My Favourite Lecturer

Each lecturer has its own style, techniques and strategy to the lesson. Also different students prefer different types of lecturers and as the saying is â€Å"there is no disputing about tastes†. However it is obvious that lecturer who uses right techniques of teaching will be popular with majority of students and vice versa also true. Every person during his life was in a huge number of lectures, starting from school lessons and ending with scientific seminars. Some of them make bright impression and a person will remember them for a long time. I am not exception and I have my favorite lecturers.One of them is Mister X. He was taught me physics only during 9th grade but I still remember how enthusiastically attended his lectures. I never liked physics before his lectures, because I didn’t like a lot of formulas which you should remember and I think that using only them you can solve the problems. Lectures were also boring. Monotonous voice of teacher and a lot of naked facts about some topic were only things which I got at the end of each lectures. Mister X was my teacher but topic of this essay is â€Å"My favorite lecturer† and unfortunately I will not write about his practical lessons.As I wrote in previous paragraph I presented physics as the science about naked facts and formulas. But from Mister X’s lectures I started understand origins of those things and from that point they didn’t seems to me like naked facts or formulas. I understand that everything complex in physics based on fundamental simple phenomena. After his lectures I haven’t to remember formulas I can derive them by myself. It was wonderful for me because I never like remember and I started to think that remembering without understanding bases of something is not best way to gain new knowledge.Yes, it takes less time than looking inside of something, but also you remember them only for short period of time. Second difference of his lectures was way of explaining lectures. It was not monotonous voice, carefully written formulas in blackboard or synopsis from book. He distinctly highlights key points, gives examples from real life and visualizes a lot of things. His pictured cars were different in every lecture. He can draw a little car, write â€Å"Zhiguli† at the bottom and say: â€Å"Teacher from school drives car with velocity 50km/h†.Next he can draw a big car, write â€Å"Ferrari† and say: â€Å"Son of some office-holder drives Ferrari with velocity 120km/h† and gave information about physical problem itself. It was very funny for class and immediately attracts attention of all students. I described only some of his techniques used during lectures. He had full arsenal techniques and he can easily create a great atmosphere in the classroom. Of course I cannot convey atmosphere of the lesson here, but believe me it was fascinating and memorable.

British Chinese Relations Essay

Following the transfer of Hong Kong from the British effectively ended many remnants of British imperialism in China, and in the process ended much of Britain’s involvement/power in Asia. The turnover has also given China control over one of the world’s leading financial institutions, thus improving not only its economic standing but also its ability to use soft power. The opposite could be said for the effects on the United Kingdom, where the turnover effectively halted their control over the economic powerhouse and ushered in a new era of Anglo-Chinese relations, yet this is not necessarily a bad thing. Since the turn over of Hong Kong from England, relations between China and the United Kingdom have improved and a larger bond has come about. Before I can begin to speak on the effects of â€Å"The Turnover,† I must first give a history of the events that made the turnover possible. Due to the trade imbalance between China and the United Kingdom in the 1800s, th e UK thought it might be advantageous to sell opium to the Chinese. Within a few years, the UK had gotten China addicted to opium and was starting to close the trade deficit. This in tern made the Qing dynasty officials very angry and they decided that they would disallow the importation of Opium into China. The British saw this act as an insult and in return they attacked China. This act started the first Opium War. Due to the Qing Dynasty’s limited armada, the British effectively wiped out the Qing forces and took possession of the land where Hong Kong currently is. The possession and occupation would not be â€Å"legally† binding until a treaty signed in 1898 that leased the land to the British for 99 years. Following the fall of the Qing dynasty and the rise of the Republic of China in 1912, the relationship between China and the United Kingdom still remained fairly unequal. At this time, the British Empire was still the world’s hegemonic leader and they were not afraid to show their might. This was reflected in the lending p ractices (or lack there off) that the British showed the Republic of China in those years. In these years following the foundation of the Republic, it was commonly known that the British would treat the Chinese as second class citizens in their own country while taking advantage of China’s resources. This was also evident in the effort that the British put into protecting its Chinese workers during World War 1 and World War 2. During the World Wars the UK failed to protect Hong Kong from the powers that attempted to invade it and in the process failed to prevent many preventable deaths. After World War 2, all Anglo-Chinese relations came to a complete halt. This is due to Chairman Mao deciding to close off all foreign interaction with the newly founded nation. This is due to what Mao thought was the influence of a corrupted political ideology and to help heal the wounds of British imperialism. Deng like Mao believed that a communist China was a good China, yet they disagreed as to what extent communism should have on the everyday lives of the people. While Mao’s main concern was providing the bare essentials to every Chinese citizen then China’s outlook on the world stage, Deng on the other hand wanted China to become a world power, then wanted to cater to the Chinese people, even going as far to state, â€Å"some will become rich faster than others.