Unification of Spain Essay Example

Unification of Spain Essay Unification of Spain: the Good, the Bad, and the Really Ugly | Alexis Wilson | The Europeans wanted to expand their minds and their wealth with what the â€Å"unknown† world had to â€Å"offer†. When I say offer, I mean what they could take and run with without consequence. The Europeans wanted to â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten† the new world people with their religion. When I say â€Å"expose† and â€Å"enlighten†, I mean force the new world people to convert to Christianity or they would be slowly tortured to death or burned at the stake. Portugal, one of the all mighty Iberian Sates, was in a hard-hitting competition with Spain, another Iberian State. According to the textbook, Portugal was losing manpower and resources needed to control a vast empire of three continents. Spain on the other hand, depleted their newfound wealth on wars and other unnecessary things when they should have been developing their economy (Wallbank et al. 482). Portugal and Spain were battling for greatness, immortality if you will. They would have done anything to get it, even if it meant eradicating peoples and their cultures. Unfortunately, that was exactly what Portugal and Spain did. Spain and Portugal were trading across the â€Å"known† world. Spain exported olive oil, asparagus, conserved fish and more. That was how they received their funds and their power. The Iberian States had a general idea that there were more lands to discover and more money to make. So they set sail to discover and take over anything that were in their way, with their bibles in their pockets and swords in their hands, fueled by the desire of unthinkable wealth and power. We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Unification of Spain specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer According to Juan Pimentel, Portugal and Spain entered the sixteenth century with an advantage in nautical technology and navigation relative to other European nations (20). â€Å"The overseas enterprises of Spain expanded dramatically following the first voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Even before this historic Atlantic crossing, Spaniards had begun the conquest of the Canary Islands which served as a base and proving ground for the invasion and conquest of Spanish America, known as the Indies† (Andrien 55). Even though Christopher Columbus was not from Spain, he set sail for them because the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain were the only ones that agreed to fund for the exploration that made Christopher Columbus famous, the exploration that Christopher Columbus dreamed of. â€Å"Spain became strongly centralized under an assertive and aggressive monarchy in 1479, when Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon began a joint rule that united the Iberian Peninsula except for Navarre, Portugal, and Granada† (Wallbank et al 455). Portugal was known as incredible competition relative to Spain. Columbus wanted to prove that he could find a shorter and cheaper way to sail to India and China by taking the unknown west route. While Columbus was looking for a shorter route to reach the country of India and China, he inadvertently discovered America. Columbus was oblivious to the fact that he â€Å"discovered† America, and he did not reach his intended destination of India. Columbus called the inhabitants â€Å"Indians†. He had his men capture the â€Å"Indians† and made them slaves. When Columbus came to America he came with diseases. The inhabitants did not have a strong enough immune system to fight off, which decimated the inhabitants of America. Even though the people were sick, it is safe to say that Columbus did not show mercy and still made the slaves work so he would be able to bring gold, spices and other new world items he promised to the King and Queen of Spain, in high hopes that they would fund for more explorations . He did not wish to disappoint the very people that invested in him. After â€Å"discovering† the diversity of the Indies, intellectuals of Spain argued over the humanity and proper social role of the indigenous people they have come to encounter and the offspring of the men that Columbus traveled and the women of the Americas. Intellectuals of Spain struggled with what to call the indigenous people and their illegitimate offspring. They were not sure whether or not to call them â€Å"beasts†, â€Å"barbarians†, or â€Å"brothers† (Andrien 59). Columbus, being the pocketful of sunshine he is, forced the inhabitants to convert to Christianity to ensure that the land was for Spain, all of Spain practiced one religion. If the inhabitants did not agree to convert they severely punished, as mentioned before (Wallbank et al 482 ). The Catholic Majesties were smart to invest in Christopher Columbus. Without his exploration and â€Å"discoveries† of gold, slivers, spices and slaves, they would not have been able to replenish their wealth and rebuild the broken economy. Back in Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand is working on unifying Spain and sharing the crowns of Castile, Aragon and Spain (â€Å"History of Spain†). Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon planned on making Spain the best it has ever been. They wanted their beloved country to be unified in everything they did, especially in religion. That is where the legendary Spanish Inquisition comes into action. The â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, as the pope titled King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, set out to establish effective royal control in all of Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand started the Spanish Inquisition, for the pope allowed. Not only did they have power over Spain, they had power over the church also. They were able to have power over the church by making it the law for the monarchs of Spain to have power over the church. The Spanish court of inquisition seized the property of many converters (Jews and Muslims who were afraid of the inquisition and avoided persecution) and terrified the Christian clergy and laity into accepting royal absolutism as well as religious orthodoxy (Wallbank et al 455). Not only did they force religion on the peoples of the new world, Isabella and Ferdinand forced religion on their own people as well, without mercy may I add. Spanish absolutism, defined by Isabella herself as â€Å"one king, one law, one faith† (Wallbank et al 455). Terrified but still determined to practice their faith, the â€Å"converters† practiced their religion in secret. Without a doubt, the Spanish Inquisition strengthens the Spanish crown. It also caused many people to leave Spain. Inquisitors made sure the King and Queen of Spain knew that people where performing acts of heretic and suggested to the King and Queen of Spain all those who were unwilling to convert to Christianity must leave the country, needless to say they agreed and the Inquisitors went into action and rid the country of Spain of non-converters (Wallbank et al 455). In 1492, the same year Columbus set out to sail to India and China, about 150,000 Spanish Jews left the country and resided in the Netherlands, England, North Africa, and the Ottoman Empire (Wallbank et al 455). About 10 years later same demands are made for the Spanish Muslims. Spain used to be one the most tolerant of religions, but under the rule of the â€Å"Catholic Majesties†, Spain became the most intolerant country when it came to terms of religion (â€Å"History of Spain†). King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella did not stop there. They set out to clear surrounding countries of non-converters and expand their empire even more. One of the most notable successes of the Catholic Majesties was the completion of the Reconquista with the defeat of Granada, the last Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. With a few more defeats of surrounding countries, the unification of the Spanish nation-state was complete in 1516, right before King Ferdinand died, a dozen years after queen Isabella died (Wallbank et al 456). In my opinion, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella‘s policies did work for them in the long run, in every sense. Do I agree on how they executed their plans for progressing Spain? No, I absolutely do not agree with the Catholic Majesties tactics. But, they reached every goal they set. Their goal was improving Spain and broadening their empire. With Isabella inheriting the crown of Castile and Ferdinand inheriting the crown of Aragon, the couple had a lot of power that made it possible for them fully convert and unify their empire (â€Å"History of Spain†). In the textbook it explains that Ferdinand and Isabella controlled the church, with the grace of the Pope, and they took control of surrounding countries, rid them of non-converting heretics and converted them to Christianity. King Ferdinand fought against the non-converters until his dying breath (Wallbank et al 456). People lost their lives, their homes and the freedoms to express themselves and their religions because the King and Queen wanted to â€Å"unify† their country and empire. They wanted to do what the rulers before them were not be able to do. They were rough and ruthless in a sense to achieve their goals of expanding their country and spreading their religion. They had to be if they wanted their country to be unified and practicing one religion. I guess it is safe to say that they would agree with Machiavelli’s renowned book The Prince. â€Å"It is better to be feared than to be loved†¦the end justifies the means†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Machiavelli’s The Prince). Works Cited Andrien, Kenneth J. , Atlantic History: A critical Appraisal. New York. Oxford University Press. 2009. The Spanish Atlantic System. Print History of Spain Historyworld. net. N. p. n. d. History of Spain. Web. 10 Feb. 2013 Pimental, Juan. The Iberian Vision: Science and Empire in the framework of the universal monarchy, 1500-1800. Vol. 15 issue 1. 2000. Wallbank, Walter T, Alastair M. Taylor, Nels M. Bailkey, Clyde J. Lewis, Palmira Brummett. Civilizations Past and Present. Twelfth Edition. Volume 2. Pearson Education 2008. Spain: Ferdinand and Isabella and the Reconquista, The Iberian Age. Print.

