Saturday, December 28, 2019

Sexism And Prejudice And Discrimination - 1791 Words

As stated in the oxford dictionary a stereotype is ‘a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing’. Stereotyping is a normal, automated aspect to our thinking process and hence is a vast implication to our outlook on society. Stereotyping is a widely observed Psychological topic and it has been suggested that sex, race and age are the most prevalent aspects to stereotyping (Mackie, Hamilton, Sussking and Rosselli,1996.) Therefore discussing all areas and aspects is far beyond the scope of this essay, hence I will be focusing on sexism and present the explanations surrounding this prejudice and discrimination. Sexism is discrimination and prejudice against an individual based on their gender and is still widely apparent in society today although has drastically deteriorated in relation to the past. Most research relating to sexism specifically focuses on women as they have been victim to the majority of prejudice essentially due to their lower status compared to men in relation to business, government and employment. Women still find it increasingly difficult to achieve or obtain top authoritarian positions in advanced companies and organisations; this is known as the ‘glass ceiling’. This is a hypothetical obstacle preventing women achieving leadership goals. Alternatively women may find themselves on a ‘glass cliff’; meaning women are purposefully placed in precarious leadership roles, ahead of men and consequentlyShow MoreRelatedSexism, Prejudice, And Discrimination On The Basis Of Sex1610 Words   |  7 PagesSexism is the prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimi nation on the basis of sex. Sexism is regarded mostly towards women. Sexism affects everyone but not effecting everyone evenly. For women, they suffer from sexism socially, educational, political, religious, social, etc. The idea of sexism is that the men have more power than the women. Women get judged differently than men do. Women get judged in the workplace which limits them to certain jobs. The stereotypes that women are under are unbelievableRead MoreThe Psychology Behind Prejudice : Humans Attitude1089 Words   |  5 Pages The Psychology behind Prejudice: Humans’ Attitude Jacinda Knudtson Antelope Valley College Abstract Prejudice is an opinion in which is not based on any reasoning, and may cause harm. Prejudice can be seen just about anywhere, and it affects our daily lives. There are many different ways a person can show prejudice beliefs, but why do they believe things they have never experience? Some may say it’s something personal with one’s self that causes prejudice thoughts, or some may thinkRead MoreSocial Construction Of Race And Gender1529 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Construction of Race and Gender, Patriarchy and Prejudice and Discrimination in the Society Social construct may be defined as the social mechanism or a category which has been created by the society. It may either be a perception which is created by an individual or an idea which is constructed as a result of the culture. The present society has created a large number of constructs which are not good. In this paper, the discussion will be done on the social construction of raceRead MoreSexism And Racism : Racism And Prejudice Essay1348 Words   |  6 PagesSexism vs Racism Discrimination and prejudice have both been a major problem in our society since the idea of gender and race contacted our brains. Everyone hopes that humankind will change and treat everyone equally and fairly, but this still has yet to happen. Mankind is still treating people as minorities without a second thought. Women are still stereotyped as being too feminine for a â€Å"man’s job†, such as construction or military forces. As well as, men being considered to manly to be ableRead MoreRacism And Racism Essay986 Words   |  4 Pagessimilarities between sexism and racism. Sexism occurs when a person’s gender or sex is used as the basis for discriminating. Females are more susceptible to sexism although males are also susceptible. Sexual harassment and rape are examples of extreme cases of sexism. Racism occurs when people of a particular race or ethnicity are discriminated against or made to feel inferior. The primary outcome of the paper after comparis on is to determine most dehumanizing act between racism and sexism. The first similarityRead MorePrejudice On The Basis Of Race, Gender, And Sexual Orientation976 Words   |  4 PagesPrejudice on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation is undeniably a prominent aspect of any society. As the media is a reflection of the society in which it exists, it can be assumed that such prejudiced ideals will be represented in it. Whether or not the media is racist, sexist and homophobic is a controversial topic as every individual member of society has a differing opinion on the matter, usually on account of their own race, etc, and their experiences with discrimination. In orderRead MoreFeminism, Performative, And Gay Outlooks918 Words   |  4 Pages performative, and gay outlooks. Bewitched presents stereotypes that are present with women. Samantha does have access to get an education and stays at home. She cannot make a living outside the home because of her gender. This is referred to as sexism because the presumed sexual identity of Samantha is to be a loving housewife and not a witch. Darrin feels weird about Samantha’s witchcraft because as a man, he has a different role in society. It is supposed to be a dominating male role and heRead MoreRacial Discrimination And Discrimination899 Words   |  4 PagesDiscrimination has been in occurrence in our society more definitively in the past few decades, compared to before the sixteenth century, when the ancient world was so small that physical differences of people went unnoticed (Cashmere and Jennings, page #). I intend to analyze discrimination by looking at racism, sexism and genderism in advertisements from Dove, Nivea, and Bristol CityFox Taxi Firm. This advertisement analysis is going to dig into the underlying factors of discrimination – includingRead MoreThe Power of Unintentional Discrimination Essay741 Words   |  3 PagesRacism and sexism are both examples of discrimination that happen daily in contemporary society. Unfortunatel many instances of discrimination go unnoticed and unchecked because the society, more specifically the United States, is supposedly past the era of discriminatory practices in work, education and day to day living. In fact, racism and sexism can be unintentional as well as intentional and good people who mean well can inadvertently say things that are racist and sexist and homophobic (RothenbergRead MoreChristian Beliefs on Discrimination and Prejudice Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesBeliefs on Discrimination and Prejudice Most Christians agree that discrimination and prejudice are wrong. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England have similar views on racism but slightly differing views on sexism and women in the church. Text Box: Racism /Â’reÄ ±sÄ ±(Éâ„ ¢)m/ n. 1 a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities. And that racial difference produces an inherent superiority of a particular race. 2 racial prejudices or discrimination

Friday, December 20, 2019

What Would The Financial And Development Plan Look Like

What would the financial and development plan look like? While answering the last question, Bennet Woods stated that one of the first things that we needed to do was to formulate a strategy and an immediate one that would emerge and help in evaluating all the assets that the congregation had. This could be divided into two categories, the physical assets of property and the assets of members of the congregation. This would refers to what their gifts and graces would on a personal level and how that could help the church ministry. This being said, we would know from the case study the size of the building and when it was last renovated but we would need to be checking in to make sure that there was not anything that could†¦show more content†¦We would obtain this information through various avenues. The size of the congregation and the number in our team would be beneficial because there would not be too many congregants, while there would be enough staff that we could break up, who would tackle all the congregation at once or, we could break them up and assign a few members of our team to interview all the congregants either through home visits or meals with the congregants. The congregants’ interviews would be two fold, to first ask them what they thought about strengths of the congregation and, what they thought the congregation could bring to the community. The second would be getting to know the congregants on an individual basis so that we could ascertain their level of involvement, their gifts and graces. Another avenue to find these things could be a survey similar to what I have seen it in some congregations. Bennet stated that it be volunteering with different ideas, for new ministries and, seeing what people would be willing to help with. Not only would we use these forms and interviews to find out what they would be willing to help with, but more important would be to learn what they would be in need of. We would need to remember that a congregation would be at the top of priorities and so there ought to be

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Disbursement Acceleration Program free essay sample

The Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is a stimulus package under the Aquino administration designed to fast? track public spending, and pushes economic growth. If we are to request a DAP audit, will it answer the following questions: How was the new budget items arrived at? Where did all these monies go? Which were the provinces, cities, and towns? Who were the service providers? Were they chosen thru competitive bidding? And who were the real beneficiaries? There is no rationale at all for allowing the legislators to identify projects. What happened here? Why did the executive department allow this to happen? In this sense, the Disbursement Acceleration Program should not be implemented because it does not contribute in the GDP and economic growth of the country, although it may have been partially successful, its rediscovery has drawn reaction as â€Å"Unlawful†, aside from being unconstitutional, it does not serve, neither its spending was translated to over-all increase of jobs, nor trigger a downturn in poverty incidence. Background Two years ago, the government was roundly criticized for causing an economic slowdown. Upon assumption into office in the third quarter of 2010, the Aquino administration applied the brakes on government spending, particularly on infrastructure. At first, it was because it had little choice; the President lamented how his predecessor had already spent most of the budget allotted for the entire year. In the following year, the spending cutback continued, this time because government, in its push for â€Å"matuwid na daan,† worked to improve the quality of public expenditures and stop erstwhile massive corruption leakages. As explained by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, government decided to cancel projects embarked on by the previous leadership that were found â€Å"wanting in economic viability and credibility. † Meanwhile, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson was plugging loopholes in his department’s procurement and bidding systems, slowing implementation of programmed infrastructure projects in the process. For five consecutive quarters, beginning when President Aquino assumed the reins of government, public construction dropped consistently by as much as 58.  6 percent year-on-year in one quarter. The economy grew by only 3. 9 percent in 2011, down from a hefty 7. 3 percent in 2010. The project cancellations earned for government the displeasure of, even legal action from, donor agencies. The resulting growth slowdown drew severe criticism from business and other economy watchers. It was in this context that the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), chaired by Abad and composed of government’s key economic managers, saw urgency in accelerating government disbursements to reverse the slowdown. Thus was the DAP born. In October 2011, the DBCC prescribed the following criteria for projects to be supported under DAP: (1) fast-moving or quick-disbursing; (2) urgent or high priority in terms of social and economic development objectives; and (3) well-performing programs or projects that could further expand benefits to the public with additional funds. How were funds sourced? Funds used for programs and projects identified through DAP were sourced from savings generated by the government, the realignment of which is subject to the approval of the President; as well as the Unprogrammed Fund that can be tapped when government has windfall revenue collections, e. g. , unexpected remittance of dividends from the GOCCs and Government Financial Institutions (GFIs), sale of government assets. Body The use of DAP successfully sustained the pace of public spending as well as economic expansion. The Philippine economy grew by 3. 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, from 3.1 percent and 3. 6 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. On the supply side, real GDP growth in the fourth quarter was mainly propelled by the robust performance of the services sector, as well as the strong performance of the public construction subsector. On the demand side, household and government consumption, and public sector infrastructure investments supported growth. With a 2. 9 percent growth in net primary income, gross national income grew by 3. 5 percent. (Paderanga) The Disbursement Acceleration Plan worked. Not only were we able to push the level of government spending towards the tail-end of 2011, we were also able to achieve a better-than-expected fiscal deficit level equivalent to 2 percent of gross domestic product. (Abad) President Aquino’s recent defense of his DAP (citing its â€Å"Selective Use of Statistics† to hype growth in the country) is an exaggerated interpretation of a misleading World Bank report. The World Bank’s March 2012 Philippines Quarterly Updated said that â€Å"the government’s DAP was partially successful and contributed 1. 3 percentage points to GDP growth in [the fourth quarter of] 2011. In the November 19, 2013 decision of the Supreme Court magistrates, who voted 14-0 in ruling to bar the PDAF or the legislative pork barrel, which, like the DAP, constituted lump sum funds in the national budget, we can say that DAP is unconstitutional. So, since there’s already such a ruling on the legality of lump sum appropriations, then one can clearly see that the DAP violated the Constitution, too. Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who’s the most senior of the 14-member high tribunal, took the position that all lump sum appropriations in the budget are illegal. † The other budget rule that flows from the above is that savings have to be generated from their respective appropriations and applied only to items of their respective appropriations. General provisions in the GAA 2001, GAA 2002, and GAA 2003 uniformly provide that â€Å"In no case shall a non-existent program activity or project, be funded by augmentation from savings or by the use of appropriations otherwise authorized in the act. † Put simply, if a program, activity or project does not exist in the GAA, then it cannot be augmented from savings. Put differently, what is called â€Å"cross-border† augmentation as called by some associate justices, meaning the use of savings from one office to augment the budget of another office, is illegal. Yet, Secretary Abad admitted that DAP was used to augment the budgets of the House of Representatives and the Commission on Audit, and that savings of the Executive Department were used to augment the budget of the Commission on Elections. Fatal mistake. (Teodoro, 2013) DAP can be considered as part of the President’s vast presidential pork barrel Conclusion As a whole, the defense of DAP still fell short of justifying the organized allocation almost P 1 trillion in open fund including the supposedly abolished PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund), regular agency lump sums, unprogrammed funds, other savings and off budget items. That we even find ourselves in this debate is symptomatic of how broken our system of government is. It indicates a complete breakdown of controls, which puts into question our very system of government. The virulence of corruption has seriously tainted vital government institutions — among others, Congress, executive departments, agencies, government and controlled corporations and local government units. It also puts into question the existing auditing, budgeting processes, procedures and control mechanisms. With cases now being filed, our justice system will also be put to the test. The Pandora’s Box has been fully opened. And if the P10-billion Napoles pork barrel and the Malampaya funds scandals are just a tip of the iceberg, chances are, more gargantuan scams involving public funds are waiting to be uncovered. For all the moral anguish and outrage that Filipinos are going through, the silver lining here is that the pain could have a cathartic effect. Had these scandals not been unearthed, the corrupt would continue with their merry ways, wrecking more serious havoc along the way. But now, the guilty must be quaking in their feet. The fuse ignited by Benhur Luy and the other whistleblowers will definitely result in an explosion that will rack the country to its very foundations. But in the end, it will give us an opportunity to rectify our broken system of governance; and, if we learn from all of this, it is a precious opportunity to correct past mistakes to allow for a better society to emerge.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Dwarf Santan free essay sample

