Hipparchus the Astronomer, Geographer, Mathematician

If youve studied math at a high school level, you probably have experience with trigonometry. Its a fascinating branch of mathematics, and it all came about through the genius of Hipparchus of Rhodes. Hipparchus was a Greek scholar considered the greatest astronomical observer in early human history. He made many advances in geography and mathematics, specifically in trigonometry, which he used to construct models to predict solar eclipses. Because math is  the language of science, his contributions are particularly important.   Early Life Hipparchus was born around 190 BCE in Nicaea, Bithynia (now known as now Iznik, Turkey). His early life is mostly a mystery, but what we do know about him comes from Ptolemys Almagest. He  is mentioned in other writings as well. Strabo, a Greek geographer and historian who lived around 64 BCE to 24 AD called Hipparchus one of the famous men of Bithynia. His image, usually depicted sitting and looking at a globe, has been found on many coins minted between 138 AD and 253 AD. In ancient terms, thats a pretty important acknowledgment of importance. Hipparchus apparently traveled and wrote extensively. There are records of observations he made in his native Bithynia as well as from the  island of Rhodes and the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The only example of his writing that  still exists is his Commentary on Aratus and Eudoxus. Its  not one of his major writings, but its still important because it gives us an insight into his work. Life Achievements Hipparchuss major love was mathematics and he pioneered a number of ideas we take for granted today: the division of a circle into 360 degrees and the creation of one of the first trigonometric tables for solving triangles. In fact, he very likely invented the precepts of trigonometry. As an astronomer, Hipparchus was curious about using his knowledge of the Sun and stars to calculate important values. For example, he derived the length of the year to within 6.5 minutes. He also discovered the precession of the equinoxes, with a value of 46 degrees, which is fairly close to our modern number of 50.26 degrees. Three hundred years later, Ptolemy only came up with a figure of 36. The precession of the equinoxes refers to the gradual shift in Earths rotation axis. Our planet wobbles like a top as it spins, and over time, this means that the poles of our planet slowly shift the direction in which they point in space. Its why our north star changes throughout a 26,000-year cycle. Right now the north pole of our planet points to Polaris, but in the past, it has pointed to Thuban and Beta Ursae Majoris. Gamma Cepheii will become our pole star in a few thousand years. In 10,000 years, it will be Deneb, in Cygnus, all due to the precession of the equinoxes. Hipparchuss calculations were the first scientific effort to explain the phenomenon. Hipparchus also charted the stars in the sky seen with the naked eye. While his star catalog does not survive today, it is believed that his charts included around 850 stars. He also made a careful study of the motions of the Moon. Its unfortunate that more of his writings do not survive. It seems clear that the work of many who followed was developed using the groundwork laid by Hipparchus. Although little else is known about him, it is probable that he died around 120 BC most likely in Rhodes, Greece. Recognition In honor of Hipparchuss efforts to measure the sky and his work in mathematics and geography, the European Space Agency named their HIPPARCOS satellite in reference to his accomplishments. It was the first mission to focus exclusively on astrometry, which is the accurate measurement of stars and other celestial objects in the sky. It was launched in 1989 and spent four years on orbit. Data from the mission have been used in many areas of astronomy and cosmology (the study of the origin and evolution of the universe).   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Gothic Literature The Dark Side Of Romanticism - 1518 Words

Gothic literature is the dark side of Romanticism. The theme of Gothic stories is either mysterious, horror, or even death. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are authors that demonstrate Gothic literature. Some of their work include, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Cask of Amontillado tells how the narrator Montresor seeks revenge on his acquaintance, Fortunato. Montresor to desperate measures and did not catch. However, in â€Å"The Birthmark†, Aylmer, a scientist has become obsessed with convincing his wife, Georgianna, to remove her birthmark that is on her left cheek. Both stories show how the main character feels that his way is the best way to solve his problems. The ways they try to solve their problem lead to death. Hawthorne and Poe both draws their pasts to show Gothic literature within their stories. They also share some similarities within their stories. Such as the u sage of symbolism and irony to capture an audiences’ attention. However, they use different techniques within their stories to capture their readers’ attention. Another way Poe and Hawthorne use Gothic Literature within their stories is Poe writes on an element that effects the single emotion of the reader. While Hawthorne writes on the representation of his imagination and conception of the world. Using irony is one of the elements Poe and Hawthorne use in their writing. The irony is an expression of meaning by using languageShow MoreRelatedDark Romanticism1392 Words   |  6 Pages4. Define â€Å"Dark Romanticism† as you understand it by discussing two works by different authors. Account for the rise of this kind of writing in America and evaluate its appeal and significance then and now. The Dark Side of Romanticism Romantic literary texts focus on the expression of emotion. Authors during the Romantic period developed and integrated the idea of the individual being the main focus in life. Romantic authors focused on the individual being at the center of their own happiness andRead MoreDark Romanticism By Edgar Allen Poe1625 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the biggest literary of all times was known as dark romanticism. This kind of literature comes from the darkness inside of a person. Many people who like this style are know to be obsessed with gothic nature. Dark Romanticism is also know to come from darkness in the human soul, original sin, and a dark outlook on society. Dark Romanticism is the complete opposite of romanticism. According to what is dark romanticism â€Å" Dark Romanticism is. A sort of genre threat combines traditional love objectsRead MoreThe Old Nurse s Story1329 Words   |  6 PagesStory†, serves as the perfect example of the Gothic elements that were very popular in many authors stories and poems during this period of time. During this time of British literature, Romanticism and Gothic elements were the two main strategic ways of writing and how the audience read and perceived the stories being told. The Gothic element of writing consisted of dark, gloomy and ghostly literature that brought a haunted feel to the each story. Some Gothic stories could consist of ghostly figuresRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1733 Words   |  7 PagesWithin the specter of the Gothic fictions arises the atmosphere of gloom, terror, and mystery with some elements of uncanny challenging reality.At certain points, the interactions between the conventions of the Gothic fictions with other  thematic, ideological, and/or symbolic functions of the narrative  would rather be challenging. However, though the analysis of  Jane Eyre  written by  Charlotte Bronte, certain factors come into focus.The novel of Charlotte Bronte entitled Jane Eyre has showcase d aRead MoreEssay on Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights - A Great Romantic Novel835 Words   |  4 Pagesof thinking. The literature produced during this period reflected this wild and free-spirited imagination. The works dismissed the Enlightenment thinkers in their claims of Reason, progress, and universal truths (Damrosch, 1317). Instead, these writers explored superstitions and had a renewed sense of passion for the wild, the unfamiliar, the irregular, and the irrational (Damrosch, 1317). Other common elements of the writing during this period were the returned interest of gothic romance elementsRead MoreWuthering Heights By Emily Bronte1099 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Wuthering Heights† is the epitome of classical literature written by Emily Bronte in 1847. 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The Haunted Palace is one of Poe s most explicitly allegoricalRead MoreThere have been many movements in Romantic Literature, Romanticism being one. Despite the idea that600 Words   |  3 Pagesmany movements in Romantic Literature, Romanticism being one. Despite the idea that romanticism is an outdated literary form, romantic literature is very important to English Literature; no other period in English Literature shows the type of style, theme, or contain information like how the Romantic movement was. Romanticism was virtually around in every country of the US, Europe, Latin America and it la sted from 1750-1870. Romanticism gave a rise to a new type of literature it was an exercise of freeRead MoreRollercoaster of Arts and Architecture Brought About by Napolean Bonaparte1083 Words   |  5 Pagessparked new eras of art like Romanticism that he used to make himself popular; it caused Napoleon to be noticed, not just because of his military conquests, but also because of his artistic vision and innovation. The rule of Napoleon Bonaparte was spectacular because of his elaborate and for a long time infallible military successes. Napoleon made art an important part of his legacy. Whenever he would defeat neighboring countries, he would often plunder the art and literature of the country and bringRead MoreHow Evil Can One Be?997 Words   |  4 Pagesmost disturbing yet realistic facts of the Dark Romanticism period. Romanticism is best described as a journey away from the corruption of civilization and the limits of rational thought and toward the integrity of nature and the freedom of imagination. Dark romanticism is a literary sub-genre of Romanticism. It talks about nature, human nature, and the past. Edgar Allan Poe is called one of the most â€Å"brilliant but erratic† authors. He used many gothic elements (i.e. grotesque characters, violence

