The Best Books to Improve Your Writing Skills

The Best Books to Improve Your Writing Skills Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley This book is perfect for bloggers and content creators, who are willing to improve their professional competence. Nowadays, millions of new posts and other pieces of content appear on the Internet each day. Ann Handley in her book tries to show how difficult it can be to stand out in this great number of online publications, where the competitive rates are always high. She tells there how to write the content using the proper grammar, providing with the best practices. After reading this book you will know not only how to write but what to write as well. Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean with Precision and Power by William Brohaugh It will be helpful for all writers. Writers are always asked to make their works lean and precise. So, this book tells how to achieve this. Brohaugh teaches writers special techniques and approaches in order to recognize and omit empty modifiers and eliminate redundancy. This author is often considered pedantic. However, his approaches truly helped a lot of writers to improve their skills. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker It is suitable for all writers. This book provides with a professional insight into the language and its usage. It is a contemporary approach. So, it can be sometimes challenging for the beginners to get all the information given. However, those who have experience in the writing sphere, will find this book extremely useful. You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins All bloggers and content creators should get familiar with this book. Jeff Goins himself is a successful author and blogger. So, in this book, he provides with a roadmap to achieve this success. Actually, it is not only about how to write. This book is mainly about how to get your work noticed. If you aim is to become a professional writer, this book will be very useful. Stein On Writing by Sol Stein This book will a perfect tool for all creative writers to improve their skills. It provides with the information about all ins and outs of amazing writing. So, in order to truly improve your skills, this book should be read. It serves as a master class from an outstanding editor, writer, and teacher. 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience by Chuck Wendig This book is not really for sensitive people. Chuck Wending, in a manner of social commentary, and profanity, delivers the information on how to become a better fiction writer. Only useful pieces of advice are provided in the no-holds-barred style, which makes a book even more attractive and readable. Chuck Wending, a successful blogger, screenwriter, and author of numerous novels, knows for sure what is needed to become famous and earn the audience.

20 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on English Medieval Literature vs. Renaissance

20 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on English Medieval Literature vs. Renaissance Writing a compare and contrast essay can be a challenge, especially if you decided to delay working on it until the very end. Further complicating things is having to write on a vast subject such as Medieval Literature vs Renaissance Literature as both have a rich history. Luckily for you, you do not have to worry about selecting a topic to tackle for your compare and contrast essay. In addition to our list of 13 facts on medieval English literature vs. Renaissance for a compare and contrast essay, here are 20 topics on medieval English literature vs Renaissance for a compare and contrast essay. Depictions of Romance and Chivalry in Major Literary Works Produced During the English Renaissance and the Medieval Period The Anonymous Author of the Medieval Era - Accuracy and Impersonality in Medieval Writing and Renaissance Works Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Contrasting Concepts of Idea Ownership in Medieval Period and Post-Restoration Era Literary Works The Influence of Religion on Medieval Literature and Renaissance Literature Differences and Similarities in Transmission Mediums The Evolution of the Concept of Courtly Love and its Depictions in Medieval Literature and in Works Produced During the Renaissance Looking at Macrocosm through the Microcosm Lens: Contrasting Depictions of Nature in Medieval Literature and Renaissance Literature Secular Literature in the Medieval Period and Renaissance A Comparative Analysis of Major Literary Devices Used by Medieval Authors and Renaissance Authors The Political Views of Medieval and Renaissance Authors as Reflected in Their Works Female Authors and the Major Themes of Their Works Dissemination of Written Works during the Medieval Era and the Renaissance Chaucers Monk and Shakespeares Macbeth: A Comparative Analysis of Tragedy End of an Eternal Night: Literature as an Agent of Social Change Representations of Justice in Medieval and Renaissance Literature The Evolution of English and English Literature The Printing Press and English Literature Secular Poetry of the Medieval Period vs Renaissance Humanism The Power of Symbolism in Medieval Literature vs Renaissance Literature Major Literary Genres of the Medieval Period and the Renaissance You can use any of these topics as they are or can be inspired by them to come up with your own. If you need a little more guidance, here is a sample essay comparing Medieval heroes with Renaissance heroes to further clarify the topic. Sample Compare and Contrast Essay on Medieval Heroes vs Renaissance Heroes The people and society of Europe during the Medieval Ages and Renaissance held vastly differing culture and worldviews. This was starkly reflected in the literary works produced during those times. Fictional works often revolved around an individual who takes on the central role of the hero. The attitudes of the society are often depicted in the personality and actions of the hero. Moreover, these depictions offer a unique glimpse into the thinking of Medieval and Renaissance authors. Renaissance heroes are notably different from classical tragic heroes. Their most important distinguishing quality is the context of the story.   Classical tragic heroes seem to operate in a different religious context as compared to Renaissance heroes. This results in significant differences in both the characteristics and the actions of the heroes. The readers or the viewers of the plays during the Medieval period held Christian beliefs and their expectations were different as compared to the Renaissance audience. Another difference is that the heroes of Medieval tales belonged to noble families or were descendants of a higher power. This is not the case with the Renaissance hero. Usually, the Renaissance hero was morally superior to the Medieval hero, but socially inferior. The characters and moral standing of the Renaissance hero were more complex as compared to Medieval era heroes. They had shades of gray to their personalities and their demise followed a complicated path. On the other hand, the classical hero had a significant fatal flaw which caused a linear fall from grace. Shakespeare’s Mark Antony and Hamlet stand in sharp contrast to Sir Gawain from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The literature of the Renaissance sheds a lot of the religious overtones seen in Medieval works. The heroes of the Renaissance no longer had to be socially important or supernatural. This shows that the thinking of the society in the Renaissance period had become more liberal. The classical hero possessed a noble stature and high status. He must embody nobility, but has one major flaw. This flaw, coupled with external forces of fate, brings about a tragedy. However, the Renaissance hero is morally complex and has many flaws. He overcomes some of them and often undergoes a metamorphosis during the unfolding of the tale. This hero is more realistic, more human, and more tragic than the Medieval era hero. The authors of such characters understand that people do not have one major flaw. Human beings do not exist in black and white; human tragedy plays out on a gray spectrum. The players take on varying degrees of flaws and qualities. Doctor Faustus, the main character of Christopher Marlowe’s famous play, is not of noble birth. His character shows a touch of the humanist tendencies of the Renaissance period as he is depicted as arrogant, foolish and selfish. On the other hand, he tries to ‘make men to live eternally’. The Medieval heroes were somewhat one-dimensional at least in aspects of morality. The Renaissance hero is seen as a more human depiction. This sample essay is meant to provide you an example of how you can present your argument and essay. Feel free to use it as a template for your own work, but we know you can come up with an even better essay. So, get ready to write your own. If you need help with the technicalities of this academic assignment, check out our guide on how to write a compare and contrast essay on medieval English literature vs. Renaissance. References: Aughterson, K. (1998). The English Renaissance. London: Routledge. Braunmuller, A., Hattaway, M. (1990). The Cambridge companion to English Renaissance drama. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. Fried, J., Lewis, P. The Middle Ages. Jansson, M., Smith, N. (1996). Literature Revolution in England, 1640-1660.Renaissance Quarterly, 49(4), 886. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2862991 Krstovic, J. (2005). Classical and medieval literature criticism. Detroit, Mich.: Gale. Lambdin, R., Lambdin, L. (2000). Encyclopedia of medieval literature. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Lewis, C., Hooper, W. (1966). Studies in medieval and Renaissance literature. Cambridge [England]: University Press. Maddern, C. (2010). Medieval literature. Harlow, England: Longman/Pearson. McAlindon, T. (1986). English renaissance tragedy. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press. Muscatine, C. (1999). Medieval literature, style, and culture. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.

