Power Essays - Forms Of Government, Social Psychology,

Power Children play king of the mountain with the stronger players trying to keep the weaker ones from taking possession of the top of the hill. One of Golding's many themes expressed in Lord of the Flies is power. In comparison to society, the island consists of democratic, authoritarian, and spiritual power. Sitting in a throne may give a person power, but it does not give them complete authority. Democratic power is shown when choices and decisions are shared among many. Ralph, originally from the Anglo-Saxon language, means "counsel." Ralph is an embodiment of democracy, he is willing to be a leader but knows that its important for each of the boys to be able to speak his mind. When there is a decision to be made, he lets the boys vote on it. In are present democratic government of the United States, the President has to go through Congress to pass a bill. The President runs the operations but he does not have complete power over the decisions. Like the President, Ralph has to go through the boys to make the decisions. "The trouble was, if you were chief you had to think, you had to be wise. And then the occasion slipped by so that you had to grab at a decision. This made you think: because thought was a valuable thing, that got results..."(page 71) In addition to democracy, authoritarian power is additionally portrayed. Authoritarian power allows one person to rule by threatening and terrifying others. Jack comes from the Hebrew and means "one who supplants," one who takes by force. Although the word "military" is never used about Jack, there is something about his manner that suggests military or authoritarian power. Jack lusts for power and is driven to destroy anyone who gets in his way. In 1956, Fidel Castro forced his way into Cuba planning to overthrow the government of Fulgencio Batista, a dictator in Cuba. After Castro became President of the Council of State in 1976, he seized property owned by wealthy Cubans, Americans, and others. He favored the lower classes and made Cuba a communist state. In relation to Castro, Jack overthrows Ralph from being chief and takes over the position with force and abuse. The boys look up to Jack and respect him but there is no understanding. They do not understand why he hides behind his mask or tortures innocent boys. But they do know to respect him or they will be punished. For instance on page 85, "If Jack was chief, we'd have all hunting and no fire. We'd be here till we died." Besides authoritarian, spiritual power is also represented. Spiritual power recognizes internal and external realities and attempts to integrate them. Simon comes from the Hebrew for "listener." It was also the name of one of Jesus' apostles, Simon Peter. This hints at the spiritual role the character will play in the novel: Simon is the only one who hears and understands the truth. In the beginning of the story Simon is introduced as a "skinny, vivid little boy" with epilepsy. In ancient times many thought that the epileptic seizure was an indication that a person had great spiritual powers and was favored by communications from the gods. In an ironic twist, Simon communicates with an evil figure rather than a loving god. Beginning in 1933, Adolf Hitler brutally slayed many "impure" people because of their religious beliefs. Many Jews, whom Hitler blamed Germany's problems on, were sent to concentration camps, where they were murdered. This event relates to the fact that Simon is also killed by the strength of the boys belief in the beast. Simon is very quiet and intimidated, "(he) felt a perilous necessity to speak; but to speak in an assembly was a terrible thing to him."(page 82) Different types of power, with their uses and abuses, are central to the story. Democratic, authoritarian, and spiritual power are each used by one of the characters. A person may have power but it's how they use the power to determine the authority and dominance.

John Holt and Daniel Pink

John Holt and Daniel Pink Several writers, sociologists and educators are speaking out about the problems being experienced in modern schools. Violence seems to be increasing, students are leaving school ill-prepared to enter the workforce and test scores continue to fall. In attempting to fix our schools, several of these individuals have suggested that the solution is not to try to fix the school, but to abandon it altogether.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on John Holt and Daniel Pink specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While it may seem to be a new argument, this question of abolishing the compulsory public school system has been around for decades. There are a surprising number of similarities found in the arguments of John Holt in his article â€Å"School is Bad for Children† published in 1969 and Daniel H. Pink’s article â€Å"School’s Out† published this decade. In his article, John Holt unsurprisingly argues th at school is bad for children. He starts his article by stating, â€Å"Almost every child on the first day he sets foot in a school building is smarter, more curious, less afraid of what he doesnt know, better at finding and figuring things out, more confident, resourceful, persistent and independent than he will ever be again in his schooling† (Holt, 1969). Holt makes his claim on the evidence that children first discover and then learn to use it all while making other important discoveries about the world and grasping highly abstract concepts. They do this â€Å"by exploring, by experimenting, by developing his own model or the grammar of language, by trying it out and seeing whether it works, by gradually changing it and refining it until it does work† (Holt, 1969). More importantly, children do this naturally, without anyone showing them how or telling them why. Although Pink does not directly address the condition of the child before he enters the classroom, he do es make a strong point of the skills needed to survive in the emerging economy. â€Å"Legions of Americans, and increasingly citizens of other countries as well, are abandoning one of the Industrial Revolution’s most enduring legacies – the ‘job’ – and forging new ways to work. They’re becoming self-employed knowledge workers, proprietors of home-based businesses, temps and permatemps, †¦ part-time consultants †¦ and full-time soloists† (Pink). This great shift in the way people do business requires a skill set highly similar to the natural abilities of the early child as described by Holt.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Both authors discuss the true end results of what children are learning in school. Holt (1969) says children learn that learning is something done separate from living. Within the school setting, the child that he does not know how to learn and must adapt himself to the methods of the teacher. â€Å"In a great many other ways he learns that he is worthless, untrustworthy, fit only to take other people’s orders, a blank sheet for other people to write on† (Holt, 1969). According to Holt, the true lessons the child takes from school are to hide his curiosity, to be ashamed of thinking differently, to accept other people’s evaluation of him. â€Å"He learns that to be wrong, uncertain, confused, is a crime† (Holt, 1969). He learns how to find out what answers are expected and to give only those answers. He learns instead to be lazy, deceitful and how to pass blame. â€Å"He learns that in real life you don’t do anything unless you are bribed, bullied or conned into doing it, that nothing is worth doing for its own sake, or that if it is, you can’t do it in school† (Holt, 1969). He learns to turn himself off, to passively daydream an d to ignore the people around him. Pink would seem to agree. In listing the lessons children learned in school, Pink indicates that the results are mostly negative for the individual: â€Å"Kids learned how to obey rules, follow orders, and respect authority – and the penalties that came with refusal† (Pink). He also points out how nothing seems to have changed in as many as 40 years within the school setting or system with the exception of a computer or two within the classroom, but everything has changed outside of it. In addition, both authors argue for the abolition of the school system as it currently exists. Holt (1969) recommends abolishing the compulsory school law by arguing that these laws are no longer necessary to prevent adults from exploiting child labor. This would alleviate the anger and violence found in school classrooms and hallways and make a better learning environment for the kids that do want to be there. By making school a choice, the schools wo uld also have to make their programs something actually beneficial to the kids. Other options would be to make schools more of a learning field trip or bringing professionals into the classroom to talk honestly and frankly about their careers. Team learning is also recommended as a means of allowing children to take a more active role in their learning and to learn how to work with others. Holt also suggests getting rid of grades to allow children to assess and perfect their own work and getting rid of the established curriculum because children will only learn what is important to them anyway. Pink argues, â€Å"Compulsory mass schooling is an aberration in both history and modern society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on John Holt and Daniel Pink specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Yet it was the ideal preparation for the Organization Man economy, a highly structured world dominated by large, bureaucratic corporation s that routinized the workplace† (Pink). Now that we no longer live in an industrial economy and more people are finding it preferable or necessary to fend for themselves in creative ways, Pink says the system should change to foster these skills in our youth. Although the authors do not provide sufficient provision for the numbers of students who would not attend school if they didn’t have to or those who are actually safer at school than at home, they do make several valid points. It does seem as though the modern school system is nothing more than a system designed to create perfect factory workers, providing the ability for future supervisors and managers to excel and prove their worth. This requires workers willing to subsume their individual personalities, lose their natural curiosity and learn how to simply obey orders and ‘live’ at those times when their leaders did not have need of them. Pink provides convincing statistics that more Americans are f inding it necessary to live by the skills they had as young children as listed by Holt – curiosity, exploration, discovery, resourcefulness and independence. If America is to remain strong moving into the future, it must adopt a more effective education system that enables children to retain these skills and become the productive adults they can be.