5 top tracking apps for your 2018 goals

5 top tracking apps for your 2018 goals The end of 2017 is right around the corner, and if you’re like most people your brain is turning towards setting goals for yourself for 2018. Also, you may be realizing that you’re about to embark on a familiar cycle: setting a bunch of grand plans for yourself for the coming year that quickly fall apart, sometimes before you even get to shout â€Å"Happy New Year!† If this sounds like your typical end-of-year behavior, don’t feel too bad- you’re not alone! According to a recent Huffington Post article, â€Å"Only  8 percent of people  actually keep their New Year’s resolutions, according to one commonly cited statistic. There are many reasons  people can’t stick to their resolutions, from setting too many of them to getting derailed by small failures. Setting overly ambitious and restrictive goals―like quitting sugar when you haven’t already been making small changes to improve your diet―is one major cause of failure. While you might initially feel inspired and energized by setting blowout goals for 2017, the luster of these resolutions fades quickly when we realize how difficult they are to keep.†That said, setting goals for 2018 may seem daunting―but there is a path towards success and there are tools for helping you stay on track. These days, you don’t need anything more than your smartphone and a helpful tracking app to keep you focused and on target as you work towards your goals.There are a ton of goal-tracking apps available, and choosing the right one for you can become a big project in and of itself. Take a deep breath- we’ve gone ahead and selected five of the most helpful goal-tracking apps available to help you achieve your goals in the new year.1. GoalsOnTrackBilling itself as â€Å"goal software for high achievers,† GoalsOnTrack empowers users to create SMART-based goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) and provi des lots of useful features to help users stay on track- like braking down large, long-term goals into easier-to-manage and organize milestones and subgoals. GoalsOnTrack also allows you to set focused action plans, recurring tasks (with helpful reminders!), and task schedules that are easy to update and adjust with you. It even has a journaling option and customizable music and photo features to help keep you motivated and visualize success.2. Coach.meThis handy habit-tracking app features a free mobile version as well as customizable fee-based options, which even includes a real coach to help keep your goals for 2018 within reach. Once you set a habit for yourself using the app, you can begin tracking your daily progress, set helpful targets and reminders, view weekly and monthly behavior trends, and even connect with a supportive community for encouragement and guidance- all designed to help you form new and positive habits in your life.3. StridesStrides is a free, an all-in-one goal and habit tracking app that features a variety of helpful tracking templates that you can use, or ones that you can customize. It has a host of helpful visuals that are accessible from a central dashboard, which makes it easy to see your progress (or lack thereof) and retool accordingly. Users of the free app version can track up to 10 goals at a time on any of their iOS-based devices; users who require greater flexibility and power can take advantage of the fee-based Strides Plus premium plan.4. Way of LifeWay of Life calls itself â€Å"The Ultimate Habit Builder and Breaker† and features a wide range of helpful visual tracking features, including pie charts, bar charts with easy-to-read trend lines, and a scoreboard that provides instant feedback. It also allows you to tag, skip, share, and archive goals, set multiple daily reminders, take notes, and export to email and other apps. The free version lets you track up to three goals, habits, or behaviors that you want to increase or decrease; fee-based options let you unlock additional features and resources.5. ATrackerIs your busy life a daily struggle to get everything done and keep track of it all? If so, then ATracker just might be the lifesaver you need. This time-tracking app is designed to make sure that you’re maximizing your time each day towards effectively pursuing your goals. The app lets you track the time you spend on a variety of chosen tasks and view daily breakdowns in pie charts or bar graphs- so you can quickly see how your waking hours are being spent and make adjustments accordingly. There are free and fee-based versions available, based on your individual needs and goals.There you have it- the top tracking apps to help you set your goals for 2018 and stay on track. All you need to do is select the one that seems best for you, and not let excuses get in the way of you achieving your goals.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Assignment - Essay Example The symbolic interaction theory â€Å"looks at how people interact with one another and communicate with symbols and gestures† (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen, 2007). A good example of symbolism in my family is the setting arrangement at our dinner table. My father who is considered as the head of the family sits at the head of the table, my mother sits at his right side while my eldest sibling sits on his left side. I consider this arrangement as very symbolic since this order defines the powers and influence that each members of my family has. Note that the most powerful figure in my family sets at the head of the table while the second most powerful and perhaps the most influential one which is my mother sits on the right side which denotes that she is second in command. My eldest sibling on the other hand has the privilege of sitting on the left side of my father which apparently made him third in command. Technically, this means that he has authority over me and my younger si ster. The symbolic distribution of power among members in my family defines the roles of each family member. As the head of the family, my father has the responsibility to provide for us while my mother who is second in command takes on the role of a homemaker. Our roles in the family often affects our interaction with society in the sense that our actions are guided by the extent and the limits of the powers that we have in the home. For instance, since my mother is the homemaker, she controls the family budget and she is often the one who gets to decide what things to buy for the house. Since she has control over the family budget, she has more purchasing power as compared to us. As it is, her interaction with the other members of society takes on a different dimension as compared to the other members of the family. When it comes to gestures, my family uses familiar expressions and gestures to convey

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 6 - Essay Example The issue was about a bill filed in the Congress of the Philippines of making Reproductive Health Services available to the general population. The argument was that, there is a high mortality rate of birth related deaths among impoverished mothers and such, mothers should be educated about birth spacing to reduce birth mortality and be given the means if they chooses to reduce their family size. Also, it was pointed out that the country being poor, where half of its population lives below poverty line and 21 % among them experiences hunger, family size should be managed according to their income. This can be done through the popular introduction of several methods of pregnancy prevention, including the usage of condoms and birth control pills. It was also discussed that condom can be used to stop the balloning HIV infection in the country which had exponentially increased in the last couple of years. This was however vehemently opposed by the Catholic hierarchy, and even went as far as threatening to excoummunicate the President of the Republic should he support the said bill.

