To what extent was the vietnam war part of the cold war

To what extent was the Vietnam War part of the Cold War? The Vietnam war was a cold war-era mllltary conflict In southeast Asia. conflict officially began on November 1st In 1955 and ended on April 30th 1975 with the fall of Saigon. With that it lasted nearly 20 years, which makes it one of the longest military conflicts ever In human history. The war was fought between the communistic North Vietnamese and the Anti-communlsuc south. The north was supported by various nations, including the Soviet union, China, Cuba, Bulgaria and any others.The south, which was supposedly the by far weaker army, was also supported by a number of countries, the US, South Korea, Australia, Spain and Thailand are only a few of the numerous supporters ot the South. The main problem in the war for the Anti-Communist forces was the Vietcong. which was a lightly armed south Vietnamese communist Guerrilla which was hard to fght, especially for the heavily armed US army. The Vietcong dug complicated tunnel sys tems and trenches to fight the US In to them unknown territory.The Vietcong referred this Guerrilla warfare in the rainforests to open battle. The Vietcong also used traps, mines and their knowledge of the region to bring a whole load of trouble upon the US troops. This resulted in heavy bombing raids by the US Air force, this was widely criticised around the whole world as it was seen as a breach of the human rights that the US bombed North Vietnam with napalm bombs. In total, more bombs were dropped on North Vietnam during the Vietnam War than on Germany in the Second World War!In 1968 the Guerrilla warfare stopped and during the national Tet holiday (from hich the attack got its name: Tet offensive) the North Vietnamese army started an assault against over 100 Vietnamese Cities, including the US embassy in Saigon. Although the Anti-communist forces were Initially driven back, they were quick to recover and struck back Immediately, decimating the ranks of the North Vietnamese Viet nam was the battlefield where the cold war was actually really fought, not only talked about or empty threats being thrown at each other. The united States used Vietnam to blow an attack against Communism in the world.Extinguishing communism was the major goal of the United States in the cold war and in Vietnam they had the perfect region to attack. The US and the Soviet union did not dare to attack each other directly. that is why they fought their war, also if not directly, in the muddy forests of Vietnam. None of them had the courage or the means to enter a direct conflict against the other, one tOf2 conflict during the cold war was not directly between the US and the Soviets as the Soviets only supported the North Vietnam army with money, ammunition and weapons.A direct intervening from the Soviets would probably have ended in a 3rd World War as many nations were already involved in the war in Vietnam and the US could not let a direct Soviet attack unpunished. With that, it was better for the rest of the world that the Soviet Union did not directly involve itself in the fighting. A widely discussed topic is the outcome of the Vietnam War. According to various American sourcesl the Vietnam War was won by the US when they finally left the country in 1975.It is though generally known that the North Vietnamese won the war, hey took the capital of the south; Saigon, on April 30th 1975 and with that won the war. The South Vietnamese army was defeated and left with a total of 800,00 casualties (military and civilian). The US had a total of 58,220 dead soldiers; additional 303,644 soldiers were wounded. The Anti-Communist army had a total of 670,000-1 casualties whereas the North Vietnamese had about 600,000-1 losses. Concluding, the Vietnam War was a huge, if not the major, part of the Cold War.

Fools Crow

The tribal status of White Man’s Dog, as it were in the beginning of Fools Crow, was certainly not as he desired it to be. Due to the position of wealth his father had risen to, it seems the tribe expected much from him. Welch does not go into great detail concerning the views of the tribes people on White Man’s Dog, but Yellow Kidney describes him on page 7 as having â€Å"much heart but (being) unlucky†[1]. It is true, being eight-teen without a wife and having only three horses, none of which being block horn runners; White Man’s Dog does in fact appear unlucky. However, Yellow Kidney plays a major role in the reversal of this luck. White Man’s Dog has a complete turn in tribal status, earning a wife and horses as well as a new identity with in the tribe. Dreams are a constant theme in Fools Crow. Many different characters have dreams, and each responds differently to them. During the journey to the Crow Raid, White Man’s Dog has a dream about naked women desiring him, but fears danger if he goes. He wants to inform Yellow Kidney of this dream put hesitates due to advice he had received from his father. In the end this was a costly decision, as the dream comes to fruition during the raid, not White Man’s Dog, but for Yellow Kidney. Turns-out the alarm for risk was valid, as Yellow Kidney gets very sick from his encounter with the Crow Women. When news of White Mans Dog feels responsible[2] for this outcome. During this same raid, Fast Horse also has a dream. Fast Horse is prideful and boasts of his dream, which turned out to not come true. Fast Horse was greatly humiliated by this and seemed to have his future driven by it. The most consequential dream was had by Mik-api. In this dream, Mik-api spoke to Raven about Wolverine who was trapped, and needed White Man’s Dog to help him. This dream did in fact come to realization and resulted in White Man’s Dog gaining confidence and his ‘medicine’. As a result of White Man’s Dog realizing his new inner strength, he was able to take part in war against the Crows. This battle would prove life changing for White Man’s Dog as it would be where he earned his new name; Fools Crow. His great modesty made acceptance of his new name very difficult. The meaning behind it had been stretched greatly out of its real context. During battle, White Man’s Dog played dead, fooling the Crow Chief, Bull Shield. Because Bull Shield assumed White Man’s Dog was indeed dead, it was possible for him to spring up and kill the chief. This account was, as I said, greatly inflated and reported that, with use of medicine, White Man’s Dog was able to fool all the crows, thus earning his new name Fools Crow. As I have read through all the tales and recounts contained in the many great pieces of Native American Literature, one theme has stood out to me more than anything else. Maybe it is due to my admiration for nature, but it seems all tribes made great attempts to both explain natural events and create an association of these events with human life. Welch clearly depicts the Blackfoot people as being of this same mind frame. The names and life given to the wind, the sun and various animals’ reports on their own view of the world they live in. The relationship a male Blackfoot has with â€Å"his animal† shows this relationship between humans and nature. This disposition, of a human and nature link, shows the worldview of this tribe clearly as an all-encompassing outlook. They undoubtedly see the world as one big union, everything being linked to one another. The walk I took with White Man’s Dog, growing and changing into Fools Crow was an intense one to say the least. James Welch has the uncanny ability to connect reader to character and I feel as if Fools Crow and I have a bond, as if he and his story have been made alive with in the many nights I’ve spent with him.

Obesity Is Not a Personal Problem

Obesity is Not a Personal Problem As the obesity wave crashes over the United States, more Americans are paying out of pocket to flourish the $33 billion commercial diet industry (Spake 283). As American’s waistbands continue to expand, they immerse themselves in one of the largest, most scandalous consumer markets: the weight loss industry. Amanda Spake, author of â€Å"Rethinking Weight†, addresses the question as to who should cover the overall cost of weight loss programs. Spake challenges that insurance companies should pay for the expenses that obese people encounter. This, she states, is due to the fact that obesity is a biological â€Å"disease† and it should be treated and paid for like any other critical illness (283). In this article, Spake does not present the importance of physical activity, only discussing unsuccessful dieting experiences and bad genetic makeup. Although Spake briefly suggests that exercising is an advantage to those who are obese, she puts the solitary blame for obesity on the genetic aspect. From 1986 to 2000, the number of people who are severely obese–which is identified by having a body mass index of 40 or more–has quadrupled, from about 1 in 200 adults to 1 in every 50. This startling statistic has caused more people to be aware of this rising occurrence that has swept over the United States. Obesity has medical professionals worrying; not only are the numbers of overweight people continuing to rise but weight-related medical costs are soaring. Healthcare costs for illnesses due to obesity have now exceeded those related to both smoking and alcoholism. The obesity epidemic is a big contributor to skyrocketing health care costs in the United States, partly due to the weight-related diseases that come hand-in-hand with obesity. Ailments such as type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol are closely connected to obesity and an alarming 80 percent of obese adults suffer from one of these life-threatening diseases (Spake 283). Many research foundations are now connecting obesity to a person’s genetic makeup, calling it a biological development that an individual cannot control. Spake suggests that insurance companies should cover the costs of obesity as it is a genetically and biologically determined disease thus the individual does not have the ability to lose weight on their own. As a result, researchers suggest that including the treatment of obesity in health care plans might bring science and sanity to the anarchy of weight loss (Spake 286). Many researchers do not identify obesity as a disease in fear that unhealthy weight-loss programs will someday be considered acceptable treatment and ultimately mandated to be covered by insurance. Although Spake validates her assertions by backing up her words with credible opinions and statistics, she weakens her argument by not addressing the importance of physical activity. Maria Pfisterer is an obese mother who Spake claims has tried every weight-loss strategy imaginable. However, nowhere does it say that in addition to the drugs and â€Å"quick-weight-loss fads† Pfisterer had attempted to include an exercise regime. She claimed that all of the programs she tried resulted in a few pounds lost and quite a few more gained; always returning to the same 197 to 202 pound range. Being overweight is the result of one thing: eating more food than one burns (Spake 285). Nowhere in the article does Spake suggest that physical activity is a effective, healthy and inexpensive way to lose weight, choosing to put forth the idea that weight loss comes only from high-priced dieting programs. In her article, Spake claims that genetics are the sole factor for obesity in America. There are many other factors mentioned in the article that play into someone’s weight including the food they eat, their level of physical activity, and societal factors such as advertising. Also, Spake quotes Arthur Frank, director of George Washington University’s Weight Management Program, â€Å"So saying to an obese person who wants to lose weight, ‘All you have to do is eat less,’ is like saying to a person suffering from asthma, ‘All you have to do is breathe better’† (284). Obesity and asthma are two very different things therefore should not be compared. An individual who is overweight can take control of their weight-gain by taking more personal responsibility and making healthier choices. However, asthma is an inflammatory disorder that can strike at any time which causes an individual to wheeze or gasp for air where an individual cannot control its effects. Not everyone agrees that obesity should be considered a disease, some stating that the obesity epidemic can be overturned by individuals taking more personal accountability for their wellbeing and opting to make healthier lifestyle choices (Spake 283). In an alarmed attempt to make readers believe that obesity should be considered a disease and insurance companies should cover the cost of the individual’s expenses, Spake fails to provide enough evidence to support her claim. She maintains that overweight people have a genetic flaw that causes them to be susceptible to weight gain. Physical exercise, which is seldom mentioned in Spake’s article, is an important weight loss tool that helps to burn the extra calories an individual’s body does not burn on its own. Spake portrays a defective argument that invalidates her main purpose. People with health insurance should look to see what is covered and seek healthier, less-expensive alternatives to fix the things that are not included. Regardless of what â€Å"Rethinking Weight† suggests, overweight individuals have an equal opportunity to replace their existing lifestyle with healthier habits. Works Cited Spake, Amanda. â€Å"Rethinking Wight. † Writing and Reading for ACP Composition. Eds. Thomas E. Leahey and Christine R. Farris. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2009. 282-88. Print.