Aed01 Free Essays

AED-01 Bachelor’s Degree Programme (BDP) Also for: B. Com (A F) B. Com (CA A) B. We will write a custom essay sample on Aed01 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Com (F CA) ASSIGNMENT 2012-13 Application Oriented Course AED-01: EXPORT PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION For July 2012 and January 2013 admission cycle School of Management Studies Indira Gandhi National Open University Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110 068 Application Oriented Course AED-01: Export Procedures and Documentation ASSIGNMENT – 2012-13 Dear Students, As explained in the Programme Guide, you have to do one Tutor Marked Assignment in this Course. Assignment is given 30% weightage in the final assessment. To be eligible to appear in the Term-end examination, it is compulsory for you to submit the assignment as per the schedule. Before attempting the assignments, you should carefully read the instructions given in the Programme Guide. This assignment is valid for two admission cycles (July 2012 and January 2013. ) The validity is given below: 1. Those who are enrolled in July 2012, it is valid upto June 2013. . Those who are enrolled in, January 2013 it is valid upto December 2013. You have to submit the assignment of all the courses to The Coordinator of your Study Centre. For appearing in June Term-end Examination, you must submit assignment to the Coordinator of your study centre latest by 15th March Similarly for appearing in December Term-end Examination, you must submit assignments to the Coordinator of your study centre latest by 15th September Note : In case you receive the study material and assignments late, you can submit the assignment responses within one month after receiving the study material. 2 TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT Course Code Course Title Assignment Code Assignment Coverage : : : : AED-01 Export Procedures and Documentation AED-01/TMA/2012-13 All Blocks Maximum Marks : 100 Attempt all the questions 1. 2. Describe the various kinds of commercial documents used in export. Discuss the significance of commercial invoice and bill of lading. 10+10) (a) Describe the various factors which may motivate a firm to export. (b) Discuss the methods of dispute settlement in international trade. (10+10) (a) (b) Discuss the foreign trade policy related to export. What do you mean by cargo insurance? Why should the goods be insured? 3. (10+10) 4. Distinguish between the following: (a) FOB Contract and CIF Contract (b) Total Loss and Particular Loss Write short notes on the following: (a) Export Licensing (b) Procedure for Claim ing Duty Drawback (10+10) 5. (10+10) 3 How to cite Aed01, Essay examples

