Final Exam Guide Essay

Question 1: How would you define successful leadership? What standard do you apply when evaluating leadership success? Is it possible to predict success based on organizational cultures or other factors? Provide examples to support your answer. Solution: Successful leadership is the ability to channel and coordinate the energy of the group to attain the desired goals of the business. It is the capacity to motivate and inspire followers to go beyond the distance of their perceived limitations, to rise to the challenges of the task at hand, and to seek out innovative and novel solutions. In a word, success leadership is empowering. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, â€Å"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.† A successful leadership can be evaluated by the following standards: a) Example – A successful leader leads by example, which is the key to authentic leadership. This is demonstrated by working hard, making difficult decisions, taking risks, and personal sacrifices. b) Integrity – There are no shortcuts to success. A successful leader is honest, dependable and uncompromising on his or her work and business ethics. c) Solid goals – A successful leader has solid goals and direction, which are communicated to the team. The leader makes the team identify and take ownership of the business’s goals in order to motivate them to achieve these goals. d) Knowledge – A leader is equipped with knowledge and skills necessary for the enterprise. The leader leverages the team’s best chance of success by knowing and understanding the obstacles, competition and risks present in an endeavor. e) Autonomous – A successful leader provides for autonomy by empowering the members to think, innovate and own the solution to a problem. f) High Expectations – A successful leader expects a high level of excellence from the team. Expectations create results; people want to proud of their work. However, high expectation does not mean perfection. Rather, it is learning through experience and errors, and being accountable for one’s mistakes. g) Humility – A successful leader knows the value of  teamwork and gives credit where it is due. Leadership is not about personalities; it is about directing the group’s efforts toward the completion of an endeavor. h) Execution – A successful leader has the discipline to get things done. He or she can bridge the gap between theory and actual execution of a plan. Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy is an Indian businessman and co-founder of Infosys, which was founded in 1981. Mr. Murthy served as CEO of Infosys from 1982 to 2002, and as chairman from 2002 to 2011. He stepped down from the board in 2011, and became Chairman Emeritus. Mr. Murthy embodies the ideals of a successful leadership. He is a top leader, an institution builder, and an IT legend. He empowered his executives, management team and workers. He encouraged and nurtured leadership qualities in the organization through mentoring and training. He institutionalized ethical values of honesty and integrity throughout the organization. Question 2: What methods exist to develop leaders in an organization? What methods does your organization use? Why? Have any methods been counterproductive? In what ways? Solution: There are various approaches to leadership development in an organization that will be briefly describes as follows: 1) Formal Development Programs – In its basic format, a formal program consists of a classroom seminar covering basic theories and principles of leadership. It can be in the form of a tailored development program fitted to serve the needs of the specific organization. It can also be open-enrollment programs offered by private and academic institutions. 2) 3600 Feedback – This is also known as a multi-source feedback, and a multi-rater feedback. This method involves systematically collecting assessments of a person’s performance from different sources, which typically consists of supervisors, peers, subordinates, customers, and other stakeholders. 3) Executive Coaching – This method is defined as a practical, goal-oriented form of personal and one-on-one learning. Coaching is usually used to improve individual performance, enhance a career, o r work through organizational issues. 4) Job Assignments – This method works under the assumption that experience is the best teacher. This method trains would-be leaders in an organization by giving them a variety of job assignments that will expose them to different work environments; hence, it allows them to adapt, and become better  strategic thinkers. 5) Mentoring – Mentoring programs typically pair a senior and a junior manager, but pairing can also occur between peers. Mentoring involves advising and passing on lessons learned from the senior to the junior partner. 6) Networking – Some organizations include development activities designed to foster broader individual networks for better connection with partners in a global community. Leaders are expected to know not only the in and out of the organization, but also know who in terms of problem-solving resources. 7) Reflection – Introspection and reflection can foster self-understanding and understanding from lessons learned from exper ience. In leadership development, reflection can be used to uncover a person’s hidden goals, talents, and values, as well as their impact on a person’s work. 8) Action Learning – This is a project-based learning method characterized by a continuous process of learning and reflection, aided by colleagues, and with an emphasis on getting things done. This method connects individual development to the process of helping organizations respond to major business problems. 9) Outdoor Challenges – This is a team-building experience in an outdoor or wilderness setting, designed to overcome risk-taking fears, and to promote teamwork and leadership skills. Our organization uses formal programs to develop leaders. Recognizing that a classroom-based learning, while easy and flexible, is limited in the actual transfer of competencies, the formal program serves as a shell under which various development methods are incorporated. Hence, the formal program is structured by combining theoretical learning and problem-based learning. Then, a 360-degree feedback is given to each participant, which serves as a basis for an in-depth reflection. For most people, the 360-degree feedback is difficult to handle for several reasons. The primary reason is an inherent resistance to change. Another reason is the overwhelming amount of data, which can be complex, inconsistent, and difficult to interpret and translate into an action or behavior that can correct a given problem. Mere knowledge and acceptance of one’s developmental needs are not enough to bring about change. There is a need for follow-up guidance and support. That is why participants are also given short-term coaching to identify specific areas of concern and how to resolve these concerns. Question 3: In The Art and Science of Leadership, Nahavandi writes about the dark side of power. Provide an example. What organizational factors contributed to the leader’s behavior? What were consequences of the behavior? Solution: Nahavandi cites corruption as the dark side of power. An example of a scandal that shocked the corporate world was the case of the German engineering giant Siemens in 2006. A regulatory investigation revealed that hundreds of employees, spearheaded by Siemens’ top executives, had been siphoning millions of Euros into bogus deals to pay massive bribes to government officials and business contacts to win contracts in Russia and Nigeria. A trial judge described the scandal as a blatant disregard of business ethics and a systematic practice of organized irresponsibility that was implicitly condoned by management. The scandal resulted to the departure of Siemens top executives, including then CEO Klaus Kleinfield, who was later convicted of corruption, placed on probation for 2 years, and fined 160,000 Euro for his complicity. Hans-Werner Hartmann, who was the accounting head in the company’s telecommunications arm, was also placed on probation for 18 months and fined 40,000 Euro. The scandal cost Siemens around 2.5 billion Euro to pay for fines, reparations and damages. The firm was also barred from dealings with certain clients. The cost to Siemens’ employees, who had to endure intense public scrutiny and shame, is difficult to quantify. Organizational factors that contributed to a culture of bribery within Siemens were identified as follows: an aggressive growth strategy that compelled managers to resort to bribes in order to meet performance targets; a complex and matrix-like organizational structure that allowed divisions to operate independently, with no established checks and balances; poor accounting processes; a corporate culture openly tolerant of bribes. It should be noted that bribes were tax-deductible, and were the norms, not the exceptions, in German business practice at that time. Question 4: What obstacles exist for leaders involved in participatory management? What methods may a leader employ to overcome these obstacles? Solution: Participative management, also known as employee involvement and empowerment, encourages the participation of all the organization’s stakeholders in the analysis of problems, development of strategies, and implementation of solutions. While participative management seems like a utopian ideal, leaders face many obstacles in its effective implementation. One obstacle is encouraging the participation of employees in the managerial process of planning and making decisions. Employees may not fully participate due to lack of competencies, lack of confidence, and fear of rejection. Another reason is the employee’s lack of trust that his or her contributions will be valued. The presence of tension and rivalry among employees are also barriers to effective communication, and ability to work together. Leaders can address these issues by being sincere in their desire to implement participative management. Leaders should strengthen communication within the workplace, and initiate team-building activities to strengthen bonds between peers, and between employees and management. Training programs should also be initiated to develop employees’ competencies, leadership skills and self-confidence. Once employees are fully committed to engage in participative management, other obstacles arise, which includes the amplification of the complexity of the organization’s activities and the growing volume of information that managerial decisions are based on. These can lead to difficulty in getting things done, and slow response time to issues that need fast reactions and actions. Leaders cannot solve these obstacles alone; these require the concerted effort of the entire organization. However, leaders can take the lead in delegating responsibilities to reduce the hierarchic levels in the organization, and to decentralized authority so that the organization can respond to issues quickly and efficiently. Leaders can also establish quality circles, which are composed of around 8 to 10 employees along with the supervisor who share areas of responsibility among themselves. These circles can meet regularly to discuss problems in their respective areas and  brainstorm for solutions, which they can later present to the entire organization as a fully developed action plan. In this way, the complexity of participative management is simplified. Another obstacle to participative management concerns security issues. It is harder to ensure confidential information stays within the organization when more people are involved in managerial decisions. This confidential information can include patents, and product research and development. Leaders can address this obstacle by motivating employees to be accountable for their actions and to stay committed to the company by valuing their contributions. Question 5: What are some reasons employees and managers resist change? As a leader, what methods would you use to help employees and managers adapt to change? Solution: Adaptability to change is a prerequisite to become successful in the modern world characterized by increasing global awareness and fast turnover of technology. Organizations must respond to change and be willing to change to retain their competitive edge and relevance. However, implementing organizational changes are daunting for leaders, not least because most employees and managers resist change. The common reasons why employees resist change are the following: change promotes fear, insecurity and uncertainty, difference in perception and lack of understanding, reaction against the way change is presented, cynicism and lack of trust, and threats to vested interest. In order to overcome resistance to change, leaders can involve workers in the change process by openly communicating about the need for change, providing consultation to alleviate employees’ fears, and being sensitive to employees’ concerns. In order to implement change, leaders must decide on the method they will use to overcome resistance to change, and modify behavior. The three-step approach is an example of such a method; it is characterized by three basic stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. 1) Unfreezing: Most people prefer to maintain the status quo, which is  associated with stability, rather than confronting the need for change. The starting stage, therefore, of a change process must involve unfreezing old behaviors, processes, and structures. This stage develops an awareness of the need for change, and the forces that supports and resists change. Awareness is facilitated with one-on-one discussions, presentations to groups, memos, reports, company newsletter, seminars, and demonstrations. These activities are designed to educate employees about the deficiencies of the current set-up and the benefits of the replacement. 2) Changing: This stage focuses on learning new behaviors, and implementing the change. Change is facilitated when employees become uncomfortable with the identified deficiencies of the old system, and are presented with new behaviors, role models, and support structures. 3) Refreezing: This stage focuses on reinforcing new behaviors, usually done by positive results, public recognition, and rewards.

