Book Review on 'The Modern Firm' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Book Review on 'The Modern Firm' - Essay Example Thus, these insights can be more readily applied to any developing business firm to achieve the desired level of success. According to the Economist, The Modern Firm is the "..best business book of the year...deserves to be a classic...Nobody, it can now be said, is fully fit to run a modern firm until they have read "The Modern Firm. " (The Economist, 16th December, 2004). Times also agrees with Economist calling the book â€Å"interesting† that is not so in many business literatures. Objective The book’s objective is to explicate some of the core concepts in organizational economics in a language accessible also for the lay people (Fredrick Tell, November 2006). The Wave of Change In this book a strong conceptual framework has been developed to analyze the interrelation between business environment, competitive strategy and organizational design features. According to Fredrick Tell, the essential problem that Roberts discusses is how features of strategy and organizat ion can be modified by a â€Å"designer† so as to achieve higher level of performance in relation to the firm’s context. Industries from all the corners of the globe are introducing new and modern designs for their organizations. They are going in for better and innovative architecture. They are changing their processes and routines. Thus, we find that the total corporate culture is undergoing a dramatic transformation in a bid to maximize their profit. However, all these changes are contributing towards a great upheaval that promises to reconstruct the entire organization. Hence, we can see that the values and beliefs of any organization are greatly transformed with the passage of time. The changes do not stop at the infrastructure level but move on to the power making authorities too. Hence, newer governing bodies are being formed within the organizations that affect the overall decision taking authority. The organizational charts are being redrawn while the manpower is shrunk and made as diverse as possible. Outsourcing is also coming up as a cost effective and simple solution that solves much of the productivity problems. The mechanism to reward and motivate people is being revamped. The information system is also being redesigned to include latest technologies. Hence, the entire organization is suffering a facelift to present the business in a healthier and better way. Compulsory Changes John Robert argues in favor of these changes as he says that they are compulsory for the growth of the industries. He says that these changes would affect the organization in a better way and accelerate the companies’ performance and growth. However, the writer cautions that the change should not be done to the cost of the basic profit formula. The industries that are already successful and showing great monetary returns should continue to embrace that winning formula while affecting the required overall change. The Determinants of Performance Accordi ng to the writer, the performance has three determinants- Strategy, Organization and Environment. Strategy: What merchandise is suitable for which market? Organization: It consists of a collection of workers and the way they are grouped. Environment: Customers, competitors, technology, regulatory and regal context, various social, demographic and political features, and so on. When all three determinants work in accordance with each other then the performance level is maximized that result in a greater level of achievement. PARC PARC is Roberts’

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) - Essay Example One would notice in the movie how infidelity affects one’s way of life and leads characters into discovering its drastic effects and the host of alternatives people do to cope with the situation. In this regard, the objective of the essay is to present a rhetorical analysis of the movie by expounding on the message of the movie and its effectiveness in establishing audience appeal through logos, pathos and ethos. The conflict in the movie stemmed from Emily’s acknowledgement of cheating on Cal, devastating his perfect perception of his life and facing him in an ambivalent situation. While Cal and Emily had a romantic dinner she asked Cal for a divorce; stunning him and leading him into a situation where ethos is applied. He tried to convince Emily to think of their family and their love. On the other hand, Emily was actually also applying the ethical appeal to present to Cal that her infidelity justifies the divorce and therefore, despite her uncertainty for her true fe elings for the man she slept with, she was convinced that there was no other option but to part ways. In her argumentation, Emily actually used logos by rationalizing and justifying that by committing an unfaithful act through sleeping with a man, other than her husband, the most logical and rational recourse is to file the divorce. The audience’s emotions could actually side on Cal or Emily, depending on the personal perspectives, value system and cultural orientation. For people from the eastern culture who still do not accept divorce as acceptable in their society, the argument of Emily is unacceptable and therefore do not appeal to their emotions (pathos). On the other hand, for people from the western culture, who have learned to accept divorce as a way of life, like the office mates of Cal who even made fun of him when he cried his heart out, the contention that divorce is the only option available after an unfair relationship, is indeed the most appealing recommendatio n (pathos). Another situation worth examining is why, despite Jacob Palmer’s advice to Cal to get over Emily, to move on and start living his life, still is convinced that Emily is the only person for him. It was actually an understandable action at the onset that Cal would listen to Jacob by succumbing to his suggestions of changing his lifestyle by making him look younger, donning new and attractive clothes, and start dating other women to seek fulfilling relationships that would help him forget about Emily. Through the use of logos, Jacob, was actually successful in convincing Cal that if Emily could find somebody to replace him; then by all means, he should likewise find ways and means to forget and replace her. The audience could actually empathize with Cal at this point and through Jacob’s innuendos, he was also effective in manifesting the presence of using pathos to appeal to the emotions of the viewers and share in the journey of transformation for Cal’ s new life. Further, the move was likewise effective as Jacob was able to manifest ethos, or an ethical appeal as he convinced even Emily that she actually made a mistake of suggesting the divorce. By showing personality and traits that exemplify expertise in treating women and being highly competent in dealing with relationships, Jacob assumed a

INFO101 assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INFO101 assigment - Assignment Example The content of these reports may vary depending on the situations and the needs of the manager requesting the report. Third and last, is exception report. Exception reports are those that deal with data outside ranges considered normal. They exhibit statistics of data beyond the normal range. The report consolidates the unusual conditions such as cost overruns or production down time and reports them differently. Timely reporting of unusual cases enables appropriate action to be taken by the management. Different types of reports cover different issues. Moreover, various circumstances in the business demand appropriate actions, which vary from one scenario to another. As such, it is important to distinguish between the three basic MIS reports so that each can be tailored to the informational need of its users. Clear distinction between the reports also enables the management to take timely actions on issues that require urgent attention. Summary reports are used when managers require quick overview of information on particular area. On the other hand, detailed reports are used for specific activities so as to gage their performances while exception reports are sued to report unusual occurrences in an organization, which need urgent solutions. Decision Support System (DSS) has three fundamental components. These include: data, models as well as user interface. Data is basically the information that is required for decision making. Data is usually kept in a database. Models refer to the models that are utilized in data analysis and the forecasting of outcomes of any particular decision. It also includes software that helps in managing models in DSS. User interface refers to the manner in which the users can use the DSS to facilitate their decision making processes, even if they are not technology experts. In most scenarios, a