Philosophical essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Philosophical - Essay Example As analyzed by Plato, ideas are the actual facts and are experienced by the soul. The body can only have experience on shadows. The essentially rationalistic epistemology of Plato determines this. Hasker theory of Emergent Dualism illustrates that the mind emergence from the brain gives a solution to the mind-body problem. He argues that emergent dualism shares with materialism the argument that ordinary matter possess the potentially for consciousness within itself, it in fact goes some way far from materialism in the power in which it attributes to matter. Considering the standard materialism, the physical closure guarantees that consciousness does not bring about a difference to the manner in which a matter operates itself. This implies that all of the processes in the brain are provided with a mechanistic explanation that would be just similar whether or not the processes performed together with conscious experience. On the other hand, emergent dualism recognizes that a great many mental processes are irreducibly theological, and cannot be provided explanation upon brain processes that own a full mechanistic explanation. Therefore, the power imposed to matter through the emergent dualism leads to the total of

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops Operations are a primary activity for a supermarket retail business. As such, a business that wants to be successful needs to have a leading operating model. Staff plays very important role in this model. It is necessary to put a sustained focus upon how to develop best operational staff to ensure the supermarket industry is fit to embrace the significant future developments that are expected and to excel in customer service (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). As per Martyn (2010), operations must be viewed with the appropriate level of importance, so as to support an ambition to create a world-class operating environment, which consists of people, process, technology and organization. A good operational team staffed by good operational individuals can create a competitive advantage, keeping customers satisfied, having a company that is efficiently, economically and effectively run, and creating a band of loyal and committed employees (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). It is worth being ambitious for the operations function and the associated staff it will make a difference to the business According to Willis (1998), operational management is the systematic management and control of processes that transform resources into finished products and services. The operation includes support for a significant proportion of the workforce and material assets in most organizations. Managers are involved in each step in the operations. They determine what kind of equipment, labor, tools, equipment, materials, energy and information must go into the operating system and how these materials can be the best way to go and use to meet the needs of the market (Banker and Khosla, 1995). Managers are responsible for critical activities such as quality management and monitoring, capacity planning, materials management, purchasing and planning (Goodale and et al. 2010). Without the assistance of staff, these activities cannot be successful. Operations management is also known for production and capacity management and operations management area is a multidiscipline that focuses on operations of the organization (Lashley Taylor, 1998). Schniederjans Cao (2009) states that OM includes many decisions such as the scale of operations, including managements decision regarding the design, planning, and managing a number of factors that affect the operation. (Shin Collier, 2000). Operations Manager needs to apply the ideas and technology to increase productivity and reduce costs, increase flexibility to respond quickly to changing customer needs, shorten delivery times, improve product quality, and improve customer service. These are the important areas to be taken care of for the success of a company or a branch. There has been dramatic increase in the importance of operations management. Significant foreign competition, shorter product and service life-cycles, better-educated and quality-conscious consumers, and the capabilities of new technology have placed increasing pressures on the operations function to improve productivity while providing a broader array of high-quality products and services (Williams Anderson, 2008). With the globalization of markets, firms are recognizing that the operations function can be used to strengthen their position in the market place. Managers in operations management play a strategic and tactical role in satisfying customer needs and making their firms strong international competitors. Organizations should follow the competition. If an employee is away from work or not paying attention then the company will lose customers and its competitors are able to take this opportunity, the company can lose its popularity and profitability. For gaining efficiency quality is the key to success and which is an effective treatment, especially for continuous improvement (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Excellent customer service is essential to the success of any business. Officials must be monitored at all times, if they offer a good customer service or not, so they can better perform and can excel in customer service and their work should be assessed frequently. It takes time to really excel in customer service, but this ability can be learned with proper training. Employees should leave the bad attitude, family problems and personal issues at the door. Generally, customers will not see the owner or management f the company. Instead, they see that the customer service and this is how t hey judge the whole business. Employees are the mirror of the company so the employees should show their best services through their good attitude. Employees should sincerely welcome every customer with a smile, they are valuable. A participatory management and team work are major components of successful operations (Hays Hill, 2006). Motivation, leadership and training are essential too. In addition, materials management and quality, these are two important areas. Materials management is becoming increasingly important in many organizations as the cost of purchasing materials is more than 50% of the total cost products (Shin Collier, 2000). Quality management programs and quality products are essential to compete in todays business environment. The supermarket retail branch staff should have the qualities to win the heart of the customers by their services. For excelling in customer service employees should consider that customers are not easy to deal with but if employees have the patience and the people skills to overcome that, it would be easier for them to excel in it (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). Perhaps the most essential thing the employees should always remember when on a customer service job is to keep a positive attitude. For instance, if one works at a call center, the first thing the employee should expect from a call from online is a burst of angry customers (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Although sometimes this may not be the case but it is better if one is prepare for it. To develop that pleasant and relaxed attitude, it is best to smile even if one is only on the phone. The action of smiling automatically buffers the outbursts you are going to get from your client. In the case of working in a retail business, smiling will go a long way with the customers. When the customers are greeted with a friendly face, they will start t o give their interest. The next thing the employee must remember is how to respond at a time when they come into contact with customers. For a retail customer service, employee does not follow the customers around when they come into the store (Hays Hill, 2006). This is a common mistake made by the store customer service staff. Employees must make it possible for customers to have the freedom to explore the product without tailing behind him. They should let them walk around and check out the goods. When they are ready to ask questions, they talk to employees. Employee must comply with them if they seem to ask, is the signal for the employees can go up to them and ask how they can help them out (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). All this will result in having good reputation in the market. The working operations can output more than they would work alone as the organization has developed sophisticated systems and equipment that increase worker productivity (Horvathova, 2010). The company also provides education and training for their workforce to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. As a result of improvements in productivity and improved training, more outputs are produced and the standard of living increase for all. Employees should think of customers as individuals. If they think so, they realize that their business is their customers, not their products or services. Put all the attention for goods in shops, or companies offering their services, leaving the most important component: each individual customer. For good customer service, employees must go the extra mile. They should include a thank you note to the package to a customer, send a greeting card, clip articles, and write a note of congratulations when they get a promotion (Martyn, 2010). There are many ways for employees to stay in touch with customers and make them closer. An effective operations strategy can provide a competitive advantage. Managers must rethink many of the basic principles of good managers of operations who worked in the past (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Companies should adopt a strategy for improvement that fits the specific needs of the organization at that point. Assigning a team to perform a task may not always be the best idea. Sometimes it is better to allow an individual to work alone. Foster Jeffrey (2008) believe that the main purpose of Operations Management is to plan, organize, direct, and control the process of bringing together people, equipment, materials, and methods to accomplish a broad range of operational tasks outlined below in the most cost-effective manner. The manager of the branch should understand how people think and act accordingly to motivate workers by creating a harmonious workplace. Proper management of the operations function has led to success for many companies. For example, in 1994 Dell Inc. was a second-tier computer maker that managed its operations similar to others in the industry (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Then Dell implemented a new business model that completely changed the role of its operations function. Dell developed new and innovative ways of managing the operations function that have become one of two- days best practices. These changes enabled Dell to provide rapid product delivery of customized products to customers at a lower cost, and thus become an industry leader. As change is the law of the nature, the operations of the supermarket retail branch should be flexible so that they can adapt the changes in the future. For operations management to be successful, it must add value during the transformation process (Willis, 1998). The greater the value added, the more productive a business is. Activities that do not add value are considered a waste; these include certain jobs, equipment, and processes (Banker Khosla, 1995). In addition to value added, operations must be efficient. Performing well at lowest possible cost results in greater efficiency. An important role of operations is to analyze all activities by eliminating those that do not add value, and restructure processes and jobs to achieve greater efficiency (Goodale et al. 2010). Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. As customers demand ever higher quality in their products and services, companies have been forced to focus on improving quality in order to remain competitive. With TQM everyone in the company is responsible for quality. TQM was practiced by some companies in the 1970s and became pervasive in the 1990s (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Quality is the area of the operations management which can never be ignored by companies. The importance of this movement is demonstrated by the number of companies joining the ranks of those achieving ISO 9000 certià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cation (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). ISO 9000 is a set of quality standards developed for global manufacturers by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to control trade into the then emerging European Economic Community (EEC) (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Today many companies require their suppliers to meet these standards as a condition for obtaining contracts. To have effective operations management, the company must employ T QM. Competition based on time is the one of the recent trends in the companies. It has many aspects like development of the new products and services and reaching the market first and meeting customer orders most quickly (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). For example, two companies may produce the same product, but if one is able to deliver it to the customer in two days whereas the other delivers it in five days, the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst company will make the sale and win over the customers. Time-based competition requires specifically designing the operations function for speed (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Supermarket branch should cater to the needs of the customers more quickly in order to gain competitive advantage. Supply Chain management plays a vital role in appropriate operations management. Willis (1998) states that supply chain management (SCM) involve managing the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow of materials and information from suppliers and buyers of raw materials all the way to the final customer. Its aim is to reduce the overall cost and improving the quality and the delivery of the service. Team approach is essential in supply chain management. It requires the co-operation from all the departments such as marketing, purchasing, operations, and engineering. It will result in more satisfied customers (Banker Khosla, 1995). It has become possible with the development of information technology (IT) tools which assist in collaborative planning and scheduling. The technologies help to combine the supply chain execution and design collaboration, which enables companies to respond better and faster to changing market needs. The companies which have achieved great success through supply chain management are Dell Computer, Wal-Mart, and Baxter Healthcare (Banker Khosla, 1995). Today businesses must think in terms of a global marketplace in order to compete effectively. This includes the way they view their customers, competitors, and suppliers. Key issues are meeting customer needs and getting the right product to markets as diverse as the Far East, Europe, or Africa (Willis, 1998). Operations management is responsible for most of these decisions. Operations Management decides whether to tailor products to different customer needs, where to locate facilities, how to manage suppliers, and how to meet local government standards (Williams Anderson, 2008). Also, global competition has forced companies to reach higher levels of excellence in the products and services they offer. The use of best supply chain management should be used in supermarket retail branch for excellent management of the operations. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches, and Mystery Programmes can provide the solution. The employees should have thorough understanding of what the branch offers in order to win and retain the customers. Moreover, the employees must fully understand the position of the branch in the market and what is expected of them (Horvathova, 2010). Mystery shopping programmes support the management and development of service delivery in supermarkets, transforming an intangible asset into exactly what one promises to the customer a vital competitive advantage in todays uncertain market (Hays Hill, 2006) . This programme is very helpful for making improvements among the staff. It will help in identifying areas for revenue improvements, recognizing and rewarding employee and customer service initiatives Mystery shopping programmes should be developed to reflect own unique quality protocols. These systems wil l help to measure the staff performance. Continous monitoriting of the service improvements can be done through this programme. One can define and monitor staff in many ways. These programmes should be designed in such a way so that these can check variables like employee product knowledge, check consistently the quality check standards and uniformity, and monitor customer care and communication (Martyn, 2010). Benchmarking should also be employed in the branch in order to make the comparison among different branches. Otherwise, it is complex to identify the areas that need improvement. Employees should be rewarded on the basis of their performance and there should be incentive plans which will reward the employees when they outperform. This will be very helpful for effective operations management. At the end, it is concluded that for the success of the retail branch operations the employees should pay full attention rather than taking their personal performance for granted. The quality of the service will decline if they dont co-operate. The employees should be checked at all times whether they are providing good customer service or not and there should be training conducted from time to time so that they can learn to excel in this skill and their work should be evaluated frequently. They should also be trained so that they can acquire new skills. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches. Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible only by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. By behaving strategically, the supermarkets or companies can pave their way towards effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and prosperity.