The alee of heavy metal-accumulating plants to remediation has been recently realized. Irish capability is useful in removing toxic heavy metals and trace elements from contaminated soils and waters in a process referred to as phototypesetting. Several terrestrial plants that have been identified in the last two decades as highly effective absorbing and accumulating various toxic trace elements are being evaluated for their role in the phototypesetting of soils polluted with trace elements. Contamination of soil with lead has occurred on a global scale.Exposure to lead may cause adverse effects to human health and the environment. It is therefore desirable to obtain a quantitative estimate of the potential risk of lead contamination. Numerous studies have been conducted collecting lead concentration data from both natural and contaminated soil on a range of scales. Very few of these studies have made serious attempts to spatially describe the data. In order to identify intimidated land and to enable development of appropriate environmental guidelines, it is essential to have an understanding of the universal range of lead concentrations. We will write a custom essay sample on Dwarf Santan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Such data also assists in assessing any potential risk to the environment or human health. I . 1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Heavy metal contamination is a common problem in many places, and this affects not only the development of cities but also the lives of the people, due to its harmful implications. For instance, if ever the aquifers are contaminated and the Neater is distributed to the people, it will most certainly affect their health as well as heir livelihood. At present, phototypesetting, a biological methods of separation in treating heavy metal contaminated soil.This study explored the possibility of using Dwarf Santa (Koori cocaine) as a phototypesetting agent. The Dwarf Santa is a popular cultivated ornamental shrub. It flowers all year and requires little care. It grows from a half meter to four meters in height. It can be grown as a hedge and sometimes as a bonsai. The plant grows in practically any type of soil, but will thrive other Asian countries. The Dwarf Santa is grown under full sunlight, which induces its year-round flowering. It is used in landscaping in open areas, exposed to bright light.Although its is only used as an ornamental plant Dwarf Santa contains chemical compounds which chalet heavy metals, which is the tannins :www. Antidisestablishmentarianism . Com/dwarf_Santa). Tannins are proven to absorb heavy metals (Humanity, et. Al. ,2003). Lead is the most commonly and usually encountered heavy metal pollutant. Lead usually ends up in water and soil through corrosion of leaded pipelines. Works such as construction, smelting, and radiator repair are some of the occupations which put the worker at greatest risk of lead exposure. I .STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of using Dwarf Santa (koori cocaine) as a phototypesetting agent on Lead (II) contaminated soil. Specifically, it aims to investigate: 1. The measurement of lead in both the soil and the plants to test the ability of the plant as a phototypesetting agent. 2. Capability of Dwarf Santa in reducing the concentration of lead in soil in thirty days. I . 3 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION This study aims to examine the possibility of Dwarf Santa as a cleaning agent for lead contaminated soil. Only the effect of the following variables is investigated:Measurements of the lead in both soil and the plants, to test the ability of the plant to serve as a phototypesetting agent and capability of Dwarf Santa in reducing the concentration of lead in soil for thirty days. I . 4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Heavy metal contamination on soil is becoming a usual problem in many places, specifically lead ions, and this affects the development of the cities as well as the health and livelihood of the people. For instance, if ever the aquifers are contaminated and water is distributed to the people, it will most certainly affect their health as well as their livelihood.Two possible sources of contaminated soil are leaded gasoline and industrial operations like smelters. While gasoline is generally the soil next to roadways up to one-quarter of a mile from the road. Lead is present in soil from multiple environmental sources. There is some lead present in all soil, but not in levels that are harmful or toxic to children. Lead concentration is increased beyond safe levels in areas where there is lead mining, construction, a focus on agriculture, or heavy traffic. Lead mining and smelting releases lead particles into the air which then settles as dust in the soil.Areas of construction are also generally high n lead soil content because of lead released from equipment and during demolition of old houses. Farming acts as a source of lead in soil primarily through fertilizer that contains lead and lime. Waste disposal can also contribute to increased lead levels in these areas. In areas of high traffic lead from gasoline that is pumped into the air settles as dust on soil and pollutes the ground. Lead poisoning is a major health risk, especially for children and infants. Along with water, food, and paint; soil is one of the leading sources of lead exposure.This study aims to investigate for an alternative mechanical means of cleaning lead (which commonly encountered heavy metal pollutant) contaminated soil. Using Dwarf Santa (koori cocaine) as a phototypesetting agent can be a promising strategy to solve the problem on Lead (II) contaminated soil with less or no harm to the environment and to the people. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2. 1 Dwarf Santa (koori cocaine) Dwarf Santa is one of the oldest known flowering plants in the Philippines. The genus Koori has roughly over 420 to 450 species.A plant which is widely distributed in the country as well in other Asian countries. Dwarf Santa is native to India and Sir Lankan (Griffith,1994). It is planted worldwide in tropical and subtropical climates Logier,1997). It is widespread in the Indian sub-continent, China, Indochina, the Malay peninsula and the Philippines. Dwarf Santa (koori cocaine) a popular cultivated ornamental shrub. A plant which belongs to the family of Rubricate, the other scientific name is Koori grandiose Kerr; It is internationally known as the Jungle Geranium, Flame of the Woods and Jungle Flame.The other names are Santa pula for tagging, tangoing for Bissau, Jungle flame (Engle. And Dwarf Santa (Engle. ). Ornamental plant is an erect and smooth shrub, growing to a height of 2 to 3 meters. Leaves are stalk less or on very short stalks, oblong, 5 to 9 CM long, heart-shaped or round at the base and blunt at the tip. Flowers are many, pink or red, and borne in terminal, stalk less or shortly stalked hairy comes. Corolla tube is slender, 2. 5 CM long; lobes are spreading and oblong, about half the length of the tube. Fruit is reddish, almost round, about 5 mm diameter. Its constituents and properties; the roots contains an aromatic acrid oil, tannin, fatty acids. Leaves yield flavors embalmer and quarantine, procrastinations and phenol acids and ferrule acids. Flowers contain cyanide and affiliation, and a coloring material related to quarantine. Considered internally sedative, stomach, tonic, antiseptic, colleague ad cultivation. (www. philippinemedicalplants. Com/dwarf_Santa). Dwarf Santa flowers throughout the year requires little care in full sunlight and light shade (Whistler ,2000).The flowers are visited by butterflies (Collins ,2001), and birds eat the fruits. The plant grows in practically any type of soil, but will thrive best n rich sandy loam. It is used in landscaping in open areas, exposed to bright light. Dwarf Santa grows well in full sun and light to moderate shade. Dwarf Santa is cold sensitive and will partially defoliate after chilling (Michael et. Al. ,1999). Frosts Nil kill it to the ground, but it recovers afterward (Tropical,2001). It competes well Ninth shrubs and herbs but not with dense grass. Little is known about environmental conditions in its native range.The species prefers slightly acid soils with good fertility and becomes sclerotic under alkaline conditions. It tolerates mild salt spray Watkins et. Al. ,1975). There is a trend towards producing newer variety of Dwarf Santa. The Dwarf Santa is the ideal plant for low maintenance landscaping. They can be planted along roadside or any public space as they dont need to much attention. They are very affordable. (http://www. Media. Com/products/dwarf_Santa/ paper. HTML) Although it is only used as an ornamental plant Dwarf Santa contains Chemical compounds which chalet heavy metals, which are the tannins.Tannins are proven to absorb heavy metals (Humanity et. Al, 2003) 2. 2 Phototypesetting Phototypesetting describes the treatment of environmental problems remediation) through the use of plants which mitigate the environmental problem without the need to excavate the contaminant material and dispose of it elsewhere. Phototypesetting consists in mitigating pollutant concentrations in contaminated soils, water or air with plants able to contain, degrade or eliminate metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil and its derivatives, and various other contaminants, from the media that contain them.Phototypesetting may be applied wherever the soil or static water environment has become polluted or is suffering ongoing chronic pollution. Examples where hydrogenation has been used successfully include the restoration of abandoned metal-mine workings, reducing the impact of sites where Pubs have been dumped during manufacture and mitigation of on-going coal mine discharges. (Ate, 2005) Phototypesetting refers to the natural ability of certain plants called hyper accumulators to fasciculation, degrade or render harmless contaminants in soils, Neater or air.Contaminants such as metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil and its derivatives, have been mitigated in phototypesetting projects worldwide. Many plants such as mustard plants, alpine pensioners and pigged have proven to be successful at hyperventilating contaminants at toxic waste sites. Disruptive technology, as opposed to mechanical cleanup methods such as soil excavation or pumping polluted groundwater. Over the past twenty years, this technology has become increasingly popular and has been employed at sites with soils contaminated with lead, uranium , and arsenic.However, one major disadvantage of phototypesetting is that it requires a long-term commitment as the process is dependent on plant growth, tolerance to toxicity and fasciculation capacity. Www. Partners. Com) 2. 3 Lead Lead (BP) is a naturally occurring element that poses environmental hazards when present at elevated concentration. It is being released into the environment because of industrial uses and from the combustion of fossil fuels. Hence, BP is ubiquitous throughout global ecosystems. The existence of potentially harmful concentrations of b in the environment must be given full attention. Emissions from vehicles are major source of environmental contamination by BP. Thus, it becomes imperative that concentrations of BP and other hazardous materials in the environment not only n the Philippines, but elsewhere in the world be adequately examined in order that development of regulations and standards to minimize risk associated with these materials in urban areas is continued. Lead is the most commonly encountered heavy metal pollutant. Lead usually ends up in water and soil through corrosion of lead pipelines. Lead in soil can come from the air or from erosion of lead-bearing rocks, and may be carried indoors as dust.Lead dust can also be generate within the home , especially older homes that used lead-based paints or lead solder (http://www. HCI. Go. Ca/Hal-vs./iii-vs./ environ/lead-aplomb-Eng,pH). Occupations such as construction working, smelting, and radiator repair are some of the occupations which put the worker at greatest risk of lead exposure. Lead is a main-group element with symbol BP Latin: plumb) and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to dull grayish color when exposed to air.Lead has a shiny chrome-silver luster when it is melted into a liquid. Lead is used in building construction, lead-acid batteries, lets and shot, weights, and is part of solder, pewter, fusible alloys. And radiation shielding. Lead has the highest atomic number of all of the stable elements, although the next higher element, bismuth, has a half-life that is so long (much longer than the age of the universe) that it can be considered stable. Its four stable isotopes have 82 protons; a magic number in the nuclear shell model of atomic nuclei. Lead is poisonous substance to animals and humans. It damages the nervous system and causes brain disorders. Excessive lead also causes blood disorders in mammals. Like he element mercury, another heavy metal, lead is a potent neurotic that accumulates both in soft tissues and the bones. Lead poisoning has been documented from ancient Rome, ancient Greece, and ancient China. There are studies conducted in the Levels of lead in urban soils from selected cities in a central on the extent of BP contamination of soils in urban cities in central region of Philippines Island.They have conclude that Only one (San Juan in Site 4) of the thirty sampling sites recorded a BP concentration beyond the WHO (World Health Organization) permissible limit of 100 MGM keg (-1). San Juan in Site 4 had a BP incineration of less than 250 MGM keg (-1). On the average, elevated BP concentration Nas evident in the soil samples from San Fernando, Along, Mammals, Baling, and Cabanas. The average soil BP concentrations in these cities exceeded the maximum estimated natural soil BP concentration of 25 MGM keg(-l).Average soil BP concentration in Site 1 (16. 8 MGM keg(-l) was well within the estimated natural concentration range of 5 to 25 MGM keg(-l). Data gathered from the study areas showed that elevated levels of BP in soil were due primarily to vehicular emissions and partly to igneous activity. (www. Environ Sic Pollute Rest Into. Com). Another study Nas conducted about the exposure of preschoolers to lead in the Magmata area of Metro Manila, the Philippines. A study was conducted in the Magmata area of Metro Manila, the Philippines.The lead concentration was measured in residential playground soils, food, water, and hair samples by atomic absorption spectrometer and the data were used to draw conclusions. All of the playground soils were contaminated with lead levels ranging from a minimum of 34. 54 micro/g to a maximum of 283. 13 micro/g in comparison to the naturally occurring lead level of 1 5 micro/g in soils. Further, the study conducted a lead analysis on the hair of the duty population to determine the accumulated lead intake. Ingestion of 25 MGM/day of soil contributed to 4% of the total lead intake per day by children exposed to the study sites.Food (83%) was found to be the major source of lead compared to other sources. (Environ Rest. ) 2. 4 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer In analytical chemistry, atomic absorption spectroscopy is a technique for determining the concentration of a particular metal element in a sample. The technique can be used to analyze the concentration of over seventy different metals in a solution. Although atomic absorption spectroscopy dates to the nineteenth century, the modern form was largely developed during the asses by a team of Australian chemists. Www. Wisped. Com/ CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY This study examined the effectiveness and feasibility of Dwarf Santa as a cleaning agent for lead contaminated soil. Measurements of lead in both the soil and plants were made to test the ability of the plant to serve as a phototypesetting agent. 3. 1 Collection and Preparation of Samples A maximum of 12 Dwarf Santa of the same ages were cut into 6 inches respectively. There is 1 required amount of Dwarf Santa were planted in each containers. 3. 2 Application of TreatmentsThis study utilized an experimental design using three levels of lead Twelve cylindrical containers filled with approximately 600 grams of humus soil taken from the same source. Appropriate concentrations of lead nitrate solutions were poured into the different setups. Setup A had the lowest amount of lead, while setup C had the highest amount of lead concentration. Dwarf Santa of the same age Newer planted on different containers. The plants were watered with 40 ml. Of distilled Neater with the same amount every day and allowed to grow for 30 days. After 30 days, the plants were removed from the pot and soil samples were collected. 3 Spectral Analysis of the Sample These specimens were submitted for analysis of lead concentrations using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AS). The different parts of the plants in each setup Newer also examined for lead using the same method. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CHAPTER 4 In Table 1, it can be seen that there was a decrease in the concentration of lead after exposure to dwarf Santa for thirty days. This only shows that the plant, indeed, has a phototypesetting effect. It can also be noticed that as the levels of lead increase, the percentage of absorbed lead also increased.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Merry Christmas Quotations

Merry Christmas Quotations Want to wish your friends a Merry Christmas? Quotes can be a great vehicle to convey the seasons greetings. These merry christmas quotes express, what a thousand-word speech cannot. 11 Quotes to Wish Everyone a Meaningful Merry Christmas Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas Somehow, not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, the joy that you give to others, is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing, the poor and lonely and sad, the more of your hearts possessing, returns to you glad. John Greenleaf Whittier Best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love, a time when the love of God and the love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives manifest the presence of God. George F. McDougall This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone. Taylor Caldwell As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is. Eric Sevareid The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. Burton Hillis, Better Homes and Gardens The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature. Andy Rooney Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. Its lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. Its higher thought and a greater plan. Its glorious dream in the soul of man. Wilfred A. Peterson, The Art of Living Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most. Ruth Carter Stapleton Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, its Christmas. Dale Evans Rogers Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. Hamilton Wright Mabie

