Racial Communitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Racial Communitarianism - Essay Example This is a post-post-modernist development in the sense that it engulfs not only traditions of libertarianism, modernity of civil society and peculiar amalgamation of both these to bring forth something anew as good governance but also its quest for a balanced form of State and social ethos. Racial Communitarianism thus reflects a search and global movement for equal respect and opportunities to people of all races in the pursuance of their duties as human beings and citizens of a global civil society. Rights will then be natural corollary of duties so performed professionally. Communitarianism is also an attempt to work towards fighting various apparently fascist tendencies of libertarianism such as overarching power channels and structures like the Security Council of the United Nations and the all powerful stature of the President of United States despite inherent checks and balances in the political system. Communitarianism is, indeed, an emerging movement to go beyond the shackles of a sovereign nation-state. It is moving ahead into the realms of a global civil society tackling a number of its issues and problems on its own without always looking up to the State for all its solution. Standing on one's own feet, preserving one's self-respect, economic and multicultural empowerment alongwith individual based and logically viable soc

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns & Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Example for Free

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Person-centred counselling originated in 1930’s and 40’s from the work of the American psychologist Carl Rogers. Rogers came to believe that as it is the client who is hurting, then ultimately it is the client themselves who holds the answers about how best to move forward. At the time, this approach was a departure from others forms of counselling which relied on clients being advised, guided or somehow influenced on which direction to take. Using the person centred approach, it is the counsellor’s job to help the client connect with their own inner resources enabling them to find their own unique solutions. In this book the authors undertake to explain the theories and principles of person centred counselling by relating them to actual practice. The book is intended as a practical and comprehensive guide for trainee counsellors, those training them and also for established counsellors wishing to familiarise themselves with the person centred approach to counselling. Coming from the standpoint of someone just starting out as a trainee counsellor, the writer was first attracted by the short, snappy title of ‘Person Centred Counselling in Action’. The word ‘action’ hints that the work will not be a dry, difficult to read book concentrating only on the theoretical side of things but the reader will actually get to see how the process works in practice. In this regard, the book did not disappoint. -2- The main body of the book explores in some depth, the conditions (known as the core conditions) of empathy, acceptance and congruence, which are essential to the practice of the person- centred counsellor. The final three chapters draw on one particular case study showing how the core conditions are used in practice. These final chapters look at the experience from both the counsellor’s and the client’s point of view. The writer found the contents of the book to be written in a logical fashion and in the main uses straight forward language. The writer felt that the down to earth style of writing and avoidance of jargon made the book more accessible than some others of the same genre. Also very helpful is that as  new concepts are introduced, examples of the concept being discussed are highlighted in boxes throughout the text. This helped to reinforce the writer’s understanding of ideas that are unfamiliar to her at this stage of her learning. One of the main themes of the book is an in-depth exploration of the three elements that make up what is referred to in person centred literature, as the ‘core conditions’. In the first chapter the book clearly states what these are as follows: â€Å"The creation of a growth producing climate in a therapeutic relationship requires  That the counsellor can: 1. be genuine or congruent 2. offer unconditional positive regard and total acceptance -3- 3. feel and communicate a deep empathic understanding† While this statement is useful for clarity it is obvious on reading further that these conditions are not easily attained. They take commitment on the part of the counsellor to develop and maintain these attitudes and are so significant, say the authors, that not only do they have profound implications for the counsellor’s professional practice but also for the counsellor’s life as a whole. This thought makes the writer pause and reflect on how powerful the core conditions are and the words ‘life changing’ spring unbidden to mind. Although in practice, the core conditions are inextricably linked, for the purposes of this review the writer has chosen to focus on the book’s exploration of acceptance or ‘unconditional positive regard’. The authors speak of unconditional positive regard as being an attitude held by the counsellor and give the following clear definition: â€Å"Unconditional positive regard is the label given to the fundamental attitude of the person-centred counsellor towards her client. The counsellor who holds this attitude deeply values the humanity of her client and is not deflected in that valuing by any particular client behaviours. The attitude manifests itself in the counsellor’s consistent acceptance of and enduring warmth towards her client†. It struck the writer that although this attitude of unconditional positive regard can be viewed as highly commendable, it may also in practice, be difficult to attain. The writer agrees with the -4-  authors’ opinion that unconditionality cannot be guaranteed due to each counsellor being fallible, human and having personal limits. The writer however questions the authors’ statement that â€Å" the person centred counsellor is likely to be ‘less conditional’ than most other people with whom the client will relate†. The writer feels that this is a sweeping generalisation of clients’ relationships and may not be true. That said, the writer believes that the attitude of unconditional positive regard is one that every counsellor, irrespective of tradition, should actively seek to develop and maintain. The authors pose the question â€Å"Why is unconditional positive regard important? † In answer to this question a picture is drawn of a client who has been brought up to believe that it is only by meeting conditions imposed on them by significant others that they have any value. By consistently having an attitude of unconditional positive regard and by valuing the client in their own right, irrespective of conditions imposed by others, the counsellor is directly challenging the client’s long held beliefs about their self- worth. The authors describe the client as being in a negative, self-defeating cycle, not expecting to be valued and relate to others by being self-protective or defensive. They may well be displaying behaviours that drive others away such as being inappropriately aggressive, not showing any feelings or perhaps withdrawing from any demanding social contact. In driving others away, the client’s belief that he is unworthy or unlovable is reinforced. The authors explain that by having an attitude of unconditional positive regard, the counsellor can gradually break into the client’s self- defeating cycle. Once the cycle is broken, the client -5- no longer needs to be defensive towards the counsellor. His fear reduces and an environment of trust and safety is created where the client feels able to explore what troubles him. The authors claim that not only will the client have been influenced to question conditions of worth imposed on him and been helped to become less defensive but that somehow the client will begin to experience the counsellor’s attitude for himself and begin the journey towards self-acceptance. The writer, though inexperience, agrees with the writers’ view that the counsellor’s attitude of unconditional positive regard can eventually have dramatic positive effects for the client. The writer also takes on board the authors’ advice to bear this dramatic effect in mind, early in the therapeutic process when the client can display a number of difficult, off-putting behaviours. There was some discussion by the authors about ‘defensive’ clients. They give examples of three clients with very different problems. Mary an unkempt 45 year old lady with poor personal hygiene who is filled with self-loathing; Roger a hard-nosed 35 year old, cut-throat business man who blames his wife for all their marital problems and James a suspicious, angry 18 year old who used most of his first counselling session to verbally abuse the counsellor. It later became clear that the three clients had four things in common: 1. They all had a deep sadness, 2. Felt intensely unloved, 3. Did not love themselves and 4. Were all extremely vulnerable. The authors note that although the clients behaviours were very different their defensiveness was acting as a shield which repelled others and hid what kind of people they really were. The -6- authors advise that unconditional positive regard means that the counsellor should not be put off by these behaviours but should continue to value the worth of the client and eventually earn the right to be given access to what lies behind the shield. The writer can imagine that it could sometimes be difficult for the counsellor to accept their client. The authors examine this problem in some depth and also give practical steps for the counsellor to take when confronted with this situation. They advise the conscious use of empathy which helps the counsellor to focus more on the client and less on her own negative feelings towards the client. Using empathy can also encourage the client to open up more and cause the counsellor to question her earlier judgement. The authors also suggest that it would be beneficial for the counsellor to explore the matter more fully in supervision. The dislike belongs to the counsellor, say the authors and is therefore her responsibility to deal with it and not blame the client for her feelings. In the chapter on unconditional positive regard, the authors go onto discuss in some depth other matters worthy of consideration and study such as ‘Can the Client Accept My Acceptance? Focus on Warmth’, ‘Focus on Conditionality’ and ‘Accepting the Client who loves you’. Unfortunately time does not allow the writer to discuss these topics any further. The writer found the whole book very engaging and informative and would recommend the newer edition to anyone wanting to learn more about person-centred counselling. Its ‘hands on’ style is very readable and gives many useful examples of the process in action. In conclusion, it ‘does what it says on the tin’! (Word Count 1,565)