Describe this art figuer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Describe this art figuer - Essay Example At first, I did not see the relevance between the title of the artwork, and the woven textile. So I searched the title and found out that it was named after the humans common cold virus. The pattern in the woven art is a resemblance of the actual genetic sequence of the rhinovirus type 89. Phillip Stearns is an artist whose works focus on translating digital information into an artwork. In the case of the Rhinovirus Type 89, into a woven textile. The codes are translated into computer-generated data that can be expressed through the textile being woven and knitted. Each color of the textile in the artwork pertains to the specific code of the genome sequence (Stearns, 2014). With more information on the background of the artwork, I found it even more amusing and revolutionary. How it was created shows the merging of science, technology and arts, and it is really fascinating to see that the letters or codes that scientists use can be deciphered by

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically Essay - 1

'Information systems have revolutionised the way we work'. Critically discuss this statement using two concepts from the mod - Essay Example Information systems control almost all aspects of an organization’s management ranging from planning, controlling, co-coordinating, and recruiting of new staff. The technology also s companies to conduct business in virtual locations within the cyber space. Information systems have also created new challenges to businesses; for example, hacking and identity theft, which are the commonest cyber crimes (Panigraphy, 2010). Therefore, understanding of the way information systems have revolutionized the way businesses work is critical in the digital age. This study will focus on creation of virtual organizations and reduction of bureaucratic inefficiencies as the main ways through which information systems have changed the working of firms. Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations refer to those that carry out business in implicit environments that have no physical locations. These companies use computers, information systems, and the internet in carrying out all their functions . The offices of such companies are paperless and the non-physical offices are assumed to be in the cloud (Winfan, & Davis, 2005). These companies do not have boundaries in their workplace in terms of the employees they recruit and the regions they reach. This is because cyber space allows them to employ workers and reach customers from all regions of the world. Amazon, Google, and E-bay are examples of virtual companies that sell their products and services through virtual offices, and their workers are located in every corner of the world. The existence of virtual organizations may be explained by the theory of social determinism, which argues that technology changes the society. This is because if it were not for the development in technology, these firms would not be in existence (Laudon, & Babston, 2013). Corporate Culture of Virtual Organizations Corporate culture determines the success of a company because it creates a notion of how activities should be conducted in the organ ization. Existing and outgoing employees of a company usually pass the organization’s culture to newly employed workers. The corporate culture of implicit organizations differs from physical companies because it requires workers and managers to possess characteristics such as trust, valuable leadership skills, and efficient communication (Hess, 1995). Trust is an essential factor in virtual organizations because it enhances managers to manage employees who work in different locations. This means that the lack of trust in these companies may prevent the firms from performing their functions efficiently leading to poor performance. Efficient leadership and communication skills, on the other hand, also help in ensuring that there is cooperation and coordination in the company (Clegg, Harris, & Hopfl, 2011). Lack of these qualities in a virtual company may lead to the breakdown of activities. Working Techniques used in Virtual Organizations Virtual organizations use unique techni ques to bring workers together and to ensure that work is completed efficiently. These companies mainly use telecommuting to complete their jobs. Telecommuting is where workers are connected to the organization by information systems that operate through the internet. Managers connect with employees through emails and telephones

Comparison of Free Market Economy and Mixed Economy Systems Essay

Comparison of Free Market Economy and Mixed Economy Systems - Essay Example This can ensure that qualified medical care practitioners and welfare personnel receive prior training before employment. This ensures that the low earning bracket can access a minimal, equal level of up-to-standard medical care and treatment just like the high-income society members (Anderton, 2008). However, some officials may embezzle government funds while taking advantage of the welfare program. Medical practitioners may see an investment in their course of private practice. Some individuals may want a higher level of medical care than is available from the governing body and may lack freedom to choose. In some industries, the corporate sector experiences increased regulation resulting to decreased corporate greed. An adverse instance would be the Enron case that caused numerous workers to leave without proper retirement packages. This corporation, which the government controls, would control this greed, thus shielding the rights of people (Anderton, 2008). The modes of retireme nt in an entity that operates in a free market would yield promising returns for employee investments.. A corrupt administration can cut down retirement benefits into reserves of few. When entities facilitate businesses in a fixed economy, individual relationships may favor and push someone ahead when they cannot trace other methods. This holds a downside in business ethics in most mixed economy markets. USA citizens would find this issue debatable. Methods such as guanxi to fortify business initiatives, or business processes can result into bribery or corruption. A free market economy functions via voluntary exchange without control from a capitalist monetary system. A free market economy has numerous benefits to clients and businesses. Most demerits of... This essay is one of the best examples of comparison of the distinctive characteristics of free market economy and mixed economy types of system. In a mixed economy, the privatized businesses and the government share the control of monetary systems. A mixed economy market confers various advantages. In presentation of the fundamental advantages, it is pertinent to address every merit with a demerit to acquire a clear perspective of the differences between a free economy market and a mixed economy market. Foremost, the control level that the ruling government holds within a mixed monetary system causes it to hold a chief role in service delivery. The private domain has a responsibility to aid in building infrastructure and offer services. This may elicit an increase in efficiency. Owing to this, a problem would come up if the government refutes to ascertain the type of infrastructure it requires from the private entities. Production may fail to keep on track with demand and supply of the population and create a surplus, or scarcity of merchandise and services, contributing to loss of profits A free market economy functions via voluntary exchange without control from a capitalist monetary system. A free market economy has numerous benefits to clients and businesses. Most demerits of any economy lie within the issues of microeconomics, namely employment, laws, and wages. In current times, unemployment is a rampant factor that causes companies to commute overseas to nations like China.