Fewer and Fewer People Donate Organs

Organ donation is an issue that needs to be addressed to all people in all nations. It is a rather controversial issue, but an issue that, if understood correctly, can save many lives. Some strongly claim that in the medical use, organ donation is a very important part. It can save lives for the people who are affected with disease or for those whom only need organ transplant due to the injury or some other causes. According to some statistics, because of there are not enough organs available, plenty of people around the world die everyday. On the other hand, careful consideration leads others to prevent from donating organs because of religious belief, lack of education, and medical illness. First of all, there are widespread of religious belief all over the world from China to United Kingdom and from Canada to Chile. Buddhism, Islam, and Taoism have some kind of belief in afterlife and natural process in birth. As the result, they came up with laws and rules for the deceased. Buddhism, for example, no one is allowed to touch the corpse of the body for several of hours. This may be too late to save the organs that can be used. Moreover, some believe that all things belong to the Earth. A paragraph indicates that every living grows on Earth. It is the Earth that naturalizes our livings. In order to thank the Earth of providing a variety of sources, we should all pay back ourselves in return â€Å"completely† which have no missing organs in the body. Since laws, rules, and religious belief are made for the dead, we should respect in who or what they believe. In additional, several countries, generally, such as Taiwan, Africa, or even well developed countries do not have the opportunity to receive correct information about organ donation and organ transplantation. There was a group of undergraduate students handing out questionnaires and doing interviews about the knowledge of organ donation and transplantation for their research paper in school. Surprisingly, they found out that the result showed approximately 89% of people the student chose are completely confused and misunderstood whether there are advantages or disadvantages of subsequences to themselves after donating organs. Furthermore, some mistakenly thought the only place in which people can buy and sell their organ is the black market. Government and hospitals, health care systems, and medical insurance companies should provide correct information about donating organs. After receiving positive information, people might have different thoughts about organ transplantation and would attempt to have their organs donated. Finally, people who have existing medical illness or condition are prohibited to donate their organs. Donating infected organs and tissues such as tumor and incurable disease such as cancer lead to deadly high risks to the ones who are receiving. Diseased virus will be transmitted from the donor people who accept the organs with donated organs to the body of the patients’ causing them serious illness or even worse- death. These particularly cells which might be bacterially infected are transplanted and it will be carried throughout patients’ body. Therefore, most of the patients in hospitals who have medical illness or incurable disease cannot donate organs to others. Not only do Doctors or researchers have the right to exam the organ initially but also do the patients need to tell professional what their problems are. In summary, organs are not donated because of the following reasons: cultural belief, lack of education, and medical illness. In the essay, I have given out some examples that support my thesis statement which are the belief of afterlife of Buddhism’s culture, questionnaire handed out by students for their research paper, and patients who suffer medical illness are not allowed to donate organs respectively. In my opinion, people should listen to one’s voice. They have rights not to donate their organs and we have to respect the religious and cultural belief of the minority group of people. On the other hand, others should encourage someone, who suffers no medical illness, to try to contribute their organs to the ones who need them. Moreover, there are no harms for donators to save lives by donating organ after dying. Government and several organizations could provide more information about organ donating to people.

Creon and Aristotle Essay

This paper will primarily concern itself with the comparison of the two approaches to politics from Creon in Sophocles’ play Antigone and Aristotle in his Politics. The basic argument here is that Creon and Aristotle have very little in common in terms of basic political ideas, especially in terms of the role and power of the state in the moral lives of the population. In terms of political ideas, the Antigone concerns itself primarily with the distinction between the state and the unwritten law of custom. The argument of the play itself is that Antigone has every right to bury her slain brother in that it is an ancient custom to please the gods by burying the dead and showing them respect. The central concept here is the rule of tradition and religion, represented by Antigone herself. On the other hand, Creon, who has just emerged victorious in a civil war where Polynices, the true heir, and Eteocles killed each other, leaving Creon as sole ruler of Thebes. Hence, without a real claim to power, Creon stresses the power and interests of the state over all. The written law is central. For Aristotle, the nature of politics is far more complex than the simple state-centered ideas of Creon. For Aristotle, property, classes and the relations between the sexes all have a law and custom of their own, which, when followed, lead to virtue and the good life. Ultimately for Aristotle, to flourish in the intellectual arts is the key to happiness, while for Creon, obedience to a well-ordered state, based solely on written codes, is the key to order and hence, to social peace. In Antigone, there are two ways of looking at the dead Polynices. The first is Creon’s view, that of a dead traitor that deserves nothing but humiliation in order to justify Creon’s own claim to power as well as prevent any further warfare (Sophocles, 585). Second, which is Antigone’s view, that Polynices is a dead Thebian, regardless of the politics involved. Ultimately, the chorus at (Sophocles, 673) holds that Creon is making a major mistake since he is basing his policy on a passing political struggle, while Zeus is immortal and hence, transcends all this politics. Creon, in other words, is letting the specifics of political power interfere with his duty as monarch of Thebes. The smaller picture of the civil war has blurred the more general vision of the nature of political power, that is, the reverence of custom as the ultimate in democracy: Thebians have â€Å"voted† for generations to maintain the old traditions, not to worship the state (Sophocles, 745-750). On the other hand Aristotle writes: â€Å"When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state comes into existence, originating in the bare needs of life, and continuing in existence for the sake of a good life† (Aristotle, bk I, pt 1) Several things are important here. First, that the smaller villages predate the state, and as a consequence, have a certain precedence over the state itself. Putting this differently, the state is the product of already existing villages and other communal organizations, and hence, is dependent upon them. Therefore, Aristotle, early on in the Politics, is arguing for a decentralized political regime where the building blocks of the polity, the villages (or a group of â€Å"households†), maintain their autonomy under the general guidance of the state. Second, Aristotle is clear that the state exists not for itself, but for a further end, that of the good life, the life devoted to the intellectual virtues. The state, in other words, exists in order to maintain the customs of the villages–the traditions of the people–so long as they lead to virtue, the good life itself, the end of all political activity, the end that exists in and for itself. The state is merely an instrument, contra Creon, that sees it as an end in itself, ore more accurately, that his own power exists as an end in and for itself. The very act of deliberation in Greek thought is itself an end, in that it assists in the mental development and contemplative abilities of the individuals involved. The good life, it can be argued, is manifest in political life in that it is essentially an intellectual form of work, the highest that a man can consider. Hence, deliberation is central to the good life and therefore, is beyond the purview of the state. If Aristotle is going to argue that the state is â€Å"according to nature,† then he must also hold that the villages, the ancient customs of the people that go into creating the state, also exist by nature. While Aristotle holds in Part II that the state is â€Å"prior to† the family and individual on the logical basis of self-sufficiency, this is hardly holding to a monolithic state in the sense that Creon holds. The state has no control over such customs, represented by Antigone and the blind prophet in the play. The basic argument then, is that the state comes into existence in order to create a certain level of self-sufficiency, not to destroy the customs of the more ancient forms of village life. Aristotle, in short, would have sided with Antigone. Even more, the question of precedence of the villages vis-a-vis the state shows that the state, though logically prior, must take into consideration the ideas and history of its component parts. Hence, Aristotle has deliberation at the center of his state’s idea. It should be noted that the main source of friction here is the concept of political deliberation. The Antigone sees a number of intelligent and well meaning people, such as Creon’s son, Haemon and his wife, all seeking to reason with Creon over the question of the fate of Antigone and the nature of the civil war in general. But since Creon holds that the monarch is the state, and the state is the monarch, deliberation would be a sign of weakness. Aristotle holds clearly that the citizens of the Greek state, regardless of its location, must be engaged in deliberation and discussion. This is the more practical sense of his state, in that it is an aggregate of pre-existing parts. These pre-existing parts, such as families or individuals, do not disappear when the state is formed, but take their rightful place as parts of the state, and hence, need to be involved in political discussion. The blind prophet Tiresias is, like Antigone, the voice of the â€Å"villages,† the ancient tradition of a people upon which the authority of the state rests. Among other things, Tiresias holds that Creon is â€Å"living in a tomb. † What he means is that Creon has become so obsessed with political power that he has forgotten the purpose of this power. Even more, this power has become radically personalized, centering on Creon himself, rejecting the testimony of his own son, and now, the prophet, the voice of the gods, who has never been wrong. He holds that Creon has placed himself in grave danger in his behavior. Worst of all, none of this will assist Creon in holding on to power or convincing the population that he deserves this power. His approach to politics is contradictory and self defeating (Sophocles, 1185-1205). It is contradictory because he refuses to see the state, as Aristotle did, as a series of component parts united for the good life under the ruler. Creon sees the state in purely personal, and hence, non-deliberative, terms. By the time the blind prophet has left Creon’s presence, politics has ceased to be institutional and now has become personal and autocratic in the literal sense of the word. Creon is the state, and is the power of Thebes, Creon says â€Å"What? The city is the king’s–that’s the law† (Sophocles, 825). This is precisely what Tiresias warned him of. For Creon to listen to the prophet, a man who he clearly respects, would be a sign of weakness. In his confusion, Creon decides to set Antigone free, yet, by the time this is done, she is already dead, as well as his own son Haemon. Creon has listened to nothing but his own insecurity, and now he is paying the price. When Creon says â€Å"the city is the king’s,† he is rejecting the concept of deliberation and democratic discussion. He is placing his interests and possible illegitimacy at the center of law, revealing its weaknesses. What are the major issues, therefore, of contrast? This is a struggle precisely with the question of precedence as Aristotle has stated it: tradition and custom over the â€Å"prior nature† of the state. Aristotle leaves the exact nature of this precedence vague. The state is the first by nature, but this is not a chronological movement, but a logical one. The whole must be prior to its parts, but Aristotle is not thereby claiming that the state existed prior to the family or individual. He is just holding that the only way families can reach true happiness is in a well-ordered state aiming at self-sufficiency. Therefore, Aristotle leaves the exact power of the state rather vague. For Aristotle, the scientist, he is not going to impose a blueprint for happiness for every society, but will show the bare outlines of the nature of the good life. The key passage can be found here: For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all; since armed injustice is the more dangerous, and he is equipped at birth with arms, meant to be used by intelligence and virtue, which he may use for the worst ends. Wherefore, if he have not virtue, he is the most unholy and the most savage of animals, and the most full of lust and gluttony. But justice is the bond of men in states, for the administration of justice, which is the determination of what is just, is the principle of order in political society (Aristotle, bk 1, pt 2). The fact is that the state exists to promote virtue and hence, must give way to it. Virtue is not abstract, but can be found in the customs of the Hellenes, as Antigone herself holds. Justice comes into existence when the various parts of the society come together in harmonious relations, not when the state stamps its demands upon all. What Sophocles might be holding is that the polis only has its legitimacy insofar as it protects the customs and moral foundation of the Greek people. Without this, there can be no virtue and hence, no good life. But where Sophocles and Aristotle differ is in the nature of the state in terms of security. It seems that Sophocles holds that the traditional life of the Greek family is true and right. It brings security in the ancient customs of an elite people. It is the state that provides insecurity, especially when severed from its moral foundations. There is not a moment where Antigone doubts the correctness of her actions, yet Creon exists in a storm of confusion. State power is parasitic on the traditions of a people according to Sophocles. Aristotle might agree with this with strong reservations, but still concede that the state must have a moral foundation on the one hand, and a purpose beyond itself, on the other (Davis, 1996, 27-28, an excellent discussion on the relation between the household and the state). Creon cannot see either. Even more, Sophocles is making the more general point between the two different kinds of order, the cosmic and the human. He holds that it is the former where truth and happiness are to be found. The human order is insecure and based on chance, the outcomes of wars, political factions, etc. (this is the whole thesis of Book 5 in The Politics, cf. Davis, 1996, 102). The cosmic order is permanent, even superior to the gods, the gods themselves are subject to it. The human order is what Creon demands, namely, his order over and above the divine one. Sophocles is holding to an early version of natural law. The customs of the Greeks are not arbitrary, but they are part of a cosmic order. Creon is arbitrary in his decisions, and even the very basis of his power is based on chance. The human order can never be the basis of society, and certainly the state as the supreme (but not only) power in society. The law, to conclude, as it is promulgated by human beings at any time, is a highly limited instrument. It does not change the order of nature, or even the traditions of the Greek mind, which are based on nature, the law of the cosmos, held by all Greek peoples. The citizens must be engaged in deliberating not what the natural law is, but how it can be best manifested under present conditions. Antigone holds to the eternal, while Creon holds to the temporary. Politics is an inferior state of mind than that of the eternal law of the cosmos. Death and the order of the gods will always trump the merely human law, and hence, the human law must partake of the divine order or it is an arbitrary decree, the very essence of Creon’s world. Bibliography: Aristotle (250 BC). The Politics. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. Internet Classics Archive (http://classics. mit. edu/Aristotle/politics. html) Davis, Michael. (1996) The Politics of Philosophy. Rowman and Littlefield Sophocles (442 BC). Antigone. Trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics

The Emerging areas of Social Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Emerging areas of Social Software - Essay Example Actually we have reached here through a long and gaining experience for hundreds of years in broadcast media. The experience was gained through printing press and broadcasting through radio and Television. We had earlier the communication technique such as telephone and telegraph before email and other electronic media came into existence. The vast experience gained through these personal or one-to-one way of communications or social communication through radio, TV etc help us in quickly adopting these new social software through which a fast communication through Internet takes place. The Major social software: Now we have all three types of communication i.e. one-to-one way of communication (instant messages, email), one-to-many way of communication (blogs) and many-to-many way of communication (wikies). Let us see how the three ways of communication takes place. a) Instant Messaging (One-to-one communication): Instant messaging is a one-to-one way of communication and by this techniques a person can communicate with other person privately over a network. The major instant messaging provider includes skype, yahoo messenger, and msn messenger, ICQ etc. The system highlights a group of people if they are online and thus you need to have the email id of the person to know whether he or she is online. You can open any instant communication to any of the person whose status is online. These are very simple to use and people can communicate with each other in almost real time across the globe. b) Blogs (0ne-to-many): Blogs and websites are the examples of one-to-many way of communication are becoming more and more popular. Many people write blogs and the readers of these blogs can post their views about the topic. There are a large number of people having their blogs on the net. Some of the common blog websites includes blogspot and livejournal. c) Wikies (Many-to-many): Wikies are the excellent examples of many-to-many way of communication. Here in wikies a person can edit the content written by another writer. So, a number of people can write and edit the contents available on the websites. The examples of these websites include Metballwiki, Wikipedia and Wiktionary. d) VoIP: VoIP or voice over Internet protocol is also termed as Internet telephony or IP telephony. In VoIP the voice is routed through IP based networks and requires a broadband and therefore it is also termed as broadband telephony or voice over broadband. The voice over IP protocols are used to communicate voice between two users and these services are very cheap and even a VoIP to VoIP phone calls is either free or costs too less. There are lots of advantages of VoIP over dialed PSTN and some of these includes incoming calls are automatically routed to your VoIP even when you are out of town, VoIP work from anywhere with a reliable Internet connection, mobile VoIP facilities and many more. The main difficulty with VoIP is that you can not send fax from it (Wikipedia, undated). Emerging Trends in social software: The major advantage of social software in Community gain: There

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow - Case Study Example The judiciary system is also viewed as inefficient in handling crucial cases as a serious murder case involving their own prosecutor, is lower to grudges. Instead of the prosecutors trying to get the real culprit behind Carolyne’s murder, they instead turn it into a selfless affair and a fight towards key positions (Switz 6). The prosecutor, Molto at the time of the case, had been interested in the chief deputy prosecutor job since it would give him a better place to carry out his evil deeds. Indeed, Molto got the opportunity and framed his fellow prosecutor on charges that he had earlier called the deceased on the night of the murder plus his fingerprints were on the deceased glass (Peter 7). Sabich realized his arrest was a setup and tried to find the cause, only to find the true killer of Carolyne. Rusty’s decision in taking the job assigned to him by his boss, Horgan was a good idea, though the situation at that time was really messed up. First, a few months earlier before the murder of Carolyne, he was in an affair with her despite being married. Secondly, her wife, Barbara knew about his extramarital affair and brought hell on earth when such an issue came about. Again, taking a case of his ex-lover was really a clever thing (Bergman & Asimow 30). Rusty’s decision of accepting to take the murder case eventually led him to the culprit and also under covered some evil deed taking place in the courtroom. Rusty later in the story, he learns that one of his friends killed Carolyne to cover up some corruption deals (Maslin 8). He also discovered that his arrest had much more in it after he was whispered by someone that Molto was after his job. In the end, Sabich is viewed as looking for evidence that links up to the murder and also tries to his innocence. The movie In the movie Presumed Innocent, the director, Alan J. Pakula copies the plot of the novel Presumed Innocent written by Scott Turow. In this film, Harrison Ford plays the role of a prosecutor, Rusty Sabich. In the movie, Rusty is forced to undertake a murder case of, Caroline, a fellow prosecutor that had found murdered as the movie starts in her apartment. In a flashback, Caroline is viewed as a conniving mantrap that uses her wile to prosper in her career (Alan 3). In the movie, Sabich is assigned by his boss, Raymond Horgan (Dennehy), to handle the murder case. On the hand, though Sabich tries to take the case, he is forced by his boss to take in. At that moment, Sabich is faced by a decision whether to take the case or not since he once used to be a lover of the deceased. Twists in the movie unfold after Horgan loses his seat for Nico Della. Sabich is then arrested after evidence was found linked to the murder. Sabich then appoints Sandy Stem to be his lawyer (Alan 97).

Drucker's Management Style in Industry Application Assignment

Drucker's Management Style in Industry Application - Assignment Example This means that managing without a goal can never guarantee the achievement of results. Managers are therefore admonished to at every point in time, set specific, time-bound and measurable goals that are realistic to achieve. Organises – Because managers work with different people with different talents, they must be on top of the distribution of roles to different people (Thompson and McHugh, 2009). This is what organisation is all about. Motivates and communicates – In the delivery of their duties, motivating subordinates will always ensure that managers spark up an inner will for performance to take place (Arnold, J. et al, 2005). Communication will also ensure that there is adequate understanding of policies and workplace ideas. Measures – There should be yardsticks that should measure the achievement of goals set by managers. It is only when there is a measure that can be evaluation of achievements and failures. Develop people – Though managers will a lways have a task to perform, the major task should be seen as the development of people through distribution of right roles (Bailey, 1983). This is because it is only when people are developed that tasks becomes competed because tasks are always completed by the people. 1.12 Drucker’s Management by Objective framework In order that managers will not at any point in time be too focused on their tasks and forget the actual underlying objectives for which the tasks are being performed, Drucker (1989) came out with the framework of managing by objectives, which came to be known as MBO. The major emphasis that the framework draws is that goal setting is always an important aspect of management. Goal setting is important to management implementation because it sets the tone for the kind of planning that needs to be done and the levels of inputs needed to achieve the set goals (Clegg, Hardy & Nord, 1996). As part of the framework, the need to make team work an important focus of su ccess is treated. This is because managers indeed cannot know what each member on the team is doing but once clear objectives are assigned to each member, managers can be assured that members on the team will work around their objectives to bring about the achievement of set goals (Drucker, 1989). 1.2 Advantages of Drucker’s method to the Fashion Industry The management models, put forth by Drucker, more importantly the five point operation in management has several advantages when applied in the modern day fashion industry. Using Adidas, which is a German multinational corporation as an example, there are a number of ways that the management of the company can be said to have benefited from the application of the five point operation management proposed by Drucker (1989). In this regard, Mr. Herbert Hainer, who is the chairman of Adidas, can be used as a model and example. As far as the setting of objectives is concerned, Adidas is one company that has been praised by analys ts and experts in the management literature as having specific objectives for each day of the company’s existence (Scott, 2013). This is because in line with what Drucker proposes; Mr. Hainer ensures that the company does not only operate on long term goals but on short to medium term objectives that are always crafted around various departments and

Taj Mahal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Taj Mahal - Essay Example Taj Mahal is one of the most visited places of interests in India by all tourists, especially foreigners for whom it is on top of their priority list. When you enter to see its front view - it is so ravishing that you are mesmerized. It seems as if a palace in brilliant architecture made in white marble is standing high in the sky before you. There is a story of true love behind the building of this monument. The fifth Mughal king Shah Jehan made this monument out of love for his beloved second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, to fulfil her wish on deathbed. She wanted the King to build a monument of their love to show it to the whole world. King Shah Jehan fulfiled her wish by building a miracle of white marble in the loving memory of his beloved wife. History says that the monument took 22 years to complete in 1653. That time, it cost 32 Million Rupees. The guide informs that it took twenty thousand workmen and expert craftsmen from countries like Persia, France, Iran, Italy and Turkey to build the Taj Mahal under the supervision of a Persian architect, Ustad Isa. As we are entering the main gateway, the guide informs that the length and width of the Taj Mahal complex measures 590x300m, including the main gateway called Darwaza, the equally proportioned garden measuring 300x300m, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khanna means rest house and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum.