Medieval Art Essay -- essays research papers fc

Medieval Art In the art world, the medieval periods were traditionally though to be the unproductive phase of Europe between the decline of Rome and the Renaissance. Our modern feelings toward medieval art are far more appreciative. The main intent of Medieval art was to express Christianity which was also a common bond between a wide spread and diverse Europe. For this reason most of the art found from medieval times originated in monasteries and churches. European art during the Middle Ages can be divided into four periods. These four periods include Celto-Germanic art which ranged from 400 to 800 A.D. and was important in metal work. Carolingian art ranged from 750 to 987 A.D. overlapping 50 years of the Celto-Germanic period. The period of Romanesque art spanned mainly the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and was an important period for medieval architecture. Gothic art, the final period of the Middle Age art began in the Romanesque period around the twelfth century and went on until the sixt eenth century. Artwork form these four periods all consist of distinct styles setting them apart from one another. Celto-Germanic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest remains from the Celto-Germanic period consisted of mainly bronze work—bracelets, armbands, broaches, swords, and purse covers. The styles in which samples are crafted involve geometric patterns which interweave different human and animal representations. This is the same style that sets the Celto-Germanic period apart from all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paintings of the Celto-Germanic period, similar the metal work, involve many intricate spiral designs, interlaced with different shapes and animal figures. â€Å"They were colored with gum, glue or gelatin binders that were used on parchment† (Cleaver151). Used to illuminate scriptures, the paintings often depicted religious themes. Celto-Germanic architecture made extensive use of wood. Between 750 and 987 A.D. the Celto-Germanic style went through some changes and new styles evolved in different geographic locations. It was during this time the second period of medieval art began. Carolingian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture in the Carolingian period made good use of wood just as the Celto-Germanic period did. A major difference between the two was that Carolingian architects used stone only for important buildings such as churches and castles. Their buildings and plans for unfinished buildi... ...r own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval time period was an important era for the growth of culture throughout the entire world. We owe many innovations used in design, architecture and overall style to the works of the many artists that flourished in the middle ages. Each of the four periods of development were unique to one another, yet followed an overlying religious theme that defined the medieval times. The advancements made during that time were able to influence to the 800 years of art that lead up to present day, and still remain visually and architecturally beautiful. Works Cited Cleaver, Dale G. Art—An Introduction. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994. Jacobsen, Aaron H. Art and Architecture of the Middle Ages. Barbarian Art of Christian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Europe, Romanesque Art, Gothic Art. Pioch, Niclous. WebMuseum, Paris. 26 May 1996. International Gothic Style. 26 May   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996. Witcombe, Chris. Art History Resources on the Web. 24 October 1995. Art of the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Middle Ages. 17 January 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Medieval Art Essay -- essays research papers fc Medieval Art In the art world, the medieval periods were traditionally though to be the unproductive phase of Europe between the decline of Rome and the Renaissance. Our modern feelings toward medieval art are far more appreciative. The main intent of Medieval art was to express Christianity which was also a common bond between a wide spread and diverse Europe. For this reason most of the art found from medieval times originated in monasteries and churches. European art during the Middle Ages can be divided into four periods. These four periods include Celto-Germanic art which ranged from 400 to 800 A.D. and was important in metal work. Carolingian art ranged from 750 to 987 A.D. overlapping 50 years of the Celto-Germanic period. The period of Romanesque art spanned mainly the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and was an important period for medieval architecture. Gothic art, the final period of the Middle Age art began in the Romanesque period around the twelfth century and went on until the sixt eenth century. Artwork form these four periods all consist of distinct styles setting them apart from one another. Celto-Germanic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest remains from the Celto-Germanic period consisted of mainly bronze work—bracelets, armbands, broaches, swords, and purse covers. The styles in which samples are crafted involve geometric patterns which interweave different human and animal representations. This is the same style that sets the Celto-Germanic period apart from all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paintings of the Celto-Germanic period, similar the metal work, involve many intricate spiral designs, interlaced with different shapes and animal figures. â€Å"They were colored with gum, glue or gelatin binders that were used on parchment† (Cleaver151). Used to illuminate scriptures, the paintings often depicted religious themes. Celto-Germanic architecture made extensive use of wood. Between 750 and 987 A.D. the Celto-Germanic style went through some changes and new styles evolved in different geographic locations. It was during this time the second period of medieval art began. Carolingian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture in the Carolingian period made good use of wood just as the Celto-Germanic period did. A major difference between the two was that Carolingian architects used stone only for important buildings such as churches and castles. Their buildings and plans for unfinished buildi... ...r own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval time period was an important era for the growth of culture throughout the entire world. We owe many innovations used in design, architecture and overall style to the works of the many artists that flourished in the middle ages. Each of the four periods of development were unique to one another, yet followed an overlying religious theme that defined the medieval times. The advancements made during that time were able to influence to the 800 years of art that lead up to present day, and still remain visually and architecturally beautiful. Works Cited Cleaver, Dale G. Art—An Introduction. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994. Jacobsen, Aaron H. Art and Architecture of the Middle Ages. Barbarian Art of Christian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Europe, Romanesque Art, Gothic Art. Pioch, Niclous. WebMuseum, Paris. 26 May 1996. International Gothic Style. 26 May   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996. Witcombe, Chris. Art History Resources on the Web. 24 October 1995. Art of the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Middle Ages. 17 January 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Methods of Data Collection Essay