Data Communications Essay Example for Free

Data Communications Essay Repairs by Return is a successful company and offers a repair service for various electrical appliances including washing machines, dishwashers etc. The business is expanding, meaning taking on additional engineers who might need on-the-job training. The aim of our group is to advise the owner of Repairs by Return on the new technology and research on how well the technology can make the company more efficient and the communication between the staff and owner better. We will also recommend an appropriate solution. ` MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES Mobile tools and technologies have the capacity facilitate communication, keep employees informed in real-time and reduce hours once spent bound to a desk. However, along with the liberating aspects of an increasingly versatile workplace, mobility presents challenges for todays workers. Below are short descriptions of mobile technologies currently available. SMS Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones that allows the sending of short messages, also known as text messages, or more commonly as SMS, texts or even txts) between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones. Messages must be no longer than 160 alpha-numeric characters and contain no images or graphics. Picture Messaging Picture Messaging is a service, which allows users to send and receive messages that combine pictures with text and sounds from their phones. WAP Wireless Application Protocol is an open international standard for applications that use wireless communication allowing users to access information instantly via handheld wireless device e.g. internet access from a mobile phone, smart phones, two way radios etc. MMS Multimedia Message Service is the evolution of SMS. With MMS, a mobile device is no longer restricted to text-only messages. It can send and receive multimedia messages such as graphics, sound files, video clips or any combination of the above, within certain size limits. GPRS General Packet Radio Service is a protocol for passing data over a mobile phone network. With GPRS connection, the phone is always on and can transfer data immediately, and at higher speeds. 3G 3G is the generic term for third generation mobile phone technologies. It offers high speed connections enabling video conference and other applications which require broadband connectivity to the Internet. PDA Personal Digital Assistants are handheld devices that combine computing, telephone/fax, Internet and networking features. Originally designed as personal organisers but have now become much more versatile over the years. FEASIBILITY STUDY The feasibility study is aimed at viewing the ideas given to us by the owner and assessing whether they will help the company communicate effectively. We will also look at the limitations of the ideas. * Apprentice engineers asking for help silently to senior engineers GPRS allows instant connectivity (as long as there is radio coverage), meaning information can be sent/received immediately. Engineers can take picture(s) of the problem they cannot fix, write a little note with it, send it as an MMS to senior engineers, and receive an immediate reply without the customers realising. The problem with this will be that the engineer on the other side might be with a client and therefore, will not be able to reply immediately. Another problem could be that the reply received from the engineer may be inaccurate and unclear. Drawback of GPRS is the limited bandwidth and is particularly suited for sending and receiving small bursts of data. So when engineers do send pictures, the size of the message and picture will be limited. * Web access to manuals and diagrams GPRS also aims to deliver remote access type applications via a mobile network for businesses including data uploads and synchronisation, document sharing and collaboration, email and web browsing. Ideally, a wide variety of information can be delivered via a mobile device, overcoming the 160 character limitations of SMS. It is usually impossible to directly port a desktop application to a wireless to a handheld device; therefore, directly access most websites using a handheld device is difficult. Another problem the engineers might face is that typing on a cell phones tiny keys can be difficult and time consuming and the size of the screen is limited too. This could be a problem when an engineer is trying to download diagrams, as there will be problems with its clarity. * FAQs facility stored on mobiles One of the drawbacks on using GPRS is that it has slow data transfer rates. Although rates of 115 kbs (or more) have been quoted, the realistic speeds are 20 to 30 kbs can be expected. Applications can be used in a shared environment, and data sharing is made easier effectively like being connected to a Local Area Network (LAN). An important functionality of PDAs is the possibility of synchronising data with a contact database, such as MS Outlook hosted on corporate servers or a personal computer. The synchronised data ensures that the PDA has an accurate list of contacts, appointments and email. Critical to shared data access, synchronisation allows multiple clients to access, edit, and remove data records that a particular group of users may regularly use. As well as that, data input is a lot quicker on a personal computer. Therefore, transferring data to a PDA via the computer is a lot quicker than having to manually input it all on the handheld device. POTENTIAL USEFULNESS OF COMBINED MOBILE PHONES/PDAS, IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS BUSINESS We will now discuss the benefits of mobilisation to the business. * PDA from for capturing progress made A form can be created for the use on the PDA which will enable the engineers to capture progress while they are with clients, which could then be distributed over the network, noting the problems that they could not fix or if any additional parts are required. Each time the engineer collects heir PDA, it is pre-loaded with weeks progress form. Once the form is completed, the engineer can synchronise it when they get back to the office or using GPRS whilst out with the clients. The data can then be fed into a progress database, collecting the data from all the engineers. This will enable you to generate a project progress report automatically. The potential usefulness with mobile phones and PDA There are various other ways the business can use the technology to help their staff. As the workers are apprentices, they can use the technology by using i.e. the intranet to access the help guide. This is a good idea as the staff can learn while on duty and in their free time. It is also a good cost saver as they will not need to pay for a teacher and a class room, and it is also less time consuming. The PDA or some mobiles phones have a satellite navigation system built in to help the staff if they are travelling to any location which they have difficulty finding. It will give them clear directions and pinpoint the location to save time. RECOMMENDATIONS Having considered the ideas that have been brought forward by you, the technology would help to build a better relationship with the staff and also improved customer service. Before purchasing new technology, Repairs by Return will need to invest in training the staff to use the hand held device. We recommend using a mobile phone called the Treo 650 Smart phone; this is a combined technology of some of the features of a PDA and also most of the features of a mobile phone. Of the three ideas, we think that the best idea would be having a server or the intranet to access the manuals and diagrams from the mobile phone. This will give the staff the knowledge to solve any problems and also gives some secrecy as the customer will not realise that the engineer is asking for help. The idea of using the mobile phone to contact other experienced engineers is a good idea but may distract the other staff that may also be with a customer. The idea of having a FAQ database maybe a bad idea as the staff may not always find the most accurate answers to there questions. The database will have answers of the problems that have arose in the past but may not have new problems, this will mean that the information would have to be updated frequently so that it is up to date. The information will have to be stored so will take up the hard drive space which the staff may need to use for other information. This will mean that the business would need to purchase higher mega byte memory cards. This is an additional cost for the business. The intranet would be a good idea as the all the information is there; you do not need to store the information as it is on the intranet saving memory space. Although the information maybe hard to find as the staff would need to go through the manual to find what they are looking for. The technology of the smart phone will help the staff as the phone has the features of browser to search for any words or phrases on the web to located information much faster and have less time consumed looking through the whole manual. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS USED 1) Panko. R., Business Data Communications and Networking, Prentice Hall, 3rd Edition (2000) WEBSITES USED 1) http://www.voiceanddata.com.au/feature_article/item_022003a.asp 2) http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo650/web.epl 3) http://web.ukonline.co.uk/p.boughton/wap.htm 4) http://www.my-xda.com/xda2_closer.html 5) http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews90293.html GROUP LOG Group Names * 21 February 2006 ALLOCATION OF GROUPS 1) Manik Maih 2) Bijal Pandit 3) Ime Udoh All members exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses. We allocated tasks and said that we should research on mobile phones and PDA. Time allocated for research only Manik Miah 7 days Bijal Pandit 7 days Ime Udoh 7 days * 28 February 2006 All the group members conducted sufficient research needed to write the report, within the time given. There were plenty of books and internet print outs. All members looked and read through the research found and divided into files. We divided 3 ideas between us. Manik idea 1 Bijal idea 2 Ime idea 3 We then allocated the tasks of the report and the internet website. Bijal Part 1 and 2 Manik Part 3 and 4 Ime website, contents page, group log We met up every 3 days to check the progress of the report and to help any group members that are having difficulties. * 7 March 2006 All group members attended, and arrived on time. At this stage majority of the work was completed. Each member rotated the work around to ensure there were no more mistakes. We all contributed equally and suggested that the work was fine and additional work that needs to be done should. * 13 March 2006 The group had finished off all there tasks and got together to check over all the work. We then edited the website. Once the final touches were made, we printed out the work. GROUP AGREEMENT 4BIM504 Data Communications We, the undersigned members of this group, undertake to be bound by the following agreement: 1. to attend all group meetings on time, except when agreed by other group members in advance, or where a documented excuse is provided 2. to be well prepared for each meeting, ensuring that all relevant material is adequately researched and presented 3. to be actively involved in the work of the group, by contributing to the best of our abilities 4. to participate in the editing and preparation of the final report We agree that if a group member breaches these undertakings, then the group has the right to recommend a reduced mark for the individual concerned of up to 30% below the group grade. In this eventuality the group would submit reasons in writing to the seminar leader. We accept that the seminar tutor may require further information before making any penalty mark adjustments. We accept that the seminar tutors decision is final in these matters.

Effect of Biological and Social Influences on Development

Effect of Biological and Social Influences on Development Gemma L Sobah Evaluate the contribution of biological and social influences to human psychological functioning Introduction: As humans, our psychological functioning is vital to our survival and succession. So what do we mean by psychological functioning? Psychological functioning is the way in which our minds work. It includes our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Human beings are thinkers and feelers. Our worlds evolve around, our thoughts, our feelings, and our hopes and dreams. How we view the world, and how we feel the world views us. We are driven by our emotions, our morals and our understanding of the people and world around us. Every experience in our life has the ability to impact our psychological functions. In this essay we will be looking at development and sex and gender. Charles Darwin was an evolutionary psychologist. He argued and believed that we have certain behaviours that have evolved and adapted because of how they benefit our survival and there for increased the chances of passing them on genetically. Darwin (1859) demonstrated the idea that genetics and evolution play an important part in influencing psychological functioning through natural selection. Evolutionary psychology claims that our brains (which includes the mind) evolved to be able to problem solve, which many of our hunter-gatherer ancestors encountered. A perspective known as the functionalism perspective was an idea that developed explanations for why people’s behaviour changed. It was believed that it was for an adaptive cause, and therefore has a ‘function’ to serve. Darwin argued that these changed came about because they proved to increase chances of survival and were therefore selectively chosen through evolution. So according to Darwin, we do certain things and act certain ways as we grow, not because we have had certain experiences in our life’s that have impacted us and shaped the way we see things, and have a direct effect on the way we act, but because genetically we have evolved and have certain traits and behaviours that will aid our survival. Therefore, those people displaying behaviours that will have a negative effect on their survival have no developed the necessary traits and skills through natural selection. Although this approach does give insight into how genetically we have been designed to act a certain way, and be certain people, the downfall to it is to the extent to which it can be applied. It does not explain how evolution has genetically changed us to act certain ways emotionally. It doesn’t goes as far to show how a woman who was born a man, can grow to live her life as both genders and it have no negative affect on her mental health. Furthermore it does not give insight as to how she became this way and not something else. But social influences could prove to have contributed to her current state of mind and mental health. From an early age we take in and absorb the things that happen around us, and studies have demonstrated how the social influences in our life at a young age, can affect our adult lives. In 1996, Schaffer, (as cited in Wood et al, pg. 9), explained that social influences, such as our peer or sibling relationships, are very influential in our development. He notes that they spend a lot of time in each other’s company, and in this time they will observe each other’s behaviour, and they will share many experiences, and it has been noted that their relationships are very emotionally based. These kinds of sibling relationships could have all sorts of influences on our development, both positive and negative. Siblings of a similar age may be more likely to have a friendship, because they will be increased in similar things from their age group, giving them more in common with each other. But this could also mean more chance of rivalry, for who has what toy and they may also fight for the attention of their parents. The positive side of this kind of relationship are that they could learn things from the other sibling, such as the meaning of sharing, they experience feelings that they may not if they only siblings much older. For example, two boy’s ages 7, and 9 both seek the attention of their parents, but their parents are too busy wondering where their older sister of 16 is. They can them empathise with one another and understand how each other are feelings. They can also be each other’s company when they want attention. And console one another when they are sad. This could bring out a caring side of them, allowing them to fill roles they would not fill if they only had older siblings or was an only child. In later life, as they develop further, they may then carry with them a caring nurturing side that they experiences as a child. The negative side of this kind of social influence are that there could potentially be a lot of rivalry between them. Which one gets the most parent-child attention, which gets the most/best toys? They could grow up feeling unfulfilled and needy. In 1986, Abramovitch, Corter, Pepler, and Stanthorpe, conducted an observational study on siblings which revealed to them, ‘that their interactions are diverse and multifaceted’. (Wood et al, pg. 9, 2007). As we can see from the example above, and as the observational study shown, there are many sides to a sibling relationship but they all have the potential to affect our future. Biologically there are many differences between a brother and sister, i.e. a girl and boy. The obvious one being our genitals, but as we go more in depth we will find that hormonally we are different, and our bodies have different strengths and weaknesses. But can the biological gender difference create cognitive and behavioural differences too? Money and Erhardt 1972 (as cited in Hollway et al, pg. 141, 2007,) conducted a study to try and answer this question. They conducted a study where they exposed girls to the drug progestin, to look at the masculinization of the girls after taking the drug , compared to girls who hadn’t taken the drug and girls with hyperplasia which affects the level of testosterone. They revealed that the girls with hyperplasia and the ones exposed to progestin, appeared to become more ‘tomboyish’ which means to play like a boy, prefer boys clothing, and that they played more energetically than the girls with no alteration to their hormone levels. So it appeared that the biological changes to the girls involved in the study, slightly altered their preference to ‘girlish’ or ‘boyish’ things. The girls seemed to become more masculine than the unaffected girls. Nevertheless it does pose the question as to the reliability of the results. In this day and age, it is not frowned upon as much for a girl to play with toys that were intended for a boy, and with the changes within the social world, less and less labels are being put on what is ‘for girls’ and ‘for boys.’ The reliability of the test also comes down to what the parents, who gave the report as to the changes in the girls, see as ‘boyish’ or ‘girlish’. It could have been less of a biological influence on the girls and more of a personal evaluation of boyish or girlish. Therefore, in conclusion, there are many perspectives within psychology that try and explain behaviours and their origins but not one has overall explanatory power over the rest, rather they depend on each other and all connect somehow. Only with some types of psychology which contradict each other (nature-nurture debate), connect with each other or expand on one another (biological and social psychologist), can we recognise and generate appropriate solutions when problems arise so we maintain a healthy mind and body. There are many different perspectives which go to show how complex human behaviour is. The evolutionary theory does don’t include the experiences we have as humans, but it concentrates more on being preordained in its methods and ability to provide evidence. The attachment theory concentrates too much on childhood and parental interaction. In doing so, it loses sight of the role biology and how our genetic makeup could account for certain behaviours. The biological perspective sees humans as a set of instruments and physical structures that are obviously important and significant (e.g. genes). Furthermore, it does not consider our conscious minds and how the overall influence of the social world on our behaviour. Our adult lives tend to be a mix of what we experiences and learn as a child, how our genetic makeup develops in us as we grow and how our conscious mind, interprets and understands the world we live in and forms its own reaction to it. We are not influences by just one thing, but many, continually and progressively. Word count: 1,455 References: Hollway, W., Cooper, T., Johnston, A., and Stevens, J. (2007) The Psychology of Sex and Gender in Cooper, T. and Roth, I. (2007) Challenging Psychological Issues, 2nd ed. Milton Keynes. The Open University Wood, D., Littleton, K. and Oates, J. (2007) Life span Development in Cooper, T. and Roth, I. (2007) Challenging Psychological Issues: Lifespan development, 2nd ed. Milton Keynes. The Open University