Leadership In A Changing Environment Nhs Management Essay

Leadership In A Changing Environment Nhs Management Essay Spending on the NHS has risen from  £447m a year to  £96bn over the last 60 years (Ham 1997), nearly a 10-fold increase after adjustment for inflation (Hawe 2008). In 2000 the Labour government initiated a programme of investment of 7% budget increases for 7 years that was unprecedented for any healthcare system (Department of Health 2000). However, Andrew Lansley the new health secretary, recently announced that the NHS budget would continue to rise above inflation in the coming years, but signalled that the NHS may need to make more savings than the previously announced  £20bn in efficiency cuts, a move health experts described as extremely ambitious and unions warned could have a devastating impact on hospitals (The Guardian, 2010). The government say it is necessary to make savings on such a scale because of the squeeze in public spending. So the NHS, with a budget of  £100bn amounting to a fifth of total public spending will have to do more with less. The individuals charged with steering the NHS through this period of relative famine will no doubt be required to display all the qualities of good leadership in order to meet the demanding financial and strategic challenges that face the organisation. But what are those qualities? How are they being developed within the NHS, and are they even the right qualities needed to produce effective leadership in an organisation as complex and demanding as the NHS? This paper firstly takes a critical look at what might constitute good healthcare leadership with reference to the current NHS Leadership Qualities Framework (NHS Institute of Innovation and Improvement, 2005) and presents an alternative to the individualistic approach of seeing leadership as a set of distinct personal qualities, capabilities and/or behaviours. Some of the theoretical and methodological weaknesses of the individualistic approach are exposed in an attempt to challenge the established formula for good leadership, and argue that in the increasingly tough economic climate that the NHS has to operate in, a new style of leadership is required to meet the challenge of delivering high quality healthcare whilst balancing the books. Secondly we look at the role of organisational change in facilitating this new approach to leadership. Established models of culture change are summarised and analysed to see if they might fit within this new approach to leadership. Finally the author discusses his own personal style of leadership in light of the findings and attempts to apply theory to practice within his own working environment. Leadership in the context of the NHS The NHS employs more than 1.3 million  people spread across hundreds of organisations.  Leaders of NHS organisations need to provide strong, strategic leadership for their organisation while being held to account by local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and other regulatory bodies for nationally and locally set objectives.  The performance of these organisations is dependant on the performance of clinicians who are often leaders in their own right, and due to the nature of their profession are expected to work under a great deal of autonomy. This is a problem that the NHS has been struggling with over its entire history. In 1983 the Conservative government of the time commissioned the Griffiths Report, which was a key trigger to the development of management and leadership in the NHS.  In the report, Roy Griffiths famously said, If Florence Nightingale were carrying her lamp through the NHS today she would be searching for the people in charge.  (Griffiths, 1983). The report is best known for recommending that general managers be introduced into the NHS. During the 1980s, hospitals began to integrate the medical profession into the management structure. In the early 1990s, however, with the introduction of the internal market, managers and leaders were tasked very clearly with balancing the books.  This resulted in managers becoming stereotyped as bean counters, a popular viewpoint still held by many (Kings fund, 2009). It was important then that the publication of Lord Darzis NHS Next Stage Review in 2008 (Doh, 2008) shifted the focus from general management onto the need for more clinical leadership.  Clinicians are being asked to have increasing involvement with the management agenda and take responsibility for the delivery of services locally. As a result of this increased recognition of a need for high quality leadership to deliver the NHS Plan (Doh, 2000) in 2009 the Chief Executive of the NHS, David Nicholson, established, and currently chairs the National Leadership Council (NLC). The Council has five main work streams: Top Leaders, Emerging Leaders, Board Development, Inclusion, and Clinical Leadership. This development represents a switch from where people were left to work out their career options for themselves, to a more nurturing environment, with a greater focus on support to both individuals and organisations. The Leadership Qualities Framework The document that underpins the development of leaders through the (NLC) is the Leadership Qualities Framework which has a number of applications and builds on the increasing emphasis in management recruitment, development and education on nurturing individual character traits in leaders, with the sole purpose of producing a set of abilities and transferable skills that can be applied in a variety of situations and contexts. Through this approach, NHS organisations hope to produce adaptable leaders, able to work across a multitude of complex environments and systems typical of a healthcare organisation. The term leadership is applied then to those who seemingly possess the abilities deemed necessary to lead, such as communication, people management, decision making and problem-solving. This dominant approach focuses on individual personal qualities for leadership development and is the latest in a long line of competency frameworks that have emerged in the last 50 years. The history of competency frameworks Leadership thinking has developed substantially over the last 50 years. The idea of individual character traits that started with Stogdill (1950) soon expanded into other schools of thought with McGregor pioneering the behavioural approach (1960) and Fiedler the contingency school (1967). These ideas were added to by Hersey Blanchard (1977) with situational leadership and Burns with transformational leadership (1978). All these approaches focus on leadership as a set of qualities embedded in the individual and can be thought of as competency approaches. There focus is on leaders who impress others; inspire people; push through transformations; get the job done; have compelling, even gripping visions; stir enthusiasm; and have personal magnetism (Maccoby, 2000). The NHS Leadership Qualities Framework is the latest such tool that adopts the individualistic approach with a focus on 15 core personal characteristics such as self-belief, empowering others, intellectual flexibility, political astuteness and integrity. These personal qualities are undoubtedly important but do not probably tell the whole story of what makes a good leader. Sanderson (2002) makes the point that management is more likely a consequence of complex contextually-situated interrelations, thoughts reiterated by Mintzberg in 2004 who suggests that our view of leadership is more likely to be an over-simplification of a vast pool of environmental data compressed into a few key people. So what are the major criticisms of competency models such as the LQF, and how might such a model have to adapt to ensure that the National Leadership Council produces the right kind of leaders needed for the future? Weaknesses of competency approaches to leadership There are at least five areas where the competency approach could be seen to be flawed (Bolden et al, 2006). Firstly it can be seen to be reductionist in the sense that it reduces the management role to its constituent parts rather than seeing it as a whole (Lester, 1994 Ecclestone, 1997). Secondly, the competencies that are listed as prerequisites for good leadership are often generic with no accounting of the nature of the task or situation (Swales Roodhouse, 2003). Thirdly, that focusing on personal traits may reinforce stereotypes about leadership rather than challenge them (Cullen, 1992). Fourthly, that not enough attention is given to the subtle qualities such as the moral and emotional elements of leadership that are difficult to quantify and measure (Bell et al. 2002). The fifth and final main criticism of competency frameworks is that their content forms part of an approach to education that aims to train individuals to improve their performance at work rather than develop more general cognitive abilities (Grugulis, 1997). If we accept the above weakness as legitimate, then it does cast doubt over the validity of competency frameworks such as the LQF to actually select and develop leaders. Salaman (2004) suggests that these frameworks may actually be confusing the issue when he states that The problems it promised to resolve are not capable of resolution and its promise consisted largely of a sleight of hand whereby organizational problems were simply restated as management responsibilities Weaknesses specific to the LQF include the fact that the initial research on which it was built was taken from interviews with Directors and Chief Executives rather than observation of good leadership in practice (NHS Leadership centre 2005). Also the qualities being promoted such as awareness, self-belief and integrity may be admiral in their own right but do not necessarily automatically lead to effective leadership. Bolden et al (2006) lists the characteristics as (a) a somewhat persecutory list of oughts, and (b) suggest that the characteristics still do little to get effective leadership done. One may be visionary, communicative and honest and still find leadership to be elusive. This then is the great paradox found within the competency approaches; that while they aim to highlight the skills that may be needed in certain situations, it is highly unlikely that people will encounter the exact same set of circumstances in their own practice because of the inherent complex nature of working life. Also, that while providing prescriptive solutions to problems may increase consistency, they may stifle any original though in the leader wanting to apply their own reasoning to the problem. The characteristics of the LQF seem then to be then a description of the qualities found in people in the top jobs rather than the prerequisites for leadership. The difference in viewing these traits as descriptive rather than prescriptive cannot be underestimated. Such descriptions however tend to oversimplify and may prove to be of limited, practical value within the climate of complexity, interdependence and fragmentation that arguably characterizes multi-disciplinary organizations such as the NHS (Blackler et al., 1999). Additionally, individuals are likely to try and define themselves according to the corporate language found within competency frameworks to legitimise their role rather than seek new ways of working and improving their practice (Holman Hall, 1997). Going back to Sandersons earlier point that management is more likely a consequence of complex contextually-situated interrelations, we can see how in a medical setting such as in a busy outpatient department the desired outcomes can only be achieved as a consequence of multiple staffing/patient/organisational/medical factors working in synergy. Successful leadership in this sort of environment is not likely to be the result of any one individual, but a result of all the characters competently playing their respective parts. Marx (1973) suggests that we should not focus on a few key individuals when trying to explain leadership in an organisation, because if we do so there is the danger that individuals become pigeonholed as either leader/follower and the nuances of the group interactions as a whole become lost. He ultimately describes the leadership focus on a few key people as an illusion. Using the earlier example of a trip to the outpatient department there is no point looking fo r a leader throughout the care process, as responsibility passes between various individuals, especially if you include the initial referral from the GP and follow up staff such as home help after the visit. Beyond individual competencies So if traditional competency frameworks, including the Qualities Leadership Framework are flawed, how can a view of leadership based on contextual factors better steer the future of leadership development within the NHS? Building on the initial thoughts of Marx in 1973, Bolden et al (2006) develop the argument that leadership is an organic process that is an ongoing, ever developing situation that individuals find themselves in whilst interacting with others. Leadership can come and go depending on the relationships that people have with each other and is inextricably linked to the particular environment of the time. Like power, leadership is an internal relation, constantly in-tension and subject to a myriad of meanings, values, ideals and discourse processes (Alvesson, 1996). One of the implications of reclassifying leadership in this way is that good and effective leadership cannot now be taught, only experienced by others. Sandberg (2000) interviewed assembly line workers and concluded that finding purpose at work led to appropriate competencies arising naturally. He proposes that by engaging in dialogue to clarify a workers purpose leads to better outcomes compared to presenting them with a list of competencies to achieve. Within the outpatient department example it is likely that the unified sense of purpose will bind the individual players, creating an environment that facilitates the emergence of positive behaviours when required. In light of the increasing economic constraints that health organisations have to operate within, it would be wise to promote leadership as potentially accessible to all by placing more emphasis on personal autonomy. Perhaps then this re-conceptualisation would encourage a shift not only in how