Contingency Theories of Leadership

The contingency theory, as applied in leadership, considers various factors that contribute to a leader’s effectiveness by interaction with his or her leadership behaviour. According to contingency theories, there is not any particular leadership style suited for all the situations (Betts 2011, p.123).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contingency Theories of Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A leadership style effective in particular situations may be unsuccessful in others. The evaluation of particular variables in a given environment such as the quality of followers, establishes the most appropriate style in a particular situation. This phenomenon explains the observation of an effective leader becoming considerably unproductive when transferred to a different working environment or the prevailing factors in the old environment changes. Fiedler’s, Hersey and Blanchard’s, and the pa th-goal theories provide the three major approaches of isolating situational variables in leadership. Fiedler’s contingency theory identifies the subordinates’ personality and attitude, task structure and the leader’s position in terms of power as the variables that influence leadership effectiveness. This model asses the performance of a leader by evaluating the output of the work group under the leader’s supervision (Brock 2012, p.1). Moreover, the theory assumes that the level of favourability of a situation to a leader is dependent on the degree to which the situation permits the leader’s influence on the group members’ behaviour. This aspect of the theory defines effective leadership as the ability to influence others in the aim of achieving organizational goals. According to this model, there are two categories of leaders. These are the task-oriented and person-oriented leaders. The task-oriented leaders’ main concern is the acc omplishment of tasks with desirable outputs (Jarvis 2006, p. 106). In this regard, they fail to attain their results because they are less concern with the group members and thus cannot appropriately deal with ineffective teamwork. The person-oriented leaders considerably value their team members, and this hampers their accomplishment of tasks due to minimal contribution of some members to the task achievement. These two types of leaders are effective under different conditions. The task-oriented leader achieves better results in both the extreme cases of favourable or unfavourable circumstances. On the other hand, the person-oriented leader achieves better results under moderately favourable conditions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Fiedler’s theory, effective leadership is factor of the personality and style of a leader and the working environment. Th ese aspects considerably determine the success of leadership. While Fiedler’s theory assumes that leadership styles are consistent and difficult to change, and thus leaders must be placed in an environment that fits their leadership style, the Hersey and Blanchard model and the Path-goal theory assume that any leader is capable of adapting to new environments and display the required effectiveness in any given situation. He or she can adjust the leadership style to work efficiently in diverse situations (Williams 2011, p. 407). Furthermore, Fiedler’s model stipulates that if the situation is not optimal for a particular leader, the situation require change or the leader should undergo a replacement in order to improve leadership effectiveness. The situation can undergo change to fit the leader through such means as task restructuring or minimising the leader’s power over various control factors. The Hersey and Blanchard situational leadership model focuses on th ree major leadership aspects. These are the task behaviour, relationship behaviour, and maturity. According to this model, leaders have to vary their emphasis on tasks and relationship behaviours in order to deal with different levels of maturity among team members. Concerning the task behaviour, the leader engages in a one-way communication by outlining each worker’s task. In this aspect, the workers cannot give feedback to their leader. The relationship behaviour examines a two-way communication between the leader and the workers. In this aspect, there are channels for feedback and the leader can offer support and guidance to the subordinates and act as a facilitator. Maturity describes the readiness of an individual to take control of his or her behaviour considering that there are varying degrees of maturity among people about a specific task or objective in question. Under situational leadership model, an effective leader should identify the different levels of readiness among followers concerning the performance of particular tasks and apply the most suitable style. This will enable the leader to respond with more flexibility and thus enhance followers’ maturity (Borkowski 2009, p.201). When the leader establishes a high level of a follower’s maturity, he or she can adopt the delegation style, which requires minimal interventions. On the other hand, the identification of low levels of maturity in a follower requires the adoption of a style that emphasis on the particular task. Among other things, an effective leader will give instructions in scenarios where followers lack the capability or are unwilling to effectively accomplish the allocate tasks.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contingency Theories of Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The leader should adopt styles that encourage followers to share ideas and thus gain more understanding and confidence regarding the task in question. This model enables leaders to acknowledge the need for continual followers’ skills improvement through training and other development measures (DeRue et al. 2010, p. 640). The path-Goal Theory discusses the effects of four types of leadership styles on the subordinates attitudes and expectations. These are the supportive, directive, achievement-oriented, and participative styles. By analysing various situational factors, an effective leader opts for the style that provides strong Path-goal indications and incentives. The leader should avoid a style that induces redundancy and aggravations within the environmental structure sources or is not congruent with the employee characteristic (Kotlyar Karakowsky 2006, p.400). The directive style ensures that followers adhere to the stipulated rules and regulations regarding tasks. Although this style facilitates better results concerning ambiguous tasks, it is ineffective in well-structured and clearly defined tasks as it introduces redundancy. The supportive style entails a friendly and supportive leader to the employees (Gutpa 2009, p.1). It creates a supportive environment in structured tasks, but is inappropriate when there are already other sources of encouragement such as the organization. The participative styles are appropriate for ambiguous tasks as they allow employee selection of tasks and influence of decisions. The achievement-oriented behaviours are suitable for ambiguously structured tasks. The Path-goal theory postulates that the subordinates’ behaviour and environmental characteristics determine the leadership style used, and the performance pertaining to various assigned tasks. The Path-goal theory differs from the Fiedler’s model in that it considers the individual leadership styles to vary as situations within an organization change (Chance Chance, 2002, p. 114). In addition, the Path-goal theory definition of the effectiveness of a leader, whic h entails the followers’ satisfaction and motivation, differs from Fielders’ definition in this regard. According to this theory, effective leaders increase their subordinates’’ motivation and satisfaction by supporting them in their pursuance of important goals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They should demonstrate to them the value of various outcomes under their control and clarify the paths to these outcomes. An effective leader will embark on the eradication of barriers that may arise during the pursuance of crucial goals. All the three theories focus on the extent to which the leader emphasizes on tasks and structuring issues while considering the relationship-relevant supportive and participative behaviours. However, the leadership variable in the Fielder’s model is a motivational orientation rather than a set of behaviours despite the assumptions that the orientations relate to the behaviours (Schermerhorn 2011, p. 267). From a leadership perspective, Fiedler’s model and the Path-goal theory offer some insight into variable that affect the effectiveness of a leader. The two theories are considerably aligned concerning the conditions under which task-oriented or directive style of leadership are desirable. Both models concur on the use of the task-or iented style of leadership in cases where there are no clear guidelines regarding tasks. Although the Fiedler’s model failed to address the processes, by which the leader’s motivational orientation affects group processes and outcomes, the Path-goal theory has identifies the specific variables that need address in defining the followers’ motivation (Chemers 1997, p. 45). The Path-goal and the Heresy and Blanchard models shared a lot as they attempt to describe the appropriate leadership behaviour using similar parameters such as various leadership styles applicable in different situations. Both models consider how well the subordinate understand the relevant actions in the accomplishment of their tasks. Fiedler’s model disregards the followers’ aspect of the ability and willingness to take responsibility concerning a particular task as an important aspect of effective leadership. The Path-goal model has made numerous assumptions in this aspect. How ever, the situational leadership theory considers various behaviours of a follower that might affect the expected outcome and outlined the most appropriate leader’s response in order to facilitate the realization of organizational goals. References Betts, S. C. (2011). Contingency Theory: Science Or Technology?. Journal of Business Economic Research, 1(8), 123-130. Borkowski, N. (2009). Organizational behavior in health care (2nd ed.). Jones and Bartlett Publishers: Sudbury, Mass. Brock, D. M. (2012). Toward a contingency theory of planning. Journal of Management Organization, 1, 1. Chance, P. L., Chance, E. W. (2002). Introduction to educational leadership organizational behavior: theory into practice. Eye On Education: Larchmont, N.Y. Chemers, M. M. (1997). An Integrative Theory of Leadership. Routledge: London. DeRue, D. S., Barnes, C. M., Morgeson, F. P. (2010). Understanding the Motivational Contingencies of Team Leadership. Small Group Research, 41(5), 621-651. Gut pa, A. (2009). Path-Goal Leadership. Leadership and Development , 1, 1. Jarvis, M. (2006). Sport Psychology: A Student’s Handbook, Volume 10. Psychology Pres: Hove. Kotlyar, I., Karakowsky, L. (2006). Leading Conflict? Linkages Between Leader Behaviors and Group Conflict. Small Group Research, 37(4), 377-403. Schermerhorn, J. R. (2011). Exploring management (3rd ed.). John Wiley Sons: Hoboken, N.J. Williams, C. (2011). Effective Management: A Multimedia Approach. Cengage Learning: Detroit. This essay on Contingency Theories of Leadership was written and submitted by user Anders Erickson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Romero Brittos Art Form

