The primary purpose of the art essays

The primary purpose of the art essays The statement is truly an over simplification. That first thing that cannot be agreed to is that casting together of music, painting, drama and literature together. There that that convenient heading of calling them art they have little in common with each other. One of the purposes of music, painting and drama and literature may be entertainment but it is hardly justified to say that it is the main purpose In the world of music there are several sub worlds. There is music catering to the grossest of the tastes to the sublime and spiritual. Some musicians spend half their lifetimes learning to compose or play music properly. Is often in the later stages of their lives that they begin to play. To listen to some of them like Pundit Ravi Shankar or Yehudi Menuhin is nothing less than of music, which is composed, based on the popularity. They are composed based on the fads and following and quite often market surveys are conducted before recording. Such music may be called just entertainment, but certainly not all music. To call painting an entertainment borders on the ridiculous. Some painters have spent lifetimes in there lifetimes in there art and most often they paint without knowing whether their work will be welcomed by the public or just laughed at. Certainly artists do not mean to entertain, as most art shows are free. Perhaps we can point a finger at the artist to say that he is trying to make a living by painting to entertain as a main reason. Drama is certainly entertainment. But the question is , is it the mainly entertainment? To put a good play takes on enormous amount of energy and hard work. drama often makes a statement sometimes political sometimes societal. The playwrights, directors and actors want to say what they think world is as they see it. It is the joint expression of the souls of several people who have come together to express themselves. Of course it is entertainment to those who go to see the play. B ...

Mail Delivery Could be Even Slower Than USPS Admits

Mail Delivery Could be Even Slower Than USPS Admits Due to its unreliable tracking system, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) may be delivering your mail even more slowly than it has claimed, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Background After increasing its own long-time 2-day delivery standard for First-Class mail to 3-days in January, 2015, the cash-starved USPS proceeded to close or consolidate 82 mail processing plants nationwide over the objections of all 50 U.S. Senators. [ See: Why for Mail Delivery ‘Slow’ is the New ‘Normal’ ] The effects of those actions revealed themselves in August 2015, when a federal inspector general notified the USPS that the number of First-Class letters being delivered at least a day late had increased by 48% in the first 6 months of 2015 alone. Mail May be Even Slower, GAO Finds But lowered standards or not, the GAO’s investigators reported that the Postal Service’s system for tracking and reporting delivery time is too incomplete and unreliable to determine how late the mail really is being delivered. According to GAO auditors, the reports created by the USPS’s mail delivery tracking system â€Å"do not include sufficient analysis to hold USPS accountable for meeting its statutory mission to provide service in all areas of the nation.† In fact, the GAO found that the USPS’ system tracks the delivery times of only 55% of First-Class mail, Standard-Class mail, periodicals, and packages. Delivery times of mail without tracking barcodes are not reported. â€Å"Incomplete measurement poses the risk that measures of on-time performance are not representative, since performance may differ for mail included in the measurement, from mail that is not,† stated the GAO. â€Å"Complete performance information enables effective management, oversight, and accountability.† In other words, the USPS doesn’t know exactly how slow its mail delivery service has become. Spreading the Blame The GAO also placed some blame on the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), the presidentially appointed body responsible for overseeing Postal Service operations. Specifically the GAO criticized the PRC for failing to determine why the USPS’s delivery time tracking data are not complete and dependable. â€Å"While PRCs annual reports have provided data on the amount of mail included in measurement, they have not fully assessed why this measurement was incomplete or whether USPS actions will make it so,† GAO investigators wrote. While the PRC has the power to direct the USPS to improve its delivery time tracking system, it has so far failed to do so, noted the GAO. Meanwhile, in Rural America The GAO also pointed out that the USPS is not required to – and so does not – track or report delivery time data for mail sent to rural addresses. While several members of Congress have pressured the USPS to study and report on its rural delivery performance, postal officials have stated that doing so would be too costly. However, as the GAO pointed out, the USPS has never provided Congress with cost estimates to prove it. â€Å"Such cost information would be useful for Congress to assess whether developing this information would be appropriate,† wrote the GAO. In 2011, the PRC criticized the USPS for failing to adequately consider the impact of its still on-hold plan to end Saturday mail delivery on rural America. â€Å"As my colleagues and I have heard †¦ [mail] service across the country, particularly in rural communities, is suffering,† said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Delaware) chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the USPS in a statement on the GAO report. â€Å"To fix these service problems, we need to figure out their root causes,† Carper continued. â€Å"Unfortunately, the [GAO] found the delivery performance results that the Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission provide do not give Congress or postal customers an accurate assessment of service.† What the GAO Recommended The GAO suggested that Congress â€Å"direct† the USPS to provide reliable estimates of its costs to report on mail delivery performance in rural areas. The GAO also called on the USPS and PRC to improve the â€Å"completeness, analysis, and transparency† of its mail delivery performance reports. While the USPS generally agreed with the GAO’s recommendations, it also noted that it â€Å"strongly disagrees with the conclusion that our current service performance measurement is not accurate.† So, like your mail, don’t expect the results to be delivered anytime soon.

