What Is the Definition of a Locavore

Locavore is a word often used to describe people who represent or take part in the growing local food movement. But what is a locavore exactly, and what distinguishes locavores from other consumers who appreciate the benefits of locally grown food? A locavore is someone who is committed to eating food that is grown or produced within their local community or region. What Do Locavores Eat? Most locavores define local as anything within 100 miles of their homes. Locavores who live in more remote areas sometimes expand their definition of locally grown food to include meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, honey and other food products that come from farms and other food producers within a 250-mile radius. Locavores may purchase local food from farmers markets, through a CSA (community supported agriculture) that provides local produce to its members, or at one of the growing number of national and regional supermarket chains that now stock a variety of locally grown foods. Why Do Locavores Choose Locally Grown Food? In general, locavores believe that locally grown food is fresher, better-tasting, more nutritious, and provides a healthier diet than typical supermarket food that is often grown on factory farms, doused with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and transported hundreds or thousands of miles. Locavores argue that eating locally grown food supports farmers and small businesses in their communities. Because farms that produce food for local markets are more likely to use organic and natural methods, locavores also believe that eating locally grown food helps the planet by reducing air, soil and water pollution. In addition, eating food that is grown or raised locally, rather than being shipped long distances, conserves fuel and cuts greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming and other climate changes. Do Locavores Eat Any Food That Isnt Local? Locavores sometimes make exceptions in their diets for certain food products that are simply not available from local producers, items such as coffee, tea, chocolate, salt, and spices. Frequently, locavores who make such exceptions try to purchase those products from local businesses that are only one or two steps removed from the source, such as local coffee roasters, local chocolatiers, and so on. Jessica Prentice, the chef and writer who coined the term back in 2005, says being a locavore should be a pleasure, not a burden. And just for the record†¦ I am hardly a purist or a perfectionist, Prentice wrote in a blog post for the Oxford University Press in 2007. Personally, I don’t use the word as a whip to make myself or anyone else feel guilty for drinking coffee, cooking with coconut milk, or indulging in a piece of chocolate. There are things it makes sense to import because we can’t grow them here, and they’re either good for us or really delicious or both. But it doesn’t make sense to watch local apple orchards go out of business while our stores are filled with imported mealy apples. And if you spend a few weeks each year without the pleasures of imported delicacies, you really do learn a whole lot about your foodshed, about your place, about what you’re swallowing on a daily basis. Once upon a time, all human beings were locavores, and everything we ate was a gift of the Earth, Prentice added. To have something to devour is a blessing -- let’s not forget it. Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Rational Expectations is an Aspect of Domestic Policy

Aspect of domestic policy Application of differences in viewpoints analytical captured in figure 2.1 for theories as much as the internal politics of those international relations . ( 86 ) Thus, in their analysis of domestic politics , and national security studies Orthodox tend to stick to the same physical and rational perspective that distinguishes realism at the international level . This work has taken two main forms : Checking individual decision-makers , it was observed more often in times of crisis , and bureaucratic organizations to participate in the process of policy formulation and implementation . State theory implicit in the former state model is rational , as he and the actor, and the theory of politics implicit in the latter is the plurality of bureaucratic red tape or bureaucracy. Critics have questioned the deterrence of these theories implied by invoking in a variety of ways the ideological content of the environment , thus moving to the right along the x-axis . (87) and cognitive biases and motivational weakening of rationality that have attracted attention are , in this view , rooted not only in the orientation process information from individuals, but also in operations symbols and understandings , and worldviews shared by decision-makers and spread all over the community . (88) To the extent that they focus on the effects of collective understandings ( as reflected , for example , in ideologies and policy models ) instead of variables at the individualShow MoreRelatedProblem Set 5 Essay929 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Econ 214 Problem Set 5 1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What impact will an unanticipated increase in the money supply have on the real interest rate, real output, and employment in the short run? How will expansionary monetary policy affect these factors in the long run? Explain. The money supply in an economy is the benchmark by which interest rates are determined. 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Terrorism and Immigration Legal Report Free Essays

As the world’s population grew, so did political and economic instability, as well as major international conflicts. Tensions between countries and cultures tightened, and eventually and inevitably, one of them attacked. This terrorist act brought with it the panic and chaos fuelled haze that was post-911 Australia, and similar to many situations in the past, the fear and vulnerability associated with the community allowed the government quite a substantial amount of political power. We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism and Immigration Legal Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now This atmosphere of fear and ignorance lead to several incomplete and somewhat extreme pieces of Anti terrorist legislation to be passed by the Howard government, in order to ensure the safety of all Australians, or so they said. Dr Mohammed Haneef a doctor working in Queensland on a skilled migrant visa, soon found himself a victim of these laws. When two Indian men attempted to bomb an airport in Glasgow, UK, Mohammed Haneef became a suspect in the eyes of the Australian Federal Police, and was arrested shortly. Several blunders and misinterpretations by the AFP lead to the wrongful detention and charging of Dr Haneef, a man who spent a total of 12 days in detention without being charged and had his visa unfairly revoked during his trial. Haneef was eventually released and all charges were dropped against him, when the Public Prosecutor determined that there was no legitimate trial against him. However, the course of events that Dr Haneef experienced brought to light the glaring dilemmas associated with Australia’s radical Anti Terrorist laws and corresponding government agencies. The Clarke inquiry and concurrent recommendations As a result of the badly handled Mohammed Haneef case, the labour party ordered a full inquiry be conducted into the legal case, in order to identify the key faults and inefficiencies in government agencies and legislation that related to the Haneef Case. This Inquiry was called the Clarke inquiry, conducted by John Clarke, a Supreme Court judge. Despite the inquiry lacking several crucial powers, it worked well to suggest a number of key findings and recommendations. Some very key recommendations that worked toward rectifying mistakes made in the Haneef case were as follows: That the government consider establishing legislation or necessary arrangements that would consequently apply to other inquiries and reviews that involve national security. That parliament review part 1c of the Crimes act 1914, the part that relates to terrorism offences. That the Australian government appoint an independent reviewer of the Australian counter terrorism laws. That the Minister for immigration and citizenship be included in the list for security intelligence notifications and reports produced by ASIO, in order to prevent miscommunication in the future. All of these recommendations and more were implemented and thoroughly elaborated on by the Australian government. Anti-Terrorism laws reformed due to the Haneef case. Following the Haneef case and the Clarke inquiry, the government decided that necessary reforms were in order and announced its intentions to amend and alter several Anti-terrorism laws in order for them to correlate with conventional, sophisticated standards, standards that find a fair balance between national security and civil liberties. The Labour government took a major step in deciding to abolish the sedition terms within anti terror legislation while focusing more on rebellious acts that insight violence. The previous laws were deemed restricting of academic liberty and free speech. Some of the other significant changes listed in a newspaper article include the advancement of individual review of the Australian federal police, the government’s decision to broaden powers assigned to the Inspector general of intelligence and security which allows inquiries to extend across all National security agencies, and the in-statement of an independent reviewer of Australia’s counter terrorism laws, to be named the National security Legislation Monitor. These reforms are a strong representation in the government’s effectiveness in update obsolete or otherwise procedurally dangerous Anti-Terror laws. These changes are the first of many steps in order to find the balance between human rights and National security. Claims for compensation by Mohammed Haneef After the ill handled arrest and charge against Mohammed Haneef and the distasteful cancellation of his Visa, Haneef has finally returned to Australia to claim compensation against the federal government on the basis on his trauma, loss of wages and career, defamation. Despite having an almost iron hard case against the federal government, Haneef opted to first try his best to resolve the manner through a mediation process. A News article reported that Mohammed Haneef’s lawyers were able to reach an agreement with the federal government and rested his claims for compensation, a substantial claim, though the actual amount is undisclosed. It can be seen as a victory for the Mohammed Haneef and the Australian government, whose reputation will be partially restored over the matter. The government chose to make a good decision and provide Haneef with legitimate compensation through very discreet and uncontroversial means, casting little to no negative association to the government. Formal apology from the Federal government Almost immediately following Dr Haneef’s success in claiming compensation, as reported in a relevant media article, the federal government released a document in the form of a formal apology on behalf of the AFP’s several blunders and misinterpretations, which lead to the prolonged detention and charge of Mohammed Haneef. Haneef’s lawyer congratulated the Government for recognising the need for such measures in a formal declaration of innocence, that would help clear Haneef’s name of any wrong doing . The AFP also participated in the assist of Dr Haneef’s claim for compensation, and were eager to rectify its previous hastily made mistakes. The Federal government’s formal apology not only allowed Haneef’s professional reputation be cleansed, but also publicly rid them of any negative association with the controversial court case. Conclusion The politically fueled implementation of Anti-terrorism legislation by the Howard government was a rushed and ineffective endeavor, and despite Mohammed Haneef becoming the victim of such broad laws, his Case, as well as the efforts of the labour government, allowed these radical laws to be reformed to concur with Australia’s legal and utilitarian standards. How to cite Terrorism and Immigration Legal Report, Papers

Write a Proper Evaluation of How Your Organizational Culture Is Enhancing or Obstructing Strategy Implementation. Suggest Changes That Should Be Made to Culture to Enhance Performance. free essay sample