Romero Brittos Art Form Art is a product or process of arranging items so that they can influence and affect one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect, where the arrangement of these items often has a symbolic significance. In art, creativity and innovations are key attributes and art includes music, painting, sculptures, painting, photography, and literature.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Romero Brittos Art Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Those people who are involved in art are called artists and organize their arts in way that will influence people. On the other hand design is a plan or convection for the construction of a system or an object. Arts and design go hand in hand because; Artists cannot be able to perform their work without design. Before starting the artwork, the artist first designs the items, object, or music he or she wants to produce and then starts his work. This paper focuses on a world artist named Romero Britto and his art form. It further focuses on the meanings of his works to him and the influences the artist has to the world (Parker 19). Romero Britto’s Biography: He was born in Recife, Brazil in 1963. At the early age, Romero learned to paint surfaces such as newspapers. At the age of 23, he travelled to Paris where he worked with Matisse and Picasso and combined influences from cubism with pop to create iconic style. This gained him popularity especially through The New York Times that described his work as â€Å"exudes warmth, optimism, and love†. In 1988, Rometo relocated to Miami and became an international artist. During the year 1989, in the campaign of vodka, Warhol, Haring as well as Romero were selected. Since then his pop sensibility has earned him many collaborations, the latest being the FIFA that he created an official poster for the year 2010 World cup. In addition, he has illustrated many books, where Simon, Schuster, and Rizzoli publi sh his books. His popularity has grown tremendously and his work exhibited in galleries and museums in more than 100 countries. In addition, he has created several public art installations. Example of these public art installations are John F. Kennedy Airport (New York) and O2 Done (Berlin). Britto views art as a field of positive change while artists are the agents of this positive change. He collaborates with over 250 charitable organizations which he donates time, arts and resources as well as serving as a benefactor. He also serves in several boards such the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rometo Britto Art: Through the popularity of his work, Rometo has been active in the production of his arts. The form of his art compared to other artists is of high quality. In our context, form has the meaning of how art items are viewed as a whole piece of visible items and the unity of these elements. During the artwork, the artist shifts the focus of his work to the interrelationship between art and audience as well as the form of relationship between the painter and the model. There is a comparison of two windows of flowers from Britto and the other from Weinberg. He asserts that Britto’s metal sculpture flower was bright and colorful to be used for both indoors and outdoors exhibition.† like all his work, it is of intellectual content, going for easy emotional appeal, and relies on industrial perfection to achieve its attraction† (Betancournt 41). This is clear evidence that the kind of art works that Brito produced were of high form, a result of creativity and design used. Britto was attractive just the way a new car is and the flower was happy and engaging what is considered as a standard art world treatment of subject. Moreover, Britto’s flower represented the loca l environment. The brightness and colorfulness represented the bright and colorful nature. Looking at this flower could have changed ones perspective towards nature. Brito’s art form focused on bringing meaning that would help the viewer to be optimistic of what is happening in the world (Barbara 14). In another sculptural piece of art called a mother’s love, he intended to bring meaning of how mothers should have great love to their siblings. It comprised of two elephants sculpture, that is, a mother and a child close together, an illustration that there was communication and love between them (Kirchmar 32). In addition, another piece of his art but this time a serigraph called American revival that has one big heart with the United States of America flag colors surrounded by smaller hearts with different colors signified how the Americans should be united. His intention of using the heart was to symbolize love that should bind the people of America to their nation as well as the nation to its people (Rectanus 15). Influence of Britto; According to his biography alongside the meaning of his artwork, Britto is an artist of high caliber. He has been an agent of positive change to the world through his actions. Having the pilferage to speak at the World Economic summit in Davos is an indication of a person who has initiated change to the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Romero Brittos Art Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the collaborations with various charitable organizations are a sign of being a good role model. Britto has held countless schools and institutional talks, which justifies that his influence is great in the World since no institution or school would allow someone with negative influence to speak to the students (Wales 19). Similarly, through his arts Britto has been able to pass great message of love, peace, unity, as well as enlightenin g the society on different aspects of nature and culture (Rectanus 53). He has produced sculpture with plants and their species, animals and people to pass important information to the people. For the animals, Britto has given the people an insight of how they should treat and love the animals (Ellwood 67). Britto has been called upon to design various places in order to capture the attention or influence people to have a given attitude to those places. Britto was given the role to create new designs for Land Shark Stadium exterior gateways (Horrow and Tagliabue 53). When the stadium became popular, he turned it into a guest place. The invitation by the president of Brazil at the beginning of the year 2011 in Rede Cegonha to participate in making a logo reached 61 million people including children and mothers. If his work had no influence, the president would not have invited him for the project (Betancourt 16). Britto was known to maintain peace and resolve conflicts by internation al programs for negotiation as a benefactor. In nutshell, Britto can be said to be a person of high caliber, great influence as well as a mentor to people who their career aspiration is in arts. His attitude of having his own principles is a challenge to many who find the world as full of impossibilities. Betancourt, Michael. Re-viewing Miami: A Collection of Essays, Criticism, Art Reviews. Miami: Wildside Press, 2004. Print. Biography. Romero Britto. n.d. Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ellwood, Mark. The Rough Road to Miami. London: Rough Guides Ltd, 2002 Print. Horrow, Rick and Tagliabue, Paul. Beyond the Scoreboard: An Insider’s Guide to the Business of Sport. USA: Morgan James Publishing, 2011. Print. Kirchmer, Mathias. High Performance through Process Excellence: From Strategy to Operations. New York: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2009. Print Parker, Barbara. Suspicion of Malice. New York: E-Rights/E-Reads, Ltd. Publishers, 2000. Print. Rectanus, mark. Culture Incorporated Museums, Artists, and Corporate Sponsorships. USA: University of Minnesota, 2002 Print. Wales, Jimmy. Rometo Britto’s. USA: PS-Professional Services, 2008. Print