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 9

Final - Essay Example For example, when the British and USA drones are physically present in Afghanistan, control is through satellite from USAF base outside Las Vegas, Nevada. When launched in the conflict zone, controllers carry out the operation on video screens in specially designed trailers stationed at Nevada desert. One controller ‘flies’ the drone, another operates the sensors, cameras and monitors just like a video game while the third person is in contact with the ground troops and commanders in the war zone. The CIA has been using drones in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq to assassinate terrorist leaders, most notably the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. At least 36 American armed UAVS are present over Afghanistan and Iraq airspaces at any particular time. Many people have confused the non-flying robots for drones thereby further confusing their benefits and liabilities. Drones have several benefits among them Safety; they have greatly reduced military casualties since they carry no one. They are also significantly cheaper to purchase, fuel, operate and maintain than regular airplanes. Drones carry less risk to the military hardware since they are smaller and can fly much lower than the traditional airplanes. They have longer operational hours without fatigue since they have no human pilots. Besides, drone pilots or operators can easily hand off drone controls without any operational downtime (Collard, 2013). They are very accurate with pinpoint accuracy over great distances thus reducing collateral damage to infrastructure and civilians. Drones are also very lethal to enemy combats than regular airplanes. They have greatly increased surveillance process, reconnaissance, and general military intelligence through spying. Lastly, they a re easier and faster to deploy than most of the military alternatives. Some of the liabilities of drones include limited abilities since they cannot communicate with civilians for detailed

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Summary - Essay Example The wages these companies give workers cannot be compared to the revenues they make in their financial years. However, this trend was created by local investors who created a very low wage margin for local workers. Comparing the wages given by local companies and international compared there is about 50 percent difference. This shows how much disregard local companies treat local human resources. On a brighter side, international investments have been of great importance to the economy on India. The country’s infrastructure has greatly improved and many SMEs have been cropping up creating imitations of the international brands (Selzer & Faigley, 395). Regardless of the lack of originality, analysts have argued that this is a good thing since there is creation of jobs (Selzer & Faigley, 393). This whole perspective begs the questions; should there be rules of trade that govern international exploration of local companies? If the rules are created, who will be the least benefici ary? In my opinion globalization should not be governed by financial insecurities. This is because globalization has made the international corporate world effective and much competitive and this leads to growth of the global economy. The article on America’s place on the world is based on the recent global view on the nation. After the Second World War, America assumed the position of super power. A position it effectively exploited with its colonization of European and Asian markets (Selzer & Faigley 379). Its mandate to safeguard the globe has also been effectively executed as the nation is always in fight against terrorism in any part of the globe. However, recent events such the September 11 attacks have made many nations question the capabilities of the United States in ensuring a safe globe (Selzer & Faigley 379). American citizens also feel that the nation has too much on its plate and this is creating a

The rise of freeters and their relationship to the Japanese workforce Essay

The rise of freeters and their relationship to the Japanese workforce and economy - Essay Example The culture of becoming a freeter reached its apex during the economic recession that the country underwent in the 1990s. Japanese companies have always valued their senior workers and prefer them over young graduates. During the mid 1990s, recession was at its peak and as a result, the companies started to become more selective in their recruitment procedures. In the past graduates were trained and promised good employment prospects but after recession, only a few lucky ones ended up with a job while the rest had to face unemployment. The consequence of this was that even though the youth wanted to pursue long-term jobs, they did not get adequate opportunities and a large number of freeters were created. The government also relaxed the company laws allowing large companies to hire part-time employees. This created a huge gap between permanent employees, who enjoyed high pays, promotions and job security and the freeters who worked at relatively low pay scales (Nathan). Freeters have become a growing concern for the companies and the government.

Geology in Hawaii Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Geology in Hawaii - Assignment Example Individuals also acknowledge that mountains in Hawaii make travel difficult unless the traveler is in a car at an interstate highway. The geology of a region governs the availability of essential raw materials such as important ore minerals for metallurgy, clay for pottery, building stone (ornamentation and construction), gemstones and gold for decorative arts, as well as sand for glass making. The use of such materials is innately joined to emergent technologies and limited by their quantity, accessibility and quality. The knowledge of geology in Hawaii is defined by the practical extent of a rock or mineral resource, and aid construction of models that can predict its viability. Earthquakes occur all over Hawaii, frequently without noteworthy warning or caution. These geohazards can have extensive effects on human and on the earth’s surface. Localized, small earthquakes may cause no damage that is noticeable and may not even be felt by individuals living in the area affected . In contrast, large earthquakes may cause devastation over a wide area and be felt by individuals a hundred miles. ... When there are heavy rains, some areas of each of the Hawaii Islands are vulnerable to flash floods. Intense rain can turn a quiet, small river into a cascading one that sweeps everything that flows on its way. Lives are also lost in the flash floods every few years; mostly people are swept away in their cars or hikers. Heavy rain may come suddenly and can be difficult to forecast. Flash floods in Hawaii are much common than any other natural disaster, such as hurricanes and tsunamis. It is not long ago that heavy and serious flash floods hit the island. In October 2004, Manoa Valley on Oahu was hit by flash flood and completely soaked the University of Hawaii ground floor at Manoa Hamilton library. In addition to destroying parts of the library, the flood carried away at least 60 homes and caused a damage of almost one million dollars. A six weeks rain period in March 2006 caused flooding in many places in Hawaii. Seven people were killed when a dam on Kauai broke. The rain caused t he Waikiki septic tank system to spill over, resulting in a manure spill that polluted parts of the southern shore of the island for a number of days. On November 23, 1982, two hurricanes (Inki and Iwa) left death and devastation in their wake after passing through Hawaii. Iwa hurricane hit the Islands of Kauai, Niihau, and Oahu. The Iwa hurricane was the first to hit the Hawaii statehood since 1959. The Inki hurricane was the most powerful hurricane to hit Hawaii State in recorded history. Not only are the high winds of a cyclone or hurricane very destructive, but a phenomenon known as storm surge that comes with it causes severe flooding in coastal areas. There are a number of happening caused by volcanic

The social issues of the roaring twenties ( Art and Ideas, Economy, Essay

The social issues of the roaring twenties ( Art and Ideas, Economy, Technology, Science, and the Social Ferment) - Essay Example 58). This discrimination was upheld by the US Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. This decision, which supported racial segregation, was reversed in 1954, and the government made racial segregation and discrimination in any form, illegal. However, discrimination persists and until 1920, women were not permitted to exercise their franchise, when Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution that provided women with the right to vote. Despite these measures, women in the US are still subjected to discrimination (Pozzuto & Arnd-Caddigan, Mar2008, P. 58). From the early 1900s till the Second World War, the US witnessed modernism in art, design and architecture. The first skyscrapers were constructed in the 1870s. These structures generated considerable competition from architects. The first successful design was New York’s Woolworth Building. The Architects Anderson Graham, Probst, and White designed and constructed the Wrigley Building in Chicago. Howells and Hood designed the Chicago Tribune Tower. Chrysler and the Empire State Building displayed the Art Deco design. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed several houses in California and Japan. Art Deco lasted from 1925 to 1950. It was called as modern construction and emerged from the 1925 International Art Exposition in Paris (Whitley, 2008). Opposition to communism reached fanatical levels in the US during the 1920s. Communism was referred to as Red Scares, and communists were referred to as anarchists. In 1920, there were an estimated 150,000 communists in the nation, which was just 0.1 percent of the population. People subscribing to radical views were persecuted, as evident from the case of Sacco and Vanzetti. Americans of that period adopted provincialism, as depicted by the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan, restrictive immigration laws and Prohibition (Roaring Twenties). The 1919, 18th amendment to the Constitution,