Organisational culture is defined as the ways in which things are accomplished, a pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems (Schein 1992:12). In comparison to earlier times, organisational culture is more in demand and recognised at present (Schein, 1992) due to competition, increased globalisation, diversified workforce and formation of business coalitions. This in turn led to product and strategy innovation; integration among firm’s or industrial units to improve efficiency, quality, speed in manufacturing and distribution of services; introduction of new technologies; international transactions; facilitation of teamwork; and management of the diverse human resource (Collins and Porras, 1994). Sharing of thoughts and experiences with others implies that organisational culture promotes a certain level of stability among the members of the firm’s or industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Write a Proper Evaluation of How Your Organizational Culture Is Enhancing or Obstructing Strategy Implementation. Suggest Changes That Should Be Made to Culture to Enhance Performance. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Econet Wireless organisational culture basically encompasses the values, beliefs and ideas on what the firm’s or industry is all about, how its workforce should behave and how it defines itself in relation to its external environment. It is this firm’s reality that shapes its activities. The organisational culture is reflected in firm’s philosophies, rules, norms, values, climate, symbols, heroes, and almost everything its member do. ‘Culture is one of the most precious things a company has, so corporate culture strength refers to how widely and deeply employees hold the company’s dominant values and assumptions. Thus Econet’s employees across all submit, hold the dominant values that is, pioneering, professionalism and personal. These values are also institutionalized through well-established artifacts, thereby making it difficult for those values to change. Furthermore, this culture is long-lasting; as it can be traced back to Strive Masiyiwa company founder’s values and assumptions Culture is formed by screening and selecting new employees who share the same values as your organization. However, culture evolves, it is not static. Both internal (hiring, staff turnover, etc) and external (technology, competition, etc. ) factors shape Econet wireless culture. Beliefs, vision, objectives and business are compatible with culture. If this is the case, Econet wireless organizational culture becomes a valuable ally in strategy implementation. Organizational culture of Econet wireless has been linked to economic performance and organization viability/success for example, Econet business strategy for the 2010-211 where to: i. Upgrade network infrastructure to offer total world class converged communication solutions ii. Expand network to grow subscriber base to five million over the next eighteen months iii. Consolidate the number one market leadership Thus through its dedicated to continuous improvement, with visionary leaders who ‘walk their talk’ and focus on a set of core values, these strategies were easy to implement since the organizational culture support and evolves around the whole organization as supported by its healthy financially shown by its 2010-2011 annual financial report in which it marginalized $140. million annual profit which shows successful strategy implementation of expanding network to grow subscriber base to five million over the next eighteen months Its Organizational culture has also been shown to be important for successful new product/process innovation and organizational change that is the launch of 3G and broadband and services and evolving of new generation shops showing a milestone achievement in its strategy implementation of upgrading network infrast ructure to offer total world class converged communication solutions Organizational culture of Econet wireless is ‘supported’ by both social/psychological aspects (e. . , stories, symbols, rituals) of the core founder and by some more concrete elements such as power structures, hierarchical structure and control systems (e. g. , financial, measurement and reward systems). As shown by its employees’ Social glue that bonds people together and makes them feels part of the organization experience. Employees are motivated to internalize the organization’s dominant culture because this helps fulfill their need for social identity. This social glue is increasingly important as a way to attract new staff and retain top performers. Econet’s culture of shared belief in practices, norms and other practices within the organization helps to energize everyone to do their jobs to promote successful strategy implementation. For example, Econet wireless culture is built around listening to customers and empowering employees (both authority and responsibility); it promotes the execution of a strategy that supports superior customer service. As revealed through by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe scooping social responsibility award and the inaugural Marketers Association of Zimbabwe Superbrand award ahead of 87 entries in a competition that sought reveal brand market dominance, longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and overall market acceptance Because of organizational culture, staffs and employees of Econet wireless understand the mission, vision, and goal of their present organization. According to individuals, the organization has become employee-oriented and customer-oriented to adjust and cope up to the continuous change in the industry. Thus, according to this, majority of the staffs at Econet wireless undergone special training for the progress of both personnel and organization. It is also revealed that organizational culture enables the company to acquire new skills to enhance effectiveness as a learning oragnisation. It also promotes employee familiarisation with the overall operation of the organization. In other words, organizational culture facilitates the generation of well-rounded employees who are well-equipped and capable of providing newer or better products and services for their customers, resulting to having an effective and competent strategic implementation of the company of consolidating the number one(no. 1) market leadership position has been achieved through: Innovation Econet has been introducing innovative communication products and services since it commenced operations. During the current year Econet launched two ground breaking services – mobile broadband and EcoLife insurance Cost of Services and products Econet has made it possible for the cost of mobile telephony and services to reduce in real terms since mobile became available. The company has used a strategy of increasing availability of sim cards and availing low cost handsets to the bottom end of the market. This has made it possible for the great majority of Zimbabweans to be able to own mobile handsets and access the benefits of mobile telephony Reach Econet has continuously invested in increasing network and subscriber capacity that has made it possible to take on ever greater numbers and thus deepen the reach of mobile telephony services. Social responsibility It is supporting over 60 000 AIDS orphans thru the Capernaum Trust and over 600 students in high schools and the Health sector thru grants to the University of Zimbabwe school of Medicine and support to hospitals and other health institutions, Company growth The company has grown as it invested in the network capacity from a subscriber base of less than one million to the current five 5 million subscriber base. This growth has enable significant contributions to fiscus through VAT, Corporate taxes and customs duties Conclusion With the continuous evolution of the organisational world, a firm’s or industry must learn to adapt to changes and settle for applicable innovations as the way we do at Econet wireless. Indeed, there is no single formula for an organisational culture to succeed. A firm’s or industry’s future has multiple possibilities, thus one must learn to think imaginatively in order to develop and cope with challenges. The challenge then for firm’s or industrys in dealing with firm’s or industrial transitions, is by learning and actively managing change. This in turn, can be facilitated by organisational culture. Hence, in Econet, employees need to be equally empowered. This empowerment results to an increased competence, self-esteem and self-respect, which are very significant to one’s well-being. In addition, generating an environment in the workplace that results in employees feeling better about themselves when they are in it results in love of their work. However every individual has different culture and beliefs that he works with and when he joins an organization that has a completely different culture and beliefs from his own, he should be allowed to internalize himself first with the organization’s culture and values to know whether he can cope with them or not. In cases where an Econet’s culture changes, employees must first of all be notified and made to learn the modification of the old culture as this will affect their performance. And this must be binding on all member and staff of the company as this will encourage uniformity among members of the organization and thus enhance commitment and group efficiency. BIBLIOGRAPHY Colin Gilligan and Richard M S Wilson (2003) Strategic marketing Planning, Butterworth Heinman Collins, J. C. and Porras, J. I. (1994). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: Harper Business. Schein, Edgar H. 1992 (copyright 1985). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Stephen R Robbins and Mary Coulter (2005) Management Prentice Hall India Thomas L Wheelmen and J David Hunger 2004) Concepts in Strategic Management and Business Policy 9th Ed Delhi, India http://www. financialgazette. co. zw/top-stories/6608-econet-scoops-inaugural-superbrand-award. html http://www. techzim. co. zw/2010/12/award-winner-achievements-econe/ http://www. econet. co. zw/eco/index. php? option=com_content=view=43=82 www. slideshare. net/rscalmo/teamcppt18may09 United States Cached http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Corporate-Culture-And-Strategy-Implementation/682688? opic aut. researchgateway. ac. nz/bitstream/10292/192/2/TanY. pdf www. au. af. mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch11. pdf www. icai. org/resource_file/20088ipcc_paper7B_vol2_cp6. pdf www. hkis. org. hk/hkis/html/upload/Journal/jrnl43_0. pdf www. icai. org/resource_file/20088ipcc_paper7B_vol2_cp6. pdf www. au. af. mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch11. pdf classes. bus. oregonstate. edu/winter-06/ba469/Dibrel l/ /irm12. doc http://ivythesis. typepad. com/term_paper_topics/2011/03/mba-dissertation-on-how-organizational-culture-influrence-company-effectieness-a-case-study-of-r-com. html

Basic Facts about a Starfishs Biology and Behavior

Basic Facts about a Starfish's Biology and Behavior Starfish are star-shaped invertebrates that can be a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. You might be most familiar with starfish that live in tide pools in the intertidal zone, but some live in deep water. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: EchinodermataClass: Asteroidea Background Even though they are commonly called starfish, these animals are known more scientifically as sea stars. They do not have gills, fins, or even a skeleton. Sea stars have a tough, spiny covering and a soft underside. If you turn over a live sea star, youll likely see its hundreds of tube feet wiggling. There are over 2,000 species of sea stars, and they come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Their most noticeable characteristic is their arms. Many sea star species have five arms, but some, like the sun star, can have up to 40. Distribution Sea stars live in all the worlds oceans. They can be found in tropical to polar habitats, and from deep to shallow water. Visit a local tide pool, and you may be lucky enough to find a sea star! Reproduction Sea stars may reproduce sexually or asexually. There are male and female sea stars, but they are indistinguishable from one another. They reproduce by releasing sperm or eggs into the water, which, once fertilized, become free-swimming larvae that later settle to the ocean bottom. Sea stars reproduce asexually by regeneration. A sea star can regenerate an arm  and nearly its entire body if at least a portion of the sea stars central disc remains. Sea Star Vascular System Sea stars move using their tube feet and have an advanced water vascular system that they use to fill up their feet with sea water. They do not have blood but instead take in seawater through the sieve plate, or madreporite, located on top of the sea star, and use that to fill up their feet. They can retract their feet using muscles or use them as suction to hold onto a substrate or its prey. Sea Star Feeding Sea stars feed on bivalves like clams and mussels, and other animals such as small fish, barnacles, oysters, snails, and limpets. They feed by grasping their prey with their arms and extruding their stomach through their mouth and outside their body, where they digest the prey. They then slide their stomach back into their body.