Organizational Change Plan free essay sample

When executives and students of management talk about organizational change, they mean many different things. Introducing a new enterprise resource planning system in order to coordinate and standardize internal processes is an organizational change. So is shutting down a factory, selling off a noncore business, or laying off employees. How about introducing a new business model to meet innovative competitors, adopting a new pay-for-performance system to motivate individual effort or a stock option plan to encourage a shared sense of ownership in the company? Entering global markets, integrating acquired companies, and outsourcing nonstrategic activities—these, too, are examples of organizational change. In order to understand and analyze the dynamics of change, and particularly the requirements of effective change implementation, it is important to sort out and distinguish the various approaches an organization can take. This chapter will explore multiple paths to change, paying special attention to behavioral change. In particular, this chapter will: Identify the role of strategic renewal in propelling change Focus on the behavioral aspect of organizational change Analyze the dynamics of motivating employees to alter their behaviors Differentiate the three faces of change Understand the source of both employee resistance to and support for change We will start by looking at an attempt by the president of a small but prestigious local bookstore to improve financial performance in the face of competition from national chains as well as from Internet giant Amazon. Tales of Woe at Concord Bookshop * *David Mehegan, â€Å"Tales of Woe at Concord Bookshop,† Boston Globe, December 23, 2003, p. All rights reserved. It’s like a family quarrel that nobody wants and nobody knows how to stop. The Concord Bookshop, a 64-year-old independent store regarded as one of the best in New England, is beset by a bitter clash between owners and staff. The conflict puts pressure on the store at a time when independent booksellers are reeling from competition from chains and the Internet. ** **Concord, a prosperous suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, is the site of the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War. Its rich literary history dates back to the nineteenth century when it was the home of the transcendental writers, notably, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Eight of Concord Bookshop’s employees, including the trio of top managers, have quit or given their notice. The staffers’ years of service add up to 73. The three managers, including [the] general manager . . . have worked at the store for a total of 34 years. Meanwhile, a group of outraged local authors . The precipitating event was a surprise announcement last month by the owners—a group of three families represented by a board led by President Morgan â€Å"Kim† Smith of Concord—that a new general manager will be hired. No one was laid off, and no one’s salary was cut. Yet many of the staff were outraged at the de facto demotions, as well as by what they saw as the owners’ immovable stance. . . â€Å"We asked for a meeting with the whole board,† says [a departing staff member]. â€Å"We presented our concerns, and they thanked us for our input and said, ‘We’re going to do it our way, and if you don’t like it, each of you will have to make up your mind as to how to proceed. ’ Something in me died, the fragile alchemy that made it such a great place to work had died. They had made their plans, we were expendable employees, and we could take it or leave it. †. . . â€Å"We’re heartbroken about it,† says David Donald, professor of history emeritus at Harvard University . . . â€Å"These are people we deal with all the time. It’s a wonderful store, beautifully arranged. They are knowledgeable and are glad to look things up. † Adds Joanne Arnaud, director of the Boston Literacy Fund and a Concord resident who also signed the letter: â€Å"What makes the Concord Bookshop different is the people and their institutional memory and their memory for a customer. I can say, ‘I’m looking for a book for someone who liked the last book by Nicholas Basbanes. Can you help me? ’ They are so warm and welcoming. † The clash appears to be rooted in finances. Smith declined to give numbers but portrayed the store’s financial situation as dire. â€Å"Things have never been worse,† he says. â€Å"We are offering something important to the town of Concord, which is wonderful, but it isn’t profitable. † Smith praises the three managers but says, â€Å"The owners felt the three-way management was not working out. † The managers say finances aren’t so bad. They . . . issued a written comment: â€Å"In explaining to us the change in management structure, the owners told us they wanted to take the store in a different direction. We hold different opinions regarding the financial health of the store. We are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish these past five years. † There’s no disagreement, though, that profit margins are tighter than ever, and that the past few years have been rough on independent bookstores, especially in the age of Barnes Noble, Borders, and Amazon. com. Smith believes some of the store’s programs should be reexamined, such as regular weeknight author appearances and signings, which require paying staff to keep the store open. â€Å"Increasingly, people are buying their books elsewhere and bringing them to signings,† Smith says. â€Å"We had 70 people at the Tracy Kidder signing, but we sold only 10 books. I discovered a guy coming in with five copies of the book that he bought [elsewhere]. We want to preserve the store, but we need to make the finances work. † There’s no dispute, either, on Concord’s national reputation in the trade. â€Å"It is one of the jewels of New England,† says . . . [the] executive director of the New England Booksellers Association. . . â€Å"They are the kind of store that’s on everyone’s A list. Publishers are interested in what Concord buys. They ask, ‘How is Concord doing with the book? ’ They are exemplars for reaching out to the community and in cultivating authors†. . . The conflict illustrates the special place a bookstore can have in a small community, especially one such as Concord, with its numerous authors and links to such literary giants as Emerson and Thoreau. The store is regarded as a community resource, not just a business. â€Å"This is Concord vs. Concord,† says Martha Holland, who is quitting after 18 years. â€Å"There were a hundred points where it could have been smoothed over. How it got so out of hand, I don’t understand. The owners have every right to run their business as they see fit. But if the staff goes, it’s just a bunch of bookshelves and carpets. † Strategic Responsiveness Morgan Smith’s attempt to bring financial discipline to the Concord Bookshop seemed quite sensible in the face of new competitive realities. Owners, employees, customers, and suppliers all agreed on the desirability of maintaining the store’s viability. Yet Smith’s approach to change implementation—the actions taken by organizational leaders in order to support strategic renewal and achieve outstanding performance—led to resistance, conflict, and resentment. Recognizing the need for change is a vital first step. Successful implementation, however, is required to translate that recognition into an effective strategic response. We live in a period of rapid and dramatic change: significant alterations in customer expectations and demands, new technologies, competitors with innovative business models, shifts in workforce demographics and values, new societal demands and constraints. Organizations need to respond to external dynamics in order to create and maintain outstanding performance. Theory into Practice Strategic responsiveness to a dynamic external environment demands organizational change. In response to those dynamics, organizational leaders often decide to engage in a process of strategic renewal. Strategic renewal refers to an alteration of an organization’s strategy with the intent of regaining sustainable competitive advantage. 1 Exhibit 1-1 provides examples of organizations whose leaders made a purposeful decision to renew their strategies. Some attempts have been more effective than others. Strategic renewal at IBM and Walgreens proved successful, while efforts to transform Enron’s strategy collapsed in failure. At different points in the text, we will explore and analyze the efforts of these companies to implement new strategies effectively. Exhibit 1-1 Strategic Responsiveness in Sample Companies. Company Altered Strategy Enron Move from energy production to energy trading GE Move from commodity business to high value-added products and services IBM Move from product to service/consulting company Marks and Spencer Move from a department store appealing to traditional, conservative adult British shoppers to a store appealing to young, trendy shoppers Renault Move from French-based to internationally focused automobile company Walgreens Move from store-based chain in order to capture growing Internet business Facebook Move from restricted, college campus-only social network to become a â€Å"universal utility† open to everyone Strategic renewal requires organizational change (see Exhibit 1-2). Strategic renewal demands â€Å"wide-scale invention, reinvention, and redesign of business processes and organizational structures. † 2 IBM pulled off strategic renewal as it moved from a product to a service/consulting company. Harley-Davidson managed a different but equally significant strategic renewal by redefining its relationship with its customers. Exhibit 1-2 Strategic Renewal and Organizational Change. Theory into Practice To implement a renewed strategy, organizational leaders need to engage in a change process. For strategic renewal to be effective, organizations need to do more than announce a new strategy. Leaders need to align internal processes, structures, and systems with the demands of that new strategy. New organizational capabilities—talents and skills possessed by employees—need to be built. Underlying all those shifts is the requirement to engage in discontinuous change: large-scale, long-term reorientation of most or all of the central aspects of organizational life. The goal is to create lasting alterations in patterns of employee behavior in order to support strategic renewal. Strategic Renewal through a New Business Model Apple Computer seemed well positioned to achieve a breakthrough into the corporate/business market. With the extraordinary popularity of its iPod and iPhone offerings, young customers were flocking to Apple products as never before. But successful penetration into the business market would require more than loyal customers and brand familiarity. Apple’s business mode would need to change. The company’s long-standing highly secretive culture (Steve Jobs enjoyed launching new products with high security prior to his grand announcements) would need to change. In the corporate world, customers expect to be treated as long-term partners, actually having a say in the development of new products. In order to extend its popularity among young, tech-savvy consumers into the corporate marketplace, Apple would need  to alter its business model. Business model innovation has become an increasingly common avenue for corporate growth. At its most basic level, a business model is the organization’s approach to generating revenue and making a profit. More specifically, business models involve the configuration of and the nature of the linkage between operations. 