† It was in this mind frame that he started divvying up the collectively run state property to create competition between Chinese citizens. Deng felt this was necessary because the Chinese economy has been lagging since the start of the Great Leap Foreword and due to Mao’s policies; it looked as if it would continue on that track. During Mao’s communist campaign throughout China, many British feared that he might also have his eyes set on Hong Kong. Many British knew that their influence on the world stage was starting to weaken and that another costly war, with a country as large as a Soviet backed China, would prove disastrous to the British bottom line. Yet at the same time, many British were not fearful of China’s new communist regime because they thought it lacked the legitimacy and power to effectively resist the West’s hold on Hong Kong. During this time in history, the United Kingdom still possessed a large area of the world’s land and had a large navy that was capable of at least defending itself if it felt threatened enough. Also because the United Kingdom refused to acknowledge the PRC as a legitimate country, any provocation towards Hong Kong from Mao would have proved disastrous, as it might have set the stage for a foreign backed coup by the Nationalist forces. The British knew about these ways of thinking and at the time did not feel China, in its current state, was a legitimate threat to any of its resources or power that it had vested in Hong Kong or Macau. By the time Deng to the reigns in China, the United Kingdom was a shell of itself during the Imperialism era, and its relationship with China was no more that of a superior to inferior but more so on the level of equals. Analysts began to predict that because China had large numbers of cheap labor and a safely stable government, trade and manufacturing exports between Britain and China would prove advantageous to both nations. This is one of the reasons why the British began to see China as more of a player on the world stage. But even before Deng came to power in 1978, the UK still began to show some favor towards China by signing and even advocating UN Resolution 2758 which transfered the â€Å"China† Security Council seat from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China, respectfully. It was in these diplomatic agreements that China and the UK could find equal ground to later speak on the transfer of Hong Kong from British authority to Chinese authority. During the talks with the United Kingdom, China remained steadfast and strong on the issue of the UK retaining any authority over the region after the handover in the late 1990s. This is due to the fact that many of the Chinese leaders at that time thought that the treaties which gave the UK rights over the region were not done equatibly and some went as far as calling them downright illegal. Moreover, many at the time were surprised that the strong U.S. friend ally would even agree with talks with a Communist nation but at the time Britian had no choice. Hong Kong received the majority of its water and power from the PRC, let alone many of it’s exported items. These aspects combined with the fact of without the help of the United States, the United Kingdom had no way of effectively defending Hong Kong if t he the PRC decided to invade. For one of the first times since contact between the United Kingdom and China began, China had the complete upperhand against the British. Following the handover, relations between China and the U.K. have been relatively calm. Without out any vested insterest in the region, the United Kingdom does not come in contact with China very often because there isn’t much to speak about. Although many British companies do still own many factories in China, the factories are running smoothly and regulations on them have not become more or less strengent since the turnover, so there isn’t much for the British and Chinese to quarrel over. However, during these peaceful times, the United Kingdom’s economic and military might have remained reliatively stagnent while the China’s continues to grow, yet China does not recpricate the sentiment that Britian gave to it for so many years. If anything China has gone above and beyond with talks to England with China offering money to help out the European economy and agreeing to billions in trade to England. From my earlier interviews, I gathered that most people were happy that China has taken â€Å"the high road† in dealing with the United Kingdom. Most were pleased to see China becoming more active on the world stage, so they’d be upset if the Chinese government did anything to upset this activity, and causing trouble with the British would certainly upset this peace. For the majority of its history, China has prefered to use soft power to deal with its problems and one could surmise that it would do the same if it ever had any confrentations with England, but as of recently, China has not had to use its influence with the United Kingdom because talks have been cordial. One could suggust that these talks will remain the way for the forseeable future.