Decision Support Systems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Decision Support Systems - Term Paper Example However, even after six months, many of the two million people made homeless still need and are waiting for the supports (Oxfam New Zealand, n.d). Pakistan frequently experiences natural disasters resulting in heavy casualties of life and wealth. The seismic risk is heavy in many major Pakistani cities like Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. Poor constructions and lack of building codes enforcement lead to further loss of human life. Further, changes in demography and climate could lead to more damages (Pakistan 2005 Earthquake, n.d, 24) Decision Support Systems: Considering the extent of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Pakistan and the possibility of its reoccurrence in the future, it is necessary that certain strategy should be devised to reduce the deadly effects of these natural catastrophes. Here are some of the steps suggested for the concerned authorities to consider. Identifying the risk: It has been found earlier that there are greater chances of the places around the earthquake-affected area experiencing the tremors of the earth shake. Seismological monitoring does exist in almost every country but it should be modernized. After the recent quake efforts should be made to make new seismic risk analysis in Pakistan. A combined assessment of the potential risk to human lives, infrastructure, and the economy should be made. The authorities in the areas prone to the earthquakes should be made aware of these hazards and instructed to strictly follow the construction rules. In the future development plan, the areas of the earthquake should be shown clearly. Also, there should not only be the seismic recording machines, but there should also be early warning systems. The experienced scientist should closely monitor these systems. The time of warning before the actual occurrence of the disaster should be long enough for the government to take preventive actions like the removal of people from the area of the potential disaster. These early warning systems should be maintained properly and from time to time should be checked for the consistency (Pakistan 2005 Earthquake, n.d, 25) Responding to the Earthquake: A national disaster strategy should be made and implemented. At the time of disaster, there should be close coordination between the national authorities and the local authorities. After the disaster, the local community is generally the first responder. Hence the locals in the disaster-prone areas should be given the training to tackle the emergency situations. They should be trained to protect themselves and also protect others (Pakistan 2005 Earthquake, n.d, 24). The local authorities also should be made competent enough and trained to face such emergency situations. The NGOs should be encouraged to get involved in the emergency, at the earliest. The local community, the NGOs, the local authorities and the national authorities, all should be made to work in tandem without creating unnecessary hassles in the emergency situation. Â  

Questions on Global Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questions on Global Issues - Essay Example egitimacy as a source of national identity, will open doors for other mediums such as religion and culture to fill the void for nationalism and further threaten the state. This struggle is reminiscent of what Samuel Huntington wrote in his book The Clash of Civilization, he notes that in the post-Cold War era, wars and conflicts will be fought not because of economic or ideological reasons, but because of cultural phenomenon brought about by clashes among civilizations. He argues that Western instruments of modernity will create conflicts with the non-Western world due to the isolation and aggression that it will create. With globalization bringing nations and cultures together, non-Western cultures may feel isolated and threatened. In order to protect themselves, and with no apparent formal channel to do so under the nation-state, religion –being inextricably linked and identified with culture, becomes a crucial refuge and a powerful tool to fight back. However, due to the changes in today’s world – deeper integration between nations and economies, rapid developments in communications and technology (including instruments of war), blurring of national borders, and a growing animosity towards the Western world due to the spread of information among different nations and cultures; conflict, including those propelled by religious beliefs, have taken a new and more complicated face. Religious warfare, unlike the traditional conduct of war, has become more complicated to address because, as Mark Juergensmeyer notes, religious struggle (1) gives the moral authority for extremists to embark on â€Å"catastrophic acts with biblical proportions,† (2) takes generations to succeed, and (3) provide both a personal and symbolic redemption for its perpetrators. By elevating their struggles to a cosmic war, religious extremists not only elevate their fight to be one of good against evil, they also impact public consciousness, bringing awareness, and at times sympathy, to

Attrition in Pharma Industry Essay Example for Free

Attrition in Pharma Industry Essay Insights of attrition rate of Medical representatives in Pharma companies and innovative ways to improve them. Overview: Attrition refers to the reduction in staff and employees of company by normal means. The primary focus is to present the high attrition rate seen in the pharmaceutical market industry, its causes and controlling strategy for retention of Pharma sales representatives. Though attrition is a natural phenomena in all industries, Indian Pharma marketing industries is worst plagued by it. After IT and BPO, Pharma marketing industries experience the greatest rate of employee leaving the company for various reasons. While global Pharma marketing attrition rate is 10-12% per annum, the rate of employees who leave the organization in India is 25 -30 %. The attrition is more prevalent in the middle and junior management level, due to which majority of the companies have understood the criticality of talent management. Retention is always a big challenge for any organization in today’s time frame. Indian Pharma companies have started paying attention towards the retainment and management of the Medical Representatives to gain key and valuable employees back into the company. High attrition rate of MR happens due to following reasons: 1) External factors The demand of fresh talent is more. The companies are looking for fresh talent to incorporate new ideas but the supply is very less, career view point of many young people to join as MR is just to prevent the ‘Stop Gap’ in their career path. The demand-supply imbalance leads to significant efforts to retain and attract a skilled Medical Representative. This has led to higher salary hikes in the Pharma sector than most other sectors .This is clearly a challenge in an industry which is very knowledge and relationship driven. 2) Internal factors It has been observed that many MR leave their job during the first 3 months itself due to the reasons like they were not serious about their job, They were overqualified and lost interest in their job, They might even be under-qualified and felt bogged down by the challenges of the job, They lack motivation, feel less growth in career path, Monotonous work, limited  training and development opportunities, wor king environment as well salary and compensation becomes an important issue in some cases etc. Now to meet the global competitiveness; Pharma companies have transformed their survival strategy to competitive strategy as a result there is huge pressures on the shoulder of medical representatives for higher secondary sales achievement and thereby constantly poking the field force which eventually leads to attrition. So the people change organizations frequently. Similarly poor management is also one of the key factors responsible for leaving the organizations. There is a popular saying â€Å"employee leaves the boss not the organizations. â€Å" Poor management includes lack of support to the employee, lack of transparent career growth ladder, adverse relation between the boss and subordinates, lack of motivation. Psychological relationship between leaders and employee is very crucial for sticking of employee in a particular organization. Thus, Organization culture also plays a significant role in sticking of Pharma sales representative in the same company for long run. Retention of the talented employees is always the most important agenda for any company to grow. Sometimes monetary benefits can help as by recent survey it was shown that more and more medical representatives are moving in insurance, telecommunications etc as they are paid double in those sectors but only monetary benefits are not sufficient to retain them it ultimately becomes a hygiene factor in talent management. Thus looking for new methods for attracting, motivating and retaining them becomes very important. Being the first line manager few suggestions to reduce attrition rate: 1. Treat employees as you like to be treated:  Treating and handling the employee with appreciation and care is most necessary. While addressing or pointing out their problems they shouldn’t be criticized and rather should be explained in a courteous manner. The sales representative undergoes a lot of pressures and tensions regarding the achievement of targeted sales so, they should be motivated continuously and should be dealt in same manner as the first line manager or other seniors would like to be treated. Incentives like give free monthly travelling passes, movie tickets, etc. can be given. 2. Ask employees for their opinions and implement the good ideas: Having equal contribution from the entire sales force representatives can have an impact over representative’s mind that their ideas and thoughts are valued and are taken into consideration when need arises. Having certain schemes for bringing about certain new ideas to increase the sales level should be implemented, this shall bring about a flow of innovative ideas and also execution of those ideas will bring about a sense of dignity among employee. 3. Reward those that go above and beyond the call of duty: Certain incentives can be granted when a particular sales representative works excellently and achieves sales beyond the targeted levels. There could also be certain cases when an employee performs or outdoes something which wasn’t achieved by any employee in the company before, for that he should be acknowledged well and should be awarded like salesman of the year, highest target achiever, fastest target achiever, etc. and they should be felicitated in front of the whole company instead of felicitating through emails. 4. Take very good care of your star performers or someone else will: Taking good care of star performers is very essential. Their qualities maybe unique and selling strategies might be very effective. Interacting and making them comfortable about their job shall retain the employee in the company and chances of him leaving the company for another might reduce to some extent. If they are performing really well incentives like foreign trips, etc. can be given. 5. Communicate with your staff: Sales peoples sometimes feel that the company doesn’t care enough for them. So, the higher level executives can make a point to interact with them at a time and get a knowhow about what problems they are facing on the field and other certain issues. First line manager should always communicate through all the sessions with each employee and have discussion regarding all the sales meet and problems related to those the sales rep might’ve had. 6. Hold skip level meetings to make sure that you’re Managers/Directors  are treating their staff correctly: Skip level meetings by higher ups can bring about more peachy feeling in the employee they might feel the concern and guardianship from top executives. This shall further charge and motivate them for the tasks they perform. 7. Build career planning for each employee: If employee wants to pursue further education the company can help by providing him admission in collaborated institutions- tailor made courses as well as sponsoring its education thus meeting the need of the employee which motivates him as well as help the company in retaining him. 8. Bring about job rotation and more growth opportunities: Giving growth opportunities like promotion and assigning certain new functionalities in the job shall increase the overall knowledge about the sales rep and also he won’t feel monotonous about the work he’s been performing. This shall give in-depth knowledge about other functions in the company and shall thereby increase the understanding of the employee about working of the other sectors in company. 9. Making them feel like family member: The employees of the company should be treated as the assets and they must be treated like a family member. Salesperson job is mostly to work out of the company, in such cases wishing them on their birthdays, anniversaries, etc. can be done. Also, paying visit or giving condolences to the MR on death of his family member can make him feel concerned and a part of family. 10. Optimizing target policies: Instead of having fixed monthly targets, the sales targets could be designed individually by looking through their past month performances. Depending on that each month the targeted sales could be increased or optimized depending upon past months performance. This shall bring about an upscale in sales level too. Conclusion: Thus for retaining MR the first line manager should focus on each and every step right from the recruitment, to training and development, rewards and appraisals even fulfilling the needs of MR as all of these steps play a crucial role in motivating and keeping him attracted towards his job.