Is there a conflict between the new public management and ethics Essay

Is there a conflict between the new public management and ethics - Essay Example A minimum ethical standard is expected from the behaviour of public servants and this has become a major issue for every government. NPM involves maintaining proper allocation of responsibilities for public servants, managing budgetary constraints and implementing innovations in public services. In this era of globalization, where almost every country is participating in the international trade of goods and services, it has become even more vital that public services be conducted in ethical manner to enhance international economic relations. For conduct management of public servants, it is necessary that an efficient management system be in place. The principles that are to be used by any government should comply with the socioeconomic structure of its country. These principles can be used by political leaders to assess how efficiently ethic management regulations are followed and how well ethics is maintained at every operational level of the government. The Basics of New Public Man agement The overall success of NPM and its businesslike approach depends on further development of management principles to ensure that NPM is effective in sustaining ethical efficiency in public sector. The purpose is to manage integrity in public services within the framework of NPM. ... The three aspects are virtues that need to be developed, rules that need to be duly followed, and focus should be on getting positive results. In order to work within the framework of the triangle, certain drawbacks of public services need to be avoided like overstating the advantages of any proposal, hiding errors, not making maximum usage of established systems, practicing favoritism, not accepting responsibilities for a mistake, etc. In order to do maximum good to the maximum number of people in a community, emphasis should be on doing the right thing according to the set rules (Bowman, et al., 2010, pp.78-79). The principle of NPM includes various elements like consistent increase in efficiency, use of recently developed technologies, public servants with the goal to maintain discipline in their activities, proper implementation of professional management role, and managers being given liberty in performing their tasks (Kolthoff et al., 2007, p.400). However, in spite of the abov e mentioned elements, the businesslike approach of public administration can have a serious negative impact on democracy because such technique is faced by a consistent accountability problem. Even the strong advocators of public entrepreneurship policies in democratic governance cannot ignore the questions of accountability. The elements attached to public entrepreneurs like promoting own virtues, tendency towards non-compliance with rules and regulations, striving for power, taking risks, all these conflict with the democratic theory (Terry, 1998, pp.197-198). Ethics is often defined as acting in accordance with one’s â€Å"good personal conscience† (Somerville, 2004, p.284). This is not always right as doing ethics is a long and complicated process. One aspect of public

Hierarchical in organization Essay Example for Free

Hierarchical in organization Essay The most essential yet fundamental thing to remember with the Japanese in terms of business is their giving significance to personal relationship first before business considerations. Putting enough time and resources for relationship building is necessary for achieving success in business. Japanese business structure is hierarchical in organization with specific roles to perform. Team work and group orientation are ways of life observed in all corporate life at all levels. The Japanese do not really engaged themselves in formal trainings on teambuilding; they are just by nature collectivists that use the consensus approach in all issues of concern. Strength and purpose of any Japanese business organization came from the sense of belongingness. Involvement and commitment in the workplace are based primarily from compromise and collaboration in terms of decision making. Top-down approach, where the flow of information comes from subordinates and forwarded to higher-ups is the Japanese management style. Therefore, the policy is always initiated at the middle management. This approach is advantageous, because everyone in the company took active involvement in the creation of rules and procedures. For the Japanese being a valuable boss is not founded on having strong personality and being influential. Humbleness and non-aspiring must be the maintainable characters of any manager as he climbs the ladder of the hierarchy. A Japanese manager should always be available at all times and ready to contribute his expertise without hesitation to his people. Excellent management and teamwork can be attained through a harmonious employer-employee rapport. In meetings, being punctual is a sign of respect for the Japanese. Although, it is very hard to conclude the finality of a decision in terms of time, because they always think in a consensus style, patience is much needed. Before the start of any meeting, attendees usually talk about non-business topics such as food, hobbies, and health etc to set up the relationship-building process, which is necessary for the success of the business meeting. Wa or harmony is at all times part of any meeting. Debates, confrontations and disagreements are to be avoided, though at time indispensable in searching for a solution. Since reaching a decision should undergo a process of consensus-building plus the conservation of Wa, endurance in time is really important. During serious meeting, bringing in humor is considered out of place. The biggest issue of worry when undertaking business transaction with Japanese is communication difficulties. What Japanese publicly says in words and what he really thinks is often contradictory; that causes trouble and confusion to the non-Japanese in terms of conversation. Troubles in communication is made complex by the reality that few Japanese are good English conversant and foreigners as well do not speak good Japanese. In addition, Japanese people hardly use body language, as they are very motionless and unusual to make feedback. In order to check the situation it is necessary to ask several questions for understanding. To further clearly understand each other, clarification is best to be undertaken in order to make problem-solving and decision-making prompt. Culture in Canada Canada, often referred to as â€Å"nation of nations†, is twice the geographical area of the United States with approximately 30 million people living in it. It was founded by the rich heritage of French and English with combination from non-French and English countries. Canada has two official languages, English and French. The country’s national advantage is its cultural diversity, which is the reason for prohibiting bias against person on the basis of race, color, religion, or gender. Canada takes pleasure in a society that is open and relatively free of class difference. Citizens of the country are proud that all of them enjoy equal rights and respect and dislike remarks that lack respect to anyone coming from a specific background. Canada has the highest per capita level of postsecondary education participation of any industrialized country. The entire universities are publicly funded institutions; however students still shell out for tuition fees. National and provincial support programs are in place to lend a hand to students in postsecondary schooling. Christianity is the primary religion. The principal language in Canada is English. There are however, at least three varieties of French that are acknowledged: Quebecois in Quebec, Franco-Manitoban all the way through Manitoba and for the most part in the St. Boniface area of Winnipeg, and Acadian. The Italian language is the third language in Canada owing to a huge arrival of Italian immigrants after World War 2.