Visual Learning and Students' Response Research Paper

Visual Learning and Students' Response - Research Paper Example Visual learning techniques can be achieved by use of computer graphics, cartoons, diagrams, posters, maps, charts, graphic organizers, graphs and many others that these learners can respond well to. Research has shown that students respond to learning in different ways and therefore, it is important for instructors to determine the kind of learners they have and employ appropriate learning techniques. Visual learners display a variety of characteristics including being good at spellings, quiet study times, like of colors and fashion, good performance in sign language, taking time to think before understanding lectures, understanding charts but forgetting names. Visual learning technique helps students connect to objects in a unique way in that they reflect, internalize and finally synthesize their information. Russel Ackoff suggested that the most important contribution of a first rate 21st century education is not content, but that we acquire the capability to learn and are motivate d to do so throughout our lives (Bartoletti, 128). It is therefore important to determine if and how visual learning improves the performance of a student. Various software packages and tools like Microsoft power point are used to enhance learning, thus making the exercise very interactive. Customization of effects that include color, gives the audience a better understanding of what is under discussion, providing visual learning with an edge over other traditional methods. Through this, it’s very easy for students to recall what they have been taught with the help of images, similar effects are employed in early childhood. Problem Statement Student performance has been declining mostly in developed countries; this is because colleges, high schools and other education systems are still using teaching styles that were used a long time ago in a modern society. The society is evolving rapidly and so it has been of great concern to change the older methods used for teaching in th e education sector and replace them with new effective methods so as to cope up with changes in the contemporary world. Research has shown that use of visual learning style is very effective and can be emphasized at the expense traditional auditory style. This research seeks to find out how visual learning improves students’ performance. Rationale for the Research It has been proven that most students respond best to visual images during learning and are likely to remember objects by visualizing whatever is taught. This research is carried out to establish how the use of these images or visuals, help students improve their performance and find the tools that can be employed to efficiently carry out this technique. In order to work effectively with the visual learning tools and achieve desired results, we have to determine and understand how student react to these images together with their function in enhancing understanding and performance of students. It has been determined that learning standards are going down gradually and sooner or later, education will lack meaning due to poor quality and low performances achieved by learners. Therefore, the use of new approach to learning like visual learning can help reverse this situation and make improvements. This research will determine

Incident command Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Incident command - Essay Example Terrorist and mass destruction events that requires medical and emergency personnel attendance, 5. Planned events that will involved a huge number of crowd or spectators like parades, concerts, elections and more (Radvanvsky, 2006). The primary importance of having an effective command system is the warning system and its organizational components. An effective command system would incorporate the community, several government and private organizations and media to effectively disseminate warning messages to the public and other nearby communities. Having relevant and important information about the incident, the public, government and private organizations, as well as, the experts or support team can now make countermeasures to respond accordingly to the situation of the incident (Amendola, et.al., 1995). It is important to have a very effective incident command system to primarily evaluate the risk of the situation and relay information as fast as possible. The processes and procedures must also be structured in a way that it may counter fit any possible situation of incidents and emergencies depending on the nature of the facility and its surroundings. A standard organizational structure in managing incidents, regardless the cause, location and reason, is essential for public safety and incident control measures. There are a lot of factors that needs to be considered in order to develop and to implement an incident command system. Mobilization capabilities, effectively utilizing external resources, involvement of emergency responders are just a few to mention. Coordination and communication between government and public agencies, as well as, private organizations and the surrounding communities and other NGOs is also essential for incident and risk management. Every organization involved has information that may be useful to control or resolve the incident (Radvanvsky, 2006). Wide-scale incidents may also result to great