Use of the path-goal theory

Use of the path-goal theory Use of the path-goal theory The Reasoning for the Use of the Path-Goal Theory in the Jeanne Lewis Case Jeanne Lewis, by any measure of the imagination is any prospective employers dream team member. She was committed, articulate, productive, smart, sensitive, motivated, and responsive to challenges. According to Peter Drucker (1998), â€Å"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes† (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 2008, p. 109). Lewiss team tripled direct product profitability (DPP) and invigorated sales of under-performing stores. All these and much more were demonstrated time and time again throughout Lewiss career at Staples. The Leadership Behaviors that Lewis Used with Her Employees Lewis engaged in different types of leadership behaviors depending on the situation at hand. Her approach to situations and the type of behavior she used further supports Marian Andersons statement that â€Å"Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it† (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 2008, p. 108). Shortly after Lewis assumed the position of the marketing manager at Staples, she assessed the situation regarding low performance of the stores, and she quickly came to the conclusion that strong leadership was lacking. As a result, she substituted 25 store associates over a 12-month period, which turned around the stores performance for better. Achievement-oriented leadership behavior was what Lewis utilized to achieve this result. Secondly, the tripling of the direct product profitability (DPP) by Lewiss team was another area where Lewis demonstrated a different type of leadership behavior-participative. Lewiss direct report s and peers appreciated her thoroughness when it came to getting her to support their position. The fact that her team members understood this much about her indicated she carried her team along while making decisions. Another way Lewis demonstrated a different type of leadership behavior was duringthe time she tried to foster relationships between the marketing organization and the in-house advertising agency. Her bimonthly meeting was met with stiff resistance. Realizing this was not a good strategy, Lewis changed the meeting to a one-on-one type that yielded results. Here, Lewis demonstrated a supportive type of leadership behavior, since this is what appeared to be desirable to the team members at this point. Also, Lewis used a directive leadership style when she warned her staff she would want to â€Å"ride shotgun† with them. She made it clear to the team what her expectations were. This leadership behavior typically results in improved satisfaction and performance. The director of marketing administration was satisfied with Lewiss strategy to such an extent that she set up one-on-one meetings between her team members and Lewis. Lewiss Leadership Behavior as it Relates to the Characteristics of Path-Goal Theory Path-Goal theory was premised not only on explaining which leadership style was effective, but why the leadership style was effective. House and Mitchell (2008) described path-goal theory as how a leader influences a followers perceived work goals, personal goals, and path to goal achievement. House and Dessler (1974), described path-goal theory as the effective leadership behavior needed in any instance which depends on the characteristics of the situation and the followers characteristics. Theresult Lewiss team was able to achieve as a result of her strategy change could have influenced her team members work goal, thus prompting them to perform well. Secondly, the tripling of the direct product profitability (DPP) by Lewiss team was another area that showcased path-goal theory. Lewiss team members and peers appreciated her thoroughness when it came to getting her to support their position. The fact that her team members had this level of understanding about her clarified the path to their goal, which then showed on the DPP result. Another way Lewis demonstrated characteristics of the pat-goal theory occurred duringher initial days as the vice president of retail marketing, where she set up several one-on-one meetings with her direct reports so that she could understand what part of the marketing puzzle each of them constituted. The marketing administration director saw something in this strategy, which led her to make a move to setup one-on-one meeting between Lewis and each of her own team members. This could have been as a result of the fact that Lewiss behavior was motivating to the extent that this director saw it could influence the attainment of her goal. Furthermore, the productivity that ensued after Lewis changed her strategy to be having a one-on-one status meeting with her team members after her initial bimonthly meeting approach flopped exemplified path-goal theory in that her team members could have gotten their work done due to the fact that th ey saw a clear path to them achieving their goal. The Behavior of Employees in Relation to Lewiss Leadership Style Several of Lewiss direct reports commented on her behaviors. One of them said: â€Å"Jeannes charm could be disarming. She worked really hard, and her personality motivated you. She tended to manage tightly at first, then loosened the reins. She challenged us a lot, and invited us to challenge each other†(Suesse Hill, 2005, p. 86). The directive leadership behavior Lewis used when she warned her staff she would want to â€Å"ride shotgun† with them was well accepted-as shown by the reaction of the marketing administration director. She was so satisfied with Lewiss strategy that she setup one-on-one meeting between her team members and Lewis. Employeeswarmlywelcomed Lewiss supportive leadership style as depicted with her change in strategy after the time she tried to foster a relationship between the marketing organization and the in-house advertising agency. Even though her bimonthly meeting was met with stiff resistance, her one-on-one meetings yielded good results. Thirdly, the participative leadership style used by Lewis during the tripling of the direct product profitability (DPP) was received well by employees. Initially they had mixed feelings about Lewiss leadership behavior, which one of them first felt was micro-managing before realizing that Lewis was just someone who liked to promote dialogue and debate to ensure that the best decision was arrived at. The fact that Lewis and her team in marketing while she was a manager there were able to invigorate sales performance within a 12-month period was an indication that she carried them along well and they were pleased with the things that they were able to archive together. This is consistent with achievement-oriented leadership behavior. Aspects of the Relationship of Employee Behavior as it Relates to the Characteristics of the Path-Goal Theory Path-Goal theory explains leaders effectiveness and the impact that leaders have on the followers motivation. The framework of instrumentality theory and path-goal theory suggest that the effectiveness of any leader at any given point depends on the characteristics of the situation and the characteristics of the follower. Several instances of this were observed throughout Lewiss carrier at Staples. It was repeated time and time again that Lewis had a personality that many may have misconstrued because of its confrontational nature. During her early days at Staples, Lewis herself acknowledged that she might not be able to work across the organization. At this point, she had barely been appointed a leader. One could then infer that all the zeal and the willingness to get things done was as a result of the belief that her hard work would someday get her into a management position, which she highly valued. The rejection that Lewis received when she started a bimonthly meeting was not a result of the ineffectiveness of the new structure she was trying to put in place; it was due to the fact that this did not influence her team members expectations, and their work and personal goal perhaps did not hinge on this. The same structure when changed to a one-on-one status meeting yielded the desired results. According to the observation made by one of the managers about the one-on-one status meetings, â€Å"She asks the kind of questions that provoked real interaction, so it really is a joint discussion† (Suesse Hill, 2005, p. 86). The South Africa studies around participation, individual differences, and job satisfaction among black and white employees results are better explained by the path-goal theory. Contrary to the expected conclusion that participative leadership is positively related to the individual differences, the theory concluded that participative leadership actually depends on the attributes of the task regardless of the predispositions of the subordinates. In the same vein, a study of the subordinates achievement (NACH) and affiliation (NAFF) needs as moderators of leader path-goal relationship conducted in Pennsylvania State University, drawn several interesting conclusions. One of the findings is that high NACH individuals prefer leaders with good strategies, policies, and rules who clarify paths to achievement (Orpen Ndlovu, 1977).