How Many Miles to Babylon Essay

Describe Alecs journey and discuss the valuable insight or lessons that you gained through the study of the theme of the journey? The novel how many miles to Babylon by Jennifer Johnson highlights Alec Moore’s tragic journey. We see his journey true childhood to adulthood. Interestingly, the novel begins at the end of Alec’s journey as he waits execution â€Å"because I am no officer & a gentlemen they have given me my notebook, ink, pen, paper† and comes full circle. Immediately we wonder how Alec someone so high up in the war is being executed, then as we read on we begin to realise how his journey through life has left him isolated and cold, returning to his prison cell at the close of the novel. Despite Alec’s privileged background or rather because of it, I now realise that the heart breaking ending was inevitable. Having studied the protagonists journey I have gained many insights into how isolated children can be despite having a privileged background, isolation and control his mother had over him was a major obstacle, with the support of friendship obstacles can seem meaningless, psychology and Alec’s coping strategies, the impact the journey had on the protagonist and how people dealt with the trauma of war differently. Alec led a very controlled and confined life due to his mothers control and rein over him. Throughout the novel we see how Alec’s mother has very little love for him which makes Alec the way he is, Alec has a dysfunctional family and a cruel cold hearted mother who shows no sense of motherly love towards him. He grew up as a lonely young boy â€Å"As a child I was alone†¦ I was isolated from surrounding children of my own age†. Alec once said â€Å"if I were to be born again I would choose to be a rook. They lead such joyful, public lives† unlike him, from this we can note that Alec is very unhappy in his life. Despite Alecs privileged life with no shortage of material goods he was deprived love and compassion from his mother. His parents were only together for appearances and status. We know this from when Alec says â€Å"My father’s face would show little emotion†. The insight I gained from send him to this was that â€Å"money really cannot buy you happiness†. During the novel we see how isolation plays a major obstacle in Alec’s journey. Alec wasn’t allowed go to school â€Å"he is delicate, Frederick my dear† From this quote it is clear how controlled Alec is by Alicia and the power she has over her so, she isolates him. As we know his mother controlled his life and had a big influence on his journey. Alec was cut off socially in many aspects. Alicia was not happy about him making friends this is clear when she sends Europe to stop his friendship with Frederick. In her eyes it is an â€Å"unsuitable relationship†. Alec’s mother Alicia had a powerful upper hand over her son. Whatever she wanted was done. Her orders were obeyed. It wasn’t until the end of the novel that we see Alec trying to get back at his mother which costs him his own life. Alec went to war because his mother wanted him to â€Å"I want you to go for all the right reasons as well as a few of the wrong ones†. From this we can note that Alicia has the last say in everything and is the decision maker. She forced Alec to go to war just so she could boast to her women friends over lunch about having a son in the war. But that didn’t work out as well as planned as Alec deliberately orchestrated his own execution. Therefore Alicia couldn’t gloat about her son being off at war and most certainly couldn’t tell them how he died as this was something to be ashamed of in her eyes. The power of friendship between Jerry and Alec helped the protagonist through his journey. The insight I gained from this was friendship is vital, it can help you through some of the hardest things in life and we see this at first hand in the novel â€Å"How Many Miles†. Alec for the first time experienced love; he had never experienced this emotion before up to this point he was a very emotionless character. Alec and Jerry were so in sync and understood each other so well â€Å"the beating of our hearts was like the cracking wings of a swan†. Jerry and Alec were like â€Å"tweedledum and tweedledee†. They both were extremely close and very innocent â€Å"ever had a sup before?’ I considered my chances of getting away with a lie and then shook my head†, â€Å"I’d of thought you’d have been with a girl†. From this we can take that both of these characters were very innocent and open with each other, they have great trust in one another and can confide in each other. Their friendship was the only thing Alec had; they never let each other down and always supported one another. From my reading of the novel I learnt that Alec and Jerry always had each other’s backs â€Å"of course I’ll speak for you but my voice is not very loud†. From this quote it certifies that my above statement is true. With the support of Jerry on Alec’s journey, his obstacles of isolation, Alicia, Glendenning, no father figure and his Anglo/Irish class all seem meaningless and in ways we can see Alec’s life improve after he befriends Jerry. I gained a very valuable insight that friendship is vital in every walk of life and it really can make problems seem meaningless when you feel you have someone else on your side willing to take the fall with you. I learnt a very valuable lesson on psychology trough out this novel. From the very beginning right up until the end we see how twisted and devious Alicia is. She is willing to put her only child’s life at risk by forcing him off to war, his opinion does not matter. The way Alicia’s mind functions is very interesting. I personally was engrossed with Alicia’s character. I had never even considered the fact that one’s mother could have such a negative influence on her own child’s life especially in these circumstances where Alec’s mother present and the wealthy background they had. Alicia also intentionally sets out to upset her child when she drops the bomb shell â€Å"Perhaps he were not your father†. This really helps me understand how crafty and devious Alec’s mother is. I had never even anticipated how cruel a mother could be to her own flesh and blood. She was so blunt and carefree. I also found it tantalizing on how Alec evoked his mother. He obeyed her wish about going to war but purposely left early so Alicia could not celebrate his departure with the neighbours like she had planned. Also how Alec did not write to his mother at the start, he rejected his mother. Alec also made sure that Alicia did not get her way at the very end when he orchestrated his own execution. He felt he had no more reason to live, nothing worth to live for â€Å"I love no living person†. This really emphasises how Alec did not have any love for his mother. I learnt a valuable lesson on psychology and an insight into how Alec and Alicia feel about each other. How their relationship is not a usual mother/son type. Alec dealt with issues in his life a very different way than most, he would try his utmost best to ignore the problem and forget it even happened. Alec was like a child in the way he dealt with his problems; he didn’t stand up and face the face problem head on like most men. The title â€Å"How Many Miles to Babylon† is a perfect example of this; it is a nursery rhyme which hints to us that Alec is not very mature with his coping strategies. He also uses escapism as a way to block out the real issue, a perfect example of this is his plan to open up a riding school with Jerry. Which he knows deep down is not going to happen but forces himself to believe so. He focuses on the physical pain of war not the reality of it. Alec’s journey had a major impact on him. Throughout the novel we can see Alec’s character grow and mature. We see Alec connect with emotions we didn’t think he had for example he felt love for the first time, we know this from when Alec says after Jerry has died â€Å" I love no living thing†. From this we can note that Alec had deep feelings for Alec as a friend, he loved him like a brother. Alec journey makes him more of life, he led a very secured and protected up bringing he did not know the evil of this world they lived in. In ways going to war helped him understand and get a better grasp of life. Alec’s journey also allows him to open up more. We see this mainly with Jerry they express feelings and thoughts to each other. As i mentioned above we saw him love and care for another human being but we also saw him express anger â€Å" I picked up the poker and beat at the fire†. All in all this journey had a major affect on Alec in numerous aspects, but i got an insight into how it allowed him to connect with his feelings and allowed him to open up more. In conclusion, after studying this novel I gained an insight into many different aspects of Alec’s life which I would never have considered before, I learnt how Jerry assisted Alec on his journey and that with a friendship like that you get the feeling like you are in control and nothing can stop you. I also learnt a lot about how Alec and Alicia feel about each other after reading more into the novel.