Change management situation in a Police organisation

Change management situation in a Police organisation This essay will analyse a change management situation in a Police organisation, comparing approaches to leadership, analysing the efficiency of interpersonal skills for a Leader and analysing the role of a Leader within the Police environment, taking cognisance of the principles, theories and approaches to Leadership. Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realise your own leadership potential. The Police service in Scotland has under gone many Change Management Situations over the years. In 1975 the Local Government reorganisation brought about the amalgamation of the Burgh and City police forces into the eight territorial forces that we recognise today. At the present Strathclyde Police are undergoing a significant change management situation, the result of which is the implementation of Variable Shift Agreement (VSA) across the force at operational level. EVALUATE APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP The introduction of the VSA saw the force revise its traditional four group system for core uniform coverage into a five group system. The demands of the new arrangement meant that the leader (Chief Constable) was tasked with altering the resource management for each of Strathclydes territorial divisions considering factors such as: Length of Service and age Specialities i.e. Public Order , Firearms Gender These factors were all considered to provide an equal share of skills and experience across a Division as possible. This could prove the cause of friction between the management and subordinates, as well formed; productive shifts could be fragmented and divided up across a division. Kotter (1990, cited in Leadership 2009) observed that managers and leaders have three main tasks that they accomplish in different ways: Deciding what needs to be done Shift pattern must change to give better work life balance, better service to the public and more efficient use of resources. Creating networks of people and relationships that can accomplish the agenda Setting up of a review and implementation team, looking at best use of resources. Trying to ensure that people actually do the job monitoring the results of the newly formed shifts through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as cases submitted, stop searches undertaken and absence management. In the implementation of the VSA shift pattern the leader involved, more or less followed the three tasks as observed by Kotter, however depending on the leaders rank within the hierarchy, their approach to the same task will differ. Remembering that there is a difference between leaders and managers Kotters approach allows Leaders to concentrate on the creation of strategies and visions for the future, communicating and committing to achievement of these visions and motivating others despite obstacles to change. During this change management situation the Leader was more concerned with focusing on the implementation of the VSA rather than focusing on the needs of the employees. Lewin et al (1939, cited in Leadership 2009) identified a leadership approach, sometimes referred to as the behavioural approach: Autocratic (or authoritarian) style where the leader concentrates on getting the job done; the leader takes responsibility for everything that is done e.g. making decisions , allocating work, setting targets and ensures , through the use of rewards and punishments that team members obey. Democratic (or participation) style where the leader concentrates on the needs of the group or team; leadership is shared with team members who have a greater say in the decision making; how tasks are allocated and so on. Laissez Faire (or delegative) style as its name suggests this is where the leader deliberately allows the team to decide what has to be done and how to do it; the leader is available for help and advice if needed but does not interfere. According to Lewin et al the leader utilised an autocratic style of leadership when implementing the VSA, controlling decision making and task setting. Shown with the formation of the VSA implementation team. They had the set task of rolling out the shift plan to each division in turn, with target dates set for this roll out. Furthermore, the Chief Constable regularly chaired a strategic tasking and co-ordinating group, receiving feedback from the implementation team and Divisional Commanders, whilst making all the decisions regarding the implementation, without handing any of these decisions down to subordinates to undertake, showing that in this case he was taking responsibility for everything that was done. A different approach to leadership is that of Hersey and Blanchard (1988, cited in Leadership 2009) theory known as situational leadership, they make use of observing members willingness to perform a task and from this select a suitable leadership style. The four stages of readiness are described as: R1 unable and unwilling R2 unable and willing R3 able but unwilling R4 able and willing Most personnel which would be affected fell into: R2 New Probationers who do not yet have the necessary skills and had not experience any other shift pattern. And R3 More experienced officers who could foresee that the shift pattern was not as favourable as the current one, some possibly resistant to change. But others able to argue that there would be problems with child care, longer working days and frequent cancellation of rest days with the VSA. The leadership styles suggested are: S1 telling or directing requires state of readiness R1 S2 selling or coaching requires state of readiness R2 S3 participating or supporting requires state of readiness R3 S4 delegating requires state of readiness R4 From this theory the leader should have adopted a combination of S2 and S3 styles to communicate and sell the VSA and support those who require it. However in choosing to implement S1 (similar to the autocratic approach) with telling and directing the VSA implementation, does not follow Hersey and Blanchards theory and could create more friction by choosing the wrong leadership style. This is shown in the table below. This table shows that different readiness levels require differing styles of leadership, leaders should consider their relations with others, and the structure of the task before determining what style of leadership to adopt, evolving their leadership style as readiness levels change, as with many things one size does not fit all. ANALYSE THE EFFECT OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ON LEADERSHIP When a leader decides upon a particular leadership approach to their given task, they must then interact with others and consider their own interpersonal skills. A successful and effective leader requires a range of interpersonal skills such as listening, asking questions, giving feedback, being assertive and so on. This section will analyse two particular aspects of interpersonal skills: Influencing trying to get someone to do, or to think, something that they might not otherwise have done. Managing Conflict coping with disagreements between people(in broad terms) Using interpersonal skills is not just a matter of knowing what they are, but about being aware when they are suitable and knowing how to use them effectively. According to French and Raven (1959, cited in Leadership 2009) power comes from five sources: Reward Power Coercive Power Referent Power Legitimate Power Expert power Power is an abstract concept and is difficult to define; basically A has the ability to make B behave in a certain way. The types of power demonstrated by the leader, throughout the organisational change was a mixture of coercive and legitimate power. The leader had the authority to influence behaviour through their rank within a disciplined hierarchal organisation, the force were presented with the VSA or an alternative of an even older shift pattern without consultation. Influencing Leaders are likely to adopt a particular style or approach when trying to influence someone, the balance of power between both parties will possibly determine the strategy, these may include: Reason using reason and logical argument. Assertion making a direct request with no argument to support the request. Exchange negotiating to arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome. Courting Favors friendship and positive behavior to encourage others to behave in the required manner. Coercion using or threatening to use some form of sanction. Partnership gathering support from both sides to build a coalition. And also the style used, Manning and Robertson (2004, cited in Leadership 2009) suggest six possible influencing styles: Strategist this is where the influencer is clear in what they what to achieve and has considered it before hand .A strategist style tends to favour reason, assertion and partnership styles of influence. Opportunist this style involves responding opportunistically to the situation facing the influencer. An opportunist style tends to use courting favour and exchange strategies. An opportunist is unlikely to prepare much beforehand but will attempt to grasp chances that come their way. Collaborator this style as its name suggests, involves collaboration with others for the overall good. A collaborator style concentrates on partnership, reason, exchange and courting favour strategies. Leaders who favour consensus are an example of collaborator style. Battler this is where the influencer concentrates on what they want and the sanction that they will use if they do not achieve this. A battler style tends to make use of coercion and assertion styles. A battler style is associated with people who want to get their own way and are reluctant to take no for an answer. Shotgun this strategy involves attempting to influence on a frequent basis and by use of a number of different strategies. Bystander those who adopt this style tend to engage in relatively few influencing attempts and make use of a restricted use of strategies. For the VSA to be implemented the leader combined their influencing strategy and style, using assertion and coercion. By making a direct request to Divisional Commanders to introduce the VSA to their respective divisions, through the VSA implementation teams, underpinning this with their legitimate power by virtue of their position within the force. The leader wanted to get their own way, however reluctant to take no for an answer from their Divisional Commanders. This resulted in conflict, which may have been avoided had the leader utilised a partnership or reason approach, justifying the reason behind their requests. Managing Conflict On some occasions leaders can use the previously discussed influencing strategies and power levels to assist them in managing conflict. Robbins (1996, cited in Leadership 2009) describes conflict as a process that begins when one party perceives that another has negatively effected, or is about to negatively effect, something that the first party cares about . Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) argue that conflict is a state of mind . Some will argue that conflict is a necessary part of organisational growth and development, where some will claim that an absence of conflict could be seen as an indication of complacency. However conflict has functional or potential benefits such as: Enabling opposing parties to gain a better understanding of each others views. An essential part of the process by which a team becomes effective. Leads alternative suggestions being made. Helps to implement a change successfully. Leads to an agreement that establishes a framework for future working. It is not always straight forward to manage conflict; some measures can be used to contribute to reducing the conflict at an organisational level reminding those involved of the rules and procedures, but also of remits, targets and goals of the organisation, however sometimes it is these that are the root causes of the conflict. Leaders will all handle conflict differently depending on the type of conflict faced; Thomas (1976, cited in Leadership 2009) suggests five styles for managing conflict: Avoiding this means doing nothing to tackle the conflict, this can be used when the issues are trivial and there is no chance of resolving the conflict. Accommodating this means accepting the existence of the conflict, this can be used to maintain harmony and allow people to learn from their mistakes. Compromising this involves some form of bargaining or negotiation; this can be used when getting a solution is important and both parties have equal power. Competing the opposite of accommodating and pursuing the interests of one party at the expense of the other, this can be used in an emergency and a quick solution is necessary. Collaborating working out a solution that is acceptable to both parties and meets all their concerns, used when it is important to gain long term commitment and issues are to important to compromise. Successful influencing and conflict management was certainly required with the initial introduction of the VSA. Firstly the leaders had to influence the core shifts and federation into accepting that it would provide a better quality of service and greater work life balance. The conflict arose through others unwilling to accept the terms of the VSA; however the leaders in managing this conflict firstly adopted an avoiding strategy during the initial pilot stage of the VSA. At the conclusion of the pilot and in preparation for roll out the leader, still facing resistance changed into competing. The leader believed the shift plan would work force wide and therefore would be implemented, with no consultation and no argument to justify the reasons for implementation. Either that or resort backwards to an older shift pattern. In implementing the VSA the Chief Constable has made effective use of their interpersonal skills, in their own distinct approach to this particular change management situation. However a more beneficial approach may have been a mix of accommodation, accepting that there were flaws in the VSA, and the existence of conflict with its implementation, collaborating with subordinates to work out a better solution for the long term strategy of the VSA. ANALYSE THE ROLE OF LEADERS IN ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE Organisational change is about closing the gap between where the organisation is at the moment and where it wants to be. It is the leaders role to close this gap. Senior (2002, cited in Leadership 2009) has identified four levels of change in which some, if not all would be involved in, Fine tuning Incremental adjustment Modular transformation Corporate transformation According to Senior the level of change that the VSA posed to the force was that of a modular transformation, as a significant number of the force, but not all, would be affected by its implementation. Kurt Lewin (cited in Leadership 2009) suggests that there are three main stages of change, unfreezing, change and refreezing. For the change to happen, the Leader firstly recognized the need for change, with a new shift pattern, following this with proprietary planning with the implementation team before the unfreezing stage. At this point resistance to the change should have been addressed, but the leader chose to avoid the conflict. The change period was overseen by the leader through chairing tasking meetings and monitoring its progress. During the refreezing period the VSA became an everyday part of life, the change was institutionalized, to give no chance of reverting back to previous shift patterns. Within these three stages people will play different roles in this organisational change; Kanter (1992, cited in Leadership 2009) distinguishes between three different types of people; Change strategists or initiators who initiate change and set the direction for it. Change implementers who co-ordinate and carry out the change. Change recipients who are effected by the change e.g. officers on the street. Change strategists are normally leaders the Chief Constable, change implementers are normally managers Divisional Commanders and the VSA implementation team, and subordinates are the recipients of change Officers on the core shifts. Force field analysis is a technique for analysing the internal and external drivers that can influence any organisational change; some of these driving factors for this organisational change can be identified as PESTEL factors, such as: Political MPs and councilors demanding more police presence on the streets. Economic overtime cost, reduced budget and the new Chief Constables promise to cut costs. Social-cultural alcohol induced anti social behavior. Nearly all forms of change will be met with some resistance, the VSA being no different. Strebel (1996, cited in Leadership 2009) argues that employees resist change because it disrupts the personal contract between employees and the organisation. Resisters to this organisational change can fall into different categories, Parochial self interest those employees resistant to change, they think that their position will be threatened and will make them worse off, the same employees that fall into Hersey and Blanchards R3 state of readiness. Misunderstanding and lack of trust employees misinterpreting the reasons behind the change, due to a lack of communication, viewing this change as just one of many For this organisational change to be successful the leader had to reduce resistors and increase drivers for change in an attempt to reach equilibrium. To do this they communicated the benefits of change, through more days off and a better work life balance; however there was an element of manipulation used to show employees that they would have more weekends off. Under the current shift pattern officers received one weekend off in every four, the VSA would allow two weekends off in every five. Look back at the current shift pattern over five weeks, officers were already receiving two weekends off in every five. The leader used this information selectively thus attempting to paint a rosy picture of the benefits of the VSA. A better way may have included an element of participation helping to build commitment to the change and negotiation, which could avoid some resistance from the employees affected by the change. CONCLUSION Drawing a conclusion for this essay, firstly considering the approach to leadership undertaken by the Chief Constable during this, change management situation. In their autocratic (or authoritarian) approach they concentrated in getting the job done and took responsibility for all the decisions made. Had the Chief Constable approached the organisational change according to Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership, identified their officers level of readiness and adopted the suggested leadership style, they may have been faced with less friction or resistance by the officers that would be affected by the VSA implementation. Secondly, in analysing the interpersonal skills and its effect on the organisational change, the Chief constable utilised their legitimate power to achieve the implementation, in adopting an assertion style of influencing with no argument to their request, coupling this with the conflict management style, by firstly avoiding and then competing. Had they followed an alternative style suggested by Thomas (1976) such as accommodating and accepting the existence of conflict or resistance to the VSA, they may have been able to negotiate better with the federation and the officers affected by the change to find out the root causes of conflict and address them at an early stage. Thirdly, considering the Chief Constables role within this organisational change was that of a change strategist, they initiated the VSA and set its direction, posing, as Senior (2002) identifies as a modular transformation to the force. With some officers resisting due to a parochial self interest, whilst others through misunderstanding and lack of trust in this change, the Chief Constable had to reset the balance by education and manipulation, driving his vision forward. One thing certain from this is the Chief Constable requires managers with the skill, knowledge and experience of organisational change, enabling them to have the ability to change and adapt their leadership style to suit each given change management situation. These managers may not be able to ease all of the resistance to change, but should be able to reduce it considerably to implement future changes that are required.