Neural structures: Subserving psychological function

Neural structures: Subserving psychological function This essay will evaluate what is known about the role of neural structures in subserving emotion. It was concluded that although emotion is a difficult behaviour to study scientifically, clear importance of the role of the amygdala has been found. Nonetheless, other structures and brain regions are involved in the responses to emotion, and how they interact together is an area in need of further investigation. Neural networks have been defined by Colman (2009) as a system of interconnected neurons. These systems can be either in the nervous system or in the brain. This essay will focus on the role of these neural structures in emotion. Colman (2009) defined emotion as a short-term evaluative, affective and intentional psychological state. The cognitive neuroscience of emotion has been slow to become widely recognised, as emotion is a behaviour that is difficult to study in a systematic manner. Recently however researchers have been challenging this gap in knowledge, and as a result, emotion is quickly emerging as a critical research topic (Gazzaniga, Ivry Mangun, 2009). BASIC HUMAN EMOTIONS Ekman and Friesen (1971) set out to find the basic human facial representations. From their cross-cultural work they suggested that anger, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness and surprise are the six basic human facial expressions that represent all emotional states. Despite there still being considerable debate about whether a single list is enough to incorporate all emotional experiences, it is generally agreed that these are the basic, universal human emotions (Gazzaniga et al., 2009); these emotions will therefore be the ones focused on later in the essay. HOW RESEARCH HAS DEVELOPED Early research into the cognitive neuroscience of emotion mainly focused on identifying the limbic system as the emotional brain (MacLean, 1949). Recently research has been focused on specific types of emotional tasks and identifying the neural systems underlying specific emotional behaviours. It is no longer thought that there is simply one neural circuit of emotion, rather that there are usually a number of different neural systems involved, dependant on the emotional situation (Gazzaniga et al., 2009). THE ROLE OF THE AMYGDALA The amygdala is a small structure in the medial temporal lobe. This structure has been a focus of research on emotional processing in the brain since Weiskrantz (1956, as cited in Gazzaniga et al., 2009) identified the amygdala as the primary medial temporal lobe structure underlying the fear related deficits in a medical condition known as KlÃÆ' ¼ver-Bucy syndrome. The amygdala receives inputs from every sensory system and is thought to be the structure where the emotional significance of sensory signals is learned and retained (Pinel, 2008). Sergerie, Chochol and Armony (2008) carried out a meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies looking at the role of the amygdala in emotional processing. Previously many functional neuroimaging studies have given solid support for an important role of the amygdala in negative emotional processing (Sergerie et al., 2008). The rationale behind this study was to address the issue of whether factors such as sex, valence and stimulus type have an effect on the magnitude and lateralization of amygdala reaction. The results confirmed that the amygdala reacts to both positive and negative emotional stimuli, particularly when participants were exposed to faces showing emotional expressions (Sergerie et al., 2008). Differences were not found in amygdala lateralization as a function of sex or valence. Strong support was also shown for a functional dissociation between the left and right amygdala in terms of temporal dynamics. The findings of this study indicate that the amygdala is involv ed in the processing of positive emotion as well as negative emotion. Following the large amount of empirical evidence showing the role of the amygdala in emotional processing, LeDoux (1996) warned that it may be tempting to conclude that the amygdala is at the centre of emotion reaction in the brain. This would be erroneous however, as there are clearly other structures involved in emotional processing. For the role of the neural system in emotion to be fully understood, further research is needed into the other structures involved. THE ROLE OF THE MEDIAL FRONTAL LOBES Recently, functional brain imaging studies have shown evidence of activity within the medial frontal lobes whilst emotions are being both cognitively suppressed or re-evaluated (Quirk Beer, 2006). The latest studies of medial prefrontal lobe activity have used suppression paradigms (where participants are told to suppress their emotional reactions to unpleasant images) or reappraisal paradigms (where participants are asked to try to reinterpret an image to adjust their emotional reaction to it) (Quirk Beer, 2006). The medial frontal lobes have been found to be active when both of these paradigms have been studied, and it seems that they interact with the amygdala to exert their cognitive control of emotion (Holland and Gallagher, 2004). These studies show that the medial frontal lobes have a role in the processing of emotion; further investigation is required in this area to reveal exactly what role this structure plays and how it interacts with other structures in the brain. THE REGULATION OF EMOTION Mak, Hu, Zhang, Xiao and Lee (2009) investigated the regulation of emotion through functional magnetic resonance imaging. The study identified neural correlates of the regulation of positive or negative emotion. The study of the regulation of emotion is important, as dysregulation of emotion is associated with the inability to modulate intense emotions that may worsen affective disorders (Mak et al., 2009). Whilst either viewing emotional pictures or regulating their emotions induced by these pictures, participants brain activities were monitored (Mak et al., 2009). The neuroimaging findings showed that the left superior and lateral frontal regions were common neural correlates of regulation for both emotions. The prefrontal regions and the left insula were found to be associated with regulation of positive emotion, while activity in the left orbitofrontal gyrus, the left superior frontal gyrus and the anterior cingulated gyrus appear to be associated with regulation of negative emot ion. In conclusion, Mak et al. (2009) suggested that there are both shared and specific neuro-cognitive mechanisms involved in the regulation of positive and negative emotions. If knowledge was to be enhanced into the neural mechanism behind emotion regulation, the understanding of the complex interaction between emotion and basic human behaviours could be improved. Through understanding the neural mechanisms behind emotion regulation, helpful insights could be provided into the biological basis of mental health (Mak et al., 2009). THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Several studies into the neural mechanisms of emotion have focused on individual differences. One of these studies, by Adolphs et al. (1999) tested how well nine neuropsychological patients with bilateral amygdala damage could identify emotion in facial expressions. As previously reported, the group as a whole was found to have problems identifying the emotion of fear (Adolphs et al., 1999). There were however, individual differences amongst the patients; some had difficulty identifying other negative emotions whereas two of the patients had no problem identifying emotions in facial expressions at all. Adolphà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s et al. (1999) said that remarkably these latter two patients had total bilateral amygdala lesions as revealed by structural MRIà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s. Canli, Sivers, Whitfield, Gotlib and Gabrieli (2002) used functional MRIs to look at the differences between the reactions of healthy participants who scored high in extraversion (who tend to have positive emotional reactions) and those who scored high on neuroticism (who have a tendency towards negative emotional reactions). It was found that all of the participants showed increased activity within the amygdala when viewing images of fearful faces, however only extraverts showed increased amygdala activity from viewing images of happy faces (Canli et al., 2002). These two studies indicate that individual differences affect the roles of neural structures in relation to emotion (Adolphs et al., 1999; Canli et al., 2002). This suggests that neural structures may play varying roles in experiencing emotion depending on the person, meaning that research into the roles of neural structures needs to consider differences between individuals for their findings to be relevant. A case study into one individual may show certain roles of a neural structure in emotional processing, however in another person this role may be slightly different. NEURAL NETWORK MODELLING OF SPECIFIC EMOTIONS Previously, the majority of the research into the neural network modelling of emotion has differentiated positive versus negative affect. Recently however, neural network modelling of specific emotions is beginning to emerge (Levine, 2006). The emotions mainly focused on in this research are the ones that were distinguished by Ekman and Friesen (1971), as mentioned earlier. THE NEURAL BASIS OF ANGER Blair, Morris, Frith, Perrett and Dolan (1999) carried out a study into the neural basis of anger. To do this they exposed subjects to either neutral or increasingly angry facial expressions while analyzing the areas of brain activation associated with the gradient of the intensity of anger. Blair et al. (1999) found the right orbitofrontal cortex became increasingly active when subjects were exposed to increasingly angry faces. These results suggest that the orbitofrontal cortex plays a role in explicit emotional labelling of angry faces. The role of the orbitofrontal cortex was further demonstrated by Sander et al. (2005). Participants were presented with meaningless phrases spoken with neutral prosody in one ear, and with angry prosody in the other. Participants were told to either attend to one ear or the other. It was found that activity in the right amygdala and superior temporal sulcus was changed independent of attention. Alternatively, the orbitofrontal cortex was only activated when the angry prosody had been attended to. This finding implies further that the orbitofrontal cortex is important for the explicit processing of anger. What now should be investigated is whether, and to what extent, individual differences have an effect; this could potentially help people who have problems with their anger by identifying the differences so that a solution can be found. THE NEURAL BASIS OF SADNESS Using the same paradigm, Blair et al. (1999) also investigated the neural basis of sadness. They found both the left amygdala and the right temporal lobe demonstrated activity linked with the intensity of sad expressions. These findings have however been contradicted by other recent studies. Adolphs and Tranel (2004) used a more sensitive approach, which involved the participants rating the intensity of an emotion rather than labelling it. They found that damage in the right amygdala caused a greater deficit in identifying sad faces when compared to damage to the left amygdala. Adolphs and Tranel (2004) believed that this difference in conclusions may have been due to the more insightful approach. There has not been much agreement for the neural basis of sadness, therefore this is an area of emotion which requires further research so that the roles of neural structures can be clarified. THE NEURAL BASIS OF FEAR Fear conditioning has become the preferred method of investigating fear as the source of fear is unambiguous and the development of the fear response can be systematically investigated (Pinel, 2008). Romanski and LeDoux (1992) studied the neural mechanisms of auditory fear conditioning by creating lesions in the auditory pathways of rats. It was found that bilateral lesions of the medial geniculate nucleus blocked fear conditioning to a tone; bilateral lesions of the auditory cortex however did not. The findings suggest that signals created by the tone only have to be able to reach the medial geniculate nucleus, not the auditory cortex, for auditory fear conditioning to occur. This also indicates that a pathway plays a crucial role in fear conditioning, going from the medial geniculate cortex to a structure other than the auditory cortex; this structure was proved to be the amygdala (Romanski LeDoux, 1992). They then found that lesions in the amygdala also blocked fear conditioning. Romanski and LeDoux (1992) argued that just because auditory cortex lesions do not disrupt fear conditioning does not mean that this structure is not involved in auditory fear conditioning. This is because there are two pathways from the medial geniculate nucleus to the amygdala. These are the auditory thalamus, and the auditory cortex; the indirect one, capable of mediating fear conditioning to more complex sounds (Jarrell et al., 1987, as cited in Pinel, 2008). Similarly, Armony et al. (1997) proposed a brain-based neural network model of auditory fear conditioning. Included are parallel cortical and subcortical pathways, reaching the primary emotional processing areas of the amygdala, as also shown by LeDoux (1996). It has been found that the subcortical pathway is quicker than the cortical, however the cortex performs more precise discrimination than the thalamus pathway. This finding suggests that the two pathways are involved in performing complementary functions; the subcortical pathway is vital in the presence of potentially dangerous stimuli where a fast response is crucial, and the cortical pathway is more useful where more detailed evaluations of stimuli are needed (Armony et al., 1997). Studies into fear have continually identified the amygdala as the main brain structure involved in the acquisition, storage and expression of conditioned fear (Armony et al., 1995;1997, Romanski LeDoux, 1992), therefore the role of the amygdala in fear conditioning is a widely accepted and stable notion. THE NEURAL BASIS OF SURPRISE Not many studies have investigated the emotion of surprise, however it is believed that surprise has important survival value, and therefore must be accessed early in the course of sensory processing (Plutchik Kellerman, 1986). To enable this, direct inputs to the amygdala from primary pathways provide this access, modulated by the swift habituation of sensory evoked responses in the amygdala. Because of this rapid action, surprise tends to be a short lived emotion, which leads on to another emotional state (Plutchik Kellerman, 1986); potentially making surprise a difficult emotion to study. THE NEURAL BASIS OF DISGUST Generally throughout the study of the neural basis of disgust, there has been a broad consensus that at least one area, the anterior insula, is crucial for both the detection and feeling of disgust (Philips et al., 1998). Based on imaging studies, this conclusion is in line with a study on a patient with insula damage whom is incapable of detecting disgust within varying modalities (Calder, Keane, Manes, Antoun, Young, 2000). Wicker, Keysers, Plailly, Royet, Gallese and Rizzolatti (2003) supported these findings, and went even further by analysing neural responses while watching others experience disgust, and firsthand experience of disgust. It was observed that in both these conditions the same part of the anterior insula was activated. These findings suggest that maybe understanding the emotions of others could require stimulation, and mildly experiencing, the emotions ourselves. This also implies a potential role of emotion in empathy (Gazzaniga et al., 2009). These findings by Philips et al. (1998), Calder et al. (2000) and Wicker et al. (2003) provide evidence that the insula is a neural correlate of experiencing disgust directly. The study by Wicker et al. (2003) also shows that the insula is essential in identification of disgust in others. Therefore, this indicates that the insula plays a role in the emotion of disgust, however the importance of this role is unknown. NEURAL CORRELATES OF HAPPINESS, SADNESS AND DISGUST An investigation into the neuroanatomical correlates of happiness, sadness and disgust was carried out by Lane, Reiman, Ahern, Schwartz and Davidson (1997). They used positron emission tomography to measure regional brain activity during exposure to happiness, sadness and disgust induced by film and recall. They found that happiness, sadness and disgust were all linked with increased activity in the thalamus and the medial frontal cortex, and also activation of anterior and posterior temporal structures, mainly when the emotions were induced by film. When sadness was recalled this linked with increased activation in the anterior insula; happiness was distinguished from sadness through greater activity around the ventral mesial frontal cortex. Lane et al. (1997) concluded that there seem to be a number of regions in the brain that are involved in emotions, with different combinations of structures concerned in feeling and identifying different emotions. This finding backs up LeDouxà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s (1996) reluctance to conclude that the amygdala is the centre of emotional reaction. EVALUATION OF METHODS Positron emission tomography (PET) is a technique often used in studies investigating co-morbidity. It provides images of brain activity, however these images are not of the brain, they are merely coloured maps giving an indication of the amount of radioactivity in the brain (Pinel, 2008). This means that it can only be estimated how much activity there is in each particular part of the brain, and therefore it is not a particularly accurate method of measuring brain activity in specific regions (Pinel, 2008). Another commonly used method of investigating brain activity in cognitive neuroscience is functional MRI (fMRI). The main strength of fMRI is that it provides both structural and functional information about the brain in one image (Posner Raichel, 1997), therefore revealing the brain function. This gives it an advantage over PET as a more precise image is produced (Pinel, 2008). Other advantages of this method over PET are that it provides a better spatial resolution, and three-dimensional images can be produced showing activity in the entire brain (Pinel, 2008). This information suggests that studies into the role of neural structures in emotion may be more reliable if the evidence comes from fMRI measurements, as a more accurate indication of which brain regions are activated at a certain time is given. CONCLUSION Through examining the literature surrounding the role of neural structures in emotion, it can be concluded that neural structures do play an important role. However, the significance of the role of neural structures in comparison to other factors, such as individual differences is still not clear. It has been proposed that neural structures have differing functions in the experience of emotion depending on the individual (Adolphs et al., 1999; Canli et al., 2002). This suggests that further research is needed in the field of individual differences to find these underlying factors, so that the function of neural structures can be more fully understood. Many challenges are faced in the study of emotion, as it is a behaviour that is difficult to define, manipulate and study with a scientific approach (Gazzaniga et al., 2009). Even so, investigation into the cognitive neuroscience of emotion has generally emphasized the importance of the role of the amygdala. The function of this structure in the response of emotion has been greatly influenced by research into animals; in both humans and other species the fact that the amygdala plays a vital role in the fear response has been demonstrated (Gazzaniga et al., 2009). The role of the amygdala is not the only structure researched in trying to identify the neural correlates involved in emotion, as recently different emotions have successfully been associated with other neural structures, including the orbitofrontal cortex in anger (Blair et al., 1999), and the insula, involved in disgust (Wicker et al., 2003). Nevertheless, an emerging change in the way the cognitive neuroscience of emotion is moving the emphasis from the study of individual neural structures to the investigation of neural systems (Gazzaniga et al., 2009). It is clear that the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex and insula are vital in the processing of emotion. It is now important that in order to enable how the brain produces both normal and adaptive emotional responses to be understood, the way that these structures interact together (with each other and with other brain regions) and the effect of individual differences needs to be investigated. FURTHER READING Gazzaniga, M. S., Ivry, R. B., Mangun, G. R. (2009). (See References). Gives a general overview of the neural networks involved in emotion, particularly the amygdala. Plutchik, R. Kellerman, H. (1986). (See References). Gives more in depth detail of the networks involved in specific emotions. Sergerie, K., Chochol, C., Armony, J. L. (2008). (See References). Looks at previous research into the role of the amygdala in emotional processing which gives new information regarding previously proposed models.