Astronomy_xtra2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Astronomy_xtra2 - Essay Example â€Å"Beyond the Big Bang† is a must see video for beginning or advanced students. The concepts taken for granted today, like the planets revolving around the sun, gravity, and star compositions were unknown thousands of years ago. This led to the Greeks and Romans to create Gods out of the stars. Astrology was born out of the superstitious thoughts of events happening due to star and planet position. The Greeks and Romans could only view the sky with the naked eye. Without modern technologies or telescopes, the ancient world believed the Earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus, Keppler, and Galileo built upon each other’s work. Despite religious interference, the sun was proven to be the center of the universe. However, Galileo’s attempt to interpret the Biblical passage to fit his theories caused his downfall. From the beginning religious dogma interfered with astronomy and science. Although the telescope was proving Church doctrine wrong, Galileo was silenced due to Church belief. It is amazing how humans wanted to stay ignorant in the name of faith. Gravity was proven by Newton. This helped prove how planets revolve around the Earth. Gravity holds our universe together. Newton’s formula for gravity and mathematics has built the study of physics. The science and mathematical merger of physics helped future scientists create new theories. Einstein built upon Newton’s theories. The idea of a finite universe scared Einstein, who wanted an infinite universe. After studying gravity, Einstein came to the conclusion the universe did have a beginning. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was arrived by shear thought. He was an intelligent man that could think out experiments in his head. Einstein figured out that the universe was expanding or contracting. Despite his reservations, Einstein proved that the universe was moving away. Einstein could not have imagined that his research would prove the