State of the UK construction industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

State of the UK construction industry - Essay Example These changes in growth of the construction industry in United Kingdom point to long term stagnation and possible shrinking of the industry. While the global financial crisis has been blamed far and wide for these drops in performance across many industries but it must be realised that industrial shortcomings have also contributed to these changes. The current situation is unlike but comparable to stagnation in the construction industry in the past. The previous periods of stagnation and negative growth in the construction industry required government impetus to crawl out of their problems. However, this time around governmental support seems to be unlikely to drive growth in the construction industry. The government has already announced a 20% cut in the capital expenditure over a period of four years but this has failed to attract the attention of the private sector. In turn this has exacerbated the situation on ground. The structural gaps in the construction industry in the United Kingdom need to be looked into in order to find workable solutions. This must be explored in a historical perspective as well in order to discern the previous attempts at resolving issues. These could be taken as guidelines in order to see how the construction industry in United Kingdom is expected to perform in the future. ... A number of different governments in the United Kingdom undertook various forms of studies in order to improve the state of the construction industry and its practices. Various institutional reports have also highlighted the need for change in order to improve the state of the construction industry. Overall the concerns exhibited both by institutional reports and government surveys have remained the same. Such investigations have often blamed building projects for possessing more problems than other areas. Consequently the focus of improvements has also been the building construction sector. Generally the performance of different building construction projects is targeted using indicators such as cost, time and quality. While these indicators may serve to highlight the performance of smaller projects but these indicators cannot be considered as a holistic solution for all kinds of construction projects. As mentioned before, a number of reports were construed to deal with the problems in the construction industry. The earliest of these reports can be traced back to the 1960’s but no report was able to garner industry and government support enough to warrant change (Ward & Crane, 2003). This trend of non recognition and resistance to change was changed by the investigation conducted by the Latham Report. Unlike previous findings on this issue, the Latham Report was able to garner governmental support for change. The Latham Report (1994) Sir Michael Latham was asked by the government of United Kingdom and relevant construction industry organisations to look into industrial practices for procurement and contracting. Latham was given the task of looking into

Interpersonal Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpersonal Communication - Essay Example ding such premium of communication is closely equal to life itself, since communication is a powerful tool that shapes an individuals life both in the short term and over the long haul (Devito, 1996). As it is apparent n everyday life, people who are exemplary at communicating are likely to end up in better positions in the community; and even in enterprises. They are more likely to receive recognition and accolade from society. This emphasizes the importance of communication. This paper reviews communication and its context. Within it, the value and significance of communication will further be reinforced. Communication is a way of conveying one’s thought to another person. However, its definition has been subjected to change since time immemorial. It definition has perennially been a point of contention among experts in the field of communication and language. Currently, there are various forms of communication; however, experts have labeled two general types. These are non-verbal and verbal types of communication. Obviously, under verbal communication, an individual uses language as the main tool (Stanton, 1982). Needless to say, language alone would not suffice when an individual comes across people who use a language different from his own. That is why there are many who study other languages aside from their native tongue, given the complexity and competitiveness of today’s world. This is a leverage that could not be easily replicated. Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, refers to signals which are mostly used in communicating with people with disabilities (i.e. blind, deaf and other similar kinds of deformities). The development of non-verbal communication is of importance since it has made people with disabilities productive and participative despite their physical inadequacies. Moreover, non-verbal communication is not exclusively used by people with physical deformities. There are instances in which is non-verbal communication is utilized

Southeast Medical Center Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Southeast Medical Center Case Study - Essay Example In addition, other development projects resulted in the establishment of freestanding rehabilitation center with a 59 bed capacity. Moreover, SMC management also established a physicians’ building that served as their office. Besides, in 1989 the hospital acquired medical helicopters and expanded its trauma services. Furthermore, the hospital has grown into a neonatal, transplant care, and burn center within the State. Other strategic plans have led into SMC expansion into a large referral center for both local and international health care. The hospital boasts of more than 800 beds for acute care. In addition, development projects have resulted into establishment SMC community centers in various locations across the State. Consequently, the hospital has specialized in the provision of unique, sophisticated medical services that attracts numerous foreign patients. Moreover, SMC provides ambulatory services and facilities for health plan. The hospital operates an HMO health plan for charity care patients. The health care plan acts as a Medicaid insurance for States citizens who cannot afford health services (Wolper, 2011). SMC has also undergone various changes in its governance form public hospital to a private institution. In 1920s hospital board managed the hospital that later changed to a public authority. After board of trustees voted to turn the hospital over to private management, SMC has remained a not-for-profit academic health facility. Despite expansion of SMC, the hospital struggles from financial shortage. Shortage of finances has resulted from State’s decision of not providing a subsidy for SMC. Shortage of finances has resulted into the hospital loss of competitive advantage in the market. In addition, SMC cannot afford modern facilities relevant for teaching, research, and provision of health care. Consequently, SMC decided to increase costs of medical