Developing leadership after change in management

Developing leadership after change in management Explain in detail what you believe are the possible consequences of Sir Terry Learys Resignation from Tesco. Mr. Leahy stands out from other great CEOs in Europe because he has taken a business that was stalling and made it consistently outperform the entire sector. Hes done that while never being a celebrity. Hes always kept his feet on the ground.- George Cox, Former CEO and Chairman, Unisys Corporation (UK). The first thing you notice is that Terry has a completely different character to anyone else you know. That tells you that people who are successful dont have the same makeup as everybody else. In Terrys case, his approach is low key. He is sharp and much focused: he is very close to his people and he doesnt spread himself too thin. Above all else hes a very good leader.- Allen Leighton, Chairman of the Royal Mail Group. Introduction Background Sir Terry Leahy was born on the 28th of February 1956, in Liverpool. He grew up in the Belle Vale district in Liverpool where he studied at St. Edwards College and earned a management science degree (an Upper Second Class honours in Management Sciences) at the University of Manchesters Institute of Science and Technology in 1977. In his early life, Leahy briefly worked stacking shelves and washing floors in the London branch of Tesco during his school holidays, which could have played an important part in his decision to join Tesco after his graduation. Having lost to another candidate in his first application in Tesco, Leahy applied again and became a marketing executive in 1979. From the time when he joined Tesco, Leahy was identified as a capable and prospective employee who if developed could benefit the organisation. He was promoted 1981 as a marketing manager and from 1984 to 1986 held the position of marketing director for Tesco Stores Limited. He was later appointed as the commercial director of fresh foods in 1986; in 1992 Leahy was appointed to the board and finally became chief executive (CEO) in 1997 on the retirement of his mentor Lord MacLaurin (then CEO) who sought after appointing a successor to lead Tesco into the international market and increased its market share. Tesco was a follower of Marks Spencer and Sainsbury in terms of strategic market decisions but that changed when Leahy decided it is time to stop playing catch-up and start leading the UK grocery market through market knowledge and devising effective strategic plans. This change in focus led to the birth the Tesco Clubcard (loyalty program) and the Tesco Value lines both of which was a successful strategic plan and has been a key to the success of Tesco in the UK. During his era, Tesco has tightened its lead as the UKs largest retailer and has grown considerably locally and internationally with opening of stores in USA and China. In April 2005, Tesco announced a pre tax profit of  £2 billion with over  £37 billion in revenue. This proved that Tesco under his administration was too successful and growing too fast. Following his appointment to the Tesco board, Leahy has been awarded and recognised locally and internationally. In 2003, he was award Britains Business Leader of the Year and the Fortune European Businessman of the Year for 2004. In 2005, Management Today recognised him as Britains most admired business leader and was finally honoured with a Doctor of Science from Cranfield University on the 7th June 2007. Despite the fact that Tescos financial performance under Leahys administration had been exceptional, he was criticised on numerous counts, especially for the companys Human resource policies. The average wages paid by Tesco were among the lowest compared to others (Sainsbury and Marks Spencer) in the retailing industry in the UK. In addition, the wages were paid on an hourly basis and the time taken off for tea breaks was not included while calculating the total working hours. The company was also criticised for its radical policy on sick leaves, for examples, it refused sick pay to workers on their first three days absent from work. Regardless of the criticism, Tesco claimed that their worker were in support of such scheme because most were tired of covering for those who called sick. Furthermore, the company claims to have already seen a reduction in the amount of days taken off sick in the stores using the schemes, which were first introduced in Ireland. Another radical scheme is to offer more holiday allowance to workers but reduce it every time a worker takes a day off sick. Tesco believes that such scheme would discourage workers from taking more sick leaves, hence improve their performance and contribution to the company. However, many workers union association condemned these schemes, claiming that it does not motivate or improve employee morale. The company was also criticised for its planned movement into the organic food market. Many organic food watchdogs question whether the supermarkets policy of sourcing their organic products from large industrial-style farms, who are only attracted to organics because of higher profit margins rather than ethics, as well as importing from poor countries in Africa who can barely feed themselves such as Zimbabwe, is really true to the original social and environmental aims of the organic movement. Very few of Tescos organic products are locally sourced from local farmers. Tescos stance on competition in the UK retail industry is less favourable to its rivals; the company already has 32% of the retail market share and is gunning for more. Many of its competitors have complained that the company does not play fair but instead is aiming to totally get rid of them. The entry of Tesco into the pharmacy and health products markets has severely affected stores like boots and other pharmacy outlets with analyst claiming that some of these stores would have to close down due to fierce competition and jobs would be lost. The company was also accused of practising predatory pricing, many off-licence and small grocery shops claimed Tesco intentionally reduces some of its products below the production cost and increase others so as to lure more customers. Presently, Tesco has 2482 stores in the UK, approximately five times the number it had 13 years ago. This has led to complaints by small retailers about its impact on local shops and the creation of Tesco towns w here shoppers have little choice in deciding where to go shopping. Furthermore, there are also accusations that as the leading grocery company, it has too much power over the supply chain and influence prices by driving down prices for the likes of farmers. Effects After the exit of Sir Terry Leahy in March 2011 he will be only 55. Philip Clarke who currently is in-charge of Tescos international operations in Asia and Europe and oversees group information technology will be taking over. Shares, Market share and profits The first effect of Leahy exit was felt few weeks after he announced his resignation with Tescos shares falling 9.7p or 2.4% to 397.4p, its lowest close value since October. Many of Tescos investors have developed full believe in Leahy during his era and have trusted his strategic plans due to their successful outcomes. This I believe will change after he retires. There is now uncertainties on how Philip Clarke would perform or if he is the best man for the job. According to David McCarthy, an analyst of Evolution Securities, said: We are not surprised by Phils appointment or the restructure, but we are surprised Terry is going early, we had expected an announcement saying he would step down in 2013, not 2011. This confirms that the news of his