The effectiveness of SMS,Internet and other advertising for business Essay

The effectiveness of SMS,Internet and other advertising for business incubators - Essay Example This is a relatively new form of advertising, yet one that has already generated a wide range of textual sub-types. (Hughes, 1998) For example, there are simple 'banners' pasted across WebPages advertising a particular service or product; there are whole sites run by specific companies, such as Coca-Cola or Benetton; and there are mailshots that arrive in people's email boxes, in the form of brochures, memos and letters. In addition to these more obvious forms of advertising, there are now, of course, Internet versions of some of the texts such as university prospectuses and church posters (for an example of the latter, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk and click on 'religion'.Although some concern has been expressed that the standard of advertising has been poor on the Internet and that this has damaged the chances of dot-com companies to turn a profit, there is no doubt that Internet texts can be very imaginative because of the resources available to them for interactivity. What follows i s a starting point for thinking about the ways WebPages offer a different kind of read from paper pages. Getting some idea about this will be important in order to assess how online advertising texts might work. (Judge, 1998) WebPages and SMS as Advertising Tools For incubators firms advertising, WebPages are organised very differently from their paper counterparts. In fact, the term 'page' when applied to an Internet text is a metaphor. Electronic texts are not formed of pages at all, but we are encouraged to think in this way because it makes electronic discourse seem familiar and approachable. Electronic texts are a bit like a set of Russian dolls: as you read a screenful of text and click a link, you are taken to a new set of information and new links. You can keep going until all the links run out which, in some cases, will take the reader a long way from their starting point (often called a 'homepage'). This process is sometime referred to as non-linearity: paper texts are described as linear because they are processed line-by-line, while electronic texts can be read in many different ways, with readers jumping between sections of text, between different pages, and between different Internet sites in a non-linear fashion. (Solomon, 1995 ) As will be inferred from reading the above, electronic texts are often seen as offering more opportunity for interactivity than paper texts. Readers can scroll pages in various directions, can click through to new information via links, can stop a page working altogether, and can, in many cases, save and archive a text in their own files. Interactivity works both ways, however: it isn't just about the reader being active, since the availability of certain kinds of electronic tools also allows a webpage to be in motion in the way a paper page can only dream about. Animated graphics allow language and images to dance and sing (provided the computer has a sound card, in the latter case); pictures can dissolve and re-form to show narrative progression of an idea; a question can be asked in the text, then disappear and form itself into an answer. Line drawings and logos can appear to come to life, and the only limits to colour, glitter and other appearances of physicality are

Restaurant Ethnography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Restaurant Ethnography - Essay Example I decided to observe the behavior of the employees (waitresses, cashiers, chefs among others) thereby focusing on the importance of good behavior and customer relation in creating customer loyalty. Context: Cottage Inn is a medium restaurant that serves the daily food needs of the habitats of Chester’s Mill. It is located at the heart of the town, directly opposite Walmart Mall and besides Shell gas station. The restaurant serves various types of foods such as snacks, entrees and beverages, which are drafted in a stylish menu. Upon entry, there is a buffet service on the first right turn. I observed waiters standing behind big silver dishes awaiting to serve the customers. On the left, is a classy burrito bar which contains all the necessary items that are needed to make a sandwich or a Mexican burrito. Opposite the burrito bar is a brand new machine which is used to produce blended juice. Besides, this restaurant has also adequate space that allows the customers to relax and have a clear view of the outside while dinning. The dining room, a huge room decorated with golden curtains and expensive furniture, is located on the first floor of the building. Leather couches are arranged all-round the dining room with large television sets positioned exactly opposite each couch, I carried out my observations seated on the middle couch since I could observe almost everything from that point. This observations spanned over a period half an hour. First, I noted that there were different jobs assigned to different employees who were expected to carry them out. There were a couple of workers including five chefs on the main kitchen, six cleaners (three downstairs and three upstairs), two ushers, one burrito bar attendant, one milk and beverage server and four to five dish washers. These workers were all cladded uniformly. They wore white head wears, black pants and a white apron. They all looked neat apart from one whose shirt had been spilt over by soup.