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Information Management College Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information Management College - Case Study Example Field representatives used intranet access which effectively limited the coverage area. Analysts had limited access to sales data due to the difficulties in working with the database. Even then, the data may contain discrepancies and errors. For Lexmark, they had no means of responding quickly to the needs of the retail partners. On the other hand, the new system allows retailers, analysts, and sales representatives to easily access the system from remote locations. A centralized database linked with sales information from the retail partners allows almost real-time information management. Tools integrated into the system allow analysts to monitor sales information and respond to the needs of the partners and customers. Information flow within this new system is almost seamless. The new system allows Lexmark to make decisions quickly to respond to the needs of their partners. For one, the inventory tracking integrated into the system allows the company to quickly send out additional items to their retailers. Knowing the sales of particular products also gives the company information on the consumer aspect of sales and can adjust their production quantity and schedule accordingly.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Fireplace Coursework Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Fireplace Paper - Coursework Example This information is usually relevant for the company because it enables it to reorder and maintain enough stock quantities to meet the customers demand. The inventory that the company has in stock is calculated at the end of every month. The inventory management process in C20 is not limited to documenting raw materials and the distribution of the raw materials into production process. Raw materials movement through the different steps, the operational stages is covered. Tracking the raw materials as they are used to generate fireplaces assists the company in identifying the need to alter order amounts so that the raw materials records does not get riskily small or it is overstated to a point that is unfavorable. The company also keeps records of finished goods that are displayed in the showrooms. This means that the company posts the newly produced fireplaces to the inventory totals and it also subtracts the goods sold. One of the components of C20 inventory is the tiles stock. Ther e are different tiles that are used by the company in making fireplaces. These are quarry tiles, grazed tiles 6†, glazed tiles 4†, 6†?2† tiles, kerb tiles, and biscuit tiles. Under each and every type of tile, there are different subtypes of tiles. For instance, under the quarry tiles, there are black, black (seconds), and red tiles. Under glazed tiles 6†, there are B.Black, V. ... 4† 13 sq yard ?17.00 ?221.00 6?2 openings 375 Pieces ?0.55 ?206.25 4?4 openings 800 Pieces ?0.55 ?440.00 Hand Cast openings 150 Pieces ?0.55 ?82.50 The old stock total value is also added to the total values of the tiles in the inventory. The inventory records also have the original unrestored stocks. These are fireplaces that are either removed from houses being demolished or renovated, or which are simply bought from owners. Under the original unrestored stocks, there are sub-categories such as original wood mantles, original C.I. fireplaces, and original stoves. The sub-categories quantities, unit value, and their total value is calculated. The company inventory also has the engineering stocks such as mica, fire ropes; cement (Fire), Discs, W/Rods and Nuts and Bolts. The engineering stocks quantity, unit, unit value and total value of the sub types are then calculated and sub totals of the tiles calculated. The next item in the company inventory is the slabbing supplies. The se supplies consist of steel reinforcement, slablyte, fondu, snowcrite, cast plaster, glue, fire rope, glazes, and sand. The quantity, unit, unit value, and total value of the supplies are then calculated and sub totals of the supplies offered. The other items in the inventory are fire accessories, new wood pellet stock, safety wear, blunger, and display stock. The quantity, unit, unit value, and total value of these items is calculated and their sub-totals offered. The tiles subtotal, original unrestored subtotal, engineering stock subtotal, slabbing sub total, fire accessories subtotal, safety wear subtotal, blunger sub total, and display subtotal are added up to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Standard Deviation and Outliers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Standard Deviation and Outliers - Assignment Example Thus, it can be seen that a single point that is far away from all the points increases the standard deviation by a big amount that is from 1.58 to 6.68. Therefore, there is a great impact of the new point on the standard deviation. b) Create a data set with 8 points in it that has a mean of approximately 10 and a standard deviation of approximately 1. Use the 2nd chart to create a second data set with 8 points that has a mean of approximately 10 and a standard deviation of approximately 4. What did you do differently to create the data set with the larger standard deviation? (4 points) Notice that the standard deviation is 0. Explain why the standard deviation for this one is zero. Do not show the calculation. Explain in words why the standard deviation is zero when all of the points are the same. If you don’t know why, try doing the calculation by hand to see what is happening. If that does not make it clear, try doing a little research on standard deviation and see what it is measuring and then look again at the data set for this question. The standard deviation is zero when all of the points are the same. This is because standard deviation measures the individual data point deviation (variation) from the mean value. The standard deviation is a single number that helps us understand how individual values in a data set vary from the mean. When all the points are same, then the mean value will be also the same point and hence deviation of all the data points from the mean value will be zero. Since, the deviation of all the data points from the mean value is zero in this case; therefore, the standard deviation is zero when all of the points are the same. When all the value are the same then mean value, will be also the same and hence the value of for individual data point will be zero, and the sum will be also zero. Therefore, the standard deviation is zero when all of the points are the same. 3. Go back to