Definition and Examples of Spin in Propaganda

Definition and Examples of Spin in Propaganda Spin is a contemporary term for a form of propaganda that relies on deceptive methods of persuasion. In politics, business, and elsewhere, spin is often characterized by exaggeration, euphemisms, inaccuracies, half-truths, and excessively emotional appeals. A person who composes and/or communicates spin is referred to as a spin doctor. Examples and Observations I would define spin as the shaping of events to make you look better than anybody else. I think it is . . . an art form now and it gets in the way of the truth.  Ã‚  (Benjamin Bradlee, executive editor of The Washington Post, quoted by Woody Klein in All the Presidents Spokesmen: Spinning the News, White House Press From Franklin D. Roosevelt to George W. Bush. Praeger Publishers, 2008) Manipulating Meaning Often associated with newspapers and politicians, to use spin is to manipulate meaning, to twist truth for particular endsusually with the aim of persuading readers or listeners that things are other than they are. As in idioms such as to put a ‘positive spin on something’or a ‘negative spin on something’one line of meaning is concealed, while anotherat least intentionallytakes its place. Spin is language which, for whatever reason, has designs on us...As the Oxford English Dictionary confirms, this sense of spin emerges only in the later 1970s, originally in the context of American politics.   (Lynda Mugglestone, A Journey Through Spin. OxfordWords Blog, September 12, 2011) Deception We live in a world of spin. It flies at us in the form of misleading commercials for products and political candidates and about public policy matters. It comes from businesses, political leaders, lobbying groups and political parties. Millions are deceived every day†¦all because of spin. ‘Spin’ is the polite word for deception. Spinners mislead by means that range from subtle omission to outright lies. Spin paints a false picture of reality, by bending facts, mischaracterizing the words of others, ignoring or denying evidence, or just spinning a yarnby making things up.  (Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, unSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation. Random House, 2007) Spin and Rhetoric The implicit sense of immorality attached to spin and rhetoric leads lawmakers and candidates to use these words to undermine the sincerity of the opposition. As then House Leader Dennis Hastert declared in a 2005 debate over the estate/death tax, You see, no matter what kind of spin our friends on the other side of the aisle try to use, the death tax simply isnt fair...All of this points to an atmosphere of moral ambivalence that surrounds the modern practice of spin and rhetoric. At the level of principle, rhetorical speech is most often seen as disingenuous, inauthentic, and even morally dangerous. Yet at the level of practice, it is often accepted as an inevitable and necessary part of competitive party politics.   (Nathaniel J. Klemp, The Morality of Spin: Virtue and Vice in Political Rhetoric and the Christian Right. Rowman Littlefield, 2012) Managing the News [One] way the government manages the news is by inserting into newscasts prepackaged reports that get their message out or put a positive spin on the news. (Note that the power of government to censor is much greater in many other countries than in the United States and in some other industrial democracies.)  (Nancy Cavender and Howard Kahane, Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric: The Use of Reason in Everyday Life, 11th ed. Wadsworth, 2010) Spin vs. Debate Democrats have been known to conduct their fair share of spin. During the presidential election campaign season of 2004, some liberal Democrats indulged in inflammatory and unsubstantiated attacks on the right by comparing the Bush administration to Nazi Germany, associating the Republican Party with a racist fringe candidate, and allegingwithout evidencethat Bush advisor Karl Rove was the mastermind behind the attacks on John Kerrys war record. These occurrences of manipulative rhetoric [led] one commentator on political spin to conclude that, in the heat of the campaign, reasonable debate is again falling by the wayside.  (Bruce C. Jansson, Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate: From Policy Practice to Social Justice, 6th ed. Brooks/Cole, 2011) Spin Doctors [In a 1998 interview that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott] gave to the Independent, . . . he said we need to get away from rhetoric and back on to the substance of government. That statement apparently constituted the basis for the Independents headline: Prescott bins the spin for real policies. The spin is an allusion to New Labours spin-doctors, the people responsible for the media presentation of the Government and for putting a media spin (or angle) on its policies and activities.  (Norm Fairclough, New Labour, New Language? Routledge, 2000) Etymology From Old English spinnan, draw, stretch, spin

Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Marketing Plan - Assignment Example This will enable the business to lure more customers and compete favorably with other players in the industry. Further, they will have to extract useful information that will assist them in identifying new markets and targets. The business has to adopt new means of advertisement such using the use of the media in order to reach to more customers. Among the current social networks and media firms, facebook has proven to be the most efficient and reliable in giving information to millions of users within a very short time. As part of product development, Dog-Gone stylin’ has embarked on selling pet therapy products to customers. For instance, they sell Spa products like bandanas and shampoo that clients use to groom their pets. In the product development, the marketing team will have to diversify the products to various clients. The marketing mix is achieved in the sense that the company offers one-on-one services to enable clients relax. Further, they can go an extent of taking the services to a client’s home to avoid transportation of pets. Branding and packaging of the product is very essential, but in this case, it is challenging to develop a strong that might clients due to lack of products that they compare with. In such a business, branding requires patience and time. As part of packaging strategy, it is significant to develop a handout that includes all the pet grooming services and their prices, photos of dogs prior to and after grooming in order enable customers to view the outcome of the

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway - Essay Example Catherine Barkley, like the season of mist and monsoon, has two faces on a single paradigm. At one plane, she is enough voluptuous to quench the desire of a man and satisfy his fantasies. And on the other plane, she is independent, smart, and strong women who not only shows the capacity to melt a stone like Henry but evolves out with the progression of the novel, as a peer to Henry in all his struggles and troubles. Hardly any female character would give such unconventional dialogue in discovering the fact that she is pregnant as Catherine gives in ‘A Farewell to Arms’, â€Å"I’ll try and not make trouble for you. I know I’ve made trouble now. But haven’t I always been a good girl until now?† (Hemingway, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†, Pg - 128). Critics rightly claim that Catherine Barkley is the real hero of the novel. Her desperation to love Henry with all that she has, transports her claim for Henry above all the limitations of conventionalities. â€Å"There isn’t any me. I’m you. Don’t make up a separate me† (Hemingway, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†, Pg - 107) indicates that she is above any ordinary woman to be titled as mere fantasy of a man. She is courageous, stoic and deity of fortitude. She is the real hero of the

Mhp Nursing Shared Governance Essay Example for Free

Mhp Nursing Shared Governance Essay What is Shared Decision Making †¢ Point of Service Decision Making where staff who perform the work participate in decision making affecting their environment †¢ A 30 year old decision making model meant to give equal voice to nurses †¢ A decentralized style of management that creates an environment of empowerment Shared Decision Making A Journey Not a Destination We TO They Why Shared Decision Making †¢ Essential to achieving the best patient outcomes by giving nurses control of their practice – they know best! †¢ Recognizes the power already present in a role and allows that power to be expressed legitimately †¢ Builds autonomy into the profession Shared Decision Making – The Process A dynamic process that is centered on 4 critical principles of fully empowered organizations: Partnership Accountability Equity Ownership Operational Definitions †¢ Partnership – nursing staff and leadership work together at the unit and system level to move practice forward and achieve the best outcomes †¢ Accountability staff and managers share ownership for the outcomes of our work and are answerable to our colleagues, the institution and the community we serve Operational Definitions †¢ Equity – Integrating roles to achieve outcomes; everyone contributes within the scope of their role as part of the team †¢ Ownership – Everyone must realize that success is linked to how well they do their jobs Shared Decision Making Our Model Professional Advancement Council Administrative Council Safety First C rd oo ina tin g Quality Safety Council Cou ncil Unit Patient Research Evidence Based Nursing Practice Council Great Place to Work Professional Nurse Council Family Community Clinical Excellence Councils Coo Education Council rdin atin g Cou ncil Think of yourself as a Patient APN Council Research Council Financial Strength CCHS Shared Decision Making Councils †¢ Quality Safety Council †¢ Research Evidence Based Nursing Practice Council †¢ Education Council †¢ Professional Nurse Council †¢ Coordinating Council Education Council ï‚ § Collaborates with unit and system councils to identify educational needs, develop educational priorities with appropriate time lines and determine resources for all education impacting the Department of Patient Care Services ï‚ § Disseminates approved educational strategies to unit leaders and support staff ï‚ § Develops and maintains a communication network between unit and systems councils Research Evidence Based Nursing Practice Council ï‚ § Promotes the spirit of inquiry in clinical nursing practice ï‚ § Evaluates the literature in order to use best practices to transform clinical practice at the point-of-care Quality Safety Council ï‚ § Provides planned, systematic and collaborative approaches to oversee and direct quality and safety relating to the nursing process, functions and services provided. ï‚ § The council’s scope includes performance improvement and safety measures throughout the Department of Patient Care Services Professional Nurse Council ï‚ § Works to enhance the professional image of nursing within CCHS and the community ï‚ § Supports the spirit of the professional advancement program ï‚ § Identifies and supports implementation of recruitment and retention strategies Coordinating Council ï‚ § Provides overall coordination of the systems councils. ï‚ § Reviews the system strategic plan and adopts the plan for the Department of Patient Care Services and the nursing Shared Decision Making structure. ï‚ § Serves as the portal for other departments or disciplines requiring assistance with the Shared Decision Making structure of nursing. Problem Solving The Old Way †¢ Problem identified by staff and communicated to manager †¢ Manager may or may not have asked for feedback about solutions †¢ Manager made final decision or had final authority for approving a solution Problem Solving The New Way †¢ Staff identify issues and communicate them to the unit council †¢ Unit council formulates a response and communicates this to staff †¢ Staff provide feedback via the comment form. How Does The New Way Work †¢ Unit Council: ï‚ § Collects Data ï‚ § Develops a proposed plan using evidenced based practice ï‚ § Develops a time line ï‚ § Presents Plan for Feedback (Open Comment) ï‚ § Revises Plan Based Upon Feedback ï‚ § Forewards plan to system council, as needed How Does The New Way Work †¢ Unit Council: ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § ï‚ § Implements Plan Evaluates Outcome Report Results to Unit Staff Seeks staff feedback, formally and informally on council’s performance How Does It Work Problem Solving Methodology †¢ Identify an Issue or a Problem †¢ Gather Data †¢ Design a Solution †¢ Obtain Feedback †¢ Finalize a Proposal †¢ Implement †¢ Evaluate †¢ Report Increased Incidence of Pressure Sores Problem Unit Problem: Unit Council Problem Solving Model Results: Positive Outcomes System Level Practice Research Problem Coordinating Operations Education Problem Solving Model Results: Positive Outcomes Nurse Manager’s Role †¢ Create a climate that is actively supportive and not just tolerant of shared decision making †¢ Facilitate a leaning environment for staff growth and comfort with shared decision making †¢ Support â€Å"release time† for staff to participate in shared decision making activities Nurse Manager’s Role †¢ Share with staff your knowledge of leadership and help staff to minimize implementation barriers †¢ Commit to the â€Å"New Way† Role of Unit Based Council Chair †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Set meetings Develop the agenda Move council to consensus Ensure members participate (per charter) Facilitate group assignments Ensure consensus for decision making Call emergency meetings, as needed Mentor Chair-elect Benefits of Shared Decision Making †¢ Increased Staff Nurse Satisfaction (increased autonomy, increased control over practice, improved communication between nurses, physicians and administration) †¢ Improved Nursing Retention ($90,000 to replace an RN 2006 Advisory Board) †¢ Improved Patient Safety Outcomes Benefits of Shared Decision Making †¢ Improved collaboration and team Building †¢ Improved quality of care and clinical effectiveness †¢ Increased staff confidence, personal and professional growth †¢ Development of new knowledge and skills †¢ Increased professionalism and accountability Requirements for success†¦. †¢ Place the Patient First and focus on providing the best care possible †¢ Trust and respect is essential †¢ Communicate openly and honestly †¢ Embrace change and strive for improvement †¢ Staff and managers hold each other accountable. †¢ Organizational support of accountability in the performance appraisal process Final Thought Shared decision making is a journey, not an event. It is not achieved overnight, and there is no conclusion – no point when it is fully in place. It only provides a foundation for further growth. Tim Porter-O’Grady