Introduction: Data Collection is an important aspect of any type of research study. Inaccurate data collection can impact the results of a study and ultimately lead to invalid results. Data collection methods for impact evaluation vary along a continuum. At the one end of this continuum are quantitative methods and at the other end of the continuum are qualitative methods for data collection. Bakhtadze (2012:82) ‘When you have decided on a topic, refined it and specified objectives, you start considering the ways of collecting the evidence you require. The initial question that guides you is: â€Å"What do I need to know to answer my research problem? Why do I need it?† After you have answered the question you start choosing the best ways of collecting information. Researchers next decide how they are going to collect their empirical research data. That is they decide what method of data collection (test, questionnaires, focus group, observation, interviews) they are going to use to physically obtain research data from their research participants.’ University of Wilconsin (2012)The Quantitative data collection methods, rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories. They produce results that are easy to summarize, compare, and generalize. Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory and/or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest. Depending on the research question, participants may be randomly assigned to different treatments. If this is not feasible, the researcher may collect data on participant and situational characteristics in order to statistically control for their influence on the dependent, or outcome, variable. If the intent is to generalize from the research participants to a larger population, the researcher will employ probability sampling to select participants. Typical quantitative data gathering strategies include: * Experiments/clinical trials.   * Observing and recording well-defined events (e.g., counting the number of patients waiting in emergency at specified times of the day). * Obtaining relevant data from management information systems. * Administering surveys with closed-ended questions (e.g., face-to face and telephone interviews, questionnaires etc). Wikipedia (2012) In statistics, survey methodology is the field that studies the sampling of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies. Other types of survey are used for scientific purposes. Surveys provide important information for all kinds of research fields, e.g., marketing research, psychology, health professionals and sociology. A survey may focus on different topics such as preferences (e.g., for a presidential candidate), behavior (smoking and drinking behavior), or factual information (e.g., income), depending on its purpose. Since survey research is always based on a sample of the population, the success of the research is dependent on the representativeness of the population of concern. Survey methodology seeks to identify principles about the design, collection, processing, and analysis of surveys in connection to the cost and quality of survey estimates. It focuses on improving quality within cost constraints, or alternatively, reducing costs for a fixed level of quality. Survey methodology is both a scientific field and a profession. Part of the task of a survey methodologist is making a large set of decisions about thousands of individual features of a survey in order to improve it. The most important methodological challenges of a survey methodologist include making decisions on how to: * Identify and select potential sample members. * Contact sampled individuals and collect data from those who are hard to reach (or reluctant to respond). * Evaluate and test questions. * Select the mode for posing questions and collecting responses. * Train and supervise interviewers (if they are involved). * Check data files for accuracy and internal consistency. * Adjust survey estimates to correct for identified errors. Advantages * They are relatively easy to administer. * Can be developed in less time compared with other data-collection methods. * Can be cost-effective. * Few ‘experts’ are required to develop a survey, which may increase the reliability of the survey data. * If conducted remotely, can reduce or obviate geographical dependence. * Useful in describing the characteristics of a large population assuming the sampling is valid. * Can be administered remotely via the Web, mobile devices, mail, e-mail, telephone, etc. * Efficient at collecting information from a large number of respondents. * Statistical techniques can be applied to the survey data to determine validity, reliability, and statistical significance even when analyzing multiple variables. * Many questions can be asked about a given topic giving considerable flexibility to the analysis. * Support both between and within-subjects study designs. * A wide range of information can be collected (e.g., attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviour). * Because they are standardized, they are relatively free from several types of errors. Disadvantages The reliability of survey data may depend on the following: * Respondents’ motivation, honesty, memory, and ability to respond: * Respondents may not be motivated to give accurate answers. * Respondents may be motivated to give answers that present themselves in a favorable light. * Respondents may not be fully aware of their reasons for any given action. * Structured surveys, particularly those with closed ended questions, may have low validity when researching affective variables. * Self-selection bias: Although the individuals chosen to participate in surveys are often randomly sampled, errors due to non-response may exist ( Adà ©r et al. (2008:13) . That is, people who choose to respond on the survey may be different from those who do not respond, thus biasing the estimates. For example, polls or surveys that are conducted by calling a random sample of publicly available telephone numbers will not include the responses of people with unlisted telephone numbers, mobile (cell) phone numbers, people who are unable to answer the phone (e.g., because they normally sleep during the time of day the survey is conducted, because they are at work, etc.), people who do not answer calls from unknown or unfamiliar telephone numbers. Likewise, such a survey will include a disproportionate number of respondents who have traditional, land-line telephone service with listed phone numbers, and people who stay home much of the day and are much more likely to be available to participate in the survey (e.g., people who are unemployed, disabled, elderly, etc.). * Question design. Survey question answer-choices could lead to vague data sets because at times they are relative only to a personal abstract notion concerning â€Å"strength of choice†. For instance the choice â€Å"moderately agree† may mean different things to different subjects, and to anyone interpreting the data for correlation. Even ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers are problematic because subjects may for instance put â€Å"no† if the choice â€Å"only once† is not available. Questionnaires Wikipedia (2012)A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton. Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by questionnaire may not be practical. As a type of survey, questionnaires also have many of the same problems relating to question construction and wording that exist in other types of opini on polls. Basic rules for questionnaire item construction * Use statements which are interpreted in the same way by members of different subpopulations of the population of interest. * Use statements where persons that have different opinions or traits will give different answers. * Think of having an â€Å"open† answer category after a list of possible answers. * Use only one aspect of the construct you are interested in per item. * Use positive statements and avoid negatives or double negatives. * Do not make assumptions about the respondent. * Use clear and comprehensible wording, easily understandable for all educational levels * Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. * Avoid items that contain more than one question per item (e.g. Do you like strawberries and potatoes?). Questionnaire administration modes Main modes of questionnaire administration are: * Face-to-face questionnaire administration, where an interviewer presents the items orally. * Paper-and-pencil questionnaire administration, where the items are presented on paper. * Computerized questionnaire administration, where the items are presented on the computer. * Adaptive computerized questionnaire administration, where a selection of items is presented on the computer, and based on the answers on those items, the computer selects following items optimized for the ‘testee’s ‘estimated ability or trait. -Wikipedia. Org Observational study In epidemiology and statistics, an observational study draws inferences about the possible effect of a treatment on subjects, where the assignment of subjects into a treated group versus a control group is outside the control of the investigator. This is in contrast with experiments, such as randomized controlled trials, where each subject is randomly assigned to a treated group or a control group before the start of the treatment. Wikipedia (2012)Although, observational studies cannot be used as reliable sources to make statements of fact about the â€Å"safety, efficacy, or effectiveness† of a practice, they can still be of use for some other things: â€Å"[T]hey can: 1) provide information on â€Å"real world† use and practice; 2) detect signals about the benefits and risks of†¦[the] use [of practices] in the general population; 3) help formulate hypotheses to be tested in subsequent experiments; 4) provide part of the community-level data needed to design more informative pragmatic clinical trials; and 5) inform clinical practice.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Bakhtadze (107:2012) Observation is watching behavioral patterns of people in certain situations to obtain information about the phenomenon of interest. Quantitative Observation: Quantitative Observation involves the standardization of all observational procedures in order to obtain reliable research data. Qualitative Observation: Qualitative Observation involves observing all relevant phenomena and taking extensive field notes without specifying in advance exactly what is observed. Focus Groups Bakhtadze (106:2012) A focus group is a type of group interview in which a group moderator (working for the researcher) leads a discussion with a small group of individuals to examine how the group members think and feel about the topic. Purposes of Focus groups: 1. Obtaining general background information about a topic of interest; 2. Stimulating new ideas and creating concepts; 3. Generating impressions of products, programs, services, etc. 4. Learning how respondents talk about the phenomenon of interest; 5. Interpreting previously obtained qualitative results Summary A method of data collection is the procedure that a researcher uses to physically obtain research data from research participants. The method of data collection that is used in a research study is discussed in the method section of a research report. . Finally, the methods of data collection discussed in this paper work can be mixed by using the fundamental principle of mixed research to strengthen the evidence provided by a research study. References: Adà ¨r, H. J., Mellenbergh, G. J., & Hand, D. J. (2008). Advising on research methods: A consultant’s companion. Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing. Bakhtadze, I., 2012.Course note on Research Methodology, Department of Education, International Black Sea University, Tbilisi-Georgia. World Bank, n.d: Data Collection Methods, 2012 viewed 28th of December 2012 http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/datacoll.htm University of Wilconsin, n.d., Data Collection Methods, viewed 28th of December 2012 http://people.uwec.edu/piercech/researchmethods/data%20collection%20methods/data%20collection%20methods.htm Wikipedia, 2012, Questionnaire, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questionnaire Wikipedia, 2012, Survey Methodology, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_survey Wikipedia, 2012, Observational Study, viewed 28th 0f December 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_study

