Ford Ka Analysis (with R Software)

1) After using the similarity data provided for the Ford Ka market research study to perform a MDS analysis on the whole sample, the map (exhibit 1) shows the position of the different cars relative to each other. We can see two groups: one of them made of Peugeot 106, Ford Fiesta and Opel Corsa (practical and safe cars), the other one made of Nissan Micra and Fiat 500 (dull and outdated cars). The other cars cannot be grouped together but there are all the same similarities between cars in the light of the two dimensions: it allows us for example to see similarity concerning the second dimension between Toyota Rav 4 and VW Polo. It is important here to keep in mind that it is an analysis on the WHOLE sample, it is the reason why the two dimensions cannot be easily labeled. The first dimension (coordinate 1) shows us if the car is considered as more and less youthful by the respondents. Indeed by using the adjectives associated with each car by â€Å"Ka Choosers† and â€Å"Non-Choosers† provided in the preliminary report we can see that there is no crucial difference concerning this aspect. But for the second dimension it is not that easy because it does not seem to have a consensus and so I decided to not label this dimension. In this case the fact that the MDS analysis does not distinguish between the â€Å"Choosers† and â€Å"Non-Choosers† makes more complicated the naming of the coordinate 2, even if it allows us to see which cars are close to each other or not, according to all respondents. 2) To see more clearly we need to differentiate the MDS between â€Å"Ka Choosers† and â€Å"Non-Choosers†. The two maps provided by this analysis are not exactly the same (see exhibit 2), but they solve the issue of the coordinate 2. Indeed concerning the first dimension there is almost no difference: the â€Å"Choosers† and â€Å"Non-Choosers† have a similar perception of â€Å"youthful† of a car. The difference between the two maps is due to the second dimension which is not the same if you are a â€Å"Choosers† or not. They do not perceive the market of small cars in the same way: for the â€Å"Choosers† the look of the car is the second dimension with the importance of the futuristic aspect of the car, for the â€Å"Non-Choosers† the second dimension is the safety provides by the car. The explanation for these differences is that they might not have the same needs: needs for safety against need for a fashion and futuristic car. 3) With regard to our first discussion of the Ford Ka case this MDS analysis is an added value to the formulation of Ford’s market introduction strategy. After the initial results of market research (case study part A) we only knew that a demographical segmentation was not relevant and that it would be better to have an attitudinal segmentation. But we did not have any idea of this segmentation because of the complexity of our results. Thus the issue was that this market research did not give clear answer about who the target customers should be. Now we can say three things: The Renault Twingo is the most closer car in the map according to potential buyers (the â€Å"Choosers†): it is the â€Å"main competitor†. It can be connected to the fact that for these people who listed the Ford Ka as one of their top three choices, the Renault Twingo was frequently in the top three as well. – The main salient attitude of potential buyers is the importance of the look of a car, especially the futuristic aspect. At the opposite the â€Å"Non-Chooser† qualify the Ford Ka as unsafe. The point is the most interesting beca use we know that women (especially with children) want a safe car. Thus the desire to focus on women is probably not the good point. – For the â€Å"Choosers† and above all for the â€Å"Non-Choosers† the Ford Ka is a special car which does not look like to others. In glances of this information we know that the Ford Ka occupies a niche in product space, that the â€Å"hard† positioning cannot be changed because the car is already produced and that the â€Å"soft† positioning should be to confirm the perception of a special and futuristic car with for example futuristic advertising focused on the esthetic aspect of the car.

C ivil rights movements Essay

This is a two-page, APA formatted paper that summarizes the purpose of Leonard Crow Dogs, the purpose of the Ghost Dance and how the U. S. government works to undermine Native American communities. It is based on a true story and is in relation to the novel â€Å"Lakota Woman† by Mary Crow Dogs. The story speaks about the hardship of Mary and the Lakota Indians. Leonard Crow Dog was a very important character in the novel, â€Å"Lakota Woman. † He was Mary’s husband and also a spiritual leader as well as a political leader of the American Indian Movement of 1960s and 70s. His purpose was to help build Mary’s self-esteem. Through Leonard’s support, Mary was able to rebuild her self esteem by performing speeches and by supporting the American Indian Movement. Leonard gave her a way to do her own spiritual rituals which she believed helped strengthen her. Because of Leonard’s leadership participation in the AIM Movement, his son was raised freely in the traditional way of his Indian culture. Leonard was also the one who restarted the Ghost Dance even thought it was previously forbidden. Due to the oppression from the Whites, Indians started a spiritual dance which they believed would deliver them from the oppression of the white men. They called it the Ghost Dance. The Ghost Dance was a way to relieve the American Native Indians from their extreme poverty, suffering and from the other hardships they encountered. They believed that the Ghost Dance would bring a messiah to them that would soon return the lands to the Indians, resurrect their dead ancestors, and restore their former ways of life (Richard P. Muniz 2006). White people feared the Ghost dance traditions believing that the dance was not proper and that the Indians would practice witchcraft on them. Therefore, the Ghost Dance was outlawed. The U. S. Government undermined the Indian communities through reservations. Indians were required to live a segregated life. They were treated as second class citizens and to make them â€Å"perfect† for the American’s way of life, the government forced their beliefs onto them. The government greatly attacked the Native American community way of life through sending the Native American children to an institution to break their ways of beliefs with the intention of molding them into a â€Å"respectful† American citizen of the white class. Using these schools were a great means to fix the Indian’s way of life. The government really believed that the schools were civilizing the Indian children and offering them a great opportunity for them to evolve into the white culture and Christianity. These schools were supposed to help them to become â€Å"first class† citizens instead of â€Å"second class. † However, the government did not understand that this was not the proper way or means to help the Indian children or Indian people at all. They were already oppressed by Indian Reservations and then placed into a school system to strip them of their cultural beliefs and then forced to accept customs that were not known to their forefathers. Mary describes the government as civilizing them with their stick or another way to say this is with discipline. Mary states that, â€Å"children were like the victims of Nazi concentration camps† (pg. 28). The Indian Sun Dance which is another common tradition of the Indian culture and their community was outlawed by the government as well as the Ghost Dance. The Government forced many Indians into slum housing after taking their tribal lands. These slum homes had no electricity, plumbing, or technology. Most of them would have to live in the dark and in small cabins. Their way of living was very limited unlike the White Americans who had electricity and plumbing. They were unable to find employment due to racial restrictions from white people which resulted in high unemployment for the Indian culture. Many Indians were killed due to being accused for murderers they didn’t commit. Mary mentions in the story that many Indian family members were killed. In addition, many Indian families were punished by the government for having civil rights movements with attempts to help their community to become strong. Mary’s husband was also one of the unfortunate one’s who was thrown in jail many times for his radical civil rights movements. References Dog, M. C. (1990). Lakota Woman. New York: New York.

Morgan Motor Company Essay

Morgan Motor Company (MMC) began as a family company and has remained that way over the years. Decisions were largely driven by steady demand for their luxury product. Traditionally, decision-making was premised on production quotas that kept supply slightly behind demand. While the company made a profit, it was not enough to sustain the company in the long term due increasing costs caused by inefficient methods of production. The key area for improvement was strategic planning based on detailed and accurate information. The implementation of the strategic plan would require a review of human resource management practices in order for MMC to develop into an organisation that valued continuous innovation. MMC could gain valuable information about its environment through SWOT analysis, which could be used to inform strategic planning decisions. The company survived difficult circumstances (e. g. World War II) and demonstrated its ability to diversify through the manufacture of munitions. Another key strength is the global demand for their differentiated product. Its domestic and international appeal creates an important opportunity to further expand its global customer base. However, the potential threat associated with this opportunity is uncertainty in a number of dimensions in MMC’s â€Å"general environment† (Samson & Daft, 2009). Economic and political and legal factors in other countries could potentially impact on MMC’s sales, as was the case in the late 1960s where strict emission control regulations caused their US market to collapse. In this instance, domestic demand absorbed its impact and highlighted the importance of maintaining a diverse client base that could absorb the impact of any environmental changes. A sales and marketing department that is production led is ineffective in improving revenue and achieving the aim of increased profits. Additionally, this production led sales creates an artificial view of demand for its product. Thorough research of its client attributes coupled with careful planning and stronger collaboration between the sales and marketing and production departments enables the formulation of agreed sales targets. The key benefits of setting targets are: 1. integration with production planning, which reduces the likelihood of over-investment in inventory; 2. a proactive sales and marketing department that devises strategies to improve sales; and 3. measureable targets that can be used to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness. Despite having a keen and loyal workforce, the presence of change aversion confirmed that incremental change was initially more effective than radical change which may have created an unproductive atmosphere of dissent amongst its workforce. Moreover, steady demand for their product led to complacency, which justified Peter Morgan’s caution about change. This could be interpreted as lack of vision and is reflected in the lack of innovation and under-capitalisation of MMC’s machine shop. In a study done on Toyota (UK) Ltd. , it was noted that the traditional car manufacturing base in the UK was located in the West Midlands and these were â€Å"rich in precision engineering skills† (Winfield & Kerrin, 1996, p. 50). MMC’s proximity to this manufacturing hub created opportunities for research and development by inspecting some of these manufacturers in an effort to improve their production practices and processes, specifically focussing on how technology could be used to improve efficiency. This acknowledgement of the power of technology finally came in the form of Charles’ introduction of a manufacturing resource planning computer system and use of CAD/CAM. Perhaps differences in generational attributes enabled Charles Morgan to more easily embrace technology. However, the positive outcome was product innovation such as design features to improve aerodynamics. Examination of how human resource management practices could transform MMC from an organisation where everyone defends their own corner into a team-based learning organisation was a natural progression once management accepted the need for change. In the first instance, focus should be on developing managers to help facilitate organisational change (Waldersee, 1997) and enable them to be effective role models within the company. Training solutions and interventions should target general areas such as effective teamwork and communication, motivating workers and encouraging innovation. Additionally, where there are identified skills gaps, it should also target content-specific areas e. g. contemporary sales and marketing practices would make up for the sales director’s lack of recent sales experience. Once again, Charles was led by example by enrolling in an MBA, thus demonstrating his commitment to ongoing education and development. Although collectivism has traditionally been associated with eastern cultures (Hartel, Fujimoto, Straybosch, & Fitzpatrick, 2007), motor companies like Ford and Toyota moved away from Taylorism and demonstrated the value of teamwork in vehicle manufacturing (Winfield & Kerrin, 1996). However, MMC’s reward system of individual production bonuses did not acknowledge the value of teamwork. Moreover, an unspecified dollar amount that was eroded by inefficiencies in the production process did not provide an incentive to improve production. Not only should these individual production bonuses be quantified, the company should also consider a reward system for foremen to acknowledge their efforts in encouraging individuals and teams to achieve higher production. The present day success of MMC is testament to management’s vision and commitment to continuous product and process innovation. Examination of their website confirms their ability to stay current through value adding which resulted in features in their cars such as lightness and environmental friendliness. This has enabled them to cater both for the on-road user and the racing arena, as is evident in the videos available on their website. Furthermore, offering factory tours not only gives potential customers insight into the manufacturing process, it also provides the company with the opportunity to share some of its knowledge with others. The insight gained by watching the video on MMC’s factory processes makes it evident that the MMC today is collaborative both internally and with its external stakeholders.