Multiculturalism in Lebanon

Multiculturalism in Lebanon Lebanon is a country with a long history which made it what it is today, a multicultural country. In a book called Geopolitique du conflit libanais by Georges Corm, written in French, the Lebanese situation and how it got to the state it is now culturally is explained. This book starts off by saying that everywhere in the world, be it Paris, London or Geneva, the Lebanese is used to be seen in the refined, cosmopolitan world of high finance, international negotiation, and real estate promotion. The author says about the Lebanese, quoting, on a trop coutume de le voir, pignon sur rue (Corm, 1986: 5) which literally means we are extremely used to seeing him, gable on street, the Lebanese. To be able to understand the multiculturalism of the individual carrying the Lebanese nationality, it is primordial to understand major highlights of this countrys history. Corm (1986: 6) highlights the impact several historical moments had on Lebanon and the development of its culture. As is known to all, Lebanon was under French mandate for a very long time. However, before the French occupation, in the previous century, Lebanon had been occupied by the Ottoman Empire. This Ottoman Empire occupation led Napoleon the Third to send an expedition in order to protect the Christians of Lebanon against the ferocity of Ottoman soldiery (Corm, 1986: 10). In 1975, a civil war exploded in Lebanon. Many times, foreign and powerful countries intervened. In 1976, France, ancient occupational force, mentioned the possibility of bringing in Lebanon French troops (army) (Corm, 1986: 9). In 1978, soldiers belonging to the United Nations came to establish their troops in Lebanon. Moreover, in 1981, the United Nations of America also intervened in this civil conflict. Lebanon being a country based on confessionalism (divided into religious groups) (Corm, 1986: 6), the conflict became vaster when there was a separation between the Lebanese populations due to religion. The Christian Maronites asked for the French intervention, while the Druzes asked for British intervention (Corm, 1986: 210). From all of the above, we can see that countries encompassing many different and diverse cultures intervened in Lebanon imposing their language (that is, French and English), and their principles. For example, Lebanese children attending French schools were forbidden the practice of Arabic language within the school walls. In a way, this is the basis of what gave the Lebanese individual the easiness to adapt. The Lebanese got this acceptance of adaptation when he immigrated to other foreign destinations where life promised to be better. Corm (1986: 20) describes a typical Lebanese person as a citizen of the Lebanese capital, Beirut city of patricians, merchants, artisans, and jurists ready to serve any new conqueror. Whether the conqueror was Egyptian, Iranian, Byzantine, French, American or British, it didnt matter. The only thing that mattered to a Lebanese person was that business was stable and always on the run (Corm, 1986: 29). Because of the influence of the West in a country considered as being Oriental, Lebanon was thereof called this junction between the Orient and the Occident (Corm, 1986: 15). The area of study: Culture can be defined as a body of learned behavior, a collection of beliefs, habits and traditions, shared by a group of people and successively learned by people who enter the society (Joynt and Warner, 1996: 33). Society in this context can apply to any level of culture, like nation, organization or profession. While in most instances, a persons nationality is a sufficient indicator of their culture (where the culture is the norm of that nationality), many societies now contain a variety of ethnic groups and individuals may easily be influenced by cultures other than their apparent nationality (Joynt and Warner, 1996: 33). A specific ethnic group can be characterized by its language, politics, attitudes, economy, religion, values, customs, education, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Joynt and Warner, 1996: 34). A specific ethnic group can also be called a Diaspora. Many definitions were given as to the word Diaspora. Generally, Diasporas are communities that define themselves by reference to a distant homeland from which they once originated (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 1). When an ethnic group or a group belonging to a specific ethnicity, culture, religion, national identity and sometimes race (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 3) are dispersed (that is, dislocated and then relocated voluntarily or not) around the globe, this is what can be called a Diaspora. Coles and Timothy (2004: 4) mention Sheffers notion of a modern Diaspora as residing and acting in host countries while still maintaining strong sentimental and material links with their countries of origin. They therefore have collective memories (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 5) of their traditional country, and they face the same situation as their co-ethnic members (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 5). Diasporas are also divided into two distinct categori es. The first category consists of victim Diasporas who have had a traumatic displacement from their territory (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 6), and the second is the labour Diaspora which is scattering in pursuit of work (Coles and Timothy, 2004: 6). This brings up the cultural aspect of this study. Coles and Timothy (2004: 7) state that Diasporic communities move between regions and do not occupy a single cultural space, which leads to hyphenated communities which constitute the semantic coupling of the homeland and the host state. This affects the process of adaptation, assimilation or internalization of a host countrys culture (Joynt and Warner, 1996: 166). The field of consumer behavior is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use or dispose of products, services, ideas or experience, to satisfy needs and desires (Solomon, Barmossy, Askegaard and Hogg, 2006: 6). In addition, people can express their self and their cultural and religious belonging through consumption patterns and sometimes there are cultural clashes (Solomon, Barmossy, Askegaard and Hogg, 2006: 6). This is what links culture and the behavior of Diasporas in host countries to the field of consumer behavior. Accordingly, Nguyen and Polonsky (2003: 1561) say that the number of migrants and migrant communities in first world countries has increased significantly and that the constant process of acculturation and motivations (Nguyen and Polonsky, 2003: 1561) is important in consumption because migrants frequently want to maintain links to their home country (Nguyen and Polonsky, 2003: 1561). This study aims at understanding more clearly the consumer behavior concerning the members of a Diaspora community. In relation to this, the fact that consumer behavior also depends on the type of product consumed has to be taken into consideration. Research suggests that many different social situations have different norms of ethnic behavior (e.g. type and amount of food and drink considered appropriate), suggesting that the relationship between ethnicity and behavior is affected by the type of product being considered (Stayman and Deshpande, 1989: 363). Food and commodities products are more cultural. Therefore, to study culture affecting consumption motives (Henry, 1976: 123), a product class for which specific value orientations can be reasonably expected to affect choice significantly (Henry, 1976: 123) must be selected in a study. Thus, food is chosen in this research for the study of the behavior of Diaspora consumers because food is more than a means of nourishment and sustenance; it is also a key cultural expression, it can provide us with a taste of home and serve to reaffirm ties to their culture of origin (Penalosa, 1994: 41). Sometimes members of a Diaspora can reject some of the consumption patterns (Penalosa, 199 4: 42) that are characteristic of the host country. Furthermore, the products brand and the image that the brand gives to the consumer are also important to consider as cultural values penetrate the creation and perception of commercial symbols (Aaker, Benet-Martinez and Garolera, 2001: 494). To summarize, the cultural function of consumption means that the cultural context should, among other things, be taken into consideration when studying the meaning of objects for consumers and the use they will make of those objects (Wallendorf and Arnould, 1988: 533). There are country differences that can be used to interpret cultural differences in norms, attitudes, behavioral patterns, and important macro socioeconomic variables (Aaker, Benet-Martinez and Garolera, 2001: 499). Examples of country differences are conservatism versus autonomism and hierarchy/mastery versus egalitarian commitment/ harmony that relate to self-enhancement versus self-transcendence (Aaker, Benet-Martinez and Garolera, 2001: 504). These are typical differences between Lebanese and French cultures (Orient versus West). In this study, a questionnaire was distributed online to members of the Lebanese Diaspora in Paris, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with Lebanese people who had lived or are currently living in Paris. Subsequently, the data collected from the questionnaire was tested on SPSS 15 and a factor analysis was run. As for the interviews, major themes were identified as well as interpreted. Many limitations stood in the way of this study. To list a few, time constraints did not allow enough questionnaires to be collected thus making the statistical analyses less credible. In addition, English was the language used in the questionnaire while the Lebanese in Paris are mainly francophone, and the interviews were carried out in French thus not translating exactly the emotions and the real meaning of the interviewees words. Objectives and Research questions of the study: Following the aim and context of the study, research questions and objectives were derived. This study will aim to examine the socio-cultural aspect of consumer research while focusing on one durable good. Hence, this study focuses on food as it is the most culturally influenced product and as its value orientations affect choice significantly. The last objective aims to show that consumers have purchasing habits and patterns that allow them to express their cultural identity by investigating the attitude and consumption habits of Diaspora consumers when it comes to food. The research questions derived from these objectives and that guided this study are the following: Are Diaspora consumers influenced by the host countrys brands and the way they are marketed? Do Diaspora consumers try to influence other consumers who come from different cultural backgrounds? (relating to the socialization aspect) Which identity do they try to construct while living in a foreign country? Do they preserve their cultural identity or seek a new or different one? And if the latter is true, why? Structure of the study: In the first chapter, the general literature concerning consumer behaviour in a cultural and ethnic context will be reviewed. Following from this, the details of the method used will be specified. Third, the results of the research carried out will be presented and discussed as well as interpreted, before concluding with the limitations of this study as well as its implications for further research.