Central bank independence and economic performance Assignment

Central bank independence and economic performance - Assignment Example For instance under the floating exchange rate regime, protecting the value of the domestic currency against US Dollar and other international currencies calls for vigilance and continuous monitoring of the world economy through various economic indices. Regulating money supply and interest rates are governed by several domestic and international factors as well. Therefore, independence of the central bank is necessary to deal with these problems effectively without any interference in the regulatory process. However, the level of independence varies from country to country based on the political and economic system prevailing in the countries. Long ago in 1929 Montagu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England wrote: â€Å"I look upon the Bank as having the unique right to offer advice and to press such advice even to the point of nagging: but always, of course, subject to the supreme authority of the government† (Toniolo, G. 1988 p. 47). This statement underlines the need for in dependence as well as its limitation. The role of central bank Central bank’s monetary policies have different impact on different economic variables of the economy. Increase in money supply with or without decrease in interest rates could trigger inflation in the economy. Therefore, careful analysis of the economic indicators is important in taking appropriate action by the central bank. For instance, inflation in this case could affect consumption thereby demand for the products. At the same time, this could increase capital investment and results in employment generation. Stability in exchange rate is another important factor which could affect inflation in the country and foreign direct investments in the country which will have...This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the role of central bank in terms of economic performance of the nation. Influence of the political independence of central bank operations in context of achieving its objectives is under review. In order to achieve economic growth in a country, formation of capital is essential for fresh investments in the economy. Increase in aggregate demand in the country is an important factor in this regard for attracting investment of capital in new projects. Liquidity in the system as well as interest rates should be monitored and regulated on a continuous basis by the central bank to provide good environment for capital investment and consumption which in turn will generate demand for the products. However, the central bank should also ensure that it does not result in overheating of the economy. Regulating interests and money supply in the economic system is very complicated in the backdrop of technological developments taking place in the world and globalisation of economies. The independence of the central bank of the county is very important for exercising control over the commercial banks in the country through its monetary policies. The monetary policies need to be complementary to the fiscal policies of the government to achieve its economic objectives. A country with high central bank interference need to introduce reforms to make the institution more independent within the timeframe set for this purpose to improve stability in liquidity and prices.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Summary - Essay Example Prof. Scott emphasized the philosophy of environmental sustainability in the management and disposal of municipal solid waste. Disposal methods are based on reusing, recycling, power generation and incineration. Recycling and reuse methods are appropriate for glass, plastic, paper and metal waste products; bio-degradable materials like kitchen waste and other non-hazardous waste that can not otherwise be reused or recycled are shredded, packed as pellets and used as fuel for power generation. Hazardous waste like hospital cotton, plastic syringes, diseased body parts removed through operations etc. are all sent for incineration. Landfill is another common method, and is more appropriate for construction waste or for material with very little calorific (hydrocarbon) value. Discussing the positive and negative aspects of the different methods, Prof. Scott informed that landfill method is relatively safe for short periods of time but might allow leaching of undesirable and toxic chemicals into soil/groundwater resources. Incineration causes air pollution and hence is not permitted for certain types of plastics, which when incinerated give out objectionable chemicals compounds into the air that we breathe. Finally, power generation from municipal solid waste is not always economically justified. Hence, the three R’s of environmental management viz., reduce, reuse and recycle assume extra significance for municipal solid waste management. Effective segregation and collection of waste for the three R’s plan is still a challenge for most municipalities around the

Business integration topics 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business integration topics 1 - Essay Example The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has come out with a report in 2007 which has tried to provide evidence for this phenomenon. According to this report, the average temperature on Earth in 1905 was 14Â ºC and since then has increased at a rapid rate of 2.5 annually. The warming period in the last 50 years has been double of that of the last 100 years. (Norcia 2008) There have been critics of these findings who suggest that such numbers are not abnormal, some critics or global warming skeptics have even said that the IPCC report is not based on science but instead it is based on some ‘new faith based religion.’ (Norcia 2008) There are three main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; carbon dioxide, nitrus oxide and methane. The levels of all three gases has been increasing rapidly. Specifically, carbon dioxide has increased by 35 per cent, nitrus oxide has increased by 18 er cent from 1750 to 2005 and methane has increased 142.2 per cent from 1750 to 1990 and then 2.4 per cent in 2005. These rates are more than those shown in the ice cores and other geological data. (Norcia 2008) We can notice the change in the temperatures over the last couple of years, it has gotten fairly hot. The climate swings can be in both directions, warm and cold, but mostly there has been an increase in the temperature. There have been a few cold seasons as well but these remain insignificant in front of the high temperatures that the world all around has been expereincing. According to the findings of the IPCC report it is not the natural causes which have led to higher temperatures, it is rather human activities which have led to the phenomenon of global warming. Humans have increased their use of fossil fuel, deforestation and use of excessive fertislizers which has led us to theis problem. Many of the effects of global warming are being felt

Good Morning, Life! Essay Example for Free

Good Morning, Life! Essay Good Morning, Miss Dove, is a novel narrating the story of an elementary school teacher, who later in her life will suffer from an illness that would require her to undergo a life-threatening surgery. This bestseller was written by Frances Gray Patton. Life during the time of Miss Dove, was far more simple and serene. She has ruled the classroom for decades enforcing strict rules. Such rules reflect her humor-less, no-nonsense and stern personality. After all, she was more popularly known as â€Å"the terrible Miss Dove. † She epitomizes gentility and wisdom. She leads by example. Reflecting a dramatic event in life, the children she once mentored are now in turn at her service as her doctors and nurses. Events turned nostalgic as she began to see her students again, this time as adults concerned about the health of their second mother. Her students were taught to live abiding by strict rules. She instilled in them that lifes everyday challenges can be approached just by using ones common sense. These are practical rules. When practiced, it would certainly make our lives easier and more worth it. Life is complex in itself. Let us not add to its complexities by making our lives harder than it really is. Life is a learning ground. It is a huge classroom of endless learning. And we must all aim to graduate life with honors. Miss Dove is like any other parent proud of the fruits of her labor. She cared enough to trace the path she wanted her students to take. When payback day begins to dawn, the wind beneath our wings deserves credit. Echoing the voices of all the other pupils of Liberty Hill, let us thank this lady for teaching us lifes valuable lessons, in the manner that seemed like a live movie happening right before our eyes.