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 61

Discussion - Essay Example Trying to match the racial and ethnic structure of the population may not be the best move as it becomes difficult for people to choose where they need to be assigned (Fried and Fottler 37). Furthermore, the medical schools present need to provide the exact number of anticipated nurses targeted to graduate. This is so as to try and fill the number of spots that retired nurses, physicians, and professionals leave after serving in the health field. This can be done through the training-output estimation program, which may bring focus to the projected number of future nurses in healthcare organizations. Predicting the estimated population may present organizations with a foreseeable number of nurses that may be needed in different areas. Ensuring that organizations are aware of these numbers may provide them with a rough estimate of how many nurses, physicians, and professionals may be needed to cater to the rising population (Fried and Fottler 32). These are some of the ways in which the shortages that are occurring nation-wide can be handled and assist in providing prospective nurses the opportunity to work and prove their worth in the health

Logics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Logics - Term Paper Example Brow includes the three theories by Professor Rich Savin- Williams which has given a totally different flavor to the article. These theories are used to understand why the concept of gay and lesbian has become so widely accepted today. He blames it on the openness that exists in the work and leisure environment today. Williams believes that since the gay and lesbian members of the community have openly accepted themselves as gays and lesbians, the other members of the society can do little to discriminate against them. The article moves on to describe a very controversial concept which deals with why only the men are accepting their gay nature so openly and why women are still conservative when it comes to this. Brow brings in what he calls the â€Å"ceiling effect† to describe this. Brow concludes that there is no philosophical reasoning to why men are more acceptable to such notions, it is just that men are catching up to women and there may be a time when tables turn over w omen. Towards the end, Brow also touches gay and lesbian marriages and says that even though such members are acceptable in the society; their open relationships are still not welcome in the US. Gay marriages are still a controversial topic in the US and Brow thinks that it would continue to be so until the next few years. Although Brow begins with a very instinctive approach towards gays and lesbians by stating that the topic that he has considered and the facts that he has gathered are â€Å"stunning† just to emphasize how magnificently faulty they are (Bergmann, 1997). It gives the reader a feel that Brow is not very happy with the notion of accepting such members in the society and particularly military in a free fashion. However, as the article proceeds, Brow changes his approach to be a more analytical one. He states theories by Professor Williams and he uses statistics and

Think Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) Research Paper

Think Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) - Research Paper Example Think Detroit PAL, a private non-profit organization that has been positively touching the lives of thousand youths through sports and leadership development programs. The organization mission’s is to develop character in youths through athletics and leadership development programs and academics. The program has been developing mentors and training volunteer coaches. Presently, Think Detroit offers fall and spring soccer to youths, however following increased prevalence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension due to inactivity; Think Detroit wishes to expand is program to become an all year soccer competition. To implement the year round soccer program for youths in the inner city, Think Detroit requires to raise 18621 dollars. These funds will be used to purchase player’s uniforms, balls and ball bags. Moreover the money will be used in rewarding teams and organizing celebrations. The organization will use some of volunteer coaching staff to aid in administration of the club affairs and parents will have to pay 40 dollars for their parents to participate. The organization has adequate and well experienced professionals to initiate such a program. The program will target youths leaving in Wayne County and those in the inner city. However, those in Detroit will be given priority. There will be five coed teams and the program will run from November 2012 to August 2013 with two seasons; summer and winter tournaments. Children in the program will have to show their report cards to the coaching staff as an indicator of any improvement. The contact point with the organization is Dana Cooper who is the soccer commissioner. Organizational Information Our organization; Think Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) is a non-profit organization that has been positively touching lives of about ten thousand children annually by use of athletics and leadership mentorship programs. The organization was formed following a merger of Think Detroit and Detroit PAL in 2006. The organization empowers the society by educating volunteer coaches and developing safe areas that our kids can play. Annually, Think

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Leadership - Essay Example Motivation is another crucial aspect of a good leader because a motivated worker displays more enthusiasm to work along with superior performance and excellence. A motivated worker is more involved with the task (Mayer, 2008). A good leader must possess ideal character. It is significant that a leader is reliable for leading the employees to the right path. True leadership ability comes from esteem for the good personality and honesty of the individual who leads others (White, 2011). A good leader is passionate about the task and the part as a leader. People can only react frankly to an individual who has passion and enthusiasm. It is an essential characteristic of good leaders as they are regarded to be the basis of encouragement and be motivators toward the necessary achievement or cause (White, 2011). A good leader is always positive about his work and his position as a leader. In order to guide and set course, confidence is vital for a good leader. A confident person can motivate other subordinates and draws out the faith and greatest efforts from the team to perform any job well. A leader who successfully expresses confidence towards the planned objectives inspires the team members to put absolute effort for completing a task (White, 2011). A good leader always thinks logically by keeping the main organisational objectives in mind. He/she views a condition as a whole, but also is competent to split it down into sub-elements for faster assessment. Leader divides the controllable measures and steps forward towards the organisational goals (White, 2011). A good leader is committed to excellence. He /she not only uphold high standards, but also are positive in elevating the bar for accomplishing excellence in every field. A leader requires acting in a logical and focused way in situations of ambiguity. Subordinates always search for guidance of leader throughout the period of doubt and unfamiliarity and find encouragement and safety when the

An evaluation of computerised accounting information systems Essay - 1

An evaluation of computerised accounting information systems - Essay Example Recently there has been a rise in the corporate accounting scandals which has spread as an epidemic across various regions (Amudo & Inanga, 2009). The data stored in the computer form a valuable asset for an organisation. This data is eventually used in the exchange of funds in the form of Electronics Funds Transfer (EFT). This type of data has a high value. It includes assets like balances in accounts receivables & accounts receivable, inventory levels, funds balances etc. These assets constitute the tangible form of assets whereas the intangible assets include confidential programs and other confidential financial information. The financial data is the most prized asset in any financial reporting process. The financial reports presented by the company exercise an important influence on the general society and capital markets. As long as 1958 there was no tabulation or tracking of the computer related crimes. Such incidents have slowly gained momentum and currently the computer crime can be grouped into categories like financial frauds or theft, information theft and vandalism. The conditions that have induced such crimes are related to the internal environment of the firm as well as external environment that encompass the general marketplace. The internal reasons that contribute to the computer crimes in financial reporting include: The fraudulent fund disbursal is a commonly committed fraud using computers. This is committed by the clerks at the data entry level in accounts payable, benefits section or payroll departments. At the top managerial level financial fraud involves inflating profit figures by misrepresenting the amount of sales. In such cases the higher management arbitrarily raises the sales figures and understates the total business expenses. This is done by either reducing the amount or carrying forward the expenses to the next accounting year. By deferring the expenses incurred in the current