The Problems of Southern California Essay -- essays research papers

From reading the author’s book â€Å"Ecology of Fear,† Mike Davis’ main thesis for writing this book was to make readers become aware of the underlying problems and threats which have existed or currently exist in Southern California and how these problems shape the way we live today and in the imminent future as well. Although Davis did not really provide us with any remedies for the problems facing Southern California, this book made it very clear to the readers that problems do still exist, although at times they may sound subtle in nature. Of the numerous problems which do exist in Southern California, I will discuss only a handful of the problems that Davis provided us insight to. In the following paragraphs, the main problems of Southern California that I will discuss about are suburbanization and how it made Southern California lose its natural beauty and the effects of overdevelopment, the wild fires which occur and similarities and differences the rich and poor communities faced in terms of adversity, how suburbanization brought people closer to the wildlife, and how numerous books and movies portrayed Los Angeles as the center for calamities. The culmination of all these problems clearly shows that there are many glaring weaknesses of Southern California that need to be closely examined. One of the main issues that the book, â€Å"Ecology of Fear,† discussed about were the inherent dangers and problems that suburbanization imposed upon the landscape of Southern California. Although suburbanization in theory and in reality did create abundant benefits to a great mass of people, especially to those who wanted to avoid the daily nuisances of urban city life, its negative consequences were quite grave indeed. Suburbanization led to a complete eradication to the natural landscape of many areas in California. The book’s vivid accounts of how the lush, green landscape was bulldozed just to build tracts of homes were a painful reminder of the beauty that was lost due to suburbanization. â€Å"In 1958 sociologist William Whyte – author of The Organization Man – had a disturbing vision as he was leaving Southern California. ‘Flying from Los Angeles to San Bernardino – an unnerving lesson in man’s infinite capacity to mess up his environment – the traveler can see a legion of bulldozers gnawing into the last remaining tract of green between the two cities’.† (Davis, p. 77)... ...larly to Los Angelenos, that disaster could become a reality of Los Angeles if people start ignoring the warning signs that permeate throughout Southern California. From reading Mike Davis’ book â€Å"Ecology of Fear,† my personal impression of his argument of making Southern Californians to become aware of the underlying threats and problems which exist today or have existed in the past is a commendable act on his part, but I really feel Davis overanalyzed the problems Southern Californians face. Throughout the book, Davis painted a very gloomy picture of Southern California and he never really brought a positive spin on the problems that exist in Southern California and how we can take steps to remedy these problems. Also, Davis should have recognized the fact that problems exist in other parts of the United States as well and they are not just confined to Southern California. The problems of Southern California is not all that different from the rest of the nation, which faces similar disasters that are comparable to earthquakes and wild fires, such as tornadoes, floods, thunderstorms, etc. So, in essence, problems exist in all societies and cultures and that is the reality of life.

Response to The Futile Pursuit of Happiness, by Jon Gertner Essay

"The Futile Pursuit of Happiness" by Jon Gertner was published in September of 2003. It is an essay that discusses the difference between how happy we believe we will be with a particular outcome or decision, and how happy we actually are with the outcome. The essay is based on experiments done by two professors: Daniel Gilbert and George Loewenstein. The experiments show that humans are never as happy as we think we will be with an outcome because affective forecasting and miswanting cause false excitement and disappointment in our search for true happiness. Gertner jumps right into his essay with examples. He repeatedly states that we are wrong to think that nice things will make us happy. His language starts out blunt and maybe even a little scornful for being so naà ¯ve. He tries to bring out a sense of disappointment in the reader by telling us that, basically, we can't be happy. This continues throughout the essay especially with his discussion of affective forecasting and miswanting. Following his introduction, Gertner spills into a discussion of affective forecasting. He uses real life examples to get his point across. Also, results from experiments done by Gilbert and Loewenstein were used to show that affective forecasting is a valid idea. This term is used to describe the inability of humans to predict how they will feel after a certain event takes place. The reason for this is that we don't realize that things become normal to us. This can be quite a disappointment to someone who goes out and blows fifty grand on a car. But, the concept of affective forecasting goes the other way also. Whenever something bad happens, such as the death of a family member or the loss of a job, we think the grief wi... ...ome very valid points. I think he wrote it to help the reader out. He wanted to open the reader's eyes to these issues so they wouldn't be searching for happiness in the wrong places. But, is there a "right" place to look for happiness? This is never clearly answered in the essay but we are left with some helpful insight. Gertner explains that affective forecasting, miswanting, and hot and cold states can really throw us off track in our search for true happiness. He uses many examples and experiment results from credible sources to prove his point. After reading Gertner's essay, we are left with this: The things that we think will make us happy rarely do. These decisions or investments are usually unimportant and become normal and boring for us. After all of our disappointments, we are left still wondering if true happiness can ever really be reached. Response to The Futile Pursuit of Happiness, by Jon Gertner Essay "The Futile Pursuit of Happiness" by Jon Gertner was published in September of 2003. It is an essay that discusses the difference between how happy we believe we will be with a particular outcome or decision, and how happy we actually are with the outcome. The essay is based on experiments done by two professors: Daniel Gilbert and George Loewenstein. The experiments show that humans are never as happy as we think we will be with an outcome because affective forecasting and miswanting cause false excitement and disappointment in our search for true happiness. Gertner jumps right into his essay with examples. He repeatedly states that we are wrong to think that nice things will make us happy. His language starts out blunt and maybe even a little scornful for being so naà ¯ve. He tries to bring out a sense of disappointment in the reader by telling us that, basically, we can't be happy. This continues throughout the essay especially with his discussion of affective forecasting and miswanting. Following his introduction, Gertner spills into a discussion of affective forecasting. He uses real life examples to get his point across. Also, results from experiments done by Gilbert and Loewenstein were used to show that affective forecasting is a valid idea. This term is used to describe the inability of humans to predict how they will feel after a certain event takes place. The reason for this is that we don't realize that things become normal to us. This can be quite a disappointment to someone who goes out and blows fifty grand on a car. But, the concept of affective forecasting goes the other way also. Whenever something bad happens, such as the death of a family member or the loss of a job, we think the grief wi... ...ome very valid points. I think he wrote it to help the reader out. He wanted to open the reader's eyes to these issues so they wouldn't be searching for happiness in the wrong places. But, is there a "right" place to look for happiness? This is never clearly answered in the essay but we are left with some helpful insight. Gertner explains that affective forecasting, miswanting, and hot and cold states can really throw us off track in our search for true happiness. He uses many examples and experiment results from credible sources to prove his point. After reading Gertner's essay, we are left with this: The things that we think will make us happy rarely do. These decisions or investments are usually unimportant and become normal and boring for us. After all of our disappointments, we are left still wondering if true happiness can ever really be reached.