leadership is researched, but also in how it is recognised, rewarded and developed within the NHS. Practically speaking the NHS needs to cast its net a bit wider when trying to define good leadership. It means opening up leadership from multiple angles, searching its small details, minor shifts and subtle contours (Dreyfuss Rabinow, 1982) to see it in the context of its environment. Bringing about organisational change In light of our proposal that it would be wise to promote leadership as potentially accessible to all by placing more emphasis on personal autonomy, there needs to be a way that leaders can disseminate this culture within their organisations. As many health organisations are built on strict hierarchical chains of command it is inevitable then that many organisation will have to go through some form of culture change to embrace new ideas and practices. Many people working in health organisations will be familiar with organisational change of some sort. But most would associate organisational change with shifts in management structures or indeed the creation/removal of whole new organisations. When structural change is implemented it is usually with the intention of bringing about change to meet wider goals such as introducing stronger leadership, achieving financial balance or addressing a previously unmet service need. There is however an alternative, the option of attempting to chan ge the culture within the organisation to meet these same goals. There are a vast range of models for understanding organisational culture change which were reviewed by Brown in 1995. His extensive review of the literature identified five main models detailed in Box 1. Lundbergs model, based on earlier learning-cycle models of organisational change; emphasises external environmental factors as well as internal characteristics of organisations. Dyers model, posits that the perception of crisis in conjunction with a leadership change are required for culture change to occur. Scheins model, based on a simple life-cycle framework; posits that different culture change mechanisms are associated with different stages in an organisations development. Gagliardis model, suggests that only incremental culture change can properly be described as a form of organisational change. A composite model, based on the ideas of Lewin, Beyer and Trice, and Isabella; provides some insights into the microprocesses of culture. Box 1: Five Models of Organisational Culture Change (Scott et al., 2003, adapted and derived from Brown 1995). No model is comprehensive enough to be said to be the definitive blueprint for change processes, but the merits and weaknesses of each are briefly listed in turn: Lundbergs model Figure 1 Lundbergs organisational learning cycle of culture change (Lundberg, 1985) and reproduced in Brown (1995). Lundbergs model (1985) recognises the presence of multiple subcultures that operate within organisations, and at each stage there are various internal and external conditions that need to be met in order to move round the cycle and for change to occur. It is not possible to go into all the detail that surrounds this model, but Lundberg describes the numerous precipitating events that can spark change (otherwise known as the trigger events) before describing the types of strategies employed by leaders and the different forms of action planning required to bring about change. Critics (Scott, 2003) suggest that the model is rather mechanistic, failing to fully acknowledge the dynamism and uncertainty between cause and effect in organisational life. It also fails to address the political forces (doctor-managerial tensions) within organisations, or recognise the influence of key individuals and groups in facilitating and resisting culture change (Mannion, 2010). Dyers cycle of cultural evolution Figure 2 The cycle of cultural evolution in organisations (Dyer 1985) and reproduced in Brown, (1995). Dyers model (1985) suggests that a crisis paves the way for a culture breakdown within an organisation, which in turn leads to the emergence of new leadership. A power struggle ensues whereby the new leadership has to assert their dominance over the old leadership by being seen to resolve the conflict between to two parties. To aid with this transition the new leadership introduce new values, symbols and artefacts into the organisation to banish the old organisational history. New people are recruited who support the new values and so the new culture is sustained. One advantage of Dyers model over many other theoretical models is that its two essential conditions for cultural transformation crisis and new leadership are relatively easy to identify and test in organisational settings. There is also a particular focus on leadership in organisational culture and change. However Scott (2003) again criticises the model for oversimplifying the change process, pointing out that the roles of the majority of individuals in an organisational culture are de-emphasised in favour of a focus on innovative leadership. Mannion (2010) mentions that Dyers model also fails to ask a crucial and rather obvious question about the causes of crises in organisations. Scheins Life Cycle Model Figure 3 Growth stages, functions of culture, and mechanisms of change. Reproduced from Schein (1985) and reproduced in Brown, (1995) Scheins life-cycle model of organisational culture change (1985) suggests that organisations undergo the three distinct stages of birth and early growth, organisational midlife, and organisational maturity. In the early birth and growth stages the organisation battles with its identity, characterised by revolutionary change and possible challenges to the leadership from individuals from the old culture. The midlife phase is characterised by deeply embedded values that need be brought to the surface through organisational development to bring about change. Other factors that can precipitate change during this stage however are new technology, scandals (such as the Bristol heart surgery tragedy/Harold Shipman) and the gradual drip feeding of new ideas by the leadership described by Quinn as Incrementalism (1978). The final mature stage implies that change would come easily to this type of organisation. In fact the opposite is true, and companies may have to go through large turnaround projects to detour from their well established courses. Leaders are also more likely to need to use coercive strategies for change when more subtle approaches have failed to produce results. Gagliardis model Figure 4 Gagliardis model: Cultural change as an incremental process (Brown 1995) Gagliardi (1986) agues that rather than seeing old cultures as totally replaced by new ones, the old ones are merely built upon to incorporate the new values. Leaders will ascribe success to the new ways of doing things despite the fact that the new process might have no connection to that particular outcome. This model of cultural change is interesting because it embraces the fact that gradual change can happen over time, and that the way that this happens can often be as a result of the way that successful leaders attribute the reasons behind the organisations success to previous decision making, even though those decisions would have made little or no effect on the result. The Composite model of Lewin, Beyer and Trice, and Isabella Figure 5 Understanding organisation culture change: three related domains (reproduced from Roberts and Brown (1992) The final model of organisational change discussed by Brown (1995) is a compilation model based on the ideas of Lewin (1951) as modified by Schein (1964), Beyer and Trice (1988) and Isabella (1990). Essentially the model describes the three stages of learning as freezing- clinging to what one knows, unfreezing exploring ideas, issues and approaches and refreezing identifying, utilising and integrating values, attitudes and skills with those previously held and currently desired. The framework is very general and applicable to any type of organisation and to any level within an organisation. However the model (much like Lundbergs in model 1) paints a very mechanistic picture of change, and it does not recognise the often painful transitions that can to take place moving between the three stages. This type of planned change model is not without its critics, and Garvin (1994) argues that change cannot occur from one stable state to another in the turbulent business environment that exists today. Bamford and Forrester (2003) suggest that the planned approach assumes that all parties are in agreement on their goals and direction and this is rarely the case. Hayes (2002) highlights that some organisations may have to change initially for environmental reasons but have no desire to define the end state. It serves then as a fairly limited descriptive tool, and does not attempt to inform as to whether any change programme has been successful or not. In contrast to planned change, emergent approaches see change as less reliant on the manager (Wilson 1992) and less prescriptive and more analytical in nature (Dawson 1994). Dawson claims that change must be linked to developments in markets, work organisation, systems of management control and the shifting nature of the organisational boundaries and relationships. There is therefore more emphasis on bottom-up action rather than top-down control in commencing and implementing organisational change. Given the need for NHS managers to harness the cooperation of professional staff and work across complex organisational boundaries, emergent approaches are often well suited to achieving change because the role of senior management shifts from a controller to a facilitator. Personal responses to leadership In having to reflect on my own leadership style I am immediately presented with a dilemma. The objective of this paper was to deconstruct the established models of leadership (including the NHS Leadership Qualities Framework) and adopt a new approach to leadership that incorporates the situational context and other social factors. I refer back to Dreyfuss Rabinow, (1982) who encourage us to open up leadership from multiple angles, searching its small details, minor shifts and subtle contours to see it in the context of its environment. There are at least five major weaknesses to this individualistic approach which have been discussed at length already, so I will not repeat myself here. But essentially by subjecting myself to these established competency frameworks I would undoubtedly be shoehorning myself into a set of constructs that would probably do little to help me establish how best to operate in my individual working environment. To take this thought one step further I would say that the best leaders are therefore the individuals most able to analyse their environment, adapt their interactions and self actualize within that environment appropriately. In light of the fact that NHS organisations are moving from large highly structured institutions to smaller stakeholder organisations with multiple players, the skills most required to lead will most probably be relational and persuasive. Perhaps then ones ability to interact with others according to model of relational proximity best describes the leaders of the future. This model lists the values needed for effective relationships such as focusing on the quality of the communication process, maintaining relationships, breadth of knowledge, use and abuse of power and valuing similarity and difference. I am again however again inclined to see this model as too prescriptive, and as Bolden mentions earlier lists the characteristics as (a) a somewhat persecutory list of oughts, and (b) suggest that the characteristics still do little to get effective leadership done. As a manager working in a Primary Care Trust I am able to see first hand how the general move towards decentralisation with greater autonomy does seem to be creating a paradox within the organisation. The combined effects of commissioning organisations splitting away from their provider arms and an increasing move towards an open market has created a more mechanistic approach towards commissioning and providing services. This seems to pull against the other central directive of remaining flexible to meet local need. Effective leadership for me then and I suspect all working a healthcare environment is to somehow thread the needle by employing on the one hand a mechanistic approach that satisfies the performance management demands from monitoring bodies, while at the same time remaining flexible enough to respond to the changing healthcare marketplace. Concluding remarks This paper has set out to demonstrate that the existing emphasis on developing leadership through competency based models such as the Leadership Qualities Framework is a flawed. Less emphasis needs to be placed on individual leaders and more attention paid to the environmental and situational factors that encourage leadership to thrive. The NHS is an organisation dependent on responsible shared leadership. It would not be accurate to attribute its successes and failures to the few as that viewpoint is likely to be an over-simplification of a vast pool of environmental data compressed into a few key people. Organisational culture change was discussed as a vehicle for introducing new approaches to leadership and the five main models of organisational change as reviewed by Brown in 1995 were summarised and discussed. None of these models were found to comprehensively describe the change process and most could be accused of being rather mechanistic, failing to fully acknowledge the dynamism and uncertainty between cause and effect in organisational life (Scott, 2003). The mixed messages distributed by policy makers centrally add to the confusion within healthcare, requesting that workers are both centrally accountable and at the same time expected to work flexibly and autonomously. The argument being then, that it is not possible (or even preferable) to maintain one leadership style in this context. Further research it seems is required to deepen our understanding of ideal environmental factors that allow leadership to blossom through bottom-up emergent processes as opposed to imposed top-down structural changes and rigid concepts of what constitutes good leadership.