Law Making in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law Making in the UK - Essay Example Such things as local byelaws or professional rules are delegated legislation. 3. Devolved parliaments such as the Scottish Parliament can pass both primary legislation and also separate legislation on devolved issues e.g. those that apply particularly to their regions. 4. Precedent. ( page 141) This is a legal term in common law. It refers to a decision made based upon earlier judgments. The lower courts base their decisions upon principles which have been laid down in higher courts. 5. Common Law. ( page 189) This term refers to the substantive rules, i.e. rules about which behaviour is allowed, and procedural rules i.e. how things should be done.. Both of these kind of rules judges create and use in court. Common law alters according to changes in society i.e. what society considers to be allowable or not during a particular period. . 6. European Union law. ( page 225) Laws passed by the European Parliament are valid in the member countries of the European Union. Primary legislatio n includes laws based upon treaties and agreements between members. Secondary legislation includes such things as directives and guidelines. Also included are judgments made in the European Court of Human Rights. Question 2 Explain the role of the judiciary in developing common law. Does this role assist with law making? Common law, otherwise known as case law, is case centred i.e. it depends upon the particular cases that occur. This distinguishes it from statutory law i.e. that detailed in Acts of parliament. I t is judge centred as it is the judiciary, at various levels, who make the decisions. Common law develops in a very gradual way depending upon circumstances i.e. which cases come to court. It is based upon precedent, that is what has preceded it. Where a new case presents the same situation as an earlier one then the earlier decision will be followed. It is not planned ahead. It is a system used by the United Kingdom and still in place in many of her former possessions such as Commonwealth countries and the United States of America. The European Court of Justice was established under different rules – those based upon Roman and German styles of Civil Law, but in practice is basing its decisions more on a case by case style, although based upon earlier decisions it has made i.e. it is building up a common law base to be used by its judiciary when making rulings on particular cases.. Hobhouse is cited as saying ( page 190) that common law must develop as â€Å"circumstances change and the balance of legal , social and economic needs change.† Society is in a constant flux and judges need to be able to make decisions based upon the changing circumstances. This can be done by overruling earlier decisions made in a lower court. Lower courts are bound by decisions made in higher courts. Judges are not necessarily required to follow the precedent of earlier rulings. It can be a matter of distinguishing – pointing out particular circumstan ces which mean that somewhat different principles might be applied in a certain case – mitigating circumstances for instance. The disadvantage of this system is that it only works for cases that are actually brought before the courts - the courts only rule on these cases not hypothetical ones that might or might not occur. Some would consider this a disadvantage, but at least time is not wasted considering what might have been. The real

Persuasive speech on NCAA should allow financial compensation to Essay

Persuasive speech on NCAA should allow financial compensation to collegiate athletes - Essay Example In some cases these athletes are also given special treatment by their colleges in regards to their academic issues like excused absences, extra tutorial classes and their schedules are also very lenient. One of the major concerns is that these money payments would change their status from amateur athletes to professional ones and this could generate unsportsman like behavior form these players. Hence, their part of the argument is that when everything is given to them through scholarship then why they need more financial compensations. On the other hand sport fans who believe that these athletes should be paid for their share in bringing huge profits to their respective colleges. This would give them incentive to work even harder and stay in college to complete their study instead of joining professional teams. This can also lessen the illegal dealings and payments which sometimes these athletes indulge in to pay for their everyday expenses. There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the fact that college scholarships should be enough for the student athletes. Sometimes these young athletes are demoralized by their schools because where their schools are making huge profits through them they cannot come up with the money for their food, entertainment or sometimes even educational costs. The author says that the NCAA places limits on how much money a student can earn and how many hours student athlete can work (Delaney, Madigan 124). Giving financial compensations to student athletes can actually motivate them to work hard and side by side would also help them get proper education. Getting proper education along with sports will broaden their career opportunities. This thing is very crucial in every person’s life because education is as much important as sports. According to Wladimir and Szymanski paying these players can make the competitive advantage to the institutes to disappear (380). NCAA

Using ICT to Communicate Essay Example for Free

Using ICT to Communicate Essay This is a 1959 English premier league football results table. The page layout for this is a portrait table. For this particular results table, there are not any images; I think this is because it is a results table for a football league. The sizes of the text do not vary apart from the main title of the table which is extra sports. This is because for the main title, the size of the text is bigger then the other little bits like the name of the teams and the number of points each team has etc. There are not any paragraphs as it is a results table for football. In this particular table. The special feature is that of its colour, the mix between dark yellow, light yellow and the black font writing. This is a questionnaire designed for helping you discover more about yourselves. The page layout for this is of the portrait style. For this particular questionnaire table, there are not any images; I think this is because it is again not a very entertaining kind of text. The sizes of the text do not vary again apart from the title. This is bigger then all the rest of the text because it is the title. There are not any paragraphs as it is again a questionnaire table. There are not any special features for this questionnaire. This is a pie chart representing the results of a survey. The page layout for this is of that of a cylindrical style. For this particular results chart, there are not any images; I think this is because it is again not a very entertaining kind of text but only a circle with different colures representing different results of the survey. The sizes of the text do not vary again. There are not any paragraphs as it is again a pie chart. There is only one special feature for this pie chart and that is, its in a different form to the other kind of result surveys, it is not just a normal old A4 piece of paper with writing, this Is a pie chart with different colours on it! This is a Curriculum Vitae from a 16 year old boy that lives in Loughborough. The page layout for this is of the portrait style. For this particular CV, there are not any images; I think this is because it is again it is not the kind to have pictures in, it is a formal letter. The sizes of the text do vary in this letter. The main heading for this CV is Curriculum Vitae and that is at the top of the page with sub-headings underneath the main one. There are not any paragraphs as it is a letter for employment. There are not any special features for this letter. This is an invoice of a company called at communications. The content in this invoice shows us the account number, the date, the billing period, the address, and then the actual invoice. The page layout for this is of the portrait style. For this particular invoice, there is only one image. That is the companys logo. This is a very simple yet excellent logo or image, it give the companys name and what they do in just this logo. The sizes of the text do vary in this invoice. The main heading for this invoice is the companys logo, and then it goes down to the invoice number and the dates. The size of the texts on this is the same size but it is in a bold style. Moving down the invoice, the size stays the same until the actual Invoice heading comes, this is then enlarged and then also the sizes under this sub heading change, the main headings, which is the first letters of each word in capital and the rest in lowercase letters. These are all the same font thereafter. The font size does change once more when we reach the bottom pf the page, it suddenly goes into a lower size font and the first part is in bold and then thereafter it all stays the same again. There are not any paragraphs as it is an invoice. There are not any special features for this letter. The content for the flyer is a very jolly and eye catching flyer. It includes the time and date of the actual program, the website of the program, the activities that will be happening during the program such as there will be concerts, theatre productions going on during the 4 days of the program. It also mentions were the 4 day programs will be held, at the International stadium of Geneva. The picture or background of the flyer is of the Africa continent, the continent is situated in the centre of the flyer and behind this is a mist of cloud, and this is giving the effect of Africa basically being on top of everything. The layout of this flyer is in a portrait style. The sizes of the text vary because for the main title, the size of the text is bigger then the other little bits like the website of the organisers and also the date and time of the programs. I think this is because the title is the main eye catching text in the whole flyer so it needs to be in a big enough fonts size a nd also needs to have a very professional written title or heading! There are not any paragraphs in this particular flyer. The special features for this flyer is that of its colour, the colour is what made me first notice it, it is a very vibrant colour which would be noticed from a distance. The colour is a key part of this flyer as it makes it what it is! This is a web page showing us how to make web pages. It is telling us to use the facilities they are offering us on the website to design the best possible webpage we can. The page layout for this is of the portrait style but also set out in a web style so suitable for website basically. For this particular web page, there are images; such as at the top of the page, there is a women standing with a clipboards in her right hand. She is in a thinking kind of posture. There is also a many boxes on the left hand side were if hover your mouse over them boxes, then a message of information will appear underneath your mouse arrow telling you what contents are in that category. The sizes of the text do vary in this web page. The main heading for this web page is BEST COMPANY SLOGAN HERE this is at the top of the page with sub-headings underneath it such as welcome to company website!.