Concept of leadership

Concept of leadership Leaders are born and Leadership skills can be developed represent two fundamentally different perspectives towards the development of leadership quality. Which perspective would you support, and what implications may this have for management development in organisations? Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of leadership is as old as man himself. This is because ever since men came together for the purpose of achieving their different goals (communal, economic, political etc), there has always been the existence of a position for a leader/ leaders who would set the path towards the achievement of decided goals. This paper seeks to assume the position that leadership skills can be developed. One truth we know is that all leaders are born and when thrust with responsibilities performs with mixed results: some perform well; others perform woefully while others are able to balance the scales of performance. Upon the study of the various available literatures on leadership it was discovered that so many people have posited beautiful logical arguments for both sides of the divide. Nevertheless the question at hand demands that a position be assumed and supported and this is what i seek to do. The position of this paper is to logically argue against the notion of a breed of people born as leaders as those qualities are not inscribed on a mans forehead but are developed through certain challenges which bring out those qualities which become evident to everyone. As would be highlighted in subsequent sub-topics the paper would attempt to make a point for is assumed position. What is Leadership?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like many other concepts there are many definitions of leadership. Nevertheless they all assume that it involves the headship of any entity, organization, or group. Many scholars might argue back and forth about the philosophy of leadership, but the fact remains that the leader is the one who determines the path the group or entity would follow. Antonakis, Cianciolo and Sternberg (2004) agree with this point of view as they point out that it is a concept which is very easy to identify but difficult to define.Fieldler, cited in Antonakis et al (2004) also noted that there are many definitions of the concept as there are theorists and scholars working on the subject. John Maxwell, the author of the book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership believes that leadership is nothing more than influence. Thus a leader to him is the person with the most influence among a group or within an entity. Northouse (2006) however argues that leadership is a diverse concept that might mean many things to different people. Nevertheless he assumes that there are common elements in all the definitions of leadership and he based his view on these common elements. To him, leadership is a systematic process whereby a person is able to influence other people to achieve common goals. Northouse posits that his definition is rooted in the following elements namely: process, influence, groups and common goals. Bryman (1986) is also in support of the position that the context in which the concept of leadership is applied varies from scholar to scholar. He also highlights that there have been ethical attempts by scholars to distinguish between leadership and other methods of influence like power and authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is a concept that is present in every group or entity be it a school, church, business organization, state, association (local and international) etc. There are so many reasons why people emerge as leaders of the various groups they find themselves in. Some emerge by popular consent e.g. as found in a democratic state like the United States, others emerge by appointment e.g. the chief executive officer of an organization or business corporation. Others yet emerge as leaders via their possession or control of the means of coercion e.g. military leaders and dictators and in the business world boardroom politics and manipulation might see the emergence of a new head/ boss. Leadership is an essential feature of all entities that must be present as an entity without leadership might be brought down by internal and external instability. It is for this reason that scholars have taken time to study about leadership and the role it plays in achieving org anizational goals. The recognition of its importance has given rise to the question of ethics in leadership and the dichotomy between good and bad leadership. Nevertheless it must be said on hand that the ethics of leadership is dependent on the position of the interested scholar. Thus while some scholars may concern themselves with leadership by consent, others may be more Machiavellian in nature. However this paper does not want to delve in to the ethics of the matter but rather wishes to pay attention to the question at hand. THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP Many scholars over the years have opined and debated on the various approaches to understanding the concept of leadership. This debate has spanned from the time of early philosophers like Plato down to modern theorist. According to literature there are a number of theories which helps one to understand the concept of leadership and these we shall take a note of briefly. Seleshi Sissaye (2001) provides us with some of the well known theories namely Trait theory Functional theory Situational theory Trait theory According to Sissaye the trait theory can be seen as that which argues that leadership traits are acquired at birth. It is one of the earliest theories as it assumes the notion that some people have these traits while others lack it. It has however been criticized for its inconsistency although it later regained prominence in later years. Northouse (2009) also refers to it as the great man theory because it concerns itself with those qualities that made men great. He further noted that unlike other theories this one was focused on the nature of the leader and not the followers. Functional Theory Sissaye (2001) says that this theory came after the trait theory and it is an important one because it takes recognition of the role that leaders play in their environment. It was propounded by Parsons in 1951. Reisman in Sissaye further teaches that in this theory the leader actually serves three roles in his institution: facilitator, administrator and model. Situational Theory To Sissaye (2001), the situational theory came to replace both the functional and the trait theories of leadership. It is founded on the contingency theory of social organization. Hamilton in Sissaye postulates that the core of this theory is the argument that the nature of the job determines the emergence of the leader. In other words, a leader emerges based on the opportunities presented or on the circumstance he/ she find himself in. Northouse (2009) observed that that this type of leadership theory involved a directive and supportive dimension and these have to be applied when the occasion calls for it. Are Leaders Born?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is an interesting question. It is one because it attempts to understand the notion that leaders are a special breed of people who come into the world to fulfil their role of leadership. Thus it bears an element of destiny in it. Roger Gill (2006) noted that scholars and philosophers have debated this position over the years like Shakespeare and Aristotle. However many scholars of the modern period have also argued this position on the grounds that there is an innate characteristic in certain individuals which might be highlighted or can be moulded to attain the desired level of leadership characteristics. Indeed Nicholson and Norburn in Gill assume the position that there are innate genetic cells in individuals which may be developed to the desired standard. To them since all people are not leaders it is only reasonable to assume that the leaders have a certain leadership trait that has placed them in that position. This argument is also supported by Kilpatrick and Locke in Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2008). They also believe that leaders possess certain genetical leadership traits such as drive, motivation and self confidence which make it easier for them to perform well in leadership positions. The truth is that all leaders are biologically born. They are all products of the biological reactions which bring forth everyone- leaders as well as followers. There is nothing extraordinary about the birth of leaders because so many factors are involved