Infectious Death Through Lack of Living in The Snows of Kilimanjaro by

Infectious Death Through Lack of Living in The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway The short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by Ernest Hemingway gives a look into the life of a man facing death in the African savannah as a result of an infection. Exotic locales and predominate dialogue are common in Hemingway’s writings and are evident in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† as well. â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by Ernest Hemingway portrays the theme of death by use of specific narration, the protagonist’s, Harry’s, attitude, and symbolism. Throughout â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† Hemingway uses the narration device of the flashback to provide a contrast to Harry’s present state and his life. The present state narration is composed mostly of dialogue and is devoid of Harry’s inner thoughts. The flashbacks are very similar to dreams and express Harry’s emotions and the way he lived life prior to his infectious state. These flashbacks are put into italics, whereas the present state of Harry is in plain type. It is at the end when this narration, writing and type style reveal Harry’s slipping mental state while he enters his death. The reader thinks when the plane comes and picks Harry up it is a â€Å"real-life† situation because of the lack of italicized type, but as the reader reads on it is evident that the rescue was materialized in Harry’s dream world. This meshing of flashback and present-time narration towards the end of Harry’s life shows how he has entere d his dream world, which in fact is his life, and he accepts his death. This blending of flashbacks also shows how a life not only includes experiences, such as Harry’s war experience and travel expeditions, but also includes death. Hemingway provides insight into his theme of death by use narration through flashbacks. Harry’s attitude towards death throughout the story reveals a lot about Harry’s character and opens up stereotypical ways one deals with death. He is calm and quite and does not request much and still wants his wife to be comfortable. His relaxed nature in his death is partly due to the fact he has been around it all the years of his life and his curiosity has been stifled. â€Å"For years [death] had obsessed him; but now it meant nothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (255). His calm and quite state is also shown when he cites all he needs is a â€Å"whiskey-soda† (255). His need of alcohol in his dying state also contrasts him to... ...acted as a catalyst for Harry’s lost spirituality when after the war, he used them for whoring to forget about the terrible things he saw. Through Helen, Harry’s wife, Harry’s trust in women further vanishes through his artistic destruction through the wealth Helen has provided to him. This destruction of Harry caused by women, makes women death symbols, quite similar to the hyena. The last symbol Hemingway uses is Harry’s rotting leg itself. The rotting leg is a symbol for Harry’s rotting life. It is ironic that a man who has gone to war and has been trough many times of danger is dying because of a small thorn scratch he received while taking photographs in Africa. This irony and symbolism show Harry’s failures are literally and figuratively eating away at him. The use of symbols and their meanings portray the theme of death in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro†. Ernest Hemingway focuses on the theme of death I his short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by using the devices of narration, attitude towards death and symbolism. With all these devices into account the reader can see Harry’s mental state and thoughts on death as well as what has led up to his spiritual and physical death.

Essay --

Things fall a part is an outstanding African literature. The author of the novel is Chinua Achebe and presents the culture, society and history of Ibo community. The novel presents the Ibo community as a native African community and brings about the comparison between the community and Christianity. With the introduction of Christianity, the Ibo community was confused since the missionaries wanted them to adapt Christianity and abandon their cultural beliefs and practices (Rhoads 68). An analysis of cultural beliefs and practices of the community, the difference between Ibo and Christianity way of life as well as issues surrounding one of key characters can assist in understanding the content of the novel. The Ibo community practices polytheism; they belief and worship more than one god. The community believes that there is a supreme god known as Chukwu who created the universe and other gods. According to one of the members of the community, Okonkwo, they worship other small gods and when they do not respond accordingly, they turn to the supreme god. Ibo have curved wood which they use as a symbol to represent their gods (Achebe 72). This is because of the fact that they believe in physical god. They also worship the Oracle Hills and Caves as sacred places where their goods lived. The community allowed the practice of polygamy. In this case, men can marry as many wives as they can maintain. Those with many wives were respected and honored members of the community. Okonkwo who is a main character in the novel had many wives and this was as a symbol of strength. In such a family set-up, the man lived in a separate house from all his wives. Each wife had a house of her own where she lived with her children. This was aimed at enhan... ...e committed suicide. The act of committing suicide was not the best option for Okonkwo. This is because he was still energetic and his family was still in need of his support. I would have not committed suicide if I was him. He had done a lot to raise his wealth from scratch and should have waited to enjoy the fruits of the hard work. In conclusion, Things Fall a part is a representation of the differences between an African community and missionaries. The missionaries believed that Christianity and formal education were superior over traditions and hence the Ibo people were to be converted. The conflict which comes about due to the resistance from some members of the community demonstrates how incompatible the two cultural practices are. The title can be related by the situation where Okonkwo,  could not hold it more to see how things have fallen in the community.

Economics †Product Differentiation in Monopoly Essay

Monopolies are firms that are the sole or dominant suppliers of a good or service in a given market. And what sets apart monopolies from competitive firms is â€Å"market power†- the ability of a firm to affect the market price. Price discrimination is the business practice of selling the same good at different prices to different customers, even though the cost of production is the same for all customers. Only monopolies can practice price discrimination, because otherwise competition would prevent price discrimination. Price discrimination increases the monopolist’s profits, reduces the consumer surplus and reduces the deadweight loss. (the buyers of the lower-priced product should not be able to resell the product to the higher-priced market. Otherwise, the monopoly will not be able to maintain price differentials. ) The monopolist must be able to identify segments of the market that are willing to pay different prices, and then market its products accordingly. A common technique to achieve this is by making it harder to get the lower prices, since wealthier consumers value their time more than their money. Some ways the monopolistic firms can implement discriminatory pricing are; †¢Linear Approximation Technique or Markup Pricing Technique †¢Personalized Pricing – extracting the maximum amount a customer is willing to pay for the product. †¢Coupons and Rebates – providing coupons to attract more customers or providing personalized discounts. †¢Bulk pricing – offering lower prices when customer buys a huge quantity of the same product. †¢Bundling – joining products or services together in order to sell them as a single combined unit. Block pricing – Charging more for the first set of the product, then less for each additional product bought by the same consumer. †¢Group Pricing- charging different customers different price based on factors such as race, gender, age, abilities etc. and also â€Å"psychographic segmentation†- dividing consumers based on their lifestyle, personality, values, and social class. †¢Charging different prices based on geographic location. Some products may be cheaper to produce in different places and based on the cost of the good sold the monopolistic firm can charge different prices in order to maximize its profits. Placing restrictions or other â€Å"inferior† characteristics on the low-price good or service, so as to make it sufficiently less attractive to the high price segment †¢Establishing a schedule of â€Å"volume discounts† (â€Å"block pricing†) such that only large-volume buyers (who may have more elastic demands) qualify †¢Using a two-part tariff, where the customer pays an up-front fee for the right to buy the product and then pays additional fees for each unit of the product consumed.