The Amazing Truths about Fireworks Essay Example for Free

The Amazing Truths about Fireworks Essay Have you ever imagined celebrating holidays such as Fourth of July and Independence Day without beautiful, dynamic colors of fireworks to watch in the sky? Does the enjoyment you feel and the essence of the holidays would be lessen if you loss the delight of watching beautifully designed sparks in the heavens? Many of you may say that fireworks is something you do not want to miss watching on during big events but some may also say that there is nothing that they will miss if fireworks is not present in some occasions. It is true to say that here in Illinois fireworks is a big part of celebrations, more particularly Independence Day because there is nothing symbolizes the nation’s Independence Day like fireworks. But nowadays, some fireworks are prohibited in Illinois and the only allowed fireworks are the fireworks that were classified as Class C or what is called â€Å"Consumer† fireworks. Examples of Class C fireworks are cone fountains, cylindrical fountains, roman candles, sky rockets, firecrackers, mines and shells, helicopter-type rockets, certain sparklers and revolving wheels. Every state in the US has regulating laws regarding the sale and use fireworks. Some states are totally prohibiting all the private use of fireworks. On the other hand, in Illinois, in order for you to buy and light up fireworks, you have to first secure the permit just like if you have car, you must have a driver’s license. Many citizens reacted on this. They have different reactions. Some are asking why they need to get a permit just to light a sky rocket, for example. The reason for these laws is for the security of the people’s health. But statistics show that one may be killed 94. 11% in ice skating than to be injured using fireworks. Injuries that happen by using fireworks can be avoided if we follow simple safety precautions according to the people who want fireworks to be legalized. But what they miss out is that fireworks is not just about accidents it may bring but also it can cause health problems such as chronic bronchitis, common cold, allergic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, sinusitis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD), emphysema, rhinitis, pneumonia and laryngitis. Now, that we are informed that fireworks can bring sickness to us, I assume that every one of you knows why Illinois and other states prohibit the use and sell of fireworks. Citizens of Illinois are lucky enough, compared to those in Iowa because the only permitted fireworks there are fire or wood stick sparklers, to enjoy using â€Å"consumer† fireworks by securing the permit first because people would not probably want to take risk of getting caught by the fire chiefs. So, lets us not just think about the amazing sight fireworks can bring but also we should take into consideration that fireworks are harmful to our health. Thus, obeying laws imposed upon to the state by our government should be practice because government cares for us citizens. Works Cited Aldritt, Corey. Get your fireworks — legally. Iowa State Daily. com 28 June 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2008 from http://media. www. iowastatedaily. com/media/storage/paper818/news/2007/06/28/4thOfJuly/Get-Your. Fireworks. 8212. Legally-2919108. shtml Fireworks Laws and Safety Tips. FindLaw. Retrieved 24 July 2008 from http://commonlaw. findlaw. com/2008/07/fireworks-laws. html Harmful Effects of Crackers Fireworks ¬ 3 October 2007. Eonecon Foundation. Retrieved 24 July 2008 from http://www. eonecon. org/blog/2007/harmful-effects-of-crackers-fireworks/ Hessedal, Kelly. Fireworks laws change in Illinois. NEWS QWAD. com Retrieved 24 July 2008 from http://www. wqad. com/Global/story. asp? S=5052267

