The Aftermath of the Enron Scandal

Introduction The Enron Scandal, uncovered in 2001, was one of the largest accounting frauds in history. The fraud occurred as a result of accounting gaps and poor financial reporting which allowed top executives to conceal billions of debts from failed deals and projects. The company’s CFO and other executives not only lied to its BOD and audit team on risky accounting norms, but also pressed Arthur Andersen to ignore the issues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Aftermath of the Enron Scandal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Arthur Andersen was handling Enron’s auditing activities during this period. As a result of the Enron scandal, shareholders lost billions of dollars and the company was eventually declared bankrupt. Arthur Andersen willingly surrendered its licenses to practice auditing in the US and sold most of its practices (Healy Palepu, 2003). As a result of the scandal, a number of reg ulations were implemented by the government to prevent similar activities from happening again. The most common piece of legislation implemented was the Sarbanes–Oxley Act. Sarbanes–Oxley Act This act was signed into law in 200 and hence sometimes referred to as the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002. The act set new or improved standards for all American-based public company boards, management and public accounting and auditing companies (Kuschnik, 2008). The act was enacted following a series of accounting scandals by large corporations in the US, including Enron, Tyco International and WorldCom. The scandals cost shareholders and tax collection agencies billions in dollars, affected share prices, and led to the collapse of some of the companies. The Sarbanes–Oxley Act comprises of 11 titles ranging from supplementary management board roles to criminal penalties, and compels the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement the outlines of the act. Key provisions of the act include disclosure controls, improper influence on conduct of audits, disclosures in quarterly reports, evaluation of internal controls, and criminal penalties for violating the provisions of the act (Farrell, 2005). Under disclosure controls, the Act sets out internal processes aimed at ensuring accurate financial reporting. The signing officers must verify that they are â€Å"responsible for establishing and maintaining internal controls† and the officers must have assessed the efficiency of the firm’s internal controls as current three months prior to the report (Kuschnik, 2008). Further, external auditors are obliged to provide their opinions on the effectiveness of the internal controls during financial reporting (Kuschnik, 2008). The title on improper influence on conduct of audits states that is illegal for an officer (or any other person acting under the commission’s mandate) to partake in any activity meant to falsely sway, force, influence, or misinform any independent public or certified accountant undertaking audit of the financial statements of that company.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Under the title on disclosures in quarterly (or periodic) reports, the Act requires the disclosure of all material off-balance sheet items. The SEC is further expected to monitor the use of such instruments and whether accounting doctrines have been thoroughly adhered to in the use of such instruments. Finally, under evaluation of internal control, management is obliged to give an â€Å"internal control report† that confirms the management’s role of setting up and maintaining an acceptable internal control structure and techniques for financial reporting (Kuschnik, 2008). The report must also contain an evaluation as of the end of the most recent financial year of the firm, of the efficiency of the internal control structures and processes. The Sarbanes–Oxley Act has been commended by a number of financial industry experts, quoting enhanced investor confidence and more precise periodic and fiscal financial reports. References Farrell, G. (2005). America Robbed Blind. Texas: Wizard Academy Press. Healy, P. M. Palepu, K. G. (2003). The Fall of Enron. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17(2), 7. Kuschnik, B. (2008). The Sarbanes Oxley Act. Business Law Journal, 18(6), 64 – 95. This essay on The Aftermath of the Enron Scandal was written and submitted by user Dirty Crane to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Universal Healthcare essay

buy custom Universal Healthcare essay In reference to the health care system, a single-payer health care system where only one administrator or a payer usually a government run organization, is charged with the responsibility of collecting all healthcare fees and also paying out all the health care costs from one pool of resource. Under this system, all doctors, hospitals and any other health provider in the state bills each entity separately for the service provided (Preker, 2005). However, in the disintegrated profit health care system, there is the presence of numerous, tens of thousands of autonomous health care organizations (HMOs) and billing agencies. This system is characterized by enormous waste of administrative resources. This paper compares and contrasts the two health care systems in terms of access, economics, administration and perspective of the patients. Contrast In terms of the access and benefits to the community, the single payer is different from the profit health care system in that health care is based on the need for the benefit and not on the ability to pay. Under the single payer, every citizen is entitled to and receives comprehensive health benefits under a medical cover that provides services for long term and home care, rehabilitation, prescription drugs, mental health care and both preventive and public health measures. On the issue of payment, hospital billing is non-existence, the hospitals ask for funding from the government pool to cover all their operating costs (Preker, 2005). The central authority is charged with budgeting for different issues such as hospital expansion, marketing and technological acquisition. Here in, the government acts as an employer and not an employer. In the profit health care system, each organization is charged with taking payment from the numerous insurance agencies in the states ad its persona l budgets for expansion. There are overall high administrative costs in the provision of profit health care system. This is due to the fact that each organization personally has departments dealing with the billing and collection of funds from the insurance providers (Sherrow, 2009). Such costs are minimal in the single payer health care system because the organization just collects funds from one payer; the government. The general accounting office approximates an average saving of 10% due to elimination of those private insurance bills coupled with administrative costs. A single payer health care system is essential in cost containment. An economic study in the 2004 published in a medicine journal (The New England Journal of Medicine) approximated that the introduction of a single payer health care system would realize a reduction in the cost of health care provision by about US$ 400 billion. Consequently, the trickle-down-effect would ensure that individuals pay less to receive the same level of service due to elimination of deductibles and copayments. The multi-payer profit oriented health care system presents the policy makers with complicated challenges in implementing a health care coordinated comprehensive policy. The single-payer on the contrary would be the simplest and also the most efficient health care system to be implemented and overseen by the legislators. Due to the ability to be effectively implemented, the system would also be successful. However, due to the centralized implementation, many business organizations in the facilitation of the health care system would go out of business. The insurance agencies, the organizations charged with the collection of funds among others would lose their businesses under the single-payer health care system. Similarities Both these health care systems have not been successful in the handling of the basic issue in the health care system; making the health care system affordable to the average citizen. The profit oriented health care system is depicted by the people paying more for each higher level of health care provided. The more that the person pays; the better the health care service provided. The single payer does not effectively provide the solution for the poor citizens. By making the health care accessible to all, the government has to raise taxes to cover for the broad health care scheme. The cost is therefore transferred to the consumers of the health care in terms of taxes. The poor citizens continue being overburdened by the scheme in terms of taxes, just like the profit oriented scheme would in terms of insurance contribution. Moreover, there is similarity between the two schemes in that they are both depicted by bureaucratic red tape especially in the collection of the funds by the health care providing organizations. Collection of payments from the numerous insurance agencies as well as the corresponding agency in the single payer health care system is a common challenge that both schemes have not been able to resolve. Conclusion Due to the capitalism and the free market enterprise that has thrived in the US economy since the founding of the nation, the profit oriented health care system has thrived at the expense of the single-payer health system and hence the universal health care system for all. The health care system debate has widely been confined to the politics of the nation with the proponents being branded communists. The debate should be based on the economics and the social effects of the scheme rather than the mere politics involved. Buy custom Universal Healthcare essay

Jefferson, the President

Jefferson, the President A change is like a rest, it is inevitable and however much people can dislike it, they must encounter it anyway. It is interesting that whatever happens and at any given time, whoever or whatever does it, does so in pursuit for a change. This change may be personal, private, or public.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jefferson, the President specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Virtually all people wish to make a revolution, given the opportunity and this is why politicians-to-be spend much of their time campaigning in an attempt to see their revolution strategies. President Thomas Jefferson of the United States is not an exception. He passes for a man of historical significance. As he thought, his eight-year service as a president truly marked a revolution. This follows from his contributions in the fields of education, taxation, politics as well as US and the world at large. The third president of the Unites States, th ough dead and gone, is still remembered for his great works evident today. Firstly, following the prevailing chaos of the then US because of overdependence, Thomas set out to instigate what is currently referred to as the Declaration for Independence of the US. This was in itself, a revolution that he personally steered. In addition, the 1800 elections that saw his winning against John Adams marked a revolution. This follows from the new era of the Democratic Republican Party that on the other hand, ended the then Federalist party. Jefferson also sought to transform the area of taxation. In collaboration with Aaron Burr, Jefferson attacked the then taxation system welcoming a new one that suited all people, around the globe. President Jefferson’s service is highly recognized because he brought a change in the size of the US. He is in fact referred as the ‘chief architect of the US westward expansion.’ In the field of academics, Jefferson established the famous U niversity of Virginia, which was the first ever in US bearing no religious connections. He also declared his entire estate of Monticello a site for the construction of a school for the orphans. This school is currently running accommodating the orphans of any person working in the navy. Though many such schools exist today, Jefferson remains the founder of such schools. In his pursuit to offer quality services, Jefferson opted to liberalize most of the then laws that barred the development of the US. While he ended some, he saw the dawn of others.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, he steered the fight against primogeniture, a law that deprived most family members of their right of inheritance. In addition, he brought about the revision of the then criminal codes. Virtually everywhere, all countries observe the issue of religious liberty. It may sound strange for to day’s people who do not understand the genesis of this liberty. It took Jefferson eight years to fight for the enactment of this bill, which became a law in 1786. Moreover, Jefferson directed the US Money Unit and coinage, used today. He brought the use of decimal system, evident in the US today. It was because of his efforts that the Dollar was adopted in 1792 as the US currency, rather than the then pound. Building on Jefferson’s achievements as a president, he passes for a revolutionist. He serves as both a pioneer and an agent of change. His many revolutions stand out even today, not only in education circles, but also in political and economic sectors, to mention but a few. It suffices to infer that his presidency marked a revolution.