“Monsters” by Anna Quindlen Essay

Summary: â€Å"Monsters† by Anna Quindlen conveys through the extended metaphor, the simplistic nature of life; beginning with the intricate imagination during childhood which transcends into an individual coming to terms with reality as adulthood is embarked upon. The short story exemplifies the innocence of children who comprise of obsolete and unripe knowledge, demanding answers from their parents to fill the gaps in their thoughts and outlook. However the author portrays the dramatic imagination of a child accentuating the naivety of young, a symbol of childhood, which is further developed on processes of self-realization. The author entails this ideology by illustrating to the audience how she denies the fact that there are no ‘monsters under her child’s bed’, and continues to explore through the text the different metaphorical representations of â€Å"monsters† in our lives, which vary from major aspects such as creditors chasing an individual for money, or even something as petty as the failure of teenage love. The over-arching notion is that some things need to be learnt on ones’ independence as the individual embarks on processes of self-realization, shaping their beliefs and attitudes. Writing Prompt: Write an essay of 500-700 words in which you describe something you had to learn on your own, because it couldn’t or shouldn’t have been taught to you by someone else. Explain why the situation had to occur that way and its significance in defining something about yourself. Though one can say that your personal and societal context can influence the person you become, there is always a phase in life, in which an individual embarks on processes of inner progression, enabling one to understand the true being they have become despite their surroundings. In this stance, religion in my personal context was a major component in life, as my parents had enforced it upon me at a young age, expecting me to adhere to the religion of their choice, Jainism. However, after my family had migrated from India to a foreign society, which comprised of beliefs that were predominantly embedded with Christian roots, there was complexities in the  ways I tried maneuvering my religious beliefs to suit those of the Christian society. At first, it was an act of assimilation as I was embarrassed of Jainism and wanted to be like every other child in school, further encouraging me to neglect those religious values imposed by my parents, as I adopted the ways of the new religion a t my interest. I did not want to be a Jain, but only a pure Christian. It was one night, which changed my life, and my outlook on religion. It was the time of â€Å"Diwali† a Jain festival, where all my family and friends had gathered to celebrate the auspicious event. However, I refused to join with my ignorant and disrespectful attitude due to my belief of being a Christian. The ongoing celebrations, the youthful atmosphere, the joyful laughter, the harmonious chanting and the colorful sights had enticed my attention towards the Jain proceedings. I began to wonder, am I obliged to Christianity or am I obliged to Jainism? That very same night after undertaking processes of critical thinking and self-realization, I realized I was never obliged to any religion, I am allowed to be a Jain and still enjoy Christian rituals, or I am allowed to be a Christian and enjoy Jain festivals. The very simplistic nature of religion is that, no one forces you to be part of a certain religion; you can follow what you like at any point of your life. This opened my eyes, as religion, which had been a major component of life, suddenly was replaced with the notion of spirituality, which enabled me to connect with beings with similar interests around the sphere, without the need of following a religion. Indeed religion can be something that influences you based on your surroundings, however spirituality is a feeling and connection you develop with an object or a person who you may believe to be superior and satisfies your spiritual needs. It is a connection, which cannot be taught or influenced by anyone, because it is the bond you create with the inner centre of your mind and soul. Moreover, spirituality is not necessarily an object, it cannot be seen or touched, it is felt and embraced upon, and cannot be taught as it varies from person to person. It is embedded within a process of self-development, and spirituality seen by one person, but may not be seen by another. The situation had to occur this way due to the need of embarking on inner journeys in which would shape my identity and enable me to understand who I really was. The false assumptions I had about religion were cleared through this act and it opened up new pathways for me to continue my exploration in findings different beliefs, morals and culture that interests me. In relation to this, I as a person have changed from this experience, as I value every religion, respect every belief and enjoy the richness offered through the diversity of cultures evident in our world. Today, I am neither a Christian nor a Jain, but someone who follows the spiritualistic art of meditation, as this art form enables me to connect with superior beings beyond earth and my control. This process of self-realization has changed me into a compassionate and culturally tolerant person.

Minimum Wage Debate Essay

Poverty a problem the world has been faced with since things had value. People who live in poverty have families to feed and they have to work to feed them. As of October 2012 the minimum wage is 7.25$ an hour. That amount may have worked 3 Â ½ years ago when we implemented the new minimum wage but it doesn’t cut it anymore for the following 2 points. 1. Prices have been continuously getting higher. 2. Money is becoming worth less. Moving on to my first point prices are continuously getting higher. The average gas price for unleaded fuel in Virginia on July 7 2009 was 2.61$, a pound of bacon in July 2009 cost between 2/3$ and since then it has doubled in prices and now costs 5/6$. A kilowatt hour on average cost now cost 1.67 in July 2009 they cost almost .40$ less a 1.23$. These are only a few examples of the huge increase of prices on everything. People who were making the same amount of money 3 Â ½ years ago are making that same amount of money and can only afford around half of what they used to. A report from www.cnn.inflation.com shows that the huge increase in prices has led to a huge increase of people who are now classified as living in poverty. We need to increase the amount we pay these workers so that not only can we help balance the economy, but so we can help people get back on their feet. Moving on to my second point. Money is continuously becoming worth less. As of July 7, 2009 when he most recent minimum wage law was passed money has become worthless. According to www.minimumwage.gov money in the last 3 Â ½ years as become worth 5% less than its original value; meaning that when they made minimum wage 7.25$ now it is really only worth 2009’s equivalent of 6.88$. Though .37$ doesn’t seem like a lot once you add it up it can make all the difference, and for families who live paycheck to paycheck this can become a huge devastation. People always deserve to pay for what there government does. Though they are the ones that vote the politics into office it is the politician’s responsibility to make a better America. Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn’t commit. ~Eli Khamarov, Lives of the Cognoscenti For these reasons Prices have been continuously getting higher, Money is becoming worth less. I urge you to pass tis bill.

Interpersonal Process: Decision Making in Organizations Essay

The crucial part of any organization is making good decisions in the various contexts. To reach good decisions, they need reliable information, experience in interpreting information, and reaching a consensus. However, this process of decision-making remains incomplete without the consultation process as the view and expertise of other people in an organization can help to admit one or alter one’s mind. The process of decision-making is supported by various tools and techniques that help an organization better sort and analyze the information by adding numerical and objective precision to minimize the level of subjectivity. As organizational decision-making process is people-centric and it always has some level of subjectivity in it, some sort of training can enable managers to be better decision makers. A supportive environment where one is fairly criticized for making wrong choices and proper support from other group members and superiors enables managers to make better decisions (Kippenberger, T, 1998). The importance of interpersonal process of decision-making is obvious in all types of decisions made in the organizational context such as strategic decision of investment and direction of future growth taken by the board of director and tactical decision about material handling and effectiveness at departmental levels taken by managers. In addition, in the 21st century of market-oriented and customer focused approach also puts pressure on employees to make decision about their own tasks, responses to customers and improvement to business practice. The process of first collecting alternative possibilities and then converging on a solution is referred as decision making. In fact when we decide we try to cut off from all other alternatives as the Latin root of the world decision suggests and means. In the presence and emergence of new innovative solutions and huge variations in the ways business are being done, decision making process still remains a human process. However, the advance methodologies and MIS have reduced the level of human efforts in collecting  and sorting the information thus making the decision-making process comparatively less complicated and difficult. As we have already explained that decision-making is a human-centric process, the importance of interpersonal skills of influencing others, conflict resolving, communicating, and conveying the messages etc cannot be minimized. Decision-making is not only confined to only choosing among the alternative solutions and diverging but this process also involves dialogs, brainstorming, contemplative reflection, critique and conflict resolution. In addition, interpersonal processes of decision making is much evident in new types of organizational structures such as team-based matrix structure where collaborative and group decision-making are increasingly being used to enhance decision-making process as compared to the conventional decision-making processes. GLOBALIZATION: The fast spread of phenomenon of globalization is increasing the present level of complexity o the ways of decision-making as to collect and process the data becomes a difficult and cumbersome issue. As boundaries of the countries are getting wider and non-evident in the presence of globalization, organizations are under huge pressures to make decisions collaboratively to effectively manage the flow of goods, services, labor and capital. These organizations to win the increasingly competitive environment have started to rely on participatory and inclusive approaches to decision-making and knowledge creation. As global organizations have their offices spread across many countries of the world make use, they have to arrange meeting online, face-to-face discussions and group participations from distant and geographically disparate locations. This process of decision making utilizes certain online technologies and solutions to increase the level of efficiency, however, these tools only support the human-centric decision-making process and don’t become alternative to interpersonal process of decision-making. In addition, these tools enhance and improve  communication, learning, creativity and problem solving abilities of management (Anonymous, 2007). GROUP DECISION MAKING: Over the past few years group decision making has become much common and popular as its important function is to come up with a collective decision through discussions, and diversity of ideas, and thus making this process more interpersonal. Sometimes individual members’ enduring attitudes is shifted to the more polarized group position. One of the benefits of this interpersonal process of decision-making is the group members’ learning from each other and mutual persuasion. However, the view point of one member has strong influence on the behavior and attitude of other members even if they sometimes don’t give due importance to each other’s arguments (Isenberg, 1986). Seeking the arguments of most participants but also resolving and mitigating the minority objections is another from of group decision making referred as Consensus decision-making. It is more participative, collaborative and interpersonal approach of decision making. For instance, many organizations use Robert’s Rule of Order for structuring debate and passage of proposals to reach to a majority decision, however, the goal of full agreement and consensus is often missed. As this process often formulate adversarial debates and competing factions, disturbing group members’ relationships, it become much difficult for a group to cooperatively and collaboratively implement a contentious decision (Jeffery, A. B., 2005). REFERENCES: Kippenberger, T, (1998), â€Å"Strategic decisions: the value of diversity and conflict†, The Antidote, 3(7), Emeraldinsight [Online], Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/journals.htm?issn=1363-8483&volume=3&issue=7&articleid=873429&show=html (Accessed: 02 December, 2010) Jeffery, A. B., Maes, J.D., Bratton-Jeffery, M.F., (2005), â€Å"Improving team decision-making performance with collaborative modeling†, Team Performance Management, 11(1/2), pp. 40-50, Emeraldinsight [Online], Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/journals.htm?issn=1352-7592&volume=11&issue=1/2&articleid=1464479&show=html (Accessed: 03 December, 2010) Baron, R.S., & Kerr, N.L. (2002). Group Process, Group Decision, Group Action. 2nd edn. Buckingham: Open University Press

