Week FIve Essay

Week FIve Essay Week FIve Essay Hastings Entertainment ACC 205 Principles of Accounting I Instructor: Theresa Murray June 14, 2014 Hastings Entertainment Hastings is a multi-media entertainment retailer. They sale, books dvd’s, cd’s, and accessories as well as rent dvd and blue ray discs. Hastings is primarily located in the western and mid-west portions of the United States having one hundred twenty six stores. In addition the company operates other concept stores. The company’s main competitors would be Wal-Mart, Blockbuster and Barnes and Noble according to Hoover’s A D & B Company. (Hoover's Inc., 2014) Although the fore mentioned companies have all taken a hit due to digital media i-tunes, amazon and Netflix. With the closing of two Hasting stores one in Missouri and one in Kansas with in the last year a financial analysis will be done of Hastings Entertainment to try and determine the profitability of the corporation to discover the reasoning behind store closings. Hastings Entertainment Income Statement (Numbers are in Millions) 2011 2012 2013 Cash and Equivalents 6.1 4.2 3.7 TOTAL CASH AND SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS 6.1 4.2 3.7 Inventory 146.6 151.4 145.3 Prepaid Expenses 11.7 15.2 9.1 Deferred Tax Assets, Current 6 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 170.5 170.8 158.2 Gross Property Plant and Equipment 279.3 288.6 289.7 Accumulated Depreciation -224.5 -236.5 -246.3 NET PROPERTY PLANT AND EQUIPMENT 54.7 52.1 43.5 Deferred Tax Assets, Long Term 1.7 Other Intangibles 0.4 0.2 0.2 Other Long-Term Assets 2.4 2.4 2.8 TOTAL ASSETS 229.7 225.5 204.6 Total Assets Accounts Payable 60.6 51.3 53.6 Accrued Expenses 13.80 12.10 12.5 Current Income Taxes Payable 0.40 0.70 0.8 Other Current Liabilities, Total 0.80 2.50 2.6 Unearned Revenue, Current 11.1 10.9 11.6 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 86.7 77.4 81 Long-Term Debt 31.8 53.3 41.8 Deferred Tax Liability Non-Current 0 0.1 Other Non-Current Liabilities 6.5 8.7 7.8 TOTAL LIABILITIES 125 139.4 130.7 Common Stock 0.1 0.1 0.1 Additional Paid in Capital 36.7 36.2 36.4 Retained Earnings 88.6 71 58.6 Treasury Stock -20.8 -21.4 -21.4 Comprehensive Income and Other 0.1 0.1 0.2 TOTAL COMMON EQUITY 104.7 86.1 74 TOTAL EQUITY 104.7 86.1 74 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 229.7 225.5 204.6 The horizontal analysis is used to compare the company information for more than one year at a time. The horizontal analysis can be used to research changes and trends within the company over periods of time whereas the vertical analysis converts the numbers to percentages and is from the balance sheet making it more complex to analyze. Hastings revenue dropped $24.7 million dollars from 2011 to 2012 and dropped $229,585 from 2012 to 2013. With such a decrease in revenue the company would need to find ways to decrease expenses to maintain profitability. This did not happen for Hastings cost of goods sold did decrease but operating expenses increased in 2012 and in 2013 it looks as if the company is recouping from 2012 but they are not making a lot of headway. Judging from the horizontal balance sheet long term debt increase in both 2012 and 2013 and retained earnings has drastically reduced 2011 to 2013. This could be read as stockholders are cashing out and reinvesting in different companies. 2012 2013 Current Ratio 161.76% 156.54% Quick Ratio 25.60% 15.93% Cash to Current liabilities ratio 0.54% 0.46% The current ratio is used to indicate Hastings ability to pay its debt with in the next year. This shows the liquidity of the company the higher the ratio the more liquidity the company has, in this