Maslow’s theory Essay Example for Free

Maslow’s theory Essay There is an interrelationship between Maslow’s theory and Herzberg’s theory. These two theories have a similarity in that both of them suggest employee satisfaction as a motivation factor. Form the above discussion, it is possible to tell that Herzberg cites esteem needs and self-actualization needs from Maslow’s theory as the motivators. Others needs do not cause motivation and failure to address them in the organization setting only leads to dissatisfaction. Criticisms Maslow’s theory Several criticisms exist about Maslow’s motivation theory. To begin with, there is limited scientific evidence if any to support the above theory. Furthermore, personal need priorities may not be in the order given by Maslow. For example, there is a possibility of social needs coming before security needs since one must belong to a society in the first place. Another criticism is that people do not necessarily satisfy each level of need at a time. Needs tend to conflict such that a person may be motivated to achieve different needs at the same time or make priorities depending on the urgency of each need. Maslow’s theory is therefore general and does not consider individual differences. Herzberg’s theory Herzberg’s theory does not also consider individual differences when analyzing factors that cause satisfaction and those that cause dissatisfaction. One dissatisfaction factor may be a motivator for someone else and vise versa. For example, increased responsibility could be a dissatisfier for someone who is resistant to change. Again Hertzber’s model is too simplistic and only addresses factors that people would consider normal motivational factors in any workplace setting. Describe goal setting theory. Explain how this theory can be applied to performance appraisal and compensation This is a motivational theory developed by Edwin Locke. It is actually an improvement of the final causality theory advanced by Aristotle which put forth that purpose can lead to action. According to Locke, an individual’s behavior is to a large extent influenced by their ambitions and goals (Latham and Locke, 2002). For this reason, goals significantly improve performance. Most individuals set goals in anticipation for something; usually a reward to be obtained after achieving the set goal. Goals can be said to affect performance in three different ways (Latham and Locke, 2002). Firstly, they narrow an individual’s attention so that all efforts are directed towards activities that are relevant to achieving the set goals. Similarly, irrelevant or undesirable activities are avoided. Secondly, goals increase effort as individuals strive to achieve the set goal so as to gain the expected reward. Thirdly, goals help individuals to develop persistence. In other words, they become more willing to work even in the midst of challenges and setbacks. Goal setting is guided by factors known as moderators (Latham and Locke, 2002). These include goal –commitment, attainability and self-efficacy. In order to attain a certain goal, an individual must be ready to face every challenge that he or she finds on the way. Commitment depicts the need to achieve no matter what the circumstances. Set goals must also be attainable so that individuals must not set goals that cannot be reached. Finally, self-efficacy must be present for goals to be achieved. This refers to the ability to act in a certain way so as to be able to achieve set objectives.

Evaluation Of The Lord Of The Flies Essay -- essays research papers

Evaluation of The Lord of the Flies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lord of the Flies is a 202 page long adventure story written by William Golding in 1954 about a number of boys marooned on a tropical island and left to fend for themselves. While on the island, they discover quite a bit of evil within themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A few years after World War 2, a planeful of boys as young as 5 or 6 but most no older than 11 or 12 crashes near an uninhabited tropical island. As soon as they land, one of the eldest assumes leadership of the others, but not before befriending an overweight, asthmatic boy nicknamed Piggy. Ralph takes control of the boys and organizes a small expedition up the mountain. He meets Jack Merridew, the chief antagonist. Jack is then a leader of choir boys, but will soon turn into a leader of savages. On the mountain, Jack hunts but does not kill a pig. He vows to kill it the next time. On their return, Ralph holds an informational meeting and informs the boys that they will be safe, but that they must start a signal fire and set up temporary shelters until help can be found. A rumour of a beast is heard, but is quickly discounted as a nightmare. It will later be a major theme in the book. On the mountain, fire is created, but only through the use of Piggy's glasses. After Jack goes off to hunt and comes back, Ralph discusses the problems of people not working with Jack. Simon goes into the jungle alone and contemplates. The boys become used to the daily tasks on the island. The small children play all the time while the older ones do most of the work. The first flash of Jack's future warrior/hunter position as leader is shown as he comes back to camp with his face painted. A ship is spotted, but they find that the signal fire on the mountain has gone out, and the ship passes them by. Jack finally kills a pig, but Piggy criticizes him. In return, Jack slaps Piggy and breaks one of the lenses on his glasses. Ralph warns Jack to stop this destructive behaviour. Jack starts roasting the pig he had killed earlier. Jack does not initially give Ralph any food, but he does finally get some. Ralph calls an assembly after the feast. He verbally attacks all the boys for their neglect for the daily tasks that must be completed such as building shelters and keeping the fire lit. The fear of the beast grows even larger. Piggy begins t... ... government and rules must be carefully imposed to preserve order, like Hobbes, I would also be interested in knowing what his other philosophical positions were as he wrote this novel. Finally, I would be interested in knowing what particular event he witnessed or was part of in real life drove him to write this book. Could it have been an experience he had in World War II? What could have been so bad as to inspire a book of this passionate intensity?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although I disagree with Golding's view of the world as basically evil, his book is certainly a good argument for that position. It shockingly reveals that none have innocence and even the best among us can be brought down to a near-beast state, as even Ralph was by the end of the book, consigned to mindless running from the evil. I find it interesting how Golding made the Beast, the Lord of the Flies, the apparent evil in this book and the focus of the hunter's search, but in fact the Beast is the hunters themselves and the evil they represent. I think that although the brutality in the book may be a bit much for some, I do not think that Golding would have been able to get his point across without it.