Athletic Directors Leadership Traits and Job Satisfaction

Athletic Directors Leadership Traits and Job Satisfaction This chapter will provide a review of the literature and research related to the purpose of the study. Because research identifying specific leadership traits of high school athletic directors is almost nonexistent, this literature review begins with a summary of: (a) leadership defined (b) general educational leadership traits and theories, (c) roles and responsibilities, (d) job satisfaction and finish with the (e) summary. Leadership Defined Leadership is a term that can be found throughout all workplaces. The meaning of leadership can be defined in a variety of ways. According to Fiedler (1967), leadership is defined by managing group work with appropriate control and organization. According to Dr. Jamie Williams (Sugarman, 1999), leadership is like gravity. You know its there, you know it exists, but how do you define it? Nahavandi (2008) explained that researchers disagree with leadership definitions because of the fact that leadership is a complicated phenomenon mixed with the leader, the follower, and the situation. For example, Coach John Woodens ability to motivate his mens basketball program at UCLA to win 11 national championships during his coaching tenure provides evidence of Woodens transformational leadership. Wooden inspired his players to play to the best of their ability and to never accept losing. He was also instrumental in making sure that his players stayed very humble in the process. Hughes et al. (2008) explained that some researchers have paid attention to the leaders personal traits while others have focused on the relationship between leaders and followers or situational factors that influence leadership behavior. Roach and Behling (1984) defined leadership as the procedure of guiding an organized team toward achieving its objectives. This is definition is accepted by any sports team that wins a championship or achieves their team goals. Rost (1993) defined leadership as influence dynamics among leaders and followers who attempt to bring true organizational changes that reflect their common goals. Daft (1999) stated that in the new era represented by a dramatic change, an old philosophy of control-oriented leadership is not effective anymore, and that leaders should make effort to retain soft elements of leadership qualities in addition to hard management skills. Watkins and Rikard (1991) defined leadership as the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement. There are many categories, given the different ways the influencing process is played out. Three such categories are transactional leadership transformational leadership, and situational leadership. Leadership Traits and Theories Theories of leadership have evolved and debate over the act of leadership, and what is required, continues. This study will explore the leadership traits of high school athletic directors and if they correlate with job satisfaction. According to Young, et al (2010), the documentation of educational leadership traits for high school athletic directors is scarce. However, the traits of organization, roles and responsibilities and job satisfaction of high school athletic directors are prevalent in previous research. Since the twentieth century there have been many researching leadership and creating theories to go with their findings (Dulewicz Higgs, 2003; Grint, 2000; Higgs, 2002; Kets de Vries, 1993). Leadership theories can be grouped into one of eight theory categories. These eight theories are the Great Man theory, trait theories, contingency theory, situational theories, behavioral theories, participative theories, management theories and relationship theories. This research will look into the details of the trait theory, behavioral theories, situational theories, and transformational and transactional leadership. Trait theories will identify which characteristics are shared by leaders. According to Shead (2010) since certain traits are associated with proficient leadership, it assumes that if you could identify people with the correct traits, you will be able to identify leaders and people with leadership potential. Trait theory takes on the assumption that leaders are born with leadership traits or not. This idea appears to be incorrect. Shead (2010) states that it is possible for someone to change their character traits for the worse and that someone who is known for being honest can learn to become deceitful. In addition, someone who is deceitful can learn to become honest. Often times we look for honesty, drive, goal oriented, competent and intelligent people to become our leaders. Between 1940 and into the late 1990s, researchers (e.g., Dulewicz Higg s, 2003; Partington, 2003) categorized approaches to leadership theory improvements into several schools, according to time order. Trait school, behavioral school, contingency school, and visionary school were considered the four major trait schools. The trait school leadership theories were largely popular in the 1940s. Stogdill (1974) referred to the Great Man Theory, which stated that leaders are different from followers due to common leader traits. Additionally, Turner (1999) supported Stogdills (1974) claim about leaders being different from followers by explaining that leaders are born into being great leaders and not made into great leaders. Hogan (1991) explained that traits refer to repetitive patterns in a persons behavior and the trait approach attempts to explain peoples behavioral trends in terms of certain strengths of traits that they retain. Stogdill (1974) also stated that leaders traits are shown through hardwork, friendliness, conscientiousness, and willingness to take on responsibility rather than personality, ambition and physical makeup such as height. Turners (1999) research supports Stogdill (1974) by showing that effective managers have traits such as energy and drive, self-confidence, and highly effectiv e communication skills. The behavioral approach to leadership was well studied between the 1940s and 1960s. During this time period, researchers from the University of Michigan and The Ohio State University posited that leaders behaviors can be explained within two independent factors called consideration and initiating structure (Fleishman, 1973; Halpin Winer, 1957). According to the Ohio State researchers, the term consideration applies to the degree in which leaders show support and friendship towards followers, while the phrase initiating structure applies to the manner in which leaders stress the importance of achieving goals and tasks. According to Bower Seashore (1966), the behavioral students conducted by the University of Michigan researchers posited that effective group performance shows a relationship with four dimensions of leadership behaviors: support, interaction facilitation, goal emphasis, and work facilitation. The leader support behaviors shows a relationship with concern for subordinat es, while interaction facilitation shows a relationship with reconciling relational conflicts among group members. Bower and Seashore (1966) explained that in sum, goal emphasis and work facilitation are job-centered dimensions, but leaders support and interaction facilitation are employee-centered dimensions. Recent studies by (e.g., Curphy, 2003; Smither, London, Flautt, Vargas, Kucine, 2003) have claimed that considering certain leadership behaviors are adopted for effective leadership, leadership can be developed. The behavioral school states that, leaders can change their behavior via reflection, organizational development systems, and 360-degree feedback amongst others (McCauley, Ruderman, Ohlott, Morrow, 1994). According to Bass (1985), these two categories are points on a continuum of leadership behavior. Athletic directors are going to fall into one of the two leadership categories. Bass (1998) described transformational leadership as behavior that transcends the need for rewards and appeals to the followers higher order needs, inspiring them to act in the best interest of the organization rather than their own self-interest. Thus, leaders must possess high ethical and moral standards in order to provide the highest reward to the organization. One might infer that even the most ethically and morally charged athletic director cannot possibly provide the highest rewards each and every year to the organization that he/she represents. However, ethics and morals are two very important characteristics in an individual when determining the type of leader one might become. Leadership styles are known to change, and thus a transformational leader could dip into the realm of transactional leadership and vice versa. Generally, personality and character traits can provide us with the determination as to whether or not you are a transformational or transactional leader. According to Bass (1998) transformational leadership is universally applicable. He proposed that regardless of culture, transformational leaders inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests for the good of the group or organization. Followers become motivated to expend greater effort than would usually be expected. If an AD exemplified Basss transformational leadership model, coaches in the school would offer up all that they have to support the athletic director and school that they work for. For example, the athletic director buys-in to the complete offerings of his/her current employer as we continue to transform the area of athletics. According to Sugarman (1999), excellence in leadership is acquired by people who have a strong sense of vision, have passion and are able to get people to commit 100% and take the necessary action to see that vision becomes a reality. Great leaders excel in the art of communication and motivation, mutual respect, instilling confidence and enthusiasm, and showing credibility and integrity on a consistent basis. Various high school athletic directors and coaches all across the United States create programs teaching their student athletes leadership styles and how they can be applied. One popular program that was used to establish athletic leadership for Wheeler High Schools football team in Valparaiso, Indiana is based off the acronym for L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. Coach Snodgrass of Wheeler High School utilized the L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. program that he learned while attending the Indiana Football Coaches Association Annual Clinic in 2003. According to Snodgrass (2004), the acronym is as foll ows: Influence, Integrity, Communication, Attitude, Courage, Sacrifice, Goals, Servant-Hood, Vision, and Perseverance. Each one of these terms forms a strong resilient leadership program for any athletic program. The athletic director must decide how important it is for him or her to provide this type of leadership program to his or her student athletes, school administration, and school community. With the proper education comes an ability to manage, facilitate, and guide. A true leader, however, does not simply read books or study what leadership should be. Rather, a true leader is someone who shows transformational or transactional traits naturally. Providing a program like the one that Wheeling High School provided for its football players shows that the leadership is transformational at this school. Giving the students an opportunity to understand what leadership is all about and how leadership is applied in everyday life allowed those football players at Wheeling High School i n Valparaiso, IN to become stronger individuals in the classroom, community, and field. The football coach for this team showed his athletic director a true meaning of transformational leadership. Bolman and Deal (2003) stated that leadership is universally offered as a panacea for almost any social problem (p. 336). Within the athletic arena, leadership is a term used to describe any event which coaches, staff members, administrators, and ADs go above and beyond their normal work day. Bolman and Deal (2003) noted further that if leaders lose their legitimacy then they lose the capacity to lead. For example, a high school athletic director has authority but not necessarily leadership. Additionally, a leader is also not necessarily a manager. Many managers do not know how to lead. Bennis and Nanus (1985) asserted that managers do things right, and leaders do the right thing. It is very important for high school athletic directors to understand the distinction between the terms leader and manager because high school athletic directors will not produce a successful leadership style if they cannot distinguish differences in leading and managing. Leadership and management can be situational. According to Hersey and Blanchard (2001) the situational leadership model combines task and people into a two-by-two chart, which shows four possible leadership styles: telling, selling, participating, and delegating. Bolman and Deal (2003) stated this model distinguishes four levels of subordinate readiness and argues that the appropriate leadership style depends on the situation. The four styles are as follows: Leadership through participation involves having a high relationship with ones subordinates with low tasks involved. This style is used when followers are able but unwilling or insecure to accomplish the task at hand. According to Sugarmann (1999), Vince Lombardi says, Leaders are made, they are not born; and they are made just like anything else has ever been made in this country by hard work. Additionally, Sugarmann (1999) stated that leading by example is paramount to becoming known as a great leader. Leadership through selling is exemplified when there is a high relationship value with followers and the tasks level is high. This style is used when followers are unable, but willing or motivated to accomplish the tasks at hand. The third style is leadership through delegation, and this is used with there is minimal relationship with followers and a low task requirement. The style is used when followers are able and willing or motivated to accomplish the tasks at hand. The four possible leadership styles explained by Hersey and Blanchards (2001) situational leadership model are significant in the maturation process of a high school athletic director. Each one of these leadership styles could be used during varying circumstances within the athletic directors position. Hersey and Blanchards (2001) situational leadership concept provides supporting information that in order to become an effective leader one must consider all four styles within the situational leadership model. Situational Leadership Situational leadership is another theory that focuses on the development of the follower and styles of each leader being exhibited. Hersey and Blanchard (2001) stated that there are four leadership styles (S1 to S4) that match the development levels (D1 to D4) of the followers. The four styles suggest that leaders should put greater or less focus on the task in question and/or the relationship between the leader and the follower, depending on the development level of the follower. The four leadership styles are named, S1 telling and directing, S2 selling and coaching, S3 participating and supporting and S4 delegating and observing. Hersey and Blanchard (2001) situational theory is broken down as follows: S1: Telling / Directing Follower: R1: Low competence, low commitment / Unable and unwilling or insecure Leader: High task focus, low relationship focus When the follower cannot do the job and is unwilling or afraid to try, then the leader takes a highly directive role, telling them what to do but without a great deal of concern for the relationship. The leader may also provide a working structure, both for the job and in terms of how the person is controlled. The leader may first find out why the person is not motivated and if there are any limitations in ability. These two factors may be linked, for example where a person believes they are less capable than they should be may be in some form of denial or other coping. They follower may also lack self-confidence as a result. If the leader focused more on the relationship, the follower may become confused about what must be done and what is optional. The leader thus maintains a clear do this position to ensure all required actions are clear. S2: Selling / Coaching Follower: R2: Some competence, variable commitment / Unable but willing or motivated Leader: High task focus, high relationship focus When the follower can do the job, at least to some extent, and perhaps is over-confident about their ability in this, then telling them what to do may demotivate them or lead to resistance. The leader thus needs to sell another way of working, explaining and clarifying decisions. The leader thus spends time listening and advising and, where appropriate, helping the follower to gain necessary skills through coaching methods. Note: S1 and S2 are leader-driven. S3: Participating / Supporting Follower: R3: High competence, variable commitment / Able but unwilling or insecure Leader: Low task focus, high relationship focus When the follower can do the job, but is refusing to do it or otherwise showing insufficient commitment, the leader need not worry about showing them what to do, and instead is concerned with finding out why the person is refusing and thence persuading them to cooperate. There is less excuse here for followers to be reticent about their ability, and the key is very much around motivation. If the causes are found then they can be addressed by the leader. The leader thus spends time listening, praising and otherwise making the follower feel good when they show the necessary commitment. S4: Delegating / Observing Follower: R4: High competence, high commitment / Able and willing or motivated Leader: Low task focus, low relationship focus When the follower can do the job and is motivated to do it, then the leader can basically leave them to it, largely trusting them to get on with the job although they also may need to keep a relatively distant eye on things to ensure everything is going to plan. Followers at this level have less need for support or frequent praise, although as with anyone, occasional recognition is always welcome. Note: S3 and S4 are follower-led (p. 259-261). Roles and Responsibilities The focus on the athletic director as an employee, leader, and representative of interscholastic athletics is needed to understand the gravity of where athletic directors come from and who they have become today. Todays athletic directors have many difficult tasks. It is their job to ensure that interscholastic athletics perform at a very high level. In addition, it is imperative that athletic directors maintain the integrity of the student-athlete. Davis (2002) states that previously, leadership ability was assumed because of athletic success. Today, those in athletic director positions are getting more training and education in administrative leadership. The training and education allow the athletic director to begin providing leadership at the beginning of his/her job. Thus, the success of the interscholastic athletic program hinges on the type of leadership training and education received by the athletic director. Athletic directors job descriptions will continue to evolve as the requirements to managing a successful program evolve. One sample written job description of an athletic director for a small private school in Florida shows that their athletic director will perform the following duties: direct the athletic program, assure that the school complies with all policies and procedures of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), supervise the scheduling of all athletic contests, identify and recommend the hiring and firing of coaches for each sport, ensure that all school policies and procedures are followed by the entire coaching staff (including, assistant coaches), in addition to many other duties as assigned by the headmaster of the school. After reviewing this job description one could see how little time there might be for an athletic director to provide direct leadership. With all of the tasks listed within the job description the athletic director must provide leadershi p more via example, rather than through direct communication with his/her student-athletes and coaching staff. Doing nothing more than following the specific tasks list of the job description above would associate the athletic director with transactional rather than transformational leadership. Simply following the task list of the job description would essentially provide the student-athletes with a basic and universal athletic program. The athletic director would also be performing his or her job duties for the sake of getting the most basic job done. This shows the community that the interest level of providing leadership on a much higher level to the community, student-athletes, and administration is obsolete. Most people are able to complete the tasks that are provided for them by a school administration. What exactly does this do for the advancement and recognition of the efforts put forth by the student-athletes, as well as teaching the student-athletes and coaches the value of having strong ethics and morals? The next sample job description is from a public school in Virginia: Athletic Director Requirements and Responsibilities are to work with administration and the assistant athletic director to create and maintain a comprehensive program for student activities that emphasizes positive public relations, coaching performance, and student recognition, utilize a computerized software program for scheduling, prepares and distributes schedules for athletic and academic competitions, including contracts where required, supervise the preparation and distribution of eligibility lists, ensure that all students participating in athletic or academic competition are eligible, and have a Virginia High School License (VHSL) physical form and Stonewall Jackson High Schools Handbook (SJHS) sign off on file, oversee the athletic/academic activities budget, approve all athletic expenditures, follow school procedures for ordering, and determine allocations for athletic/academic program with the principal, obtain officials, ticket takers, clock operators, announcers, etc. f or all home events, work with the transportation department to arrange transportation for away events and practices where necessary, attend district, regional, and state VHSL meetings, ensure that annual equipment and uniform inventories are conducted by head coaches, and assist head coaches in updating equipment/uniforms, assist principal in selection of coaching staff, complete evaluation form for each head coach with an endorsement by the principal at the end of the season, ensure that head coaches submit required documentation in a timely fashion at the end of each season, including evaluation form for assistant coaches, inventories, end of season reports, etc, work with the Booster Club in coordinating their activities, including presenting requests for funding for all programs to the Booster Club, submit news releases on awards, etc. to local media, supervise the maintenance of the Sports Zone web page and ensure that it is up-to-date at all times, inform local media, official s, coaches, bus drivers and administrators immediately upon cancellation of an event and rescheduled dates as soon as available; post cancellations/rescheduled games on web site, prepare money for ticket takers, water for officials, scoreboard, PA system, etc. for home events, supervise events in conjunction with the building administrators, serve as a liaison between school clubs, departments and administration for scheduling events which do not conflict with VHSL athletic and academic events, work with custodial staff for proper maintenance of facilities and equipment. When comparing the two job descriptions above, one can see how important the athletic director position is to interscholastic athletics. Each athletic director shares many of the same responsibilities regardless of the population within the school with which they are employed. As an employee, the Athletic Director is the second most important position next to the schools Principal. High school athletic directors are vital to ensuring that the climate of the school which they direct will stay positive and energized. The athletic director as a leader is an integral part of the school system. Each year, the job description of athletic directors becomes more complex. Recently, responsibilities added to the athletic directors job description are (a) purchasing and distribution of equipment, supplies, and uniforms, (b) planning and scheduling for the use of facilities, (c) public relations, (d) fund-raising, (e) legal and medical protection for coaches and student-athletes, (f) compliance with national and state policies and procedures, (g) administration of events, (h) completion of the goals and objectives of the school, and (i) implementation and management of media events (Smith, 1993). These responsibilities make it highly unlikely that just one individual can effectively manage a successful interscholastic athletic program, especially at a large school with a c omprehensive athletic program. ADs must be willing to put the time and effort into getting the job done. According to Barnhill, (1998) in order to do so, a high school athletic director must call on his/her support staff, such as coaches and other administrators at the school. Additionally, Barnhill (1998) stated the high school athletic director must be a leader with the ability to delegate and manage delegated tasks. If the athletic director fails at delegating and managing the tasks necessary to lead a successful athletic program, his/her coaches will begin to lose faith in the athletic directors ability to lead. The many responsibilities that an athletic director assumes when taking a position within administration are largely dictated by the athletic directors fellow administrators. The athletic directors position is supported by many other administrators such as the director of development, dean of students, director of advising, director of admissions, and director of college recruitment to name a few. The director of development will help the athletic director with fundraising for athletics, the dean of students assists the athletic director with student-athlete disciplinary issues, the director of admissions assists the athletic director in qualifying the students for eligibility, and the director of college recruitment assists the athletic director in qualifying student athletes for colle ge recruitment. With all of these administrators working together the leadership within the school is strong and successful. The athletic directors ability to recruit co-workers to assist in leading the department of athletics as well as the institution itself would classify him/her as a transformational leader. As stated earlier according to, Bass (1997) transformational leadership is universally applicable. He proposed that regardless of culture, transformational leaders inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests for the good of the group or organization. In order for this to occur the transformational leader must possess certain characteristics to inspire followers. According to Parks and Quarterman (2003) stated, those characteristics include: trusting his or her subordinates, meaning that a good leader will make use of employees energy and talent. The key to productive relationship is mutual trust. Secondly, develop a vision for employees to follow a visionary leader. They want to know what they are working for. Thirdly, keeping his or her cool, explains that leaders demonstrate their met tle in crisis under fire. They inspire others to remain calm and to act intelligently. Fourth, they are experts at what they do, informing us that employees are much more likely to follow a leader that radiates confidence, is intuitive, and continues to master the profession. Fifth, they invite dissent, meaning a leader is willing to accept a variety of opinions and integrate them. Sixth, they simplify the position, so that leaders can focus on what is important and reach elegant, simple answers to complex problems by keeping the details to themselves. Lastly, they encourage risk. Risk encourages employees to take chances and readily accept error (p. 179-180). One who exudes all of these characteristics is often seen as a leader in sport that is few and far between. While it is important that any leader become an effective manager, being an effective manager and an effective leader are two different matters. According to Hersey and Blanchard (2001) the definition of management is the process of working with and through individuals and groups to accomplish organizational goals (p. 9). In addition, they defined leadership as the process of influencing the activities of an individual or a group in effort toward goal achievement in a given situation (p. 78). Some theorists suggest that both management and leadership are necessary to those who seek professional management in high school athletics and other sport careers. Parks and Quarterman (2003) stated that many athletic directors find themselves involved with management as a process approach. This approach sees managers using interactive activities such as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of the organ ization or institution. Conversely, the remaining athletic directors consider themselves as a leader in some capacity. As previously noted, two possible leadership styles of high school athletic directors nationwide are transformational and transactional. According to Bass (1985), transactional leaders are engulfed in the way of thinking that compliance is the key. The coach will get rewarded if he/she follows directions and orders. Additionally, Bass (1985) identified two factors as composing transactional leadership. Leaders can transact with followers by rewarding effort contractually, telling them what to do to gain rewards, punishing undesired action, and giving extra feedback and promotions for good work. Such transactions are referred to as contingent reward (CR) leadership. Field and Herold (1997) described transactional leadership as a reward-driven behavior, where the follower behaves in such a manner as to elicit rewards or support from the leader. If a high school athlet ic director is primarily transactional in style, coaches who work for that high school athletic director will only pursue the notion of success if they know ahead of time that there is a reward for achieving that success. In some instances, a primarily transactional leadership style may actually derive from the athletic directors own quest for external, tangible rewards. So, the question arises with many transactional leaders as to why they are involved with coaching or administration if all they are looking for is an end reward? Some administrators in athletics have not had relevant sports management training and likely have developed expertise in other areas, such as business, physical education, or simply general education. A high school athletic director with a traditional business background might be brought in by the administration simply to raise funds for the athletic program, manage the program, and direct the program much like one would manage a corporate operation. Likewi se, a high school athletic director who is brought in with a physical education background is traditionally done so because of his or her success with coaching the student-athlete and having the ability to get through to the student-athlete as needed to provide a successful interscholastic program. The umbrella that encompasses this can be very lucrative for the school if done correctly. In other words, an athletic director who has a physical education background starts out building r