early resignation from Tesco came to most as a shock and unexpectedly. He went further saying that: In losing Terry, Tesco is losing its best player and therefore the team is weakened. The competition will be happy. This I believe is true beca use his track record as Tescos CEO has been exceptional. For example, when Leahy took over from his mentor, Tescos UK market share was just 14.5% but 10 years later the company is well above its rivals (Asda, 16.8%) with 30.6% market share. If Tescos share prices continue to fall, some investors might be forced to sell off their shares which would not be favourable to the company. The possibility of this happening cannot be ruled out because since Leahy took over as CEO, many investors have invested in Tesco because they believe in his strategic plans which have been successful and now that he is leaving scepticism would arise if Philip Clarke is able to deliver as he did. After Leahys exit, Tesco financial performance would be affected in terms of revenue and profits. During his term, Leahy achieved revenue income of over  £30 billion and profits of over  £1 billion, which most believe was only possible due to his early strategic plans and continuous development. When he leaves, the realisation of such abnormal profits would take time to achieve. Hence, a more realistic revenue and profits target would be set which most believe would be far less than what Leahy achieved during his tenure. Sir Terry Leahy has done most of the job, as some market analyst would say; therefore, Philip Clarke should have an easy take ahead of him. However, this might be totally wrong because the management of Leahys success might be more difficult than him achieving his own. Every new chairman would always want to leave their mark or boast of their accomplishment and if care is not taken, focus might be lost. Philip Clarke is presently less popular and well known by Tescos investors, but given his already long career at Tesco and success in developing the international business, many market analysts consider his appointment as the new CEO to take-over from Leahy to be a good one. Furthermore, many analysts believe his strategic approach as the new CEO would be evolutionary but would not make any radical departures from the current organisational strategy executed by Leahy. Market analyst forecast that UK like-for-like sales growth is likely to remain downcast in the medium term due to low level of food price inflation rather than due to the leadership change. According to market analysts, Trading in international markets is expected to gradually improve as economic recovery slowly comes through. Long-term earnings growth prospects remain good, with international and Tesco Bank likely to be key drivers. Given our expectation that the group will deliver at least low double-digit growth in underlying earnings per share and dividends in each of the next three years, we consider the valuation attractive. The recommendation remains accumulate. (Guardian, 2010) In summary, regardless of the fall in share prices, no severe effect is expected when Leahy resigns as Tescos CEO. Organisational Culture According to Pettinger, 2007, the culture of an organisation is the basis for its management style, and individual and collective attitudes, values, behaviours and beliefs. It is therefore essential that the ways in which things are required to be done are clearly established, understood, and accepted by all concerned. During Leahys regime, he introduced a culture that focussed on raising standards and providing value to its customers. The change of such culture might be disastrous to the business operations of Tesco. Organisational culture could posses both strong and weak attributes on the organisation itself and these could determine its working relationships with employees or stakeholders, conditions and productivity. For instance, Strong culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organisational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate like well-oiled machines, cruising along with outstanding execution and perhaps minor tweaking of existing procedures here and there. Conversely, there is weak culture where there is little alignment with organizational values and control must be exercised through extensive procedures and bureaucracy. Leahy emphasises the importance of vision, value and culture in his 10 business commandment. In his words, Visions, values and culture are critical to the success of Tesco. According to Leahy, Tescos vision is to create an environment where customers could benefit in order to earn their lifetime loyalty. This is the vision that gave birth to Tesco Clubcard which has proven to be an effective customer loyalty or retention scheme. The continuation of this vision by the future CEO is important and any attempt to quickly introduce a new one might have negative effects on the company. It is particularly important that culture is designed, shaped and reinforced by those in top and senior positions, Pettinger, 2007. In order to do this, standards of attitudes, values, behaviours and performance much be set by those in charge in an organisation and employees must be required to follow these standards. (Pettinger, 2007, p.342), went further to argue that, if organisation culture is allowed to emerge, the result is that people or employees think, believe, behave and act according to their own priorities and the process of their peers; and this leads to the tendency to pursue their own agenda. Evidently, according to Pettingers argument, Leahy resignation will trigger a change in the organisational culture of Tesco. The new CEO (Philip Clarke) might attempt to introduce his own working culture but it is vital that he understands the existing culture at first before any attempt to change it. This process might be costly and lead to waste of resources because he would prefer to bring in his own team or hire new one rather than working with the old players in the executive level. Also, those who are loyal to Sir Terry Leahy might end up resigning, seek employment elsewhere or go with him, which means that talent would be lost during and after his resignation. A major re-organisation at the top level will see half the board members change their responsibilities to reflect the companys increasingly international nature. However, some market analysts are worried that this will cause disruption further down the organisation which is not favourable to the whole change process. Organisational culture is a powerful and effective way of life that organisations adopt in order to run their business, however, according to Pettinger, 2007; culture should be changed and developed. The continuous changes in technology, markets and customers needs means that organisations must be prepared to develop new working culture to meet this. Some leaders or managers who were successful in one organisation might fail in another because of their organisational culture. Therefore, it is very important for new leaders to learn, change or accept an existing culture in the organisation. However, culture change can be long and costly, especially where people resist, Pettinger, 2007, p.359. In any case, it is vital that any culture an organisation adopts must create a strong and positive relationship with its employees because this encourages positive view of the organisation and its works. Leadership In the present business environment, the term leadership becomes increasingly important to the organisational development and success of organisations (Eisenbach et al. 1999). This is due to the uncertainty of the business environment of all industries which are globally connected. For this reason, many organisations now depend on the skills, knowledge and experiences of their leaders in order to be successful and competitive. The aptitudes of leadership and management are clearly the most important factors to consider when the organisations are experiencing market downfall (Graetz 2000). In such a situation, the skills and experience of the leader and management would be put to test in devising the best strategy that could be adopted to overcome the troubled times. Besides, where faith exists in the abilities and capabilities of leaders, employees or workers would have high expectations from the leaders and management. Employees will expect to see an effective and reasonable strategy, as well as good communication skills from the leaders during the critical period of the organisation.   