Between the Wars

The event that had significant impacts during the interlude between the First and Second World Wars would be the Great Depression. The effect of this financial crisis, not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world, was apparent both in the domestic front and in the international community. The Great Depression started during the late 1920s and would stretch until the next decade. This historical turning-point was triggered by Black Tuesday, which was the day when the stock markets had a major downturn.(Rothbard, 2000) The impact of this event, both positive and negative, was massive indeed as the country was forced into a state of great recession and then reassessment of economic and social policies. (Mcelvain, 1993) In the ground level, the people experienced difficulties, as employment becomes scarce, thereby leading to poverty and hunger, which was prevalent during that decade. The citizens in the grassroots were the ones that was most affected, for the depres sion was deeply felt by everyone.The length, lasting 10 years, was overwhelming indeed; the extent of the crisis was equally devastating. The agriculture and primary sectors industries experienced economic slumps even bankruptcies, which in turn burdened the people whose wages declined and employment opportunities disappeared. The end of this Great Depression coincided with the start of the Second World War. The implication of the financial crisis was not only social but also political, as policies were forced to be reassessed and eventually changed.The New Deal policy was a result of the crisis. Also, government officials debated the liberal policies in economics, as many abandoned liberal economics, and advocated more protectionist policies. The impact of the Great Depression is far-reaching and vast, as it is political, social and economic. References Mcelvaine, Robert. (1993). The Great Depression: America 1929-1941. United States: Three Rivers Press. Rothbard, Murray. (2000). A merica’s Great Depression. United States: Ludwig Von Mises Institute.