Changes in Eliza in Pygmalion :: George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion Essays

Changes in Eliza in Pygmalion Before Eliza first encountered Mr. Higgins, she was simply a dirty, yet caring girl in the gutter of London. During her time with both Mr. Higgins and Colonel Pickering, Eliza did change, for the fist few weeks of her stay in Wimpole Street, she questioned everything that Higgins asked her to do, and generally couldn't see how they would help her. Later, Eliza begins to understand that Higgins, as harsh as he is, is trying to do his best to teach her, and therefore should be respected. After the ambassador's ball, we see more of the old Eliza resurfacing. She starts to worry again, and since she has grown attached to Higgins and Pickering, is devastated to see their finding her so trivial. Eliza's basic character remains relatively unchanged. We can still observe the old Eliza, under the upper-class persona. The play, "Pygmalion" brings out the message that looks can be extremely deceiving, while touching on the issue that self presentation really does change the way peop le look at you. Act I of the play first introduces the reader to the rich of London. The author, Bernard Shaw, uses these well moneyed citizens to display the contrast between them and Eliza. In this act, Eliza has yet to be introduced to the world of the rich, and is portrayed by Shaw as in innocent dreamer. Eliza is concerned for her own safety, in making sure that it was know that she only wanted to sell a flower to the gentleman. She is persistent in a kind way; the reader sees this when she tries eagerly to sell to the gentleman without change. It becomes apparent that she is very poor, and needs success from her flower selling to live a life at all. Eliza shows great pride in her line of work, and that she stays above the law, not resorting to illegal prostitution or stealing. The introduction of Higgins taking down Eliza's speech gives the author a further chance to display Eliza's will to stay innocent and good. Another way that Shaw shows us the real Eliza is in the way that she starts crawling over the dirty ground to locate the money thrown down at her by Higgins.

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

In the novel Of Mice and Men, Jon Steinbeck portrays the life of two common men looking for work on various ranches throughout the United States. The ultimate goal of Lenny and George is to save enough money so they will be able to purchase their own ranch. Traveling the country in search of work proves to the men that companionship is one of the greatest things a man can obtain. Steinbeck uses his novel to introduce several themes that many people will encounter in life such as loneliness, death, and chasing the American dream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lenny and George discover that as long as they have each other, they will always have something. Most of the other ranch workers do not have any family or a close friend. Lenny can not take care of himself and depends on George to do so. George merely counts on Lenny for companionship and as someone to confide in. George tells Lenny of his hopes and dreams and although Lenny may not fully comprehend what George is saying, George’s need for someone to converse with is fulfilled. Lenny and George are almost like a family as in they satisfy each other’s emotional needs and keep each other company. Both Lenny and George benefit greatly from their relationship. Although it appears that Lenny needs George more, George’s needs are just not as evident. Without Lenny, George would take his pay, and “go into town and buy liquor.'; Lenny is a means of hope and his presence keeps George on track.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death is not perceived to be the worst possible situation in this instance. Lenny has a mental condition and has the mental capacity equivalent to that of a third grader. Lenny’s reasoning skills, or rather lack thereof, lead him into doing harm to others and ultimately into killing Curley’s wife. After the other ranch workers find Curley’s wife dead, they suspect Lenny to be the killer. Lenny runs away and hides in a spot that George has told him to run to if anything bad should ever happen. George finds Lenny before the other men do, but ironically George kills Lenny. George does not kill Lenny to get rid of him and not have to take care of him anymore, but as way of helping him. Lenny’s mental state deters him from distinguishing right from wrong and thus, Lenny stays in constant trouble. Lenny does not comprehend his strength and does not know how to contain it.