According to Adair, 2004, a leader must demonstrate certain attributes in order to effectively exercise his or her leadership functions. These characteristics are: Group Influence a leader must be able to generate the willingness to achieve a desired goal or objective. Command a leader must be able to make quick and effective decisions whenever a situation demands it and must be able to stand by this decisions Coolness a leader must always remain composed under criticism. Judgment a leader must possess the ability to utilise available resources and information in a logical and reasonable way to produce effective results. Responsibility a leader must exhibit continued effort combined with a degree of reliability in order to complete a task or achieve an objective (Kermally 2005).   Even though leadership trait theories are popular, it is viewed by many academics as a very one-dimensional hypothesis. Some academics argue that theories attribute the success of leadership solely to his or her personality and physical traits or characteristics without regard to the situational context. Hence, the trait approach is considered too simplistic as a justification of the complex leadership phenomenon. During Leahys era, he has exhibited the above attributes and proven to be a true leader. His resignation would mean that his successor must also be able to portray such attributes which some think would bring about unnecessary pressure. In addition, some analyst argue that for Philip Clarke to be successful, he has to prove Leahy is second best and he can do a better job which most believe is a tough job to do. Leahy exit signifies a leadership change and organisational re-structure, his 13 years tenure as CEO would have created a rigid leadership style which most is used to hence might be difficult for existing team to adapt to the new CEOs (Philip Clarke) leadership style. Tesco is considered as the most successful retail business in the United Kingdom with a market share of over 30%. The success of Tesco was fast-tracked by the appointment of Terry Leahy as the companys Chief Executive Officer. Leahy is considered by many as a visionary leader who led the company into a series of organisational changes that aimed for the company to become more customer-focused and to develop the companys workforce. Leahy believes that the success of a leader depends upon maintaining a happy workforce and earning the support of the workforce. According to him, there are four things that a leader must be able provide his workers and followers in order to satisfy and motivate them. These are: A job that is interesting to do A chance to get on in life To be treated with respect A boss who helps and cares After Leahys exit, his successors principles might be contrary to his, hence a clear organisational vision would not be sent out to the entire Tesco workforce. The fear of the Unknown might de-motivate Tescos employees and make them less engaged, although, few of these employees are aware of how the new CEOs leadership style might affect them. Impacts of Leadership Styles on the Organization According to Rosen (1989), leadership style refers to the trait pattern exhibited by a leader on the process of decision-making and exercising authority. There are different types of leadership styles, for example, there are autocratic and participative leaderships. Under an autocratic leadership style, the group or organisation is managed under an authoritarian leader who leads by force or with fear. A participative leader in contrast, possesses the same power as the autocratic one; however, he chooses to exercise his power differently during the decision, policy-making and work-role assignment. He is more diplomatic and engaging when making decisions. Leahy adapted a participative style of leadership in which the employees are given voice in the decision-making process. The CEO also gives emphasis on the importance of appointing many leaders to handle organisational process. The organisational structure therefore became more flat where the roles and responsibilities of everyone are clearly stated. Leahy delegates leadership roles to individuals in the organization in order to ensure that the company, with more than 300,000 employees, operates effectively. The leadership style that is manifested by Terry Leahy and is imitated by the leaders in the company has changed the structure of the company. The company has adapted an organic form of organization. An organic system is characterized by low to moderate use of formal rules and regulations, decentralized and shared decision making, broadly defined job responsibilities, and a flexible authority structure with fewer levels in the hierarchy. An organic structure is more appropriate t o those organizations where there is a need to be innovative. The pressure of innovation suggests a structure that can respond to environmental variations rapidly so it is necessarily loosely defined and flexible. The organization tends not to be formalized nor are roles too closely structured (Salaman 2001, p.106). Organic organizations are stratified primarily in terms of expertise, and leadership accrues to those who are the best informed and capable. There is much more commitment to the organization, with the result that formal and informal systems become indistinguishable. A framework of values and beliefs, much like those characterizing a profession, develops that becomes an effective substitute for formal hierarchy (Miner 2002, p. 449). The company has adapted a simpler and flatter organizational structure. Recommendations In order to remain successful in todays highly competitive business environment, many organizations are coming up with strategies to tap the full potential of their human resources. A companys people can be a source of competitive advantage. This is philosophy behind employee empowerment and participative management. Employees are now seen as partners. Because of this, organizations are giving more power and responsibilities to their people. Employee empowerment and participative management will increase productivity, give rise to better decisions, improve employee morale and job satisfaction, elicit greater commitment among employees, encourage flexibility, make employees adapt to changes faster, improve communication and increase employee trust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the current requirements of leadership in Tesco is the development of participative management skills in leaders. The leaders at Tesco need to possess the necessary skills in order for them to practice participative leadership properly. The skills that the leaders must possess are: 1. Interest and concern 2. Communication 3. Conflict resolution 4. Negotiation 5. Compromise 6. Synergy 7. Flexibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Participative leadership is a