Essay on “Pike” by Ted Hughes

The poem â€Å"Pike† describes the fish of the same name and the poet's feelings about them, fishing and the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control, â€Å"indeed they spare nobody†. The poem seems to be about nature, â€Å"ponds† and â€Å"lily pads†, but this is not a truly pastoral poem as it is not only about the beauty and innocence of nature; the tone is dark, â€Å"deep as England† and even terrifying, â€Å"the hair frozen on my head for what might move†. The structure of the poem seems regular; each verse has four lines.However, the line length, though at first it looks regular, is in fact irregular, ranging from five syllables to thirteen syllables. This difference adds to the uneasy tone of the poem, creating an aural sensation of something hiding within the longer lines, mirroring the way in which the â€Å"pike† lurks under the water ´s surface, â€Å"logged on last year ´s black leaves, watching upwards. The first two stanzas finish with a full stop, which creates the sensation of control control.This suggests that the poet has control of the dangerous fish, â€Å"killers from the egg†, at this stage, when the â€Å"pike† he describes are â€Å"three inches long, perfect†. However, by the fifth stanza, when the poet retells his anecdote about the â€Å"pike† â€Å"we kept behind glass†, at first there are â€Å"three†, then â€Å"suddenly there were two† and â€Å"finally one†, (as it has eaten the others), and this ruthless, cannibal fish, unlike any traditional pet, moves directly into the next stanza, â€Å"with a sag belly and the grin it was born with†.In this next stanza, the sixth, the poet warns the reader that the â€Å"pike† â€Å"spare nobody†. The fish ´s brutality is echoed by the poem ´s form at this point – the vicious â€Å"pike† has dominated the fish tank and now dominates the poem, refusing to follow the previous, neat form and escapes from one stanza to the next.Later in the poem the stanzas continue to run seamlessly into each other with enjambement, â€Å"dead in the willow-herb- one jammed past its gills down the other ´s gullet†, implying that the poet is losing control of the carnivorous fish and its â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†. This is a rather long poem, with eleven stanzas, and the poet uses the extended description that runs throughout the whole poem, to emphasise the size of the â€Å"pike† â€Å"six pounds each, over two feet long† and their â€Å"old† age, thereby evoking his sense of being in awe of the fish ´s â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†.This poem focuses on the â€Å"pike†, describing them in close detail, â€Å"green tigering the gold†, and only in the fifth person does the poet introduce the first person, â€Å"we†, (and in the eighth stanza, â€Å"I†). However, from the start, the poet ´s choice of language makes clear his feelings about the fish; he shows awe through the use of positive language such as â€Å"perfect†, and â€Å"gold† and â€Å"emerald†, which have connotations of precious wealth.He describes â€Å"pike† as â€Å"stunned by their own grandeur†, implying that he thinks the fish are self-aware and even arrogant, his use of the verb â€Å"stunned† here is almost personification, as if the poet thinks the fish can have the same self-awareness as a human. On the other hand, positive language such as â€Å"dance† and â€Å"grandeur† is juxtaposed against an underlying mood of darkness and evil, which enters the poem in its third line when the fish are presented as â€Å"killers from the egg† and â€Å"malevolent†.Therefore in the first three stanzas, the poet ´s attitude is contrasting, seeing both â€Å"d elicacy and horror† in the â€Å"pike†. However, in the fourth stanza the poet admits that â€Å"the jaws ´ hooked clamp and fangs† are â€Å"not to be changed at this date† and this marks a turning point in the poem, with the mood changing to wholly negative, and finally, fearful, with the simile â€Å"as a vice locks† and talking of â€Å"iron† â€Å"instrument† and, explicitly, â€Å"death†.By the ninth stanza the poet says directly that he is afraid, â€Å"I dared not cast†. He describes also â€Å"the hair frozen on my head† and the sensation of something â€Å"that rose slowly toward me, watching†, he presents this as a â€Å"dream†, but the experience conveyed to the reader is more of a nightmare. The poet ´s feeling of fear is highlighted by his description of â€Å"the dark pond† coupled with the repetition of â€Å"darkness†. Essay on â€Å"Pike† by Ted Hughes The poem â€Å"Pike† describes the fish of the same name and the poet's feelings about them, fishing and the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control, â€Å"indeed they spare nobody†. The poem seems to be about nature, â€Å"ponds† and â€Å"lily pads†, but this is not a truly pastoral poem as it is not only about the beauty and innocence of nature; the tone is dark, â€Å"deep as England† and even terrifying, â€Å"the hair frozen on my head for what might move†. The structure of the poem seems regular; each verse has four lines.However, the line length, though at first it looks regular, is in fact irregular, ranging from five syllables to thirteen syllables. This difference adds to the uneasy tone of the poem, creating an aural sensation of something hiding within the longer lines, mirroring the way in which the â€Å"pike† lurks under the water?s surface, â€Å"logged on last year?s black leaves , watching upwards. The first two stanzas finish with a full stop, which creates the sensation of control control.This suggests that the poet has control of the dangerous fish, â€Å"killers from the egg†, at this stage, when the â€Å"pike† he describes are â€Å"three inches long, perfect†. However, by the fifth stanza, when the poet retells his anecdote about the â€Å"pike† â€Å"we kept behind glass†, at first there are â€Å"three†, then â€Å"suddenly there were two† and â€Å"finally one†, (as it has eaten the others), and this ruthless, cannibal fish, unlike any traditional pet, moves directly into the next stanza, â€Å"with a sag belly and the grin it was born with†.In this next stanza, the sixth, the poet warns the reader that the â€Å"pike† â€Å"spare nobody†. The fish?s brutality is echoed by the poem?s form at this point – the vicious â€Å"pike† has dominated the fish tank an d now dominates the poem, refusing to follow the previous, neat form and escapes from one stanza to the next.Later in the poem the stanzas continue to run seamlessly into each other with enjambement, â€Å"dead in the willow-herb- one jammed past its gills down the other?s gullet†, implying that the poet is losing control of the carnivorous fish and its â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†. This is a rather long poem, with eleven stanzas, and the poet uses the extended description that runs throughout the whole poem, to emphasise the size of the â€Å"pike† â€Å"six pounds each, over two feet long† and their â€Å"old† age, thereby evoking his sense of being in awe of the fish?s â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†.This poem focuses on the â€Å"pike†, describing them in close detail, â€Å"green tigering the gold†, and only in the fifth person does the poet introduce the first person, â€Å"we†, (and in the eighth stan za, â€Å"I†). However, from the start, the poet?s choice of language makes clear his feelings about the fish; he shows awe through the use of positive language such as â€Å"perfect†, and â€Å"gold† and â€Å"emerald†, which have connotations of precious wealth.He describes â€Å"pike† as â€Å"stunned by their own grandeur†, implying that he thinks the fish are self-aware and even arrogant, his use of the verb â€Å"stunned† here is almost personification, as if the poet thinks the fish can have the same self-awareness as a human. On the other hand, positive language such as â€Å"dance† and â€Å"grandeur† is juxtaposed against an underlying mood of darkness and evil, which enters the poem in its third line when the fish are presented as â€Å"killers from the egg† and â€Å"malevolent†.Therefore in the first three stanzas, the poet?s attitude is contrasting, seeing both â€Å"delicacy and horror† in the â€Å"pike†. However, in the fourth stanza the poet admits that â€Å"the jaws? hooked clamp and fangs† are â€Å"not to be changed at this date† and this marks a turning point in the poem, with the mood changing to wholly negative, and finally, fearful, with the simile â€Å"as a vice locks† and talking of â€Å"iron† â€Å"instrument† and, explicitly, â€Å"death†.By the ninth stanza the poet says directly that he is afraid, â€Å"I dared not cast†. He describes also â€Å"the hair frozen on my head† and the sensation of something â€Å"that rose slowly toward me, watching†, he presents this as a â€Å"dream†, but the experience conveyed to the reader is more of a nightmare. The poet?s feeling of fear is highlighted by his description of â€Å"the dark pond† coupled with the repetition of â€Å"darkness†.

Water Spouts

Water spouts are another type of tornado. A water spout is a tornado that hoovers over land and is formed by strong pull of water forming the tornado's funnel and high wind speeds around it. Water spouts can form in two different ways. During normal weather when water temperatures are high and the air is very humid is typically when water spouts can form at sea level. The second way a water spout can form is like a regular tornado, it will form from a cloud and descend down but will touch water's surface. It is not as common for a water spout to form from a cloud, but when they do, they are typically more destructive than a water spout forming at sea level. When a water spout is formed from a cloud they are so destructive that they are able to pull fish from the water into the tornado and release them back out when the fish reach the top of the water spouts. A person would need to be far above the water level, such as in a plane or on a mountain, to see the first sign of a waterspout. It starts as a dark spot forming on the ocean. The second phase still could not be seen from a ship, but could perhaps could be felt as the wind shifts and speeds up. If a person on a boat happened to look up at the cloud above when sensing the change in the wind, that person might notice a funnel forming in the clouds even though the vortex on the water’s surface is not clearly visible. As the winds increases, the spray is visible from the vortex on the ocean surface. When a waterspout is fully matured, anyone with eyes to see can watch the funnel reach from the cloud to dip and twist into the water. They also hiss and suck at the water instead of the rumbling growl of a twister on land. Waterspouts can also form over lakes or rivers, but are most commonly seen over the ocean. They suck up the water in their path, billowing a water spray like a mushroom cloud against the water surface. Waterspouts can range in size from several feet to more than a mile high, and their width can vary from a few feet to hundreds of feet. It is not uncommon to see more than one water-twister at a time. Some ships have reported seeing as many as 30 waterspouts in a single day.

Cultural Considerations Essay

The Mexican culture has been characterized by their values, importance of family heritage, folk healing, religion and spirituality. There is also the relation of demographic features associated with the Mexican such as: low income, lack of education, and ethnic segregation. These characteristics have been known to cause cultural differences that can become barriers that can affect the communication between the patient and the healthcare provider. Mexicans are less likely to use the available health resources, because of their strong cultural differences with American Medicine. They also pose a higher rate of poverty related health issues such as diabetes and obesity (Latino culture and health). When they do use the healthcare system, they fear of experiencing discrimination. Their language and cultural become factors in the treatment they are given. Within the Mexican culture family support is important. They provide each other with a support system consisting of extended family, fol k healers, and religious institutions (Latino culture and health). When they choose to use the American medical services, it is influenced by their cultural and spiritual value and by folk theories of disease, remedies, and curers passed down from their ancestors (Latino culture and health). The specific issues between the Mexicans and the American healthcare include language and immigration (Estrada et al., 2010). Most instructions and messages are communicated by mouth, and many Hispanics feel embarrassed because they could not speak or understand English. The relationship between the physician and the Hispanic patient is problematic because of social differentials by inequality on institutional levels, cognitive, and linguistic Mexican cultural practices can and do influence healthcare use however the relationship is complicated. Curanderismo, folk-healing practices continues to be an important aspect of Mexican American culture because of distrust in medicines that are not natural. (Estrada et al., 2010).This may lead to treatment which may worsen their condition. The Mexican culture has been characteristically known to have cultural differences that can develop barriers which affect the communication process with health care providers; therefore health care professional need to have a complete understanding of the principles of cross-cultural communication within the community that they serve.