The First World War (WWI) :: World War 1 I One

Industrial Revolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Great Britain is where the Industrial Revolution all started. The Industrial Revolution took place and started in Great Britain because at that time they were one of the most powerful nations that was being developed. The Industrial Revolution was a time of great economical and technical growth and change in Britain eight-tenth and nine-tenth centuries. In the mid nine-tenth century Britain had become the center workshop of the world ! England began exporting simply products that led to Imperialism. Imperialism is the process in which rich and powerful nation seek out little UN-industrialized countries and try to gain control and influence their people. The power of the British especially influenced the diplomatic and economic values of each of the smaller countries it took control over. The countries that were most influenced by the Industrial Revolution were Africa and Asia. The Industrial Revolution spread to these because they went there looking for more materials to trade with other countries. The British went to these smaller countries to trade, they found that the counties that they went to trade with were very weak in nature. When the British got to these counties they soon took over their ports and set up markets over seas. One of these counties was Africa. The raw materials that they went to go obtain from Africa were gold and diamonds. When the British arrived in Africa they saw that the port was weak and took it over. With the ports now under British’s control they could come and go as they pleased in and out of the country and trade very inexpensively trough-out the county. Also with the control of the ports the British’s ideas were spread quickly. The people of Britain began to take a small role in politics in South and Southeast Asia. Imperialism systems were arranged according to the policy of across sea merchants. .The reason why the British countries were so successful is because the in taking over these small un-industrlaized countries is because Britain was the most powerful county at that time and due to its economics and technology it was easy for them to influence these small UN-industrialized countries. Because these small countries had no other major influences of any other great or powerful powerful nation they were subjected to the power of the European nations.

A Mission or Personal Vision Statement (VV1) Essay

We begin this seminar with the development of a personal mission or vision statement. We use this statement in this seminar to emphasize that your time at the UW begins with dreams and visions you hold for the life that is still ahead of you. We ask you to write a mission statement that is reflective of who you are and what your sense of calling, purpose, vocation, or meaning of life. Mission statements are helpful for many reasons, but primarily they are used as a tool to encourage you to consciously reflect on who you are and what you are doing at the UW. As you progress through your educational experience here, you will find that you will take many side roads, you will wander off the path, hurry ahead of yourself, and even become unsure and hidden in the brambles. We have found that a personal mission statement is helpful when the way becomes cloudy; to return to a written statement of your essence and purpose in life can often help you forge your chosen path. Definitions[1]: †¢ â€Å"Values: ‘Concepts, principles, or standards that drive one’s decisions and actions. ’ Examples of values are honesty, persistence, dependability, self-sufficiency, and faith. † †¢ A vision statement: ‘A statement of three or four sentences describing a desired future – not a predicted future. ’ Here is an example of a vision statement (stated as if the vision has already been achieved, so that it is positive and powerful): ‘I am a person who is peaceful and an example to others of that peace, which comes from faith in God. I am considered to be an inspirational teacher of great integrity. I lead a simple life style that includes plenty of time for myself, my family, and my friends as well as service to others. ’ †¢ A mission statement: ‘A succinct, easy-to-remember statement that provides direction for one’s life. ’ Here is an example of a very short mission statement developed from the sample vision statement quoted above: ‘I am committed to living in accordance with my faith in God, maintaining a happy marriage, and being a loving and supportive parent. In my professional life, I seek to empower high school students by providing quality teaching while adhering to my religious principles. I want to live a simple life style. ’ Note that a mission statement may be lengthier if desired, but brevity is important. During this process it is critical to ensure consistency between values, the vision statement, and the mission statement. If these three components are not consistent, it is not possible to devise a workable plan. † To get you thinking about the development of your mission statement, please spend some time thinking about the following questions: Why are you here today? What are the life values that you hold most near to your heart? What is it you are most passionate about? What hopes do you have for your UW experience? What hopes do you have for your life beyond the UW? The answers you develop through these activities and exercises will be the basis of your personal mission and vision statement. Most are 1 page or less in length. We also see this mission statement as highly fluid. As you continue your education, we hope that some of your initial ideas and longings remain the same and we also hope that you will be changed. To this end, the personal mission statement is a malleable document that begins today, will be submitted formally at the end of the seminar, and will continue to represent you and your becoming while at the UW. The following worksheets are a guide to help you answer some of those significant questions in an organized format. Creating or Revising Your Personal Vision[2] by Dr. Linda Phillips-Jones It’s good to create or revise the â€Å"personal vision† you have for your life. A compelling vision can help you succeed, be more satisfied with your life, and get the most out of your all relationships and experiences. Following is a tool for doing that. Importance of Having a Personal Vision Numerous experts on leadership and personal development emphasize how vital it is for you to craft your own personal vision for your life. Warren Bennis, Stephen Covey, Peter Senge, and others point out that a powerful vision can help you succeed far beyond where you’d be without one. That vision can propel you and inspire those around you to reach their own dreams. I’ve learned in my own life and in working as a psychologist that if you don’t identify your vision, others will plan and direct your life for you. I’ve worked with too many individuals who late in their lives said, â€Å"If only. . . .† You don’t have to be one of them. Senge defines vision as what you want to create of yourself and the world around you. What does your vision include? Making a vital change in an area such as health, technology, or the environment? Raising happy, well-adjusted children? Writing a book? Owning your own business? Living on a beach? Being very fit and healthy? Visiting every continent? Helping others with their spiritual development? What are you good at? What do you love to do? What aren’t you good at now, but you’d like to be? All of these important questions are part of identifying your personal vision. |Things I Really Enjoy Doing |What Brings Me Happiness/Joy |The Two Best Moments of My Past |Three Things I’d Do If I Won | | | |Week |the Lottery | | | | | | | | | | | | | |. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Issues or Causes I Care Deeply |My Most Important Values |Things I Can Do at the |What I’d Like to Stop Doing or | |About |(Circle) |Good-to-Excellent Level |Do as Little as Possible | | |Having integrity | | | | | | | | | |Serving/pleasing a higher being| | | | |or calling | | | | | | | | | |Being fit and healthy | | | | | | | | | |Having a nice home | | | | |and belongings | | | | | | | | | |Leaving the world a better || | | |place | | | | | | | | | |Having fun | | | | | | | | | |Learning and improving myself | | | | | | | | | |Making others’ lives easier or | | | | |more pleasant | | | | | | | | | |Enjoying my family | | | | |Others? (Add) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ———————– [1] The 1995 Annual – Volume 1 Training, Pfeiffer & Company, Sand Diego, CA, p. 63. [2] Printed by permissions from: http://www. mentoringgroup. com/html/articles/mentee_1. html CCC/THE MENTORING GROUP, www. mentoringgroup. com, 13560 Mesa Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95949, USA, Phone: 530. 268. 1146 Fax: 530. 268. 3636 e-mail: info@mentoringgroup. com.