Friday, November 15, 2019

Ubuntu And Its Influence On Leadership Commerce Essay

Ubuntu And Its Influence On Leadership Commerce Essay This research will focuses on how Ubuntu can influence and be applied to leadership strategy management and implementation in the hospitality industry of South Africa. It is therefore important in this research to understand the differences between leadership and management in order to have a clear understanding on the influence of Ubuntu in the Hospitality industry of South Africa. Adair (2006) explains that leadership is of the spirit compounded of personality and vision and he illustrates that management as a trend of the mind more of an accurate methods, calculation and routine. This is to say that leadership is the understanding and sharing of a common purpose without which there can be no effective leadership. Adair believes that management is to manage change and leadership is to manage growth. In this research paper it will be established if the Ubuntu style of leadership and management can bring about any strategy in management and nurturing of growth within an organisation in the hospitality industry. 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The main purpose of this research study is to realise the influence and determine the impact of Ubuntu in leadership in strategy management and implementation. Because the style of Ubuntu leadership and management involves the leading of an organisation by departing from the hierarchically structured management relations and rather introduces a cooperative and supportive form of leadership in which collective solidarity of the group is employed and respected (Prinsloo 1998). 1.2 CONTEXT OF THE STUDY The principle of knowledge within the fields of management, strategy and leadership theories and practice has been developed and adopted mainly from the Western capitalist principles, with leading thinkers in the field being mainly of European or American dissent. These thoughts have then been exported beyond American or Western boundaries as trade has moved from being multinational, through international to global, and practices such as international outsourcing have become more widespread. While some areas of Asia, mostly India, may be both responsive and adaptive to some of these Western practices, other areas of Asia and Africa as a whole are not so. This paper offers contextual understanding of how the Concept of Ubuntu or Ubuntu leadership can be able to influence on strategy management and implementation in an organization with a case study of the Hospitality industry. The Western world has mostly underpinned and still continues on supplying leadership, implementation and strategic management ideas; this is through the political systems, and economic infrastructures to Africa, since the time of the colonial times to present. Though seemingly with good intentions, these Western theories that are continuously being used in organizations (business) in Africa have not achieved their desired outcomes because many Africans find it difficult to relate to them, having to sacrifice their authenticity in order to fully embrace such Western ideals. Thus the need to find out if Ubuntu kind of leadership and management can serve the purpose of indigenous Africa to fully embrace it. This now places an interest for the need to understand the Ubuntu context as well as the indigenous thought system and, in particular, the perspective of the Ubuntu worker. 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT The hierarchical organizational structure in every business structure will always reflect the organized coordination which ensures that the goals and objectives of the said entity are is achieved. The aim of this proposal is to investigate the Ubuntu leadership style used in the Hospitality industry. It is very cardinal to find out if Ubuntu style has a great influence in good leadership, strategy management and implementation. It is also of great importance to discover if this kind of leadership style can achieve both the institutional and the individuals objectives and goals. The other important reason for this investigation is to find out whether or not the leaders and managers in these institutions are motivated to improve their work-place. All these issues will be investigated through answering the following questions: 1.3.1 MAIN PROBLEM The objective of this research paper is to determine the degree to which Ubuntu leadership style can influence the strategy management and implementation in a hospitality industry of South Africa. How does the Ubuntu leadership style impact on the outcome of the strategy management and implementation process in a Hospitality organization? 1.3.2 SUB-PROBLEMS Below are the sub-problems which have been identified to be ideal with the main problem and gain insight into the role that Ubuntu leadership plays in the strategy management and implementation process. Does the research literature reveal the existence of any significant of Ubuntu leadership style to be more beneficial and influential in terms of strategy management and implementation in South African Companies? Does the research literature reveal the existence of a significant relationship between Ubuntu style and strategy management in South African industries? 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The aim is to discover how Ubuntu leadership can influence strategy management and implementation in an organisation. Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (2005: 32 34) states that crafting a strategy, no matter how complex a task is substantially easier than successfully implementing one. Strategy formulation is primarily an intellectual and creative act involving analysis and synthesis. Implementation is a hands-on, operations and action orientated activity that calls for leadership and managerial skills. Therefore Ubuntu leadership style often entails a change in corporate direction and therefore frequently requires a focus on effecting strategic change. Implementation is historically a top-management responsibility closing strategic capability gaps and making sure a company maintains strategic focus. Strategy formulation and implementation are linked through learning (de Kluyver and Pearce, 2003: 125-126). Grant (2002: 526) mentions, New organizational structures and strategic priorities point to new models of leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. So the question is can Ubuntu style stand to the task to play the role of top management by communicating effectively and formation of new strategies? It is said that good leadership in todays organizations calls for actively involving everyone in the organization, leaders are still ultimately responsible for establishing direction through vision and strategy (Daft. 2005: 535). Thus the concept of Ubuntu can surely apply. The results of this research will be analysed to place emphasis on the combination of leadership styles required by a transformational and transactional leader during the strategic planning process. 1.5 DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The research might face the difficulty of determining when the categories are saturated or when the theory is sufficiently detailed (Creswell, 1998: 58). The grounded theory has been critical for its failure to acknowledge implicit theories which guide work at an early stage. The limitation of this theory will be taken into consideration throughout the research and data analysis because there has never been any method in social science without being criticised. Every possible out come will be taken to ensure the rigid conformity to the principles. 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS 1.6.1 UBUNTU The doctrine of Ubuntu has been used in almost all the parts of Africa. This culture has been of Doctrine has been most used and applied in South Africa. Most Academic commentators have pointed out the philosophical notion classification known as Ubuntu, which symbolises the beliefs, values, and behaviours of a large majority of the South African population. Ubuntu is defined by Mangaliso (2001) as humanenessa pervasive spirit of caring and community, harmony and hospitality, respect and responsivenessthat individuals and groups display for one another. Ubuntu is the foundation for the basic values that manifest themselves in the ways African people think and behave towards each other and everyone else they encounter (Mangaliso, 2001:24). Ubuntu has been viewed to be one of the most critical values in the African culture as a whole, and it is believed that this practice on the basis of management can be harmonious with the peoples of Africa. But the question still needs to answered is can Ubuntu can it compete and be of any advantage universally (Mbigi, 2005; Mangaliso, 2001). 1.6.2 LEADERSHIP Leadership has been well defined by Gray (2004) that it is managing the performance of others in any organised set up (Gray, 2004: 76). Conceivably the commonest constituent of definitions found in the literature concerns exercising influence in one way or another. This is quite clear since it implies that the exercisers of power should be able to have some ideas of their own about what they want to achieve, or what they want other individuals to do. In other words, they have vision, and are proactive in trying to turn that vision into reality by involving other people. 1.6.3 STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Strategic leadership is defined by Daft (2008) as follows; The ability to anticipate and envision the future, maintain flexibility, think strategically and initiate changes that will create a competitive advantage for the organization in the future (Daft, 2008: 511). The other definition of strategic Leadership is of Dubrin (2004) which provides a clearer picture of the concept of strategic leadership. This definition of Dubrin helps to understand the necessity and effectiveness of carrying out strategic management. He defines it as a Strategic management refers to the process of ensuring a competitive fit between the organization and its environment (Dubrin, 2004: 401). 1.6.4 MANAGEMENT Managing culture is another element of leadership. It is the entrepreneurial leaders role to shape the organizational culture by setting example, the norms, standards and defining the values of the organization. Rossouw, Le Roux and Groenewald (2003: 167) state that managers often find it difficult to think that there could be a relationship between an organizations culture and its strategy. 1.7 ASSUMPTIONS It is assumed that for this study, the respondents of the questionnaires will answer all questions as openly and honesty as possible. The respondents will answer the questionnaires on their own and that, the questionnaires will not be completed in groups or influenced by other people or respondents. The respondents will answer the questionnaire in one sitting. All employees are ready and willing to be a part of the project work. All respondents will have technical and operational experience in their area of work. The results from this study which is focused on a particular sector (Hospitality industry) can be used in other organisation with the same Style of Ubuntu leadership in strategy management and implementation. 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION The evolution and progression of indigenous management theories and practices in Africa has been seriously affected and hindered by colonialism. The imposing of colonial administration was introduced by the western countries, and their management theories and practices are considered as the engine and the universal remedy for the continents socio-politico-economic development. The Western education, scholarship and prose generally diminished and denounced the astonishing management competency and practices of early African civilizations; this is evidenced, for example, in the building of the great Egyptian pyramids. It is assumed that these so called foreign management systems generally failed to achieve the desired results as they discountenanced African cultural inertia and social milieu. The paper addresses the development and effective if Ubuntu leadership style in Strategy management and implementation. Ubuntu leadership is an African management philosophy, which is rooted in th e African cultures, value system and beliefs, to provide the practical way for the efficient and effective running of organizations in Africa, with the aim of having a global competitiveness. The Ubuntu leadership style or the new management techniques known by different scholars, puts much of its emphasis on humanness, communalism and African patriotism, and it provides the veritable starting point for the development of indigenous African management philosophy. 2.2 DEFINITION OF UBUNTU A number of African researchers today have embarked on the advocacy for the indigenous African management philosophy that would serve the need of the African continent. In South Africa today, there is an emergency of a philosophical thought system derived from African culture, beliefs, and values and behaviours known as Ubuntu, (Ubuntu is a Bantu word meaning, broadly, sharing and community). Mangaliso (2001) defines Ubuntu as humaneness a pervasive spirit of caring and community, harmony and hospitality, respect and responsiveness that individuals and groups display for one another. Ubuntu is the foundation for the basic values that manifest themselves in the ways African people think and behave towards each other and everyone else they encounter( Mangaliso, 2001: 24). According to Poovan, du Toit and Engelbrecht (2006) Ubuntu philosophy permits administrators, leaders and managers to tap into the familiar African values to build and reinforce their work environment effectively by : Teaming up and organizing resources for survival this maintains productivity and effectiveness which deeply depends on shared values and individual contribution: it encourages focus on communal (and differences) with reliance to minimize threat to survival through conflict; creating of unified situations the spirit of solidarity, that is, mutual regard among members and individual adhesion to the group; create situations defined by group behaviours sit together, focus, on each other, co-ordinate behaviour; it enhances social oneness and participation sets up informal opportunities based on traditional pal abre central village location for gatherings, activities, mediation, decisions, events and rituals. Thus Ubuntu is considered to be an important value of African culture that can form the foundation of African management (Ubuntu leadership) philosophy that is in tune with the peoples of Africa. Though the proponent of Ubuntu leadership have argued that the concept was created as a system of management practice, for competitive advantage and to command a universal appeal beyond the shores of the continent (Mbigi, 2005; Mangaliso, 2001). Mangaliso (2001) suggests that: Incorporating Ubuntu principles in management hold the promise of superior approaches to managing organizations. Organizations infused with humanness, a pervasive spirit of caring and community, harmony and hospitality, respect and responsiveness will enjoy more sustainable competitive advantage (Mangaliso 2001: 32). Therefore, Ubuntu leadership system emphasizes on teamwork, attention to relationships, mutual respect and empathy between leader and followers, and participative decision-making. These are very fundamental principles of management, which hold promise for improving organization activities and functioning in South Africa and Africa at large. 