4 Start-up companies often gain a competitive advantage over long-standing market leaders by offering novel business models. Consider the following examples: Starbucks offered high-priced coffee specialty drinks in a relaxed environment. Amazon sold books online. Southwest Airlines provided an air service that competed with bus service and driving. Dell built computers to customer specifications. Zara placed low-cost high-fashion items on shelves with incredible speed. YouTube revolutionized the creation and distribution of video. Facebook integrated web-based interconnectivity with traditional school-based yearbooks. All of those companies had the advantage of building the innovative business model from scratch, â€Å"greenfield† as it is often called. They could harmonize their internal processes and employee competencies and behaviors with the requirements of their model. They did not face the challenge of nurturing a new business model within an existing, long-standing approach to generating revenue. Theory into Practice It is possible to gain competitive advantage through the creation of a new business model, but changing your existing business model will create special change challenges. Altering an existing business model, especially one that has been successful in the past, has proved much more challenging than a greenfield effort. Some organizations have been successful: Under Louis Gerstner, IBM transformed its business model for generating profits from the sales of hardware to generating profits from services and software. Lufthansa’s Jergen Weber moved the company from a centralized collection of functional stovepipes to a number of free-standing service offerings, including cargo handling, on-plane catering, and service maintenance. Carlos Ghosn changed the failing business model of Nissan by simultaneously centralizing product design and globalizing the company’s supply chain. Not all attempts to alter a company’s business model lead to success, of course. Michael Armstrong’s effort to move ATT from a long-distance phone company to a full-service provider of a wide array of offerings—cable, long-distance, local, wireless, etc. —proved disastrous. 6 Most notoriously of all, Jeffrey Skilling’s alteration of Enron’s business model—from energy provider to energy futures trader—disintegrated over the company’s inability to build sustainable profitability (and its leaders’ willingness to hide that fact from the public, investors, and employees). Corporate leaders believe that business model innovation will be the major source of growth over the next decade. 8 To achieve that desired growth, however, they will need to become effective change leaders. Because business model innovation alters the nature of linkages among employees, it disrupts existing patterns of behavior while demanding new competencies and skills. The failure of a company to engage in organizational change undermines a company’s capacity to innovate in their business model. 9 All business model innovation—that is, moving from the status quo to a new model—requires organizational change. Theory into Practice Adaptation of a new business model within a corporation will require organizational change. Behavioral Change Effective strategic renewal requires behavioral change that directly targets patterns of employee actions and interactions in order to meet the company’s strategy and to achieve and sustain outstanding performance. Theory into Practice If change interventions are to achieve significant and sustainable impact on performance, they must focus on altering patterns of employee behavior. Effective implementation depends on an alteration in patterns of employee behavior. Behavior refers to the actions employees take to enact their roles and responsibilities within the organization. Behaviors involve what employees do and how they do it, how much effort they bring to their roles, and how persistent they are in achieving desired outcomes. Behavior also involves the enactment of relationships: how employees interact with others (peers, subordinates, superiors, customers, suppliers, the host community, and so forth). It is this enactment of roles, responsibilities, and relationships that constitutes employee behavior in organizations. The collective enactment of those roles, responsibilities, and relationships—that is, the patterns of employee behavior within organizations—constitutes the target of behavioral change efforts. Behavioral change seeks more than a short-term alteration. New behaviors that are adopted for a short period of time and then dropped as employees return to old approaches will undermine strategic renewal. In order to support strategic renewal and outstanding performance, new behaviors need to be sustainable and adaptive to shifts in the external environment. The reason sustainability of new behaviors matters can be stated simply: the ways in which employees behave significantly impact the organization’s performance. Beyond products and market position, beyond plants and technology, employee behaviors affect the bottom-line performance of the organization. 10 Theory into Practice Organizational change seeks to create long-term, sustainable alterations in employee behaviors. Just how does that happen? How is it that patterns of employee behavior impact a company’s bottom-line performance? The key to understanding the relationship of behaviors to performance can be found in the idea of motivation. Motivation, in this case, refers to the degree to which employees are committed to the achievement of outstanding performance both for themselves and for their company. Employee motivation pays off in bottom-line performance. High motivation creates in employees the capability and willingness to work together to solve problems. Quality improves, customer responsiveness increases, and adaptation occurs. Chapter 4 will examine in detail efforts to redesign organizations to capture the benefits of enhanced employee involvement and commitment. For now, we can suggest that behaviors count. The competitive advantage delivered by behavioral change can be long term and sustainable. The manner in which work is organized, information is shared, decisions are made, coordination occurs, and problems are solved are all performance differentiators. 11 Furthermore, that performance edge is sustainable for decades, leading to significant and often staggering competitive advantage. 12 Theory into Practice The way employees behave impacts the bottom-line performance of the company. Sources of Behavior Effective change implementation needs to start with an appreciation of the source of an individual’s behavior. What is it that leads an individual to behave in a certain way? Individual psychology is important, of course: who the individual is, what values he or she brings to the workplace, even how that individual thinks and learns. But individual psychology can be difficult to assess and slow to change. A leader seeking leverage over employee behavior can start by focusing not on individual psychology but on the organizational context in which employees work. Theory into Practice Behavior comes from both the individual and the organizational context in which the individual works. Organizational context—the setting and circumstances in which employees work—exerts a powerful impact on behavior. Companies as diverse as Google, Nordstrom, MySpace, and Southwest Airlines endeavor to promote an organizational context that shapes individual behavior. They call upon organizational culture and values, the behaviors of leaders, as well as rules and procedures to define a context that shapes how employees enact their roles, responsibilities, and relationships. To appreciate the power of organizational context to shape behaviors, we can examine a specific example of an employee mistake. Sheryl Sandberg, an advertising manager at Google, made a mistake that cost the company millions of dollars. â€Å"Bad decision,† she admitted, â€Å"moved too quickly, no controls in place, wasted some money. † 13 Sandberg quickly informed Google cofounder Larry Page. Employees make mistakes, even occasionally big ones such as Sandberg’s. Leaders have an important opportunity to shape organizational context by the manner in which they respond to those errors. Quick and harsh repercussions—firing, for example, or demotion—will have one kind of impact on the organizational context in which employees work. That response may be justified and reasonable, but it may also work to stifle future risk-taking behaviors. Or perhaps employees will be less willing to admit mistakes, slowing down an organization’s response time. The boss may also respond in a less harsh and punishing manner. Listen to the reaction of Google cofounder Larry Page, to Sandberg’s admission: I’m so glad you made this mistake, because I want to run a company where we are moving too quickly and doing too much, not being too cautious and doing too little. If we don’t have any of these mistakes, we’re not taking enough risk. The point is not that Page’s response is the only â€Å"correct† or reasonable response to the admission of a mistake. Leaders have to determine what type of organizational context they seek to create. That context will need to be aligned with the company’s strategy and purpose. Page and Google cofounder Sergey Brin believe that mistakes can provide fuel for improvements, even innovation. â€Å"We’re willing to tolerate ambiguity and chaos,† says senior vice president Shona Brown, â€Å"because that’s where the room is for innovation. † Google’s leaders want a context that tolerates risk in order to generate innovation. Employee Participation and Resistance to Change Not all employees greet change with equal enthusiasm. It is useful, therefore, to examine the sources of employee resistance to change and the ways in which managers can overcome resistance. Resistance refers to action, overt or covert, exerted on behalf of maintaining the status quo. 14 Why Employees Resist Change You’re either for this change or you’re against it. That refrain may be familiar; it is not, however, accurate. Employee response to change runs across a broad spectrum, ranging from â€Å"commitment† at one end to â€Å"aggressive resistance† on the other.