Walt Whitman as a Voice for the People Essay examples -- Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman as a Voice for the People "The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as much as he absorbs his country." This brilliant quote from Walt Whitman thus ends his preface to Leaves of Grass, and thereafter begins the poem "Song of Myself." To many, upon their first reading, this was a crude, shocking and distasteful piece of work. but to me...this was a celebration of life. And not just a celebration of his own life, but of every life, of the American life. Walt Whitman is the "voice of the people" and this I believe because, while he did write of things that were not seen as aesthetically beautiful by many...including homosexuality, loneliness, and death. And while these topics were not picturesque to many people, they are life. Real life. And this is what I, as a reader, loves the most about "Song of Myself". His voices is a fresher wind from those that came before him. Whitman offered an entirely new style that could make even similar subject matter seem incredibly different, and embody entirely opposite emotions. America was finally allowed to step out into the windà ­ and learn how refreshing truth can be. Walt Whitman was the voice of every American. First of all, I love the awareness that Whitman has of his own life, and of everyone elseà ­s life. He hides nothing of himself from the reader, and offers himself truthfully, saying: "Welcome is every organ and attribute of me, and of any man hearty and clean, Not an inch nore a particle of an inch is vile, and none shall be less familiar than the rest" (section 3, lines 49-51) We are able to see that this poet has such a love of life, acceptance of order, and honesty to offer. In turn he allows the ... ...e. Nothing is insignificant when seen through Whitmanà ­s eyes. Also, in this subject, we really see his Pantheist view coming out loud and clear when we writes: "I hear and behold God in every object, yet I understand God not in the least, Nor do I understand who there can be more wonderful than myself." (lines 1274-5) I found Walt Whitman to be an incredible poet, and I loved his writing style. He had the ability to make everything significant, and natural. He had a way of letting everything fall into ità ­s own place, without casting a certain order. I will conclude by leaving you with Whitmanà ­s own words, in the hopes that they will inspire you as much as they have me: "Long enough have you dreamed contemptible dreams, Now I wash the gum from your eyes, You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every moment of your life."

Review Of The Red Lantern :: essays research papers

There are some movies about lifestyles in China and then there is “Raise the Red Lantern.'; The film parallels “The Last Emperor'; in how a master controls his subjects within his domain. Out of all the Chinese movies that I have extensively viewed, this was the only one that actually, and effectively, captures the lush background of life during this time period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film entirely takes place on the grounds of a wealthy master whose only chore seems to be deciding which one of his four wives to sleep with on a given night. In viewing the movie, we are forced to feel sympathetic to the fourth mistress. She was the youngest among the other three who arrives at the estate after studying at the university. Cherished memories of her life before arriving there were ultimately destroyed. In one instance, the master burned the fourth mistress’s flute that her deceased father gave to her. The film evokes feelings of sorrow and disgust, but it manages to fill in humorous bits that alleviate the tense mood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film revolves around the master’s polygamist lifestyle and his utter dominance over his wives. When one mistress was good to him, he would decide to sleep with her that night. At the beginning of the film you get the notion that the forth mistress doesn’t want to sleep with the master, but that changes as the film goes on. Sleeping with the master that night meant the lanterns outside your room were lit up and, an added incentive, was being able to get a foot massage that night. The massage seemed to be the most rewarding part of being at the estate. The master’s decision of who to sleep with that night evoked jealousy between the “sisters.'; This increased the excitement of the movie and led to the main struggle between the fourth mistress and the three other women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fourth mistress’s anger and lack of control creates hostility in the household. Her behavior creates a downward spiral, which leads to the deaths of two important characters.