2.3 INFLUNCES OF UBUNTU LEADERSHIP IN MANAGEMENT 2.3.1 UBUNTU LEADERSHIP The distinctive feature about Ubuntu governance is an indigenous democracy with very deep African cultures that had emerged from African traditional institutions and practices. The hallmark of African traditional governance is the focus on collective stewardship (collectivism), freedom of expression, grass-roots participation, consultation, discussion and consensus to accommodate minority needs and views (holism). The emphasis was not just on majority views but also on compromise and accommodation. The focus was on the need to reach an acceptable consensus through discussions to accommodate minority groups and views in order to avoid majority group dictatorship. This was essential because the traditional African political institution was characterized by the cultural diversity of tribes and clans, which did not disappear as a result of majority rule (Mbigi, 1997:22). This autocratic leadership style expects subordinates to be submissive and obedient. Because leadership in modern Africa is authoritarian and politicized (Kiggundu, 1988:226; Jaeger Kanunzo, 1990; 17; Blunt Jones, 1992: 6-23), such autocratic leadership styles, by expecting subordinates to be submissive and obedient, may stifle innovativeness and impede community motivation and Ubuntu. 2.3.2 MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION For every industry especially in the Hospitality business, leadership basically deals with the human relations where problem solving, communication and decision making are promoted and cultivated. Leithwood and Mcleah (1987) indicate that highly effective leaders know many forms of decision-making are skilled in their use and are situationally sensitive in their selection of a particular approach to decision-making (Leithwood and Mcleah, 1987:35). They are thus very analytical and rational in the way they perceive and perform their functions. Basson and Smith (1991) allude to the fact that effective leaders can be selected or trained. It is also useful to think of leadership as a generic term which refers to the process characterized by the interrelationships among people as they work together in the formation and achievement of shared goals (Basson and Smith, 1991:148). Hallinger et al. (1989:9) claim that leadership in an industrial worldview influences people by developing a clear mission that provides an instructional focus for people throughout the community. Leadership does not reside exclusively with the chief or president; in fact Weber (1989:217) identifies the need to develop shared leadership in the community (Weber, 1989:217). One of the current shifts in thinking regarding leadership is a shift from an instructional to a transformational leadership. Brandt (1992:3) declared that because of change and democracy instructional leadership is out; transformational leadership is in. Such leadership is leadership for change (Brandt, 1992:3). Another important aspect in hospitality industrys leadership is the shared vision. There is the discipline for translating individual vision into shared vision. People should feel free to express their dreams, but also learn how to listen to each others dream. The fundamental role of leadership in Ubuntu setup is to create connotative meaning through significant but important rituals and ceremonies. Mbigi (1997) highlights that in traditional African communities the ultimate test of leadership maturity in terms of training and development is determined by the ease with which a new leader carries out rituals and ceremonies (Mbigi, 1997:19). It is through well-designed rituals and ceremonies that leaders can effectively manage collective meaning and collective trust. It is not just an intellectual journey. It is a symbolic and emotional as well as a spiritual journey. Therefore effective leadership in Ubuntu requires people to have convivial experiences by digging deep into their emoti onal and spiritual resources. This may be equivalent to the mission and vision in a Hospitality industry and an industrial worldview. The sense of Ubuntu leadership system is to enhance governance, collective solidarity, respect, human dignity and the right to freedom of expression, as well as collective trust and compassion. Ubuntu is central to indigenous governance systems and can be central to modern governance. 2.3.3 CAN UBUNTU LEADERSHIP SYSTEM BE RELIED UPON There are several basic management principles derived from African tribal communities that embody this philosophy, including trust, interdependence and spiritualism (Mbigi Maree, 2005). In the African management system context, the African Ubuntu philosophy represents humanness, a pervasive spirit of caring within the community in which the individuals in the community love one another. This Ubuntu approach plays a pivotal role in determining the success of any African organisation (Mangaliso, 2001:32). Ubuntu transcends the narrow confines of the nuclear family to include the extended kinship network that is omnipresent in many African communities. As a philosophy, Ubuntu is an orientation to life that stands in contrast to rampant individualism, insensitive competitiveness, and unilateral decision-making. The Ubuntu teachings are pervasive at all ages, in families, organisations and communities living in Africa. ****2.4 IMPACTS OF UBUNTU LEADERSHIP 2.4.1 EXPERIENCES OF UBUNTU LEADERSHIP Afrocentricity encompasses African history, traditions, culture, mythology, and the value systems of communities, according to Khoza (in Mangaliso, 2001:278-279), the Chairperson of Eskom, the supplier of electricity in South Africa. Khoza believes that corporations in Africa will be successful if they adopt the Ubuntu management and leadership styles, which are people-centred. It is perhaps telling that Eskom registered an after-tax profit of R5.2 billion over a period of 15 months up to the end of March 2005 after the corporation had adopted the Ubuntu management philosophy (Broodryk, 2005:17). Similarly, Wolmarans (1995:4) reports that South African Airways (SAA) adopted an Ubuntu management system in 1994. Since then, the African Ubuntu philosophy has been a driving force in the company. The secret behind its success has been the publicly stated core values of South African Airways these include corporate performance, customer orientation, employee care, corporate citizenship, integrity, safety, innovation and teamwork, which are all embodied in the Ubuntu management philosophy. Improved results demonstrate that culture and leadership style play pivotal roles towards the achievement of set goals and strategies of an organisation. Emerging African management philosophies see an organisation as a community and can be summed up in one word Ubuntu (Mbigi Maree, 2005:v-vi). An African Ubuntu management system recognises the significance of group solidarity that is prevalent in African cultures, acknowledging that an African leadership style involves group and community supportiveness, sharing and cooperation. Ubuntu-based leadership dictates sharing burdens during hard times, because by doing so, suffering is also shared and diminished. What is distinctive about the Ubuntu philosophy is the premise of a short memory of hate (Mazrui, 2001). Africans teach children to communicate effectively, reconcile, and find ways to cleanse and let go of hatred and give the children skills to do so. The Ubuntu approach to life enables people to express continued compassion and Perseverance within communities and institutions. 2.4.2 LESSONS FROM THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF UBUNTU LEADERSHIP African organisations can build cooperation and competitive strategies by allowing teamwork based on Ubuntu principles to permeate the organisation (Mbigi Maree, 2005:93). As a people-centred philosophy, Ubuntu stipulates that a persons worth depends on social, cultural and spiritual criteria. It requires a life that depends on a normative engagement with the community, a substantive appreciation of the common good and a constitutive engagement with one another in a rational and ethical community. In this way, in order for a person to be identified as a true African, community and communality are substantive prerequisites. Communalism and collectivism are essential to the spirit of the African Ubuntu philosophy. Equally important in Ubuntu relationships is the aspect of working with others as a team (English, 2002:197; Poovan et al., 2006:17). A spirit of solidarity simultaneously supports cooperation and competitiveness amongst the team by allowing individuals to contribute their best efforts for the betterment of the entire group. In a team setting, the existence of Ubuntu as a shared value system implies that team members are encouraged to strive towards the outlined team values, which consequently enhance their functioning together as a team (Poovan et al., 2006:25; Van den Heuvel et al., 2006:48). The team is brought one step closer to being effective because of the increased level of team members commitment, loyalty and satisfaction, which ultimately has a positive impact on overall performance. Thus, management systems that tend to focus on achievements of individual team members and not the entire group are likely to miss out on all the social and collective framework of an African society. 2.4.3 IS UBUNTU STLYE OF LEADERSHIP HAVE A PLACE IN MODERN BUSINESS OPERATION Issues of corporate governance are becoming more pronounced in modern business practices. Corporate governance, which is intertwined with business ethics, is considered critical in organisational practice, as well as in general corporate productivity (Rossouw, 2005:105). The founding principles of business ethics and corporate governance are in line with the Ubuntu philosophy of regarding all members of an organisation as part of the community. It is this direct involvement of and with community members that brings about greater solidarity, love, caring and sharing within a grouping (organisation). A major governance challenge in current governance issues has been corruption, which reveals the moral depravity and badness of the perpetrators (Broodryk, 2005; Moloketi, 2009; Nyarwath, 2002). Generally, corruption is caused by a lack of commitment to moral beliefs by the perpetrators, which is in turn due to the Weak moral will of an individual towards other people. Corruption can be seen as 2.5 CONCLUSION OF LITERATURE REVIEW 2.5.1 HOW BENEFICIAL IS UBUNTU LEADERSHIP In a Western worldview, the concept leadership accommodated the sense of belonging, as did the Ubuntu worldview. Sergiovanni (1982:231) supports this when he says: leadership promotes the feeling of actual belonging, participating, being co-partners in the entire organization. In all, a leader who has leadership skills sees to the rapid growth of the organization. Leadership skills are situationally specific, of short duration, and focused on specific objectives or outcomes. The Ubuntu philosophy represents an African conception of human beings and their relationship with the community that embodies the ethics defining Africans and their social behaviours (Dia, 1992; Mbigi, 2005:75; Van den Heuvel, Mangaliso Van de Bunt, 2006:48). Africans are social beings that are in constant communion with one another in an environment where a human being is regarded as a human being only through his or her relationships to other human beings (Tutu in Battle, 1997:39-43). Therefore, the survival of a human being is dependent on other people the community and society. 2.5.2 CAN UBUNTU LEADERSHIP AND WESTERN LEADERSHIP WORK TOGETHER? ***** The Ubuntu management system and the new management techniques as advocated by African management scholars, set the revolutionary agenda for evolving an indigenous African management philosophy that will emphasize our cultural traits of humanness, communalism, and participatory decision-making in organizational life. African governments and the private sector must support the development of African management philosophy through creating an enabling environment for management research and the provision of adequate research funds or grants. 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY / PARADIGM 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN In investigating the phenomenon, the interpretative approach, particularly constructive-interpretative paradigm will be used in the study; taking into account its ability to generate an in-depth understanding regarding factors that impacts on Ubuntu leadership (Cohen et al, 2007:155; Creswell, 2003:52; McMillan Schumacher, 2006:318). In the course of investigations, the interpretative approach would allow, the researcher to explore, analyse, describe, and show the relationships between Ubuntu and strategy management and implementation. That will be made possible because the phenomenon of Ubuntu and leadership will be investigated in their unique and natural setting (Lauer, 2006:76). Simply put; all interviews, observational field notes and documents analyses would be done at the participant place. In employing the qualitative research design, a case study will be employed to sample participants, collect data, and analyse data as shown below. 3.3 POPULATION AND SAMPLE 3.3.1 POPULATION The focus for this study will be on employers and employees of Orion group of companies which is a Hospitality Industry. The company has staff numbering around 1000 employees. Orion is sub-divided into many different business branches and each business branch is run as a business on its own. The research study focuses on Orion group; the staff compliment at each branch is comprised of about 100 full time permanent employees. From the total number of employees working at Orion Braamfontein office, all are eligible to participate. Over 15 participants out of the 50 employees will be selected for the purpose of this study and will form the target population for the study. 3.3.2 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING METHOD The researcher will use a purposive sampling to select participants. The identified sample comprised of fifteen participants; seven men and eight women. According to Budhal (2000:62), Creswell (2003:52) and, McMillan and Schumacher (2006:317), a sample represents a small and distinct group of information-rich informants that would enable the researcher to understand the problem in depth. The criteria for selecting such information-rich sample; amongst others, is that participants who are knowledgeable, informative and willing to talk (Lauer, 2006:78; McMillan Schumacher, 2006:319). Regarding the availability of the administration offices, it will assist in maximizing privacy and confidentiality during interview sessions (Keats, 2000:30; Pedroni Pimple, 2001:11). Furthermore, purposive sampling will be done by combining strategies like site selection, network sampling and sampling by case in order to maximize its impact. Lastly, permission would be sought from the Orion Head office. Having discussed how the participants would be selected; in the next section, the proposal explains how data will be collected. 3.4 THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT The instrument to be used for data collection is a questionnaire. The questionnaire is chosen as it is the most popular form of data collection. It is important for the questionnaire to be constructed in such a way as to gain as much useful information from the respondent as possible (Newell, 1993, 48). With this, great care, time and efforts would be put into the construction of this research studys questionnaire as to obtain as much useful information as possible. Questionnaires are created to be easy to understand, avoid ambiguous, draw up leading questions, quick and simple to answer (Kidder Judd, 1993). In this case, questionnaire will be distributed to participants and collected once they have been completed. These questionnaires will be distributed through email, containing a hyperlink to