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples)

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples) By now, you probably think you’re familiar with all the pieces of an application package and process. You have your resume (or CV), your cover letter, your list of interview questions. And if you have those together, updated and ready to go, awesome! But there’s another potential piece lurking out there: a letter of intent. Wait, what? Is that the same as a cover letter? And if not, how do you write one? Spoiler alert: a letter of intent is not the same as a cover letter. They’re similar (being letters and all, and focused on yourself), but are actually used in different situations. Your cover letter is what you write when you’re applying to a specific job you found through traditional channels (online job search, referral, recruiter). It details why you’re a great fit for this particular job. A letter of intent is what you write when you’re coldsHi,[No opening]Hey hiring manager,Dearest sirs and madams of JobTech, Incorporated,Good examples: To whom it may concern:Dear JobTech team,As with any professional correspondence, you don’t want to seem too stiff or formal, like you’re writing a letter from a Victorian template or a bad spam email asking someone to send money to a deposed prince overseasPlease allow me to introduce myself. I am Jean, slayer of sales goals and allMy name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an alls[No closing] Jean SmithCall me please,Email me if you read this,Bye,Fondest wishes to you and yours,Good ExamplesSincerely,Best wishes,Regards,Go with one of the classics, because they’re used for a r eason. If you sound too stiff and formal, it comes off like a holiday card. If you reiterate your call to action, it can carry a whiff of desperation. Just get out gracefully and quickly once you’ve said your piece.Assess Your Final DraftAt this point, you’re ready to send it off, either in the mail, handing it off, or sending it through the Internet tubes. Let’s take a last look at the good examples put together, Jean’s better draft.Dear JobTech team,My name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an all-hands-on-deck startup to a Fortune 500 company), I know I can bring a st rong, customer-oriented strategy to your company. Since graduating with a B.A. in Marketing from Benjamin Franklin University in 2005, I’ve built my career on using customer data and strategic campaigns to get results. Most recently, as Sales Leader at Career Industries, my innovative sales strategies and overhaul of our social media lead generation program increased widget sales by more than 200% from 2013 to 2016. While my time at Career Industries has been a valuable experience, I’m ready to move on and grow into a senior manager position that better blends sales, marketing, and innovative strategy. Based on JobTech’s commitment to being on the cutting edge of widget sales, I believe my skills and background jibe well with that mission.I look forward to talking with you about my qualifications, and potential opportunities with JobTech. I am attaching my resume, and have a comprehensive career profile at www.joblinkcareernetworking.com/JeanSmith. If you have a ny questions, please don’t hesitate to reach me at J_Smith@emaildomain.com. Thank you for your time and consideration!Regards,Jean Smith

Fashion PR Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fashion PR - Article Example The present paper endeavors to critically analyze the applicability of known dictums in public relations to the fashion industry after carefully understanding the development of public relations in the industry from earlier times in history. The development of public relations strategies in fashion industry came about around the 1930s, when members of the elite and wealthy class could afford to select and pick designer wearables like garments, gowns, wigs, glasses, bracelets, umbrellas and so on. By then, distinct fashion magazines were already available in print in the urban society and photos were being printed to create cover pages for the magazines. Fashion was not just restricted to apparels and what a person wore, but was also found in home dà ©cor and accessories. By the 1960s, a more important trend of identifying and portraying the volatility of the industry began and is popular till today. Amongst the first examples of use of public relation strategy in promoting fashion p roducts, we find a localization of power as a particular news house would ask members of its elite class or Hollywood actors and actresses who are members of the book house or publishing house to wear creations of known designer members of the same society, at events and functions where they would get noticed and clicked. This way, the publishing houses hoped to keep glamour and glitz showcased on people associated with them. One such example is seen when Eleanor Lambert in 1950 asks Joan Crawford to sport.

Commercial Aviation Management Functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commercial Aviation Management Functions - Essay Example This paper studies the different commercial aviation management functions to understand the issues and the unique solutions applied to solve the problems in an attempt to maximize profits in spite of the fixed inventory and high costs of investments. Overview of airlines management functions Airlines like any other business have a load of functions to manage for a competitive advantage in the industry. Essential functions are marketing, sales, etc. but the most recent emphasis on enhanced marketing tools and techniques characterizes the airlines industry. The use of a yield or revenue management tool to integrate the different functions of the business is an effective tool to realize the profit maximization in the industry. A marketing mix is of crucial importance for the airlines industry and involves activities like product planning, pricing, branding, packaging, promotion, advertising, selling, distribution, physical handling and service. The 4Ps of marketing mix: product, pri cing, place and promotion take into consideration all the activities mentioned and are at the heart of the yield or revenue management strategies (Knorr and Zigova, 2004; McGuire and Pinchuk, 2009). ... involves the tactical control of seat inventory through protection of seats for later-booking by high-fare customers by a proper balance of the load factor and yield (Fundamentals of pricing and revenue management, 2012). YM aims to maximize profits by controlling the load factor of the perishable seat inventory and selling the correct number of seats at discriminated prices based on demand and pricing elasticity. YM can be considered to the activity of selling the right product to the right customer at the right place and at the right time for optimum price through the best available channel (Rose, 2012). Further, YM involves management of the inventory, distribution channels and prices to yield profitability in the long run (Kleywegt, 2008). Implementing YM is seen to increase 3-9 percent of airlines revenue by combining different models for discrete choice analysis, forecasting, and large-scale optimization (Rose, 2012). However, there have been changes in the approaches to YM ove r the years based on the changes in airline business environment (Smith, 2002). Airline planning and marketing: Supply and demand  Airlines usually compete for customers, horizontally and vertically (Netessine and Shumsky, 2004). The inventory is perishable and the demand is time-variable and a trade-off between price (yield) and volume (load factor) becomes essential in this industry. Load factor is the percentage of capacity sold and demand for this perishable inventory changes by the time of day, day of week and season (Dr. Britton, 2009). Seat inventory control under horizontal competition (airlines competing for customers on a single flight leg) and vertical competition (airlines flying different flights on a multi leg itinerary) is usually achieved by a pure strategy Nash

Anthropology Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anthropology Final - Essay Example It aims at creating a concrete feeling of enjoyment for an audience, most commonly manifested in a physical display consisting of displays of pleasure including smiles and laughter.† 1 Another definition of humour, â€Å"is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement† 2 Not all people are talented enough to be humorous. Someone needs to be creative and imaginative. In this case, there is what we call â€Å"humour formula† Root components of humour are being reflective of or imitative of reality and surprise/misdirection, contradiction/paradox, ambiguity. Therefore, methods to create humour include hyperbole, metaphor, farce, reframing and timing. 3 Our society has evolved in different angles. We have learned from our parents, siblings and friends knowing which laughable jokes are and which are not. Sometimes when people are stressed from their work, when they laugh at jokes, it gives them a relaxing feeling, releasing stress. It is therefore healthy to laugh at jokes. But that is not the focus of my paper. I just want to make this paper an informative material to others who may be reading this in the future. I laughed and I learned humour. In our subject Anthropology 2040-1, I thought we will just study how to create jokes and learn the tricks of being a stand-up comedian. It was more of a deep understanding about the origins of humour and how Jewish people are important in the anthropological study of humour. But why did our forefathers like Plato, Socrates and others became curious about the elements of Humour. Who doesn’t want to hear jokes? Of course everyone does. But sometimes people became abusive of their sense of humour. Having a sense of humour is a great talent. It means that you can make everyone laugh, and sometimes people make money for this ability. In some television shows, competition is always present. So, instead of naming the person or show, they use jokes against thei r competitors. Especially if one T.V. show claimed they are number 1 in the ratings, others react and use other means to prove to people they are number 1 too. Humour is sometimes used by people who think they are more superior to the others. Like in schools, the usual scenes are some rich kids prank over poor kids, good looking students prank on not so good looking students. But how far is too far when it comes to humour? Honestly, we are influenced by our society when it comes to humour verbals and visuals. We selectively and consciously laugh at areas we found defects or we found out of the ordinary. Anything that is not perfect in our subconscious is not ordinary and therefore we can say, we laugh about it sometimes because it is not how we expect it should appear. According to Ted Cohen, when a joke involves logic running wild, the joke will present an absurdity – an absurdity in itself or an absurd response to a normal overture or a kind of doubling of absurdity. 4 Reli gious humour is by far the most controversial part of our modern society. Most of the readings about this concept points towards Jewish people. But before we go to Jewish people, let’s first understand why religion entails humour by defining religious

Search desktop computers suitable for Quarkxpress and Pagemaker Assignment

Search desktop computers suitable for Quarkxpress and Pagemaker - Assignment Example The name of the members of the team and its assigned task appears below:Miss Jane Lumantas, System Administrator together with Mr. Joel Mar Escudero, and Mrs. Shiella Michelle Pino submitted a report for the recommended computer specification that would fit the applications QuarkXpress and Pagemaker. This was based on the intensive study of the two applications.No computer with specifications lower than the recommended specifications shall be purchased. This will be strictly followed to prevent future ineffectivity that might result from using the lower specs computers.To ensure the purchase is worth the price, we need to contact various computer stores for price comparison, support services like warranty period and training, freebies items. Comparison shall be presented on graph and each item will be provided with detailed explanation which will be the basis for choosing how, where, and when the purchase will be done. Below is the system requirement of the QuarkXpress Application 1QuarkXPress is a powerful design and page layout software with an intuitive, versatile interface that lets you combine superior typography with color and pictures to produce dynamic final output for print and Web