How to Define Value in Relation to Art

How to Define Value in Relation to Art As an element of art, value refers to the visible lightness or darkness of a color. Value is synonymous with luminosity in this context and can be measured in various units designating electromagnetic radiation. Indeed, the science of optics  is a fascinating branch of physics, albeit one to which visual artists typically devote little to no thought. Value is relevant to the lightness or darkness of any color, but its importance is easy to visualize in a work with no colors other than black, white, and a grayscale. For a great example of value in action, think of a black and white photograph. You can easily visualize how the infinite variations of gray suggest planes and textures. The Subjective Value of Art While value can be a technical term related to color, it can be a more subjective term related to either the importance of a work or its monetary worth. Value can also refer to the sentimental, cultural, ritualistic, or aesthetic importance of work. Unlike luminosity, this type of value cannot be measured. It is entirely subjective and open to, literally, billions of interpretations.   For instance, anyone can admire a sand mandala, but its creation and destruction hold specific ceremonial values in Tibetan Buddhism. Leonardos ​Last Supper ​mural was a technical disaster, but its depiction of a defining moment in Christianity has made it a religious treasure worthy of conservation. Egypt, Greece, Peru, and other countries have sought the return of significant cultural works of art that were sold abroad in earlier centuries. Many a mother has carefully preserved many pieces of refrigerator art, for their emotional value is incalculable.   The Monetary Value of Art Value may additionally refer to the monetary worth attached to any given work of art. In this context, value is pertinent to resale prices  or  insurance premiums. Fiscal value is primarily objective, assigned by acknowledged art-historic specialists who eat, breathe and sleep fine art market values.  To a smaller extent, this definition of value is subjective in that certain collectors are willing to pay any amount of money to own a particular work of art. To illustrate this seeming dichotomy, refer to the  May 16, 2007, Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale at Christies New York City showroom. One of original Marilyn silkscreen paintings by Andy Warhol had an estimated (objective) pre-sale value of more than  $18,000,000. $18,000,001 would have been accurate, but the actual gavel price plus buyers premium was a whopping (subjective)  $28,040,000. Someone, somewhere obviously felt that hanging in his or her underground lair was worth an additional $10,000,000. Quotations About Value In preparing a study or a picture, it seems to me very important to begin by an indication of the darkest values... and to continue in order to the lightest value. From the darkest to the lightest I would establish twenty shades.(Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot) Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.(Albert Einstein) Its impossible to make a picture without values. Values are the basis. If they are not, tell me what is the basis.(William Morris Hunt) Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.(Oscar Wilde) Color is an inborn gift, but appreciation of value is merely training of the eye, which everyone ought to be able to acquire.(John Singer Sargent) There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.(Henry David Thoreau)