Free Online GED Testing and Resources

Free Online GED Testing and Resources We do so much online today that it seems natural to expect to be able to take the GED test online, too. Can you? Nope. There was some confusion when, in 2014, the GED test became computer-based. You now take the GED test on a computer, but not online. Theres a very big difference between computer-based and online. You can find free practice GED tests online in several places, but when youre ready to sit down for the actual test, you need to take it at a certified testing center, in person. The good news is that they are all over America, even in the smallest communities, so chances are very good that there is one near you. Google Adult Education in your town or city, or look it up in the phone book, if you still have one. So what kinds of GED prep resources can you find online? Plenty! Online High Schools - Thumbs Up or Down? Many people choose to attend an online high school. Are they safe? Some are. Youll need to do some serious homework. Its especially important to be sure the school you choose is accredited. What does that mean? Learn why  accreditation is important  before you sign up for any online high school. Online Prep If you just want some help prepping, and arent interested in signing up for a school, there are plenty of places online that offer lessons and practice tests. We list several of them in this article, Free Online GED Practice Tests and Free GED Classes. Remember that most communities, whether small or huge, have literacy councils that offer free tutoring for adults and children in many, many subjects, including GED, English, math, reading, and pretty much anything you need help with. Ask. If you have trouble finding them, check with the local newspaper. Theyll be sure to know. Studying for Your GED at   Home Earning a GED can be embarrassing, so many people choose to study at home, and now that there are so many resources available on the Internet, studying at home is so much easier. We have some tips for you in this article, Ways to Study for Your GED/High School Equivalency Diploma at Home Scams There are a lot of scams out there, and the people running them are pretty heartless. Please do not fall for offers that claim you can take the GED test online. Theyre all scams. They want your money, lots of it, in exchange for a meaningless piece of paper. Dont think employers or schools will fall for these fake certificates. Theyre smarter than that. So you will have lost good money and gotten absolutely nothing in return. Earn your GED the right way and be proud of it. And remember, you must take your GED test at a certified testing center, in person. Find a center near you by going to your states GED website or to the GED Testing Service.

Financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Financial analysis - Essay Example In case of any kind of misrepresentation found in the financial statements, they shall be severely liable for not fulfilling their duties and the responsible individual managers are likely to penalize for not being reliable in dealings with the external parties. The parties such as banks and financial institutions that are interested to provide funds to the firm and other individuals interested to invest in the firm or often require third parties to attest the financial statements served by the firm for reliance in the information provided. External audit firms, investment bankers and underwriting firms, provide these certification services. Various clients are served by these third parties and thus they are strongly interested in maintaining their reputation and credibility with the financial community. The report provided by these third parties serves as reasonable assurance in the true and fair disclosure of information in the financial statements. In case of any discrepancy found in the financial information provided by the firm, the reports on the financial statements shall not be clean. Thus adversely affects the credibility of the firm. In case of any frau (d) Legal Penalties In case of any fraudulent or misrepresentation of information found in the financial statements served by the firm, there are heavy penalties for the persons responsible for the fraud which may lead to even insolvency of the firm. Most juridical laws across the globe have severe civil and criminal liabilities for misrepresentation of financial information. Solution (b) Costs Associated with disclosure The various costs associated with the disclosure of financial statements can be classified as under: Collection and Processing costs Litigation Costs Political costs Competitive disadvantages

Organizational Research and Theory Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organizational and Theory - Research Paper Example Organisations need a combination of some of these resources. If they do not need any other resource at all, human resources cannot be done without. In using various resources, they must be careful so that they use only resources that are of benefit to the organisation. They must also know when some resources are useful and when they are not. Of course, it must be noted that there may be situations in which one has to modify certain resources in ways that will suite one’s organisation. Above all, organisation must always remember that their goals, policies and programmes are important in the determination of how resources are structured. The success of whatever strategy an organisation adopts largely depends on the types of resources available, how profit is maximised and how losses and new resources are managed. As with many things in life, there are resources that are good for some organisation and there are those that are not so good for them. In determining what category re sources belongs to, both the leadership and the management have important roles to play. They must also be able to recognise the impacts have or are likely to have in the advancement of the set goals of the organisation. If perhaps the resources are not performing as expected, they must be able to work out ways in which these resources can be optimally useful. This is because the organisation’s success in the competitive market place strongly depends on the performance of resources. Nature of Organizations and Environment In any organisation, there must be members who of course are human beings. This is exactly what the above quote indicates. The nature of organisations has a lot to do with the nature of human beings in them. The human resources as well as the natural resources found in any organisation have to be modelled into the form that favours the organisation. Humans, as we have been created, are unique. In a similar way, an organisation is unique. This certainly means that it would be almost impossible to come across two organisations that are exactly the same in all respects. In the same light, the environment is often unique, however, it may it may not be as unique as the organisation itself. Whatever the case may be, it must be underscored that the approach adopted by different organisations are largely different, even if the circumstances and environment are quite similar. It must be understood that in any organisation, there are variety of groups ( just as there could be a variety of environments). The groups and the environments are of different kinds, while some are loose, others are unstructured and temporary. Yet they all have a purpose because that is the reason they were set up in the first place. One of the basic unchanging rules of organisational behaviour is that the structure (as well as the environment) determines how members of the organisation relate. Four Stages of Organizational

Alignment of HRM with Business Strategies Term Paper

Alignment of HRM with Business Strategies - Term Paper Example This quality can only be developed when human resource manager is given an active role in the growth and development of an organization. Multinational companies are considered as a pioneer in developing the latest HR system which can benefit the organization. Marriot is one of the well-known restaurant chains working in the USA. They have developed there human resource management systems in such a way that employees are considered as one of the valuable assets of the organization. The contribution of human resource management is an important factor to achieve the desired results for the organization like Marriot. Aruba Marriot believes that employees should be well aware of the role which he or she has to play to the overall productivity of the organization. HR can only be considered as a business partner when the employees know about the strategic direction which has been set by the HR professionals and top management collectively. Aruba Marriot communicates its strategic directions by providing signals within the job description and job specifications. HR professionals at Aruba believe that potential employers can only contribute positively when he has clear direction about where the company is heading in the next five to ten years (Rosenbloom, 2007). The quality of the human resource management function can also be analyzed by looking at the level of positions which are often available within the organization. For example, if an organization keeps on creating new vacancies for its new departments and functions then it can be inferred that the organization is growing and the human resource department is attracting new talent towards their organization. However, if an organization keeps on introducing same vacancies after every five to six months then it can be inferred that organization is not able to retain talented employees or there is some issue with the culture prevailing within the organization. As far as the case of Aruba Marriot is concerned, the orga nization is growing and they are offering diverse positions within the organization so that they can meet the human resource requirement. Some key positions which are often offered at Aruba Marriot include front desk officer, vacation planner, door person, vacation planning coordinator etc. The organization is associated with hospitality services business; therefore the positions available often require extrovert persons to deal with the customers politely. Aruba Marriot is a company of good repute, therefore, the people working at this organization should be well aware of the standards which could be expected from them. The organization has associated itself with well-known health and safety standard union which ensures the quality services provided by Aruba Marriot. HR manuals of an organization also indicate the level of competency and essential skills required by the organization for the effective performance of task, duties and responsibilities (Ghemawat, 2003). There are many interesting job positions offered by Aruba Marriot. As far as my preferred choice is concerned I believe that the job of front desk officer suits the personality traits at which I am good. Extroversion is almost essential in the hospitality services, therefore, I have the right kind of skill to excel in the field of hospitality in general while the job of front desk officer in particular. This job also requires public relation skills, therefore, the contacts which I have developed during my education can also help in attracting potential clients for Aruba Marriot.  Ã‚  