Nursing as a Profession and its Impact on Society Essay

Nursing as a Profession and its Impact on Society - Essay Example The nursing profession has been assisted by the different domains and realms of the society because they have understood how nursing could provide a point of salvage and hope for the helpless and needy, suffering on a number of counts. The handicap factor is therefore assisted a great deal by these nurses who have made giant efforts to come out in the open and manifest their ethical selves time and again. Since nursing requires vigilance and competence, not everyone can qualify as a professional nurse in the first place. However the role of nursing within the society remains an important discussion all the same. Indeed there is no better way to serve humanity than to assume the role of a nurse. The society is benefited in more ways than one and this is documented in a number of different ways. This profession has given so much freedom to the nurses that now they can call it their respective careers. The Certified Nursing Assistant course at different hospitals has provided the studen ts of nursing with the skills that are very necessary to search for employment in the long term care facilities. Particular importance is laid on the fundamental principles related with nursing as well as development and the application of nursing skills in long term care facilities. ... take up nursing as a career since it is one of the most difficult jobs all over the world and the virtues that come along with are something to be written home about. Indeed nursing is a career that leaves quite a lot to speak about because this is something which goes a long way at developing relationships of people with one another and amongst the nurses as well. From the domains of the society, the profession of nursing is a very distinctive one. This is because nurses are being consistently monitored for their actions and what they bring to the healthcare regimes. They are also being told to remain attentive to their clients’ needs and requirements, and document hard work in entirety. The nursing premise is all the more important because it manifests hard work and commitment with the clients and showcases strength of character and maturity all this while. The nursing avenues receive a great deal of applause by the people for a host of reasons. This is because they do certa in things which no one else would be able to manifest at any given time. The role of the nursing profession has evolved over a period of time but its respect and dignity has not faded away one bit. This is the reason why many people would still like the nurses to attend to them when they are sick and to their family when they are unwell. This is an important aspect that has made the rounds of nearly all the societies in the world, in the past as well as even today (Johnstone, 1999). The role of the nurses within the society is being consistently monitored for a number of reasons, and mostly because they have to give their best time and again. There is absolutely no iota of weakness or failure that comes attached with their profession, and hence should be treated as such. The societal

How to reflate Frances economy Essay Example for Free

How to reflate Frances economy Essay Introduction There are two different ways to help France’s economy get back on track. They are austerity and growth. Austerity programs consist in a set of policies established by governments in financial debt difficulties. These policies aim to reduce spending for public goods and services. (Example in France, with president Sarkozy, approximately 150.000 civil servants were fired, this decreased the amount of money used to pay civil servants in France, which in turn, made it possible to run the country without having to borrow as much money). Growth programs consist in increasing the GDP and spending money, to reflate the economy. Of course this money has to come from somewhere, so growth programs often include imposing a lot of taxes. (Example in France, with president Hollande, taxes were imposed on bank profits, and taxes on the richest part of the population were increased). Economists are very divided on this subject, and both of theoretically work; it depends of the situation we are in. Economic Program Austerity is a short term solution only; a country’s economy cannot rely on it forever. This is why as a president; it would be good to start by making the debt of France smaller, then using this to our advantage, and Firstly, we have to make France more competitive. To do this, we will change the work time of the French, and their minimum age of retirement. Today, the French work on a minimum basis of 35 hours per week, and retire at a minimum age of 60. To make France more competitive, we will change these to 40 hours, and an age of 64. The average life span keeps on rising thanks to better health care; it would only go well for the economy if people were to work a few years more, because there would be less to pay for people who work. The 40 hours will be payed the same, because if there were the same amount of workers in a company but all of them had to be payed more, the company in question would either lose money in paying them, or fire a part of them. To increase competitivity, we have to make the price of production in France lower, so that fewer companies send their production in China for example. To do so, we have to lower the national insurance contribution payed by the employer to pay his workers in France. Products that are made in France will therefore be more expensive because the workers are payed in France than in China for example. To counter this, we will add a tax on products (depending on the price of the product) made in countries that have very cheap labor. (China, Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand, etc†¦) This will bring part of the production back to France, and the loss of money in the lowering of the national insurance contribution will be compensated by the tax. Next, we will reduce the salaries of the ministers and the president. The salaries of the ministers is now of 9940 euros (Under president Hollande), which will be reduced by 30%, leaving them with 6660 euros per month. The salary of the president is now of 14 910 euros (Under president Hollande); it will be reduced by 40%, leaving the president with 8950 euros per month. We would also stop having mayors in every single city, and do like in the U.S.A, which is to instate a governor for each department. This governor would be in charge of all the cities in his department, and when a decision is to be made, 20 inhabitants of the department will be called, to hold a â€Å"committee† and make the decision. It will be a duty, which means the inhabitants will have to go. This will help the economy, as there will be only one person to pay per department, and not dozens of mayors, it also gives a â€Å"voice† to the citizens in decision making. There are many people who are unemployed in France (10%) and receive unemployment benefit for a very long time, without trying to find work. As this does not motivate them to find one because they receive money without doing anything, we will keep on giving this unemployment benefit, but only for 2 months, the time for them to find work. This reform will motivate them to find work, this way they will be productive, therefore helping a company or industry to grow, and money will not be wasted. This change will of course also make unemployment decrease. Small companies are very important to the economy, as they might end up as the next multinationals, but they are heavily taxed, which makes them very hard for them to grow. If we make these taxes smaller, people would be encouraged to start their own companies, and this will create employment. Small companies that are already created will grow faster, and will create jobs, which will make the company itself more productive. These jobs will be there for the population receiving unemployment benefit. There will be a loss if we just relieve taxes on small companies, so we will compensate this by taxing bigger companies, which have already emerged, because they will not be affected by a tax as much as a small company. (The tax in question will not be too strong; it will just be enough to compensate for the loss in the tax relief on smaller companies) Education is a very important part of the French economy. Schools are here to â€Å"train† the future generations of workers. Access to education is free today in France, but the quality of this education is sometimes questionable. Firstly, there are not enough professors in the schools. It is logical that if there were to be one professor for 25 students, the quality of the education they would receive would be better than today, where we have in average one professor for 30 students. To compensate this lack of professors in schools, we will create 12000 jobs for professors in school; this will make the student/professor ratio smaller, which will increase the quality of the education received. To become a professor, you have to be â€Å"trained† two years in a university. This is not enough, considering the disciplinary problems in some schools. Professors should have 3 years of complete training, which would include a deeper disciplinary course, teaching methods, etc†¦ The principal sectors of production of France are agriculture, energy, tourism, trade and industry (France is one of the first industrial powers worldwide). Mass market retailing is choking the sector of trade, as it attracts the clients of little traders and makes mass profit out of it; it also allows itself to buy products at very low prices from producers (Farmers in the case of a supermarket). To resolve this problem, we would add a tax on products bought in mass market retailing services, which would bring clients back to the little traders, so that they don’t die out. Little trades do not buy products as low priced as supermarkets do, which would make money for producers. In the case of a supermarket, the trade and agriculture sector would both benefit from this tax. A French household produces in average 16.4 tons of Co2 every year; this is far too much. To avoid this, and preserve the environment, a tax will be imposed on households that end the year with more than 16 tons; of course this number will decrease every year to improve the given results. Renewable energies provide 13% of the electricity needed in France, nuclear energy provides 76% and fossil fuels provide 11%. We would invest in research for renewable energies (Hydro-energy, wind energy, solar energy), and close down the most risky nuclear reactors. (For example the 4 reactors in Blayais, Braud-et-Saint-Louis, which are not very productive and are very old and unsafe). Conclusion As a president, I would go towards austerity first, to reduce the debt of France, and to have more possibilities in my actions later. France is already in a dangerous situation, and going into a politic of growth would be spending too much money that we don’t have (Which is why I chose austerity as a short term solution), and it would be too much, France would go into a recession. After a period of austerity (Which means: after having reduced the debt), I would have gone in a politic of growth, which would have thrown France’s economy back on track.