United States Agency for International Development Africa

United States Agency for International Development Africa William H Goss As the process of globalization inexorably ties nations, regions, and continents into a greater interconnected web of interaction, the recognition emerges that the condition of a particular geopolitical location is bound to the condition of the world as a whole. Conflict, poverty, and disease in one country may have negative consequences for another despite great spatial distance. Conversely, improvements in governance, economics, and public health in even a single city or town may have positive reverberating effects across distant continents. In regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) defines specific sectors such as Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Water and Sanitation, Crises and Conflict, and Global Health, and applies specific goals to each one. As a global actor, USAID approaches sub-Saharan African countries in west, east, and south sub-regions as individual cases in need of both immediate and long-term soluti ons for relief and development. USAID’s mission is shaped by the belief that improvements to a broad range of development sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa will enhance the national security of the United States. USAID operates through public-private collaborative efforts that provide financial and technical assistance in distinct but synergistic sectors. USAID is a relatively young governmental agency that has periodically shifted its organization and strategies to achieve evolving goals worldwide. USAID was created by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which consolidated existing foreign aid organizations under one agency (Ballantyne Dugan, 2012). From the onset, USAID leaders recognized the connection between international well-being and the well-being of the United States. In 1962 President John F. Kennedy addressed Congress, stating â€Å"Our efforts to help [other nations] help themselves, to demonstrate and strengthen the vitality of free institutions, are small in cost compared to our military outlays for the defense of freedom† (Ballantyne Dugan, 2012). Countries in sub-Saharan Africa have been a focus of USAID since its inception, and have become increasingly emphasized in recent times. In the 1960’s, USAID offered assistance in thirty-one sub-Saharan African countries in order to improve levels of education , agricultural productivity, and rural road development (Ballantyne Dugan, 2012). Today, there is a multifaceted USAID plan for forty-two countries in the region (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). The region of Sub-Saharan Africa, massive in terms of size and environmental, ethnic, and cultural diversity, possesses a complex series of human issues that are influenced by history, geography, and global interactions. Of all the countries in the world, the twenty-two lowest ranking on the Human Development Index a measure of an average citizen’s health, knowledge, and standard of living are all located in Africa (Marston et. al, 2014). European colonialism has left a legacy that continues to challenge African nations. During the 1884-1885 Berlin Conference, European powers created arbitrary boundaries on the African continent that grouped distinct and sometimes hostile ethnic, cultural, and religious populations together (Marston et. al, 2014). The transitions from colonial territories to independent nations were not uniform; instead, some countries developed stable, effective democracies while others are still marred with military dictatorships, corruption, and violence. Changes to infrastructure during Africa’s colonial period are still evidenced by the exportation of cash crops introduced by Europeans, such as tea plantations in Kenya and peanuts in Nigeria and Senegal (Marston et. al, 2014). Dependence upon a small group of agricultural exports, it can be argued, have made many African nations vulnerable to fluctuations in global prices and demand and have likely contributed to low levels economic development. The essence of USAID’s motivation for its actions around the world and in sub-Saharan Africa rests on the premise that U.S. national security is bound to the stability of regions experiencing poverty, conflict, or other social issues. USAID defines itself as â€Å"[..] the lead government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential† (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). This mission statement is compatible with larger U.S. strategic imperatives in Africa. AFRICOM, a agency of the U.S. Defense department focused on military and strategic objectives in Africa, is one such partner. Sharon Cromer, the Senior Deputy Assistant Administer in USAID’s Bureau for Africa, stated to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights that â€Å"[†¦] USAID and AFRICOM engagement is mutually supportive of U.S. foreign policy objectives. [†¦] Instability, poverty, and diseas e travel with ease across oceans and borders† (U.S Congress, 2011). Despite the overarching goal of ensured U.S. security, however, USAID is unique from other U.S. governmental bodies in its focus on humanitarian aid in a wide range of categories. The ability to provide reliable sustenance is one of the most primeval combinations of skills and knowledge that enable a population to thrive and develop. But when geographical, ecological and historical factors impede a population’s ability to feed itself, the overall productivity and well-being of society deteriorates. With less than 30% of sub-Saharan African soil able to be cultivated in addition to the devastation that pests like locusts and the Quela bird can wreak on crops African populations have necessarily developed adaptations appropriate for their respective ecological area (Marston .et all, 2014). However, the impacts of colonialism’s emphasis on export crops, as well as the effects of global climate change, have reduced the capacity of agriculture to provide food within the region. One approach USAID has taken in the pursuit of greater food security has been to provide education and technical assistance in the field of agriculture. For example, since th e 1960’s USAID has supported institutions of higher learning such as Egerton College, a Kenyan university that leads the country’s study of agriculture and biotech (Toh, 2012). Another example of USAID’s effort to boost agricultural diversity can be found in developing dairy production in Kenya. Through the 1990’s and 2000’s, financial, technical, and training assistance were provided to the Siongiroi dairy plant, the success of which spurred economic growth in farming, transportation, and exchange (Toh, 2012). Even more immediate in necessity than nutritious food is safe, reliable water for drinking and sanitation. In the midst of violent conflict, access to water can become tenuous at best. Sudan experienced civil war from 1955 to 1972 and 1983 to 1995, killing and displacing millions of people in and around the country (Marston et. al, 2014). Furthermore, the conflict destroyed physical infrastructure and social cohesiveness essential to maintaining utilities. In the recently-independent country of South Sudan, for example, USAID estimates that at least 30% of the population lacks access to safe drinking water and only 13% has the opportunity to use sanitation facilities (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). To increase the availability of clean water, USAID has made partnerships with private corporations. In Wau, South Sudan, USAID teams repaired the defunct water-treatment facility and expanded its operations under the Wau Urban Water Corp (U.S. Agency for International De velopment, 2015). Public Health is a particularly salient developmental sector that has profound impacts on individuals, families, and communities in countries and around the world. The current Ebola epidemic in west sub-Saharan Africa has garnered widespread media attention and international responses. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is caused by four of the five strains of the Ebola virus, which is transmitted through the contact of bodily fluids and is fatal in up to 50% of cases (CDC, 2015). USAID sent a Disaster Assistance Relief Team (DART) to West Africa in August 2014 (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). In that month, the number of suspected, probable, and confirmed EVD cases was 1600, with 900 deaths. In April 2015, the total number of EVD cases was 26,277, with 10,884 deaths in the countries of Liberia, Sierra Leon, Guinea, and Mali (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). This epidemic constitutes the largest Ebola outbreak in history (CDC, 2015). With such tragically hig h death rates, the fear that the Ebola virus will continue to spread has infected the minds of many citizens and leaders in far away nations, including the United States. In order to combat the threat of a continuing Ebola virus epidemic and to provide relief and stabilization in affected countries, USAID has adopted a multifaceted approach that involves collaboration between other U.S. medical and military agencies, non-governmental organizations, and local people. USAID’s DART to West Africa â€Å"includes staff from [†¦] USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services† (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2015). Possessing a large budget and hierarchical structure overseeing specialized task forces, USAID is able to organize the distribution of funding, logistical transport of goods and people, and communication with other groups to achieve a particular goal. A major strength of USAID is its resource base and ability to deliver goods with flexibility, as well as communicate with other supportive organizations. Due to the highly contagious nature of EVD, health care practitioners in affected areas need specialized protective wear such as facemasks, gloves, and aprons to protect themselves from infection. In addition, sanitizing chemicals that can neutralize the virus from the equipment are of paramount necessity. One such chemical is High Test Hypochlorite (HTH), which due to its unstable chemical nature can cause explosions if handled incorrectly. To address this safety hazard, USAID organized the delivery via cargo ship of 53 metric tons of HTH to Guinea and 38 tons to Sierra Leone, which was then distributed by truck to necessary areas (Han, 2015). Logistical assistance such as this contributes to the overall goals of containment and treatment of EVD. In the countries of Sierra Leon, Guinea, and Liberia –which have been the most heavily infected during the Ebola crisis – the dissemination of factual information to the public helps dispel myths that have inadvertently help the disease spread. Such myths held by some Liberians include the belief that the Ebola Virus is a hoax, or that patients who go to treatment clinics are experimented on (Mobula 2014). Such myths can dissuade people who are infected or at risk of infection from seeking treatment and spread the disease to others. In a country with fractured communication systems, it can be difficult to reach the ears of the larger community with clarifying information. USAID has partnered with a NGO called Internews that supports Guinean Journalists to cover stories about Ebola (Han, 2015). Some of the most effective reporting has come from within Ebola treatment centers, where interviews with health care providers, patients, and survivors transmitted via radio help to gain the trust and respect of listening native audiences. One contributing factor to the proliferation of EVD in West African countries has been the overall lack or underdevelopment of health care facilities, trained practitioners, and infrastructure. In Liberia for example, one of USAID’s focuses is to continue to develop public health services even as the number of Ebola patients continues to fall. This action is taken in the belief that future outbreaks of infectious diseases will be better able to be contained. In Liberia, USAID funded a training program that worked with a Johns-Hopkins affiliated organization called Jhpiego to instruct health care workers on proper techniques for treating EVD infected patients while remaining safe themselves (Dale, 2015). The medical knowledge specific to the Ebola virus that has been acquired and spread will also be valuable in a broader public health context. It is difficult to assess completely the complex interactions of agriculture and education, humanitarian conflicts and drinking water access, and public health in a global context. That being said, global actors such as USAID theorize that positive developments in distinct but synergistic sectors will amplify to reach the greater good of all. In sub-Saharan African countries facing social or environmental problems, USAID works to implement immediate and long-term solutions for relief and development. Through public-private collaborative efforts, USAID funds and supplies progressive actions in mutually-supportive sectors of development. Works Cited Ballantyne, J., Dugan, M. (Eds.). (2012). Fifty Years in USAID: Stories From the Front Lines. Arlington Hall Press. Coordinating Africa Policy on Security, Counterterrorism, Humanitarian Operations and Development, House of Representatives, 112th Congress. (2011). Dale, K. (2015, April 6). Moving Beyond Ebola: Rebuilding Liberias Health Care System. Retrieved May 6, 2015, from http://blog.usaid.gov/2015/04/moving-beyond-ebola- rebuilding-liberias-health-care-system/ Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever. (2015, April 14). Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/ Han, C. (2015, April 10). How Guinea’s Journalists Are Fighting to Win the War Against Ebola. Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://blog.usaid.gov/2015/04/how-guineas-journalists- are-fighting-to-win-the-war-against-ebola/ Han, C. (2015, March 10). USAID Takes to the High Seas to Bring Reinforcements to Guinea’s Ebola Fight. Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://blog.usaid.gov/2015/03/usaid-takes-to- the-high-seas-to-bring-reinforcements-to-guineas-ebola-fight-2/ Mobula, L.M. (2014). Courage is not the absence of fear: responding to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. Glob Health Sci Pract. 487-489. from:http://www.researchgate.net/publication/271331527_Courage_is_not_the_absence_ of_fear_responding_to_the_Ebola_outbreak_in_Liberia Marston, S., Knox, P., Liverman, D., Del Casino, V., Robbins, P. (2014). World Regions in Global Context (5th ed.). Pearson Education. Onishi, N. (2015, April 11). Empty Ebola Clinics in Liberia Are Seen as Misstep in U.S. Relief Effort. Retrieved April 7, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/world/africa/idle-ebola-clinics-in-liberia-are-seen- as-misstep-in-us-relief-effort.html?_r=0 Toh, K. (2012). Long-Term Perspectives on Aid and Development in Africa. Fifty Years in USAID: Stories From the Front Lines. Arlington Hall Press. U.S. Agency for International Development. (2015, May 4). Retrieved May 5, 2015, from http://www.usaid.gov/ United States Africa Command. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from http://www.africom.mil/ Urban, A. (2015, April 15). Working to Beat Ebola Along the Border. Retrieved April 27, 2015, from http://blog.usaid.gov/2015/04/working-to-beat-ebola-along-the-border/