Taxation Assignment

Question 1: a>Tax treatment to an individual if his employer was to provide the following benefits in package 1: Rental of apartment $ Salary Airfare for home leave (1trip) (20% x 5000) 1,000 220,000 Employee’s remuneration 221,000 Rental of apartment (housing accommodation benefit) for a non- director will be assessed based on the lower of: the annual value of the accommodation provided or 10% of the employee’s remuneration inclusive of all other benefits except hotel accommodation.Therefore, housing benefit will be assessed at $22,100 because it is assessed based on the lower of (10% x 221,000= $22,100) or annual value of rental apartment of $60,000. Home leave passage According to Singapore tax law, home leave passage is provided by the employer to nonSingaporeans and non-permanent residents, the benefit is assessable to tax based on 20% of the cost to the employer.This concessionary treatment only can apply to ONE return leave passage per annum each for the employee and spouse, and TWO return passage for each child of employee per annum if child should be unmarried, under 16 years old or otherwise receiving full-time education or incapacitated. Therefore, in this package 1, Mr Rouse will be assessed for home leave passage at: 20% x 5,000= $1,000 Relocation passageAccording to Singapore tax law, relocation passages are by concession not a taxable benefit on the employee so that all the relocation expenses is not taxable benefit for Mr Rouse. b> Package 1: $ Salary Annual rental of apartment Home leave passage (20% x 5000) Statutory income Less: donation Assessable income Less : Relief Chargeable income Tax on 1st $160,000 Balance @ 17% (238,100 – 160,000) x 17% 220,000 22,100 1,000 243,100 NIL 243,100 (5,000) 238,100 15,500 13,277 28,777 Less : 20% tax rebate (capped at $2000) Net tax payable (2,000) 6,777 Package 2: $ Salary Statutory Income Less: donation Assessable income Less: Relief Chargeable income Tax in 1st $160,000 Balance @ 17 % 17% x (295,000-160,000) 300,000 300,000 NIL 300,000 (5,000) 295,000 15,500 22,950 38,450 Less : 20% tax rebate (capped at $2,000) Net tax payable (2,000) 36,450 c> Mr Rouse should choose package 1 because in this package, he can receive many benefits as well as many concessionary treatments that can reduce the net tax payable, in order to get higher return than in package 2. > Singapore is a country where the government uses many policies that include many benefits, treat with consideration to attract talents from many the other countries and tax law is not the exception. Therefore, Mr Rouse should choose or ask more benefits instead of only high salary such as house accommodation benefit, home leave passage, relocation passage, transportation benefit, etc†¦. to earn many concessionaries to minimize his statutory income as well as to reduce tax payable. Question 2: a>The relevant dates in shareholder’s continuity test are different for unabsorbed capital allowances and trade losses and donation.Unabsorbed capital allowances can be carried against future profits provided the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the 2 relevant dates: The last day of the YA (31 Dec) it arose And The first day of the YA (1 Jan) it is utilized Trade losses and donations can be carried against future profits provided the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the 2 relevant dates: The last day of the year it arose (31 Dec of the calendar year) And The first day of the YA it is utilized (1 Jan of YA) b> YA 2008: – Adjusted tax loss (trade loss) YA 2009: – Adjusted profit $40,000 $422,000The shareholders of Feathers Pte Ltd based on % are as follows: 31/12/2007 Ee Mei Sarah 60% 40% 30/9/2008 40% 60% 31/12/2008 40% 60% 1/1/2009 10% 90% Assumption: on 1 Jan 2009, Donald still holds 5000 shares (total shares are 50,000 shares) Therefore, Queens’s shareholders and their shareholdings are as follows: Number of share 31/12/2007 Donald Ee Mei Ee Mei 25,000 20,000 60% x 5,000 = 3000 Sarah 40% x 5,000 = 2000 Total number of 50,000 shares 30/9/2008 5,000 10,000 40% x 35,000 = 14,000 60% x 35,000 = 21,000 50,000 s at 31/12/2008 5,000 10,000 40% x 35,000 = 14,000 60% x 35,000 = 21,000 50,000 1/1/2009 5,000 40,000 10% x 5,000 = 500 90% x 5,000 = 4,500 50,000 Two relevant dates in shareholder’s continuity test for trade loss are 31 Dec 2007 and 1 Jan 2009. Queens’s shareholders and their shareholdings in % as follows: 31/12/2007 Donald Ee Mei 50% {(20,000 + 3,000)/ 50,000} x 100% = 46% Sarah (2000/ 50,000) x 100% = 4% 100% 1/1/2009 10% {(40,000 + 500)/ 50,000} x 100% = 81% (4,500/ 50,000) x 100% = 9% 100%Previous year’s trade loss (adjusted tax loss) in YA 2008 can be carried against YA 2009 current year’s profit because the shareholdings are substantially the same (50% or more) in the two relevant dates of 31/12/2007 and 1/1/2009. YA 2009: $ Adjusted profit Less: trade loss brought forward 422,000 (40,000) Assessable income/ chargeable income 382,000 > Conditions to qualify for the tax exemption for new start-up company: A â€Å"qualifying company† means a company incorporated in Singapore which for each of the first three years of assessment is resident in Singapore for that YA, and has its total share capital beneficially held directly by no more than 20 shareholders: ? ? All of whom are individuals throughout the basis period for that YA or At least one of whom is an individual shareholder holding at least 10% of the total number of issued ordinary shares of the company throughout the basis period for that YA.In the case of a company limited by guarantee: ? ? all of its members must be individuals throughout the basis period for that YA or at least one of its member is an individual throughout the basis period for that YA, and the contribution of that individual under the Memorandum of Association of the company to the assets of the company in the event of its being wound up, amounts to at least 10% of total contributions of the members of the company throughout the basis period for that YA.Question 3: a>The Singapore tax system is considered as a territorial system because income accruing in or derived from Singapore (Singapore sourced) or overseas income received or deemed received in Singapore is assessable to tax. In other words, income that is sourced outside Singapore is not chargeable to Singapore income tax if this overseas income is not received or deemed received in Singapore.One exception to this rule is dividend gain in Singapore. Under the new one-tier corporate tax system since 1 January 2003, tax will only be imposed at the corporate level and all dividends distributed by a Singapore tax resident company will be tax exempt for its shareholders. b> Assumption: basic period is 1/1/200x to 31/12/200x Ms Dinh Tam’s 2-year contract will be from 1/4/2006 to 31/3/2008.Year assessment of Physical presence in Residence Singapore/ period of employment YA 2007 1/4/2006- 31/12/2006 Resident Exercise of employment in Singapore is more than 183 days in the basic period YA 2008 1/1/2007- 31/12/2007 Resident Exercise of employment in Singapore is more than 183 days in the basic period YA 2009 1/1/2008- 31/3/2008 Non-resident Both periods of employment and physical presence are less than 183 days. Remarks c> Mr Tan KL, a Singapore resident, purchased a house in China. He rents it out and the rent is credited into his bank account in Hong Kong by the property agent.It means he receives a rental income in China and this income may be subject to tax in China remitted to Singapore is exempt from Singapore tax. In addition, according to Singapore tax law, all foreign sourced income remitted by INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT in Singapore on or after 1 January 2004 will be exempt from tax. d> Determine whether the following receipts would be considered as income for tax purposes: i>This income will be exempt from tax if Ah Kow is Singapore resident because this income may be taxed in Macau remitted to Singapore is exempt from Singapore tax.In addition, according to Singapore tax law, all foreign sourced income remitted by INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT in Singapore on or after 1 January 2004 will be exempt from tax. ii>   Profits made by a share broker from sale of shares is taxable income because shares are considered as his inventory to make profit therefore it is called revenue receipt for this share broker and that is subject to Singapore tax. iii> Samantha Lee, a teacher made a profit from the sale of her piano is exempt from tax if this piano is her fixed asset and Samantha Lee doesn’t repeat piano buy and sale transaction many times.It means this profit is capital receipt, not revenue receipt and so that it is not taxable. iv> Money received from an unlawful business in Singapore is taxable income because it is revenue receipt and income derived in Singapore so that it is subject t o tax in Singapore. v> Money received from sale of computer by a private school is exempt from tax because computer is considered as fixed asset of this private school. It means this income is capital receipt that is not taxable income.