Medieval Weapons Essay -- European History

Medieval Weapons Medieval society, in spite of its stereotypes, was not inherently more violent than modern society. â€Å"Although there was no state in the modern sense, and therefore no set of laws that inherently took away the power of the average man or woman to exercise violence, the violence of the day was considered differently, and with out the inherent sense of criminality that accompanies it today. Our understanding of the weapons of the medieval world is skewed by the vast disarming of the â€Å"the civilian† that is taken for granted today, yet is a vastly different situation compared to what existed in many parts of â€Å"the West† as little as seven years ago. Medieval weapons and armor are, for better or for worse, generally considered in light of the knight and the nobility. The nobility, fighting as heavy cavalry, had exerted a tremendous influence on the battlefield. In spite of the pressures brought to bear on the knight by the increased use of the longbow, crossbow, handgun, and pike, heavy cavalry continued to play an absolutely essential role on the battlefield. The 14th-16th century saw great chanteys in weapons and armor, not because they â€Å"evolved† per se, but because they changed to maintain their effectiveness under deferent conditions, as John Clements puts in his book Medieval Swordsmanship â€Å"after all, swards did not get sharper, stronger, or especially more effective after the middle Ages. They did not evolve as guns did to become more accurate, of l...

Poverty in the World Essay

Many third world countries are faced by the challenges of poverty and unproductivity of land. The survival of the people who live in such nations depends mostly on aid from developed countries. There is a fact about the developed countries that needs to be addressed before the aid is delivered to the poverty stricken nations. The developed countries have gained that title due to the fact that they are way too ahead in terms of technology and industrialization. The returns they get from both domestic and foreign trade are redirected on further investment. Incase other nations faced by catastrophes; these returns are used to cover those in need of help. The intervention by these developed nations is a form of quick measures to calming situations down. Back at home, it is funny how the citizens from such nations struggle to make ends meet. Once foreign help is delivered to the nations that are faced by natural, human, or climatic catastrophes the people living in those countries assume that the aid comes from very rich countries. The truth of the matter of foreign aid is that once help is delivered from a certain country be it in form of money or food there are strings attached. If one country demands for help from another, there are possibilities that the national debt of that nation grows. On the other hand, if the help is in form of a donation through the international organizations it is likely that the help addressed the issue at hand and not the future. Going back to the issue of foreign aid and reduction of poverty; two crucial elements come to play. These include the issue being addressed and the type of aid being delivered. Foreign aid is mostly volunteered to suffering nations by developed nations. In other times, organizations and NGOs take responsibility to raise money that can be used to provide for the suffering lot. By assessing the nature of the issue that is being addressed, it can be told whether the form of aid aids in reducing poverty. Looking at the situation at the horn of Africa, the type of help that is being delivered to the starving communities in that region is food and medical supplies. Looking closely at the matter and others similar to that, it will be found out that foreign aid is not a form of borrowed capital but rather a last option. Foreign Aid cannot reduce poverty due to five reasons associated with the problems and the nature of help. First, foreign aid is delivered to rescue and not to prevent; second, it is given when the situation is almost escalating out of proportion; third, nations or parties that require foreign aid are marginalized and the living conditions don’t allow for any form of secondary benefit from the aid; fourth, starvation and disease outbreaks are mostly the problems requiring foreign aid to address the issue quickly; and finally, the nature of aid cannot be invested neither can it be used while other resources are redirected to other activities. The above reasons make foreign aid seem like some form of nutritional therapy’ whose importance is lengthening the period of survival as one witnesses the problems. The US and other nations have been donating relief food and vaccination to African nations and some Asian nations as well for a long time. However, it the aid is form of funds the situation changes from aid to assistance that requires repaying as times advances. Foreign aid d oes not come to the poor in form of basic needs but rather basic rescue. It would be otherwise if foreign aid was in form of compulsory jobs for the poor or mandatory quality education.