Oil and Natural Gas: Its Effects to America and the Global Economy Essay

Oil and natural gas have a very important role in the lives of almost all people in the world. These have been the primary source of energy that fuels the technological civilization that exists at the present. Its importance could be seen in the everyday lives of most individuals. The moment someone wakes up in the morning and read the newspaper up to the time that same person would sleep in the comforts of his/her home, the utilization of petroleum products are present. The newspaper is produced out of ink coming from oil as well as the printing machine that is operated by the same means of energy. Similarly, oil-operated machineries also create the various infrastructures like the houses people live in. Furthermore, even computers, which are widely used today in terms of government services and even in mere personal purposes, are run by electricity coming from natural gas. According to Pfeiffer, the present civilization is built on oil and that economic progress will continue as long as there is a continuous supply of this energy. This is also the reason why the volatile and fluctuating prices of oil and natural gas affect numerous countries as well as its citizens. Its status in the international market has implications in the economies of countries like the United States of America and basically, the whole world. Oil and natural gas that are the backbone of this society’s economy has a long history behind it. These sources of energy come from the earth’s ground as either solids, liquids, or gases. Crude oil or petroleum is liquid source of energy that is considered as a commercial fossil fuel. Natural gas as well as propane comes in gaseous form. Coal, on the other hand is a solid form of energy (Nonrenewable Energy). These energy sources are formed in the earth millions of years ago when it was still covered by water. Combine remains of animals and tiny plants that are layered together with sand and mud are also present. During the time that the earth underwent drastic changes, intense amount of heat and pressure were present, which have been the caused for these fossils to turn into hydrocarbons. Basically, what are simple remnants of plants and animals have turned into valuable deposits of crude oil and natural gas inside the crust of the earth (Discover the wonders of natural gas). Natural gas is often defined as a combustible, gaseous mixture made up of simple hydrocarbons. It is a very light portion of petroleum that includes both natural gas as well as crude oil. Natural gas often rise through the surface by means of natural openings in the earth’s crust or it can be brought to the surface by man-made wells. Thousand of years ago, it was discovered that this gas could be burned and be utilized for heat and light. At present, natural gas is still one of the safest, efficient, and abundant source of energy in the world (Discover the wonders of natural gas The importance of oil and natural gas to the world’s economy is very vital, which is why a decline in its resources would mean a devastating crisis which would affect countries not only with the likes of the United States of America but also the whole world. According to the Energy Information Administration and the Department of Commerce and Bureau of Economic Analysis (Pfeiffer), United States’ was able to acquire its status as a superpower in the global economy due to the availability of oil, natural gas, and coal. The increase in the energy consumption is directly proportional with the income of the U.  S. because the higher the amount of energy consumed, the annual gross domestic product (GDP) also increases. However, a large amount of the country’s GDP becomes reliant in the consumption of energy. If a decline in energy consumption takes place then this will eventually have an adverse effect in the annual gross domestic product of the country. What is even worst is the idea that the decline of consumption is suspected to change abruptly rather than gradually. This could lead to the collapsed of the market especially when the investors realized that the decrease in energy resources could not be reversed. The outcome of this situation would entail a crisis that is worse than the Great Depression of 1930s (Pfeiffer). The adverse effect in the lack or limited supply of oil resources is greatly felt during the 1973 Oil Crisis. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that is mostly composed of Arab nations decided to imposed an oil embargo in western countries especially in the United States of America. This action is brought about by the participation of western countries in the Yom Kippur War wherein they supported Israel in this armed conflict. Another reason of the embargo is the realization of member countries of the OPEC of the important position they have in the global economy. They started to increase the prices of oil and at the same time decrease its supply. Basically, OPEC utilized the oil embargo as both a political tactic as well as a means of empowering themselves. In doing so, they were able to punished the western countries for supplying arms to the Israelis and at the same time realized their potential due to the effects of their action towards other countries (Horton). United States of America experienced an abrupt increase in the prices of petroleum products. The prices quadrupled from a mere 25 cents to almost a dollar within the span of a few months. The country was in complete disarray. A nation that was so accustomed to driving vehicles in their everyday lives was now powerless with the high prices of oil. People have to wait for about two to three hours in line just to get their car’s fueled. The consumption of oil dropped about twenty percent due to the high prices of oil as well as the efforts of the citizens to conserve money (Horton). The U. S. government did extreme measures in order to conserve oil. The congress issued a speed limit of 55mph that reduced fuel consumption and reports of fatalities. Even the practiced of the daylight savings time happened during that period in order to conserve energy. Tax credits were also given to those people who could devised new sources of energy like solar and wind power. Moreover, President Nixon, who was the president during that time, created the Energy Department and made it a part of the cabinet office. Its main purpose is to developed energy policy that could make the U.  S. energy independent. The oil companies also cooperated in Nixon’s call for energy conservation as they voluntarily closed on Sundays and they only cater to their regular customers. They only sell ten gallons of gasoline or less at a time. Being the case, they believed that these would contribute in making the American citizens thriftier in using petroleum products (Horton). Arab countries especially the members of the OPEC once again exported oil to western countries. However, the shipment of petroleum products has inflated prices. One of the crucial effects of the oil crisis is the economic decline the world experienced due the an inflation rate that remained above ten percent as well as the record high unemployment rate. After World War II, economic growth, which was happening worldwide, has been observable but this was no longer the case due to the oil embargo that took place. According to Horton, at present, the effects of the 1973 oil crisis are still being felt. This can be seen in the practices of most people. Nowadays, fuel-efficient vehicles are more patronized as compared to big cars that are very gas consuming. Most appliances that are used today require less energy consumption as compared before. Furthermore, the exploration of resources and other means of energy also increased in the U. S. The series of armed conflict in the Middle East change the pattern of consumption of oil products. Oil is responsible for approximately one-third of the energy used in the world. The series of wars starting from the Iranian revolution in 1979-1980 up to the Iran-Iraq war in 1980 had caused a drop in the over all consumption of oil in the world. In 1980, 63 million barrels are consumed per day but it decreases into 59 million barrels per day in 1983. However, the consumption of petroleum products in the world has increased ever since with 84 million barrels per day in 2005 (United States Government Accountability Office, p. 9). The United States of America also experience an increase in the consumption of petroleum products since 1983 to 2004, from 1. 65 percent annually to an averaged of 20. 6 million barrels per day in 2005. The country consumes one-quarter of the world’s oil consumption. According to the projections of the Energy Information Agency, U.  S. consumption will continue to increase up to 27. 6 million barrels per day by the year 2030 (United States Government Accountability Office, p. 9). The duration of the oil crisis has also paved the way for a new idea in the international economy in terms of monetary and the oil industry. Dr. Ibrahim Oweiss, a professor of economics at the Georgetown University coined the term â€Å"petrodollar†. This word connotes the money being paid by western countries in exchange for petroleum products that mostly comes from west Asian countries or the Middle East. This took place during the time where there is a significant increase in dollar surpluses. Most countries especially the developing ones are exchanging their commodities for dollars (Washington Affairs). According to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, the petrodollar poses a new threat in the American economy as well as the world’s. If during the oil crisis of 1973, petroleum products were utilized in order to punish western countries from its participation in the Yom Kippur War. At present, petrodollar could be a viable weapon for Middle Eastern countries to once again affect the economic situation of the world. This would become possible if an Arab nation would pull out its investment from New York Banks, which will trigger a tremendous shift in the U. S. economy. However, Dr. Oweiss himself warned that if ever such incident would take place the U. S. government would implement the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which would freeze the asset instead of allowing it to be removed. The investment of the Middle East in the U. S. is then considered as a form of â€Å"capital hostage†. The politics behind the supply and demand for oil could be attributed to the important role that it has in the economy of the world especially in countries like the United States of America. However, petroleum products are considered to be finite resources or non-renewable source of energy. Non-renewable resource like petroleum products are sources of energy that cannot be replenished, regenerated, or re-made in a short span of time. It exist in a particular fixed amount which could be totally consumed before it could be re-made again by nature (Nonrenewable Energy). The finite or limited source of oil and natural gas has a huge effect on the pattern of supply and demand, which will eventually affect the price for these commodities. The price of oil in the world market determined based upon the balance between the world’s demand and supply. Recently, the production of oil has reach its near capacity because of the continuous increase in demand, which is also the reason why there is an upward pressure in oil prices (United States Government Accountability Office, p. 0). Oil consumption is inversely proportional with oil prices. Higher oil prices caused consumers to reduce their oil consumption. Increases in crude oil are also reflected in other petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, home heating oil, as well as petrochemicals. Consumers’ adaptability to the increase in oil prices is greatly dependent on the cost of changing their activities and shifting their lifestyle in order for them to utilized less oil. In connection with that, consumers are believed to have more options in adapting to the high prices of oil in the long term rather than in the short-term situation. Reducing the amount of oil consumed in the short terms would be possible by merely driving less or more slowly as compared to the long term solution wherein people could actually purchase a more fuel-efficient vehicle or moved closer to work so that their consumption of oil would be reduced (United States Government Accountability Office, p. 11).

First Day in School

It was the first day of the new school term 2012. The moment that I am looking forward for the past 2 months  during  school holiday finally arrived. Feeling ebullient, I said to myself â€Å"Yes!!! I am starting my Primary 3 today†. Waking up earlier than usual without my parents â€Å"wake-up† call, I rush to the toilet to have a quick shower and clean-up and straight proceed to the kitchen to have my breakfast. The bread spread with  a thin layer of butter which I occasionally have during school day is finally back!!! At 6:30am, my mum brought me downstairs to wait for the school bus. As usual the same group of 6 students plus my P2 classmate, Madhu is waiting eagerly for the bus to arrive. It has been our practise to queue up while waiting for the bus. It took us 10 minutes for the school bus to reach our beloved CHIJ Primary Toa Payoh school. Upon reaching the school, i am expecting to see new students who is starting their first day of Primary 1 in our school. I am in the look to see any parents who require any help for directions in our school and I am more happy to show them the way. This is my proud moment as I am representing the school and to my delight  the parents said â€Å"Thank You† to me!!! I proceed to Parade Square where the place for our assembly area. At the assembly area, I saw many type of faces. There were those who looked as nerd; some looked lethargic, seemed to be burning midnight oil, some looked excited to meet with their friends again cby chatting non-stop. We took our morning prayers and waiting anxiously for our beloved principal Ms Margaret Tan for her opening speech. The moment I am waiting for when Mrs Margaret Tan  call out and introduced all  Form Teacher names. I am really looking forward to meet my new teacher today which subsequently being announced as Ms Evelyn Chee. We are then asked to proceed to our class at level 2. Although it was the first day of school after two long months of holidays, the class was still clean. Itt was beyond of my expectation that the tables and chairs were free of dust. Perhaps the workers of the school were industrious and responsible!!! Good Morning everybody, I am your form teacher and you can call me Ms Chee† a slim and tall lady mooching in the class said. She looked kind and her look could allay my anxiety to be in the class. We are being updated with our P3 new timetable and also being reminded of the school rules and regulations. It's really a day full of excitement, meeting new and my former classmates and of course meeting my new teacher. I am definitely ready with the new challenge in Primar y 3 Ixora.