Significance Of The Representation Of The City English Literature Essay

Significance Of The Representation Of The City English Literature Essay In this essay I will be discussing three very diverse texts which will allow me to bring into light a various number of views and interpretations of the city. I will be focusing on D. H. Lawrences Women in Love, T. S Eliots The Waste Land, and finally Virginnia Woolfs Mrs Dalloway. All texts will help me come across the different insights, views and personal feelings towards the city the authors felt. Many of these authors develop their ideas and emphasise on the affects of the city through their characterization, this essay will further help me develop the representation of the city and look into it in more detail. I will focus on a number of areas such as characters, settings, thoughts and views in the texts in order to gain an answer as to what the significance of the representation of the city may in fact be in connection to its authors. As we read on through the poem, Eliot continues to present the Waste Land as a very complex poem; it tackles and confronts a variety of contradictory ideas and understandings. The intended meaning of the poem may come across as something different to both critics and readers; it can in effect be seen as a text that can have a variety of meanings and can be interpreted by anyone in their own ways. The text can be seen as being interpreted through the person and society, or can also be interpreted on a personal note where Eliot may seek to reveal his own feelings and intentions as to why he wrote the poem. The main theme of the poem can be distinguished through the way in which Eliot portrays modern life as a Waste Land. He supports this theme by showing what was wrong with society in the early twentieth century. He demonstrates the lack of faith in the poem through a number of ways; he puts into words the weakness of society by presenting a certain lack of faith, lack of communication , and corruption of life, alcohol and sex. At one point he shows one of the characters saying I can connect nothing with nothing.  [4]  This indicates the character having no faith or confidence in them self; there seems to be no connections and no meanings to her life, it seems to come across as though her life is just a waste. In the text Eliot speaks about the crowdedness of the city many of times. The Unreal city, Under the brown fog of a winter dawn, A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many, I had not thought death had undone so manyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The fast paced text conveys allusions which create a sense of crowding in the city. London is depicted as a very busy city, a place where something is always happening; it is illustrated as being different in contrast to what you would experience in the countryside. The Waste Land creates an unattractive image of London, we feel appalled by the amount of industrialization taking place as the surroundings are described as being encircled by the brown fog. The depiction of the industrialized city can become so shocking and brutal that it can in some ways be seen as a character. Furthermore The Waste Land conveys several distinct images that help to present a deeper meaning to the text. As we read through the poem, we come across the lines Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song.  [5]  This sentence conveys a feeling of sadness and obscurity. This frame of mind is related to the lines that follow which talk about death and sorrow, the mood of the text comes across as very dark and threatening. One of the main points seems to come into light through the portrayal of the River Thames. This river can be seen as symbolising death, it is like a bridge which the dead spirits need to cross over in order to face death. By saying that this person wants the river to run softly before the song ends indicates that this character is near death, and after his story has been said, he will be ready to accept it. Death in itself is a very dark topic in relation to the title of the poem; this passage can be seen as linking the time and the place together before death . The place is shown not to exist in the living world or the dead; it is conveyed as being something which is in between. This area can be seen in many ways as a Waste Land just as the poems title suggests. The Waste Land can be linked to many things in this poem, in this case it can be where the river Thames lays, a place where the living and the dead do not inhabit. The imagery bought across in these lines is very effective in relation to the mood and themes they set in the poem. They give the mood of sadness and mourning which gives deeper meaning to the rest of the text. All the way through the preceding lines after the Sweet Thames, there is a sad mood which flows in the course of the text. As the readers read on in The Waste Land, they get a feeling which indicates that even if they were to read something happy and cheerful in the poem it would still have a dark effect. The imagery of death, sorrow, sadness and gloom is very effective in this case as it allows the poem to set a feeling for the rest of the text. In the Waste Land à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the images and symbols fall broadly into two categories-firstly, images drawn from myth and religion, and secondly, images taken from the common aspects of urban life.  [6]   The modern city in contemporary literature is shown to be very complex in the 20th century. Within literature there are a number of writers who move towards the physical reality of the modern urban life and surroundings; Virginnia Woolf in many ways is a good example of this. In her novel Mrs. Dalloway, we are presented with the citys obscure feelings that link the perception of the two main protagonists together. The characters Woolf looks at are the the centre of life itself  [7]  . On the contrary, D.H. Lawrence has been the most provocative of modernist authors  [8]  , he shows his own understanding of the city as a place of desolation and division. His text Women in Love illustrates London as a corrupted city which is populated by outward characters who can only find their pleasure and happiness in sex, drinking and taking part in criminal activities. Both of these modernistic texts allow us as the readers to identify the different representations of urban life in a chan ging city; we are presented with images of the actual London and the illusory London. Both of these texts can in many ways portray similar themes, feelings and ideas towards the city which The Waste Land has previously been seen to do in this essay. In addition Mrs Dalloway and Septimus are characters in Woolfs novel who capture the passing moments of their lives in a city. Both of these characters are shown to be walking through the city and feeling the liveliness of London. Their responses to the same city symbols vary from one another. Septimus Smith says everything had come to a standstill  [9]  whereas Mrs Dalloway shows us she is amused by the noise and high energy of the city life. The opposing reflections both of these characters present show how their everyday city-occurrences result in a contradictory presentation of the city life; it offers an accurate sense of reality within this way of life. We can see this being present in the novel as Woolf uses free indirect speech. Her form of expression is a good linguistic technique in the novel; it acts as a verbal counterpart to the mental moments of uncertainty within the reality of urban life. In this sense, the contrasting reflections on the same incidents and Woolfs new form of expression result in an overlapping of the characters consciousnesses which at the same time link to images presented in the novel. In D.H Lawrences work on the other hand, traditional language is not enough to show his understanding and feelings towards modernity. The city is illustrated as a complex, and socially diverse place, the new forms of expression are essential in order to work in opposition to the growing sense of isolation. Lawrence is shown to be using repetition in his work in order to bring across the crowdedness and light-headedness of the atmosphere in the city. Birkin says I always feel so doomed when the train is running into London. I feel such despair, so hopeless, as if it were the end of the world.  [10]  The diction Lawrence chooses to use is very interesting to look at, he uses hopeless in different contexts and repeats himself in order to bring across Birkins emotions towards the city. We can say that the actual meaning of the diction he dec ides to use may in fact change and be a connection to the modern city and environment where it bears a resemblance to the new time of order and effectiveness. The characters in Women in Love are shown to undergo different experiences and feelings in relation to the modern city, for example they are shown to feel misery and corruption in the text. Lawrence brings across the unattractiveness of the urban and industrial city and establishes the citys mentality into the minds of the miners. As a result, he creates a perfect, inhuman system of machines, where the miners begin to deny their humanity in feeling satisfied to belong to the great and wonderful machine, even whilst it destroyed them  [11]  . There is a lot of depiction of the state of mind in Women in Love; Woolf also brings across this mental absorption of the citys characteristics through the characters she presents in Mrs Dalloway. Doing everything on time and being exact is something which is part of most modern minded people, this is symbolised by the way in which time is shown on Big Ben in the novel. Virginia Woolf presents the city as a physical place presenting the menta l state of mind of the characters. For Mrs Dalloway à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦silence falls on London; and falls on the mind  [12]  , this in many ways indicates a deep connection between the inner thoughts and emotions and the outer world. Septimus consciousness reflects the understandings of the outer world. He did not want to die. Life was good.  [13]   There are many ways in which we can see that the link between the city and the mental life is illustrated through the character of Peter Walsh. On one hand Peter suffers from the loneliness in London as he feels a strangeness of standing alone, alive, unknown, at half-past eleven in Trafalgar Square.  [14]  However he also uses this feeling to keep track of the young woman before she is lost in the city crowd. Peter chasing the young woman may in fact symbolize the change of social behaviour and interactions between the two sexes within the restrictions of the city. In Women in Love a new directness regarding sexuality is presented as a consequence of the changing cultural environment in the city. Alcohol and sexual excitement are presented as the main occupations of the Pussum and the other residents of the flat. Although Gudrun regards London as a foul town, it is within the urban city where her new understanding of art is recognized. In the flat, a weird number of modernist wo rks of art and influences are shown to symbolise the directness to non-traditional art. Within this environment of the modern city, we are presented with the Brangwen sisters as having much better chances to live their eminent individual personalities than within the well-known closeness of urban Beldover. Although Birkin and Gudrun detest the masses, Mrs Dalloway looks at the small crowdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace  [15]  from the distance it becomes striking and beautiful. It is the sense of an endless society and quality which attracts Woolf, Lawrence nonetheless is shocked by the crowds single mindedness. It is interesting to note that the characteristics of the crowd are not obvious for all citizens of the city. In conclusion we are able to identify the significance of the representation of the city in all three works by Lawrence, Eliot and Woolf. There are many different modernist representations of the city which come across in all three texts. What T.S. Eliot pictures as an isolated, distressed area, is in fact for Virginia Woolf a symbolic landscape of life and vibrancy, and for D.H. Lawrence an urban area of despair. All three diverse understandings and ideas of the city are reflected in the characters presented in the texts by the modernist authors. For this reason we are shown how Mrs Dalloways consciousness presents an optimistic image of the city, which is contrasted by both Birkin and Gudruns negativity. On the other hand, we do not only get the general approach of the presentation and its significance, the authors are shown to be expressing their personal and individual understandings and views of the city. The citys attitude of precision is symbolised within Geralds modernization of the coalmines which introduce the perfect inhuman machines to Beldover. Exactness can also be found in the strikes of Big Ben in Mrs Dalloway. Furthermore, in Mrs Dalloway the cities characteristics are mirroring the state of mind of the characters and give therefore another perspective of the urban landscape. In addition, Lawrences and Woolfs new modernist techniques of expression have the ability to cope with the progressively altering conditions of modernity within the city life. Woolfs free indirect speech gives a full meaning and insight into the awareness of the characters, therefore giving them a much better and accurate understanding of their own individual views of the city. Lawrence uses repetition in his language in order to improve his conventional understanding of particular terms and provides the city with new characteristics. As a result, the individual and subjective experiences of the authors offer a complex and deeper picture of the reality and unreality of a w eak city. WORD COUNT: 2732