Quality Management Analysis Essay Example

Quality Management Analysis Essay Example Quality Management Analysis Essay Quality Management Analysis Essay Quality has been and will always be the focus of any business industry or public service and its been a subject of contention over the years. Total Quality Management was initially developed by Deming and Juran who are recognized as pioneers of the TQM approach. Deming and Juran believed that quality and productivity were issues that could be achieved and were not conflicting objectives and the basic proposition was that all production processes were vulnerable to quality problems caused by variations. The approach focuses on the minimisation of variation levels in order to improve output quality. According to Goetsch (2001) TQM process begins with the customer and ends with the customer as illustrated in the diagram below. The process takes specific inputs and thus customers wants, needs and expectations and transforms or processes the inputs within the organisation to produce goods or services that, in turn, satisfy the customer and thats an output. The above diagram also shows the initial basic purposes of TQM, which was to increase the quality and efficiency, therefore having less waste and achieve higher productivity in order to satisfy all the customers. This is supported by Atkinson (1990) who urged that TQM is an organisation-wide commitment to getting things right and should affect every level inside the organisation. Quality should constitute the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears upon its ability to satisfy given needs (EOQ 2005). This applies to any public sector and it is disturbing and one would wonder whether CSC staff are trained and work according to the organisational processing policy especially when you call at different times and get different information on the requirements and processes. The contradictory information could be used to measure the organisational services and it could be assumed that there is lack of training or it could be competency issues or lack of standardisation with staff at CSC. While we dont have empirical evidence to back up this assumption, our telephone calls to CSC processing unit on different intervals, speaking to different call centre agents asking for the same information, but getting different responses indicates a gap within the system. In retrospect, the overall service quality of the organization could be infringed significantly. This gap could be closed given the Deming proposal to combine relevant resources and skills of quality teams within each department to develop and design processes to improve quality. The literature shows that Quality Management have become proactive, making plans to bring about continuous quality improvement and to achieve a more desirable future. The aim is to get rid of poor quality from the product rather than get rid of poor quality product, therefore the gurus of Quality Management suggests that quality is progressed by establishing proactively rather than reactive management. There are many quality tools that can be used in the CSC operational process and Six Sigma according to Basu and Wright (2003) has to be incontrovertibly applicable to service industry given its objectives that is to gain significant breakthroughs and improved results by doing things better, faster and cheaper. On the other hand Lean Six Sigma achieves quality without waste and focuses on using the minimum amount of resources (people, materials, and capital) to produce solutions and deliver them on time to customers. The process, however, does not have the discipline to deliver results predictably. The application of the two techniques in our view could enhance the CSC services since Lean Sigma is the application of lean techniques to increase speed and reduce waste, while Six Sigma improves quality and focuses on the voice of the Customer. The diagram below illustrates how and what savings and ease of implementation could be applied to CSC processes. However Basu and Wright (2003) urges that FIT ? is more than cost savings, but strengthens the organizations knowledge base, stabilize processes and procedures and breaks down cross-functional barriers. Using the selection process diagram above, we noted that some of the processing activities fall into top selected plot as they are easy to implement. The concept is based on Six Sigma as it is a strategic approach to organizational improvement by integrating strategic thinking with technology, tools and techniques and people. The selected elements are further discussed in the following discussion with a focus on efficiency and elimination of non value adding activities.

The 19 Best Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities

The 19 Best Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Figuring out which colleges you’re interested in is arguably the most difficult part of the college application process. There’s so much information to sift through- how could brief campus visits and informational brochures really tell you where you’ll be most successful? This process is even harder for students with learning disabilities. You want to make sure there are programs in place to help you be the best you can be no matter where you go to school. If you want to apply to colleges for students with learning disabilities, this article is a great place to start your college search. I'll start off by talking about what these specialtyprograms have to offer before getting to the rankings. Afterward, I'll discuss the next steps to take if you decide a learning disability program is right for you. What Makes a College Good for Students With Learning Disabilities? All colleges in the US are required to have a disabilities office, which helps accommodate students with different needs. While disability offices can be helpful for logistical concerns, some students need more of a supportive structure in place in order for them to feel comfortable. All the schools listed below go above and beyond what's required of them when it comes to supporting students with learning disabilities. They offer an array of supportive programs, often operated by learning specialists who are trained in working with students with different needs. Examples of supportive services, programs, and procedures include the following: Weekly meetings with a counselor Reduced course load Extra tutoring support Specialcurricula On-campus learning specialists Individual meetings with educators Transitional summer programs Specialty workshops The schools below offer different combinations of these support services and in different levels of structure. Not all the schools listed will be appropriate for all students with learning disabilities- some offer very high levels of structure and support, whereas others only offer more basic check-ins to make sure you're on track.It might be helpful to think about how much support is ideal for you before you begin your college search. Learning Disability Programs: What These College Rankings Mean Because many of the schools on this list are very different from one another (even though they all offer specialized programs), there aren’t reliable rankings lists available. Each student will have to consider her own unique needs when thinking about which specialized programs would be best for her. To compile this list of schools,I researched the best learning disability programs according to aggregated lists and opinions from the learning disability community. Instead of assigning an arbitrary rank to each school, I organized the colleges by type, which should be more useful. Here, you can learn about programsat schools solely for students for learning disabilities. Or if you want to be part of a learning disability program that’s embedded within a school, you can compare programs at smaller communities with some larger, more well-known ones. Note that most of these learning disability programs come with an additional fee on top of tuition if they're embedded within a college or university. If information about the program cost was available, I included it in the program description. Read on to see the best programs for students with learning disabilities at large and small colleges. Later, I'll go over some schools notable for cateringonlyto students with learning disabilities. Like Goldilocks, you should focus on the right fit for you. Unlike Goldilocks, you won't end up chased from a house by angry bears. Larger Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities The following learning disability programs are generally found at medium to large colleges. If you want more of a typical college experience but still want the additional support and attention that comes with a specialized program, these might be good options for you. Keep in mind that you'll likely to have to apply to both the college and the learning disability program. American University (Learning Services Program) Washington, DC Based in the Academic Support and Access Center (ASAC), the Learning Services Program (LSP) offers several quality support systems for qualifying students. Enrollees have weekly individual meetings with a program coordinator or counselor and consult with a program coordinator during the summer to discuss registration and course selection. Other benefits include the following: Enrollment in a reserved section of the freshman writing class Weekly meetings with a writing tutor for the freshman writing class Individualized course advising Upperclass student mentor The LSP is a one-year program and has a one-time fee of $4,850. Bellevue College(OLS Degree) Bellevue, WA Bellevue College offers an associate degree in Occupational and Life Skills (OLS) for adult students with learning disabilities. Students in the OLS program spend 10-14 hours per week in the classroom, taking classes in subjects such as workplace problem-solving, healthy relationships, and personal finance. They also complete a 200-hour internship at a local business as part of their graduation requirement. 85% of their graduates are employed. Tuition is $455 per credit. DePaul University (Center for Students with Disabilities) Chicago, IL DePaul University is home to the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), a department that specializes inspecifically meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. More than a dozen accommodations are offered depending on the student's particular needs. CSD students also have access to a Learning Specialist Clinician for additional academic guidance. East Carolina University (STEPP Program) Greenville, NC The STEPP (Supporting Transition and Education Through Planning and Partnernships) Program offers academic, social, and life-skills help to students with learning disabilities at ECU. It begins with monthly newsletters and a pre-college bootcamp to help students prepare for college before they even begin their first day. Once they start school, participants receive mentoring and advising, a housing assignment within a designated residence hall, independent study courses and a required study hall to help structure their schedule, and guidance developing a professional portfolio to help with getting a job after graduation. Only 10 students are accepted into the program per year, but for those that are, there are no additional fees for being in STEPP. Northeastern University (Learning Disabilities Program) Boston, MA Northeastern is a relatively large university that offers many on-campus resources to its students. Those who are part of the Learning Disabilities Program (LDP) meet twice every week with an LDP specialist to work on their academic and general life skills. This specialist also directs students to other resources that are available on campus, such as subject-specific tutoring. The fee for the LDP is $2,900 per semester. University of Arizona (SALT Center) Tucson, AZ The University of Arizona's Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center offers fairly comprehensive support to students and is ideal for those who want the atmosphere of a large school. SALT enrollees have weekly meetings with a strategic learning specialist and access to many other services, including the following: Content-specific tutoring Educational tech support Life skills and academic strategies workshops Psychological services Life and ADHD coaching (this is separate from the SALT fee) Lower-division students pay $2,800 per semester, which includes tutoring. Upper-division students pay $1,200 per semester, with tutoring costing an additional $21 an hour. University of Connecticut (Beyond Access Program) Storrs, CT The University of Connecticut offers a few different options for students with learning disabilities. The major support program is the Beyond Access Program (BAP), in which students meet weekly with a trained Strategy Instructor (SI) to develop important skills. The SI focuses on several skill sets, including the following: Time management and organization Study skills Stress management Self-advocacy Memory and concentration Social skills Career prep Health and wellness Reading and writing strategies There are two different program levels: the BAP fee is $1,800 per semester for one SI meeting a week, or $3,600 per semester for three SI meetings a week. University of Denver (Learning Effectiveness Program) Denver, CO The University of Denver's Learning Effectiveness Program (LCP) offers students with learning disabilities academic counseling, subject-specific tutoring, time and organizational management assistance, and special student events. The program fee is $1,350 per quarter. University of Iowa (REACH Program) Iowa City, IA The University of Iowa's Realizing Educational and Career Hopes (REACH) program is a solid option for students who need extra support or who aren’t ready to jump into the college experience just yet. REACH isan educational program in its own right, specialized specifically for students with intellectual, cognitive, and/or learning disabilities. Thistwo-year transition certificate program provides students with a "big 10" university experience and ensures they're supported throughout the educational process. Services offered by the REACH program include the following: Small group instruction Real world opportunities for hands-on learning Special events and support staff Opportunities to participate in UI courses with the assistance of REACH staff Tuition, fees, and expenses for the REACH program come to $28,859 for Iowa residents and $46,069 for non-residents. Smaller Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities Not everyone gets excited at the prospect of joining a big college campus. If you prefer a more intimate academic environment, these schools might be good fits for you. Classes at small colleges can be really stimulating, intimate experiences (as long as you don't forget to do the reading). Augsburg College (CLASS) Minneapolis, MN CLASS stands for the Center of Learning and Accessible Student Services. Located at Augsburg College, this center is staffed with disability specialists who are trained to provide the following services to students who might need them: Individual support Instruction of learning strategies and compensatory techniques Help with time management and organizational skills Academic advising Housing assistance There doesn't seem to be a fee for these services. Curry College (Program for Advancement of Learning) Milton, MA Curry College's Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL) offers a specialized curriculum for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. This curriculum mainly focuses on learning strategies and the learning process in general. Students in the program also receive referrals to specialized advisers and technical support. To apply,you have to submit a separate application in addition to Curry's regular college app. The cost is $1,825 a semester for PAL1220, $3,390 a semester for PAL1210, and $3,470 a semester for PAL1190 and PAL1200. Fairleigh Dickinson University (Regional Center for Learning Disabilities) Teaneck, NJ At Fairleigh Dickinson's Regional Center for Learning Disabilities, students can schedule weekly meetings with learning specialists, participate in counseling sessions, get technologicalsupport, and receive priority registration. Best of all, these services are offered at no extra cost to students. Lesley University (Threshold Program) Cambridge, MA Similar to REACH at the University of Iowa, Lesley University's Threshold is a specialty certificate program meant for those who would struggle in a traditional college environment,even with some structured support. Students can choose to study Business Services and/or Early Childhood Development. After completing the program, students have the opportunity to participate in post-grad programs through Lesley University. Tuition fees amount to $22,125 per semester; room and board expenses are an additional $5,430 a semester. Lynn University (Institute for Achievement and Learning) Boca Raton, FL Students who are part of the Institute for Achievement and Learning (IAL) have access to a variety of specialty services, including the following: Academic coaching Assistive technology Diagnostic assessments Tutoring Alternative testing environments All Lynn University students have access to the IAL. Marist College (Learning Support Program) Poughkeepsie, NY Students enrolled in the Learning Support Program work one-on-one with a learning specialist. In meeting with these specialists, students focus on honing the following skills: Writing skills Note-taking skills Organization skills Test-taking strategies Time management There are fees for meeting with learning specialists,but that information isn't publicized on the program's official website. Mercyhurst University (Learning Differences Program) Erie, PA There are two parts to the Learning Differences Program (LDP): the Summer PASS Program, which helps students ease into college life, and the more intensive Academic Advantage Program (AAP), which is designed to provide structured academic support to students throughout the year. The AAP includes the following features: Weekly meetings with an academic counselor Academic advising Subject-specific tutoring Assigned note-takers Priority class registration The AAP costs $2,590 for one academic year, while the Summer PASS Program costs $995. Mitchell College (Bentsen Learning Center) New London, CT Through the Bentsen Learning Center (BLC), students get access to an academic support program meant specifically for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. There are three tiers of support, allowing the program to be tailored to each student's individual needs. The center offers the following services: Learning strategy instruction Career readiness skill building Content strategy workshops Designated student study areas Referrals to additional campus resources Program fees vary by level of support, ranging from $820 to $3,700 per semester. Schools Dedicated to Students With Learning Disabilities There are a few schools out there that only accept students with learning disabilities. These tend to be smaller colleges and typically offer customizable levels of support and structure. If you're interested in schools that cater exclusively to students with language-based learning disabilities, check out the following colleges. These schools are experienced in helping students with learning disabilities balance their academic, professional, and personal lives. Beacon College Leesburg, FL Beacon College offers associate and bachelor's degrees exclusively to students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. Itson-time graduation rate is 70%, which surpasses the national average graduation rate for students with learning disabilities. The college's support services include a Center for Student Success (with trained learning specialists and tutors), a math lab, and a writing center. Landmark College Putney, VT All of Landmark College isdedicated to helping students who learn differently (i.e., students with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, and/or dyslexia). Support services offered here include the following: Academic advising and coaching Centers for academic support Counseling Specialty summer programs, to ease the transition into college What to Do If You're Interested in a Program for Students With Learning Disabilities Think you'd benefit from a supportive program meant for students with learning disabilities? The following tips will help you successfully navigate admissions and beyond. #1: Get More Information Just like anycollege applicant, you should get as much information about these programs as possible to get a better idea of fit and compatibility. Visit campuses, talk to current students, and consider if program offerings would give you the appropriate level of support. #2: Make Note of Additional Applications Many of these schools require students to submit an application to the learning disabilities program in addition to the regular college application. You might also have to submit further documentation, such as diagnostic tests, psychological evaluations, or letters from educators. As a result, it's best to give yourself extra time to complete these applications. #3: Account for Extra Expenses in Your College Budget You can still apply and be eligible forfinancial aid and scholarships, but be aware that enrolling in one of these programs for students with learning disabilities has the potential to add thousands of dollars to your overall college costs each year. What's Next? If you're still thinking through your college budget (and the extra costs that come with learning disability programs), get informed with our guide to college expenses. Don't forget that federal grants and loans can help make up some of the costs of these specialtyprograms. Learn more aboutPellGrants,DirectUnsubsidizedloans, andDirect Subsidized loans. Worried about choosing a major on your college applications? Learn how to navigate the process and make an informed decision. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality

Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality The concept of leadership is as old as mankind. A number of theories and conceptual models that explain this concept have been put forward by psychologists among other organisational experts. The theories have been classified into eight broader schools of thought.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They include: the trait approach to leadership, the behavioral theories, the contingency or situational school, leaders and followers, dispersed leadership, participative theories, relationship theories, and management theories (Bolden, Gosling, Marturano, Dennison, 2003). These schools of thought emerged in the course of the twentieth century. Most of the early theorists were interested in the qualities that made leaders unique compared with their followers. On the other hand, latter theorists have considered various variables like situation and level of skills in understanding leadership. This essay discusses the transformational theory of leadership which is under the leaders and followers relationship. Key terms used in the theory shall be explained, major components presented, as well as a description of how the theory works. The strengths and weaknesses of the theory will also be offered. Furthermore, the essay will present a selected organisational behaviour and show how it links to the transformational theory, for instance the influence of leadership on the identified observational behavior or vice versa. Transformational Leadership Theory Transformational theory of leadership is mainly concerned with understanding and explaining the relationships between the leaders and their followers. The theory argues that leaders seek to motivate, encourage, and be a source of inspiration to others by assisting them realise the significance and the higher value of the task presented to them (Covey, 2002). While other theori es focus on the leader as a unique figure, transformational leadership theory is interested in exploring the significance of the relationship between the leader and the follower. The roles of a leader and the one being led are interrelated. Transformational leaders place high priority on the success of their followers in general as well as individual excellence. Thus he or she is supposed to be a team leader.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The concept of transforming leadership was first suggested by James MacGregor Burns in1978. He defines transforming leadership as a relationship of mutual motivation and promotion where followers can assume leadership roles while leaders become agents of moral principles. Burns suggested further that this kind of leadership occurs when leaders and followers interact and in the process uplift one another to advanced levels of mot ivation and moral values. In proposing this theory, Burns was inspired by the humanistic psychology movement and he suggested that a transforming leader has the capacity to change, alter, and raise the motives, values, and objectives of meaningful transformation among those being led (Covey, 2002). According to Burns, transformational leadership is different from other styles because of the roles expected of a leader and the follower. The other leadership styles consider a leader as a dominant figure who is always in front as others follow. Transformational leaders are empowered with a special ability to change the leaders as well as the followers by the use of principles that makes them have mutual adherence to modal values and end-values (Tichy Devanna, 2006). The concept of transforming leadership as advanced by Burns was later developed by Bernard Bass into that of transformational leadership. Bass proposed that in this style, the leader’s ultimate aim is to transform th e followers (Bass Avolio, 1994). This conception draws a difference between Bass’ and Burn’s idea of leadership. Bass views the interaction between the leader and the followers as being one-way while Burns’ thinks that both the leader and the one being led have mutual influence and hence a two-way interaction (Bolden et al., 2003). However, Bass includes a new dimension of social change to the style. This perspective is lacking in Burns’ conception of transforming leadership.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership Theory and Personality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Bass, transformational leaders have the ability to enlarge the portfolio of needs for his or her followers, change a follower’s self-interest, enhance the confidence levels of the followers, raise the level of expectations of those being led, and to set very high standards of value- expectation of the leader for his or her followers. A transformational leader, as put forward by Bass, should encourage and facilitate behavioural change and inspire others to achieve higher levels of personal potentialities equivalent of Maslow’s self-actualisation (Bass Avolio, 1994). Other prominent contributors to this theory of leadership are Tichy and Devanna who added to the ideas of Burns and Bass. They have jointly written a book entitled Transformational Leadership which is targeted at both organisational and work contexts. They argue that transformational leadership is not due to charisma but it is behavioural in nature which implies that it can be learned (Tichy Devanna, 2006). A transformational leader, therefore, is viewed under this theory as a role model with which the followers admire and would want to identify with. For a long time, the most common model of leadership has been that of a ‘bottom line’ approach. However, transformational leaders hip adopts the ‘top line’ perspective. Some characteristics of transformational leadership as outlined by Covey (2002) include: Builds on an innate desire by man for meaning in life Focuses on promoting moral and ethical values Rises above daily affairs Is geared towards the attainment of long-term goals without violating accepted human values and principles Concerned mostly with missions and laying of strategies to achieve them Aim at helping people release their full human potential by identifying and cultivating people’s talents Evaluates and re-evaluates job opportunities with an aim of making them challenging and purposeful Focuses on internal organisational structures and systems in order to reinforce desired values and goals The main goal of transformational leadership, according to Bolden et al. (2003), is to literally ‘transform’ people as well as organisations by changing their mind and heart; enlarging vision, insight, and level of under standing; ensuring clarity of purposes; making behavior to be in tandem with held beliefs, principles, or values; and facilitating permanent changes that are self-perpetuating, and with own dynamic momentum. Transformational leaders are associated with unique behaviours that distinguish them from other leadership styles. In their book ‘Transformational Leadership Styles and Behaviors,’ Bass and Avolio identify some of the behaviors exhibited by transformational leaders (1994). The first style is the idealised behaviour which emphasises on living one’s ideals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is characterised by an individual talking about the deep-held values and beliefs and tendency to have a strong sense of purpose in life. People with this style are very concerned with the moral and ethical consequences of their decisions and actions and are always enthusiastic in exploring new possibilities of doing things. Such leaders also like talking about the essence of building trust among each other. The second behaviour is the desire of the leader to inspire others. This is usually achieved by being optimistic about the future even if in the midst of trouble, talking confidently about the achievement of set goals, assuring the followers that the goals will be attained, and providing a vivid image of the future and the most essential things to be done. A transformational leader is also known to take a strong stand even on controversial issues. Thirdly, those using this style of leadership are usually intellectually stimulating. They offer a critique of every assumption to evaluate their appropriateness and explore various alternatives when solving problems facing their organisation by viewing the problem from different angles. Such leaders are also known to discourage followers from using conventional approaches while addressing traditional problems by encouraging them to question those assumptions that have not been subjected to critical questioning. The fourth characteristic of transformational leaders is that of embracing individualised consideration. They prefer spending time and resources teaching and developing others and treat each one of them as an individual as opposed to as a group. These leaders are keen on understanding individual concerns of the followers and helping them capitalise on their strengths. The fifth behaviour associated with transformational leadership is that of idealised attributes where the leader instill a sense of pride in the followers and often prioritises the concerns of the group. They always strive to be role model s by dedicate themselves to the service of others. This theory of leadership has both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, the theory is quite optimistic and envisions a future of possibilities, can transform people’s mindsets to see new chances, help in ensuring that the organisation remains true to its mission and vision, enhances uniqueness of an organisation, does not encourage master-servant relationship in the organisation, and helps in bringing up an inspired workforce that will strive to achieve the organisation’s goals. However, the theory may be criticised for being overambitious and setting unrealistic goals, advocates for the bigger picture which may result in missing out important details, and relying on motivation and inspiration alone as suggested by the theory may obscure one from truth and reality. Organisational Behaviour Organisational Behavior (OB) refers to the study of individual as well as group dynamics in a given organisation, an d the nature of the organisations under consideration (Nelson Quick, 2007). It has been acknowledged that when people interact in organisations, a number of factors influence the interaction process. Despite the diversity in the work place in terms of people’s backgrounds and cultural values, they are expected to work in harmony for maximum output. This topic has seen a growing interest in the study of organisational behavior. Personality and Organisation The behaviour of an individual is determined by his or her personality which incorporates a person’s qualities, unique skills and expertise together with such traits as grooming and general attitude (Nelson Quick, 2007). All these combine to form a specific consistent behavioural pattern of a person in specified contexts. Personality is a reflection of how one’s feelings, thoughts, cognitions and overt behaviour have been ordered. It has been established that certain u patterns are not physically observable u nless they are tested. Any given organisation is greatly influenced by the personality of individuals in it. A number of methods have been developed to measure people’s personality. They include Personality Inventories, Projective Tests, and Assessment Centre (Nelson Quick, 2007). Personality Inventory is a commonly used method and involves answering a set of questions which are designed to elicit a specific dimension of personality. The respondents are expected to indicate the extent to which they either agree or disagree with a given statement. Projective Test, on the other hand, is a bit sophisticated method of testing personality. In this approach, it is assumed that the prevalent fantasies, feelings, aspirations and expectations are measurable and cab be used to test personality. Ten pictures which are symmetrically dived into two are presented to a person undergoing the test and the individual is expected to indicate what he or she perceives in the pictures. The third method, Assessment Center, is made up of several methods used to test employees’ personalities. It includes various tasks associated with the organisation. The results are then classified into behavioural patterns that may be used to determine personality like sensitivity to others, personal ambitions, independence, and so on. The main objective of strategies used in organsational behavior is to help employees perform at their best and hence facilitate the achievement of organisational goals. It has been established that the performance of an individual depends largely on the competencies and will-power. However, motivation of employees plays a crucial role in the attainment of set goals. Managers, therefore, ought to understand each employee and how best to motivate them. Motivation is a skill that should be employed by every manager. Some of the strategies include the provision of opportunities for growth and recognition in the work place, allowing the employee to exercise some degree of freedom on the work schedule, empowering workers in their area of specialisation, among other approaches. A highly motivated employee has optimum output and vice versa. Personality and Transformational Leadership Theory This essay has discussed the Transformational Leadership Theory in terms of its components, how it works, as well as some of the strengths and weaknesses. The relationship between personality and organisation has also been explored. There is a strong relationship between transformational leadership theory and the topic of personality in organisational behaviour. It has been noted that the theory argues that leaders always seek to motivate, encourage, and be a source of inspiration to others by assisting them realise the significance and the higher value of the task presented to them. This theory, therefore, advocates for the development of personality of an individual. This is in support of the idea that personality of an employee has significant influ ence on the general performance of the organisation. In organisational behavior, there is need to understand how individuals are motivated and how their interaction affect the running of the organisation. This also calls for an investigation of how managers or organisational leaders interact with their employees or followers. Here, transformational leadership theory may be helpful since its principles are at the core of leader-follower relationship and the role of each party. Both topics advocate for the need for motivation in bringing out the best in individuals. For a leader who uses the transformational style, he or she must fully understand the personality of his or her followers and hence the need to be conversant with this topic under organisational behavior. It can be concluded that there is a strong link between transformational leadership theory and personality in organisations. The focus of the two is on understanding individual persons and their characteristics. Motivatio n forms the basis of these two areas of interest. Although personality may be used to define an individual as he or she is, there is a possibility of influencing it through proper motivation and inspiration. References Bass, B. M. Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through  transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A. Dennison, P. (2003). A Review of  Leadership Theory and Competency Frameworks. Center for Leadership Studies: University of Exeter Covey, S. (2002). Principle-Centered Leadership (3rd ed). Simon and Schuster Nelson, D. L. Quick, J. C. (2007). Understanding organizational behavior (3rd ed). Cengage Learning Tichy, N. Devanna, M. (2006). Transformational leadership (4th ed.). New York: Wiley