Transformational Leadership Essays

Transformational Leadership Essays Transformational Leadership Essay Transformational Leadership Essay Structure: Transformational Leader’s Effectiveness Abstract Many studies have been conducted on various leadership types and their effectiveness. James MacGregor Burns first introduced the transformation leadership concept in 1970. Other scholars have also published similar studies. Bernard Bass’s theory examines how leaders affect their followers and literally transform them. Three research studies were examined on transformational leadership, and its effectiveness. The first study proved employees pay close attention to whether leaders practice procedural justice (Leventhal, 1980; Thibaut Walker, 1975). The second study proved effective transformational leadership has a direct effect on the successful implementation of quality management in administrative service. The third study proved effectiveness of leadership is situational determined. Introduction Leaders today encourage followers to step out of their comfort zones, and take risks. Today’s innovation and global competition makes the status quo way of operation an endangered species. Leaders must possess the ability to persuade their followers to step out of their comfort zones, and take a leap of faith. They must be willing to follow their leaders into the unknown. This is accomplished by building trust, and making oneself vulnerable without knowing the outcome or how it will affect ones job. Leaders must have the skills, and ability to change, learn, adapt quickly, and positively as innovation dictates. There are four dimensions of authentic transformational leadership. They are charisma influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Bass, 1985; Bass Avolio, 1993). Transformational leader’s personal values are an unshakable force from within that drives them. Their charisma is thought to be the most important aspect of transformational leadership qualities. These perceived values strengthen their ability to unite followers, and transform their beliefs to line up with their own (Bass, 1990; Burns, 1978; Deluga, 1988). Followers identify and aspire to be like these leaders. This luxury gives leaders the influence needed to set high standards for all to achieve. Transformational leaders provide vision and mission to others which instill organizational pride. Their expertise of the organizations tasks, earns them respect among their followers. It is their inspirational motivation that challenged followers to achieve the organizations goals. The leader’s intellectual stimulation complements their charisma. It is hear that high expectations and purpose are communicated in simplicity in an effort to generate creative solutions to problems. This platform allows their followers to question assumptions. They use, rationality, and logic to identify old problems. These problems are then examined from a different perspective to generate innovative ideas for improvement. A transformational leader’s individualized consideration is where employees are viewed as individuals. It is here they increase their employee’s awareness of the importance of their job. They coach them on achieving a better performance. Leaders also motivate their employees to work for the good of the organization instead of exclusively for their own personal gain. They then make employees aware of their individual needs for personal growth. They identify areas to target for development needed to obtain their own personal goals within the organization (Bass, 1985). In the wake of many business scandals there has been an out cry for the need of good leadership, with high morals. Authentic transformational leadership is characterized by its high morals and ethical standards in each of the four dimensions previously detailed. Followers engage in collectively pursuit of these leaders in ethical moral actions. Transformational leader literature has been linked to the long-standing literature on virtue, the moral character of Socratic and Confucian typologies, as well as modern Western ethical agenda. It is important that transformational leadership overcome the unethical pseudo transformational leadership images, which plagues organizations today. Pseudo-transformational leaders endorses only them self. Oppression of its followers, their ideas, and individualization is practice. Submission is enforced, and in some cases these leaders (Jim Jones) invent fabricated obstacles, and teach fictitious visions of superiority. These imaginary enemies instill fear into their followers of outsiders. Some Pseudo-transformational leaders are not so prevalent; they straddle the line of moral virtue. They make inspiring appeals and lead everyone to focus on the positive to maintain creditability with the unsuspecting followers they manipulate. They withhold information (Enron). In some instances they support a proposal in public while privately they may directly impede on its progress. This is done in an effort to postpone or continually delay its implementation. For a period of time pseudo-transformational leaders appear like saints, but are deceptive devils. They go through great lengths to prove to their followers their righteousness. This convinces many to believe they are following a transformational leader, unbeknownst to them they fund the masquerade created by these pseudo-transformational leaders, either until they are swindled out of all their money or until exposed by law enforcement agents. Even after their exposure they will still be able to convince some of their innocence, or justify their wrong doing as being right because of their superiority (Charles Mason). According to Kanungo and Mendoca (1996), transformational leaders are guided by unselfish values. They influence followers with empowerment rather than control. They strive to help their followers develop their own qualities. Authentic transformational leadership fosters moral values of honesty, loyalty and fairness. Values of justice, equality and human rights are a mark of their character. They are sincere leaders who strive to lead followers to attain the organizations objectives and goals. These leaders create vision for their followers, and implement strategies to help them accomplish their goals. Research on Transformational Leadership Effectiveness Three studies were examined to illustrate the effect transformational leadership has in particular situations and its effectiveness Transformation leadership style effect on procedural justice Employee relationships in procedural justice studies did not emphasize which leadership style would enhance procedural justice effects. It was not until recently when Judge Piccolo, and Ilies (2004) statement about the Ohio State factors of justice theory and its importance for future research did scholars begin to examine leadership style effects on justice issues. De Cremer (2004) introduced the leader fairness theory. It suggests that the effectiveness of procedural justice depended on the type of leadership style used to ratify the procedures (De Cremer Tyler, 2005). Transformation leaders have the ability to articulate a shared vision, intellectually stimulate employees, and provide individual differences for employees (Brown Keeping, 2005). This paper will provide evidence as to whether transformational leadership and procedural justice interact in affecting employees’ response. According to Burns (1978), transformational leaders embrace moral values, justice equality, and respectful treatment of their followers. These leaders increase their followers’ moral development. Followers focus on important principles such as justice and equality (Brown and Trevino, 2003). From this we can conclude that transformational leaders should increase the influence of procedural justice as well. Another factor of transformational leadership is the ability to motivate their followers to go beyond self-interest and focus on the common interest of the organization (Bass, 1998; Yukl, 1998). This implies that transformational leadership creates a collectivistic environment and attitude among their followers. Studies show that the more employees identify with the organization the more likely procedural justice will influence their behavior. The analysis suggests that transformational leadership style heightens employee’s awareness of justice issues and a strong sense of group identification which make it a good moderator for procedural justice. Theories of procedural justice have strong emotional consequences (Tyler and Smith, 1998). Procedural injustices bring into being feelings of anger, rejection, and resentment which can influence a wide range of negative emotions (DE Cremer, 2004). In the first study the focus was on how procedural justice and transformational leadership style effects the self-esteem and emotions of followers. The two theories studied are Hypothesis 1) Leader’s transformational behavior and procedural justice interact, such that the effects of procedural justice on followers’ negative emotions are stronger when the leader is high in a transformational style rather than low. Hypothesis 2) Leader’s transformational behavior and procedural justice interact, such that the effects of procedural justice on followers’ self-esteem are stronger when the leader is high in a transformational style rather than low. The author conducted three studies to test these theories. In the first study, 69 Dutch men and women, undergraduate students participated. The results showed that procedural justice influenced participant negative emotions more, if the leadership style was high in transformational behavior. Fairness of procedures affects both personal and collective self-esteem. Fairness in the work environment signals to employees that they are respected, that how they feel matters, because they are valued. Employees with good self evaluations have higher self-esteem (Leary, 2001). In the second study, 57 Dutch men and women undergraduate students participated. The results showed in the high transformational leadership negative emotions were significantly influenced by procedural justice; however for a low transformational leader this was not the case. In the third study, the employees’ perception of their supervisor’s procedural justice and transformational leadership style was examined and the effective responses were measured by means of organization based self-esteem. HRM managers handed out questionnaires at random to 575 male and female civil servants to participate. A total 257 were returned, yielding a response rate of 45%. The results show that procedural justice was affected only when the leader was high in transformational leadership style. The results from the scenario experiment, laboratory experiment, and the organizational survey confirmed the influence of procedural justice and transformational leadership style interaction has a pr onounced affect on their follower’s emotions, and self-esteem. Employees pay close attention to whether leaders use correct and fair procedures when making decisions and allocating outcomes i. e. procedural justice (Leventhal, 1980; Thibaut Walker, 1975). According Burns (1978) transformational leaders encourage followers to embrace moral values, justice, equality, in turn this increase their awareness of fairness and justice, which increase the influence of procedural justice. Transformation leadership effect on quality The second study was conducted at The University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR). UMR received the Missouri Quality Award in 1995 after four years of quality management implementation. UMR was the first public research university in the nation to win this award, and was chosen because of its receipt of the quality award for practicing quality management. The study was conducted by Hirtz, P, D. from University of Missouri-Rolla, Murray, S. L. from University of Missouri-Rolla, and Riordan, C. A. from Central Michigan University, were the effects of leadership on quality was examined. The objective of this study was to identify what relationship existed between the leadership style of administrative service heads, and the perceived implementation level of quality management? The focus was on transformational leadership, transactional and non-transactional leadership styles effectiveness and their effect on quality. The multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) by Bass and Avolio (1995) was administered to nonacademic administrative and service departments at the University of Missouri-Rolla. The campus mail system was used to distribute the surveys to 438 employees in 29 departments. Each survey was coded to guarantee the confidentiality. There were one hundred-nine surveys returned completed constituting 24. 9 % response rate. 24 department leaders consisting of 8 females, and 16 males were included in the study. Each survey determines the leadership style of the department’s manager along with a quality management self-assessment survey to determine the level of quality management implementation. The theories studied Hypothesis 1) Consider the incidence of beneficial leader behaviors (idealized attributes, idealized behaviors, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and contingent reward) would be positively related to quality management departmental behavior (leadership, information and analysis, strategic planning, human resource development and management, process management, customer focus/satisfaction, and overall total quality score). Hypothesis 2) Consider the incidence of dysfunctional leader behaviors (management-by-exception- active/passive and laissez-faire) would be negatively related to quality management. The results of the survey support the first hypothesis that effective transformational leadership has a direct effect on the successful implementation of quality management in administrative service. The results in the second hypothesis support the theory that passive leadership styles negatively impact efforts of quality management. Transformational leadership universal effectiveness In the third study the focus is on weather transformational leadership is effective universally, and determines how situational moderators limit its effectiveness. The author examines several situational aspects; leader-member relations, task structure, leader position power, follower ability level, and follower authoritarianism, and concludes that effectiveness of leadership is situational determined. Burns (1978), Bass (1985) believe that transformational leaders motivate employees to perform by transforming their attitudes, to strive to achieve the organizations goals. A total of 157 civil servants at one of the engineering services agency branches responded to the survey at a 76 % rate of return. All participants were assured their confidentiality. Each survey included the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire- 5X (MLQ), developed by Bass and Avolio (1989). It consisted of 60, five-point scale items to measure transformational leadership. This MLQ measure is a social-report of the employees perceptions of their leaders transformational behavior. Two individual motive pattern measurements were used: (1) growth need strength, and (2) need for autonomy. Growth need strength was assessed using the standardized twelve-item scale developed by Hackman and Oldham (1974). Need for autonomy was assessed using nine items of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) (Edwards, 1953). The theories studied Hypothesis 1) Whether the follower motive patterns influence the effectiveness of transformational leadership. Hypothesis 2) Whether transformational leadership is more appropriately viewed from individual-level analysis or a multi-level analysis. The results from the first hypothesis revealed that some followers are more receptive to transformational leaders. The study also reveals that situational moderators contribute to the prediction of outcome variables beyond that of leadership behaviors alone. Transformational leaders may be more effective in some environments than they are in others. Transformational leaders in this study were more effective with followers with high growth need strength, compared to followers with low growth need strength. Followers with higher independence rate their leaders as more transformational and are seen by the leader as being more effective in their units. The results from the second hypothesis revealed that transformational leadership is effective in individual and multi-level analysis. Evidence proved that transformational leadership includes behaviors that are apparent with some consistency to all group members. However, it can be applied to some followers more than to others. This supports the individualized consideration behavior of transformational leadership style. Conclusion Further research of how situations affect the effectiveness of transformational leadership is needed. It is clear in this test that quality management programs supported by top management’s commitment to the programs success in turn ensure the programs success. Transformational leaders have unshakable morals, and beliefs, and their ability communicate the organizations vision of the future, allow employees to support and adopt those convictions as their own. Transformational leadership invigorates exploration of innovative ideas that will improve the organizations as well as employees performance. This stimulates an environment that is adoptive to the change which is imperative for the organization to sustain their position in the global market among competitors. The implementation of having top management lead with compassion to promote change directly impact employees self worth to the organization which create loyalty and the diligence needed for them help the organization achieve its goals. This research supports the hypothesis that transformational leadership is positively related to the successful implementation of quality management in administrative service. It also supports the position that passive styles of leadership negatively impact the implementation of quality management. Investments in top manager leadership needed to development into transformational leadership promote higher performance expectation that in turn transcend throughout the organization. The charisma of transformational leaders inspires their followers to emulate them. This will allow the rapid spread of transformation leadership style; which creates a quality conscious organization committed to achieving the organizational goals.