The Fate of Prometheus Essay -- Prometheus

The Fate of Prometheus â€Å"Ah me, alas, pain, pain ever, forever! / No change, no pause, no hope! – Yet I endure† (I, 23-24) – such are the words of Prometheus, when in desperation and overwhelmed by emotion, his thoughts dissolve in sheer agony and turn to himself, away from the Mighty God whose â€Å"ill tyranny† has nailed him to the â€Å"eagle-baffling mountain† (I, 19-20). In his essay, Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary, Northrop Frye observes that â€Å"pain is the condition which keeps Prometheus conscious† (96), because in reflection, he is confronted with himself, and his sense of self and being. But he is quick to call once again on the â€Å"cruel King† (I, 50), who has sentenced him to his fate, after begging the natural world to hear his cries and not punish him, no longer to injure his bones by â€Å"burning cold† (I, 33) the chains that bind him or let â€Å"Heaven’s winged hound† (I, 33) feed upon him. His word s echo his earlier sentiment, found in Aeschylus’ work, where he mourns himself, as a â€Å"spectacle of pity† (14) who must suffer the â€Å"disease of tyranny (13) . In his quest and the earlier part of his imprisonment, Prometheus still longed to engage and relate to the Olympian, as â€Å"a counterpart of himself† (Frye 96), as one god contesting with another for power over and influence on the world. This struggle resulted in the imprisonment of Prometheus, because he craved to incite a revolution, where he desired not to transform the degenerate system of Jupiter but overturn it. Frye reminds us that â€Å"Jupiter’s real impetus is toward chaos rather than order† (96), as understood through the initial conversation between Prometheus and the Earth, where he identifies her as a â€Å"living spirit† (I, 139) but she is fearful of that description... ...wer-hungry and egotistical spirit-self within him, which had fastened him to the rock, the altar on which the Priest-King Jupiter had punished him without relief with the power given him. In freeing his true self, Prometheus recognizes the eternal truth that his being was never bound. Works Cited Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. 7 Famous Greek Plays. Ed. Whitney J, Oates and Eugene O’Neill Jr. New York: Vintage Books, 1950. 5-42. Frye, Northrop. Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary. A Study of English Romanticism. New York: Random House, 1968. 87-124. Kierkegaard, Soren. Sickness Unto Death. A Kierkegaard Anthology. Ed. Robert Bretall. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1962. 339-371. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Prometheus Unbound. Shelley’s Poetry and Prose. Ed. Donald H. Reiman and Neil Fraistat. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2002. 206-283.    The Fate of Prometheus Essay -- Prometheus The Fate of Prometheus â€Å"Ah me, alas, pain, pain ever, forever! / No change, no pause, no hope! – Yet I endure† (I, 23-24) – such are the words of Prometheus, when in desperation and overwhelmed by emotion, his thoughts dissolve in sheer agony and turn to himself, away from the Mighty God whose â€Å"ill tyranny† has nailed him to the â€Å"eagle-baffling mountain† (I, 19-20). In his essay, Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary, Northrop Frye observes that â€Å"pain is the condition which keeps Prometheus conscious† (96), because in reflection, he is confronted with himself, and his sense of self and being. But he is quick to call once again on the â€Å"cruel King† (I, 50), who has sentenced him to his fate, after begging the natural world to hear his cries and not punish him, no longer to injure his bones by â€Å"burning cold† (I, 33) the chains that bind him or let â€Å"Heaven’s winged hound† (I, 33) feed upon him. His word s echo his earlier sentiment, found in Aeschylus’ work, where he mourns himself, as a â€Å"spectacle of pity† (14) who must suffer the â€Å"disease of tyranny (13) . In his quest and the earlier part of his imprisonment, Prometheus still longed to engage and relate to the Olympian, as â€Å"a counterpart of himself† (Frye 96), as one god contesting with another for power over and influence on the world. This struggle resulted in the imprisonment of Prometheus, because he craved to incite a revolution, where he desired not to transform the degenerate system of Jupiter but overturn it. Frye reminds us that â€Å"Jupiter’s real impetus is toward chaos rather than order† (96), as understood through the initial conversation between Prometheus and the Earth, where he identifies her as a â€Å"living spirit† (I, 139) but she is fearful of that description... ...wer-hungry and egotistical spirit-self within him, which had fastened him to the rock, the altar on which the Priest-King Jupiter had punished him without relief with the power given him. In freeing his true self, Prometheus recognizes the eternal truth that his being was never bound. Works Cited Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. 7 Famous Greek Plays. Ed. Whitney J, Oates and Eugene O’Neill Jr. New York: Vintage Books, 1950. 5-42. Frye, Northrop. Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary. A Study of English Romanticism. New York: Random House, 1968. 87-124. Kierkegaard, Soren. Sickness Unto Death. A Kierkegaard Anthology. Ed. Robert Bretall. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1962. 339-371. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Prometheus Unbound. Shelley’s Poetry and Prose. Ed. Donald H. Reiman and Neil Fraistat. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2002. 206-283.   

Recasting the Role of the Ceo Essay

In the case study, â€Å"Recasting the Role of the CEO†, Vineet Nayar, Nayar used messaging to communicate to his employees while focusing the organization’s efforts on creativity and innovation, that address change and the adaptive challenge. He was responsible for preparing the firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future by fostering innovation and creativity through effective messaging. He was able to accomplish this by implementing a portal for the employees called â€Å"MyBlueprint†, and also my merging with a company called AXON. Different Ways Messaging Was Used  Instead of holding a live Blueprint meeting, HCL decided to have all three hundred of their managers record their business plans, which would then be posted on the MyBlueprint portal. Once all of the business plans were posted, they’d be open for review by another eight thousand HCL managers. The idea was to transform the planning process into a peer-to-peer review rather than a top-down judgment. (Nayar, 2010). After reviewing a few recordings, Nayar noticed the plans improved and were more efficient because the managers knew they would be reviewed by a larger number of people than in previous years. The managers were more honest in their assessment of current challenges and opportunities, and they talked more about the actions they would take to accomplish certain goals, as opposed to, what they hoped to accomplish. (Nayar, 2010). This internal messaging of the MyBlueprint portal had a huge impact on the future and innovation of HCL, because it allowed for employees to help each other and point their colleagues toward a recording that might be useful to them. Many of the employees within departments were able to discuss their futures with a better understanding of what’s required of them, and it allowed for the managers to make new connections with one another. Comments were posted about strategies being used, and that provided the managers with new perspectives and ideas. When new employees were hired, they had a place they could go to learn what the team was trying to accomplish and why. (Nayar, 2010). Everyone at HCL felt they were a part of the thinking and planning process. When HCL merged with Axon, Nayar used the concept of sharing responsibilities with the employees and business units in this merger. Nayar understood that acquiring AXON was going to strengthen HCL and help them to grow faster, because they were the largest and most successful independent SAP consulting company. Nayar didn’t force AXON to integrate into HCL’s organization, because he was well aware of HCL’s weaknesses so he only merged HCL’s SAP organization into AXON. (Nayar, 2010). By doing so, this allowed for HCL AXON to become extremely successful and the company experienced a great deal of growth in nine months. After seeing the positive results and advantages of the merger, the HCL AXON leadership team ended up running many other parts of HCL. Also, since Nayar continued to use the â€Å"Employees First, Customer’s Second† approach with this merger, they were able to acquire four more successful acquisitions in that year alone. (Nayar, 2010). External messaging was used by proposing this acquisition deal with AXON to plan for a better future for both companies. This allowed for AXON to leverage HCLT’s brand, customers, solutions, and innovations amongst other things. Effectiveness of Internal and External Communication When the company decided to have the managers record their business plans, it enhanced innovation and creativity on all levels. It gave the managers an opportunity to really analyze the challenges they faced on their teams, and to come up with realistic solutions as to how they’re going to solve them. It also gave them the opportunity to come up with realistic goals and solutions for their teams. The flood gates of creativity opened due to the recorded plans, because everyone had the opportunity to view them, so it llowed for different insights on strategies that were currently being used, and opinions on new strategies that could possibly be beneficial to the teams. â€Å"By involving the employees and giving them more power, choice, and information, they begin to believe that they can influence different situations and their outcomes. † (Hickman, 2010). The messaging was also very affective with the HCL AXON merger because HCL was successful before they acquired AXON, but once they merged, that made HCL’s brand stronger and allowed for innovation. The HCL AXON leadership team was so effective; they took charge of running many other parts of HCLT businesses after nine months of the acquisition. The merger generated such powerful results that four more successful acquisitions were completed in that same year. Effectiveness in Using Messaging to Prepare the Firm, its Members, and Stakeholders for the future Nayar was very effective in using messaging to prepare the firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future. The internal and external messaging was very affective for HCL in both cases. It proved that when a CEO focuses less on governing and more on enabling, the executive can accomplish much that might otherwise have been too risky to undertake. (Nayar, 2010). When the managers at HCL were required to post their business plans on the MyBlueprint portal, this was a form of workshop that allowed for all of HCL’s employees to be involved in, and discuss challenges and solutions that can be put into action. This also created a deeper understanding of each teams projects/tasks and how they fit into the overall objective of the organization. The managers now feel as though they have a sense of direction and they have the support of management as well as their peers. By using this form of messaging, it encourages the employees to communicate with their team members. Nayar was also effective with external messaging in reference to acquiring AXON. By acquiring the largest, most successful independent SAP consulting company in the world, this strengthened HCL and it allowed for them to grow. This acquisition prepared their employees, customers and stakeholders for the growth opportunities that were about to take place, whether it was internally or externally. Conclusion: Nayar had a responsibility to prepare his firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future. He was successful at this by fostering innovation and creativity through effective internal and external messaging. He found a way to communicate to the employees through a portal called â€Å"MyBlueprint†, which promoted innovation and creativity through an abundance of feedback from the organization. And he acquired a company called AXON which propelled HCL’s brand to new heights, and allowed for lots a growth and new business.