Personal Leadership and Career: Becoming a Total Leader

Personal Leadership and Career: Becoming a Total Leader Some people are born leaders and some people become leaders by learning to lead. Learning to lead helps you to understand leadership, develop leadership ability and grow as a leader (Adair J, 1988.). This report describes my personal and professional leadership development. First section focuses on critical review of the article to become a Total Leader. Second section reflects on my 360-degree feedback and third section summarises what experiments I undertook to develop my understanding of leadership and career related competencies during October 09 to March 10. 1. LITERATURE REVIEW Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life Article by Stewart D. Friedman Stewart Friedman is a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business. He runs a programme called Total Leadership at the Wharton Business School, at companies and workshops around the word. Essence of Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life article revolves around his idea of Total Leadership. It is all about being a good leader by developing the power to understand and manage yourself better. Friedman emphasises that integrating work, home, community and self, will make you a whole person and a better leader. The article begins by presenting a case behind the total leadership concept. The author states that his research and experience over the past two decades has found that many executives feel unfulfilled because they are focusing more on work aspect and less on other aspects of their lives. Friedman emphasises that it is possible to achieve excellent performance in all four domains of life work, home, community and self, and refuses to believe that we need to trade off one domain of life for the betterment of other, which is the main idea behind his Total Leadership programme. The article then starts building upon how people can improve their performance in multiple domains of their lives through simple but thought-provoking experiments. Friedman then tries to convince the readers by presenting the strong evidence of his study of more than 300 business professionals over the period of four months. His evidence shows that, the total leadership approach has increased the satisfaction of professionals in their work lives, home lives and in their community lives. In addition, the most significant satisfaction for the professionals comes in the area of themselves their physical and emotional health and their intellectual and spiritual growth. The author explains that authenticity, integrity and creativity are the three main attributes of the Total Leadership process. The process starts by indentifying our own core values, vision and important people in our life. Once we have a complete picture of what we want to achieve in our life, we begin to see new ways of achieving our goals. Friedman asks professionals to think about various possibilities/combination of various components through nine types of Total Leadership experiments. He encourages readers to design and test experiments that will create meaningful and sustainable change that benefits themselves and important people around them. He urges the reader to take the notion of innovation through experimentation beyond the work role to other aspects of their life. He encourages leader to start small experiments and emphasises that small steps lead to a big win. Friedman also gives examples of measuring progress of various experiments. He points out importance of setting practical ways to measure outcomes. The experiments and follow-up reflections help readers learn to focus more on the things that matter to them and the people around them. He concludes that total leadership approach helps people to generate more support and feel more connected to the important people in their life. It helps people to become more resilient in response to the impulse of our turbulent world. It gives readers a blueprint of how to be real, be whole, and be innovative as a leader in all four parts of their life. As per Venables J. and my personal experience, in the UK, working late is a sign of dedication to the job and normal corporate culture. I have also seen my father worked extremely hard throughout his life to achieve his goals. Therefore, I was particularly drawn to this article and the subject of being successful leader while maintaining your personal life. The article takes a positive approach towards becoming a successful leader. The authors central concept is about identifying our inner values and using those values to improve our leadership in four areas. Authors key remark is, to be a leader one must be whole and balance in all aspects of life work, home, community and self. The concept of whole person as good leader in this article is similar to the view of Bartolome F. add Evans P. in the Harvard business review book Executive success, that executives who are able to maintain balance in their private and professional life are able to do things better than the other executives, but different to the point of view of John Adairs situational leadership. This article gives importance to the key stakeholders in work as well as all aspects of leaders life. This is very different to the view of article Leadership Lessons from India (Cappelli, P., et al., 2010), where the article mentions working with employees and focusing on their issues within the company and giving them importance rather than giving importance to the company shareholders only. The articles main strength is that it is very easy to follow and understand. It is a structured approach to produce measurable changes in our life. It takes readers through, various simple experiments and practical examples on how to be a successful leader in all domains of life. The examples and experiment suggested by the article are so simple that anyone can try them without being a subject expert. This article emphasis on developing leadership qualities based on authors holistic perspective. The only criticism I have about this article is in its approach. It provides broad sets of simple experiments to create a positive change around you. But in reality, situations are more complex. The article does not take account of any organisational factors. If it is that simple and easy to develop skills as suggested by the author, then everyone will be a good leader. Authors arguments have great deal to do with our understanding of leadership and careers because self concept is essential in understanding the leadership. As per one of the greatest leaders, Mahatma Gandhi Be the change that you want to see in the world. In other words, if you want to see change, you start with yourself. If you cannot do it, then how can you expect others to want the change? To lead others we must learn to lead ourselves and leadership starts from within. Power to see yourself brings with it a new depth of motivation and a sharper sense of direction. This article is really helpful for those who are trying to learn about becoming a better leader and interested in initiating a self-dialogue about professional and personal values. It shows simple experiments about how to be a great leader not just at workplace but also at home, in the community and above all being yourself and become a whole human. Total Leadership is a sensible and practical approach about finding out what makes you a great leader. I favour authors notation that an effective human being is a better leader. Inspired by this, I designed an experiment of doing yoga every morning with my wife to improve home and self aspects of my life. The results of the experiment were great and I noticed that I was feeling more energetic and happier in personal life, but I have not seen any changes in my leadership style at work and in community. As a result of this, I am encouraged to design some more experiments to improve my performance in work and community domains. There are no rules for leadership, but there are certain skills that every good leader should have. It is important to see different authors approach to develop your leadership skills and this article definitely gives different perspective to it. 2. CRITICAL REFLECTION ON MY 360-DEGREE FEEDBACK 2.1 Competing Value Framework From my Competing Value Framework feedback in October 2009 I learnt that, out of 12 managerial and leadership competences my scored average on 5 competences, good on 2 competences and very good 5 competences as shown in Appendix iii. I learnt that I need to develop my following leadership/managerial skills: Emphasizing speed, Initiating significant change at my work place Controlling my projects well Inspiring people and Clarifying policies I started focusing my efforts to develop my leadership skills in the areas mentioned above and by January 2010, I could see that perception of my leadership quality was improved as a result of my efforts. I always encourage my colleagues to develop their career by supporting them in their daily activities. I learnt that not all people share my view of working in a team, improves performance. I felt that some people in the team would like to work on their own, as they had their own views and ideas. I was willing to leave them in peace as far as they are doing the right thing for them and for the company. Therefore I decided to take a step back and not to interfere, but always checked the quality of work they produced. Over the past few months I have trained myself hard to work faster through various technical trainings. And I can now produce good quality work with greater speed than I was expecting before four months. I still think that there is no alternative to hard work. All this views are reflected in my 2010 feedback. I am now making sure that everyone who is involved with the task is fully aware of formal guidelines and what they are doing and have a clear understanding of company procedures and policies. I now do regular team meetings and try to keep close eye on how the project is going and keep them under control. I have also suggested new ways of doing traditional things by introducing latest software which will enhance employees performance and will also benefit the project by faster outcomes and achieving the deadline more promptly. I also attend client meetings with my seniors and try to understand what they expect from us at the end of the project and what we need to do emphasis more on to win the future projects. I have made some small changes in my team and group which will enhance the performance and quality of the outcome. According to my Competing Values Framework Feedback report in Appendix iii, my peers and colleagues also have similar views about myself in areas of Control, Performance and Creativity. Their views differ from my views to some extent in the category of Collaborativenes. They think I am not encouraging people to have work- life balance, but expect from everyone to work hard to create quality work. They feel that I am not making sure that everyone has a career development plan and not handling their career issues. I was really surprised that my leaders thought of me as a less collaborative person. Because I have always given importance to the work-life balance and have tried to understand other peoples need. From my competing values framework, I learnt that my peers think of me as a less collaborative person then I perceive myself to be. Therefore, I should try to make more efforts to improve my skills towards developing other people, encouraging them in active participation and acknowledging their needs. 2.2 Cultural Intelligence As we enter the twenty-first century, we live and work in a social and organisational world that is increasingly diverse and offers more opportunities for interaction among people who do not share a common history or culture. (Caproni P., 2005). Cultural Intelligence is persons ability to function efficiently in situations characterised by cultural diversity (Earley Ang, 2003). Culture often relates to peoples perspective on their values, beliefs, stories or rituals. Cultural differences can influence peoples preferences, expectations and behaviours at work. In modern organisations, the ability to function effectively in multi-cultural situations is important attribute for employees and managers. Corporate culture rests in distinctive capacities and incapacities that are built in to the attitudes and approaches of organisational members. (Morgan G., 1997) Cultural Intelligence provides insights about how to interact with others in multi-cultural society and organisations, engage in cross-cultural interactions appropriately, and perform effectively in culturally diverse work groups. From my 360-degree feedback report, I learnt that my perception of ability to act across different cultures has changed between October 2009 and January 2010 as shown in Appendix iii. This change reflects that my recent experiences differ from my expectations. When compared with how others perceive my cultural intelligence, it is higher than what I perceive. I learnt that people see me as a person with good cultural diversity skill. It reflects my good understanding of cross culture knowledge. I need to be aware of how my behaviour affects others. I need to pay attention to the social context in which I am working. I need to continue to think in broad way and integrate diverse information and see uncertainty as an opportunity to develop my cultural intelligence. 2.3 Qualitative Feedback Qualitative feedback from my peers shows that I am open minded, friendly, hardworking and committed person. I realise that I must take advantage of these attributes to develop good relationship with my colleagues and interact with them more frequently. My peers suggest that I should become more pro-active and articulate my ideas rather than keeping them to myself. They also suggested that I should develop smart ways to work faster and effectively while producing quality work. What surprised me most was that my peers noticed that I sometime think that my superiors are infallible. I believe that, this is partly due to my cultural beliefs. I need to ask questions to my superiors about their assumptions to change their perception. 3. REFLECTION ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS Between October 2009 and March 2010 I have focused on developing three leadership qualities based on MBTI /ICCS assessment, class room notes, my past job performance, my current and future career requirements. These qualities are: Effective Communication Trust Building Networking The table below reflects on my leadership self-development process. It reflects on my commitment of developing right attitudes to become a good leader. It describes what I did to develop the above mentioned skills. It also mentions the results of my experiments and how these qualities will be useful to me in future. Table 1 Developing Leadership skills (Adapted from Kolbs Learning Cycle) Developing Effective Communication Skills Activities: Communicating Effectively workshop 09/02/2010 Power and Influence workshop 10/02/2010 Managing Conflict workshop 11/02/2010 Coaching and Developing Others workshop 11/02/2010 Reading related books and articles (Oct09 Mar10) Reflective Observation: I am very confident, comfortable and clear in communicating my message across to my family and friends and I generally adopt communication style which suits peoples culture. Although, I have observed that I am not an effective communicator in the public and at workplace due to fear of: Cultural differences Lack of self confidence and Lack of trust Sometime while taking criticism I become defensive rather than being more open to accept it. So, I need learn to respond to criticism with empathy. Concept and Generalisation: To be a good leader communication is the utmost important aspect. Thinking about great leaders in modern times: Mahatma Gandhi, Churchill, Hitler and Martin Luther King, its clear that they were powerful leaders because they had ability to communicate their vision and inspire people to follow them in achieving their goals. Communication is a two-way process. Knowing how to listen is just as important as being able to communicate (Venables J., 2002). Application/Experiments: Apply active listening method to improve communication skills. Try to give full attention to the speaker and listen with empathy. Try to be more confident and maintain eye contact during conversations. Try to see my facial expressions and observed what others will perceive from it and learn how I can improve. Try to be more open and friendly with colleagues to over-come my fear of cultural differences and lack of trust. Try communication skills experiments in my organisation, group meetings, client meetings and presentations. Outcome: As a result of above experiments, my self-confidence has grown and I have overcome some of my fears of speaking with colleagues. I have received good response from my colleagues and team mates regarding my presentation style. This skill will be helpful to me in communicating effectively with my clients and coaching and developing my team. Developing Trust Building Skills Activities: Reading related books, journals and research papers (Oct09 Mar10) Believe in Myself (Oct09 Mar10) Be Truthful, Reliable and Fair (Oct09 Mar10) Set Boundaries (Oct09 Mar10) Reflective Observation: I feel I am Open-minded, trustworthy and reliable person. I am highly regarded and trusted in my friend circle and been asked for advice regularly. But I feel I am not always involved in the decision making process in my organisation and family. I am not sure if this is for a good reason or a sign of mistrust. And therefore, I feel that I need to develop ability to earn trust of my fellow colleagues, clients and family members, to build good relationship and to develop positive emotions and atmosphere around me. I also feel that workers in the organisations should not be judged against quantitative goals such as profit, cost and other numerical scale, which are to be ineffective as motivational tools against qualitative values of trust, responsibility and innovation. Concept and Generalisation: If you trust yourself, you know you made the right choice. And thats a strong foundation on which to build trust. Trust is critical to managerial effectiveness and building client relationship. Great relationships and organisations are made and broken on trust. Trust helps clients deal with market uncertainties and risk, ultimately resulting in increased satisfaction and loyalty in the client relationship. Breach of trust can lead to breaking of relationship and confidence. According to Robert Bruce Shaw, author of Trust in balance The importance of trust becomes clear when we try to imagine a world without it. Application/Experiments: Always try to be truthful. Set realistic deadlines and make every effort to achieve them Delegate work to juniors and help them with their problems Attend client meetings Outcome: I have been truthful and learnt to say no to unrealistic deadlines. Being truthful does not always work in my favour. I have mange to develop good relationship with my juniors and earned their trust. I understand importance of client needs from business perspective. This skill will be very helpful to maintain trust of colleagues, clients and family members for the years to come. Developing Networking Skills Activities: Reading related books, journals and research papers (Oct09 Mar10) Develop good working relationships with colleagues (Oct09 Mar10) Make new friends and attend social events (Oct09 Mar10) Develop friends community on social networking website (Oct09 Mar10) Reflective Observation of my Networks: I have come here from India and my network here is limited to my family, university friends and work colleagues. In addition, I am very introvert person (also indicted by my MBTI assessment) when it comes to making new friends. When I meet the quality kind of people who share my interests, I have been friends ever since with them. I feel strongly that friends are forever. I feel society tends to value extroverts more highly than introverts and I sometimes feel sensitive to social rejection. I sometimes fear that other people might not understand and hurt my feelings. I desire to improve my networking skills. I fell that I need to stay open to new ideas. I need to develop relationships with clients, my senior colleagues, old school friends and sport friends. Concept and Generalisation: Networking is a deliberate, systematic process of building and maintaining relationships based on mutual benefits. The quality of relationships with your subordinates, bosses and peers significantly influences your task effectiveness, careers development and personal well- being. (Caproni P., 2005) Businesses thrive on relationships. The more people you meet, the better the chances will be to find good, new, personal and professional opportunities. Networking is helpful in sharing knowledge, experience, opinions and differences which helps to develop a broader worldwide view. Application/Experiments (inspired from Kerr C., 1999): Business networking: I have joined Business Networking website BNET. Attended Institution of Civil Engineers evening meetings. I invited my work colleagues for a dinner at my home. I invited my previous boss at my place for a long weekend. I have joined my organisations cricket and badminton club. Personal Networking: I have joined health club with my friend and a neighbour. I have joined School friends group on Facebook. Call friends and family frequently. Attended my little sisters engagement party in India. Outcome: At first no one joined my school friends community and had a disappointing start to my experiments. I tried finding the contact numbers of my old friends and after a few quick calls to old friends the community has grown to 15 members, but a few are still not convinced. I have also managed to develop good relationship with my colleagues and I feel more open to express my views and accept different opinions of other colleagues. I am able to engage in discussions. Initially, I found social events boring and exhausting but now I am starting to enjoy it. I have experienced that networking requires a lot of time, perseverance and efforts. Therefore, I need to focus on important relationships and not waste valuable time to convincing people who lack enthusiasm and similar interests. Networking is more effective when people share similar interests. Through these experiments I have made new friends. I have become happier, more open to new ideas, possibilities, aware of differences in opinion and less worried out rejection. All in theses networking experiments has boosted my confidence to make friends develop relationship with important people. I am thinking of starting to arrange a social events club for my organisation. I need concentrate my efforts more to develop a network of clients. I am also thinking of taking part in a charitable activity over the next year. Networking skills will help me to develop and progress my personal and professional life in years to come.