All Quiet on the Western Front Essay -- essays papers

All Quiet on the Western Front The novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque describes the psychological and physical battles of young soldiers such as the main character Paul Baumer who was pressured by the spirit of nationalism and his school master into joining the German army during World War I. In the beginning the young students are glowing with enthusiasm with the honor to be trusted with serving their nation in a time of crisis. The inexperienced soldiers soon loose their innocence and eagerness as they watch the new technological capabilities of the twentieth century painfully kill their comrades one by one and in the end become weary, burnt out, rootless, and hopeless. Over time the young soldiers, through experience, begin to realize their years of schooling are completely useless in a society filled with war. They were taught the basics of the world of work, duty, culture, and progress when the only knowledge they need is how to survive. The author, through his novel All Quiet on th e Western Front, attempts to portray the vivid horrors and the raw nature of war and to change the popular belief of war as an idealistic and romantic character. This is evident through the barriers placed between Paul and the relationship with his parents and the rest of society who still view war as glamorous and cherish his war stories as though he were telling them a fairy tale. The novel also attempts to explain the purposes of war and its uselessness in society. The ultimate question that Erich Remarque raises in his novel is what did a whole generation give up their lives and precious innocence to accomplish. All Quiet on the Western Front is a story not of Germans, but of men, who even though â€Å"they frequently escape shells, are destroyed by the war†. This novel have could easily been transformed into the tale of a Frenchmen, an Englishmen, or an American fighting in World War I. Throughout the entire novel Erich Remarque uses the characterization of Paul Baumer, a youthful soldier, to demonstrate how war is not the glamorous, idealistic scenario that many people make it out to be but the gory, inhumane, and inescapable experience that it truly is. In the beginning of the novel the young student was ambitious, but as time goes on Paul’s attitude toward life completely changes. In the beginning, he felt that there was hope fo... ... horrors of war such as, his parents who still view war as glamorous and idealistic. War takes a heavy toll on soldiers who fight in it and in these dangerous moments anybody would have gone insane. It takes a very special type of soldier to be able to handle both the psychological and physical challenges that a soldier has to face in everyday battle. A soldier such as this must be capable of handling the sight of a mutilated comrade and not immediately chatter to pieces. The author conveys this message in his extreme use of words with negative connotation such as shells, typhus, dysentery, and trenches. In this portion of the novel a great deal of emphasis is placed on the word death which is repeated several times and standing on its own it holds a great deal of negative connotations. Therefore, due to the severity of the situation and the extensive use of words with negative connotations the overall tone of the novel appeared to be very depressing or serious. This selection a lso demonstrates just how mythical the character of war that many individuals who have not experienced the tragedy of battle believe to be true by illustrating just how appalling and grim war is in reality.

Argumentative Essay on Love

Flying around the world is an extravagance the majority of society may not be able to afford; life is chock-full of esoteric luxuries only a special association will enjoy fully. However, life does not have to encompass the additional commodities that people claim to be necessary. Throughout humanity there have been innumerous individuals who never delved into the most desired rarity-true love; much like the trips around the world, true love, is a nonessential of life. Although love is always sought after, as if life’s’ buried treasure, a human being can live in happiness without it.Many would argue that by not pursuing love, life would be eviscerated of its full meaning. Contrary to popular belief, it is an additional tangent of life that may or may not make matters foregoing. Strip a being of all â€Å"luxuries in life, and if you can [still] make someone smile and laugh, you have given the most special gift: happiness. † Having happiness present creates the sa me euphoric feeling that being in love can cause without running the risk of being emotionally dismantled by a divorce or breakup.More often then not love comes at much too high a price for every person to bare, not only can the cost be extraordinary but also at times a relentless barrage of sorrow. In order for someone to surpass the unrealistic goal of finding true love and obtaining it they must distract themselves. Society must focus on what is in front of it and remember, â€Å"We’re born alone, we live alone, [and] we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone. † As great as love presents itself to be, the majority of todays’ American community is divorced.These once happily married couples believed in the luxury of marriage until the price became more than they had bargained for leaving a bitter taste of resentment. As a person grows from child to adult there is a realization that true love does exist. This realization turns into a formulated question, ‘is the cost of love make the venture worthwhile. ’ For many people across all generations love has been a hopeless endeavor, in George Orwell’s novel 1984 Winston Smith embarked on an adventure that didn’t bode well â€Å"’I betrayed you’ she [, Winston’s previous love,] said baldly. ‘I betrayed you’ he said.†After betraying one another they part ways to live their lives in a better manner than before. Winston and the women, Julia, were lovers who when put to the test proved true love does not exist except for as a luxury the inner party could afford. All in all, love is a luxury that cannot be afforded by the mass. Even though it could portray itself to be beneficial, in the end it is not worth the cost. Surely true love is a product that even the people with the most acumen are dumbfounded. Happiness is something that serendipitously found a nd can egregiously affect a human’s life meanwhile true love is accompanied by painful hardship.

Can literature “tell the truth” better than other Arts or Areas of Knowledge? Essay Essay