Essay --

She was often obstinate and arguable, creating several works using her knowledge of philosophy and bravely overcoming obstacles along the way. Mrs. Rand’s most popular novels were The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Although her career was initially interrupted when a play was unsuccessful and her first book sold inadequately, she quickly recovered with encouragement from close friends to continue her career. Alyssa Robinchaud, later known as Ayn Rand, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 2nd, 1905 as a Jew. Raised with her two younger siblings, Natasha and Nora, she grimly witnessed severe poverty, the Russian Revolution, and Communists seize her father’s shop, forcing her mother to begin teaching. Dissatisfied with life in St. Petersburg under the control of a few money-grabbing tyrants, Alyssa Robinchaud left Soviet Russia. She reassured them that the trip to America would be brief, but she had no intentions on returning. Intrigued with the beauty of America, she became a citizen in 1931. Arriving in New York in the February of 1926, Alyssa Robinchaud changed her name to Ayn Rand, protecting herself and her family’s identity since most members stayed in Russia. The New York Evening Post written in 1936 concluded that her last name was the abbreviation of her Russian family name. Her first name, Ayn, was the Finnish name, â€Å"Ina† without the ext ra ‘I’ at the end so the articulation was the letter ‘I’ with an additional ‘n’ following it. !!!! Several people pronounced it while remembering that it rhymes with ‘mine’. !!!! When working as an extra on the DeMille set, she met Frank O’ Conner, and they were married in 1929. Miss Rand never gave birth to any children, and when asked why, she replied that the â€Å"only... ...and be freed from possessing only what others allowed them to, they went to the forest and were content with everything that was available. The author proved that freedom was part of the formation of humans, that no society could rival it, and that adjustments were impossible if all were expected to consent to rules. Using her power of persuasion and intelligence, she was extremely successful in her life. With determination and quickly flowing thoughts, she wrote several books. I felt that The Fountainhead was a really effective book since it motivated me among other readers to think outside the box, but there were exaggerated parts. Unlike most people, he was so headstrong that he was dismissed from work and at some points with an unfavourable reputation. Ayn Rand clearly stated her opinions, stretching the main ideas and relating them to different situations.