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Criminal Justice System as a Gendering Structure Essay -- Violence

The Criminal Justice System as a Gendering Structure Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 The narrow view of the world that we often experience prevents us from even engaging for or against ideals that we would take on, given the chance. We often become deaf to opportunity, however. While it may seem we are complicit in many of the injustices that our society perpetuates, often times we are not even aware of the issue. An uninformed decision will be as bad as no decision. Many problems exude from the state of our social values. The role that women play in society is slowly changing from that of a ‘nurturer’ to any role a woman strives for. Progress has come through much pain and the hope is one day there will be real equality in the results of our societies spoken and unspoken laws. The media can heavily influences public opinion. This holds true for both things that are over-informed and for topics that receive little attention. News sources have been proven to be capable of changing public opinion, or, less often mentioned, keeping public opinion the same. Those who strive for equality today are not only faced with the problems of informing people, they also must be able to gather support for their cause in the media. It seems the media grabs onto topics of a mini-van’s faulty seat belts faster than it does the treatment of women in the criminal justice system. The problem is discussed in the academic circle yet without more media support it seems the critique of the injustice goes unnoticed. This does not mean that the general public finds the current state of affairs acceptable (although by many accounts we do), but because th... ...1993. Pearson, Patricia. _When She Was Bad_. Jane von Mehran. England: Penguin Group, 1997. Rivera, Jenny. Domestic Violence against Latinas by Latino Males._Critical Race Feminism_. Adrien Katherine Wing. New York and London: New York University Press, 1997. 259-266. Streib, Victor. "Death Penalty for Female Offenders." March 1, 2002. Ohio Northern University. April 15, 2002. <http://www.law.onu.edu/faculty/streib/femdeath.htm>. U.S. Census Bureau. "2000 Census of Population and Housing." May 2000. www.census.gov. April 15, 2002. <http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/dp1/2kh00.pdf>. Walker, Lenore. â€Å"Battered Wives, Battered Justice.† Cited by Gerald Caplan. National Review. February 25, 1991. Young, Cathy. "Sexism and the death chamber." May 4, 2000. Salon.com. April 15, 2002. <http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/05/04/death/print.html>.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Gay Marriage Persuasive Essay

When taken at face value, many Americans would not think that forbidding gay couples to marry affects them. What many fail to recognize is that these kinds of discriminatory laws reach out and touch every life in this country. For a nation to intentionally and blatantly tell one group of people that they are not entitled to the same rights and protections as other groups of people sheds a dark shadow on the rest of the nation. If the government can interfere so wholeheartedly into the lives of those it is supposed to serve, then none of us are safe.Very few people actually understand why gay marriage is an issue. The overwhelming trends of â€Å"changing values†, abandoning religion, and the adaptation of new lifestyles have brought this issue to the forefront. So, if everyone is so against gay â€Å"marriage†, the nation needs to extend the rights of marriage to gays, even if it means that it needs to be done under a different title. The Legislative Branch is responsib le for making the laws which govern the country. It is never possible to please all of the people, but fairness is always an option.While the traditionalists and religious majority are claiming that â€Å"Marriage is a holy union between a man and a women with vows taken before god† (â€Å"Same Sex Marriage? â€Å"); the government needs to find a position somewhere in the middle of protecting the traditional marriage, and allowing for equal rights and protections for all of its citizens. When the government stepped in and became a part of â€Å"marriage†, they essentially needed to remove the religious aspects of it in order to adhere to the long standing policy of â€Å"separation of church and state†.This was never done, and because it was never a problem, it has remained a government/religious union that many felt the need to protect because of the religious attachments. Well, it is a problem now. There are hundreds of thousands of American citizens being denied rights and protections because while they are a strong and powerful part of our population, they are still heavily outnumbered by the religious majority seeking to protect the institution of marriage.To see what must be done by the legislature to right the wrongs done by anti-gay legislation, one must understand the history of this battle and the causes for the recent influx of gay marriage supporters. This battle has been raging since the 1970’s when gay individuals first started questioning why they were not allowed to get married. At that time, most reasoned that they (gays) would just go away, that they were just looking to have the wedding, but cared little about actually being married.No one could have guessed that forty years later, the â€Å"gay† population would be doubled in size, the American idea of the â€Å"traditional family† would be drastically changed, the religious majority would be experience a major power shift, and that our supreme c ourt would be hearing these cases on a regular basis. If one were to ask the opponents of gay marriage how we got to where we are today, they would likely respond with some kind of comment regarding the demise of the traditional family, or how integrative teaching has changed the expectations of marriage (Sharp 71).Those with a more liberal view may state that, throughout the years, science has opened the eyes of many to be more understanding of homosexuality and may therefore link it to a better tolerance for progressive ideas towards gay marriage (Bornman 30-33). The increase in the size of the â€Å"gay community† has made this an issue that must be addressed. In the 1970’s when the gay marriage debate began, it was fueled mainly by gay males, and lesbian females only. Since then, the â€Å"gay community† has increased to include gay men, lesbian women, bisexual men and women, and the transgendered community.The additions of these groups to the supporters of gay marriage, has called for a numbers increase of great magnitude. An example of this increase can be shown based on statistical data (still widely viewed as an estimate only) obtained by the Williams Institute at the UCLA school of law; in 2011 there 9 million (3. 5% of the population) that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender. When this number is broken down, it is reported that only 1. 7% of this 3. 5% are identified as gay men or lesbian women (Gates 1). That is less than half of the people.This increase has led to stronger lobbying and more strength in numbers. The legislature cannot simply ignore the needs and wants of 3. 5% of the American population. Another significant cause of this increase in support for gay marriage can only be described in â€Å"the changing times†. (Sharp 71) History has shown that conservative attitudes have changed dramatically throughout the years. Just looking at the basic ways of life for example can attest to the change in a ttitudes. In the 1950’s life was centered around the family.The wife stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and tended to the children. There were various images of the â€Å"perfect housewife† plastered all over the media- a smiling perfectly kept woman waiting at the door wearing an apron and holding a steaming hot turkey on a platter all while kissing her husband as he walks through the door from a hard day’s work. That was the image of the family that was portrayed and lived. Divorce was rare and those leading any lifestyle other than the mainstream norm, were frowned upon and shunned from communities. Obviously this is not the picture of life today.More mothers are working outside of the home. The term â€Å"latchkey kids† is now the norm. Divorce rates are at an all-time high, with single mothers never having been married to their children’s fathers being considered normal. Obviously the American opinion of family and normal has changed, thus changing the opinions of who can be a normal family as well. A very concerning concept is that a vast majority of the groups that are fighting to keep the ban on gay marriage, are traditionalists and religious based groups. (â€Å"Same Sex Marriage?†)As a country founded to escape religious persecution, it is highly concerning that in 2011, the opinions of the religious majority are still governing our nation. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the percentage of the population identifying as â€Å"Christian, Catholic, Baptist, or Protestant† (the four largest religious groups in the nation) has declined from 86% in 1990, to 76% in 2008 (U. S. Census 2011 61). In addition to this, the percentages identifying as â€Å"No religion, Atheist, or Agnostic† increased from 8% in 1990, to 15% in 2008 (U. S. Census 2011 61).It can be speculated that based on the above mentioned â€Å"rule by the religious majority†, that the decline in religious individuals in America, coupled with the rise of those claiming to carry no religious beliefs, has helped the trend of supporters for gay marriage increase. An important fact that needs to be established is that gay marriage is not illegal. Each individual state has the right to create laws to govern their people. Throughout the years as couples attempted to secure marriage licenses that would recognize their same sex partnerships, states began passing statutes that define marriage as a union between man and woman.Some states determined long ago that it was wrong to discriminate and therefore, they should allow gays to be married. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) Other states have given the title â€Å"domestic partnership† or â€Å"civil union† to the union between same sex couples. This will allow them to be placed on the same insurance policies and even in some cases file state taxes together, but little other benefits are afforded to these types of unions, and the big question is â€Å"why are these unions allowed but only under a different title? †. This calls to question the obvious. Why are the gays fighting for marriage?Some states recognize it, so they can just go there and get married (or participate in a civil union ceremony) then go home to their states and live their lives. It makes sense in theory but the big problem is that while these states have taken the steps to allow equal protections to all of their citizens, the federal government refuses to recognize these marriages- essentially rendering them invalid. It is because of this, that the solution must lie in the hands of the Federal Government, if they do not make the change, then any change made will be insignificant and superficial at best.In 1993 the Hawaiian Supreme Court ruled that denying marriage to same sex couples was unconstitutional. Uproar spread throughout the country as fear grew that this ruling would open the floodgates allowing gay marriage to be legal everywhere. As a precautionary move, in 1996 President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act into legislation. This put a federal ban on gay marriage, and is really where the battle begins. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) In 2009 at the 111th congress, a bill was entered as a proposal to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.This act was called the Respect for Marriage Act. After some bureaucratic push and pull, in March 2011, this act was signed into legislation- officially ending the government’s long standing ban on state recognized same sex marriage. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) While this act does not directly legalize or recognize gay marriage at the federal level, it does take away the only standing legal defense that federal courts were able to use in the many cases waged to allow gay couples to have the same rights as heterosexual couples.It is a move in the right direction for lawmakers to finally end the decades long discrimination of gay individuals and couples. While the apparent causes for the influx in gay marriage support is obvious, those not involved in the battle should understand why it is an issue that needs to be solved. Marriage is not only a union made between two people, but it comes with several rights and â€Å"rewards† that are afforded only to married couples. There is the obvious tax break that is available to those filing â€Å"Married† on their federal income tax returns.The amount of money varies greatly depending on income, but it is a financial break nonetheless. There is also the issue of insurance, both health and life. While most states allow those in â€Å"domestic partnerships† to be placed on each other’s insurance, this is not guaranteed by all states and in all circumstances. This means that a gay couple cannot be on each other’s insurance. There are also issues of parenting and adoption. Each state has a different variety of laws, though some do not allow those not married to become adoptive parents.A very large and concerning issue is that of Social Security Survivor Benefits. If a man or woman works all of their lives and pays into the Social Security system and then dies, the money is left to no one because the Federal Government refuses to accept the legal marriages performed in individual states. (â€Å"Center For American Progress†) According to the Center for American Progress, there is a total of â€Å"1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the United States Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges.† (â€Å"Center For American Progress†)That is a total of 1,138 rights and benefits that require a legal marriage to be considered; which is also a total of 1,138 rights and benefits currently being denied to American citizens. The effects are obviously endless, and the solution should be obvious. To properly come up with a solution to this problem, the government must look at the opinions of the majority, coupled with the rights of the minority and find a happy medium.If the government removed all ties to the term â€Å"marriage†, it would then be enabling the religious majority to continue protecting the â€Å"holy union† they so desperately feel the need to protect. This solution would require very little funding, or extreme measures, rather would just take some tricky new wording of the laws to cast a new shadow of fairness upon the nation. This idea makes plenty of sense when you break it down. In order for any man and women to legally be married, they must go to the clerk of court for their locality, and obtain a marriage license.This marriage license is a legal document signed by an employee of a government agency, therefore making marriage a government institution instead of a religious one. There is no currently no requirement that makes it mandatory to g et married in a church, or by a member of a church, which goes to reason that a couple can be married without their union being religious. So the government must then decide, do we strip the traditionalists and religious groups of their â€Å"holy union† and create an uproar which will no doubt further clog the courts with cases seeking a repeal?Or should we remove our ties to this union and create our own union that is available to all citizens and would therefore afford them all of the protections and benefits of being â€Å"married†. When it is put this way, the answer is obvious. The federal government can rearrange the terminology of the laws in place today and replace all of the use of the term â€Å"marriage† with a new term. It could be â€Å"civil union† for example. This would, in turn, allow all men and women in the United States to enter into this type of union, and be protected by all laws that â€Å"marriage† currently affords to thos e married.The traditionalists and religious individuals that want to desperately protect the â€Å"sanctity of marriage† can still do so without having any infringement on their religious beliefs. They can still participate in marriage ceremonies but instead of picking up a â€Å"marriage license† they would need to also obtain a â€Å"civil union license† in order to have their marriage protected by the government. While this idea may put most of the opposition at bay by allowing them to keep their â€Å"marriage†, others who were not previously opposed to gay marriage might consider it too much of a change.For a country that has been â€Å"getting married† for hundreds of years, it is unreasonable to expect all of the people to suddenly change their way of thinking. To start having â€Å"civil union planners† instead of â€Å"wedding planners†, for example, is just asking too much of the people. The government must then ask the peop le, â€Å"is asking the American people to change their normal ways of thinking to allow for their fellow men and women to be treated fairly under the law really asking too much? † When it is a matter of something being too hard, or too much change; individual rights and freedoms should always come first.Our constitution was drafted in such a way to allow for future leaders to change or amend it as the changing needs of the nation are being met. There was a time when women were not allowed to vote. It had to be a big change for the people to suddenly change everything into such a way that would allow women to vote. There were times when whites were allowed to keep segregated from blacks and to deny blacks the use of public institutions. Laws were written to change these practices as well. People fought and died over the implementation of this new legislation, but it was put in place nonetheless.The government has asked a lot more of the people in regards to changing popular w ays of thinking, and all was done in the name of equality. In 2011 this should be an easy task to accomplish. As stated earlier in this essay, times have changed, views are more liberal. Yes it will be an adjustment, but it will be one that will benefit all people eventually. The ideas as to why gay marriage has now become an issue in the forefront of American politics are endless. The effects of the constant denial of rights to American citizen are obvious and in devastating numbers.There is a plausible solution to the problem that will protect not only the wants, but the needs of several different groups of citizens. The resolution of those against it is so strong, as is that of those that carry favorable beliefs. The government has taken steps- both large and small to afford more protections to more people, but it hasn’t been enough. There needs to be new laws written, ones that can allow for all people to feel as though they are American and deserve American freedom. Stud ies have been done, research compiled, statistics published, and only one answer has been derived. Gay marriage is an issue, and it will not go away.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Joys of Motherhood essays