Mgt 501 Mod 5 Case Essays

Mgt 501 Mod 5 Case Essays Mgt 501 Mod 5 Case Essay Mgt 501 Mod 5 Case Essay Module 5 Case Organizations as Political Systems MGT 501 Leaders in an Organization must have the pulse of the organization and fully understand the Politics and culture within their organization to be able to effectively lead and know which style of leadership to apply in a various array of situations. In the Clement article he discusses 3 main topics. First is the importance of dealing with organizational culture. His key point is that management must work within the existing culture to transform the organization. The important objective is to improve the company, not necessarily change the culture. His second topic is the role of leadership in organizational change. He discusses the role of leadership in dealing with culture and the leadership styles that may be required. Lastly he discusses the consideration of organizational power, and the related topic of politics, in organizational change. In the three companies that he conducts analysis on two of them received outside pressure of board members to make a change and bring in new top management teams. Their new interactions and relationships both inside and outside the organization appear to be what was needed to turn those companies around. Leadership is a tough business and politics both internal and external to an organization add an extra challenge. (Ratzburg, 2002) â€Å"Politics  is a means of recognizing and, ultimately,  reconciling competing interests  within the organization. Competing interests can be reconciled by any number of means. For example, resorting to rule by the manager might be seen as an example of totalitarian rule. On the other hand, politics may be a means of creating a non-coercive, or a democratic work environment. According to Aristotle,  politics stems from a diversity of interests. To fully understand the politics of the organization, it is necessary to explore the processes by which people engage in politics. Consistent with Aristotles conceptualization, it is a given that, within the organization, all  employees  bring their own  interests, wants, desires, and needs  to the workplace. The successful practice of organizational politics is perceived to lead to a higher level of power, and once a higher level of power is attained, there is more opportunity to engage in political behavior. Common Influence (Political) Tactics are identified a series of common influence tactics and listed them from most effective to least effective: * rational persuasion logical arguments and factual evidence * inspirational appeal arousal of enthusiasm by appealing to values * consultation seeking participation in planning * ingratiation * exchange offering an exchange of favors * personal appeal appeals to feelings of loyalty or friendship * coalition seeking the aid of others legitimating pointing to organizational policies, rules practices, or traditions * pressure demands, threats, persistent reminders† Politics and power can both be used in positive ways. Coercion may occasionally be needed to influence those who refuse to support change. Communication and collaboration can often enable political activities of a positive nature, especially if the organizational culture has been considered and the leader of the cultural change effort was effective in influencing posi tive change. CLEMENT, 1994) â€Å"Those attempting to implement change should study the history of the organization and its relationships with its various stakeholders, including those beyond its boundaries. Only in this way can change advocates understand the observable but misleading facts and uncover the real systems of meaning to which managers and employees subscribe. Any discussion of organizational power needs to consider the closely related topic of organizational politics. Politics is power in action; it involves acquiring, developing, and using power to achieve ones objectives. Because change always threatens the existing balance of power in an organization, politics will always be used to maintain balance. The analysis of politics must be performed at three levels: individual, coalition, and network. Not only must the advocates of change watch out for political and power plays, they must also use power and politics themselves. Its a necessary case of fighting fire with fire. A somewhat higher level of political maneuveringpolitical facilitationcalls for direct interaction with those who may help or hinder the change. It applies to more substantial changes perhaps major reorganizations within manufacturing divisions, individual retail outlets, or government agencies. The level of political maneuvering appropriate for large-scale organizational change is called political intervention. † This module relates to the previous module where we discussed culture, and the occasional need for a change in the culture of the organization. A key factor with any change is strong and honest communication from the top level management and that top managers must talk the talk and walk the walk to be a role model for the change in which they are trying to implement. CLEMENT, 1994) â€Å"In addition to communication and widespread participation, they noted two other key leadership behaviors. First, top management needs to demonstrate visible and consistent support for change. Modeling expected behaviors is important; if the change effort calls for team-building, then top management should be the first group t o try to build teams. The other important leadership behavior is tying the change program to business needs. Management needs to show how the change will improve outcome measures such as profits, productivity, or quality of work life. The most commonly cited reason for the failure of a change effort was the presence of inaccurate and negative rumors, often caused by managements neglecting to provide timely and accurate information. The second biggest reason for failure was that of employees learning of the change from outsidersagain, because management did not communicate. Many employees, especially those affected by the change, expressed extreme resentment about this situation. The final cause of failure was managements reliance on a lean channel of communication, such as a memo instead of a face-to-face meeting. The leadership style of the leaders and managers which are trying to implement change is important to note, not only do leaders need to be able to use the appropriate leadership style for a particular situation but, they also need to know their managers and leaders within their organization and understand which leadership style they respond to best. (Clark, 2010) â€Å"Authoritarian or autocratic This s tyle is used when leaders tell their employees what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting. Some people tend to think of this style as a vehicle for yelling, using demeaning language, and leading by threats and abusing their power. This is not the authoritarian style, rather it is an abusive, unprofessional style called â€Å"bossing people around. † It has no place in a leaders repertoire. The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare occasions. If you have the time and want to gain more commitment and motivation from your employees, then you should use the participative style. * Participative or democratic This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to know everything -    * Delegative or Free reign The leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made rather this is a style to be used when you fully trust and confidence in the people below you. Do not be afraid to use it, however, use it  wisely! † In many organizations the company will succeed or fail due to the decisions and culture that the leadership makes with regards to the way they choose to do business. Organizational core values are extremely important but, they are only as important as the leaders â€Å"model† for members of their work force to emulate as a standard of acceptable behavior. Organizational politics is closely related to organizational power. (CLEMENT, 1994)† Politics is power in action; it involves acquiring, developing, and using power to achieve ones objectives. Because change always threatens the existing balance of power in an organization, politics will always be used to maintain balance† Clark, D. (2010, June 13). Leadership Styles. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from A Big Dog, Little Dog and Knowledge Jump : nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadstl. html CLEMENT, R. (1994, January-February). Culture, Leadership, and power: the keys to organizational change. Retrieved Aug 3, 2011, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1038/is_n1_v37/ai_14922916/ Ratzburg, W. (2002, November 20). Defining Organizational Politics. Retrieved August 4, 2011, from OBnotes. HTM: http://web. archive. org/web/20080216010425/ geocities. com/Athens/Forum/1650/htmlpolitc01. html