With the Old Breed

â€Å"With The Old Breed† by Eugene Sledge is a startling account of World War II was based on his memoirs he witnessed as a mortar man with Kilo Company 3/5 on Peleliu and Okinawa. Less popularly know than other battles in the Pacific region, these battles were as bloody and ferocious as any other. Eugene Sledge gives a straightforward approach, illustrating the climate, conditions, and characterizing the morale of the Marines surrounding him fighting the Japanese. Eugene Sledge’s experience with the military began at Marion Military Institute. He later joined the V-12 officer-training program to prepare himself to become an officer in the military. He promptly left the comfortable life of college by leaving the program to enter boot camp at San Diego, California. The Marine Corp Recruit Depot, San Diego, became Sledge’s new home. The training He would receive would eventually save his life in the future. Corporal Doherty, Sledge’s drill instructor, amplified everything it meant to be a Marine and set a positive example for the recruits in his command. He demonstrated the attitude, character, strength, endurance, enthusiasm, experience, and determination of a true professional. He taught his platoon the basics of being a Marine. Weapons handling, shooting, marching, and discipline were emphasized through the entirety of boot camp. Sledge would use the basic Marine Corp knowledge as he furthered his training and preparation for combat at Camp Elliott. Arriving at Camp Elliott, Private First Class Sledge had to make a decision about which weaponry he wanted to be assigned and He would choose 60 mm mortars. A Non Commissioned Officer taught Sledge his entire knowledge of how to effectively operate his weapon, assemble and disassemble, and the knowledge to strike the enemy when the opportunity came. For PFC Sledge, the opportunity came earlier than he could imagine. PFC Sledge’s accounts of the battle are a great illustration to the actual battlefield. As though you are in the story, you can imagine the nervousness of the men, the sound of explosions, the whistling of rounds flying down range, and the cries of dying and injured Marines. From the beach assault to making landfall, Sledge carefully describes every footstep. September 15, 1944 was the day the Marines of Kilo Company 3/5 landed on Peleliu. Peleliu was a defensive stronghold for the Japanese, who were entrenched and waiting for the attack. The 10,000 Japanese defenders covered every square inch of Peleliu and fought use a new style of fighting. The defense-in-depth tactic would be used to cover more areas and inflict many more causalities than previous strategies. The bonsai attack, which sent the surviving Japanese on a suicide run towards the Americans, would not be used again. Private First Class Sledge would begin to learn that war does change a man forever. Sledged witnesses a human being cut open like an animal carcass for slaughter after the battle at Peleliu. A combat veteran comes upon the incident without hesitation and begins collecting all the gear of the dead man as though it is a scrap yard. Sledge freezes during the moment only focusing on the dead Japanese soldier. He would foreshadow the he too will be hardened later on as the battles become bloodier and the loss of friends weigh deeper on his mind. With the Old Breed His first tour of combat took place at Pipeline and Engineers where U. S. Soldiers and Japanese soldiers fought inhumanely and relentlessly, and maybe even pointlessly. He went on his second tour of combat at Okinawa, where he felt more obligated and certain of his duties. He had solid reasoning as to why everything was to take place with the second tour, unlike his uncertainty on the first one. With the Old Breed covers three mall themes: the Importance of being prepared, the cost of warfare and war stories.The importance of preparedness is a reoccurring theme in this narrative. Corporal T. J. Doherty, Drill Instructor of Platoon 984, was a great example of the importance of preparedness. For eight weeks of boot camp Corporal Doherty required the men to march on the beach in the sand, making it harder and more strenuous for them. Unlike other corporals and generals, Doherty does not engage In negative mental and psychological abuse. Corporal Doherty the highest level of performance from the men at the weakest times, for example, during their sleep schedules he would awaken them and demand unplanned hikes and exercise rituals.He made sure to train the men while they were sleep deprived and utterly exhausted. He also showed great attention to safety and weapons training. Sledge then went on to train for a few more months in infantry training school. Although this training not as stressful, It was equally demanding and intense. After this training was complete, Sledge was deployed to Fauve and received additional training that seemed pointless. All of this training was called upon when the united States invaded Pipeline. Other soldiers who had not completed this training or were pulled out of training early for battle were soon regretful.They did not last and were not as well equipped with skills to survive in battle. Some were even killed before their paperwork was processed. Sledge and others who had plentiful and adequate training held steadfast and fought an honorable fight. Sledge depicts himself as a patriotic, committed marine who was always prepared to serve his country under any circumstance; however, he understood and questioned the negative, sometimes unnecessary outcomes. He reflected in his passages the fatalities, the wounded soldiers, the psychological abuse of soldiers and even the brutality of the act itself.Sledge's subconscious often led him to question war, even though at the time of war he did not fight against It. As a marine, he did fact that other soldiers questioned were dominating Pipeline even relevant? Why not just bypass it like countless other Japanese possessed islands? Research of the Pipeline attack show that 6,256 U. S Marine soldiers and 10,900 Japanese casualties took place during this particular combat. The second battle, that took place in Okinawa, was fought with more evident understanding of why they were fighting.They did not question this battle as they did the first. He did not reflect upon this ba ttle as he did the first time. He condensed the fight to this quote, â€Å"their lives were wasted on a muddy stinking slope for no good reason† (p. 280). † With the Old Breed, in itself, is an old war story told by a marine veteran. This novel is a Sledge's personal recount of his strenuous training and time spent in battle, including people he felt were important to his story. He begins his story with his enlistment into the marines. He then takes us on a Journey through his career as a marine.He greatly details of his laborious, energy-consuming boot camp training, here they were greatly rest deprived, physically and mentally exhausted. He then continues with his infantry training, where he received even more training to prepare him, mind and body, for combat. His focus and emphasis placed on the training he received in the end was a grand part of the development of his story. Once the troops were sent in, Sledge and other soldiers of equal training endured, fought a nd strategists longer and stronger than their counterparts of lesser training. He went on to document and detail his time spent in Fauve, Pipeline and Engineers.After arriving combat in Pipeline and Engineers against the Japanese, Sledge was sent to Fauve for rest and work camp. His final combat zone was Okinawa; this was his second tour of combat. Needless to say, he survived here as well, thus the end of his war story. This personal memoir, or collection of war stories, recounts Sledge's experiences both in training and in actual combat. He analyzes what actually happens, whether it was the long, stressful training sessions or the even more brutal acts that took place on the battle field. He recounts and teaches a lesson.