leadership style which involves members of a group, sub-unit or organization identifying essential goals and developing procedures or strategies to reach those goals. Implementing participative management will also help the company to develop people in the organization to become leaders. Through participative management, people in the organization are encouraged to take part in decision-making, express their ideas and to showcase their talents and skills. The discovery of hidden talents and skills will not only help the group, sub-unit or organization reach their goals it will also alert the organization to people within the organization who have the potential to become leaders. Future Requirements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One famous contemporary writer on leadership is Warren Bennis (1994). He believes that a leader must have a direction, he must earn the trust of his followers, he must kindle hope and optimism, and he must be results-driven. On the other hand, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (1987) believes that a leader must   seek to challenge and improve the process, inspire a share vision, enable other to act, act as s role-model, and encourage the heart of the followers. The future leader must not only focus of achieving the task. He must also learn to develop his people. He needs to learn the value of motivation. The future leader must know how to motivate using monetary rewards and he must also use psychological and emotional rewards to motivate his people. The future leader must find the balance between task-orientation and relationship-orientation. On the one hand, he needs to lead his people in achieving their shared goals and objectives an d on the other hand, he must be able to build strong relationships with the people around him. The importance of emotions must also be recognized.   Proposals for the Development of Leadership 1. On-the-Job Learning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company must recognize that the primary place for leaders to learn is on the job and on the line. In order to the company to help leaders learn within the organization, educational facilities must be established inside the organization. The company needs to appoint educators that will educate and develop leaders in various countries and places where Tesco is operating. The organization must institute a Corporate Education department that will be under the HRM department. Within the Corporate Education, a Business Leadership Development (BLD) must be established. This group will focus on executive development and overall leadership development, and it will also be responsible for all training specific to leadership. Business Leadership Development should be used to come up with systematic ways to build the capabilities of Tescos business leaders. The emphasis of the BLD process must be to provide development opportunities at key transit ion points in individuals careers. To accomplish this goal, a curriculum must be designed and must be operate under the following principles: Based on real problems and strategic initiatives Linked to business objectives and company values Segmented by customer needs Sponsored by CEO and senior executives Comprised of global content and delivered worldwide Based on validated competencies for success 2. Leader Sponsorship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another strategy to effectively develop leaders is through sponsorship. Through sponsorship, senior executives in Tesco will sponsor and will actively participate in leadership development. Example of leader sponsorship activities are involvement of senior executives in management conferences and facilitating dialogue sessions after a leadership development program. Senior executives can also facilitate panel discussions. Through sponsorship, Tescos successful leaders will be able to share and to instil the characteristics, skills and attributes of effective leaders to the future generation of leaders. 3. Leadership Development and Review   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to identify, evaluate, and develop future leaders, Tesco needs to come up with a list of competencies that is needed to become an effective Tesco leader. These competencies can be used as criteria in leadership development. These criteria will also be helpful in providing content for the leadership and management assessment processes, through activities like self-assessment, multi-score feedback, and assessment simulations. They will help identify and qualify external executive development resources. 4. Corporate Universities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important for Tesco to realize that their most important assets are human capital and the know-how that reside in the minds of the employees. With this realization, the company needs to establish a corporate university. A corporate university links employee learning to overall company strategy, and as a result a corporate university will become a connective tissue for the organization. 5. Developing Emotional Intelligence among Leaders   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One important development area which must be focused on is emotional intelligence. Future successful leaders need to recognize and learn to influence the emotions of the people around them. An effective leader must have a high level of Emotional Intelligence. Dubrin et al (2006) identifies five factors of emotional intelligence. These are: 1. Self-awareness the leader of the future must be able to understand his or her emotions and how these affect other people. 2. Self-regulation the leader of the future must be able control his emotions and react with appropriate emotion in every given situation. 3. Motivation money or status is not the only motivating factor for a successful leader in the future. He finds fulfilment and satisfaction in performing his tasks. 4. Empathy the leader of the future responds to the unspoken feelings of others. 5. Social skills having effective social skills is important. The leader of the future must build relationships and networks of support. He must build positive relationships with the people around him or her. In summary organisations should consider adopting leadership styles that best fit their aim and objectives, and organisational culture. No best leadership style can be easily devised; hence what works best in one organisation might be disastrous in another. Management Role Beardwell and Claydon (2007) argued that the roles of management include the following: Planning: The managers have to set objectives and target, make predictions and in general make plans. It is important for managers to set objective and what they expect in order to know what sort of outcome they are looking to get from employees and what they have to do to achieve such objectives. Organising: The managers have to decide what activities employee department or workers should undertake and organise their activities. This can involve delegating authority, co-ordinating the work of others, and establishing communication channels and authority (Beardwell Claydon, 2007). Leading: Managers must ensure they provide the required leadership and guidance for their employees by setting good examples (Using themselves as the examples). Controlling: It is essential for the managers to control employee activities. This can be done by comparing daily or weekly employee performance with the planned or expected outcomes. Motivating: Motivation is an important factor managers could employ in order to increase employee performance, morale and influence them to put their best effort toward work.