SCHULZ Last Name Origin and Meaning

SCHULZ Last Name Origin and Meaning The surname Schulz, which ranks 9th among  most common German last names,  has several possible origins: A German occupational name for the man in charge of a village (magistrate, sheriff, overseer) originally derived from the Middle High German word schulteize meaning the person in charge of collecting payments on behalf of the lord of the manor. It is similar in meaning to the English family name, Constable.The Jewish origin of the SCHULTZ / SCHULZ name is uncertain, possibly given to, or by, a rabbi. The Schulz surname is most commonly found in Germany according to the World Names Public Profiler, especially within the regions of  Brandenburg, Mecklenberg-Vorpommern, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein. It is next found most frequently in Austria and Australia. When spelled with a t (Schultz), the last name is more common in Denmark and the United States than Germany. Because most last names originate in multiple areas, the best way to learn more about your Schulz last name is to research your own specific family history. If you are new to genealogy, you can try tracing your family tree or learn more researching German genealogy and family coat of arms. Surname Origin: German, English Alternate Surname Spellings:  SCHULTZ, SCHULZE,  SCHULTZE, SCHOLZ, SCHOLTZ, SCHULTS, SHULTS, SCHULTHEIß, SCHULTHEIS  Famous People With the SCHULZ Last Name Charles Schulz - American cartoonist, artist, and illustrator, best known for the popular comic strip PeanutsHoward Schultz - Starbucks CEOWarren Schultz - American game designerErwin Schulz - German Nazi SS general Genealogy Resources for the SCHULZ Last Name Meanings and Origins of the 50 Top German SurnamesMà ¼ller, Schmidt, Schneider, Fischer, Meyer... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of the most common German last names? The Schulz last name ranks 9th on the list. How to Research German AncestorsGermany, as we know it today, is a much different country than it was during the time of many of our distant ancestors. Learn how to research your German ancestors both in present-day Germany, as well as in the six countries that received portions of the former German territory. Is My Surname Jewish?While many people will identify a last name that sounds Jewish, you generally cant identify Jewish ancestry by surname alone. 10 Online Sources for Holocaust ResearchFrom deportation records to lists of the martyred to survivor testimonies, the Holocaust has generated a vast amount of documents and records - many of which can be researched online! Schultz-Scholz Y-chromosome DNA Surname ProjectThe goal of the Schultz Surname Project is to use Y-DNA testing to distinguish between Schultz ancestral lines, worldwide. Any reasonable spelling variant of the surname is included, including Schultz, Schulze, Scholz, Scholze,  Schult, Schulte, Schultes, Schultheiß, Schults, Schultz, Schultze, Schulz, Schulze, Shults, Shultz, Sulc and Szulc. SCHULZ Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Schulz last name to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Schulz query. FamilySearch - SCHULZ GenealogySearch and access records, queries, and lineage-linked online family trees posted for the Schulz surname and its variations. FamilySearch features over 4 million results for the Schulz last name. SCHULZ Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Schulz surname. DistantCousin.com - SCHULZ Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schulz. Sources: Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Political Corruption in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Corruption in America - Research Paper Example The American government has been observed as corruption free from the viewpoint of other countries. Many of these states have contended that such attribute is the reason why America has become a superpower. However, if one is to critically assess the history of the American government, it can be observed that U.S. before was in truth and in fact struggling to eradicate the prevalent problem of corruption in its local and national level of government. Considerably, there have been many political personalities who have been charged and arrested for violating the anti-corruption law. To cite, U.S. Congressman Duke Cunningham in 2005 was charged with having conspired to commit bribery, wire fraud and tax evasion (Rozen 15; Meyers 14). He then decided to resign and relinquish his post. Later on, he was convicted and sentenced to over eight years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a whopping amount of more than one million dollars in restitution (â€Å"Duke Draws† A01). Notably, thi s type of corruption has been referred to as political corruption which poses danger to democracy and good governance and undermines the legitimacy of the government and its democratic values (Gore). According to Heidenheimer and Johnston, â€Å"political corruption involves a public official who violates the public’s trust in a manner which harms the public interest by knowingly exploiting his or her office for clear personal and private gain in a way which runs contrary to the accepted rules and standards for the conduct of public office so as to benefit a third party† (42). In this sense, there are two ideas which can be derived from this definition, corruption and the culture of corruption. There is a culture of corruption if a public officer does a corrupt act because he or she expects to be given a reward.

World Civilizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World Civilizations - Essay Example As time flies by, African regions have been establishing contacts with other countries not only with Europe but also with other countries like the US, which aided notable developments in its society. However, the level of development and change still varies among these African regions. For example, the East African region has little improvement when it comes to its economy. Note that this region has been suffering from malnutrition, starvation due to food shortage and some illnesses which had badly been spreading widely across the region for almost 6 decades now (East Africa Crisis). Steps have been taken to get all the help from across countries. Many articles have already been published both in web pages and print. Call for donations and sponsorships have also gone live on-air and via new, but it seems that relief organizations are still having a hard time finding enough funds to overcome this problem. East Africa has been asking assistance from the US both for raising fund and conducting campaigns to raise awareness of the region’s situation. However, improvement is still at its littlest. Meanwhile, West Africa in majority is still suffering from poverty, drought, nutritional challenges and difficulty in earning money. But increasingly studies are showing that â€Å"sociocultural aspects are playing an increasingly important role† in the development of business in this region (Long, 2011). Reports have been made that China is trying to build business ties with countries located in this region. There are also reports of continuous efforts to connect West African business centers and universities to the rest of the world. Among the three regions, it appears that South Africa, labeled as the most developed region in Africa, has been the most changed by the foreign contact with culture and technology. According to Connor Septhon’s report, South Africa has a noticeably better infrastructure among these other regions.