King’s attitude towards slavery Essay

Reconciliation struck King as divinely just, and he recommended the same practice for the United States. He suggested that this was the only moral and practical way to bring the Negro’s stand-ups to a realistic level. Reconciliation in the form of compensation was such a good idea in King’s mind because the practice would support the freedom of the human personality and lead to a just society. He also believed that it would make freedom real and substantial for the black people. He never believed that the mere absence of desegregated public accommodations would fully free the human personality and establish a just society. Although many whites were against him, he began to emphasize his belief that real and substantial freedom as well as the mandates of the just society, require not desegregated public facilities but also the economic goods that would allow blacks to use such facilities. King equated freeing the blacks and leaving them just like that to giving a pair of shoes to a man who has not learned to walk. His point was that freedom from desegregation requires the material goods to enjoy freedom from integration. King’s own response to the Johnson administration was to post for state atonement for the Disadvantaged. In King’s view, just as the state properly compensated World War II veterans for the time they spent away from their home, jobs, so too should it compensate blacks for their years of enslavement. He argued that only a few people considered the fact that in addition to being enslaved for two centuries, the Negro was during all those years, robbed of wages of his toil. He believed that no amount of gold could provide adequate compensation for the psychological turmoil caused by slavery, but that a price could be placed upon unpaid wages. King’s extra marital affairs It is clear that King did a lot of good deeds, most of which were based on pure ethical standards. However, there are some ethical challenges that were hard for him, and the most common is the sexual relationships with many women. Two years after King married his wife Coretta, he began his work in the civil rights movement. He left his young wife and baby to pursue endeavors that would take him far from home, putting aside his wife, and while he was home, he spent a lot of time on the phone. His friends who were worried of what these extramarital affairs would do to his reputation cautioned him about the importance of avoiding the appearance of wrongdoing. They also cautioned him that due to his prominence, he would become the target of those seeking to discredit him. He was also warmed that women could become his downfall if he failed to resist this temptation. King failed to take these warnings. By the time he won the Nobel Peace Price of 1964, his relations with women outside his marriage were far from secret. Wiley Branton, a close associate of King approached him about the subject when he was unable to ignore the rumors. He told king that colleagues had expressed concern over his behavior and were worried that he was going to get hurt, but King was unresponsive. The topic again came up with another friend, and this time King responded that because he was away from home the majority of each month, sex served as a way to reduce his anxiety. King’s attitude towards money While king had a hard time resisting sexual temptation, the temptation to profit from his fame was by no means a temptation for him. He had never bee influenced by the prospect of making money. In fact, while in college he had developed an opposition to his father’s concern with money. His lack of desire for material possessions increased after he visited India. Even his wife sensed a change in him. She said that this growing selflessness had led to his increasingly dismissive attitude toward his clothing and appearance, which up until then he had taken pride in. Since his college years at the Morehouse, King had enjoyed nice clothing. His selflessness also affected the financial status of SCLC. When he won the Nobel Peace Prize, he donated the price money to the group, despite the objection of his wife. She wanted to put some of the money aside for college for their children, but King insisted that the money go in full to the SCLC. Later, when two board members suggested that he accept a salary from the organization, King declined the offer. He explained that his income from Ebenezer Baptist church and the sum that he kept from speaking and writing was enough to support his family. Conclusion Due to King’s legacy as a man of good man, his shadow persisted even after his assassination. The poor people’s campaign initially was identified with the martyred prophet, not with his successor. The goals King established, especially for the campaign of equality among the whites and the blacks were probably unreachable, but King-the-symbol remained untarnished by failure. In addition to the charisma of his leadership, King had clear strategies for achieving goals. He believed that besides the use of legal tactics, the federal government was a necessary ally. King believed that because of man’s sinfulness, a restraining force was needed. According to him, it was the government that could counteract collective evil. His ultimate goal in many of his campaigns was to force the federal government to act. Time after time, his strategy worked. From the term paper, it is clear that his leadership was two fold. He was able to mobilize blacks, while at the same time appealing to the consciousness of the whites. King’s influence was as a result of several factors. To African Americans, his background was rooted in the black community, he was a Baptist preacher, and his academic training combined with religious faith provided the leadership skills he needed. To white Americans, he was an African American with the extraordinary ability to convince them of the evil of segregation. His words carried a powerful punch that, while what he was saying about segregation was not new, he stirred a moral awakening. Cementing his position was his leadership through nonviolent resistance, which appealed to decency and the commonality of humanity that, until then, had been ignored. Reference 1) Long M. G. (2002). Against us, but for us: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the state. California; Mercer University Press

The Millennial Generation and Brandi Carlile Essay

The Millennial Generation and Brandi Carlile - Essay Example This for sure will have positive effects on how families interact and communicate and how young people relate to school and learning. Considered to be the most diverse generation in history and born to the most diverse parents as well. Coates further notes that Generation Y combines the can-do attitude of Veterans, and the teamwork ethic of Boomers. For this group, the preferred learning environment combines teamwork and technology. In a classroom with lots of Gen Y's, give everyone a task. When a few have completed it, encourage them to walk around the room and help others. They're used to working this way in school. Presently, according to newspolitics.net, the Millennial Generation is larger than Baby Boomers, but how much bigger depends on where you put their beginning and ending birthdates which currently has no census. The report also stressed that like Boomers-the Millennial Generation will affect the country in various ways. ... Sophia Yan-author of understanding Generation Y stated that Members of Generation Y are characterized as being more racially and culturally tolerant than past generations. Gay rights and non-traditional gender roles have also become more widely accepted. Generation Y is ground-breaking in the sense that its members have come of age in a both a politically and socially tumultuous period with constant bombardment from various media outlets. As the first generation to have easy access to the Internet, ways of thinking have changed rapidly. As Generation Y goes to college and penetrates the work force, the landscape of America may change even more dramatically. Generation Y has been growing up in an increasingly diverse and multicultural society where barriers of race tend to be disappearing. According to the 2002 U.S. Bureau of the Census, 37.6 % of Generation Y, they are non-White (Strauss, 2004). Because of their diversity, The Millennial Generation is more accustomed to a wide range of global and cultural viewpoints, and their acceptance and tolerance is reflected in all areas of their lives, public as well as private. Characteristics of Generation Y The Millennial Generation has a specific set of characteristics (positive and negative) and personality traits that defines individuals of that era. 1. They have a closer relationship with parents and develop pure bond of admiration for their parents (33% names one or both parents as their hero, rather than a pop culture celebrity). 2. The small sphere of influence has contributed to the creation of a generation that is, in general, more polite and considerate than their predecessors. They are less likely to call adults by their first names, but rather use the more formal Mr. or Mrs. 3. Programmed and team

Research and discuss the differences between variable and fixed costs Paper

And discuss the differences between variable and fixed costs and provide examples of both - Research Paper Example Such costs become directly proportional to the change in activity level such as raw materials, hourly wages and commissions, utilities, inventory, office supplies, and packaging, mailing, and shipping costs. (Taheri et al. 2000; Besanko et al. 2010) Fixed costs are said to be fixed irrespective of the change in production level. But they might change overtime. Hence, they are sometimes referred to be as Period costs. Sometimes it happens that fixed costs are incurred at the discretion of the management of a company, such as advertising and promotional expense, while other costs are not incurred in such situations. It is important to remember that all non-discretionary fixed costs will be incurred even if production or sales volume falls to zero. Although production and sales volume are the main factors determining the level of variable costs incurred by a company, these costs also may vary in relation to other factors, such as changes in prices fixed by the suppliers or seasonal promotional efforts. Some expenses may have both fixed and variable elements. As for example, a company may pay a sales person a monthly salary, which is considered to be as a fixed cost, plus a percentage commission for every unit sold above a certain level, which is considered to be as a variable cost. (Seo, 1991; Aryasri, 2007) One must take into note the different type of costs incurred as there happens to be an increase in the production or sales volume. Total fixed costs remain unchanged as volume increases, while fixed costs per unit falls. On the other hand, variable costs behave differently. Total variable costs increase proportionately as volume increases, while variable costs per unit remain unaltered. (Seo, 1991) As for instance, in the healthcare industry, allocation of various elements of cost to the trauma service are based on applying various cost accounting standards and

Strengths Analysis and Future Development Strategies Assignment

Strengths Analysis and Future Development Strategies - Assignment Example They have to be developed through consistent training and experience. Skills are the difference from knowledge in that process involved in the transfer of knowledge lead to the development of skills. Talents are the abilities to execute observable behaviors that lead to distinguishable aspects (Buckingham and Clifton, 2001). They can also be reviewed in terms of competence held by various individuals that can be used to perform unique activities. The main differentiator between the three principles can be described in terms of whether the aspect was learned or attained from external sources. For example, one has to manipulate the present knowledge to gain proficient skills. Additionally, most talents are in build whereby individuals are born with them or learn about their abilities as they grow up. The observation of talents may depend on the situations that an individual has to perform. Its the attained skills may also help in the realization of talents. The accrued knowledge is about the comprehension of the company's activities and operations. It includes the use of attained data to execute activities that are advantageous to the firm. Skills include the handling of clients and technology present in a company with the aim of attaining the set objectives. They also include my professional attributes that lead to job efficiency and competency strategies. My talents consist of computing complex numbers for a short time and first typing skills. The two talents can be helpful to the firm's data entry or bookkeeping. It is one of the first aspects to locate using the inventory. Competition can be highlighted by performances in various activities (Buckingham and Clifton, 2001). It can be described is the rivalry feeling that drives an individual towards better results. The theme has helped me in my educational and workplace aspects. Competition is part of the driving forces of companies; hence the need to employ competent workers. Â