Black History - Index of Inventors and Patent Holders

Black History - Index of Inventors and Patent Holders Black history inventors are listed alphabetically: use the A to Z index bar to navigate and select or just browse the many listings. Each listing has the name of the black inventor followed by the patent number(s) which is the unique number assigned to an invention when a patent is issued, the date the patent was issued, and a description of the invention as written by the inventor. If available, links are provided to in-depth articles, biographies, illustrations and photos on each individual inventor or patent. How to submit to the database. R Sammons to Scottron, Shaw to Smith, Smoot to Sweeting T Walter H Sammons #1,362,823, 12/21/1920, Comb Adolphus Samms #3,000,179, 9/19/1961, Rocket engine pump feed system#3,199,455, 8/10/1965, Multiple stage rocket#3,257,089, 6/21/1966, Emergency release for extraction chute#3,310,938, 3/28/1967, Rocket motor fuel feed George T Sampson #312,388, 2/17/1885, Sled propeller#476,416, 6/7/1892, Clothes drier Henry Thomas Sampson #3,140,210, 7/7/1964, Binder system for propellants and explosives#3,212,256, 10/19/1965, Case bonding system for cast composite propellants#3,591,860, 7/6/1971, Gamma-Electrical Cell, (co-inventor George H Miley, this patent is not for cell phone tecnology) Dewey S C Sanderson #3,522,011, 7/28/1970, Urinalysis machine Ralph W Sanderson #3,362,742, 1/9/1968, Hydraulic shock absorber Richard L Saxton #4,392,028, 7/5/1983, Pay telephone with sanitized tissue dispenser Virginia Scharschmidt #1,708,594, 4/9/1929, Safety window cleaning device Henry Scott #4,881,528, 11/21/1989, Spinal traction and support unit used while seated Howard L Scott #3,568,685, 3/9/1971, Treating human, animal and synthetic hair with a waterproofing composition J C Scott #D 212,334, 10/1/1968, Shadow box Linzy Scott #4,275,716, 6/30/1981, Knee brace Robert P Scott #524,223, 8/7/1894, Corn silker Samuel R Scottron #224,732, 2/17/1880, Adjustable window cornice#270,851, 1/16/1883, Cornice#349,525, 9/21/1886, Pole tip#481,720, 8/30/1892, Curtain rod#505,008, 9/12/1893, Supporting bracket R Sammons to Scottron, Shaw to Smith, Smoot to Sweeting T Â   Earl D Shaw #4,529,942, 7/16/1985, Free-electron amplifier device with electromagnetic radiation delay element Glenn Shaw #5,046,776, 9/10/1991, Fascia protector for fuel tank filler Jerry Shelby #5,328,132, 7/12/1994, Engine protection system for recoverable rocket booster Dennis W Shorter #363,089, 5/17/1887, Feed rack Wanda A Sigur #5,084,219, 1/28/1992, Method of fabricating composite structures Esteban Silvera #3,718,157, 5/27/1973, Ram-valve level indicator Joycelyn Simpson look under Joycelyn Harrison Stephen Chambers Skanks #587,165, 7/27/1897, Sleeping car berth register Isadore Small #3,814,948, 6/4/1974, Universal on-delay timer Brinay Smartt #799,498, 9/12/1905, Reversing-valve#935,169, 9/28/1909, Valve gear#1,052,290, 2/4/1913, Wheel Bernard Smith #4,544,535, 10/1/1985, Method or preparing nonlaminating anisotropic boron nitride John Winsor Smith #647,887, 4/17/1900, Game Jonathan S Smith #3,432,314, 3/11/1969, Transparent zirconia composition and process for making same Joseph H Smith #581,785, 5/4/1897, Lawn sprinkler#601,065, 3/22/1898, Lawn sprinkler Mildred E Smith #4,230,321, 10/28/1980, Family relationships card game Morris L Smith #3,389,108, 6/18/1968, Printing fluid comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble dye and a thermosetting vinylsulfonium polymer#4,882,221, 11/21/1989, Chemically treated paper products - towel and tissue#4,883,475, 11/28/1989, Chemically treated paper products - towel and tissue Peter D Smith #445,206, 1/27/1891, Potato digger#469,279, 2/23/1892, Grain binder Robert T Smith #1,970,984, 8/21/1934, Spraying machine Samuel C Smith #3,956,925, 5/18/1976, Hardness tester R Sammons to Scottron, Shaw to Smith, Smoot to Sweeting T Â   Lanny S Smoot #4,565,974, 1/21/1986, Optical receiver circuit with active equalizer#4,890,314, 12/26/1989, Teleconferencing facility with high resolution video display#4,928,301, 5/22/1990, Teleconferencing terminal with camera behind display screen William Snow #437,728, 10/7/1890, Liniment Harde Spears #110,599, 12/27/1870, Improvement in portable shields for infantry and artillery Richard Bowie Spikes #972,277, 10/11/1910, Self-locking rack for billiard cues#1,590,557, 6/29/1926, Combination milk bottle opener and cover#1,828,753, 10/27/1932, Method and apparatus for obtaining average samples and temperature of tank liquids#1,889,814, 12/6/1932, Automatic gear shift#1,936,996, 11/28/1933, Transmission and shifting means therefor#3,015,522, 1/2/1962, Automatic safety brake system Osbourne C Stafford #3,522,558, 8/4/1970, Microwave phase shift device Elbert Stallworth #1,687,521, 10/16/1928, Electric heater#1,727,842, 9/10/1929, Electric chamber#1,972,634, 9/4/1934, Alarm clock electric switch Arnold F Stancell #3,657,113, 4/18/1972, Separating fluids with selective membranes George B. D. Stephens #2,762,377, 9/11/1956, Cigarette holder and ash tray John Standard #413,689, 10/29/1889, Oil stove#455,891, 7/14/1891, Refrigerator Albert Clifton Stewart #3,255,044, 6/7/1966, Redox couple radiation cell#3,255,045, 6/7/1966, Electric cell Earl M Stewart #2,031,510, 2/18/1936, Arch and heel support (co-inventor Seymour Shagrin) Enos W Stewart #362,190, 11/27/1887, Punching machine#373,698, 5/3/1887, Machine for forming vehicle seat bars Marvin Charles Stewart #3,395,271, 7/30/1968, Arithmetic unit for digital computers#3,605,063, 9/14/1971, System for interconnecting electrical components Thomas Stewart #375,512, 12/27/1887, Metal bending machine#499,402, 6/13/1893, Mop#499,895, 6/20/1893, Station indicator Henry F Stilwell #1,911,248, 5/30/1933, Means for receiving mail and other matter on aeroplanes while in motion Rufus Stokes #3,378,241, 4/16/1968, Exhaust purifier#3,520,113, 7/14/1970, Air pollution control device Edward H Sutton #149,543, 4/7/1874, Improvement in cotton cultivators James A Sweeting #594,501, 11/30/1897, Device for rolling cigarettes#605,209, 6/7/1898, Combined knife and scoop Continue black history database T