Behavioral Influences Essay Example for Free

Behavioral Influences Essay Expectancy theory is related to the motivation of the employees which is dependent upon the employees’ behavior and incentives given by the management. If the management is able to motivate its employees they will put in more effort while working, which means efficiency higher returns for the company. The three components of the expectancy theory are expectancy, valence and instrumentality (Vroom, 1964). All of these three variables are required if an employee needs to be motivated positively. The expectancy component is the belief that increase in efforts will accounts for better performance and vice versa. This means that a person is motivated if there is a positive relationship between efforts and performance given that he has proper training, resources and direction to perform the job. Expectancy is also affected by the confidence the employee has about on his capabilities. Valence component in the expectancy theory refers to the value people place on the expected outcome or rewards of their efforts. If a person is motivated mainly by money, he might not value free insurance given by the company. Valence is the intensity of the desire of a worker for extrinsic and intrinsic rewards such as promotion, fringe benefits, bonuses, overtime and satisfaction (Droar, 2003). Instrumentality, the third component of expectancy theory is the confidence on the higher authorities that if the performance is well, the desired or promised reward will be received (Vroom, 1964). Instrumentality will be affected by the trust in people who make decisions of the outcomes and degree of biasness of the process of getting an outcome. Therefore the theory tells us that the relationship between the effort and performance is positive, which means that increase in effort will enhance performance (Vroom, 1964). According to the theory the relationship between performance and rewards is also positive, which implies that better performance will result in more rewards. In the given scenario, Supervisor A’s employees are facing difficulty in coping up with the new production process. The main reason for this is that the employees are not being compensated for their work. Those who achieve their goals are not given enough compensation therefore they feel unmotivated. When employees are not motivated, they do not put in enough effort to achieve their goals and hence their performance is not fine. The employees who have mastered the production process are not worried about accomplishing their goals because they know that even with added effort if they attain their goals, the compensation they will get is not worth the effort. Other employees, who have not mastered it, are not putting in enough effort because they think they are not capable of doing so. Therefore there is a dire need for motivation of the employees who are under Supervisor A. The supervisor should find out what resources, training or management of employees is needed to motivate the employees; this is the expectancy component of the expectancy theory. The supervisor should also find out what do the employees value, their bonuses and salaries should be increased according to their performance; this is the valence part of the expectancy theory. Supervisor also has to make sure that the perception of the employees about their supervisor’s promises is correct, they should be compensated as promised; this is the instrumentality component. In the scenario, the employees’ salaries are not being increased as promised by the supervisor; their bonuses after withholding tax are very small. Thus if the supervisor is able to fill the gaps in all of these three components, he will be able to motivate the employees to increase effort and hence performance and the goals will be achieved. Task 2 The leadership style of Leader B is transactional, Leader C is transformational and Executive has a â€Å"Level 5† leadership style. Transactional leadership focuses on setting specific goals for each team member and encourage them to meet the agreed upon goals (Bryant, 2003). In the scenario it is given that Leader B establishes clear goals by clarifying role and task requirements and continually guiding subordinates in the direction of these goals, and therefore it is a characteristic of transactional leadership. In transactional leadership, the team members are awarded when they are able to achieve their goals on time and punished when agreed upon goals are not achieved or are not achieved on time (Iain, 2007). In the scenario given, Leader B considers the team member to be personally at fault if the delegated task is not completed and issues punishments for failures. Transactional leadership recognizes accomplishments of individual subordinates and they are rewarded for achieving the objectives agreed upon (Iain, 2007). In the scenario given, Leader B believes in a clear chain of commands and in rewarding good performance and recognizing employee accomplishments. Leader B also rewards subordinates for their successes. Leader B’s transactional leadership style has been justified now by including the examples from the given text. Transformational leadership depends more on personal relationship with subordinates and is supported by trust rather than committing to contracts (Jung Avolio, 1999). In the scenario it is given that Leader C tried to remember his team members’ birthdays and makes an effort to work with them as their coach instead of their manager. Transformational leadership also tries to satisfy its followers’ self-interest and encourages the followers to replace these interests with the interests of the team. In the scenario, Leader C encourages the group to surpass their own self-interest for the betterment of the organization. This type of leadership also focuses on organizational change through stress on new values and different vision of the future which transcends the status quo (Gellis, 2001). Leader C in the scenario also believes that the group can have great success when they are passionate and enthusiastic about a vision. Transformational leaders motivate its followers to achieve their goals through nurturing their individual skills and capabilities (Barbuto, 2005). Leader C in the scenario sets high hopes for subordinates, instills individualism of employees for the benefit of organization and takes a rational problem-solving approach. The Level 5 leadership is described as being hesitant and unruly, shy and fearless and modest with a stern commitment to high standards (Jon Jenkins and Gerrit Visser, 2001). This type of leadership takes struggling organizations from being fine to great and produces other fine leaders within the organizations for future. The Level 5 leadership takes responsibility for the failures and accredits other leaders for accomplishments (Jon Jenkins and Gerrit Visser, 2001). This leadership also establishes unique ideas, long-term vision and values for the organization. In the scenario, Executive A is clearly a level 5 leader as he shies away from attention and accredits others for achievements. He accepts responsibility for failures and poor results; and feels delighted to produce strong leadership within the organization. Therefore it is apparent that Executive A is a Level 5 leader as he took the struggling organization into hands and reshaped the stock prices and company profits into eye-catching ones and he also shares his long-term vision, ideas and values with other leaders of the company. When the Executive A retires and if Leader B is appointed as the CEO, then most of the employees in the organization will start working for their own interest as they will be held responsible for their failures and accomplishments and will be compensated accordingly. Supervision of the employees will become an integral part of managers’ routine as they may use organization’s resources for their personal interests. Transactional leadership is successful in stable organizations because it helps to improve control over employees and reinforces constructive administrative actions through rewards and punishments. Therefore Leader B may find his style appropriate in the organization. Transformational leadership maintains employees’ performance through loyalty to organization, trust in the leader and changes in values and standards of the organization. Leader C has this style of leadership, and if appointed the CEO, the employees will surely have higher motivation and self-confidence; they will get chances and supervision to improve their skills and capabilities. Through self-realization of employees and personal relationships with them, Leader C will be able to make them feel an integral part of the organization and increase their performance beyond expectations. Task 3 Individuals often take one of the bases of power in an organization in which they are employed. There are five bases of power which act as a source of organization; they will be discussed one by one. The first one is Position in Hierarchy (Woldring, 2001), that is the rank of the individual in an organization. The higher the individual’s place in the organizational rank structure, the greater the power he will have. In the given scenario, Employee 1 is using position in hierarchy as the source of his power. He has worked in the marketing department for 12 years and he frequently comes to the office on weekends or stays late to make sure smooth running of tasks. The second base of power is Referent Power (Woldring, 2001); this is the personal relation of an individual with others who are higher in the organizational hierarchy. It only exists if the individual can actually reference the authenticity of relationship so that it can act as a basis of power. Employee 2 has this power as he negotiated with his manager to work four days a week and is the only person who is allowed to have a shorter work week. Third type of power is Reward Power (Raven, 1959); individuals who have a greater degree of control over resources of organization, have greater power. Individuals even lower in the organizational hierarchy can have greater controller over resources of the organization (Woldring, 2001). This power is based on the ability to give valuable reward to others who perform well (Raven, 1959). In the scenario given, Employee 1 has this power as he is controlling the resources of his department to get the large bonus at the year end, and he will spend this bonus on his vacations. The fourth base of power is Demonstrated Expertise (Woldring, 2001); an individual who has an exceptional capability or special knowledge that no other has in the organization. Only having expertise is not sufficient, others should know about the importance of this person’s expertise and its value. Employee 2 has this power as he is the only company employee who can prepare financial statements. The fifth and final source of power is Personality Power or Coercive Power (Woldring, 2001); the perceived personality of the individual is the power here. If the person has strong interpersonal skills, charming and attractive personality, then he will be able to influence others to conform to his ideas or demands (Raven, 1959). This is the case with Employee 3, who has been in the organization for just a year, but because of his personality power, he was able to change entire department’s beliefs. Relationship between Bases of Power and Dependency: The Bases of Power use the concept of Dependency. An employee can only use its base of power on another employee if the other one is dependent on him. As Emerson (1962, p. 32) argues that â€Å"power resides implicitly in the other‘s dependency† and that â€Å"the power of A over B is equal to, and based upon, the dependence of B upon A†. Therefore if a person B is dependent of another person A, only then the power of A exists. The level of power of person A depends upon the degree of dependence of person B on person A and the alternatives available to person B. If there is no dependence then power over another person does not exists. The accounting manager in the given scenario is the person who is dependent upon Employee 2 because of the Expertise power of Employee 2. Employee 2 is the only person in the organization who can prepare the financial statements and so the manager is dependent upon him to prepare it. Employee 1 is dependent upon marketing manager for the award he wants, that is why he stays late in the office to make sure of the completion and accuracy of the work and he often come to office on weekends. Employee 3 was selected as the leader of the team working on new project; all others related to the project are dependent upon him because of his Coercive power. Task 4 The first problem with the company’s current evaluation form is that the rating scales in the form mostly focus on relationships with other employees and on the personality; it is more of a personality test rather than performance and skills evaluation. Instead of evaluating the neatness of the workplace, relationships with peers, attitude with others and friendliness, the questions should be more specific to the performance and quality of work. Performance factors such as knowledge, skills, abilities, quality and timeliness of work, efforts of the employee, works habits, supervisory factors, cooperation, adaptability and effectiveness of communication should be evaluated. The second concern in the evaluation form is that the rating scales are not specific and measurable. The scale being used is to rate an attribute is not numeric or scalar, high, low-medium, medium are being used to score against the attribute. A better approach of scoring will be to use a scale with numeric scale, the highest described as â€Å"Superior† and lowest as â€Å"Unsatisfactory†. Another option of â€Å"Not Applicable† should also be present with all attributes. The use of measurable scale will ease the work for evaluator and he will be able to rate the employee’s attributes more accurately. The third concern in the evaluation form is that the performance factors are not specific. When the manager had to give rating on the engineer’s attitudes, he had to take in to account the engineer’s attitudes towards his job and tasks that he is assigned to do and also his attitudes towards co-workers and manager. The factors should be more specific so that the evaluator can give the ratings to specific attribute and every attribute is taken into account. In the scenario, the manager gave engineer a low rating in the attitude factor although his attitude towards work was very serious and he completed his tasks in a very well manner. He got a low rating because of his poor attitude towards the peers and manager. The 360-degree approach to employee evaluation involves supervisor, peers, and subordinates into the evaluation of an individual. This approach has its own pros and cons. Many people participate in evaluating a person so it gives complete view of the performance of the person. The performance view is captured from the supervisor, peers and the subordinates, they respond as they see the person’s performance. It reduces the bias of the supervisor or the manager towards an employee. It the supervisor does not likes the attitude of appearance of the employee, and then he might rate the employee with a lower score. If the employee’s attitude with the supervisor is not favorable but the peers and subordinates like the attitude of the employee, then this can be captured in the evaluation process. Many people participate in the evaluation process, so the score becomes more reliable and more accurate. The supervisor may not have a personal relation with the employee and may not know him too well to rate his personality and attitude towards work. It is also possible that the employee have had some kind of incident with the supervisor in the past and since then the attitude towards the employee had become unfavorable. Then the supervisor would obviously rate him low in the performance factors. Most of the times in an organization, peers and co-workers know the employee better than the supervisor; so when the peers will evaluate the employee, they will be able to give the ratings more accurately and their ratings will be more reliable than any others. The attitude of a person towards his sub-ordinates is also very important, this attitude can be recorded when sub-ordinates will take part in the evaluation process of the employee. And then after the evaluation, the employee can leverage his strengths according to others’ perception of his performance and personality. So, 360-degree approach to performance evaluation helps in evaluating the employee from many views and in recording reliable and more accurate information then the traditional forms of evaluations and is not only helpful to the management to make important decisions but also is useful to the person being evaluated . There are some disadvantages too of including the supervisor, peers and subordinates in the evaluation process. One of the main disadvantages is that all the peers and subordinates may not like the personality of the employee being evaluated and may rate him very low based on his attitude and personality. The main purpose of evaluating an employee is to evaluate the performance and skills and attitude towards the work and tasks assigned to him. The co-workers and subordinates may have issues with employee being evaluated because of personality clash, and although his work is up to the mark and performance is well, but still the peers, supervisor and subordinates might give him low score on performance. There are a handful of employee performance evaluation methods; three of them are top-down, peer-to-peer and 360-degree. Top-down is the most commonly used in the organizations today. It involves the direct manager of the employee in the evaluation process and is only useful if the manager knows his employee well enough. Peer-to-peer entails the employees of the same levels to review each other. Nobody knows the capabilities and performance of an employee better than his peer or co-worker. While it can be effective method, it can also be very unsuccessful at times. If there is jealousy among the co-workers or if there is competition then it is obvious that they will not rate each others in a reliable manner. When there are multiple managers or multiple peers of an employee then these methods prove successful. The third method is 360-degree evaluation which takes into account the reviews of peers, subordinates and the managers or supervisors. In some organizations even suppliers and customers are involved in the evaluation process. While the advantage of multiple points of views is clear, it poses some threats also. Sometimes the subordinates may not give the true feedback of their managers because of the fear that manager will get to know about it. The following are the errors and biases that commonly affect the accuracy of performance evaluation. The first one is that the employees may favor the evaluation questions of their manager as they will fear that the manager will find out and so their review will not be true. The second is that the peers might not be mature enough or experienced enough to evaluate each other and they may form a cartel and rate each other well. The third example is that the manager does not the performance of his employee whom he is to evaluate because of no interaction with him, and he might just do the evaluation providing inaccurate information. In the given scenario, the evaluation form should be made more reliable and bias free and should be more oriented towards the performance of the employee rather than the friendliness and the attitude towards the co-workers. The scale used should be numeric with the highest being the best and lowest being the most poor. Customers, subordinates, and co-workers should also be included in the evaluation process to make it fairer. References Online Journal Iain, Ph. D. Hay. (2007 ). Transactional and Transformational Leaderships Compared. Leadership of Stability and leadership of vola tility, Volume 4, Issue 4. Retrieved 04 16, 2009, from Academic Leadership database. Website Organization/Website/Author name. (Year, Month Day). Title. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from www. url. com Value Based Management. net/Victor Vroom. (2009, 03 23). Motivation and Management Vroom’s Expectancy Theory. Retrieved 04 14, 2009, from http://www. valuebasedmanagement. net/methods_vroom_expectancy_theory. html Arrod. co. uk/Dave Droar. (2006, 12 31). Expectancy theory of motivation. Retrieved 04 14, 2009, from http://www. arrod. co. uk/archive/concept_vroom. php Imaginal Training/Jon Jenkins and Gerrit Visser. (2001). Level 5 Leadership. Retrieved 04 14, 2009, from http://www. imaginal. nl/articleLevel5Leadership. htm Workplace Competence International Limited/Roelf Woldring. (2001). Power in Organizations: A way of Thinking About What You’ve Got, and How to Use It. Retrieved 04 16, 2009, from http://www. wciltd. com/pdfquark/powerorgv2. pdf