Explain potential hazards and the harm that will arise from each in a health and social care setting Essay Example

Explain potential hazards and the harm that will arise from each in a health and social care setting Essay Fellowship is a private childrens house centre based in the Newham borough and they provide care and accommodation for children from six months to five years old with working and studying family members. This organisation has been put forward to help families in the local community as they provide ten hours of care from Monday to Friday. Within this setting there are a number of health, security and safety hazards that can occur, such as: Security Fellowship has rules and regulations that need to be followed to ensure the safety of the children in their care is met. For example If a baby gate is left open and unsupervised it could lead to a child crawling out, which cause lead to the child physically hurting/harming themselves. All visitors, workers and parents buzz in at the front entrance and they are let in without any questions asked, as long they sign in they are allowed to access all areas of the centre. This could lead to individuals coming into who may cause harm to workers and other visitors. We will write a custom essay sample on Explain potential hazards and the harm that will arise from each in a health and social care setting specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Explain potential hazards and the harm that will arise from each in a health and social care setting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Explain potential hazards and the harm that will arise from each in a health and social care setting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is important for professionals to be aware of children’s parent to ensure the children go home with the right people and if they are getting picked up by anyone besides the parents the centre needs to be informed in advance to ensure security and safety to the children. The children centre will need to be informed if there is a restraining order against one of the parents to prevent any harm to the child. http://www.sign-rite.co.uk/content/images/cctv.jpg Safety Within the children centre a risk assessment needs to be carried out as there are different types of hazards that may occur. For example children usually go out to play after the rain has stopped, leaving the climbing frames, slides etc. wet and slippery which can potentially lead to children slipping off playground facilities causing harm to themselves. Because of this safeguarding will need to be promoted to prevent children from hurting, bruises, head bumps and fractures etc. During meal time there are usually food and drinks dropped on the floor/tables by the children which staff need to be aware of to ensure it is cleaned to prevent risks from happening to both the children and staff as they may slip on spilt drinks and food on the floor. There are four fire exists within the centre. The fire exist nearest to the main hall is blocked with delivery stocked boxes and other items. This may put children, workers and visitors in danger as the main hall is used regularly and it will be the fastest way out. Health Staff need to aware of the food policy which comes from the Food Safety Act, it also covers food hygiene to ensure all children’s individual medical status and their culture religions are met as it will give them a heads up on what the children can and cannot eat. If a child with an allergic reaction is given something they are allergic to, it can cause the child to become poorly depending on the intake amount and speed the child can get professional help. Children who are not attending the day centre because of illnesses such as chickenpox, head lice, measles and food poisoning or other illnesses/bugs will need to be recorded by staff in the incident and accident book and it needs to be reported to the manager as she will need to inform other parents so they are aware and they can get their children checked in advance.

Gender and Eve Returns Wall-e Essay Example

Gender and Eve Returns Wall Gender and Eve Returns Wall-e Essay Gender and Eve Returns Wall-e Essay The first half of Wall-E completely reverses Hollywood’s idea of the boy/girl romance. Wall-E and Eve each take on roles opposite their portrayed gender. Wall-E though assumed to be a lovable male displays stereotypical female characteristics and behaviours such as his weakness, his cleaning, and the longing he has for companionship. While Eve, though sleek and beautiful like our image of the â€Å"ideal woman† is much more the stereotypical male, arriving and immediately wreaking destruction, she is devoid of emotion, and displays lots of physical power. Wall-E and Eve both take on characteristics typical of the opposite sex making us question our ideas of â€Å"romance. † Wall-E opens our eyes to more possibilities; maybe romance isn’t based around so many gender stereotypes but simply by the way we feel about another person – or robot. Wall-E’s weakness and fear of Eve’s arrival is demonstrated by his shaking and hiding behind nearby garbage cans. Though Eve’s immediate destruction of anything that moves, would strike fear into the heart of any semi-intelligent being. Wall-E, having been built simply for cleaning is small, and seemingly insignificant. While Eve’s sleek form is not only efficient but built for destruction. With her convenient built-in cannons, she’s every boys dream robot, and what girl doesn’t adore Wall-E’s adorableness. Eve’s physical strength is shown time after time, when she pops bubble wrap with a machine gun like quickness. When teaching Eve to dance Wall-E is cute and certainly more elegant than Eve who is more clumsy than elegant. She jumps so hard she shakes Wall-E’s little living space and twirls so fast she breaks Wall-E’s eye. : Another example is when Wall-E tries to hold her hand after she has the plant, and just closing herself back up she slams his hand so hard it appears she may have really hurt him. Despite her outbursts of anger and her clear physical power that she holds over him, Wall-E adores her anyway. Wall-E spends his days tidying and cleaning, occasionally collecting trinkets and toys throughout the day, much like a woman taking advantage of garage sales ad bringing home multiplies of things she already owns. While Wall-E spent all of his time before Eve cleaning and collecting, Eve shows up with only 1 goal – find plant life and bring it back to the humans in space. She is goal oriented and not very interested in anything that side-tracks her, going so far as to destroy things that slow her down – such as the entire ship when she becomes attached to its magnet. Eve is quick to anger and quick to shoot anything that so much as moves without hesitation and with no concern what she leaves behind her. After she deems Wall-E no longer a threat and stops trying to blow him up, she completely ignores him following her in order to work on her mission. But being ignored does not deter Wall-E who adores her not only from a distance but enough to protect her best he can from the sandstorm. While Wall-E is lonely and longing companionship, it seems the only emotion Eve feels –when she feels any at the beginning of the movie is anger. Wall-E’s loneliness is shown when he folds his own hands together and in his silently following Eve everywhere, despite her obvious disinterest. Wall-E even records the love song and gazes at the stars before Eve’s arrival, as if asking a higher source to ease his loneliness. Eve is not even slightly interested in Wall-E’s attempt at friendship – or more in the beginning. She is quick to anger, again with the ship magnet and does not feel remorse or concern for anyone – or anything she may harm. Blowing up several things in Wall-E’s vicinity in attempt to get rid of him, she is not worried about the consequences – as she doesn’t even wait to see if he is ok or not. As if following her around and being ignored weren’t enough, when she does pay attention it is to fire at him, and being nearly blown to pieces every time he moves too quickly doesn’t seem to derail Wall-E’s adoration for Eve as he sticks around to save her from the sandstorm and tries to woo her with the trinkets and old love movies. Eventually Eve returns Wall-E’s feelings, though not as strong so early on, she does let him try to impress her. She even begins to giggle when poor Wall-E gets hurt dropping things on himself – which displays some elements of a Hollywood romance, but they both still display characteristics primarily opposite what is typical for their respective genders. Despite their differences, and their seemingly reversed gender roles, it seems we cannot stereotype romance. Wall-E is quick to fall in love with Eve even though she is much stronger, faster, braver and better equipped than him and Eve takes a little more time, but sees the charm in Wall-E’s gentle but protective nature. Wall-E and Eve are an improbable but adorable romance proving that the â€Å"cool guy† isn’t always the one who ends up with the pretty girl.