Why Great Leaders Should Be Great Writers

Why Great Leaders Should Be Great Writers Much has been written on the qualities of a good leader. Top-10 lists from leadership gurus and online articles generally offer characteristics such as influential, passionate, dedicated, disciplined, and great communication skills (to name a few) as the most valued qualities a leader can demonstrate. However, not all these lists touch on one of the most important qualities of a great leader, which is being a great writer.Theres a reason why degree programs across a variety of fields require extensive writing- writing is an essential skill in the business world. Equally, there are several reasons why leaders should focus on honing their writing abilities, especially if they want to build their personal brand as someone who knows how to lead and lead well.As a leader, youre likely writing a lot. It simply comes with the territory in most management or leadership positions. Whether its a quick memo or a larger thought leadership piece to be published in the company newsletter, every wo rd you write will reveal something about your character. So lets discuss how this happens and the reasons why to hone your writing skills even more if you are in a leadership role.Leaders are influencers and good writing influencesPhoto by Helloquence on UnsplashYouve likely often heard the adage, The pen is mightier than the sword. While this proverb was written in reference to a free press being more important than political violence, it holds true for other facets of life as well.Good writing can be enormously influential. It can sway hearts and minds, it can clarify points that were unclear, it can rally support for a cause, and it can bring people together with an inspiring message. As a leader, being able to do these things through your writing is crucial if you want to gain the type of respect and devotion great leaders need to get things accomplished.Particularly if a company is experiencing quick growth, sharing your vision and strategy through writing ensures that everyone is on the same page with a shared mission for the future. While writing doesnt replace face-to-face conversation, it can offer leaders a valuable way to connect with employees and relate information that is personalized to a particular department or initiative.Another reason leaders should be producing thoughtful, well-written content is that it allows them to be influencers within their industry, as well. Trade journals, industry magazines, online forums and many other publishing opportunities are available to push written content and build your brand as a thought leader and expert in your field.Leaders should model great communication skillsPhoto by Lubo Minar on UnsplashRonald Reagan, John Kennedy, Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr.- some of the greatest leaders in history have also been great communicators and writers. Being able to speak comfortably (and write the same) to any audience is the mark of a leader who understands the importance of their position and doesnt take it lightly.And leaders like these also understood that every word spoken (or written) could have enormous consequences. Therefore, every word must be chosen with care and concern that seeks to avoid miscommunication or misunderstandings within an organization. As Mark Twain wrote, The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.Another mark of modeling these communication skills is when leaders are able to successfully communicate with people on their level. Whether this is speaking to employees, members of a board, leadership team peers, or another organization- finding the right words and expressions to connect with others is crucial to maintaining the kind of respect a leader needs to maintain to effectively lead others.Leaders should demonstrate creativity and passion- both can be done through writingPhoto by Ian Schneider on UnsplashSteve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, once said, You have to be burning with a n idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If youre not passionate enough from the start, youll never stick it out. He also practiced what he preached. According to this article, Steve Jobs passion and creativity not only helped found Apple- it moved the company into wildly unpredictable success through his constant push for new gadgets and fresh ideas being brought to life. Jobs was, above all else, creative in his pursuit of new technology and this became evident from his earliest leadership role.One of the easiest ways to demonstrate this level of passion and creativity is through writing. Something as simple as a company newsletter with articles from thought leadership circles allows employees to see the level of passion their leaders have for the organization and their role in it. Building on this, leaders can show their creativity through discussing ideas of future growth or changes while asking for feedback from others in the process.Leaders should be trusted an d poor writing/grammar decreases thatPhoto by Bernard Hermant on UnsplashWhen your writing is full of grammatical errors, poor word choice, confusing structure, or spelling issues, your audience will not take you as seriously- its a simple fact about human nature. This is especially true for leaders, who need to maintain integrity in their work, communication, and role as an influencer. Leaders work hard to build their image. They want to be seen as capable and trustworthy, especially in a time when there is a general lack of trust in leadership among employees. A lack of employee trust due to a leaders poor communication skills (whether written or spoken) can sow seeds of doubt in the leaders ability to do his or her job effectively.What to do (and what to avoid)Now that you understand the reasons why great leaders should be great writers, lets break it down into some best practices to follow, along with mistakes to avoid. These rules pertain to writing that is made public (or at l east available to everyone in the company), such as newsletters, online forums, industry publications or website content.As a leader, your writing should†¦Be positive, encouraging, hopeful and inspiring. These qualities make people want to read what you have written because they like to be uplifted and inspired.Be tactful. Sometimes choosing the right word can mean the difference between your writing coming across as disparaging or encouraging.Model the attitude and philosophy of your company, organization, or brand. As a leader, you are the voice of your company or department. Make sure that voice reflects well on your business.Be well researched, without inaccuracies in statistics or facts presented.Your writing should not†¦Include public shaming or fault-finding in others. This sort of negativity in purpose will only do more harm than good, in most situations. If there is a problem to address, it is often best handled through face-to-face conversation with the parties i nvolved.Have any grammar, syntax, punctuation, or spelling errors. As mentioned earlier, these types of easily avoidable mistakes can affect a leaders reputation negatively. With online editors available and many offering 1 to 2-hour turnaround times for projects, theres really no excuse to publish writing containing these errors.Include quotes or references to others work without proper citation of the source material.Above all, keep in mind that developing your skills as a writer isnt something that can happen overnight. Continue to learn best practices as a writer and expert in your field, and youll find that your writing will improve (along with your leadership skills).

Delivering a Killer Dissertation the First Time Around

Delivering a Killer Dissertation the First Time Around Writing your masters thesis or doctoral dissertation is quite an undertaking with a long checklist of important characteristics to include to make yours a truly well done paper. In fact, there are five key areas to watch to assure your paper turns out a succinct and scholarly work:StyleFormatting and layoutQuotations, citations and referencesHeadingsGrammar, spelling, punctuation and other writing issuesNow youre stylinFirst and foremost, use what your school gives you. Most departments have some sort of general style guide, or at the very least, a checklist of points to model your dissertation after. The very thorough departments have whole dissertation handbooks, as well as sample paper templates and more. Dont just throw these at the bottom of a pile or never download them. They are quite valuable to you. Yes, it may make for a bit of laborious reading at first, but getting the margins, fonts, spacing and general style right the first is definitely worth the effort, as it will sav e you valuable time down the road.Whats more, get your own copy of the style guide your college recommends you follow for writing. A great deal of dissertations follow the APA Publication Manual (but not all do, so check in your dissertation guide/handbook to be sure). Yes, its another $20.00 you dont have to spend, but this guide is absolutely essential if youre writing a dissertation. Its a small price to pay for the peace of mind of being able to look up some questionable fact at 2 a.m. when youre revising your paper for the third time on deadline.Proper formatting and layoutNow that you have the two most empowering things to get you on your way to writing a great dissertation, its a matter of using them. Some people get caught up in the details and cant do a bit of writing until they know every little ounce of knowledge there is to know about how to write their dissertation properly. Others just jump right in and start typing, completely ignoring meaningful characteristics like margins, fonts, formatting and proper citations. To be a success the first time around, you need to land somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.That is, by all means you should open a document and make sure you have the margins, font type and font size set properly. You should know to have only one space between sentences. And you should also be sure your header or footer is properly formatted and has the required combination of words and numbers in it that your institution requires. But dont get so hung up on the details that you cant make strides in substantial writing of the document as well.Quotations, citations and referencesIncorporating the vital components for quotations and citations in your dissertations style is another key to a successful paper from the start. You must know how to properly cite an author within the text of your paper, with or without a direct quote. Also know how to format a longer quotation within the text. Dont just copy reference listings from other sources and assume they are correct in the style your paper uses. The three key references writers typically use most are a book, a journal article and a Web source. Do know how all three of these should look in your papers chosen style. The other odd exceptions you can look up when needed, but you will save yourself a world of time by committing these three types of references to memory.Heads up on correct headingsLikewise, knowing the correct way to format the levels of headings throughout the text are imperative. Most writing styles have anywhere from two to five heading levels that are typically used. Based on the style used (MLA, Chicago, APA), the heading placement differs from the center of page, left justified or at the start of an indented paragraph, and appearing in plain text, italicized, all capitalized first letters or just a capital on the first letter of the first word.Grammar, spelling, punctuation and other writing issuesNaturally, your professors expect a dis sertation that is free of grammar mistakes, loads of misspellings, misplaced or altogether missing punctuation and other marks of poor writing. In fact, some of the most commonly forgotten- but inevitably frowned upon by dissertation committees and advisors- are anthropomorphisms and personification issues.Anthropomorphisms and personification occur in writing when human qualities are given to something that is not human. For example, the sentence, The study examined five different dog breeds, is personifying an object, the study, which cannot truly examine anything. However, the researcher performing the study can. Therefore, a better and correct way to write the sentence would be, In the study, the researcher examined five different dog breeds. Another common habit of some writers is giving this same sort of human quality to an organization. For example, these sentences both present anthropomorphisms:The company mandated a 10% raise for all employees.The Department of Defense orde red an increase in troops.Correcting such personification is simple- a human element of the organization needs to be added. For instance,The leaders of the company mandated a 10% raise for all employees,Officials at the Department of Defense ordered an increase in troops.As you can see, its not rocket science to correct this often-made writing mistake, but it definitely makes for easier editing (and less criticism from ones dissertation advisor) when its handled as one does the writing, rather than having to correct multiple occurrences throughout the paper later.