Conjugating the German Verb Sehen, Meaning to See

Conjugating the German Verb Sehen, Meaning to See The German verb sehen means to see. It is one of the most-common words you may see in German text, ranking around 270 in one automated study. Sehen is an irregular or strong verb. This means it doesnt follow a strict rule for conjugation. In order to conjugate it correctly, you will need to study its different tenses and resort to memorizing them. Stem-Changing Verbs The verb sehen is both a stem-changing verb and an irregular (strong) verb. Notice the change from e to ie in the du and er/sie/es present tense forms. The past participle is gesehen. All of these irregularities can trip you up in reading and writing uses of sehen. Sehen - Present Tense -  Prsens Deutsch English Singular Present Tense ich sehe I see/am seeing du siehst you see/are seeing er siehtsie siehtes sieht he sees/is seeingshe sees/is seeingit sees/is seeing Plural Present Tense wir sehen we see/are seeing ihr seht you (guys) see/are seeing sie sehen they see/are seeing Sie sehen you see/are seeing Examples Using Present Tense for Sehen Wann sehen wir euch?When will we be seeing you (guys)? Er sieht uns.He sees us. Sehen - Simple Past Tense -   Imperfekt Deutsch English Singular Simple Past Tense ich sah I saw du sahst you saw er sahsie sahes sah he sawshe sawit saw Plural Simple Past Tense wir sahen we saw ihr saht you (guys) saw sie sahen they saw Sie sahen you saw Sehen -  Compound Past Tense (Present Perfect) -  Perfekt Deutsch English Singular Compound Past Tense ich habe gesehen I saw/have seen du hast gesehen you saw/have seen er hat gesehensie hat gesehenes hat gesehen he saw/has seenshe saw/has seenit saw/has seen Plural Compound Past Tense wir haben gesehen we saw/have seen ihr habt gesehen you (guys) sawhave seen sie haben gesehen they saw/have seen Sie haben gesehen you saw/have seen Sehen - Past Perfect Tense -   Plusquamperfekt Deutsch English Singular Past Perfect Tense ich hatte gesehen I had seen du hattest gesehen you had seen er hatte gesehensie hatte gesehenes hatte gesehen he had seenshe had seenit had seen Plural Past Perfect Tense wir hatten gesehen we had seen ihr hattet gesehen you (guys) had seen sie hatten gesehen they had seen Sie hatten gesehen you had seen Future Tenses for Sehen German often substitutes the present tense for the future. The example with  sehen  is Wir  sehen  uns morgen, translating as Well see you tomorrow. The basic future tense would conjugate werden (will) and add sehen. Examples; ich werde  sehen  - I will see, du wirst sehen  - you will see, wir  werden spielen  - we will play. The future perfect tense is somewhat rare in German. It uses a conjugated form of werden and then places haben or sein at the end of the sentence. For example, ich werde gesehen  haben  - I will have seen. Commands Using Sehen sehe!  see!sehen Sie!  see! Other Uses of Sehen Sie sieht nicht gut.  She doesnt see well.Wo hast du ihn gesehen?  Where did you see him?