Impediments to Logistics Performance

MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND LOGISTICS 2011 Unit Title : International Trade Policy & Practice Unit number : MTL 504 Assignment number : 2 Submission date : 16th October 2011 Student declaration I certify that the attached assignment is my own work. Material drawn from other sources has been acknowledged according to unit-specific requirements for referencing. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦16th October 2011 †¦. Name/Signature of studentDate Introduction: This report critically examines impediments in 5 key areas taken into consideration in assessing the logistics performance of Sri Lanka and methods of overcoming the same as mentioned in the recent survey in determining the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of various countries worldwide. Executive Summary The LPI is a comprehensive index created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in trade logistics performance. The World Bank conducts the LPI survey every two years. The key document for this is the the second edition of Connecting to Compete:Trade Logistics in the Global Economy,which was first published in November 2007. The Logistics Performance Index was based on a survey of operators on the ground worldwide – global freight forwarders and express carriers – who provided feedback on the logistics â€Å"friendliness† of the countries in which they operate and those with which they trade. Sri Lanka’s Logistics Performance Index is 2. 29 and ranked 137. In spite of prevailed security condition in the first ecade of this millennium Sri Lanka was able to lay a good foundation for implementing trade facilitation measure over the years. Typology of Sri Lanka according to Impediments to Logistics Performance Table Trade Related Infrastructure The Pathfinder Foundation says that Sri Lanka’s LPI ranking also reflects logistics-related problems with road and rail infrastructure, including congested road access to the P ort of Colombo and poor trucking and rail services; costs of both trucking and rail exceed those of Bangladesh and India. The railway sector accounts for only about one percent of freight movements in Sri Lanka, and is characterized by a large cost structure. In addition, the report says that the logistics sector has been slow to provide value added services for transshipment through the Colombo port. The Pathfinder Foundation says that the government can encourage this by providing free zones and customs procedures that enable the efficient provision of services. Failure to do this can make Colombo vulnerable to losing market share to Indian ports that are being upgraded; particularly as pure transshipment cargo is foot-loose Sri Lanka needs to advance its export competitiveness by developing its logistics, and plugging into Asian supply chains is of vital importance. Especially with the significant opportunities that lie with Sri Lanka’s close proximity to the South Indian markets of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka needs to become open to such international supply ch ains. Even if she can’t actually attract the companies to set up large plants here on the island, the country can be a part of a model, where some components could be manufactured here and shipped across to bigger plants in other countries for the assembly of finished products – that would be the paradigm shift. Overcoming the impediments the area of trade related infrastructure will play a pivotal role in the increase of the LPI ranking of Sri Lanka. This can be catogorized as physical infrastructure requirements and business processes. The following areas should be considered in priority for this purpose ; 1. Trading through Electronic Documents 2. Introduce online payment of Customs Levy 3. Development of Road/Rail/Canal transport 4. Upgrade Handling Equipments in the Port and increase handling capacity 5. Development of areas within close vicinity to the airport and sea port Quality and Supply of Logistics Services As Logistics is the backbone of trading of goods the quality of trade will depend upon the quality of logistics services available in an economy. There are many factors which affect this. These can be broadly categorised into three areas as people , Process and systems and Physical Infrastructure. Although this can be also inter related with other areas of determinants of the LPI this is an encompassing factor covering all the areas as Quality is a philosophy which embodies all the functions of the determinants of the LPI. In order to set and maintain standards and guidelines in the area all industry related organizations should be monitored by one body which will see to the fact that all these groupings are governed in a way that it will maintain the highest quality standards amongst its members and all stakeholders in the industry are involved in one of these organizations to ensure compliance. These Organizations are as follows ; * SLAFFA (Sri Lanka Freight forwarders Association) * SLACA ( Sri Lanka Air line cargo Association) * SLLPA (Sri Lanka Logistics Providers Association) * CASA (Ceylon Association of Ship Agents) * ACT (Assiciation of Container Transporters) There should be strong recommendations for companies involved in Logistics services to be a member of their respective grouping and also have a minimum number of professionally trained staff from these bodies. This will also facilitate the quality service provision through these skilled employees in this sector. Another important area is to recognize top performing logistics providers by way of introduction of an awards scheme to motivate the companies involved in the industry and to take the industry standards into new heights which in turn will benefit the customers in the long run. There can be benefits obtained also by Interlinking domestic freight forwarders ystems with International Freight forwarders or their agents to provide better info flow to the customers in order to track their shipments through the entire supply chain. Core Customs Modernization This can be identified as the main area of consideration for improvement in affecting the LPI ranking. As mentioned at the beginning of this report the last LPI survey was at the peak of the Sri Lankan war against terrorism. This meant stringent security measures in the country and strict surveillance on all goods that entered the cou ntry. According to the LPI, Sri Lanka’s performance is particularly weak in clearance by border control agencies (particularly customs), logistical competence and ability to track and trace consignments. There has been slow progress in implementing customs reform. Sri Lanka has made less progress than other countries in South Asia, such as Bangladesh and India. There is a strong case for attaching high priority to customs reform, including full use of the ASYCUDA system and development of a computerized system of risk