Trip Report to Saint John Market Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trip Report to Saint John Market Place - Essay Example On docking at the harbor, one is welcome by several volunteers dressed in traditional regalia who hands out the Canadian flags, buttons, and stickers. This kind of warm welcome into the city of Saint John makes one develop the feeling of being at home. First timers like myself are made to feel like they are in a different world altogether. The town is also famous for its several attraction sites that visitors can explore as tourist attraction. One such is Saint John market, which is regarded as the centerpiece of uptown. My visit to the market revealed it all. The market is the heart of the vivacious and booming uptown shopping community. The City market has a lot of significance to the town in terms of tourist attraction and shopping market. Local from the greater Saint John region visit the market in their number due to its peculiar atmosphere of tradition and history. In this regard, the market acts as a special place where local can gather with families and friends and engage wit h the community at large. By the time a visited the town, I was amazed by the kind of atmosphere and the numerous activities that takes place in the market. In fact, the market is known as a hub of activity especially during special accessions and weekends when locals visit to the market for shopping and leisure. ... In fact, the market caters for the needs of very many cultures. This became apparent from the fact that the market has several restaurants in the market that serves different cultural cuisines such as the Chinese, Turkish, French cuisines. For instance, I got the opportunity to visit the Shaworm restaurant, which serves the Turkish cuisines. The Saint John Market also serves as a leading tourist attraction site in the greater Saint John region. Visitors from all over the country and beyond are drawn to the market by its peculiar of state-of-the-art, lively and contemporary market operating in a clean and tidy environment, and a historically significant building. The City Market offers an environment where tourists can relax and enjoy a unique shopping and dining experience. In addition, visitors to the market are able to explore and stroll around the market to observe the history of this extraordinary landmark by having a look at the interpretation stations, which are found, througho ut the market that narrates the story of the market in both words and picture. As earlier mentioned, the market is characterized by a flurry of activities aided by the strong local trade. This makes the market very appealing to visitors of the market. Just as at the harbor of the city, the market is also very hospitable and has merchants and local customers who are very welcoming. In fact, during my visit to the market, I received a warm welcome by a certain merchant in the market called John who owns a shop where sealing of the locally manufactured maple syrup takes place. Apart from just welcoming e to the market, John also taught me few new business skills, including how best to cater for the needs of different people from different parts of the world. In

Ways in which contemporary art history engages with issues of Essay

Ways in which contemporary art history engages with issues of difference in class, power, culture, etc - Essay Example The paper "Ways in which contemporary art history engages with issues of difference in class, power, culture, etc" discovers the history of contemporary art and the issues it engages. Class has developed a number of issues when it comes to art. A class is a category of individuals having some properties in common differentiated from others by kind or quality. It means people that have been bound by similar setting different from others giving them a distinct difference from others and collectively showing similar behaviours also inclusive of their social status. In this light, a class can include religious class, social class and also a political class. In recent past, religious class grasps to ideas that favour their mannerism and whatsoever most of them would be conservative of their ways. Art mostly includes creatively displaying imaginative ideas that, for instance, may involve drawing, carving or coming up with expressions such as nude figures or distorted ones that would collid e with the values of a class engulfed in religion. Truly enough, a state entitled or having a Muslim or a Christian following would largely condemn art involving nude figures as it seems to be a violation of their religious exposure. A class that is more influential would favour or hamper art development as they would have the final say to nail the idea or exalt the idea. The political class would be cautious to tread in the ways of their subjects especially in a society that practices democratic election.

MSc Strategic Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MSc Strategic Accounting - Essay Example Due to the fact that the strategic costing technique firmly implies long-term future oriented attributes, it can facilitate the organisations to reduce different types of accounting uncertainties (Cadez & Guilding, 2008). Critical Review of Literature With respect to the significance of the strategic costing, Cadez (2008) has mentioned that the notion of strategic costing has become a widely used technique for the organisations in case of proactively performing their range of accounting practices. In relation to the present fiercely competitive scenario of the global business environment, the organisations seek to integrate well-built Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) techniques in order to efficiently attain their strategic goals (Cadez, 2008). Contextually, it has also been found from the study in Qucosa (2006) that the concept of strategic costing constitutes a broad focus beyond the notion of controlling or reducing organisational costs associated with its range of business o perations. Moreover, the nature of strategic costing also encompasses cost information which is significantly recognised as one of the major attributes of making exceptional organisational decisions. In this regard, the study of Qucosa (2006) has further depicted a conceptual framework with respect to the major characteristics of strategic costing. Fig: Concept Strategic Cost Management (Qucosa, 2006) Philosophy: The philosophy of strategic costing can be considered as one of the major attributes which ensures to improve revenue as well as cost of the organisations. The concept of strategic costing significantly emphasises upon enhancing organisational productivity, capitalising in terms of profit enhancement along with augmenting customer satisfaction (Qucosa, 2006). Attitude: The concept of strategic costing constitutes a proactive attitude which ensures to encompass all the costs associated with the organisational processes that result from the management decisions. In this regar d, the attitude of strategic costing involves six important elements such as holistic nature, market orientation, anticipatory approach, continuousness, participative and cross-functional attributes (Qucosa, 2006). Techniques: Techniques can be recognised as the major attribute that exists within the concept of strategic costing. The concept of strategic costing firmly involves reliable techniques that are implemented by the organisations in order to accomplish their desired goals or obtain overall needs (Qucosa, 2006). The notion of strategic costing can also be considered as an effectual curriculum for the organisations. In accordance with the viewpoints of Banerjee (2006), it has been revealed that an effective practice of strategic costing tends to facilitate the firms to frequently analyse and recognise their major cost drivers, thus helping them to minimise costs and increase the overall value of the firms. Such types of management accounting programme plays a vital role for t he organisations in terms of preparing budget parameter as well as it also facilitates