Computers And The Disabled :: essays research papers

Computers and The Disabled The computer age has changed many things for many people, but for the disabled the computer has ultimately changed their entire life. Not only has it made life exceedingly easier for all disabled age groups, it has also made them able to be more employable in the work force. Previously unemployable people can now gain the self esteem from fully supporting themselves. Computers have given them the advantages of motion were it had not previously existed. Disabled children now have the advantage to grow up knowing that they can one day be a competent adult, that won't have to rely on someone else for their every need. Windows 95 has made many interesting developments toward making life easier for the nearly blind and for the deaf, including on screen text to synthesize speech or Braille, and adaptive hardware that transforms a computers audible cues into a visual format. Computers have given the limited back their freedom to be an active part of the human race. According to the Americans with Disabilities Acts, any office that has a staff of more than fifteen people now has to provide adaptive hardware and software on their computers, so that workers with disabilities can accomplish many tasks independently. Before this Act was passed the disabled were normally passed over for jobs because of their handicap, now however employers can be assured that people with disabilities can work in the work place just like people without disabilities. The self esteem disabled individuals have gained from the experience to work and be self supporting, is immeasurable. Computerized wheelchairs have given disabled people a whole new perception on life. It has given them the mobility to go just about anywhere they want to go. It has given them the ability to explore an unknown world, and progress intellectually as well as spiritually. Computerized vans allow many disabled people to drive, by having onboard computerized lifts to place the disabled in the driver's seat. Movement sensitive hardware, as well as computerized shifting devices allows the disable to control the van with very little physical movement. Children with disabilities now have access to many computerized devices that enable them to move freely in their home as well as outside. The battery operated bigfoot truck, much like the ones that we buy for our own children to play on have been adapted and computerized for children with special needs. These trucks have been designed for even some of the most limited children to operate with ease. With the newest technology these children can now go to public schools with their peers, and have an active social life. Computers And The Disabled :: essays research papers Computers and The Disabled The computer age has changed many things for many people, but for the disabled the computer has ultimately changed their entire life. Not only has it made life exceedingly easier for all disabled age groups, it has also made them able to be more employable in the work force. Previously unemployable people can now gain the self esteem from fully supporting themselves. Computers have given them the advantages of motion were it had not previously existed. Disabled children now have the advantage to grow up knowing that they can one day be a competent adult, that won't have to rely on someone else for their every need. Windows 95 has made many interesting developments toward making life easier for the nearly blind and for the deaf, including on screen text to synthesize speech or Braille, and adaptive hardware that transforms a computers audible cues into a visual format. Computers have given the limited back their freedom to be an active part of the human race. According to the Americans with Disabilities Acts, any office that has a staff of more than fifteen people now has to provide adaptive hardware and software on their computers, so that workers with disabilities can accomplish many tasks independently. Before this Act was passed the disabled were normally passed over for jobs because of their handicap, now however employers can be assured that people with disabilities can work in the work place just like people without disabilities. The self esteem disabled individuals have gained from the experience to work and be self supporting, is immeasurable. Computerized wheelchairs have given disabled people a whole new perception on life. It has given them the mobility to go just about anywhere they want to go. It has given them the ability to explore an unknown world, and progress intellectually as well as spiritually. Computerized vans allow many disabled people to drive, by having onboard computerized lifts to place the disabled in the driver's seat. Movement sensitive hardware, as well as computerized shifting devices allows the disable to control the van with very little physical movement. Children with disabilities now have access to many computerized devices that enable them to move freely in their home as well as outside. The battery operated bigfoot truck, much like the ones that we buy for our own children to play on have been adapted and computerized for children with special needs. These trucks have been designed for even some of the most limited children to operate with ease. With the newest technology these children can now go to public schools with their peers, and have an active social life.

