J Adv Nurs. 2000 May;31(5):1046-53. Review. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10840237 [21] Rowe K, Macleod Clark J. Why nurses smoke: a review of the literature. Int J Nurs Stud. 2000 Apr;37(2):173-81 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10684959 [22] McKenna H, Slater P, McCance T, Bunting B, Spiers A, McElwee G. Qualified nurses smoking prevalence: their reasons for smoking and desire to quit. J Adv Nurs..2001 Sep;35(5):769-75. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11529979 [23] The effect of training on knowledge and opinion about smoking amongst nurses and student teachers. Elkind AK. J Adv Nurs. 1988 Jan;13(1):57-69. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3372886 [24] Bandolier Extra. MMR vaccination and autism. http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/Extraforbando/MMRextra.pdf [25] Filozof C, Fernà ¡ndez Pinilla MC, Fernà ¡ndez-Cruz A. Smoking cessation and weight gain. Obes Rev. 2004 May;5(2):95-103. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15086863

Epic of Beowulf Essay - The Conflicts in Beowulf -- Epic of Beowulf Ess

The Conflicts in Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Brian Wilkie and James Hurt in Literature of the Western World discuss what is perhaps the overriding or central conflict in the poem Beowulf, namely the struggle between good and evil, and how the monsters are representative of the evil side: Ker was answered in 1936 by the critic and novelist J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings, who argued that â€Å"the monsters are not an inexplicable blunder of taste; they are essential, fundamentally allied to the underlying ideas of the poem, which give it its lofty tone and high seriousness.† For Tolkien, the monsters were symbolic of eternal forces of evil while remaining real monsters (1273). The numerous conflicts within Beowulf are both external and internal. Conflict is how one describes the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist in a literary work (Abrams 225). There is also another type of conflict which Clark describes below and which takes place within the mind and soul of a given character. George Clark in â€Å"The Hero and the Theme† make reference to an interior conflict within the Beowulf hero himself, and how the hero appears to lose this conflict: Although a strong critical movement followed Klaeber in taking Beowulf as a Christian hero or even Christ figure, the most numerous and influential body of postwar critics, including Margaret Goldsmith (1960, 1962, 1970), read the poem as faulting the hero for moral filures according to one or another Christian standard of judgment (see also Bolton 1978). The poem became a neo-Aritotelian tragedy in which the hero’s flaw could be identified as a sin, greed, or pride (279). H. L. Rogers in â€Å"Beowulf’s Three Great Fights† expresses his opinion as a literary critic regard... ...is B. Gummere. http://wiretap.area.com/ftp.items/Library/Classic/beowulf.txt George Clark in â€Å"The Hero and the Theme† In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997. Clover, Carol F. â€Å"The Unferth Episode.† In The Beowulf Reader, edited by Peter S. Baker. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000. Ogilvy, J.D.A. and Donald C. Baker. â€Å"Beowulf’s Heroic Death.† In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998. Clark, George. Beowulf. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Rogers, H. L. â€Å"Beowulf’s Three Great Fights.† In An Anthology of Beowulf Criticism, edited by Lewis E. Nicholson. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1963. Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt, editors. â€Å"Beowulf.† In Literature of the Western World. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984. Epic of Beowulf Essay - The Conflicts in Beowulf -- Epic of Beowulf Ess The Conflicts in Beowulf  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Brian Wilkie and James Hurt in Literature of the Western World discuss what is perhaps the overriding or central conflict in the poem Beowulf, namely the struggle between good and evil, and how the monsters are representative of the evil side: Ker was answered in 1936 by the critic and novelist J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings, who argued that â€Å"the monsters are not an inexplicable blunder of taste; they are essential, fundamentally allied to the underlying ideas of the poem, which give it its lofty tone and high seriousness.† For Tolkien, the monsters were symbolic of eternal forces of evil while remaining real monsters (1273). The numerous conflicts within Beowulf are both external and internal. Conflict is how one describes the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist in a literary work (Abrams 225). There is also another type of conflict which Clark describes below and which takes place within the mind and soul of a given character. George Clark in â€Å"The Hero and the Theme† make reference to an interior conflict within the Beowulf hero himself, and how the hero appears to lose this conflict: Although a strong critical movement followed Klaeber in taking Beowulf as a Christian hero or even Christ figure, the most numerous and influential body of postwar critics, including Margaret Goldsmith (1960, 1962, 1970), read the poem as faulting the hero for moral filures according to one or another Christian standard of judgment (see also Bolton 1978). The poem became a neo-Aritotelian tragedy in which the hero’s flaw could be identified as a sin, greed, or pride (279). H. L. Rogers in â€Å"Beowulf’s Three Great Fights† expresses his opinion as a literary critic regard... ...is B. Gummere. http://wiretap.area.com/ftp.items/Library/Classic/beowulf.txt George Clark in â€Å"The Hero and the Theme† In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997. Clover, Carol F. â€Å"The Unferth Episode.† In The Beowulf Reader, edited by Peter S. Baker. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000. Ogilvy, J.D.A. and Donald C. Baker. â€Å"Beowulf’s Heroic Death.† In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998. Clark, George. Beowulf. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Rogers, H. L. â€Å"Beowulf’s Three Great Fights.† In An Anthology of Beowulf Criticism, edited by Lewis E. Nicholson. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1963. Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt, editors. â€Å"Beowulf.† In Literature of the Western World. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.

Leadership vs. Management Essays -- Compare Contrast Leader Manager Es

Leadership vs. Management Much has been written about the difference between management and leadership. In the past, competent management staffs ran effective companies. In light of our ever-changing world, however, most companies have come to realize that it is much more important to lead than to manage. In today's world the old ways of management no longer work. One reason is that the degree of environmental and competitive change we are experiencing is extreme. Although exciting, the world is also very unstable and confused. In an article entitled What’s the Difference between Your Hospital and the Other? Gary Campbell states that the difference between a manager and a leader is that the manager â€Å"finds himself quite willing to take risk, but seemingly afraid to take the risk of being different.† That being true, a manager will always be reactive instead of proactive. A true leader will be proactive. He will embrace change and will look for ways to differentiate himself and his company fr om the competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Warren Bennis – a popular writer of leadership resources – defines the difference between managers and leaders by using the following contrasts: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager administers; the leader innovates. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager maintains; the leader develops. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager imitates; the leader originates. 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The culture of an organization is embodied in its vision as well as the actions and attitude of its employees. Managers can sometimes sustain the skeleton of the company culture but it takes a leader to invigorate it and keep it healthy. A manager works hard at keeping the â€Å"old† culture and a leader works even harder at ensuring the culture is innovative and breathing in each of its employees. Bo... ...capacity, probably both are necessary in a successful organization. However, in order to keep a company competitive and on the leading edge in an industry, it is more important to have strong leadership than strong management. With strong leadership, the culture of an organization is kept not only alive, but also healthy and thriving. An organization with strong leadership always encourages change and most always requires it. Both through a focus on hiring and developing strong leaders and maintaining a consistent two-way communication system, an organization can ensure its culture is created and maintained in a healthy manner. With strong leadership an organization will continue to change with its environment and keep ahead of the competition. Works Cited Bennis, Walter (1997). Learning To Lead: A Workbook on Becoming A Leader, pg. 9,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perseus Books, Addison/Wesley Campbell, Gary (2004). What’s the Difference Between Your Hospital and the Other?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  HealthLeaders News July, 2004 One Thousand Ventures (2000). Business Guide, Management. Retrieved April 20, 2005 from http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_new-model_25lessons-welch.html#LMML