Even as children, people are on a never-ending quest for â€Å"the truth.† Anyone who has witnessed a toddler incessantly ask his mother â€Å"Why?† can attest to that. Writers, artists, and scientists all have methods of finding â€Å"truth† and telling it to others. While the standards for what truth can be vary between Areas of Knowledge, no Area of Knowledge is significantly more capable of telling the â€Å"truth† than another. Since each area is strictly a human enterprise, they all face difficulties created by human nature, which makes them all equally capable (or incapable) of telling the truth. Before the effectiveness of different Areas of Knowledge in conveying truth can be evaluated, however, it is necessary to define truth, or rather, to clarify its nature. Typically, people rely on their senses, observations, and information taken from sources they believe to be reputable to learn of the truth. History has shown repeatedly, though, that â€Å"common sense,† authority, and consensus gentium are not always the most reliable methods of obtaining truth. For instance, from the 2nd century until the l6th century, people believed in the Ptolemaic system with the Earth as the center of the universe and all of the planets and stars revolving around it. The idea also corresponded well with people’s personal observations of the Earth as stable and the stars and planets as moving and was even supported by the Catholic Church. Today, however, we know (or at least, we think we know), that the Ptolemaic system is incorrect and that the Earth and other planets in our solar system revolve around the sun. What people thought to be true back then because of â€Å"obvious† reasons turned out to be false after all. Can there ever be an absolute truth then? And if there is, is there any way for man to know it and to be certain that he knows? For the foreseeable future, or for possibly all eternity, I believe that absolute truth, if it exists, is beyond our grasp. After all, humans have too many limitations, such as senses that can be deceived. There is no way for humans to know with absolute certainty that what they believe is true, even if it is true. There  always exists the possibility that what we believe to be the truth is not actually the truth. Furthermore, beliefs, experience, and other factors cause different people to have different truths. A psychotic thinks his delusions are true, but sane people tend to believe otherwise. Outside the realm of philosophy, however, this concept of a lack of an absolute truth becomes impractical and cumbersome. As C.S. Peirce said, â€Å"Let us not pretend to doubt in philosophy what we do not doubt in our hearts.† Thus, when addressing the ability of literature, other Arts, and other Areas of Knowledge in conveying truth, truth must be thought of in a different, pragmatic way. The standards set for truth can change, though, across Areas of Knowledge. In literature (in reference to novels, poetry, and other writings aside from scientific and historical nonfiction literature), the author tries to convey his own truth. That is, the message or the â€Å"truth† of the work is tied inexorably to what the author believes to be the truth, and thus is subject to all the factors that have influenced the author. Many great works of literature illustrate this idea, such as â€Å"Master Harold†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and the Boys. If Athol Fugard had had a different life where he had not acted wrongly towards his childhood friend and felt guilty for the racist act afterwards, his masterpiece would have had a decidedly different view on the â€Å"truth† of racism. The same idea holds true for authors within the magic realism genre of literature, such as Gabriel Garcia Mà ¡rquez and Isabel Allende. In their culture, events such as people levitating in the air are considered perfectly natural. What others outside of their culture think of as figments of their imaginations, they think of as reality and as the truth. As such, truth in literature varies from one author to another. Truth also varies in this way in other Arts. An artist, like a writer, tries to convey his insights about the world. No matter how he does it, it is he who decides what the truth of his work is. As a result, other arts are like literature in that everything affecting the artist affects the â€Å"truth† of the work. The question then is whether literature or other arts are better at conveying what the creator believes to be true. Both face the same problem here in that they are open for interpretation by the audience. Thus, the viewer or listener’s background, beliefs, and other variables play into how well the artist’s â€Å"truth† can be told. Two different people can read the same novel or look at the same painting and uncover different truths. For  instance, the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald ends with the line, â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.† An optimistic reader may gather from this line and the rest of the novel that Fitzgerald is emphasizing the â€Å"truth† that perseverance in the face of difficulties may be difficult but is necessary, while a more pessimistic reader may think Fitzgerald is revealing that some of humanities’ efforts are just futile and worthless. Some may even say that other arts face even more difficult problems in this respect because the artist does not write down his/her message, but must instead convey it indirectly by invoking feelings. This â€Å"problem† with other arts, however, is actually dependent upon the audience. For instance, a concerto is much more likely to be able to â€Å"tell the truth† to a child with a limited vocabulary than a Charles Dickens’ novel is. It may be countered, though, that other arts have an advantage over literature in that they need not be translated for various cultures. It is difficult to translate and capture the essence of a literary masterpiece (especially with poetry) because words have connotations that may not translate into other languages. In some cases, the word does not even exist in another language. For instance, the Portuguese word saudade has no equivalent in English because no English word carries the same amount of emotion. Other Arts, however, actually do face this same intercultural challenge because symbols or sounds vary in meaning from one culture to another. The color red symbolizes good luck to the Chinese and permeates their artwork. In some parts of Africa, however, red is strictly a religious symbol that cannot even be worn on clothing. As such, a piece of art that uses the color red heavily and whose message is not clearly evident may be interpreted in different ways. Therefore, both literature and other Arts face the same problems when it comes to the audience and their interpretations. That is not to say, however, that neither literature nor other Arts have a great influence on the masses; often times, it is exactly the opposite. It is highly unlikely, though, that literature and other arts are always able to successfully â€Å"tell the truth,† or in this case, what the writer or artist believes is the truth, to everyone. The natural sciences, however, differ from literature and other arts when it comes to the truth. The â€Å"truth† in science cannot be taken as the scientist’s individual truth, as it can be with the author or poet or artist, but must rather fit set  standards. The scientist’s biases and prejudices must be taken into account and other scientists have to critically evaluate the evidence before any research can be considered to be â€Å"true.† Science faces a problem with truth, however, when it comes to interpreting data. Scientists are able to legitimately ignore some variables in their studies, such as whether or not the participants in a study of how effective a new treatment for cancer is have blue or brown eyes. Other variables are simply beyond their control though, and may affect the outcome of the study, like the diets of the aforementioned participants. These variables affect not only the research, but also whether or not people believe the results. Some may see the inability to control the patients’ diets as a reason to invalidate some conclusions. Furthermore, different people can interpret the same data and come to two conflicting conclusions. There are people who look at the same environmental data as others and still surmise there is no such thing as global warming. Since science is unable to successfully tell everyone the same â€Å"truth,† just like the Arts, it must thus progress in the direction believed to be the most truthful. Some people may argue, however, that the Arts are still better at revealing the truth than the sciences because people must have specific scientific knowledge to obtain truth in the sciences. The Arts, however, also require work and knowledge on the audience’s part. The audience must read between the lines and make inferences, since the writer or artist rarely explicitly states what â€Å"the truth† is. While literature, other Arts, and the sciences have different standards for what can be considered to be the truth, none is more effective than the other at telling the truth. Each must face problems inherent in human nature in conveying their messages and none of these problems can easily be addressed. Nevertheless, none of these Areas of Knowledge should be discarded as methods for communicating truth. Instead, people must individually and collectively evaluate every work or study on its own merits to attain a better grasp of â€Å"the truth.† Bibliography Farrell, Patrick. (2004). Portuguese Saudade and Other Emotions of Absence and Longing. Semantic Primes and Universal Grammar. Empirical Findings from the Romance Languages, ed. by Bert Peeters, Amsterdam and Philadelphia. Fitzgerald, F.S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Magee, B. (1998). The Story of Philosophy. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. Peirce, C.S. (1868). Some Consequences of Four Incapacities. Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 2, 140-157.

Meaning of Different Surnames on Your Y-DNA Results

Meaning of Different Surnames on Your Y-DNA Results Even though Y-DNA follows the direct male line, matches with surnames other than your own can occur. This can be disconcerting for many until you realize that there are several possible explanations. If your Y-DNA marker results closely match an individual with a different surname, and your genealogy research does not seem to indicate a past adoption or extra-marital event in the family line (often referred to as a non-paternity event), then the match may be the result of any of the following: 1. Your Common Ancestor Lived Prior to the Establishment of Surnames The common ancestor you share with individuals of different surnames on the Y-DNA line may be many, many generations back in your family tree, prior to the establishment of hereditary surnames. This is the most likely reason for populations where a surname that passes down unchanged from generation to generation was often not adopted until a century or two ago, such as Scandinavian and Jewish populations 2.  Convergence Has Occurred Sometimes mutations can occur through many generations in completely unrelated families which result in matching haplotypes in the present time frame. Basically, with enough time and enough possible combinations of mutations, it is possible to end up with matching or closely matching Y-DNA marker results in individuals who do not share a common ancestor on the male line. Convergence is more plausible in individuals belonging to common haplogroups. 3.  A Branch of the Family Adopted a Different Surname Another common explanation for unexpected matches with different surnames is that either your or your DNA matchs branch of the family adopted a different surname at some point. A change in surname often takes place around the time of an immigration event but may have occurred at any point in your family tree for any one of a number of different reasons (i.e. children adopted the name of their step-father). The likelihood of each of these possible explanations depends, in part, on how common or rare your paternal haplogroup is (your Y-DNA matches all have the same haplogroup as you). Individuals in the very common R1b1b2 haplogroup, for example, will likely find they match many people with different surnames. These matches are likely the result of convergence, or of a common ancestor who lived prior to the adoption of surnames. If you have a more rare haplogroup such as G2, a match with a different surname (especially if there are several matches with that same surname) is much more likely to indicate a possible unknown adoption, a first husband you may not have discovered, or an extramarital event. Where Do I Go Next? When you match a man with a different surname and you are both interested in learning more about how far back your common ancestor likely lived, or whether there may be a possibility of adoption or other non-paternal events, there are several steps you can take next: Upgrade the Y-DNA test to 111 markers (or at least 67) for both you and your match. If you both match with only 1 or 2 mutations at that level then you are likely to connect within a fairly recent genealogical time frame (7th cousins or closer)Find a second person to DNA test from both your line and your matchs line. This will need to be another male relative on your direct paternal line, preferably as far back as possible on the line based on generation, not age. If both of the new men tested also match each other as well as the two original test takers, this further confirms the genealogical connection.Go through the genealogical research done on the direct male ancestors of the two matching men with a fine-tooth comb, looking for locations that each family may have had in common. Were any of their ancestors neighbors in the same county? Or perhaps attended the same church? This may help you to determine in which generation the common ancestor likely lived.