The Joys of Motherhood essays In Buchi Emechetas The Joys of Motherhood novel, the main character, Nnu Ego shows what it means to be a woman and a mother in Nigerian society. Also, Emecheta explores the idea that women having the ability to bear children are the only way to define femininity and womanhood in the novel. However, The Joys of Motherhood plays two important roles to the women at that time. First, even though society is changing, some women are still maintaining the traditional roles, the customs and the values in the Lagos City. At the same time they defeated the standards of feminist theory. Secondly, the novel gives an understanding of some of the aspects of the feminist theory and encourages women to achieve social equality among men and women. However, men still dominated women during that time. Nnu Ego is one of the women who had been trying to be traditional in a modern urban setting (81). In The Joys of Motherhood, she plays many general roles - as a daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman, a worker and a senior wife. As a daughter of Nigerian Chief, Nwokocha Agbadi, Nnu Ego always listens to her fathers disposition and she never opposes him. Therefore, she agrees to marry the man whom her father has chosen for her. After she is married to her first husband, Amatokwu, she wants to be a good wife, which means that she is able to conceive a child with him. However, the first marriage failed because she did not bear him a son (49). In the traditional society, if the married woman is not able to bear children and offer her husband a son, she is considered a failure and has failed to fulfill her gender role as a wife. She will also bring disgrace not only to her husband but also to her father. Her first marriage, Nnu Ego has condemned herself as a failed woman. Later she married a man, Nanife, who works on the coast in a British colony. She is able to bear children with her second husb...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

buy custom The Strategic Alliance essay

buy custom The Strategic Alliance essay These section seeks to clarify on how a strategic alliance should be undertaken in this case the answers will be based on the case study of the companies plan toys and Brio whereby plan toys wishes to form an alliance with the Brioo company in order to utilize the market demand of Brio. This will take place in the form of answerig four questions: Basically plan toys wishes to get engaged in this alliance for one big reason of utilizing the market presence of the Brio company. It is reported that brio is a large company with links which are far and wide. The criteria therefore for forming an alliance with such a company is clearly to get assistance in market establishment. Plan toys are planning and are in actually trying to get global through the assistance of Brio company. Plan toys should therefore view the alliance as a method of giong global as such should ensure that all the benefit that accrues from a company going global. The two companies stand a chance of gaining much experience from the alliance which will be formed. The alliance will form an organization which has a competitive advantage over the other companies which will be dealing in the same line of production. Competition among the two companies will be relatively reduced especially for the case of plan toys which is less established as it will be exposed to new markets by the established company. Other benefits which plan toys stands to gain from alliance include the conomies of scale which result from economies of scale since resources will be pooled together by the two companies. Again plan toys are standing a chance of gaining more from this joint since Brio probably has more experience being a big company with a large market presence. Such an alliance will also make it possible for the plan toys company to access the complementary assets of Brio Company, knowledge and skills. Plan toys should take precaution to ensure that some critical issues concerning the alliance are taken care of. The first important issue to be taken care of is the No Partnership provision. It should be understood that a strategic alliance is quite different from a partnership; this is especially in the purpose of the alliance. Plan toys should ensure that the agreement reflects this in the agreement between the two companies. Another key issue that plan toys ought to look out for is the agreement for the two companies to ensure that all the confidential information is kept confident by the two companies and that there will not be any leaking of information to third party companies. This can be done by the two companies promising each other that there will be no leaking of confidential information to outsiders. There are other factors on which agreements have to be made, for instance, the contribution to be made by the two companies in relation to the capital, intellectual contributions, market access and generally the transfer of resources (Kuglin Hook, 2002). The third important key issue that should not be overlooked in the alliance should be the setting of a mechanism on how internal dispute should be solved. In most cases the mechanism of solving internal disputes involves the setting up of some dispute committee which is made up of members from the two companies: in this case it will be plan toys and Brio. Plan toys should also negotiate well for the sharing of the risks and rewards which are involved in the alliance. Though Plan toys is young as compared to Brio there should be a fair sharing of the rewards as well as the risks involved (Kuglin and Hook 2002). A personal opinion on the issue of the above alliance will be for the plan toys to do their best to ensure that the alliance agreement does not undermine the position of Plan toys being the lesser company. This is likely to happen since Brio Company, being an established company, is more likely dominate in the negotiation of the alliance terms. It is important that before Plan toys commits to this venture, it must review its business strategy. This will help it define what to expect. It can also study what similar businesses are doing, particularly those that operate in similar markets, this can help it decide on the best approach. It should be realistic about its strengths and weaknesses-consider performing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis to identify whether the two businesses are compatible (Wassmer, Dussauge Planellas 2010). Buy custom The Strategic Alliance essay