The concept and importance of CPD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The concept and importance of CPD - Essay Example They basically work to enhance the talent of those working and responsible for the human resource in the organizations. A good HR manager basically has all the qualities that need to ace him in the complex professional organizations of today. He is a good role model and works with integrity and consistently all through his professional life. He also has the ability to make quick and right decisions under pressure and makes stress work in his favor. A good HR manager additionally has the potential to influence people and make them clearly see his point of view and gain consensus and support from a diverse workforce. His additional understanding of the business processes, activities and plans helps him ace his business towards success. He has the potential to engage, involve and commit the employee to the organization. The strategy that I opted to grow in my HR career was networking. My networking was not entirely internally focused; it was also concentrated on connecting with the peop le outside the organization. It allowed me to grow and get fresh ideas. Another behavior that I adopted was initially work as a generalist role and got exposure to all areas of HR. A behavior or skill that I think specifically worked to help me grow in my career was my ability to judge and evaluate the situation at once. I as a human resource professional see myself along the definition of band two. I have gained enough experience to be able to advice and manage human resource issues occurring all across the organization. I have it in me to stand objectively and view things like an outsider would and come up with solutions that work for everyone. I have evolved and gained knowledge, skills and competencies that make me successful at what I do. At band 2 I am more flexible and empowered to action and influence others to work effectively and efficiently. My aspiration to be the centre of the HR department and work as a HR mentor specified at band four makes motivates me to be more res ponsible, accountable and innovative. Performance and reward, though being a part of band 1, I understand it is a key driver of HR & Business strategy and developing an organization culture. Performance and reward refers to linking performance with reward – tying rewards with performance. Team/Group incentives, Sales commission, Recognition award are the examples of the aforesaid definition. Performance encompasses quantity, quality & timeliness of output, presence at work, cooperativeness, etc. etc. Rewards refer to all kind of financial and non-financial return by the employer. There are two types of rewards: Intrinsic rewards come from inside the person. Motivation, recognition, appreciation or acknowledging one’s efforts are the examples of intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic rewards refer to tangible rewards, such as annual pay raise, bonuses or days-off, etc. Employee Engagement: Organizations now realize that a â€Å"satisfied† employee does not guarantee maximu m productivity. Another category of employee (above satisfied) is an â€Å"engaged† employee – the most productive & loyal employee. An engaged employee is always willing to move a way forward in order to delight the customers. He/She is intellectually and emotionally bound with the organization, tries to yield 100% and is always passionate about his/her goals whilst committed to live by its values. Organization design: In this context, I give below the dimensions of five configurations: - Simple structure: It is usually found in small organizations where the manager and owner is one and the same person. It has a low degree of departmentalization and formalization while span of control & authority is delegated to a single person. - Machine bureaucracy: It refers to highly routine operating tasks having very

24 Hour Diary Entry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

24 Hour Diary Entry - Assignment Example Harry was and is truly my life, and no hologram can take his place. Stephanie will be coming by with Peter in a few hours to spend the rest of Valentine's night with me. I will never understand why they prefer to travel to the house via particle transfer. It has always seemed so dangerous to me. Specially since I have to make sure they both show up fully atomized on my end. After what happened to Scampi, I just don't want another mess of red globs on my transporter floor again. I'll have to try and convince them to travel by jet pack again. It really is so much safer for all of us to be navigating through sky traffic than atom links. I'll be preparing their favorite dish to celebrate the night. The Duck L'Orange should only take about 1 minute to materialize from the Imaginfood maker. I hope the food maker doesn't act up tonight. It's been serving me double patty grilled pork pulls all week no matter what I think up. The repairman said I was thinking of too many foods so the analyzer could not figure out what I really wanted to eat. I hope it can see my visualization tonight. There goes the holophone. I better go answer it. It sounds like Peter on the other end. He hates it when his hologram has to stand around for more than 2 rings. I certainly hope they won't be canceling on me. I could really use the company of my daughter and her husband tonight. March 19, 2050 My how time flies! Just a few weeks ago I was celebrating Valentine's Day and here I am now, just back from another birthday appointment with my doctor. Really, these annual doctor visits become a bane for someone like me who doesn't really feel anything wrong with me. But I have to do it because Stephanie insists that I continue to be carried on her insurance policy even though I have my own. Why I have to be checked out by my doctor each year on my day of birth itself is beyond me. All this government red tape... Anyway, my doctor showed up via video conference while my medical emergency robot took care of the blood, urine, and fecal testing that the doctor required. I am really glad Stephanie got me a female carebot, I doubt I would have been able to allow the tests if it were a male. These robots look so lifelike that I oftentimes forget they are just wires and processing chips underneath the silicone skin. My results were fine as expected. Save for some Anemia and arthritis, Stephanie doesn't have to worry about raising her insurance premiums for elderly catastrophic care just yet. My grandson Skip will be spending the weekend with me while his mom and dad are away on business. I always like having him around. He never minds hanging with his 80 year old mumsie. I think it is because he feels more intelligent around me. I could never work that streaming music player he got me for Christmas last year. He promised to teach me how to use the humming feature in order to search for the correct music I want to listen to over the preset web stations. June 23, 2050 Summertime! My f riends and I are planning a virtual trip to Acapulco this weekend. All this rain outside my bio dome has been making my arthritis act up. I need the heat of the sun. Ever since global warming reversed the weather conditions. Summer has never meant summer and neither has the rainy season. It's been raining when the sun should be out and sunny when the rain should be pouring. Don't even get me started on that erratic snow fall that is wreaking havoc on my green house. You never know when that powder is going to fall. What I would without my artificial sun maker, I will never know. My best friends Linda and Laura will be using our life