Moral & Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral & Cultural Relativism - Essay Example One person may hold the opinion that strawberry flavor is sweeter than a Vanilla flavor. According to that person, no reasoning can be applied to decide whether his opinion concerning the taste is right or wrong. In this case, the opinions concerning ice cream tastes are relative. In the context of mathematics, when one presents a calculation like 3+3=5, we term the situation as wrong. We do not say that the calculations depend on the taste and perception of the person doing it but we say that the person is wrong. In this case, there are clearly defined standards that differentiate right from wrong. This mathematical example amounts to a context of absolutism. When extended to the contexts of morality, these contexts lead to the aspects of moral relativism and moral absolutism (Rauchut 349). Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism Moral relativism advocates that there are no universal or defined moral standards governing social situations within any given social setting. Moral relativi sts advocate that there are no moral codes of conducts which apply universally at all times. With respect to this assertion, no one can say that someone is wrong or right because such a claim would amount to judging people based on some standards, which is contrary to the ideas of moral relativism. ... In the context of morality, absolutism asserts that moral codes of conduct are relevant at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding the same moral codes. However, moral absolutism allows for flexibility when evaluating morally violated contexts. Absolutists usually allow for the reasoning on the code of conduct with respect to the situation under consideration. For example, according to moral absolutism, the act of killing is wrong. However, the situation surrounding the action might justify the action as appropriate, but not as right. Therefore, moral absolutism acknowledges the existence of universal moral principles everywhere in the world (Rauchut 361). Arguments for Moral Absolutism In the context of morality, I will stand for the aspect of moral absolutism, and stand against moral relativism. In moral absolutism, one can judge a situation as right or wrong, irrespective of the situation under consideration. In the context of social interactions within any given human population, there are situations which are guided by some set of moral principles. For example, stealing is wrong. It is natural to see a parent disciplining a child because the child has stolen from a neighbor. According to absolutism, the act of stealing is based on the unnecessary economic predicament caused by that action to the victim. Therefore, moral principles advocate that it is absolutely wrong to steal, irrespective of the situation. If moral relativism were applied in such a situation, it would argue that the parent should not judge the child as right or wrong by the act of stealing; hence the child would not have been punished. Therefore, moral absolutism helps in developing