Internaltional marketing

Select all computer hardware for the medical practice Including computing platforms used by the listed doctors and other medical staff and the server(s), If used. No parts of the current architecture may be used. Hardware and Network Requirements A thorough review of the local technology environment will be required at any facility implementing the ERR. Facilities will need to evaluate hardware needs in a workstation to ensure that providers and other users of the ERR have access to the system at the point of service. Deploying the ERR will create additional demands on he server and network at each facility such as LANA or WAN.Show as following picture: Objectives: Workstation – This refers to the hardware that holds everything in a room for office staff worker to perform their jobs: word/excel processing, practice management software, ERR software, scan and copy, etc. Desktop – This describes a fixed, hard- wired computer that does not move around. This cost around $4- 5000 per each. Laptop – This is a portable computer. It is a fully functioning computer that can be carried or placed on a cart and moved around the place. This cost around $3?4000 per each.Tablet PC – Those contain built-in handwriting recognitions software that allows the user to â€Å"write† on the screen. Tablet PC's can have add-on keyboards when typing Is preferred. This cost around $600?900 per each. Desktops The basics: A desktop computer usually has a standard configuration and specification with consisting of a CPU, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It is stationary: it resides in one location and cannot be moved from room to room. It can stand alone or work with any of a variety of applications on network arrangements. Advantages: Desktops are low-cost, available and easy to purchase.Because desktop PC's are standardized, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to find or replace parts and support. Desktops will have less difficulty to run and install softw are or applications. It is less hassle than carrying a computer around all day, worrying about batteries running out or losing wireless connectivity or dropping the computers. On cost saving – such as microphones, speakers, and headsets are available at low cost. Disadvantages: Because It's stationary, you need to buy a desktop PC for each room In which you need access to your ERR software.Desktops typically take up more space than a laptop or tablet PC. While flat screen monitors and tower units save actual desktop tablet PC. You must purchase additional equipment to take full advantage of voice recognition and/or handwriting recognition programs. Laptops A laptop is a fully functioning computer that is small enough to be portable. Laptops can take advantage of wireless as well as traditional wired networks. A laptop can easily serve as a desktop computer to perform in a larger monitor. Advantages: A laptop can easily be turned to allow patients to view information on the sc reen.A laptop is less unpleasant during patient interviews. Disadvantages: Although laptops are portable, some laptops has wider inches of the screen they can be heavy to carry Repairs and maintenance tend to be more expensive because laptops use non-standard or proprietary parts. You may have to send a laptop off-site for diagnosis and repair. Overall benefits of laptops: 1 . Laptops can open and find the note and chart easily on patient's interview before entering the room 2. Laptops can close the note right outside the room if you want to go ahead and have the patient leave before finishing a note. Laptops can have all settings and programs handy all the time – appointments, links, hospital links, etc. 4. Using laptops can look at patient easily over the top of the laptop and can easily show patients information with it. Tablet PC's Using ERR technology requires a certain adjustment in the way you're used to interacting with patients and their charts by using Tablet PC's. The first method is through tapping on a screen-based keyboard with the stylus. The second is through straight handwriting recognition. Advantages: Tablets are truly portable and lightweight.It is as powerful as a PC, but it doesn't require a keyboard. Instead, you add information by writing on the screen with a digital pen or stylus. Tablet PC's have integrated capability with voice recognition software that transcribes directly into the patient record. Disadvantages: Need longer learning curve to get used to it. Handwriting recognition dictionaries may not have fully integrated medical terminology yet. It may require more correction. There is not as much standardized software yet available for tablets. Screens are easily scratched and can become unusable without screen protectors.

Networking Concepts – Summary

The alma of this paper Is to find the easiest and cost-effective method of connecting two separate networks. A relatively simple device called a bridge, which Is implemented through a combination of hardware and software, achieves interconnection between two networks that are the same. Interconnection between networks that are not similar, for example, a Wide Area Network and a Local Area Network can be achieved through as much more complex device called a router.A router Is a device, which can accept messages that are in a certain format produced by one particular network and reinstates them to another format that is used by another network. In this particular case of Nancy, a director of network infrastructure, it is not likely that a full replacement of networking equipment Is required. Alternative A, which is about Installing a few devices In the headquarters of BOB. The advantages of this alternative are that is that It Is the easiest, the least expensive and the quickest to imp lement.The other advantage is that this approach will have a very small impact on the network infrastructure. The disadvantage of this approach is that there will be performance penalties due to lack of integration in the architecture of the network. The second option Is replacing the network components of Bob's entire network for It to use the same protocols as BE and the two can communicate freely. The advantage of this approach Is that there will be a huge Improvement In performance due to integration in the network architecture.The major cons of this alternative are that there will be major impacts on the network infrastructure; there also will be ajar costs incurred and a lot of time required to implement this alternative. Their last alternative Is whereby the management of BE bank replaces all the devices of the B WAN and even probably the MANS so that each city or branch can communicate with the network of BE while the Lana in individual divisions remain unchanged. The advant age of this alternative is that there will be better performance gains than in alternative A and takes significantly little time to implement.The con of this approach is that it does not achieve full integration of the network and the stickiest to support Bobs network over time It might add problems to the My recommendation is that alternative C is the most applicable when it comes to the time taken to implement and the cost that is incurred in order to achieve a significant level of network architecture. However, when it comes to a long-term point of view, the second alternative is the best so long as BE passes through a transition stage like the first alternative in order to meet its immediate needs and take ample time to put into action the full changes of the infrastructure.

Review of Educating Rita essays

Review of Educating Rita essays Review of Educating Rita by Willy Russel and its themes With tonight's movie, "Educating Rita", I'd kind of like to make a case for a strong sub-genre within the major film genres, and that's the school genre. I think we've got so many movies about school simply because we all have such strong memories and feelings about that time in our lives. Now, the sub-genre consists of a lot of little conventions. For example, it seems like English and Math are the subjects that most appear in this sub-genre. It seems to be the kind of subjects that students continue to be the most afraid of. We've also got the inspiring teacher convention, with movies like "Goodbye Mr. Chips" and "To Sir With Love", things like that. And we've got the unruly students. Essentially, the diamonds in the rough. They've got great potential, but they have to be moulded or shaped somehow. And we get a very large range in this sub-genre. We have light comedies like "Summer School" and serious movies like "Lean on Me". What it's all about though, is socialization and accom modation. How do these students learn to get along in the real world? In a lot of ways that's what movies are essentially about. Trying to teach us how to accommodate or socialize ourselves into the larger structures we exist in. This movie is about how the class struggle comes to the classroom. You'd think that England would be an ideal place to talk about class struggle in the school system. But, when you look at other movies in this teacher sub-genre, we see that there are ghettos in the U.S. where this class system is still in place, as much as Americans, and Canadians for that fact, might not want to admit it. What we've got is a bit of a retelling of the story of "Pygmalion", you know, "My Fair Lady", all that sort of thing. Where we have an educated man who tries to teach an uneducated woman about the finer things in life, except that in this case, we've got a very reluctant teacher in Frank ...