Stakeholder Environmentalist Essay Example

Stakeholder Environmentalist Essay Example Stakeholder Environmentalist Essay Stakeholder Environmentalist Essay 2.2 Stakeholder – Environmentalist 2.2.1 Introduction Environment refers to the surroundings in which living beings live or operate. The environment is thus affected by the operations and activities performed by human beings, directly or indirectly. These activities can be beneficial and/or harmful to the environment. Thus, in order to protect the environment from the activities that can negatively affect it, a special individual or a group that plays a role in protecting the environment is referred to as Environmentalist. The role of environmentalist is highly significant when it comes to the matter of construction of a tourism spot close to a marine body as it has a variety of effects on almost all elements of the environment. The Seaside Mall Construction will have direct and indirect repercussions on the environment of Dubai, which makes it a prime concern for the environmentalist bodies such as Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). 2.1.2 Impact and Evidence The construction industry will continue to impact the physical environment as long as the industry demands natural resources, and this will assume huge environmental significance with the rapid growth in population and the attendant implications for natural resources (Ebohon and Rwelamila, 2001; Ofori et al., 1999). The construction of a seaside mall can be considered as one of the most debatable scenario. It will be an economical success as it will be a project that will contribute to the economical growth of the nation. But there will be several other consequences of such a project on the environment, which will be a prime concern for the environmentalists and the government as a whole. The seaside construction will lead to negative outcomes like Water Pollution and will cause damage to marine life. There are a large number of sources of water pollution on such construction sites, including diesel and other fossil fuels, paints, and toxic chemicals. Even minor chemical spills can seep into the ground and may enter water bodies through which they can toxify the water and harm aquatic life. More importantly, the construction requirements will require drilling, which is a major contributor to Noise Pollution. This noise pollution will not only affect the residents, but will also affect the marine habitats. Other than the mentioned negative effects, construction can also be considered as a major cause of Air Pollution. Almost all major construction projects result in emitting carbon dioxide, methane and other harmful chemical substances that harm the air and contribute to global climate change. Other effects include operations of heavy machinery during the construction, which also lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Not only during construction, but also after the construction of such a mall, there will be various ways in which it would harm the environment. Sewerage waste, food waste, chemical waste can be dumped into the water bodies during regular running of the mall, thus affecting the water body and harming the marine life. Keeping in mind the â€Å"seaside construction project†, Emma Johnston comments that developments are also taking place in oceans and water bodies creating various problems such as destroying the coral reefs that nourish fisheries and protect the coastline from the harsher impact of the waves, and destabilizing many precious coastal ecosystems such as salt flats and mangroves in the context of Palm Jumeirah. This project will also possess a threat to the ecological chain and will create an imbalance in the ecosystem. This point can be connected to the noise pollution factor. Construction near a coastal location can lead to adverse effects of noise pollution on marine habitants. According to Peng, Zhao, and Liu (2015), â€Å"noise pollution will not only pose a great threat to individual marine organisms but also may affect the composition, and subsequently the health and service functions of the ecosystem. For instance, some studies have shown that anthropogenic noise caused a reduction in the catch rate of some commercial marine species indicating a decrease in the service function of the ecosystem for providing fishery products.† More importantly, building on, or near the sea can also cause natural damages. There are a few reports that highlight that Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah Island is actually sinking, though the government denied such claims. It poses a great threat to the reclaimed land situated in disaster-prone areas. The continuous shaking due to a calamity like earthquake can lead to a process called liquefaction, where the solid land sediments can liquefy. The earthquake in San Francisco of 1906 is a great instance of such a disaster caused by the same reason. 2.1.3 Discussion/Findings After conducting various studies and research, the claim that construction affects the environment negatively is true. There are numerous direct ways in which such a project can affect the environment and degrades it. According to Ivano Iannelli, CEO of the Dubai Carbon, â€Å"Dubai doesnt suffer from air pollution like some of the other metropolises do.† But projects such as construction of a seaside mall can directly contribute to polluting the environment. The government of UAE as a whole would not prefer to hamper the environment in any way. Thus, they will have to keep in mind the effects of such a construction on the environment and the residents. The claims of pollution and also the evidence of the process of liquefaction in San Francisco resulting in an earthquake will make the government consider the effect of such a project on the environment. 2.1.4 Conclusion and Recommendations As conclusion, it is clearly evident that the role of an environmentalist is significant. Based on the research and survey conducted, the construction project causes a huge environmental issue. It affects almost all elements of the environments such as water, air, land, soil and also the living creatures that constitute the surroundings where the construction is taking place. Therefore the municipality should take an action keeping in mind these consequences of such a project. Recommendations:- The Ministry of Environment and Water (MEW) has published a number of regulations that have to be adhered in the UAE. These laws address the following areas:- Environmental impact assessments Protection of the marine environment Pollution from land sources Soil protection Protection of air from pollution Handling hazardous substances and wastes Also the municipalities and town planning departments also regulate certain areas including:- Waste management Building regulation Pollution control Water treatment The municipality must make sure that the project authorities adhere to the mentioned regulations and must impose appropriate fines if the project harms the environment in any way.

Service and the Security implication of VOIP Dissertation

Service and the Security implication of VOIP - Dissertation Example The use and importance of telecommunication in business cannot be overstressed. In some industries, it is even their source if not the most important infrastructure that drives the business processes. However, in order to use the technology efficiently and effectively, its limitations and security has to be assessed and determined. The anonymity of the internet provides an added complexity to the challenge since the prosecution and detection of perpetuators is not only hard but the detection of an actual eavesdropping is already hard in itself. This dissertation will provide the best infrastructure that is both resilient and redundant that will provide the basic security to basic security threats. As proof of concept this dissertation will also demonstrate how an actual VoIP system can be set-up and used, this dissertation has also confirmed how an actual attack on the security can be done and its potential effect on the user. This dissertation also provided a technical strategy on h ow to remediate the security vulnerabilities. However, as any technical security strategy goes, there will always be a hacker that is better at overcoming the best and the latest security system. A determined hacker will always find a way to overcome any security system thrown in front of him thus this dissertation will provide recommendation that will protect businesses from falling prey to opportunistic and disreputable shady characters. Acknowledgement This author would like to thank his love ones for providing him with the inspirations to stay on track for him to be able to finish this dissertation. This author would also like to thank his instructor for providing him the chance and opportunity to learn not only from his instructor’s knowledge but also from the wisdom his instructor imparts. The practical way this author’s instructor presents solutions to complex problems have inspired this author to be better than what he perceive can become. This author’s instructor made him realise that this author can be more than what he want to be or could become. Table of Contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgement 4 Table of Contents 5 1.0Introduction 5 1.1 Overview 6 1.2 Existing Problems 7 1.3 Aims and Objectives 8 1.4 Project Objectives 9 1.5 Research Methodology 10 1.6 Structure of the Dissertation 12 2.0 Literature Review 13 Chapter Summary 26 3. 0 Methodology 28 4.0 Voice over IP Implementation and Threats and Vulnerabilities Demonstration 30 5.0 Statement of Result 49 6.0 Analysis AND Discussion 51 7.0 Conclusion 53 8.0 Recommendation 57 Reference List and Bibliography 61 Appendices 67 List of Figures: 67 List of Tables: 68 Asterisk installation guide 68 CentOS/Linux installation guide 68 1.0 Introduction Asterisk was developed as a cheap alternative to PBX by Mark Spencer. Since then the face of VoIP has never been the same again. Since 1989 the development of VoIP as an alternative transport system for telephony signalling has progress to a po int that almost all of the telephone infrastructures all over the world are being used as data transporter along with voice channel. VoIP simply enabled telecommunication companies to maximize its infrastructure by making several channels available in a

Optional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Optional - Essay Example Newton’s classic mechanics doesn’t have other categories of being such as such as mind, purpose, life or organization. Newtons laws of motion form the three physical laws that combined a form basis for classical mechanics. In contrast to Aristotle (Greece) point of view, he opposed the idea that the basis of true reality was only in a transcendental point. As a substitute model, he came up with his explanation of categories: Within the ten categories he explained that, "substance" was primary and defined what all objects contain. Other categories like relation, quality, and quantity were derived attributes, which were meaningful when assigned to an object that has substance. For him, the world consisted of persons and separated substances with common attributes. Aristotle gave an account that rotating spheres carried the Sun, Moon, Stars and planets around a stationary unique earth. In contrast to newton, his natural science established broad principles of change that controls all natural bodies, i.e. celestial, inanimate, living and terrestrial and motion change in

Dynamic Of Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dynamic Of Business - Assignment Example Moreover, to continue receiving $7.99 options on trades and stock, 75 percent fee is charged on per option contract and 150 stock or options trades must be executed by the final quarter. IRA TD Ameritrade Account Company offers $100 bonus on new accounts opened and funded with $25,000-$99,999 within 60 days of the account opening. Additionally, $300 bonus, necessitate $100,000-$249,999 funding on the account within 60 days of the account opening. The bonuses continue up to $2,500 bonus, with $1,000,000 funding of account within 60 days. Comparing the three firms, E*Trade seems to be the most appropriate company for investment objective since they offer $7.99 commissions for options trade and stock accumulatively with increasing stock. (a) The pros of investing in exchange-traded funds (ETF) include an increase in personal finance and after-hours trading while cons include down under finance businesses and fast money recap challenges. a) There are various indicators of the performance of the economy, which the Federal Reserve Bank can use to determine how best the economy performs. For instance, the most fundamental aspect is that, which measures the levels of economic growth. For this case, Janet Yelled may monitor the incomes generated by households and the values of the assets that businesses own in the economy. The second alternative is monitoring and tracking the profits and market shares for the corporate institutions in the economy. At the national level, Janet should monitor the national income statistics of the nation, which is the sum of all the revenue sources for the country for each trading period. The last aspect is a measure of the Gross Domestic Product of the nation (Cassidy 1). b) Ben Bernanke, the former Fed Chairperson, worked hard to prevent the country from a major financial meltdown. He worked against the odds of the Federal Reserve by cutting down on the lending rates for the banks and supplying loans to troubled firms, as well as buying debts for some major companies in the country. For such a case, it meant that banks did not have a direct control of the lending rates (Cassidy 1).