Explore Our Tips For Developing Philosophy Essays

Explore Our Tips For Developing Philosophy Essays Philosophy Essay: Writing an â€Å"A† Grade Essay For many students, writing a philosophy essay may seem to be a tough task to complete, if you bear in mind that a good essay results from hard work and effort of the writer. Both the preparation and research stages are important for developing an effective essay. We have prepared for you a list of tips that will guide you in the writing of your philosophy essay. Make sure you place your focus on to the particulars of your essay. You will have your chance to write and present a well-structured and A+ piece of work at the end to show how well you have understood the topic in question. A philosophy essay is different from any other type of essay assignments. It cannot be tackled with an approach similar to a research paper or literary analysis. Also, it should not be addressed as a factual report from what other writers have expressed in their text concerning the subject. A philosophical paper should be a coherent and factual defense type of paper base on the thesis you choose. To start with, it should remind you that you need a thesis for your work. It should highlight the position you take concerning the subject in question. Each notion you put across will have not less than two sides of an argument relating to it. This means that you should choose on the side, and use the other to prove the relevance and logic within your point of reasoning. Keep in mind that you need to back up each point you present with a relevant argument. At this instance, your focus should be based on what you intend to prove to the reader concerning the topic. It may sound simple but in real terms, choosing a thesis statement can be quite challenging. When you embark on tasks given to write a philosophy essay paper, the general idea is first to write down information regarding the topic. This should be viewed as general, rough sketches of a work in progress. A thesis is a statement which is expressed in a single sentence, to state what the reader should expect. If by this stage you cannot formulate a thesis statement fully, then it still needs more brainstorming. When you formulate your thesis statement, you need to create ways that will persuade your target audience of your point of view. Provide a rational explanation for your ideas. This process mainly consists of the presentation of arguments that are supported with factual evidence.   Here, a lot of students go astray, as some think that their support for the thesis they come up with, will apply to the readers by default. This makes them have less focus on their arguments and the evidence that supports them. Your agreement to a specific side of an argument is not a guarantee that it will be the same for your target audience. If each person reading your work agreed with your point of view, there would be no argument at all. The best approach to writing an impressive philosophy paper is assuming that your target audience is as intelligent as yourself, and they do not support the same views on the subject matter. This will help you create good arguments that might end up convincing them otherwise. In simple terms, do not undervalue your audience. Another obvious mistake student commit is trying to cram all relative arguments about a particular area of study, and putting all of them down on one academic paper.   They think that by crafting a long list of arguments is an automatic indicator of the extensive research they have done. To some extent, it might be true even though you should remember that research for the sake of research does not explain the relevant points of your philosophy essay paper.   Below are some of the reasons why this approach won’t warrant you the success you require to achieve in the writing of a philosophy paper: Many arguments approach the subject matter of research in diverse points of view, which makes the work of the reader harder in keeping track of your reasoning. While you come up with a long list of arguments, you are bound to write both strong and weak arguments on the subject matter. This may structure a wrong impression about your work; in that, you cannot spot the difference between the arguments presented. It eventually leads you to create a jumbled piece of work that will result in poor grades. When you have a long list of arguments that represent your point of view about a particular topic of discussion will limit your chance to provide substantial reasoning for each idea presented. The ultimate goal for the philosophy essay you write is to convince the reader that your point of view makes sense and they should consider supporting your perspective. Short arguments make your work appear superficial thus negatively affecting the grades you are to be awarded. By now, it should be clear that choosing your topic should be carefully done. Even if you are required to analyze several materials relating to your subject matter, only the most convincing parts should be written in your essay. Also, keep in mind that the reader will only be able to read the work you present. This means that if you omit any piece of information that influenced your writing, the writer will definitely not know about it. Do not assume the reader will interpret your work for you. This should prompt you to ensure that all points and arguments put across should be clear and easily understood.   Remember that the reader cannot ask you any question so this should inspire you to be direct, coherent, and extensive with your arguments. Develop arguments that will not provoke objections from your target audience. Remember that your philosophy paper should be clear, coherent and grammatically correct. Logic and uniqueness are vital elements of your writing too. Mistakes you Should Avoid when Writing your Philosophy Paper Long introduction: your professor is most likely your target reader who knows this particular subject. Even in situations that you are writing a philosophy essay for the general audience, you are not required to use too much paper length to introduce your topic of discussion. It only comes out as a work that has too many words but not enough ideas, reason, and creativity. You are encouraged to jump into the writing of your thesis statement directly. Wordy citations: in many cases, students include a lot of external materials in their philosophy essay. Avoid creating an impression of padding your work. Instead, aim at the goal intended which is to give your readers your own interpretation of the topic of discussion highlighting your point of view. It is advisable to refer to external sources once in a while and only use quoted texts if really necessary. However, direct quotes should not exceed 10% of your total work. Utilize more of your space on presenting ideas and backing them up with sufficient arguments that are logical. Not taking a side: while writing a philosophy essay, you cannot stand on neutral ground. Then there would be no need for the essay! Keep in mind your goals are to make the reader take your side about a particular point of view which means you should create your perspective at the beginning of your work. Do not use the views of what other people have written concerning the same subject. Be unique and original to create your own idea out of the subject and convince your readers why they should support your work. Stand your ground and work on the point of view that you find satisfying for you to work on. Not acknowledging it seriously enough: to some point, some debates may come out as trivial, but still have in mind that each debate is triggered by a good reason. Yu not considering the importance of the debate is a sure sign that you have no idea of what the topic entails or its interpretation. If this is the case, considering reverting to your research stage and ensure you have done thorough research on the subject and become conversant with it. Never take the topic too lightly. Make an effort of having extensive knowledge about it before embarking on discussing the topic. Using questions: rhetorical questions can be a good way to engage the reader but should be avoided when writing a philosophy essay. You should also avoid presenting arguments in ways that they suggest an indirect question or founded on generic assumptions. For instance, if you argue that abortion is murder and immoral, you expect that the reader will share your point of view and just back it up. This is a problem that many students have and leads to them failing. You should know that all the arguments that you raise are just to prove that your point is worth consideration. What the reader is left to contemplate and agree about is their point of view. Attacking the Opponents: even at instances that you feel like you totally disagree with their point of view, you need to come up with a rational and logical explanation for your perspective. Your philosophy essay does not give you space to express your emotions on a particular subject you are against. Your main aim should be to clearly highlight and explain why your opponents are wrong and avoid offending them in the process. When you decide to get personal and call the opponents names, its a clear indication that you cannot stand your ground on that particular subject which will eventually negatively affect your final grades on the philosophy essay paper. More Tips to Guide You in Writing a Philosophy Essay Paper Even though writing a philosophy paper might be a bit thought-provoking, consider is as just another piece of writing. This should tell you that there are a couple of ways you can approach it just like the students before you did. Below are some helpful tips that can guide your writing of a philosophy essay effectively and help you get a good grade: Competent structuring and organization: this can be achieved through crafting an outline for your philosophy essay and adapting it in your entire writing. This will help in maintaining the logical flow of ideas as per the arguments you make concerning your topic of discussion. This can only be achieved if you come up with an outline that supports your philosophical essay. Craft the outline even before you begin our writing. This will help while you brainstorm your thought about the topic of discussion and exclude any logical errors or inconsistencies that may arise in writing your paper. Appropriate choice of words: slang and jargon should be avoided at all cost while writing your philosophy essay. Also, avoid using notions that you do not know the meaning of. Find their meaning from a dictionary and appropriately use them if you have to. You should create time for proofreading and editing your work before you submit it. Do not depend on the auto-correction options in your word document creator. Evidence, facts and figure to support your claims: as I explained before, you should not expect the reader to comply and agree with your point of view. Base your work on a perspective that your reader constantly disagrees with your argument. It is your duty to convince them otherwise. Provide substantial evidence to support your claims and convince the reader that your point of view makes sense. Additionally, avoid structuring your paper based on generic assumptions which are quite misleading. Accurate referencing: in the world of academia, plagiarism is one of the biggest offenses when it comes to writing an essay, or any other piece of writing. Situations of unintentional plagiarism arise when you provide information on a particular subject from a source and forget to properly provide both the in-text citation and the complete reference on the separate works cited page. Inconsistent paraphrasing is also a major issue to watch out for. It may lead to detection as plagiarism by a plagiarism checking software which will eventually lower your grades. Make sure you are conversant with the required formatting requirements and consult your professor on which format you should apply and stick to. The logical defense for arguments presented: -In simple terms, each statement you make is likely to be objected. With this in mind, you should be prepared to answer the questions that arise concerning your arguments intelligently. When you anticipate objections and provide sufficiently opposing arguments, you are bound to come up with a captivating piece of work. Always stick to an intelligent reaction to criticism and avoid taking them as threats or mocking. It is quite common that not everyone will agree with your point of view. Thorough editing: you should know that you might be the worst editor of the work you wish to present. Never consider the first draft as the final piece of work you are to present for grading. This will make you go through a lot of rewriting. It is okay to cut off any piece of information that might lead to plagiarism or those that lack sense in the arguments that you have brought to the light. If you consider the tips above, you will will write an excellent philosophy essay that is worth a higher grade from your professor.