Effective Communication in Building Relationships Essay Example for Free

Effective Communication in Building Relationships Essay Communicating effectively is the most important aspect of any relationship. In all venues the way we communicate can determine if that relationship will be successful, this is certainly true in an intimate relationship, but just as important in business relationships, friendships, and familial relationships. Relationships are defined by how we communicate, and how effective we are at getting our message out, but just as important is how well we listen. Healthy relationships require us to know a bit about ourselves, and be willing to share some of ourselves with others, building that trust element helps determine the intensity of a relationship. Understanding some of these components will help you on your way to developing and maintaining a good relationship. Having good communication skills can mean the difference between success and failure of a relationship. Most relationships that are successful are in an â€Å"equitable relationship† (Myers, 2010, pg. 429). Being aware of some of the barriers to effective communication can help you avoid the pitfalls of bad or ineffective communication. There are several communicating errors that can signal the end of a relationship, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) some of those are, â€Å"aggressive talk, regrettable talk, criticism and complaints, avoidance, and defensive communication† (pg. 199). Having disagreements are a normal part of any relationship, it is how we resolve those conflicts that can mean the difference between a healthy relationship or one that is heading towards destruction. We tend to fall back on the destructive methods when we have no other tools in our toolbox. Aggressive talk is using language that demeans another; it is calling names, using disparaging words, wearing down the self esteem of the other person. This is so destructive to a relationship; it can at times lead to physical violence. But the most insidious form of communication is indirect aggression, or passive aggression. This is when we consciously commit an act that we know will hurt or upset another. We manipulate the situation to get our way, or get our â€Å"dig† into the other person. This way we do not have to  confront directly, it is very subtle, and can be the real killer of a relationship. It is a way to continue an argument without actually saying much at all. The Los Angeles Times (1997) reported on passive aggressive tendencies in relationships, and gave some advice on how to handle the situation, â€Å"first, realize that you may not be able to get your mate to change his or her behavior, but you can change yours† and â€Å"take control of the sit uation by setting limits, figure out what you can do† (pg. 3). Regrettable talk is saying something, and then wishing you could take it back. I think we are all guilty of this to some extent. We blurt out a remark without thinking, and immediately we regret it. Using regrettable talk can leave others with hurt feelings, and cause them to want to avoid us. I think in relationships it is easy to fall into this category, you know someone so well, and feel comfortable saying just about anything, so you let your guard down, and many times the things we say we wish we could take back. I have commented to my spouse that we talk nicer to our neighbors than we do to each other, and if we wish to continue in a relationship we must be aware of this, and make every effort to think before we speak. Criticism and complaints creep into a relationship when couples have no real tools for resolving an argument. In an article from Cosmopolitan, reporter Laura Gilbert (2007) interviews professionals about some of the consequences from constant complaints and criticism, After a while, you stop talking with those sweet undertones, says Edythe Denkin, PhD, author of Relationship Magic, and sarcasm or negativity can become more common 243 (5). There are different styles of attachment, â€Å"people with negative views of others exhibit either the dismissive or the fearful attachment style† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). Dismissive is a relationship marked by distrust, and fearful attachment is a relationship marked by fear of rejection. Either types can lead to the end of a relationship. Avoidance and defensive communication are two types of negative methods used to get our point across. When we are unhappy we avoid any discussion, the silent treatment is what a lot of couples use to avoid any conflict. This is counterproductive, and will destroy the trust in a relationship. Many  couples mistakenly feel that arguing is the end of a relationship, but in truth it is when we begin avoiding each other that can signal a relationship is in trouble. David Code from the Christian Science Monitor (2009) writes, â€Å"Just because you seldom argue doesnt mean your marriage is strong, the real silent killer of marriage is distancing yourself from your partner† (pg. 9). He goes on to discuss some possible solutions, and encourages couples to not worry so much about disagreeing, but focus on â€Å"your flight response†, If we can learn to spot the â€Å"distancing pattern in our relationships† we can help â€Å"prevent family problems and divorce† ( Code, 2009, pg. 9). Defensive communication occurs as we are trying to defend ourselves from a comment made by our partner. â€Å"Defending ourselves is dealing with a past behavior; it gives us no time to resolve the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 200). In a relationship each partner must get out of the relationship â€Å"proportional to what you each put into it† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). The best way to fix a problem is to recognize and admit you have one in the first place. In Cosmopolitan, Jennifer Benjamin (2007) gives us some common communication pitfalls, and says â€Å"to avoid these, you first have to recognize them† (pg. 126). The article goes on to list five communication mistakes that we as couples tend to make. One mistake many couples make is leaving out important information. We give our partners some of the needed information, but assume that he or she knows me so well; they will know what I am talking about. So vital information is left out, this leads to mis communication, and hurt feelings. Another area that we have to be aware of is the time we pick to have a discussion. During Super Bowl, or when one is rushing off to work, is not the time to have a discussion. Mistake number three, prefacing our remark with doom and gloom statements such as, â€Å"do not take this the wrong way† or â€Å"do not get mad but† it begins the conversation with a sense of impending trouble, and gets our level of anger ratcheted up. Another common mistake is one many women are guilty of, talking the problem to death; we tend to not get to the point, and feel we have to give every single detail. The article says, â€Å"Men have about three minutes of attention for any single discussion† (Benjamin, 2007, pg. 126). The last area is in giving out to much detail. Again women can be guilty of this; we feel we need to tell our man everything, all our past exploitations, we want to be close to our guy, but too much information can  be as damaging as not enough. If we are to avoid the destructive methods of communicating, we must increase our strategic flexi bility, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) this means â€Å"expanding your communication repertoire† (pg. 6). The more communication skills we have, the more we can draw on them for any scenario or situation. We will be better prepared to handle whatever comes up, while still getting our message across, in the most effective manner. People who possess these skills have much more flourishing interactions with the people in their lives. When discussing communication between partners in an intimate relationship gender and language must be taken into consideration. The way the sexes communicate is very different. According to Hybels and Weaver (2007) â€Å"women use the language of rapport-talk, men use report-talk† (pg. 117). This means that women are trying to form bonds with communication, and increase intimacy levels, men are letting us know their knowledge and skills in a particular subject area. It is a completely different style of communicating, women are â€Å"building relationships† and men are trying to â€Å"fix the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 117). In the book, Why Mars and Venus Collide, author Vanessa Bush researches the differences in brain chemistry that is produced by women and men when under stress, â€Å"biochemistry can also explain why women multitask and men are more single-minded in their focus. Problems occur when men and women misinterpret the different ways t he opposite sex responds to and copes with stress† (pg. 104). Several tips that were offered by the author to increase our levels of communication, women should let our partners know when we need support, and men should listen fully to the problem without trying to fix it. I have researched communication in intimate relationships, looked at a lot of studies, and felt I should put my own relationships to the test. I wanted to see if my emotional intelligence matched that of my husband and my children. I wanted to see if the gaps I perceive in our communication as a family was due to the differences in each of our emotional intelligence quotients. What exactly is emotional intelligence; according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) emotional intelligence â€Å"is the ability to understand and get along with others† (pg. 156). In order for us to get along with others, and deal with their emotions, we must first be aware of our own emotions and feelings. We must learn how to appropriately express, and manage our feelings, and learn some self-control,  and we must learn to recognize and handle the feelings of others. I had each family member take the emotional intelligence test, which was retrieved from the Institute for Health and Human Potential. This ev aluates your emotional intelligence, and shows you your strengths and weaknesses. I took the survey, and I had my husband and my daughter take the survey. My daughter and my husband scored very similar on the quiz, my results were about ten points higher than there score. The results said I have a very high emotional intelligence. The results of the emotional intelligence test reflects my life, I am a high achiever, can be very task oriented, and want to ensure that my work with families shows great results. The quiz said I needed to remember why I do the work I do, not get bogged down in tasks, but remember the reason you chose this line of work. The results said I should take time each day to reflect on what brings me the greatest joy. That really reflects me, I enjoy the work tremendously, but sometimes the day to day tasks that have to get done can make me a bit cynical. I think it also translates into my personal life, I can read people well, and feel I am in tune with their emotions, but some days I just do not take the time to really sit down and listen to those closest to me. I can see this reflected in my relationship with my husband. I am so busy being busy; I do not really pay attention to him, and what his concerns are. The emotional intelligence test scores for my husband and daughter both said they have slightly above average emotional intelligence, with room to grow. It reflects what I see in both of them, they are very sensitive to the needs of those around them, but do not always take time for themselves. The quiz also says they may not always communicate their feelings or needs to others. This is very true, especially of my husband; he does not communicate his needs well, and then he can become angry and distant. The quiz gives areas for improvement for both my husband and my daughter. They are to look at what causes them stress and tension, and how they handle those situations, and try and rid themselves of the negative thoughts that play in their minds. I have seen the destructive results of this type of negative thinking, feeling you are unworthy and unlovable. We now know the results of the emotional intelligence quiz, now what. We must come together and as a family and decide how best to proceed. Having the results of this quiz has opened the doors to communication for my family. We saw in print, what each of us sees  reflected in the other. The communication between my husband and me was bordering on becoming destructive, we both were passive aggressive when dealing with issues. I did not want to argue, so I would let it go, but not really, it stayed with me, and I would do mean things to get back at my husband. I might not wake him up, even if I saw he forgot to set his alarm, and was going to be late for work. I might not put his work clothes in the dryer, even when I see he is running late. It would be little inconsequential things I would do, but over the years they have added up, and we were at the brink of separating. My husband was no different; he was just as guilty of allowing the barriers to effective communicating to come between us. I also have to admit that I saw some of the same communication barriers creeping into my teenage daughter’s style of communicating. I think being aware of a problem is half the battle, when we are honest, and do some self assessing, we can truly begin to make some changes. I decided that since my emotional intelligence results were so different from my husband’s that taking a personality test might be in order. I found a personality types questionnaire, and we both took the survey. The survey was published by Dawn Billings, (2004) CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network. The Primary colors personality tool asks specific questions, and you rate yourself from highest to lowest in each category. Once finished, you add up the scores and the one with the largest number represents your major personality profile. I took the survey as did my husband and my daughter. The results were very interesting, the one area I found fascinating was that my husband and I both scored the highest in the same category. It said we were both gentle and understanding, which is true, that we are more interested in being loved than in being right, so we may stay with partners that do not treat us well. There have been times in this relationship where I felt I was being mistreated, and my husband has admitted that he has felt the same at times. It also says we may put the needs of others above our own needs, this is very true, and was also reflected in our emotional intelligence test. The tests also said this personality type over commits themselves, and not leave room for those closest to them. This has been a real issue in my marriage; I am so driven by work and school that I forget that I have a husband and a daughter who needs me. Since taking these surveys, the gaps in our communication has closed dramatically. My husband  was open to taking the test, which surprised me; I thought he would balk at doing this. He was as surprised as I was with some of the results; it opened the door for us to begin really talking about issues, as a family, and as a couple. There is more work to be done, taking a couple of quizzes cannot erase years of bad, and ineffective communicating. The pain is there from years of misunderstandings, and from the communication barriers we placed in our paths, but what has happened is the willingness for us to come together as a couple, see what needs to be worked on, and begin that process. Communication skills are vital for any relationship, both personal and professional. This journey has made me aware that I spend a great deal of time working on my professional relationships. I am very careful of how I phrase my comments to coworkers, I am cautious of hurting feelings, or of being misunderstood. I think about what I have to say to a coworker before I actually say it; I try and take into consideration their feelings. But I am not always as conscience at home of the impact my words will have. Communicating effectively is a skill, one that takes work and practice. It also requires that at times we must do some self assessing, see where our strengths are at, but also admit where our weaknesses are at, and begin the process of reducing those barriers. This is the only way we can be both effective at work, and at home, and have a happy, healthy relationship. References Jennifer Benjamin. (2007, October). 5 Talking Mistakes Most Couples Make. Cosmopolitan, 243(4), 126. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1394182521). Billings, D. (2004). Primary color personality tool. The Heart Link women’s network. Bush, V.. (2007, December). Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Stress [review of Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Strss]. The Booklist, 104(8), 4. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1402448851). David Code. (2009, February 13). How emotional distance ruins marriage. The Christian Science Monitor,p. 9. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1644399621). Laura Gilbert. (2008, September). Couples. Cosmopolitan, 245(3), 145. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1529579221). Hybels, S., and Weaver, R. (2007). Communicating effectively (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Institute for Health and Human Potential. (March, 2010). Emotional intelligence. Retrieved March, 21st, 2010, from http://www.ihhp.com/quiz COMMITTMENTS Caught Up in a Cycle of Nagging, Ignoring :[Home Edition]. (1994, July 25). Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext),p. 3. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Los Angeles Times. (Document ID: 59646758).