in the emergence of a leader and it is these factors if favourable to the leaders success that might lend some validity to this statement. This notion makes one to question the existence of the followers. If leaders are born and developed from the womb to be leaders, then are followers already predetermined to become followers from birth? Finzel (2007) proposes that real leaders arent born but learn by trial and error and that inability to learn good leadership habits might haunt a ge neration of subsequent leaders. Cohen (1999) makes an interesting point that there are so many people who are educated and have good qualifications but this does not naturally endow them to lead. Rather than support the claim this paper wishes to disapprove of this philosophy that leaders are born not made and that leadership skills can be developed. Leaders and their skills are developed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership Development according to McCauley, cited in Day (2001) involves the collective expansion of organizational members to involve themselves in leadership roles and processes. The fact is that all human beings are born with various traits talent and skills: psychological and physical. Leadership should however not be viewed in this light. This is because unlike genetical traits like eye colour, lip colour, looks etc, leadership is a combination of opportunity and ability. Leadership traits as argued by scholars of the trait school are not as evident as those physical traits which individuals are known to exhibit. Thus we might say that all individuals are born with leadership skills all of which are not made manifest, rather their skills are honed and sharpened through the various challenges they face and opportunities presented to them. His/ her ability to head a group visibly confers on him the status of leader (although in some cases the visible head might not be the real leader e.g. as in the case of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru in India. In management circles a leader is identified through his ability to handle different difficult situations put in his charge. These opportunities are presented to identify key areas of strength and weakness and this gives people the chance to weigh and determine the kind of leader they want at the top. Lenore Mewton (2009) in her paper argues this position by admitting that although it is very possible for individuals to possess traits and qualities which equip them for positions of leadership, it can also be learned and developed from executives and other business practitioners as their experience helps shape and individuals decision making processes. She believes that for a leader to be prepared he must assume leadership of himself of self leadership and proposes that individuals must be conscious and aware of their qualities and abilities as this allows them to decide on which to employ whi le taking decisions in leadership position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lets take a closer look at this position. Leadership development might start from any point in an individuals life. Factors such as the environment and the individual a leader comes in contact with also shape the way his leadership abilities are developed. An individual who attends school, goes to church or mosque and develops through life might remain a follower unless given such positions that bring out such leadership qualities in him. It is for this reason why many institutions such as businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations etc spend lots of money engaging their staff in various leadership courses within and outside state boundaries. For instance in institutions such as the military, soldiers rise through the ranks and are given positions of command. Their success in handling these various assignment given to them determines how the move up the military hierarchy. This view is in agreement with the opinion of Lussier and Achua (2009) w ho argue also that most of the worlds major corporations spend millions of dollars on various leadership seminars and training programs around the world. They further posit that irrespective of an individuals talents, he/she could be developed to lead if given a chance or provided an opportunity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In trying to justify the position of this paper the argument would rely greatly on the opinions of the development theorists. This is because many of the popular businesses in the world today depend on leaders that are developed through their ability to handle various challenges presented to them. The modern business environment is such that the only leaders that are recognized are those who have risen through the ranks and have had their abilities tested and developed through the various programs, seminars and leadership programs they have found themselves in which has brought out those leadership qualities in them. The next sub heading would try to look at how leadership skills are developed in an organizational context. Leadership Skills Development in an Organization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How are leadership skills developed in organizations? What are the processes? What does it entail? Do the beneficiaries of such processes end up becoming good leaders? These are some of the questions that this sub heading hopes to answer in a brief yet concise way. Many organizations have many ways of ensuring that leadership skills of her staff are harnessed to the fullest. Many of the popular corporate names like General Motors, General Electric, IBM, Procter and Gamble etc have a culture of developing their staff to bring out the leadership skills in their staff. This was further confirmed in a Fortune Magazine online article of the World best companies for leaders which saw those companies listed earlier as examples as part of the top ten. A look through the list of companies and their profiles show that the companies all have various strategies and methods for identifying and developing managerial talents into the kind of leaders that would benefit th e corporate world. For instance in Procter and Gamble top executives also participate in training staff at the companys leadership colleges, while at IBM mobility assignments are given to thousands of staff spanning from a range of three to six months. At Titan Cement, which also made the Fortune list, their own leadership program also includes a one year program known as the career pre heater, as well as a value system for evaluating people thereby identifying leadership material through their performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why do companies take the effort to develop the leadership skills of their staff? A personal opinion might be that companies prepare to advance to the next phase of growth by preparing their staff and developing their leadership skills so as to ensure that the business has a viable leadership to steer them through to that next phase of growth. A lot of the major corporations try to satisfy their leadership needs internally by developing special leadership programs for their leadership talents or high performing managers. For instance Hewlett Packard or HP for short, the PC and InfoTech Company based in the US according to Carter, Ulrich and Goldsmith (2005) through their Workforce Development and Organizational Effectiveness Group developed a program called Dynamic Leadership; a program which according to HP was to improve decision making and leadership amongst other objectives set by the then CEO Carly Fiorina. The end product of this program was after a study and analysis of the process was that they benefitted financially over the long term after evaluation of various processes as well as successfully merging with another PC company-Compaq. A lot of the big corporations also have a similar pattern for identifying and filling leadership gaps within the organization. Other big corporations that have implemented a similar model to that of HP include Macdonalds Corporation, Intel, Lockheed Martin etc. Macdonalds Corporation for instance is one of the biggest fast food ventures in the world. In 2001 its HR Design Centre created a program for its key managerial staff called the Macdonalds Leadership Development Experience. This program was specifically designed to bring out leadership qualities of staff that would go on to occupy a key position within the Macdonald hierarchy namely the position of Regional Manager. The candidates undertook training and the scholars, Ulrich et al considered the training process good enough to bring out t he leadership qualities in these