The Other Road in Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken Essay -- Road Not

The Other Road in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his celebrated poem "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost describes the decision one makes when reaching a fork in the road. Some interpret Frost as suggesting regret on the part of the traveler as to not choosing the path he forgoes, for in doing so he has lost something significant. Others believe he is grateful for the selection, as it has made him the man he is. The diverging roads are symbolic of the choices society is faced with every day of life. Choosing one course will lead the traveler in one direction, while the other will likely move away, toward a completely different journey. How does one know which is the right path; is there a right path? The answer lies within each individual upon reflection of personal choices during the course of life's unfolding, as well as the attitude in which one looks to the future.    David Wyatt writes, "Nowhere in Frost is the tension between surprise and anticipation, wayward experience and the form into which it is cast or forecast, more acute than in 'The Road Not Taken'" (129). As the poem is read, one cannot help but be pulled into the questions of which road will be chosen, how they differ, and what will become of the traveler. Perhaps some hope to find guidance for their own journeys by seeking answers in Frost's work. According to Michael Meyer, "The speaker's reflections about his choice are as central to an understanding of the poem as the choice itself." (97) Frost himself admits, "it's a tricky poem, very tricky." (Pack 10)    In the opening stanza, Frost describes coming to a point during a walk along a rural road that diverges into two separate, yet similar paths. The narrator finds that he ... .... Online. World Wide Web. 20 Jul. 2000.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." The Poetry of Robert Frost. Ed. Edward Connery, Lathem. New York: Hot, Rinehart and Winston, 1969. 105. Mertins, Louis. Robert Frost: Life and Talks - Walking. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965. 135. Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford-St. Martin's, 1999. 97. Pack, Robert. "Frost's Enigmatical Reserve: The Poet as Teacher and Preacher." Modern Critical Views: Robert Frost. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 10. Thompson, Lawrance. Robert Frost: The Years of Triumph. Notes. Online. World Wide Web. 21 Jul 2000. . Wyatt, David M. "Choosing in Frost." Frost: Centennial Essays II. Ed. Jac Tharpe. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1976. 129-35.

Parallels Between The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway and The Great Gatsby

Parallels Between The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway and The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the decade of the 1920's, America was going through many changes, evolving from the Victorian Period to the Jazz Age. Changing with the times, the young adults of the 1920's were considered the "Lost Generation". The Great War was over in 1918. Men who returned from the war had the scars of war imprinted in their minds. The eighteenth amendment was ratified in 1919 which prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of liquor in the United States. Despite the eighteenth amendment, most people think of large, lavish parties when thinking about the 1920's. The nineteenth amendment was passed in 1920 which gave women the right to vote, a major accomplishment in the women's right movement. Women traded in their long, pinned-up hair styles for short, stylish bob haircuts. Two great American literary writers emerged from the "Lost Generation": namely Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both men wrote their best novels during the 1920's in which they examined the evils of the time, and the consequences that accompanied the actions of the characters who acted on such vices. There are parallels between the vices of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and the vices of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby: namely excessive alcohol consumption, sexual promiscuity, and the power of money. The first parallel between a vice in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and a vice in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is that of excessive alcohol consumption. The character's in The Sun Also Rises; namely Brett Ashley, Jake Barnes, Robert Cohn, Mike Campbell and Pedro Romero, are residing in Europe were there is no prohibition on liquor. Whet... ...oney and all the people he know through business contacts and the many parties he had thrown, only Nick and Gatsby's father attended his funeral. In conclusion, there are several parallels of vices between Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby: namely the excessive consumption of alcohol, sexual promiscuity, and the power of money. WORKS CITED Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribers, 1925. Jones. Interview. Celebration. BBS message 1160. 10/11/94. Hemingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. New York: Macmillan, 1954. McDowell, Nicholas. Hemingway. Vero Beach: Rourke, 1989. Monique, Interview. Theme. BBS message 1755. 11/03/94. Rood, Karen Lane, ed. Dictionary of Literary Biography American Writers in Paris, 1920-1939. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1980. J:ofsengclarklessaylindasch.doc   