Innovation at Marks & Spencer Food Store Assignment

Innovation at Marks & Spencer Food Store - Assignment Example The company possesses 360 franchised stores, wholly owned and partly owned stores in 42 territories across Middle East, Europe and Asia. At Marks and Spencer, customers shop through stores, phone as well as online. (Reuters, n.d.) According to the predictions of IGD, the size of the value of the online food and grocery stores will get doubled in 2014. It has been forecasted that the annual growth rate of grocery stores will get three times faster than the wider grocery market. With the penetration of internet and rising familiarity with broadband, the value of retail websites and online services will get enhanced. The online world is now increasingly influencing the decisions of shoppers. (IGD, 2009) Types of Innovation Innovation generally lies in the eyes of beholder. What may be innovative for one person cannot be innovative for other. There are many different types of innovations which company opts. The basic structure of innovation revolves around one of the following or all of the following. It includes: Product Under this category, organization usually changes the products or services they offer to their customers. Any modification, alteration, variants etc. come under the head of innovation in product category. Process Under this head, companies usually changes the way they create or deliver their products. This includes value addition. Positioning For positioning innovation, companies changes the context in which the specified products has to be communicated or framed. Paradigm Shift Paradigm shift refers to changing the mental modes of customers by providing other innovative ways of using the products. Paradigm shift usually shifts the perception of customers towards a certain product. (Innovation, 2005) Marks Spencer Food Store Apps Several applications have been developed for smartphone these days. Some of them have become so successful and useful that users consider them as an integral part of their lives. Great deals of applications have been deve loped for facilitating shopping at grocery stores. According to a recent research, Americans spend millions of dollars each day in grocery shopping. Due to such huge market of grocery shoppers, the type of application which needs to be designed must be the one which can facilitate shoppers in shopping for groceries. The type of innovation which has been selected comes under the head of â€Å"Process†. Innovation in Apps for Marks and Spencer Food Store Apps, which are to be designed for Marks and Spencer Food Store possess some innovative features which would help the shoppers in making it convenient to shop for groceries. The innovative features of apps include: By using this App, one can save money at grocery store; humans spend a great amount of money in the products related to food. This often affects the budget. Spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on food items raises the concern of budget. Without having a shopping lists, one can be prone to buying on impulse whic h leads to buying unnecessary stuff as well. By this app, shoppers can prepare a list of items along with their prices and can select accordingly. Buying local food; this feature will help in buying fruits and vegetables from local farmers which will not only reduce cost but will also be good for health. (Gamm, 2010) Coupons offered; by using this app, customers would need not to clip coupons from newspapers. Instead, a feature of this app would help in providing coupons available on some