candidates. However many people are developed through structural positions of leadership. Thus their ability to head a position determines if they have the Capacity to handle people and resources on a larger scale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day (2001,a) however notes that there are other methods by which companies develop their potential leaders. Some of the examples given include the 360 degree feedback, which involves the collection of different points of view of an individuals performance, as well as mentoring, which Day defines as formal developmental relationships while performing duties on the job. McCauley and Brutus (1998) identify with Job Assignments as an important tool in training potential leaders and Day (2001, b) notes that this has been employed by Businesses like the Coca Cola Company. IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN ORGANIZATION. What are the implications of leadership development in organizations? How does management benefit from the leadership skills development that many organizations are now focusing on? It must be said that a lot of companies in the world today are investing in leadership development because they are aware of the benefits that come with good leadership in business. This is what Mullins (2007) believes, that businesses identify people who would be beneficial to the companys management in the long term. If we borrow from the resource based view of HRM we would understand that leadership skills constitute part of the resources which give a company competitive advantage against rival businesses. Shajahan (2007) is also of the opinion that leadership programs directed at skill development serve as a source of competitive advantage. Some implications which i personally identified include the following namely: Continuity Smooth flow of Communication Identification of the right leaders for the business. Continuity: One of the reasons why companies undertake leadership skills program is to ensure continuity of leadership. Thus businesses undertake different strategies of leadership skills development to ensure that there is continuity in the business. This is because only good leaders have the foresight to keep a company going through to the next phase of growth. As Shajahan (2007) noted in the example of General Electric (GE), while its iconic C.E.O, Jack Welch, was preparing to retire in 2001, executives where being recruited to report to the potential successors of Welch. Thus Shajahans point is that companies concerned with leadership do not wait until the last minute to get a leader. They rather start the process early enough and continue till the process till whenever the process becomes unnecessary. Smooth flow of Communication: Leadership Skills development allows for a smooth flow of communication between potential leaders and other staff. This is because staffs that are trained under these leadership development schemes are knowledgeable of the internal workings of the organization as well as the people who bring about these workings and functions i.e. the staff. Thus it is easier for them to communicate and pass down directives because of their knowledge of the system and familiarity with those that operate the system. This can be seen in companies that recruit their management staff internally. Identification of Right leaders for the business: This is also similar with the first point but is also unique in its nature. Leadership development is a process which highlights the leadership potential of all participants involved in the development program. As a result such programs do not only provide leadership options in times of succession and continuity but also provide options for those who would take charge of key areas of business. Such people might mature over time to take over the leadership mantle if need be as such key positions handled by these persons constitute part of their leadership training process. Others might not assume leadership positions in that company but might be suitable and well qualified for like positions in other companies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are other key implications of leadership skills development which are crucial to management success in an organization. Nevertheless it can be seen that it is a process that is very good in bringing out that part of individuals which is usually hidden unless identified and sharpened to suit the objectives and mission of the organization. CRITIQUE OF THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT POSITION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although i have taken the position that leadership skills can be developed, there are still some criticisms that linger over it and much of it come from the philosophical school of thought that leadership qualities are in born, a position adopted by the trait school of leadership theory. These scholars have made some reasonable points that are worthy of consideration and analysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Gill (2006), the argument about leaders being born or made started with Hippocrates description of personality types based on body humour. In his book, Gill argues the point that this position is a psychological one, which makes it important because its concerns are crucial to the success and making of a leader. Such psychological concerns include interpersonal, psychological and emotional concerns. One of the major flaws of the leadership development position thus is that it downplays the importance of psychology in leadership. Although it can be argued that leaders are developed over time to suit their roles, one must not ignore the fact that leaders also have certain qualities that identify them as natural born leaders. For instance Northouse in Gill (2006) identified in his analysis certain trait qualities associated with leadership namely integrity, dominance, self confidence and sociability. Judge in Gill (2006) also identified some more characteristics which could be identified with leaders namely agreeableness, extraversion and conscientiousness. This view is also upheld by Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) who argue that leaders possess those special traits which push them further to develop those identified traits. They make use of examples of personal characteristics of some leaders like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart and John Paul Jones of the US Navy to drive home their point of the relationship between trait and leadership. Nevertheless it must be noted that although possession of leadership traits is a factor, it does not determine the success of a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another criticism noted with this leadership development position is that the fact that leadership skills which are developed through certain training schemes either formal or informal does not guarantee the success of a leader. Skills development does not uniquely give leaders a successful tenure in their organization just as traits alone does not explain leadership success. CONCLUSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper has briefly reviewed the concept of leadership and has seen that leadership although identifiable cannot be given an encompassing definition. Many people see leadership in different lights; influence, management, control, power etc and as a result it cannot be given a wholesome definition to embrace all these points of view. The theories surrounding the concept of leadership have also been briefly reviewed as it is the opinion of this paper that these theories have a great influence on the question of concern. The two points of opinion: leaders are born and leadership skills can be developed have also been reviewed in a bid to provide a bit of understanding on the debate. While this paper has adopted the position of leadership development, it nevertheless has sought to point out that any of the positions is subject to the beliefs and opinions of the individual as there is no universally acceptable position on the subject of leadership. One might be forced to make the conclusion that an argument like this is more of a philosophical question and with leaders coming up in different sectors and carrying out their duties in different ways there is no clear superior argument as both positions have considerable weight. Nevertheless the position of this paper still stands: that leadership skill can be honed and sharpened to suit and lead a people in a particular way. This stands because people have certain qualities that could be shaped to be of better use to the larger society, community, organization or country.