Compare/Contrast: Two Competing Firms Essay

We all know and understand the importance of good marketing, advertising and promotion of a company’s goods or services. Many modern business organizations spend thousands of dollars from their budgets for various advertising campaigns, promotional materials and publicity in order to attract more customers, look trustworthy, and eventually receive more profits. I could experience how this strategy works and how it fails to work in such service sector as tourism, and this report is a summary of my research. This summer my brother and I wanted to take a trip to the West Rim of the Great Canyon, so we decided to use the services of â€Å"Travel Guide†, one of the most known tour agencies in my city, which is continually advertised in local media. Its office was very busy, and we were treated there as usual clients who are not ordering a luxury tour. During the trip we had many little problems, because it included a lot of challenging activities, like rafting or a mule ride. My brother damaged his back, and we had to wait for medical help for several hours. Unfortunately, the trip was not too well-organized and quite disappointing. In December I got a chance to go to Aspen to ski with my friend, who recommended me to use the services of another tour provider, â€Å"Telehaus†. It is a small private agency which works without massive advertising and expands its client database at the expense of own good reputation. We were overwhelmed with the attitude and attention we had received in â€Å"Telehaus†. We were provided with everything needed for the trip, including special maps and â€Å"Tips for safe skiing†. The trip was great, and we had a very competent mountain travel specialist, who really helped us a lot and was always available in case of any trouble. Therefore, the most important difference between these two companies was the quality of their services. During our trip to the Grand Canyon, there was always some disarrangement and scheduling problems, therefore, many times we had to wait here and there. â€Å"Telehaus† had much better organization of the tour and we were very happy with the hotel services, as well as with the entertainment program. That is why I rated â€Å"Travel Guide† services as 45/100 and â€Å"Telehaus† services as 95/100. Another important difference was the quality of their work with the clients, especially during the reception in the agencies. We were just routine customers in the office of â€Å"Travel Guide†, but in â€Å"Telehaus† we felt ourselves special and appreciated. â€Å"Telehaus† employees were more cooperative and professional when helping us to select a hotel, and their work is organized better and more effectively, then the work of â€Å"Travel Guide†. Nevertheless, I have to mention a number of some small differences, which made me give 95/100 to â€Å"Telehaus†. The first one is the variety of the tours they offer. As I could learn from the booklets of â€Å"Travel Guide†, they can arrange a trip to almost every nook of the world including exotic islands, etc. But â€Å"Telehaus† works with a limited number of tour-operators. Besides, â€Å"Telehaus† can offer mostly quite expensive hotels or apartments, which makes their services unavailable for the customers who have low budgets for traveling. Finally, one more principal difference is the approaches of these two companies to their services, related to advertising and marketing. â€Å"Travel Guide† is a well-promoted and well-advertised brand name in the market, which has great professional connections, considerable number of clients and good profits. However, â€Å"Telehaus† does not spend its resources on advertising, but tries to attract new customers with the help of good reputation, high-quality services and competence of the employees. What I have learnt from my experience is that excessive advertising is not everything. In order to make a company successful, it is absolutely necessary to combine a number of various effective strategies helping to boost the business and maximize the incomes. Those strategies must include well-planned marketing and advertising campaigns, proper organization of the work, selection of qualified, skilled and responsible employees, working on some innovative ideas, and many others.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Introduction The process of urination is vital to the body for the removal of certain waste products. Normally, when the bladder gets full, urine is emptied from the body through the urethra in a process called urination. In urinary retention, a person’s bladder fills up and there is an urge to urinate but he is unable to completely empty his bladder. With chronic urinary retention, a person may be able to urinate, but he has some trouble starting a stream or emptying your bladder completely. He may urinate frequently, may feel an urgent need to urinate but have little success when he gets to the toilet; or he may feel he still have to go after having finished urinating. With acute urinary retention, he can't urinate at all even though he has a full bladder. Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency requiring prompt action. Acute urinary retention (AUR) is an extremely uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by a sudden inability to urinate associated with intense suprapubic discomfort. It is most often secondary to obstruction, but may also be related to trauma, medication, neurologic disease, infection, and occasionally psychological issues. Acute urinary retention (AUR) is one of the most significant, uncomfortable and inconvenient event in the natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is the virtual universal overgrowth of the prostate gland in men as they age. Various factors affecting BPH are age, genetic makeup, testosterone levels, and environment. As the prostate enlarges it compresses the urethra causing obstruction to urine flow. The urinary stream becomes smaller; there may be difficulty in initiating the stream, dribbling, and intermittent flow, frequency of urination, getting up at night to void (nocturia), inability to empty, or even inability to void at all (retention). Patient’s Profile Name: c Age: 69 Address: Civil Status: Married Chief Complaint: Difficulty in urinating ptc and bloody urine few days ptc Tentative Diagnosis: Acute urinary retention prob. Secondary to BPH History of Present Illness a. Present History Patient is 69 years old male retiree, a resident of PS Tagas, Tabaco City admitted at BRTTH with a chief complaint of dysuria. One week prior to consultation he had difficulty in urinating and presence of blood in the urine b. Medical History The patient claimed that he has hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II. Anatomy and Physiology Prostate gland The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. The gland is made of two lobes, or regions, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue. As the diagrams show, the prostate is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder, where urine is stored. The prostate also surrounds the urethra, the canal through which urine passes out of the body. Scientists do not know all the prostate's functions. One of its main roles, though, is to squeeze fluid into the urethra as sperm move through during sexual climax. This fluid, which helps make up semen, energizes the sperm and makes the vaginal canal less acidic. Urinary Bladder The urinary bladder is a muscular sac for storing urine. The triangular base of the bladder, the trigone, is defined by the two ureters that deliver the urine and the one urethra that drains the urine. When empty, the bladder collapses, and folds (called rugae) from in the bladder wall. As it fills, the folds become distended and the bladder  becomes spherical. The wall of the bladder consists of three layers similar to those of  the urethra: the mucosa, the muscularis (here called the detrusor muscle), and the adventitia. Circular smooth muscle fibers around the urethra form the internal urethral sphincter. As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH. Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their  seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH. As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH. Pathophysiology Urinary retention can be caused by an obstruction in the urinary tract or by nerve problems that interfere with signals between the brain and the bladder. If the nerves aren't working properly, the brain may not get the message that the bladder is full. Even if you know that your bladder is full, the bladder muscle that squeezes urine out may not get the signal that it is time to push, or the sphincter muscles may not get the signal that it is time to relax. A weak bladder muscle can also cause retention. As a man ages, his prostate gland may enlarge. Doctors call the condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign prostatic hypertrophy. As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. As a result, the bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so urine remains in the bladder. The pathophysiology of bladder outlet obstruction in men with BPH has been attributed to both static and dynamic factors. The static obstruction is due to the bulk enlargement of the prostate encroaching upon the prostatic urethra and bladder outlet, whereas the dynamic obstruction is related to the tension of prostate smooth muscle. Diagnostic Evaluation and Lab Examination a. Ultrasound of whole abdomen * Normal * Gassy epigastria, gassy filled bowel loops * Empty bladder b. CBC WBC| 8. 1| RBC| 4. 16| Hemoglobin| 103| Hematocrit| 0. 31| Platelet| 273| c. Urinalysis Specific gravity| 1. 025| pH| 5. 0| Sugar| (-)| RBC| 13-15| Medical Treatment and Evaluation Treatment a. Admit to surgical ward. b. Labs: Ultrasound -CBC -Urinalysis c. I ; O q 4H d. Intravenous Rehydration e. Indwelling Catheter – To facilitate accurate measurement of urinary output for critically ill patients, Drug Study Ciprofloxacin Action: Interferes the conversion of intermediate DNA fragments into high-molecular-weight DNA in bacteria; DNA gyrase inhibitor. Indication: Adult urinary tract infections (including complicated); c hronic bacterial prostitis; acute sinusitis; lower respiratory skin, bone, joint infections; infectious diarrhea, exposure to inhalation anthrax; conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers (ophthalmic). Dose: PO 500mg q12h Adverse Effects: CNS: Headache, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, depression, restlessness, seizures, confusion. GI: Nausea, constipation, increased ALT, AST, flatulence, insomnia, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea, oral candidasis, dysphagia, pseudomembranous colitis, dry mouth INTEG: Rash, pruritis, uriticaria, photosensitivity, flushing, fever, chills, MISC: Anaphylaxis,Stevens-Johnson Syndrome MS: Tremor, arthalgia, tendon rupture Nursing Considerations: * Assess patient for previous sensitivity reaction Identify urine output; if decreasing, notify prescriber (may indicate nephrotoxicity); also check for increased BUN, creatinine. Nursing Care Management Ongoing Assessment * Monitor Intake and Output. * Assess Vital signs| Provides information about fluid balance, renal function as well as guidelines for fluid replacement. BP, Pulse, RR, and Temperature indicate response to fluid status. | Diet * Low Sodium diet| A diet high in sodium may raise blood pressure and caus e fluid retention, resulting in swelling of the legs and feet. | Sex Being sexually active may help keep the urethra open. But the patient should not get sexually aroused without ejaculating because the urethra may get blocked. Some treatments may also cause sexual problems. These problems usually do not last forever and most can be helped. Complications * Urinary Tract Infection * Bladder Damage * Chronic Kidney Disease| Urine is normally sterile, and the normal flow of urine usually prevents bacteria from growing in the urinary tract. When urine stays in the bladder, however, bacteria have a chance to grow and infect the urinary tract. If the bladder becomes stretched too far or for long periods, the muscle may be permanently damaged and lose its ability to contract. If urine backs up into the kidneys, permanent kidney damage can lead to reduced kidney function and chronic kidney disease. If you lose too much of your kidney function, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. | References: Mosby, Elsevier. Mosby’s Guide for Nurses, 6th edition. Missouri, St. Louis: 2005 http://www. pennmedicine. org/encyclopedia/em_DisplayAnimation. spx? gcid=000136;ptid=17 http://www. nsbri. org/humanphysspace/focus4/ep-urine. html http://kidney. niddk. nih. gov/kudiseases/pubs/UrinaryRetention/ http://www. uptodate. com/contents/acute-urinary-retention http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1477632/ http://www. scribd. com/doc/5989689/Case-Study-BPH http://wps. prenhall. com/wps/media/objects/3918/4012970/NursingTools/ch48_NCP_UrinElim_1316-1317. pdf http://www. drugs. com/cg/urinary-retention-in -men-aftercare-instructions. html