Stock trading experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stock trading experience - Essay Example Working in stock market is very complex job;it does not only require money but also high skills and techniques along with the fact that the player must be lucky also.The following essay discusses the experience of stock trading. This activity helps in gaining huge experience about the market fluctuations and also keeps the instinct on the line. The following essay discusses the experience of stock trading. Stock Trading Experience Just few weeks ago, I decided to enter into the stock market and become the professional trader. The motivation and interest was developed to work in the stock market, while I was in my school life because in my school life I was very good at mathematics and statistics and loved to play with numbers. One of the biggest advantages and opportunities were my teachers who supported me a lot to polish my skills and techniques. At one point of time, I was strongly suggested by my statistics teacher to take the advanced computer classes and statistics and mathemat ics tuitions. The advanced lessons and classes also helped to be positive at all times towards trading in the stock market and when I was in college, I finally decided to start trading (Nassar, 1999). In the initial stages and to gain the professional experience, I spent some time with the professionals who were already in the stock market.... tical skills were better than others of same ages, but when it comes to the trading of stock, I found out that my skills and expertise were very restrictive to the theoretical aspects. And in the professional life, there are many big fishes that have more knowledge, experience, expertise and skills than me. But I tried my best to understand all the concepts, techniques, approaches and expertise to ensure that in the future these elements will help me to become the successful stock trader and generate the positive outcomes and results. After spending six months as a trainee stock trader, I then decided to move on and become the individual in the stock trading market. I went to my bank and visited an assistant to lend ?100,000. After few days, the requested amount was lent to me by my bank. After couple of days, doing my homework and prepare the entire plan, I approached the stock market to make efficient investments. But sooner I realized that the situation in the stock market is not as I was initially thinking and expecting. Before deciding and availing the investment opportunity, there were many aspects that were found to be very critical and difficult. But after long considerations and detailed homework, I took a step and made an investment of ?75,000 and bought the shares of the company whose stock prices were constantly going up. Sooner I bought the shares, the very next day, the prices of the stocks starting decreasing. As I entered into the market as a regular investor therefore I did not had the time to wait for the prices to go up again. But I waited for 3 days and found out that the prices were constantly going down because the current financial position of the company was not strong. On the day 4th I had no other option but to sell the stock at lower prices

Marketing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Marketing Case Study - Essay Example The push strategy involves manufacturers selling to the customers directly rather than through retailers. For the guard strategy, the product categories should have a loyalty that is low towards the brand. The substitutes in the market should be acceptable by the customers. This is a strategy by Keyman’s and Guard. Launching of new products is efficient using the push strategy. The plan is essential where there is no planning of the product to purchase. The customer needs to be knowledgeable about the product. There is consideration of the current situation of the business in terms of working and business scenario. There is also consideration of the sales figure of past periods, where more money is given for promotion for projects that show high sales figure from the past so as to increase sales. Department that build many products should be given more promotion money than small product departments to enable them tab the whole market. Promotion money is given depending on the level of competition the product in question is facing. Thus, the more the competition, the more the money given to ensure the product competes favorably. In the introduction of new products, there is allocating promotion money on the bases of all it can afford. This is to avoid losses that arise due the product, not picking up in the market. In case of short term sales, there is less promotion money to that product. To increase distribution, more promotion money should be given to ensure that the product is able to get customers and maintain the current customers. In giving cash for promotion, there is a reduction in the budget of other products so as to favor other products, which require promotion. To stimulate trial, money should be given. This is because the product requires money for promotion because it is already in the market. It is essential to first test the market before introducing a