Compare and Contrast Economic and Political Effects of the Mongol Rule in the Middle East and China Essay

The Mongols were a nomadic group from Central Asia who joined together under the rule of Ghengis Khan to conquer territory. The Mongols had an enormous affect on the territories it conquered. They generally took on the culture of the peoples they conquered. In China, the Mongols modeled the government similar to China’s but did not allow Chinese members to become a part of the government. They also outlawed the civil service exam. In contrast in the Middle East, Il-Khan allowed local government officials to stay in power and keep their rule as long as they continued to pay taxes. However in both regions the Mongol’s encouraged trade and eliminated tariffs through their empire. In that way they boosted their economies. Politically the Mongols changed the system significantly in China. Although Kublei Khan, the ruler of China during the Mongol ruler tried to model the government after the Chinese bureaucracy as exemplified by his naming the dynasty, the Yuan dynasty and keeping a strong centralized government with regular tax payment. He also outlawed the civil service exam because the Mongols were not well educated. In Addition he only allowed Mongols to be a part of the government. In contrast, in the Middle East Il-Khan kept the government very similar to how it had always been. The leaders of the mongols converted to Islam unlike the Mongols in China who didn’t take on Confucianism, the Chinese tradition. The Mongols in the Middle East also allowed the current leader to remain intact as long as they continued to pay the taxes. Economically, the mongols were very similar in China and the Middle East. In China the Mongols encouraged trade. They protected the Silk Roads from invaders. An example of how the Mongol’s encouraged and welcomed trade is with Marco Polo, a merchant who traveled all around Eurasia and wrote about his journey and travels to the Yuan dynasty. Similarly in the Middle East the Mongols encouraged trade and specifically discouraged agriculture. The Mongols also eliminated tariffs throughout their empire. Because of this trade flourished in the Middle East as it did in China. The Mongol rule in China and the Middle East was very different politically in that the Mongols allowed the leaders in the Middle East to remain while  in China they did not. In addition they took on the Middle Eastern culture more by converting to Islam while in China, they did not take on Confucianism. However the Mongols attempted to take on parts of the culture in both regions. Economically both the mongols in China and the Middle East were similar. In both regions the Mongols encouraged trade and eliminated tariffs. Because of this trade flourished in this time period.

Abigail williams Essay

In 1692, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, several young girls experienced a conjured illness, triggering the beginning of mass hysteria in the town. The unexplained illnesses were thought to be the devil’s doing; using witches to stain the town. The hysteria spread within the strictly religious town and allowed for revenge and old jealousies to be rekindled. Women and men fell victim to the young girls and were condemned to hang. The unimaginable events that took place became known as the Salem Witch Trials. The trials brought Arthur Miller to write The Crucible, depicting the unfortunate events. Throughout The Crucible, a young girl named Abigail Williams uses her cunningness and deceitfulness to get what she wants. Her jealousness and lack of moral and ethics gives her the ability to condemn innocent beings to death, without any questions. Abigail Williams is seen as â€Å"seventeen and strikingly beautiful† (138). However, she is selfish, and an excellent liar. When questioned about what had happened in the forest, she saves herself by saying she and the girls were only dancing. Abigail lies with the intention of keeping herself out of trouble. Abigail is later interrogated about the night before. She says it was Tituba’s idea and Tituba immediately confessed. Abigail is jealous and sees how Tituba is praised after she confesses; as Gods light in the world, looking for evil. Abigail accuses several women of working with the Devil so she too can be praised (158). Everyone looked beyond her deceptiveness and thought what Abigail was saying true. Abigail’s jealousness of Tituba provoked her to accuse innocent women of witchcraft. Abigail is also dark and cruel. She says to Betty and Mercy that if they speak a word of what happened in the woods, â€Å"I will come to you in the black of some terrible nights and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you† (144). Abigail proves she would do anything to keep herself out of trouble, even if it meant murdering her cousin. Abigail transforms to a terrifying young woman, who has the capability of accusing innocent townspeople. This power fills Salem with fear to speak out against her. Her elaborate strategies and devotion make her undefeatable. She becomes more ruthless and bold in her accusations. She accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, who was a good woman and well respected within the Salem community (172). Abigail stabs herself in order to put Elizabeth in the blame, revealing her dedication to the  accusations. Her perseverance and conniving schemes give the townspeople no other choice but to believe what she is saying. Abigail is a merciless villain, who acquires the power to accuse several more women in the town of Salem. What was once fourteen accused escalates into thirty nine, almost overnight. Fear is present in all the townspeople, who are afraid Abigail would seek revenge on them. When Proctor states Mary must tell the courtroom Abigail is lying, Mary warns Proctor she will accuse Proctor of lechery (174). Proctor is surprised Abigail told anyone about the affair. Abigail evolves into a cold-hearted girl who would do anything to get what she wants, including accuse the man she claims she loves of lechery. Abigail’s transformation into a villain motivates Proctor to go to the courtroom and prove Abigail is not blameless. Abigail continues to be a heartless girl, set on destroying lives of women and men in Salem. Her humanity seems to disappear completely, as she accuses more and more women. She has a huge impact on the girls, who are too terrified to confess they were only pretending to be witched. Abigail targets and manipulates weak Mary Warren, a girl who used to be her friend. â€Å"†¦A wind, a cold wind, has come (her eyes fall on Mary Warren)† (188). Abigail lost all the emotions she had for Mary Warren and Proctor, accusing them both of witchcraft. She evolves in to a selfish girl, who craves the attention and power she receives from Salem. Her power seems too much for Mary Warren to bear, as she returns to Abigail’s side. She becomes lustful for power and control, denying any accusations made against her. By first accusing the town drunk and homeless woman, her credibility sky rockets. She had the confidence to accuse Elizabeth, a woman who is highly respected. In order to fulfill her fantasy with John Proctor, Abigail losses her conscience and condemns anyone who interferes with her plan. Her continued ruthlessness and confidence invokes intimidation in all of Salem. She takes complete advantage of Salem’s ignorance to satisfy her desires. The trials end in nineteen innocent people being hanged. The town’s attitude towards the execution changed into sympathy for the people who had fallen victim to the girls. Mass hysteria can turn seemingly innocent girls into cold-hearted killers who inflict pain on others. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. McDougal Litell Literature: American Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Litell.132-208. Print