Features of Temperate Forests

The temperate forest is an area of the world that has high levels of precipitation and humidity. They contain a wide variety of deciduous trees, which are trees that lose their leaves in the winter. The temperatures of the temperate forests vary based on the four seasons. It is typically hot in the summer with high temperatures of 86 degrees and cold in the winter. These areas receive large amounts of precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Eastern Asia, Central and Western Europe, and the Eastern United States are some areas of the world that are made up of this type of biome. Since there are large amounts of rainfall in the temperate forest regions there is a wide variety of plant life in the temperate forests. There plants can be considered the producers for this biome and include maple trees, walnut trees, birch trees, dogwoods, redbuds, azaleas, mountain laurel, huckleberries, blue bead lily, indian cucumber, linchens, and mosses. These different plants are divided into several layers including the forest canopy, small tree, shrubs, herbs, and floor tier. There are also a wide variety of animals that live in the temperate forest region including insects and spiders, wolves, foxes, bears, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, eagles, rabbits, deer, skunks, squirrels, raccoons, squirrels, moose, and hummingbirds. Many of these animals hibernate during the winter in order to survive in the cold temperatures and wake up in the spring when there is more food. available. Some store food and burrow underground and some migrate to warmer regions to escape the cold in the winter time. These animals can be considered the consumers of this specific environment. In the winter the leaves fall off of the trees. In the spring time the sunlight quickly warms the plants that grow on the ground since there is a lack of shade. These plants take advantage of the abundance of sunlight because once the leaves grow back on the trees photosynthesis does not occur as quickly and their food supply goes down. In the spring the animals that have been hibernating for the entire winter wake up and begin to search for food again. The vegetation of the temperate forest is a major food source for many of these animals. One major threat to the temperate forests of the world is development and agriculture. Since this region receives plenty of rainfall and has soil that is ideal for planting it is the main environment for humans to occupy. Forests are chopped down to create housing and roadways and the plants and animals that live there are affected. Another threat to this type or environment is logging. The large amount of hardwood trees are cut down in order to make lumber. These trees are denser than other types of trees and therefore they grow much more slowly. Another threat for this region is acid rain that is caused by burning coal. This creates global warming which changes the rainfall patterns and affects the vegetation of the area. All of these threats affect the biodiversity of the entire system. The changing rainfall patterns, logging, and construction affect the vegetation, which is a major food source for the animals that live in these regions. Some abiotic factors of the temperate forest include temperature, water, cloud cover, soil, and light. These abiotic factors play a major role in the forest and affect all of the living creatures that live there. The temperature in the temperate forest are typically mild and comfortable. This is because of the moist air from the Pacific Ocean. The summers are normally hot and the winters are cold. There is plenty of rainfall in this area. Other forms of precipitation include ice and snow. This is a very foggy region due to all of the moisture even in the dry season. This area contains large amount of nutrient rich soil since there are large amounts of decaying organic matter from the leaves that fall from the trees and dead vegetation. The large amount of rainfall and nutrient rich soil allows trees to grow very tall and plants to be plentiful. Even though much of the sunlight in these areas is blocked by clouds and fog the vegetation still thrives.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Workplace Collaboration