Free Essays on Lean Management Transforming Industry

Lean Management: Transforming Industry Introduction: Management theories and techniques have been developed and debated for over a century. Typical management techniques revolve around mass production and management of people rather than the management of the process. The Japanese have long been recognized as world leaders in manufacturing. The have successfully developed new and innovative management practices throughout their organizations to improve their competitive position. Today the Japanese are leading the quest for continuous improvement by applying Lean Management principles, the latest continuous improvement method in the business world. These principles have been applied successfully to a variety of disciplines with impressive results. The goals and objectives of lean are to provide the necessary tools to eliminate â€Å"muda†, the Japanese word for waste, and improve profits in any industry. Applying lean principles to wasteful conditions will lead to compelling results. According to Womack and Jones, â€Å"inventories can be reduced by 90%, productivity improved 30%, space utilization improved 50%, and quality improved 85%...† in a typical transition to lean management (Womak, 210). The Japanese have been highly successful at transforming industries to lean. Leadership with openness to change has been a cornerstone to their success. Additionally, their ability to adhere to the basic principles of lean is steadfast. All firms in all industries must take advantage of lean principles and the way in which the Japanese successfully implement those principles. Lens Crafters assemble prescription glasses in one hour, Dell computers deliver custom built computers in less than a week, fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King offer hot food made to order in minutes, an Austin company builds custom homes in 30 days, and overnight deliveries by Federal Express are all examples of companies that have taken... Free Essays on Lean Management Transforming Industry Free Essays on Lean Management Transforming Industry Lean Management: Transforming Industry Introduction: Management theories and techniques have been developed and debated for over a century. Typical management techniques revolve around mass production and management of people rather than the management of the process. The Japanese have long been recognized as world leaders in manufacturing. The have successfully developed new and innovative management practices throughout their organizations to improve their competitive position. Today the Japanese are leading the quest for continuous improvement by applying Lean Management principles, the latest continuous improvement method in the business world. These principles have been applied successfully to a variety of disciplines with impressive results. The goals and objectives of lean are to provide the necessary tools to eliminate â€Å"muda†, the Japanese word for waste, and improve profits in any industry. Applying lean principles to wasteful conditions will lead to compelling results. According to Womack and Jones, â€Å"inventories can be reduced by 90%, productivity improved 30%, space utilization improved 50%, and quality improved 85%...† in a typical transition to lean management (Womak, 210). The Japanese have been highly successful at transforming industries to lean. Leadership with openness to change has been a cornerstone to their success. Additionally, their ability to adhere to the basic principles of lean is steadfast. All firms in all industries must take advantage of lean principles and the way in which the Japanese successfully implement those principles. Lens Crafters assemble prescription glasses in one hour, Dell computers deliver custom built computers in less than a week, fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King offer hot food made to order in minutes, an Austin company builds custom homes in 30 days, and overnight deliveries by Federal Express are all examples of companies that have taken...

The Early Development and History of Movies Essay

The Early Development and History of Movies - Essay Example It took America a year to catch up, and Edwin S. Porter produced a twenty minute film, The Great Train Robbery. In these two early films, one can see the start of two of movie's most popular genres, the sci-fi movie, and the western film.( ) D.W. Griffith was one of the leading filmmakers of his, and arguably in all of filmmaking. He first stumbled upon Hollywood in 1910, and filmed the first movie there, In Old California. In his career, he filmed over 450 short films, a massive amount for any filmmaker to reach. (Griffith 2006) By 1912 Hollywood became the center of American film and cinema. D.W. Griffith made many leaps and bounds in the now growing field. He used such techniques as multiple cameras and different angels, as well as his use of cross fading, fading in and out, and even flash backs. These are techniques still used today in the film industry, and that greatly add to film as a quality and living art form. () One of his films, The Birth of a Nation, was a three hour long silent film about the American Civil War. Although the film was a marvel technology wise, the portrayal of blacks in the movie help stimulate an already breeding negative image. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People tried to have the filmed banned, and when those efforts failed, they attempted to have certain scenes they found especially revolting censored. D. W.

Boys N the Hood Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Boys N the Hood - Movie Review Example Explanation Problems in getting jobs, provocative behaviors in the society and lawless constitutional processes can have detrimental effects on the lives of youth especially of the black people in the American society. This phenomenon is increasing and flourishing in America and it is named as â€Å"America Blaxploitation† in the article Ghettos and Barrios. The movie named â€Å"Boys n the hood† always depicts the same issues taking place in Lon Angeles by showing a boy who got stuck in the criminal gangs of the streets which have nothing to do except for street robberies and fights with the thugs and taking revenge. The theme of the movie is to show that there is no end to the violence and street fighting. The swift ghettoization of the American society is giving emergence to cities within cities and there a lack of write of government. Many of the youth are compelled to join the street clubs as depicted in the movie. In the movie, the child who left her mother and ca me to the father with an intention of a good prospect and future was unable to do so initially because of the bad company. The company compelled him to join the fighting clubs and criminal gangs in the name of â€Å"negro rights†. There is an increasing feeling of deprivation among the black community in America because the governments are not working according to the constitution and the racism is increasingly getting effective day by day. The criminal gangs are making â€Å"city within a city† and he gives the root cause behind this problem as jobless communities and young people who are in search of fame and good career but unable to do so. The movie reflects the urban ghetto cultures which are filled with violence, drugs gentrification due to many problems in real life and anxieties in the society. It was an effort to surface the problem of grave magnitude on the big screen in order to gain the attention of the masses and show them the real happenings in the main s tream cities of America like Los Angeles. It does not only portray the problems of the black rather it also gave a solution to the problem. At the end of the movie, it is shown that if any person wants to avoid the violence and fight, he can do that by simply educating himself in the alignment of the contextual backgrounds of the society. Statements on the big screen of the movie as â€Å"one out of twenty black American gets murdered† and Doughboy (a character in the movie who is into excessive violence and drugs) saw his brother being buried in front of his eyes and he also gets murdered some days ago tries to magnify the effects of mass murdering and negro problems in the American society. According to William Julius Wilson, in the post war scenario, the exodus of the white non poor population from the neighborhoods of the African American people caused great segregations and classification among the society and there were no efforts from the governments to bridge this gap . As a result, the ghetto places felt a feeling of deprivation and they took the method of getting the needs by force rather than by debate and knowledge (McWhorter, 73). Conclusion The segregation and racism can only be depleted in the American s