American or Anti-American Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American or Anti-American - Essay Example them to shun violence and sit at the negotiating table .This pushed him to the forefront of the anarchist movement, which led him to lose not only his job but had also got him blacklisted. In order to support her family, Lucy opened a tailoring shop, where she sometimes hosted meetings with her friend Lizzie Swank, for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). Soon she was writing for The Socialist and The Alarm, an anarchist weekly published by the International Working Peoples Association (IWPA), which she and Albert had helped found in 1883. The most famous of Lucy Parson’s editorials, published on October 4th, 1884, in the American Group of the International Working People’s Association’s (IWPA) first issue of The Alarm, titled â€Å"A Word to Tramps†, which Parsons herself described as â€Å"a word to the 30,000 now ramping the streets of this great city† was a landmark call to the working class to do away with the exploitative capitalist system. She urged the labor class to reclaim their ‘rightful share of their hard work’: (Lucy Parsons, Oct. 4th, 1884) Explaining how the system worked Lucy stated, â€Å"In all those years of drudgery do you not know you have produced thousands upon thousands of dollars’ worth of wealth, which you did not then, do not now, and unless you ACT, never will, own any part in?...[C]an you not see that the â€Å"good boss† or the â€Å"bad boss† cuts no figure whatever? That you are the common prey of both, and that their mission is simple robbery? Can you not see that it is the industrial system and not the â€Å"boss† which must be changed? (Lucy Parsons, Oct. 4th, 1884) Lucy Parsons was a firm advocate of the theory, that power should reside in the hands of the workers and until this objective was achieved, she insisted on violent strikes, use of explosives, as well as direct action, in order to wrest power from the capitalist classes. During the Chicago Hunger Demonstrations in January 1915, she made a

Theory and Practice Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theory and Practice Paper - Essay Example However, the primary function of the United States Department of Education is to formulate federal funding programs involving education and to enforce federal educational laws involved with privacy and civil rights. The quality of educational institutions and their degrees is maintained through an informal private process known as accreditation which the Department of Education has no direct public jurisdictional control over. However, there are reading intervention programs that have been developed to help struggling readers to improve reading in kindergarten and first grade students. This paper will discuss three early reading intervention programs that are designed to prevent early reading problem from developing rather than trying to correct a problem after it is established. These programs have been applied in first and second grade and have proved very effective. The early reading intervention to be discussed is The Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention Program. The paper w ill also show the current assessment practice of the early intervention program in Ocean View School District in California. Early reading intervention programs refers to early school intervention programs that are designed to prevent early reading problem from developing rather than trying to correct a problem after it is established. These programs have been applied in first and second grade and have proved very effective. The early reading intervention to be discussed is The Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention Program. The paper will also show the current assessment practice of the early intervention program in Ocean View School District in California. Early Reading Intervention Early reading intervention programs refers to early school intervention programs that are designed to prevent early reading problem from developing rather than trying to correct a problem after it is established. (Pikulski, 1997) To improve reading in kindergarten and first grade students, a number of early reading intervention reading programs have been invented. The programs are used in within the regular classroom to help the struggling readers and the classroom teachers carry out the program with the help of instructional aides or older students. They help struggling readers succeed in school and make good progress in reading especially in grade 2 through 4. In Scott Foresman Early Reading intervention, the program was designed to provide kindergarten and first grade children with an intervention to improve their reading. A teacher is supposed to deliver daily lesson of 30 minutes to small groups of 2-5 students. The intervention is comprised of 126 lessons distributed across 30 weeks of instruction. The Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention Program is organized in a carefully planned sequence of skills; the explicit instruction and systematic review are intended to ensure student success. The teachers' guide provides a detailed lesson plans that are easy to follow and the instructional materials are well organized. The lesson takes 30-minute that consist of seven activities, with each activity designed to last only three to five minutes. In the first 15 minutes of the lesson, the emphasis is on the phonological awareness and alphabetic understanding while the next 15 minutes focuses on writing and spelling. To help teacher pace instructions, each activity is labeled with the amount of time it should last. For the sake of the students who do not grasp anything, the lesson provides immediate re-teaching strategy. It is recommended that a formal screening assessment, such as Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), during the fourth to sixth week of the school year should be administered in the Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention program. A comprehensive assessment plan is an important part of this intervention program. The intervention prog

Behavior Modification treatment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Behavior Modification treatment - Research Paper Example Behavior modification is currently considered to be an alternative intervention to cure adolescents and children from different kinds of mental disorders, such as behavioral deviation, e.g. hyperactivity disorder. Deficit hyperactivity disorder is currently treated with the help of medication (placebo, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.60 mg/kg), medication stimulation or behavior modification. In case these two types of treatment are combined, children perform better during classes and hyperactivity disorder is being gradually attenuated (Ansari, Gouthro, Ahmad & Steel, 1996). In accordance with the studies by Blotcky et al (1984) and Pfeiffer and Strzelecki (1990) inpatient treatment is effective. These scientists have identified a number of positive indices signifying disease treatment progress. These are: intelligence improvement, non-organic and nonpsychotic diagnoses, reduction of antisocial features, patients’ involvement in after care and specialized treatment programs. It is possible to illustrate behavior modification treatment by the case study from the Nova Scotia Hospital, Princess Alexandra Unit. In the context of a token economy (BMP) punitive and positive consequences are applied to adolescents aged 12-18 years old. Behavioral program lasted for eight weeks. Patients with behavioral conduct disorder, deficit of attention disorder, hyperactivity syndrome and adjustment disorder were chosen for this program. There was made an attempt to strengthen positive behavior. It was necessary to introduce positive compensation and rewards for positive behavioral changes. Another option was to introduce negative reinforcement, which was directed on strengthening of a positive behavior while having avoided negative behavioral consequences (Bijou & Ruà ­z, 1981). A practical implementation of these strategies can be illustrated in the following way: the first and foremost step is to identify an inappropriate behavior of children.

American or Anti-American Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American or Anti-American - Essay Example them to shun violence and sit at the negotiating table .This pushed him to the forefront of the anarchist movement, which led him to lose not only his job but had also got him blacklisted. In order to support her family, Lucy opened a tailoring shop, where she sometimes hosted meetings with her friend Lizzie Swank, for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). Soon she was writing for The Socialist and The Alarm, an anarchist weekly published by the International Working Peoples Association (IWPA), which she and Albert had helped found in 1883. The most famous of Lucy Parson’s editorials, published on October 4th, 1884, in the American Group of the International Working People’s Association’s (IWPA) first issue of The Alarm, titled â€Å"A Word to Tramps†, which Parsons herself described as â€Å"a word to the 30,000 now ramping the streets of this great city† was a landmark call to the working class to do away with the exploitative capitalist system. She urged the labor class to reclaim their ‘rightful share of their hard work’: (Lucy Parsons, Oct. 4th, 1884) Explaining how the system worked Lucy stated, â€Å"In all those years of drudgery do you not know you have produced thousands upon thousands of dollars’ worth of wealth, which you did not then, do not now, and unless you ACT, never will, own any part in?...[C]an you not see that the â€Å"good boss† or the â€Å"bad boss† cuts no figure whatever? That you are the common prey of both, and that their mission is simple robbery? Can you not see that it is the industrial system and not the â€Å"boss† which must be changed? (Lucy Parsons, Oct. 4th, 1884) Lucy Parsons was a firm advocate of the theory, that power should reside in the hands of the workers and until this objective was achieved, she insisted on violent strikes, use of explosives, as well as direct action, in order to wrest power from the capitalist classes. During the Chicago Hunger Demonstrations in January 1915, she made a

Behavior Modification treatment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Behavior Modification treatment - Research Paper Example Behavior modification is currently considered to be an alternative intervention to cure adolescents and children from different kinds of mental disorders, such as behavioral deviation, e.g. hyperactivity disorder. Deficit hyperactivity disorder is currently treated with the help of medication (placebo, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.60 mg/kg), medication stimulation or behavior modification. In case these two types of treatment are combined, children perform better during classes and hyperactivity disorder is being gradually attenuated (Ansari, Gouthro, Ahmad & Steel, 1996). In accordance with the studies by Blotcky et al (1984) and Pfeiffer and Strzelecki (1990) inpatient treatment is effective. These scientists have identified a number of positive indices signifying disease treatment progress. These are: intelligence improvement, non-organic and nonpsychotic diagnoses, reduction of antisocial features, patients’ involvement in after care and specialized treatment programs. It is possible to illustrate behavior modification treatment by the case study from the Nova Scotia Hospital, Princess Alexandra Unit. In the context of a token economy (BMP) punitive and positive consequences are applied to adolescents aged 12-18 years old. Behavioral program lasted for eight weeks. Patients with behavioral conduct disorder, deficit of attention disorder, hyperactivity syndrome and adjustment disorder were chosen for this program. There was made an attempt to strengthen positive behavior. It was necessary to introduce positive compensation and rewards for positive behavioral changes. Another option was to introduce negative reinforcement, which was directed on strengthening of a positive behavior while having avoided negative behavioral consequences (Bijou & Ruà ­z, 1981). A practical implementation of these strategies can be illustrated in the following way: the first and foremost step is to identify an inappropriate behavior of children.