Advantages and Disadvantages of Workplace Collaboration Free Online Research Papers The culture of collaboration is strong in today’s workplace. Collaboration is used in almost every industry in a multitude of situations. Pared down to its bare essentials, collaboration can be defined as â€Å"a dynamic process resulting from developmental group stages and as an outcome, producing a synthesis of different perspectives (Gardner, 2005, p. 2). The success or failure of collaboration depends on the characteristics of the stakeholders that form the group and the dynamics of the group. Often, no formal training regarding collaboration is provided in the workplace. Hence, collaboration efforts fail, leading to a mixed bag of opinions regarding whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or not. This paper shall explore both sides of the issue. The Phases of Collaboration Collaboration addresses complex problems when it is not more efficient to have an individual take responsibility for resolving the issue. At best, collaboration lends itself to situations where the solution appears to be â€Å"imperfect, changing or divergent (Gardner, 2005, p. 10). Collaboration has three phases; problem setting, direction setting, and structuring (Gardner, 2005). During the problem setting phase, stakeholders establish their credentials and expertise. Next, during the direction setting phase, stakeholders agree on the problem and what actions and resources are needed to address it. Lastly, in the structuring phase, stakeholders implement what was agreed upon in the previous stage and allocate roles, responsibilities and resources (Gardner, 2005). For collaboration to be successful, the stakeholders must all have a similar mental model of what the process entails and what outcomes are expected. Stakeholders’ Characteristics Influence Collaboration Communication dimensions impact collaboration. Thus, the delivery of content and how the sender perceives the relationship with the other party is important (Gardner, 2009). Another key element is the value individuals attribute to the communication process and how much time they contribute in its pursuit. Furthermore, the environment for communication can also vary, according to the tastes of the stakeholders. Face-to-face sessions, socializing, sophisticated software and instant messaging all foster collaboration and meaningful relationships. According to Pressman (2009), â€Å"the most effective teams are composed of highly competent individuals with at least a modicum of interpersonal skills and a balanced mix of personalities and passions† ( ¶ 18). Davies, (2009) suggests that in order to get a team that complements each other, stakeholders should be recruited on the basis of whether they are thought-oriented, people-oriented or action-oriented. Their specialist knowledge, qualifications and experience should also be considered. Types of Collaboration Types of collaboration can vary according to the make-up of the members and the goals of the collaboration efforts. The most common types of team collaboration are cross-functional, specialized, and partnership. In cross-functional collaboration, members of the team have diverse functions within an organization, and a common goal. In specialized collaboration, team members often have the same skill set and share similar experiences. Additionally, collaboration can exist as a partnership, where various departments come together to discuss the points where they intersect in the organization. The key elements to identifying team collaboration are: â€Å"members of the group are known, there are clear task interdependencies, expected reciprocity, and explicit time-lines and goals† (Callahan, Schenk, White, 2008,  ¶ 13). Two more categories of collaboration also exist: community and network. There is a shared area of interest in community collaboration, but the goal is learning rather than being task based. On the other hand, network collaboration starts with individual self-interest and accrues to the network as individuals add their own personal knowledge or opinions. However, there are no roles or time-lines defined (Callahan, Schenk, White, 2008). Advantages of Workplace Collaboration This section will examine what the team found as being the most important advantages of workplace collaboration. Team B specifically looked at team collaboration and the sub-categories. The common factor among these advantages appears to be the level of cooperation and the rapport established between team members. Trust (once established) In collaborative environments, cooperation is the mechanism by which trust is increased (Gardner, 2005). Trust is a substantial advantage when a group is able to use this to their benefit. Confidence can be developed and strengthened through communication between stakeholders, honesty, accepting and giving advice, completing tasks, and meeting deadlines. Getting tasks successfully completed can be difficult. However, completion of tasks is critical to developing trust. Rushing through a task and declaring that the task is finished, then finding out mistakes were made, or things were missed, will lead to a loss of trust. On the other hand, knowing that time was taken to ensure a task is complete, is a good way of helping develop trust. Project Management Collaboration, like teamwork, provides structure and balance in regard to projects. Collaboration provides and fosters the belief, â€Å"For the greater good,† instead of the belief, â€Å"What’s in it for me.† This fostered belief allows for cross-functional teams to perform at a high level of performance, time management, fiscal responsibility and critical checks and balances (Archer, 2004). Time Management The management of time is a key component in any work relationship and limited time is an obvious obstacle to a successful collaboration effort which must be managed accordingly. Collaborative teams realize that collaboration is a journey. As such, team members often build enough time into the project to accommodate changes, testing and meetings (Gardner, 2005). Communication Having a sense of belonging is also important to collaboration. People have a natural need to belong and seek to feel like they are part of something. Collaboration fills that need. Collaboration brings out the best in people because it drives better working relationships, which forges camaraderie between its members. For example, when teams build strong communication methodologies, the possibilities are endless (Marshall, 1995). Through communicating with each other, a wealth of information is conveyed. Individuals within teams learn from each other. Often, by listening and observing the behavior of others within the team, members learn skill sets that cannot be learned in any other way. Social Relationships The social makeup of any team is interestingly dynamic. It allows members to gain a better perspective from experiences of other team members, which in turn makes the individual team members stronger. The importance of optimizing individual and team member strengths relies on the team having different cultures, diversity in work experiences, and a mix of genders represented accordingly. Higher Productivity According to Computerworld, collaboration, if channeled correctly, provides increased productivity, which can lead to vast benefits for organizations (Teaming Up for Work, 2008). When productivity is increased, it becomes a considerable advantage in getting projects completed. Through collaboration, productivity is improved as tasks become more manageable. Work is accomplished more rapidly, a higher percentage of mistakes are caught, resources are abundant, expenses are shared, and someone is able to step in where another leaves off or is unable to help. Problem Solving Projects can seem overbearing. The difficulty is organizing them. Being able to split the responsibility makes the project more manageable. In theory, everyone gets to work on a small task contributing to the desired result. Being able to work on a small task allows more involvement on that specific task. The advantage of added contribution to the tasks generates a higher quality result. Splitting tasks is also very effective when attempting to resolve complex problems. Drexler and Forrester (1998) believe that collaborative teamwork is what it takes to meet the ever- changing market conditions of today. In the case of software developers, programs are usually broken down into small segments assigned to different teams working in parallel, which results in faster deployment. Collaboration also combines the expertise of the groups to produce a consensus of much better thought decisions. A group of investors will usually outperform a single expert; the bad opinions in the crowd tend to cancel out, so that the average is wise, an advantage known as the wisdom of the crowds (Freedman, 2006, p. 62). Creativity and Innovation Innovation and creativity can be advantages of collaboration, but they need to be broken down into their elements – inspiration, invention and implementation. Without all three elements, there is no advantage. Inspiration comes from a dynamic environment, invention from chaos, and implementation from structure and planning. Cross-functional teams seem to be more innovative than other types of teams because these teams provide those elements (Spencer, 2008). Disadvantages of Workplace Collaboration After researching, Team B found out that the number of disadvantages associated with collaboration equals the advantages. This section will explain what the team found to be the most critical disadvantages. Extensive Time and Effort Required to Manage Collaboration Effectively Every project is going to be time consuming. The difficulty is finding the time to complete the project, and at the same time, work on others. Supposedly, working as a team can greatly reduce solution timelines. When less time is spent on a project, it allows for more time to be allocated towards other initiatives and company strategies. The more objectives a company can get accomplished, the more productive that company will be. Collaboration in the workplace is not always as good as it sounds. One of the biggest problems with working in groups is time management. A collaborative process tends to be lengthier than other methods because more people are involved. Time is of the essence when it comes to getting projects done and turned in by the deadline. It takes effort and coordination to find time to work together (Johnson, 2006). When a group of individuals in the workplace is thrown together to get a task done, most of the time the project is not only theirs. The issue then arises of when can the group meet during the workday and have a sit-down to decide how to delegate the pieces of project. If everyone doesn’t agree on an outcome, then the team becomes deadlocked and that takes time to resolve. It also takes more time agreeing on a schedule to get the work accomplished in a timely manner. If the team leader is too busy resolving conflicts and trying to make all the decisions that no one else can, then he or she does not have the time to participate effectively and collaborate (Johnson, 2006). Unequal Workload and Wallflowers: Non-Contributors A lack of participation from non-contributors can cause group members to experience an increased workload and feelings of anger, resentment and alienation. When working alone, it is agonizingly obvious when someone is not generating any help. On the other hand, a wallflower personality can be physically present, observing the actions of others, but contributing nothing, while remaining part of the group (Davies, 2009; Freedman, 2006). Groupthink Members in a poorly managed team often resort to suppressing their own opinions to avoid conflicts with others. The result is a buy-in to a consensus. A good example of this is Enron, where fatally wrong decisions were made based on a false consensus of ideas. A groupthink approach defeats the wisest members, who lose confidence in their reasoning when facing a majority of opposing opinions (Freedman, 2006). Technology Can Make Collaboration Worse Technological advancements can make collaboration worse; members become more hesitant to offer their opinions due to fear of confronting the larger audience made possible by instant messaging, web-conferencing and other virtual collaboration tools. In addition, technology makes collaboration easier for every team member to bring more ideas to the discussions. Eventually, foolish ideas are allowed to gain significance when it becomes difficult to filter the pool of ideas (Freedman, 2006). Social Loafing and Romance of the Teams Freedman (2006) argues that effectiveness of collaborative teams could simply be a misconception. The structure of most teams makes members lazy, exerting little effort and not achieving their full potential. This aspect is what encourages people to love teamwork. The romance of teams is what Natalie Allen, a psychologist at the University of Western Ontario, calls it. Freedman cited Kip Williams, a Purdue psychology researcher, who believes that the notion that individuals outthink and outdecide groups is so well established among experts that they dont bother to study it anymore (p. 62). This is exemplified when conducting brainstorming sessions. It is always assumed that group brainstorming brings more bright ideas than individual brainstormers. The fact is that individuals are able to do more thinking when left alone, whereas the group members waste their time listening to others. When compared to the loud interaction of the team, individuals appear less productive due to their s ilent brainstorming (Freedman, 2006). Mistrust Collaboration at work can cause conflicts, and if these conflicts are allowed to continue then they can become a hindrance to an otherwise productive team. Knowledge protection can be one cause of conflict when working in a team environment. Team members may fear others in the group and feel the need to protect their knowledge and interests. If they protect their interests then they won’t keep an open mind or speak what is on their mind when in discussion. This kind of protection can then lead to further issues like miscommunication and mistrust (Littleson, 2008). Loss of Individuality The loss of individuality can be summed up as the loss of power or personal direction in the workplace. Responsibility for tasks gives one power, and once responsibility is lost, power is lost (Johnson, 2006). Loss of individualism can cause one to lose focus and direction. Team members must be sure to keep and maintain that balance between individualism and integration (Gardner, 2006). Problems Can Take Longer to Resolve Collaborative teams can sometimes fall into situations where they are not able to reach a solution to a given problem. This usually happens when groups are assigned to make decisions. As cited by Freedman (2006), Bernard Nijstad, a psychologist at the University of Amsterdam, stated, About half of all groups dont reach any conclusion at all (p. 62). In addition, complexity and interdependence of certain teams might elongate the resolution times when groups wait for each other to build the final product. Conflict of Divided Loyalties Divided loyalties can occur when stakeholders identify more with their department than with the organization. When the organization and the department have differing goals, then collaboration efforts are jeopardized, and conflicts arise. Instead of working for the good of the company, stakeholders work against each other, creating a weakness in the organization (Archer, 2004). However, the impact of divided loyalties can be alleviated if it is understood that this situation exists. Partnering, as a form of collaboration, recognizes that different sub-groups exist and the need to work with these differences rather than remove them (Archer, 2004). In this form of collaboration, areas of interception or commonality are examined and improved by the group. Conflicting Cultural Elements and Values in a Diverse Group Charles Darwin once said, â€Å"In the long history of humankind, those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed† (Pressman, 2009,  ¶ 19). By not learning to compromise with others, one runs the risk of losing services, innovation, attitude, commitment and ultimately the designated goal. Codependency Codependency is widespread, and it appears with ever increasing frequency in the workplace these days. Often, collaboration can encourage codependency rather than interdependency (Johnson, 2006). A codependent person is one whom, knowingly or involuntarily, reinforces dependency on other persons or groups. A codependent individual may not think that he or she has to work as hard, since he or she has a group to help him or her out. In the end, he or she receives undeserved credit, or blame, although he or she did not participate in or contribute to the outcome. The problem with codependency is that it results in an entanglement with another person or persons, rather than a relationship where both parties are equal. Feelings of subordination can cause this, and the stakeholder represses their own thoughts in a group setting, saying nothing. At this point, everyone needs to pitch in a little extra to save the group from falling apart. Each individual member of the group needs to pick up the slack, develop skills in different areas, increase workload and be prepared to rescue the codependent from his or her own shortcomings. In the writer’s opinion, repeated group salvaging attempts will only allow the deprived individual to continue this destructive course and become even more dependent on the unhealthy care taking from others (Johnson, 2006). Conclusion Ultimately, the success or failure of any group resides with all the team members. All the stakeholders will need to work as a cohesive unit in order for the team dynamics to be successful. If the team can establish trust, resolve conflicts, foster creativity and innovation, and maintain the integrity of the team the probability of success increases. Just as there are positives to collaboration, there is an equal amount of negative aspects such as unevenly distributed workloads, time restraints, information overload, and mistrust. If the team allows negative aspects to affect the team it will reduce the chance of success significantly. As Charles Darwin once said, â€Å"In the long history of humankind, those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed† (Pressman, 2009,  ¶ 19). References Archer, D. (2004, October). The Myths of teamworking. Engineering Management, 14(5), 16-18. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Callahan, S., Schenk, M., White, N. (2008, April). Building a Collaborative Workplace. Anecdote.com. Retrieved June 12, 2009, from anecdote.com.au/whitepapers.php?wpid+15 Davies, N. (2009, March 25). Build an Effective Team. Nursing Standard, 23(29), 72-72. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Drexler, A., Forrester, R. (1998, January). Teamworknot necessarily the answer. HRMagazine, 43(1), 55. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from Business Source Complete database. Freedman, D. (2006, September). Collaboration is the hottest buzzword in business today. Too bad it doesnt work. Inc, 28(9), 61-62. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Gardner, D. (2005, January). Ten lessons in collaboration. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10(1), 61-74. Retrieved June 8, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Johnson, D. (2006, January). A few words about collaboration. Library Media Connection, 24(4), 98-98. Retrieved June 6, 2009, from Business Source Alumni Edition database. Littleson, R. (2008, February). Collaborative decision making requires a collaboration of capabilities, Kinaxis Electronic Business. Retrieved June 15, 2009, 2008, from edn.com/index.asp?layout=articlearticleid=CA6528683 Marshall, E. (1995, June). The collaborative workplace. Management Review, 84(6), 13. Retrieved June 6, 2009, from MasterFILE Premier Database. Pressman, A. (2009, April). Its a very good time to develop your firms collaboration skills. Architectural Record, 197(4), 47-47. Retrieved June 8, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Spencer, R. (2008, January). Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration. Research Technology Management, 51(1), 62-63. Retrieved June 8, 2009, from Business Source Complete database. Teaming Up for Work. (2008, February). Computerworld, 42(8), S4. Retrieved June 6, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1435697981). Research Papers on Advantages and Disadvantages of Workplace CollaborationOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThree Concepts of PsychodynamicInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males