Funding for Emergency Operations

Funding for Emergency Operations Jenalyn L. Brock EMC/330 March 19, 2013 Robert E. Wynne Funding for Emergency Operations Government funding for emergency medical services (EMS) operations and training comes from many different resources. Government also oversees contract options for funding Medicaid, Medicare, insurance, and private providers. The Taylor Ambulance Company in the University of Phoenix scenario has its own contract with the City of Kelsey. This contract should meet some meet some general contract principles. Emergency managers need to understand the effect that legislation has on funding and operations.Government Options for Funding EMS operations and training receive funding from the public and fee-for-service reimbursement (Brennan, 2006, p. 93). How an EMS organization is configured determines how the EMS services are funded. Traditionally, private EMS providers rely on fee-for-service funding, while public service providers rely on public funding. According to Bre nnan (2006), both providers are billing for services and private EMS companies are more and more dependent on public funding. In 1966, the National Highway Safety Act created a grant program that provided funding for equipment and personnel.In order to receive money for grants, EMS organizations have to write grant proposals to the government. In the grant proposals, managers have to explain exactly how the funds will be used, who will benefit from the funds, and prove that they will not abuse the funds (FEMA, 2012). Local organizations also see revenue from funding alternatives such as taxes, user fees, fines, forfeitures, citations, enterprise funds, utility rates, sales of organizational assets, benefit assessments, and borrowing revenue (FEMA, 2012). These funding alternatives are acquired through government processes.In 1973, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Systems Act that provided further guidance and funding for EMS systems (Brennan, 2006, p. 94). Private EMS organizat ions like American Medical Response and Rural/Metro Corporation are mostly supported by user fees, unless they are patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Each of these government funding choices has its own implications and comes with restraints, as in restricting the way the money is used. Contract Options for Funding EMS organizations also have their contract options for funding.According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2013), they developed a fee schedule for ambulance services, in order to contain costs. This schedule is written into a contract. Many patients that are transported by ambulance are Medicare beneficiaries. The government will only reimburse the companies for services rendered during transport, unless contraindicated by the patient’s medical condition. There are codes associated with treatment that either replace or supplement ICD-9 codes. The fee schedule also corresponds with BLS and ALS levels of care, rating treatment from routine to complex (Brennan, 2012).Private insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield include ambulance services for their patients when other transportation would otherwise harm the patient. Cities and hospitals create contract agreements with private ambulance companies for services. Taylor Ambulance Company Service Contracts Generally in contract writing, there are six basic contract elements (The Law Handbook, 2010). The first is that both parties must have the capacity to enter a contract. There must be an offer and then acceptance. There needs to be intention to create legal relations. Considerations are made regarding as far as the value of what is being exchanged.There is also consideration for what will happen if the other party fails to follow through with their portion of the contract. The considerations must not be illegal in nature, or the contract is not valid. The Taylor Ambulance Company has a General Services Agreement with the City of Kelsey. The two parties are capable of entering the contract. The contract clearly states that both parties agree that Taylor Ambulance Services will provide emergency transport for the city, through 911-dispatch. The contract also clearly states that Taylor Ambulance Company will provide appropriately trained personnel and its own equipment.The contract also delineates how many ambulances will be running, staffed, and stocked during the contract. It also identifies Taylor Ambulance Company as the primary provider of emergency transport services for the City of Kelsey. The ambulances must be in good working order and staff must be trained according to all applicable laws. The contract states exactly how much Taylor Ambulance Company will be paid for each patient that it transports. The total of $829. 40 will be the price. For the rest of the costs associated with the transport, like medical supplies, blankets, and other equipment, must be provided by Taylor Ambulance Company.At the end of each month, Taylor Ambulance Company must total the ambulance transports. The City of Kelsey will send them an accounting report and Taylor Ambulance Company must approve the statement. If both parties still disagree, they will seek further counsel. These elements of the contract cover the consideration elements of a contract. The contract has an exact start and stop time, and is signed by the Mayor of the City of Kelsey and the Owner of Taylor Ambulance Company. Effect of Legislation on Funding and Operations Federal and local legislation can have significant effects on funding and operations.Depending on the type of organization, it could be dependent on Federal funding. Mercer (2013) reported that the South Dakota state Senate rejected an attempt to change financial agreements between insurance companies and ambulance services. A Senator wanted to allow ambulance services to be paid directly by insurance providers, as opposed to sending checks to patients. There are times when the ambulance companies were n ot receiving payments. The interruption in the payment cycle can have a direct effect on the company’s funding and operations. On a Federal level, financial stability can have a great overall impact on ambulance companies.Fortunately, in January 2013, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act. It reauthorized the Fire and SAFER grant programs and called to reform the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program. The act also extends Medicare bonus payments for ambulance services. Ambulance companies will receive an extra two percent for urban transports, three percent for rural transports, and 22. 6% for super-rural transports (Fire Chief, 2013). Conclusion Government funding for EMS operations and training comes from several different resources. Ambulance companies rely on both public and private funding.Government also oversees contract options for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service providers like Medicaid and Medicare. Insurance companies and private providers also adhere to contracts. The Taylor Ambulance Company in the University of Phoenix scenario has its own contract with the City of Kelsey. This contract meets the general contract principles and clearly outlines the terms of the deal between Taylor Ambulance Company and the City of Kelsey. Emergency managers who understand legislation and how it effects funding will be able to anticipate changes and effectively manage their organizations. References Brennan, J.A. (2006). Principles of EMS systems. (3rd ed. ). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2013). Financial alignment initiatives. Retrieved from http://www. cms. gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid- Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-CoordinationOffice/ FinancialModelstoSupportStatesEffortsinCareCoordination. html FEMA. (2012). Funding alternatives for emergency medical and fire services. Retrieved from http://www. usfa. fema. gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_331 . pdf Fire Chief. (2013). Obama signs bills to re-fund USFA, FIRE grants, extend Medicare ambulance payments.Retrieved from http://firechief. com/legislation-amp regulations/obama-signs-bills-re-fund-usfa-fire-grants-extend-medicare-ambulance-pa Mercer. (2013). Rapid City Journal. Senate blocks changes to ambulance service payments. Retrieved from http://rapidcityjournal. com/news/senate-blocks-changes-to-ambulance-service-payments/article_880d2ee4-ef1f-54dd-a98a-0c6e81ef95e7. html National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration. (1996). Emergency medical services agenda for the future. Retrieved from http://www. nremt. org/nremt/ downloads/EMS%20Agenda%20for%20the%20Future. pdf Funding for Emergency Operations Funding for Emergency Operations Jenalyn L. Brock EMC/330 March 19, 2013 Robert E. Wynne Funding for Emergency Operations Government funding for emergency medical services (EMS) operations and training comes from many different resources. Government also oversees contract options for funding Medicaid, Medicare, insurance, and private providers. The Taylor Ambulance Company in the University of Phoenix scenario has its own contract with the City of Kelsey. This contract should meet some meet some general contract principles. Emergency managers need to understand the effect that legislation has on funding and operations.Government Options for Funding EMS operations and training receive funding from the public and fee-for-service reimbursement (Brennan, 2006, p. 93). How an EMS organization is configured determines how the EMS services are funded. Traditionally, private EMS providers rely on fee-for-service funding, while public service providers rely on public funding. According to Bre nnan (2006), both providers are billing for services and private EMS companies are more and more dependent on public funding. In 1966, the National Highway Safety Act created a grant program that provided funding for equipment and personnel.In order to receive money for grants, EMS organizations have to write grant proposals to the government. In the grant proposals, managers have to explain exactly how the funds will be used, who will benefit from the funds, and prove that they will not abuse the funds (FEMA, 2012). Local organizations also see revenue from funding alternatives such as taxes, user fees, fines, forfeitures, citations, enterprise funds, utility rates, sales of organizational assets, benefit assessments, and borrowing revenue (FEMA, 2012). These funding alternatives are acquired through government processes.In 1973, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Systems Act that provided further guidance and funding for EMS systems (Brennan, 2006, p. 94). Private EMS organizat ions like American Medical Response and Rural/Metro Corporation are mostly supported by user fees, unless they are patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Each of these government funding choices has its own implications and comes with restraints, as in restricting the way the money is used. Contract Options for Funding EMS organizations also have their contract options for funding.According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2013), they developed a fee schedule for ambulance services, in order to contain costs. This schedule is written into a contract. Many patients that are transported by ambulance are Medicare beneficiaries. The government will only reimburse the companies for services rendered during transport, unless contraindicated by the patient’s medical condition. There are codes associated with treatment that either replace or supplement ICD-9 codes. The fee schedule also corresponds with BLS and ALS levels of care, rating treatment from routine to complex (Brennan, 2012).Private insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield include ambulance services for their patients when other transportation would otherwise harm the patient. Cities and hospitals create contract agreements with private ambulance companies for services. Taylor Ambulance Company Service Contracts Generally in contract writing, there are six basic contract elements (The Law Handbook, 2010). The first is that both parties must have the capacity to enter a contract. There must be an offer and then acceptance. There needs to be intention to create legal relations. Considerations are made regarding as far as the value of what is being exchanged.There is also consideration for what will happen if the other party fails to follow through with their portion of the contract. The considerations must not be illegal in nature, or the contract is not valid. The Taylor Ambulance Company has a General Services Agreement with the City of Kelsey. The two parties are capable of entering the contract. The contract clearly states that both parties agree that Taylor Ambulance Services will provide emergency transport for the city, through 911-dispatch. The contract also clearly states that Taylor Ambulance Company will provide appropriately trained personnel and its own equipment.The contract also delineates how many ambulances will be running, staffed, and stocked during the contract. It also identifies Taylor Ambulance Company as the primary provider of emergency transport services for the City of Kelsey. The ambulances must be in good working order and staff must be trained according to all applicable laws. The contract states exactly how much Taylor Ambulance Company will be paid for each patient that it transports. The total of $829. 40 will be the price. For the rest of the costs associated with the transport, like medical supplies, blankets, and other equipment, must be provided by Taylor Ambulance Company.At the end of each month, Taylor Ambulance Company must total the ambulance transports. The City of Kelsey will send them an accounting report and Taylor Ambulance Company must approve the statement. If both parties still disagree, they will seek further counsel. These elements of the contract cover the consideration elements of a contract. The contract has an exact start and stop time, and is signed by the Mayor of the City of Kelsey and the Owner of Taylor Ambulance Company. Effect of Legislation on Funding and Operations Federal and local legislation can have significant effects on funding and operations.Depending on the type of organization, it could be dependent on Federal funding. Mercer (2013) reported that the South Dakota state Senate rejected an attempt to change financial agreements between insurance companies and ambulance services. A Senator wanted to allow ambulance services to be paid directly by insurance providers, as opposed to sending checks to patients. There are times when the ambulance companies were n ot receiving payments. The interruption in the payment cycle can have a direct effect on the company’s funding and operations. On a Federal level, financial stability can have a great overall impact on ambulance companies.Fortunately, in January 2013, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act. It reauthorized the Fire and SAFER grant programs and called to reform the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program. The act also extends Medicare bonus payments for ambulance services. Ambulance companies will receive an extra two percent for urban transports, three percent for rural transports, and 22. 6% for super-rural transports (Fire Chief, 2013). Conclusion Government funding for EMS operations and training comes from several different resources. Ambulance companies rely on both public and private funding.Government also oversees contract options for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service providers like Medicaid and Medicare. Insurance companies and private providers also adhere to contracts. The Taylor Ambulance Company in the University of Phoenix scenario has its own contract with the City of Kelsey. This contract meets the general contract principles and clearly outlines the terms of the deal between Taylor Ambulance Company and the City of Kelsey. Emergency managers who understand legislation and how it effects funding will be able to anticipate changes and effectively manage their organizations. References Brennan, J.A. (2006). Principles of EMS systems. (3rd ed. ). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2013). Financial alignment initiatives. Retrieved from http://www. cms. gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid- Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-CoordinationOffice/ FinancialModelstoSupportStatesEffortsinCareCoordination. html FEMA. (2012). Funding alternatives for emergency medical and fire services. Retrieved from http://www. usfa. fema. gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_331 . pdf Fire Chief. (2013). Obama signs bills to re-fund USFA, FIRE grants, extend Medicare ambulance payments.Retrieved from http://firechief. com/legislation-amp regulations/obama-signs-bills-re-fund-usfa-fire-grants-extend-medicare-ambulance-pa Mercer. (2013). Rapid City Journal. Senate blocks changes to ambulance service payments. Retrieved from http://rapidcityjournal. com/news/senate-blocks-changes-to-ambulance-service-payments/article_880d2ee4-ef1f-54dd-a98a-0c6e81ef95e7. html National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration. (1996). Emergency medical services agenda for the future. Retrieved from http://www. nremt. org/nremt/ downloads/EMS%20Agenda%20for%20the%20Future. pdf