Nike Sweat Shops Essays - Economy, Clothing, Business, Fashion

Nike Sweat Shops.txt Essays - Economy, Clothing, Business, Fashion Nike Sweat Shops There has been much debate and controversy recently concerning Nike's Asian labour practices. This is a very complex issue and one that is a long way from being solved. It is very difficult to determine which side of this argument to defend, as both sides acknowledge the facts, yet put a completely different spin on them. Do you believe Nike's critics who say they're exploiting workers? Or, do you believe Nike when they say that they are giving workers in these countries wonderful opportunities to raise their standard of living? The consensus answer to this question by all sides seems to be that Nike is improving but still has a ways to go. Nike's Asian ties can be traced back to the birth of the company. The CEO, chairman of the board of directors, and co-founder, Phil Knight, wrote his masters thesis at Stanford University in the 1960's on the prospects for using Asian labor to produce goods cheaper and more effectively. In order to incorporate this plan in to Nike's business structure, a partnership was set up with a Japan based company called Tiger Sports. Tiger Sports would manufacture shoes for Nike in Asia then shipped them to the United States to sell. In the 1980's however, this aspect of Nike's partnership with Tiger Sports was dissolved, and Nike was forced to expand production from the United States to countries such as Taiwan and Korea where their products could be manufactured at the same relatively low cost that Nike enjoyed through the Tiger Sports partnership. Over the last five of years, however, the production numbers for these countries have been decreasing at an alarming rate due to the fact that th eir economies expanded at a very rapid pace. This, in turn, caused the cost of labour to increase dramatically, and therefore Nike could no longer produce their product as efficiently as before. In lieu of the rapid economic growth in the pacific rim, and the increased production cost, Nike has moved more into countries such as Vietnam and China where the labour is cheaper and labour laws less stringent. (VLF, VN Fact Sheet) Nike does not own any of the factories that produces its products in Asia, and subsequently they do not directly employ the workers or management. They contract out work to factories that make all of the products and run all of the factories. They do, however, have a massive amount of leverage when dealing with these factories because of the huge contracts they supply. To ensure good labour practices, Nike has a Code of Conduct that every contractor must agree to abide by in order to get a contract. The Conduct Code in theory condemns and prohibits child labour, requires that workers be paid fair wage, imposes caps on the days and hours a worker can be forced to work, prohibits mistreatment or discrimination of workers in any form, obligates factories to implement programs that benefit worker's health and safety, and recognizes and respects the workers right to freedom of association. There are 1000 Nike employees worldwide monitoring operations at the subcontractors and specifically the Code of Conduct adherent. The most consistent criticism of Nike is that the workers in the factories contracted by them are not aware of the Code of Conduct that was agreed upon, and/or it is not enforced (especially the wages and overtime aspects) by the factory officials. Critics contend that the factories pay less than minimum wage at times, force too many overtime hours, and fail to make the workplace as clean and as safe as standards dictate. Many of the factories that are contracted have workers and management from different countries, causing some problems in communication. Some factories in China have Taiwanese Managers while factories in Vietnam have Korean managers. This is one reason offered by Nike in defense of the factories failure to comply with the Code of Conduct. To look into this issue, earlier this year Nike commissioned Andrew Young, a former civil rights leader and United Nations ambassador to do an analysis of how well the Code was working. Young and his staff visited four factories in Vietnam, Indonesia, and China for three to four hours