Prime Minister: British System of Government

Prime Minister: British System of Government INTRODUCTION This essay mirrors the roles of the Prime Ministers and their Cabinet members, and discusses how dominant the role of Prime Minister is in the British system of Government, and to what extent can the power be exercised. The essay begins with a vivid explanation of what the core executive arm of the British government is made up of, what position the Prime Minister stands for in the business of coordinating the affairs of the well-meaning British citizens. Moreover, on the other hand, this essay seeks to address the roles Prime Ministers have played in the Civil Service and the changes they have effected in the past decades. The next point will describe, compare and contrast the leadership styles of some dignitaries who have served in the capacity of a Prime Minister to the British government in the twentieth century to the present Leader Gordon Brown. The next important area this essay will address includes historical decisions former Prime Ministers have made in shaping the British polity and policy formulation. We will resume our discussion with a brief consideration of the structure of the British system of government and gladly guide our discussion into the roles and powers of the Prime Minister in the affairs of the government. THE BRITISH SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT The British system of government is known to be Europes oldest parliamentary democracy. The British parliament was established in the eleventh century and, after King John signed the Magna Charta in the year 1215, it came into power and became the main figure in the British system of government. By this singular act, England piloted the idea of democracy in the whole of Europe. The British constitution, unlike that of most of other countries in Europe and the world at large, is not written as a single document. It is partly formed by statute, and partly by common law and conventions respectively. The constitution can be altered by an Act of Parliament, and/or by general agreement to change convention(s) (Coxall et al, 2003:179-181; 2006: 182-189; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Britain is a constitutional monarchy and currently has her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. Practically, she reigns but does not rule. The country is administered, in the queens name, by the Government comprising of a body of ministers, which is referred to as the Cabinet and consists of 22 leading ministers, who are responsible to carrying out Parliamentary functions. The origin, traditions, customs and beliefs of the Great Britain are derived from its four countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Each of these countries is well represented in the British Parliament, which sits at Westminster (at the heart of London) this is the ultimate legislative authority in the kingdom. The Parliament is composed of three arms: the Sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons (Coxall et al, 2003:182-186; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). In practice, the Sovereign arm officially summons and dissolves the Parliament and generally begins every new yearly assembly with a speech from the throne. The House of Lords consists of traditionally inherited peers and peeresses, which also includes the law Lords. They are so appointed to undertake the judicial duties of the House, and the Lords Spiritual (made up of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and other 24 bishops). On the other hand, the House of Commons is elected by universal adult suffrage and made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) there are approximately 650 seats for the MPs. The chief responsible officer of the House is the Speaker, who is elected by the MPs to take charge of the affairs of the house and presides over the house meetings. The ultimate authority for lawmaking resides in the House of Commons (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 250-251). Every five years, a general election must be conducted only citizens who are eighteen (18) years of age and above are allowed to participate in the voting exercise; and candidates for various elective positions must be over 21. There are four major political parties, namely: Social Democratic, Labour, Liberal, and Conservative parties The winning party forms the Government. Ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister (leader of winning party). The second party becomes official Opposition to the ruling party and forms the Shadow-Cabinet. MPs who are members of the Opposition blocs are called back-benchers. THE PRIME MINISTER In modern era, the United Kingdoms Prime Ministers lead a major political party, and command a majority in the House of Commons (the Legislative arm), who is also the leader of the Cabinet (the Executive arm). However, it should be noted that under the British system of government, there is a unity of powers rather than separation. The Premiership was not deliberately created as an official position, but has however, evolved into a much structured official power. The office gradually evolved over three hundred years, and defined by customs in the form of conventions that later became generally accepted by everyone. The Prime Ministers relationship with the Sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet was completely defined by these conventions until the twentieth century. Despite its growing supremacy in the constitutional chain of command, the Premiership was accorded with little formal recognition the legal imaginary tale upheld was that the Sovereign still governed directly. For example, many of the Prime Ministers legislative and powers are largely derived from Royal sanctions and are still formally vested in the Head of State the Sovereign (Coxall et al, 2003:180-182; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Under this arrangement, UK appears to possess two independent executives: the Prime Minister and the Sovereign. However, the notion of the crown settles this paradox. The Royal Crown stands as a symbol of the states authority to govern making laws and executing them, imposing taxes and collecting them, declaring war and making peace. Until the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Sovereign had worn the Crown and exercised the powers it stands for. Thereafter, Parliament gradually took Sovereigns out of the corridor of political powers to a more neutral position. Parliament placed the Crown in commission, thereby entrusting its authority to responsible Ministers including the Prime Minister and the Cabinet crew, who are made accountable for their policies and actions to the Parliament and the people Great Britain. Nevertheless, the Sovereign still wears the Crown and her sanction powers are still legally intact in practice, Parliament has taken everyday governance from her, leaving her with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise, and to warn (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). The Prime Minister is responsible for recommendations of dignitaries for honour in the various annual special honours lists. The Prime Minister has a distinctive role in the area of national security; being the national leader, the PM represents the country at global events, such as, playing host to heads of government of other countries and international conferences, (Coxall et al, 2003:187-189; 2006: 182-202). The PM also appoints top civil servants. Dating back to the late seventies, it is gathered that quite a lot of key reforms of the civil service has evolved. Margaret Thatcher (the then Prime Minister) highly scrutinised the civil service commission; her civil servant reforms meant making the civil servants more efficient. This effectively reduced the numbers of civil servants in office. The Blair government also continued with this reform. This reform was, however, formally initiated by the previous Conservative government, (Martin 2003:69-70). Notwithstanding, the leadership styles of Prime Ministers have varied historically. Thatcher is famous with having a dominant leadership style in which she had a direct approach, however, the political writer Martin J Smith has described her leadership style as being autocratic. Generally, the Prime Minister seeks advice from the Chancellor of the Exchequer and treasury before economic, foreign policy proposal are made, nevertheless, the final decisions are made by the PM who is central in shaping policies. Over the past forty-five years in the UK government, Prime Ministers had to take an important role in various schemes bothering the different quarters of the economy such as challenges facing the industrial trade unions and issues in Northern Ireland. On the other hand, PMs might delve into areas they fervently believe in, which might sometimes risk being displeasing to other ministers. For example while Margaret Thatcher bought in the poll tax, James Callaghan the PM during the late seventies intervened in educational and health matters, however, Tony Blair, on his opinion, put into operation the millennium dome, had an enthusiastic interest in law and order and supported President Bush in the Iraq war. Gordon Brown has made several decisions (such as cl osing the gaps that exits in the tax haven) that he believes will lead his people out of the current financial crisis. The PM has the power to advise the monarch the arrangement of disbandment of parliament within a five-year period. This strengthens the PMs authority against the oppositional parties; however this political weapon can sometimes flop, for instances James Callaghan in failing to call for a general election in 1978, while his predecessor Edward Heath called an election in 1974, can mean defeat. Final decisions on election dates are generally made after proper consultations with chief whips and cabinet have been initiated. Historically, British Prime Ministers possess distinctive responsibilities to discharge healthy governance to the people of Great Britain, notably in world wars and recent crisis like foot and mouth and fuel crisis. Prime Ministers importantly must govern in a democratic way, by getting a consensus if they are to do well in office. The support of the party gives the prime minister the right and influence to carry out their duties, relationships within the party are paramount and are two way. The relationships the PM has between cabinet ministers and close associates do not necessary have to do with personally as generally they are part of a structural relationship which is linked by the rules of the Whitehall circle, which are made up of institutions of governments, past policy decisions and by outside political and economic matters. Cabinet ministers and the prime minister have resources available to them; however, to achieve this they have to go through a process of exchange. This clearly has to do with the particular framework, which the prime minister would have achieved on the election result, if the PM were unpopular in the polls, and then they become more reliant on others for advice (Coxall et al 2003: 187-193; 2006: 182-202). A prime minister has the most authority after an election victory. CONCLUSION The PM achieves little or nothing in office if they do not have the support of their cabinet ministers. Furthermore, the Prime Minister being in office is based on legitimacy; hence, the PM is reliant on the cabinet. Tony Blair, being aware of how support is vital, owed his position, in many ways, to Browns loyalty. In return, Blair has given Gordon Brown the authority and autonomy to administer the governments socio-economic policies/affairs. Although, Blairs leadership style making of executive decisions which he (Blair) feels is best for the country irrespective of what the bulk of the cabinet members think is more superior to Browns. In conclusion, British Prime Ministers are clearly in a powerful position of authority in the British system of government, which has evolved over time. REFERENCES Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2006): British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2003): Contemporary British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, 4th ed. Kavanagh D. (1996): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 3rd ed. Kavanagh D. (2006): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 6th ed. Martin J. S. (2003): Governing as New Labour. Palgrave Macmillan

The Price System :: essays research papers

The Price System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The price system is a means of organizing economic activity. It does this by coordinating the decisions of consumers, producers, and owners of productive resources. Millions of economic agents who have no direct communication with each other are led by the price system to supply each other's wants. Every economic system has three functions. In a decentralized usually private enterprise economic system, the price mechanism is the instrument by which these functions are performed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prices are an expression of the consensus on the values of different things, and every society that permits exchanges among consumers has prices. Because prices are expressed in terms of a widely acceptable commodity, they permit a comparison of the comparative values of various commodities--if shoes are $15 per pair and bread 30 cents per loaf, a pair of shoes is worth 50 loaves of bread. The price of anything is its value in exchange for a commodity of wide acceptability, money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A system of prices exists because individual prices are related to each other. If, for example, metal rods cost 40 cents a pound and the process of drawing a rod into wire costs 25 cents a pound, then, if the price of wire exceeds 65 cents, it will be profitable to produce wire; and if the price of wire falls below 65 cents, it will be ruinous to produce wire. Competition, therefore, will hold the price of wire about 25 cents per pound above that of rods. A variety of such economic forces ties the entire structure of prices together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One function of the price system is to determine what is to be produced and in what quantity. Even an ancient economy must choose between food and shelter, weapons and tools, priests and hunters. In a modern economy the potential variety of goods and services that may be produced is immense. Consider simply the 10,000 new book titles that are published each year or the hundreds of colors of paint or the thousands o f styles of clothing that are produced--each of these actual collections being much smaller than modern technology permits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second function of the price system an economy must perform is to decide how the desired goods are to be produced. There is more than one way not only to skin a cow but also to grow wheat, train lawyers, refine petroleum, and transport baggage. The efficient production of goods requires that certain obvious rules be followed: no resource should be used in producing one thing when it could be producing something more valuable elsewhere; and each product should be made with the smallest possible amount of resources.