management. Lack of progress in this area place our exporters in a disadvantageous position from competing in time-sensitive markets, thereby undermining the growth and employment prospects of the country. There are many areas to be considered in the process of customs modernization in Sri Lanka which includes the following ; * Round the clock & 365 days work. * Change attitude to understand that the customs is not only regulator but also trade facilitator. * Online cargo clearing. * Abolish age old regulations. * Introduce pre – arrival clearance. * Release goods against guarantees. Post – clearance audit method. * Re introduction of Green Channel – Customs decided implementing green channel for 10% out of identified 75 top importers (Sunday times 04th Sept 2011) * Restrict custom’s activities to main areas such as Border Control /Tariff functions & Inspection. * WTO Guide Lines should be adopted * Take positive steps to eliminate corruption * Introduce an effective review and appeal procedure Methods such as Green Channel and Risk Management should be introduced in order to reduce the clearance time wasted as a result of 100% examination at present. Today all 28,000 TEUs in a month are examined of which 18,000 TEU's are examined at Rank Container Terminal alone. But it was noted that while authorities intend on using an automated system, the industry pointed out that while there are a number of dynamics involved in the assessment of the products a manual check would prove to be a better procedure though. † – Sunday times Integration of Border Management Sri Lanka’s rank in â€Å"Trading Across the Border† is 65 out of 183 which is above the South Asian average but below OECD Average. Regional Facilitation and Transit Drawbacks in Connection with the Logistics Performance of Sri Lanka Sri Lankan shipping officials have questioned the validity of a recent World Bank ranking on logistics that placed the island even below landlocked Uganda, despite Colombo's position as a container transshipment hub. The criticism came at a videoconference discussion connecting audiences in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Washington on trade logistics in the global economy to discuss the findings of the study. Rohan Masakorala, former chairman of the Sri Lanka Shippers' Council, raised doubts about the study and LPI index and questioned whether the research had got it wrong. â€Å"The study's credibility is at stake and [such] findings can seriously damage the country. † It was mentioned that Sri Lankan businesses were concerned about misleading representation in such studies as it could affect foreign investment which the island needed to develop the economy. The World Bank study called the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2007 ranked Sri Lanka at 92 out of 150 countries with a low overall score of 2. 0 out of five, even below India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Singapore was ranked No 1 while Uganda scored 2. 49, more than Sri Lanka, whose Colombo port is south Asia's hub for container transshipment. The LPI consists of both perception and objective measures and evaluates performance along the logistics supply chain within a country, the World Bank said. An USAID study last year had placed the island ahead of other south Asian states like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. An alternative suggestion to be included in the survey was to ask buyers of Sri Lankan exports what their impression is – who buy apparel from different Asian countries The Sri Lankan shippers' council and freight forwarders association were also not consulted in the survey. The following news article from The Daily News with Prominent Shipping Personality Mr Rohan Masakorala also gives many insights into this ; â€Å" Sri Lanka has been ranked 137th in the World Bank released Logistic Performance Index (LPI) for 2009. The country secured the 92nd place according to LPI 2007. The LPI has not given a true picture of the country’s capability and the list and the criteria, and Sri Lanka has been pushed from 92 to 137, it is unfair as the country has an efficient air and ocean shipping sector, Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council former Chairman and Asian Shippers’ Council Secretary General Rohan Masakorala told Daily News Business. The index was arrived at by considering the strengths in rail, road, ocean shipping and air systems in a country. The World Bank team is looking at the overall picture. However, the Shippers’ Council or the freight forwarders have not been consulted for these LPI interviews this time as well. â€Å"They are doing a fundamental mistake by placing sea, air, road, rail and inland waterways in one basket, ignoring the strengths of different countries and territories,† he said. Courtesy – Daily News Another suggestion given in the abovementioned article is that â€Å"The LPI gives a wrong signal to investors and buyers. It could have been agreed upon if the World Bank had a chart separating sea, air, and road and rail rankings and then combining the four against the overall performance with other criteria such as customs practices. Then at least one would see each country’s SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threat). It is not proper to compare a landlocked country and a maritime nation. This is one reason to be critical of the position of Sri Lankas Ranking in the LPI. Furthermore the LPI is one among many comparative rankings globally. Converting the LPI to a ranking out of 100 places Sri Lanka would rank at 88 (137/155). We could compare this with other related rankings as follows Ranking Type| Organization| Ranking| Comparative ranking out of 100| Logistics Performance Index 2009| The World Bank| 137 out of 155| 88| Doing Business 2011| The World Bank| 102 out of 188| 56| Best Container Ports in the world| Containerization International Magazine Year Book 2009| 27 out of all World Ports| Within the top 2%| | | | | | | | Conclusion By analyzing the logistics related performance of Sri Lanka through various trade statistics it can be identified that Sri Lanka as a whole had a comparatively bad year due to the prevailing situation in the country at the time. Reference List 1. Connecting to Compete – Trade Logistics in the Global Economy 2010. The World Bank Publications 2. Export growth: The challenge of poor logistics – Article of e research by the Pathfinder Foundation, Daily News 21st June 2011 3. Doing Business 2011 – Comparing Business Regulation in 183 Economies, a Co Publication of The World Bank and International Financial Corporation. 4. Sri Lanka Ports Authority official website 5. Sunday Times 4th September 2011, Business Section – â€Å"Customs to Open Green Channel for 75 Companies† 6. Daily News 9th February 2011, Performance Index gives wrong signal to investors – Rohan Masakorala 7. Daily News 4th August 2011, ACFA wants Green Channel examination reintroduction 8.

Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle The WritePass Journal

Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle Introduction Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle Introduction1) Initiation2) Planning3) Execution and controlling4) ClosureReference ListRelated Introduction A Project is the combination of organizational resources pulled together to create something that did not previously exist and that will provide a performance capability in the design and execution of organizational strategies (Cleland and Ireland, 2006). Projects have a distinct life cycle, starting with an idea and progressing through design, engineering and manufacturing or construction through use by a project owner. For a project to be successful there are main things which are to be considered always, like the cost of the whole project, time that it’s going to take for it to be complete, the technical performance capability that it’s going to provide and be able to match the results with the design and execution of organizational strategies. This whole process in the other name it’s called Project Management. Project management is an important management tool to implement strategy and achieve an organization’s strategic goals. Organizations are using projects to adapt to changes in the competitive environment including increasing cost pressures, scarce available resources, global competition, new technologies and a race to get products to customers first (Hyvari, 2006). Projects deliver the most benefit when they are directly linked to corporate strategy (Crawford, 2006, Srivannaboon, 2006). Also, Project Management is a continuing process of controlling the development of a project from initial planning, to monitoring progress and finally to seeing the successful completion of the project. Every program, project, or product has certain phases of development known as life cycle phases. A clear understanding of these phases permits managers and executives to better control resources to achieve organizational goals (Kerzner, 2003). As a result, the project manager must learn to deal with a wide range of problems and opportunities, each in a different stage of evolution and each having different relationships with the evolving project (Cleland and Ireland, 2002). In this assignment, I’m going to discuss all the activities that are required and analyse some of the techniques, methods and tools used on the project life cycle. Also, I will discuss the skills and competences that project managers’ needs to possess. At the end, I will talk about the roles played by the stakeholders and the contribution of the computer packages towards the successful running of a major project. a) The Project Life Cycle refers to a logical sequence of activities to accomplish the project’s goals or objectives. Regardless of scope or complexity, any project goes through a series of stages during its life. There is first an Initiation or Birth phase, in which the outputs and critical success factors are defined, followed by a Planning phase, characterized by breaking down the project into smaller parts/tasks, an Execution phase, in which the project plan is executed, and lastly a Closure or Exit phase, that marks the completion of the project. Project activities must be grouped into phases because by doing so, the project manager and the core team can efficiently plan and organize resources for each activity, and also objectively measure achievement of goals and justify their decisions to move ahead, correct, or terminate. It is of great importance to organize project phases into industry-specific project cycles. Why? Not only because each industry sector involves specifi c requirements, tasks, and procedures when it comes to projects, but also because different industry sectors have different needs for life cycle management methodology. And paying close attention to such details is the difference between doing things well and excelling as project managers. Diverse project management tools and methodologies prevail in the different project cycle phases. Let’s take a closer look at what’s important in each one of these stages: 1) Initiation In this first stage, the scope of the project is defined along with the approach to be taken to deliver the desired outputs. The project manager is appointed and in turn, he selects the team members based on their skills and experience. The most common tools or methodologies used in the initiation stage are Project Charter, Business Plan, Project Framework (or Overview), Business Case Justification, and Milestones Reviews. 2) Planning The second phase should include a detailed identification and assignment of each task until the end of the project. It should also include a risk analysis and a definition of a criteria for the successful completion of each deliverable. The governance process is defined, stake holders identified and reporting frequency and channels agreed. The most common tools or methodologies used in the planning stage are Business Plan and Milestones Reviews. 3) Execution and controlling The most important issue in this phase is to ensure project activities are properly executed and controlled. During the execution phase, the planned solution is implemented to solve the problem specified in the projects requirements. In product and system development, a design resulting in a specific set of product requirements is created. This convergence is measured by prototypes, testing, and reviews. As the execution phase progresses, groups across the organization become more deeply involved in planning for the final testing, production, and support. The most common tools or methodologies used in the execution phase are an update of Risk Analysis and Score Cards, in addition to Business Plan and Milestones Reviews. 4) Closure In this last stage, the project manager must ensure that the project is brought to its proper completion. The closure phase is characterized by a written formal project review report containing the following components: a formal acceptance of the final product by the client, Weighted Critical Measurements (matching the initial requirements specified by the client with the final delivered product), rewarding the team, a list of lessons learned, releasing project resources, and a formal project closure notification to higher management. No special tool or methodology is needed during the closure phase. Reference List Kerzner, H. (2003). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (8th ed.). New Jersey: John wiley Sons Inc. Cleland, D.I, Ireland, L.R. (2006). Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 26 Cleland, D.I, Ireland, L.R. (2002). Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 32 Crawford, L., Hobbs, B. Turner, J.R. (2006), Aligning capability with strategy: Categorizing projects to do the right projects and to do them right,  Project Management Journal; Jun. 37, 2; ABI/INFORM Global, pp.38-50 Hyvari, I. (2006), Project management effectiveness in project oriented business organisations,  International Journal of Project Management,  24 pp. 216-225 Srivannaboon, S. (2006), Linking project management with business strategy,  Project Management Journal, Dec; 37, 5; ABI/Inform Global, pp.88-96