Invention and Development of the Steam Engine

Invention and Development of the Steam Engine Steam engines are mechanisms that use heat to create steam, which in turn performs mechanical processes, known generally as  work.  While several inventors and innovators worked on various aspects of using steam for power, the major development of early steam engines involves three inventors and three principal engine designs.   Thomas Savery and the First Steam Pump The first steam engine used for work was patented by the Englishman Thomas Savery in 1698 and was used to pump water out of mine shafts. The basic process involved a cylinder that was filled with water. Steam was then delivered to the cylinder, displacing the water, which flowed out through a one-way valve. Once all of the water was ejected, the cylinder was sprayed with cool water to drop the cylinders temperature and condense the steam inside. This created a vacuum inside the cylinder, which then pulled up additional water to refill the cylinder, completing the pump cycle.   Thomas Newcomens Piston Pump Another Englishman,  Thomas Newcomen, improved on Slaverys pump with a design he developed around 1712. Newcomens engine included a piston inside of a cylinder. The top of the piston was connected to one end of a pivoting beam. A pump mechanism was connected to the other end of the beam so that water was drawn up whenever the beam tilted up on the pump end. To propel the pump, steam was delivered to the piston cylinder. At the same time, a counterweight pulled the beam down on the pump end, which made the piston rise to the top of the steam cylinder. Once the cylinder was full of steam, cool water was sprayed inside the cylinder, quickly condensing the steam and creating a vacuum inside the cylinder. This caused the piston to drop, moving the beam down on the piston end and up on the pump end. The cycle then repeated automatically as long as steam was applied to the cylinder.   Newcomens piston design effectively created a separation between the water being pumped out and the cylinder used to create the pumping power. This greatly improved  on the efficiency of Slaverys original design. However, because Saverys held a broad patent on his own steam pump, Newcomen had to collaborate with Savery to patent the piston pump.   James Watts Improvements Scotsman James Watt  significantly improved and developed the steam engine over the second half of the 18th century, making it a truly viable piece of machinery that helped start the Industrial Revolution. The first major innovation of Watts was to include a separate condenser so that the steam didnt have to be cooled in the same cylinder that contained the piston. This meant the piston cylinder remained at a much more consistent temperature, greatly increasing the fuel efficiency of the engine. Watt also developed an engine that could rotate a shaft, rather than an up-and-down pumping action, as well as a flywheel that allowed for smooth power transfer between the engine and the workload. With these and other innovations, the steam engine became applicable to a variety of factory processes, and Watt and his business partner, Matthew Boulton, built several hundred engines for industrial use.   Later Steam Engines The early 19th century saw major innovation of high-pressure steam engines, which were much more efficient than the low-pressure designs of Watts and the others steam-engine pioneers. This led to the development of much smaller, more powerful steam engines that could be used to power trains and boats and to perform a wider range of industrial tasks, such as running saws in mills. Two important innovators of these engines were American Oliver Evans and Englishman Richard Trevithick. Over time, steam engines were replaced by the internal combustion engine for most types of locomotion and industrial work, but the use of steam generators to create electricity remains an important part of electrical power production today.

How might the U.S. relationship with Asia be different if the U.S. war Essay

How might the U.S. relationship with Asia be different if the U.S. war in Iraq ended What about Afghanistan - Essay Example Pulling out of Iraq and perhaps even Afghanistan will perhaps lead to some form of ease in the countries neighboring the two. Pakistanis and Iranians are ill at ease with the Americans so close to their borders especially since the American drones are constantly crossing borders to bomb targets in the Pakistani tribal region (n.a 2010). Pulling out of the two occupied countries will definitely help the US focus its resources in areas that need it. The economy of the nation is staggering and needs to be focused and prioritized and perhaps the pulling out will also help relations with Asian nations who don’t feel that the close proximity of the American troops is a sign of concern. Works Cited Liang, Yan. US looks to Asia after Iraq withdrawal. September 2, 2010. http://opinion.globaltimes.cn/commentary/2010-09/569748.html (accessed February 14, 2011). n.a. "22 drone attacks in Pakistan in September." GEO. September 29, 2010. http://www.geo.tv/9-29-2010/72082.htm (accessed Febru ary 14, 2011).

American Kitchen Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American Kitchen Revolution - Research Paper Example The Architectural design upon which these works were laid depended on the North American basics and eclectic combinations of European architectural techniques, manipulations, and practices (Smith, 1976: 76). The preliminary commencement of American architecture dates back to the regal tradition of the United States and the practices that transpired as a result of the evacuation of European background. The American melting vessel grew and both the edifice and planning practices advanced. This in turn led to the dawn of the colonial style which became the cornerstone of the architectural progress of the United States. The outstanding consideration of these designs focus on the balance between classical and gothic ideals. Some of the common European monuments like Gloucestershire serve as benchmark for this piece of work. It therefore goes without objection that the kitchen is inextricably correlated to this discovery. The hearth remains in various historical sites helps to establish th e dating of this. Instead of the fridges of the 19th century, root cellars were used to maintain the cold temperature of foods during summers and offered a conducive environment for preservation of food stuffs during winter (Smith, 1976: 76). Another preservative method during the ancient kitchen era was the smoke house. It was very vital for preservation of both fish and meat. The early hearths invented were either of clay or stone origin. The hearths could either be deep or shallow, depending on the size of the homesteads. The fire places had fixed revolving spits and clips that could be used to hang meat. This had to be substituted with the wake of change though gradual. It came with the enactment of the sociological evolution which authorized the open air kitchen integrated with living room. Care was however taken not to contaminate the whole apartment. The later days ushered in the contemporary styles where a combination of the sobriety, clever storage solutions and cutting edg e technology was put in place (Smith, 1976: 76). Mr. Wright coined the word ‘’usonia’’ to guide the architectural designs in the USA as per the ideals of the American democratic ideals. This was meant for the vision of the moderated small and affordable houses then. These houses had in them central hearths, open kitchens, and window walls. They assumed the horizontal plan reminiscent of a storey building. The kitchen largely remained impervious by the many architectural plans and progress that there were during the middle ages. Only open fire places served this purpose. However old these kitchens may sound or look, the old kitchen houses were built together with the main house described as palace in Europe and had such inclusions as arms, flax, silver spoons, brass, pewter and iron among other stuffs and therefore served their intended role. They also had counter tops made from linoleum. They were superb structures compared to the small wooden houses that dotted some of the ancient fields. They had completed and well revamped gates, bright gardens, a fine canal, offices, orchards, and walks. Pertaining to this urge of putting up a desired kitchen, there emerged a major bottleneck which was the establishment of an appealing place for the location of a kitchen cabinet. This was meant for storage of food and pots away from sight. One known appliance of the time was the pantry dresser. The homes lacked modern pipes and thus forced