Crime and Punishment Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment Essay The themes of sacrifices and egoism are usual in his works. He believes that egoism became that reason that destroyed earlier civilizations and made a threat to contemporary societies. Despite the fact that he saw nothing wrong in the wish to self-perfection, he blamed those, who tried to oppose their â€Å"I† to the rest of the world and considered only their own needs and desires. Raskolnikov, the protagonist of Crime and Punishment is severely punished for his extreme egoism and daring to take the decision about human lives. For example in The Brothers Karamazov Zosima worries about moral responsibility for all actions, committed by the person. Ivan doubts his views and states that responsibility is nothing but abstract notion and without God it becomes impossible to talk about any limits to the behavior of an individual. In the poem Ivan declaims to his brother in the cafe he expresses his view on the free will. The Inquisitor blames Jesus for giving people free will, which has become a hard burden and the reason of misery. The feeling of guilt becomes Ivan’s price for an attempt to express his free will. Dostoevsky does not agree or disagree with any opinion discussed but he constructs the plot of the story in such a way that the readers get an opportunity to get the proofs of ideas, expressed by Zosima. (Dostoevsky) The characters of Dostoesky are haunted by their past. In many his stories people cross the limit and take excessive responsibility to make the decision for other people and get severe punishment for it. In contrast to Borges, whose characters exist in present, and to Tolstoy, who regarded human history as a reason for all the events, which happen to us, Dostoevsky made the past the reason of suffering and misery. His characters are haunted by the ghosts from the past and can not find their place in present. For Dostoevsky the conflicts between free will and determination, and between egoism and responsibility become driving force and a source for creativity. All three authors use literature not only as means to bring their messages for the readers, but also as a way to resolve their inner conflicts. Art is always a personal experience for both – creator and those, who perceive it, and Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Borges make their art serve one ultimate purpose a quest for the meaning of life. Sources Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). Crime and Punishment. Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Feodor (1992). The Brothers Karamazov. , Pevear, R. and Volokhonsky, L. transl. New York: Alfred Knopf. Dostoevsky, Fyodor translation by Pevear, Richard and Volokhonsky, Larissa (1990). The Brothers Karamazov. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Tolstoy, Leo (1969). War and Peace , transl. Rosemary Edmonds, Penguin. Borges, Jorge Luis (1998). Collected Fictions(translated by Andrew Hurley), Viking Penguin

Destination Life Cycle Theory Tourism Essay

Destination Life Cycle Theory Tourism Essay Butler was the first to characterize the evolution of the tourist industry by the concept of the lifecycle product and it is the most-widely cited conceptual framework for comprehending the dynamics of tourist destinations (Butler, 1980). The destination life cycle theories bring on many important functions, such as adopt the homologous measure to prolong its life cycle possibly, predict the destination future development trend, and provide farsighted basic to managers to establish marking strategies etc. Although, the destination life cycle Butlers model is a very simple one, being based on a concept that the product life cycle curve that has long been used by economists and marketers to describe the behavior of the market in purchasing consumer goods such as televisions and cars. Moreover, his model has intuitive appeal in that anyone who has traveled extensively or who has participated in the field of tourism studies will probably agree that some kind of life cycle dynamic is inde ed evident across a broad array of destination (Weaver, 2000). In other word, the model is to elaborate on the previous point, the Butler sequence is a comprehensive, integrated model that allow for the simultaneous incorporation of all facets of the tourism experience (Butler, 1980). Contrast, several authors are disagreeing with the Butlers model. According to Leiper defined as the destination life cycle theory does not explain fluctuations in visitor number and is useless for predicting themLeiper (2004, pp.133) The Butlers destination life cycle theory (Butler, 1980) for instance as Wat Sai floating market, the canal which is the Thailands major tourist attractions in the early stages of tourism promotion.  This floating market is the tourist attractions all must to visit, in addition to the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace.  Wat Sai floating market and has grown to saturation due to the lack of good management with growth of the region with Thai tourists travel to the densely.  No control and organize the activities.  Pollution problems are different as the many attractions of this and begin to decline until a new management plan in the latter.   The road system is replaced.  Wat Sai is the floating market in the degradation.   On the other hand, the theory of destination life cycle cannot be a perfect tool. The reasons are include that difficult confirmation of the conversation order, and the different life cycle relies on difference geography. From the aspect of the marketin g, the theory does not take into account the niche market and ignores the segmentation of the markets. The Butlers model, the theory is based on a feral metaphor. But the tourist destination is not living things, and interpreting them via a life cycle metaphor is potentially misleading, possibly leading to confusion and error Leiper (2004, pp.133). As mention the case example before that the dismissed in Butlers model that the numbers of visitor arrivals are fluctuation, unpredictable in the number. Also the trigger factors that originate from beyond the destination, and in an unintentional way, can be described as external-unintentional actions. They are cyclones, global warming, political chaos, global recession, Asian economic crisis etc. In such situations there may be relatively little that the destination can do to influence these events. However, they may be aware of them in advance in some case, perhaps taking some adaptive strategies. REFERENCES Butler, R.W., 1980. The concept of a tourist area cycle of evolution: Implications for management of resource Canadian Geographer. 24 (1), pp. 5-12. Leiper, N., 2004. Tourism Management. 3rd ed. French Forest NSW: Pearson Education Australia. Weaver,B,D., 2000. The Exploratory War-distorted Destination Life Cycle. International journal of tourism research. 2, pp.151-161. B) A tourist attraction system is a systematic arrangement of three elements. What are the functions of these and how do they influence each other? Discuss with reference to a tourist attraction of your own choice. Leipers (1990a) definition of an attraction, adapted from MacCannell (1976) and Gunn (1988a) stands apart from those of other authors by implicitly identifying an attraction as a system consisting of three elements: a tourist or human element; a nucleus or central element; and a marker or informative element. A tourist attraction system comes into existence when the three elements are connected. Moreover, Leiper (2004, pp.308) defined as a principle of system theory is the hierarchy: every system has its subsystems and superiors. Because tourism without attractions is inconceivable, a key principle emerges. Every whole tourism systems must have at least one attraction subsystem. Every tourist trip requires at least one attraction comprising a tourist, a nucleus, and information received by the about the nucleus The first component of Leipers (1990) attraction system is the human element. The tourists are the people who travel away from the home to another place for a short-term period of at least one night, to the extent that their behavior involves a search for leisure experiences from interactions with features or characteristics of places they choose to visit (Inskeep, 1993; Leiper, 2004; Ritchie Goeldner, 1994). For example, the domestic Thai tourist from the southern of Thailand, they are spent their leisure which came to Bangkok for visit the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace, that can defined as they are the tourist attraction. They are group of 15 people and they are taken the shutter bus to visit Bangkok with 8 hours. Then they stayed one night at the hotel in Bangkok to visit the Bangkok Nightlife. Leiper (1990) defines the nucleus or central element of a tourist attraction as any feature of a place that a traveler contemplates visiting. This is where the tourist experience is manufactured and consumed. It is where the tourism resource, both of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace can be a central element of a tourist attraction in this instance Markers are items of information, about any phenomenon that is a potential nuclear element in a tourist attraction (Leiper, 1990). They may be divided into markers that are detached from the nucleus or those that are contiguous. In each case the markers may either consciously or unconsciously function as part of the attraction system. Examples of conscious generating markers for tourist attraction are the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace. Leipers (1990) tourist attraction system has provided insight into the nature of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace as a tourist attraction in Thailand. While space limitations have not allowed an in depth examination of the characteristics of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace that make it a strong tourist attraction, the theory based attraction system has enabled a more methodical examination of this topic than has occurred to date. The insights gained by using this type of framework have considerable potential in the management tourism. By understanding how a particular travel, in this case destination, functions within an attraction framework it is possible to consciously manage this system to meet specified tourism goals and objectives.

Essay --

Quantitative Research Critique on article, Trust in nurse- patient relationships: A literature review by Leyla Dinc and Chris Gastmans Summary: †¨Purpose of the study: According to Dinc and Gastmans, the purpose of this study is to look over empirical studies on the trust within the nurse- patient relationship and to analyze and synthesize the results. Study Design: In the search for nursing literature, 34 publications were found to be relevant to be used in the study; out of these 34 publications, 22 studies exercise a qualitative design while 12 exercise quantitative design. The quantitative studies designs of this literature review included descriptive designs, cross- sectional designs, correlational designs, descriptive cross- sectional and correlational design. As for the qualitative studies included study designs: exploratory and descriptive, interpretative interactionism, hermeneutic, phenomenological design, ethnographic, feminist phenomenological design, and grounded theory approach, How data is collected: As for how data was collected, all the quantitative studies were collected using a questionnaire and scales such as the Trust in Provider Scale, Consortium Patient Satisfaction tool, Group- Based Medical Mistrust Scale, Cultural Mistrust Scale Inventory, and Black Racial Identity Attitude Scale. One of the researchers used the Trust Subscale of Patient’ Opinion of Nursing Care to judge the trust of nursing staff. The Caring Behaviors Assessment and Caring Behavior Questionnaire were both used on studies that dealt with the importance of nurse caring behavior. In addition, most of the qualitative studies used part structured or non- structure interviews with patients to collect data with participants. Some of the studi... ...ituations. Many of these qualities are needed to being tolerant of patients’ culture, lifestyles, and decisions without being judgmental in a condescending manner, instead give sympathetic advice, and assure with confidence. The study of Benkert and Wickson showed that patient satisfaction was positively related to trust in nurse practitioners and receipt of care in nurse managed centre (Dinc & Gastmasn 2013). It mentions how trust and faith from a nurse gave empowerment and ease for women giving birth. Above all, their study found patients with suffering had more hope when felt trust in a nurse; as for dying patients, trust gave them motivation to live, ease and sense of peace when facing death. The positive outcome of trust for nurses is when there is trust; it makes the job less stressful because patients are more compliant and cooperative with nurses’ orders.