Business munication And Peroformance Free Sample

Reflecting on the individual’s growth is very important for learning, understanding, visualizing person identity and also individual research.   In the present group study, prising of five members I have learnt and experienced a number of munication traits and also an in-depth understanding on resolving the conflicts while being in a group of individuals sharing their ideas and beliefs on different articles and the references. While contributing to the group project I had experience of developing my own skills to learning through online tools, materials from textbooks and utilizing the library resources productively. Participating in the team work, contributing and analyzing to innovative ideas and the quantum of knowledge involved in the group enlightened me on how to resolve any issue or disagreement and appear with an appropriate resolution (Danks, 2012). Likewise, such writing assignment also enhanced my writing skills along with others group members ideas as an added ad vantage. Group project has obliged me with a fresh insight to work in a group. The group work has provided me an opportunity to learn various activities as a part of project. It b es easier to work in teams which exhibits involving and derive satisfying participation for the students. I input my maximum involvement while engaging in this project which made me more task oriented and I achieved better satisfaction. Although the group project demand a set of skills and prove to be challenging too (DuPont, 2013). This project helped me to understand how to tackle plex situation and what kind of plexities are involved in such kind of task oriented groups. Earlier, it turned out to be quite a difficult task for me to get acquainted with the teamwork process and utilization of munication skills but eventually this project helped me to develop good judgment with stronger intellect pushing me towards the achievement of the task. Undoubtedly group working enhances one’s skills and brings attention to one’s personality. It gives an idea of opening up to the variety of people, experiencing good as well bad traits, learning new definitions towards achieving goals and ensures an overall growth of the personality (Johnson and Wiggs, 2011).   The best trait I learned with this project is to interact with new kind of people and improve over my munication skills. It helped me develop a skill which I wasn’t sure of. Most importantly it helped me to get organized, meet the deadlines or sometimes even before that, work in union and raise concerned matters if any. Collective working makes the project bigger as pared as working individually (Ellis, 2012). Group activity has developed a sense of helping in me, and I achieved more in less time simultaneously keeping a check on group members and helping them out if anyone is in need. Precisely, the work distribution done fairly and evenly has been of great praise and work done in efficient and on time has proved to be a boon for the group project. The trait which took my attention was passing of ill ments over other members back or over the members being non-participant during the project work. I am a strong believer of putting hundred percent in any project and be sincere towards the group activity. Another thing which hindered was the availability of all the members at one time (Peterson, 2012). It happens that one will be busy when other is free and vice versa. It’s not the same as when an individual can work at its own convenience. Dependency on other group members for their work has also been one of the issues pondered over during the project study. That’s unfair on the part of a person doing its work on time and meets the deadlines and is focused on pleting the task (Atkins and Lowe, 2011). Group projects involve a variety of people which makes it difficult as pared to working individually. It’s like a river-rafting where all members flow in one direction and make efforts in one direction then journey proves to be smooth and easy-going. Similarly in the reverse condition, it b es inconclusive to mence the journey. To ove e such barriers and to have less obstruction in the working of the project, we decided to elect a team leader that would supervise the progress of the project, conclude team meets and resolve the arguments to maintain the consistency among the members. Initially, it seemed to be like a funny decision, but soon its worth was recognized (Iksan, 2012). Being in a group it became evident that all individuals will try to impose their thinking and this would lead to chaos in pleting the activities. I observed that distributing the tasks among the members became a headache and it ultimately lead to over-lapping of the tasks. The difference of opinion resulted in understanding different perspectives. I also acknowledged that at times some members felt left-out and disconnected. Nevertheless, encouragements from the fellow members kept all of us in unison which enabled the coherence in the group. But overall, whenever the conflicts or any such concerned issues arose we collectively made attempts to resolve and also deliver best ou es which we can. During the course of the project we encountered various difficulties, right from finding the appropriate articles to support our task to quote the references for the same. Numerous researches and methods were made applicable to spot the correct articles and the related online sites were also thorough been looked over to get the suitable material. With the help of such available material I concluded my work assigned task and understood the important notes of prising anecdotes. Another major barrier I faced was the time limit. In exploring the various resources of knowledge, and while going through my research, I always felt short of time and this happen to sharpen my speed in meeting the deadlines (Nixon, 2014). Prominently I excelled in pleting the task that summarized and analyzed the context and topic effectively. I managed to deliver better results for the topic and it didn’t majorly exhibit any plexities in pleting the task. Working in a closely related group of individuals benefitted me the most in a fruitful manner. It gave me satisfaction of discovering the new aspects of the relevant articles with the quantum of knowledge shared by every individual. The best thing I learnt from this group activity was to manage the individuals, work with different mindsets, share the ideas and discover innovations through group members and also sincerely dealing with the conflicts that arose during the term (Largo and Johns, 2008). This project enabled the writing, deriving, piling, organizing and publicizing skills in me to critically review on the subject matter. It made me realize that the project explained negative as well positive attributes. Other than organizing and piling of the related information, I also went through scanning, revising and arranging the important points with supportive examples and keynotes. All this pains in understanding the importance of this project developed the writing skills which has left me also in amaze. Concluding part lead to sense of improvisation in the basic skills I required and enhanced my overall personality. Moreover, not only I shoved off my fear of interacting strangers but also made new subordinates to whom I municated broadly, discussed all the matters which tend to be difficult to ove e and conducted all the tasks as a team. I regard this project as a stepping stone towards the understanding of a better knowledge attributes and incorporating some set of skills which I wasn’t aware of. It had been a useful and a learning experience. This assignment delivered various benefits to me which will be helpful to me for the future assignments. This project again refreshed my research skills from which I had been detached recently. Examining the team attributes, experiencing new challenges every day, developing a sense of critical analysis will definitely help me in future projects. Being a part of a group it ignited the skills of leadership, managing people and groomed myself as a part of team. I am sure all the group members also must have experienced the same as I have experienced. With the available resources it has proved to an easy path to contribute maximum in the pletion of the task and also enhance our knowledge with such improvisation. However, there have been areas where certain changes are needed which would help the group to perform better. Availing the related material onsite on time and make sure that the information is passed on to all the group members together. In the future, the group will perform better with such enhanced skills and deliver with more mitment and sincerity. The project has created a new set of understanding and knowledge which has engraved learning in me and confront me with in-depth obligation to deliver more the next time. I would conclude saying that such reflective learning experience not only groomed my writing skills and enhanced my team work experience but it also immersed me in developing a self-discipline behavior as well a spirit of working in a group. Such group projects enabled to accentuate my hidden personality traits and develop those which I could barely think of.    Atkins, S. and Lowe, S. (2011), Agents of change – a call for effective leadership, University of Boston Press, Boston, Mass Danks, W. (2012), ‘The dynamic boardroom municator’, munication Performance Management, vol. 3, no. 3/4, pp. 82-90. DuPont, A. (2013). munication in action – a review, McGraw-Hill, New York. Ellis, S. (2012). ‘Intellectual teamwork: social and technological foundations of cooperation’, Journal of Sociology, vol. 32, no. 6. Iksan, ZH, Zakaria, E, Meerah, TSM, Osman, K, Lian, DKC, Mahmud, SND and Krish, P (2012), munication skills among university students’, Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 59, pp. 71–6, Johnson, R. and Wiggs, P. (2011), ‘Change management--or change leadership?’, Journal of Change Management, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 311-17. Largo, E. and Johns, M. (2008). Sensing of change management – rulemaking for the 21st Century, Swan Page, London. Nixon, D. (2014). munication traits, Manchester, UK, viewed 16 November 2014, . Peterson, H. (2012), Teamwork dynamics, Smithfield Press, New York. Wu, Z. and Xiao, L. 2011, ‘Team builder: a CSR tool for identifying expertise and team strengths’, Allied munications, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 32-47..

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Personal Statement Example I also developed a strong attraction to law, particularly as it pertains to intellectual property, technology and healthcare. My bilingual and bicultural background enables me to more fully consider a problem and to more creatively generate and synthesize solutions. My professional experience in each culture has equipped me to exercise leadership with confident intention and cultural sensitivity. My cultural sense has been enhanced by travel in Europe and the Middle East. In addition to cultural, linguistic and organizational skills, I have gained recognition for persuasive speaking and official leadership in university social, business and law fraternities. A President’s Scholarship recipient and active member of two international clubs, I devote more than 20 hours each semester to charitable causes (Habitat for Humanity, animal refuge, parks). I am comfortable with people from every socio-economic background, and adapt myself appropriately. This has contributed to my strong presence with university faculty and student body. These are some of the critical factors signaling my readiness to study and practice law with a clear mind, mature judgment and social conscience.