The James Lange theory Essays

The James Lange theory Essays The James Lange theory Paper The James Lange theory Paper The world is a big place, filled with people full of curiosity and with their own individual quests. People are constantly talking, looking, hearing, smelling, and gaining knowledge from things and people from their environment. The scope of knowledge gained on a day to day basis is therefore vast. To what extent though, is this knowledge we acquire true? People are constantly seeking for answers to their questions or solutions to their problems; in a way, they seek a pathway to truth. The quote: rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairnessgive me truth (Thoreau) justifies that truth is a necessity of life and every man seeks it to distinguish between reality and fantasy. To understand truth, we need to know its three basic theories. The correspondence theory states that a statement is true if it corresponds to a fact. The Coherence theory says that a proposition is true if it fits in with our overall sets of belief. Finally, the pragmatic theory states that a proposition is true if it is useful or works in practice. We will use these three theories to understand when our senses can be trusted to give us the truth. The human species are said to have the weakest of all senses in terms of potency because they can be easily deceived. Perception is a very sophisticated issue because not everything we perceive is real. Optical illusion for sight, not hearing low and high frequency sounds, knowing what a thing tastes like because of its label or the fact we know what it is, not being able to differentiate between different smells, and the reflex reaction for the sense of touch are vivid examples of how things we perceive through our senses sometimes differs from objective reality. We can simplify this by saying that senses just provide the raw information which is then processed through knowledge in the brain to give us a clear and bigger meaning of that information that we believe is true. Therefore, our senses themselves cannot be relied upon to give us the truth. Ultimately, we can never know the absolute truth but only get relatively close to it by combining our senses along with the ways of knowledge- this is the only time we should trust our senses to give us truth. Before getting into details of when we should trust our senses to give us truth, let us look at a classic example of Helen Heller. Even though she was not born blind and deaf, a disease led her to the pit of blackness at a very young age. She was the first deaf blind person to graduate from college. Sight and hearing are considered to be the most important of all senses because it is these that shed light on the outside world and help us stay in touch with our surroundings and communicate with the society around us. Helen proved that her senses were not the only requirements to know the events and survive in the bustling world around her, but language, emotions, perception, and reason- the ways of knowing are equally crucial in order to perceive the truth. Language is a human mode of communication that is not limited to verbal speech only; but also includes visual, auditory, or symbols that can be easily manipulated. Language is constantly surrounding us: when we describe something, express our feelings, write, point out at something, make a sad droopy face, or even when we touch someone or something. Language is one of the main ways by which we acquire knowledge from the world around us and is one of the many pathways that leads to truth because it is through language that we can express our beliefs. Language can also be seen in plants (chemically) and animals (special gestures or sounds through positive reinforcement) furthermore proving how involved it is in our day to day basis. A person like Helen Keller came to communicate by the sense of touch when she realized that motions her teacher was making on her palm, while running cool water over her hand, symbolized the idea of water. Because she was blind and deaf, she had no idea of the concept of language, words, or how to express herself. She found a way around this complication by the means of language through her sense of touch. She used the Tadoma method of touching the lips and throat of others as they speak, combined with fingerspelling letters on the palm. Therefore, she made the sense of touch her mode of communication (her language) and used it in her day to day life to acquire knowledge from the world of underlying facts around her. Over her years of experience and practice, she obtained a set of beliefs that unveiled the blackness and shed light on the world of facts around her, thus applying to the theories of truth. The Eskimo-Aleut language has a hundred words for the word snow; therefore they see the truth in much more detail because of the deeper meaning than other people who do not speak the language. Words can also mean different things in other languages and expressions (body language) can be easily misinterpreted. This is why in order to get the truth, one needs experience with language; this might take a long time but would take us closer to the ultimate truth. Emotions are often deceiving and can seem as an obstacle to the truth we seek. According to the James Lange theory, emotions are generally physical in nature and it is these that trick our senses. This suggests the weak property of emotions because it can be easily hindered due to our physical nature. For instance, if we are deserted on an island and have not eaten or drank anything for quite some time, our emotions kick in causing us to hallucinate and even the slightest sound would cause us to be suspicious. However, if the source of the problem was dealt to (hunger and thirst), then no such thing would happen. It is also because of emotions that our reasoning skills weaken.

The changing role of social institutions

The changing role of social institutions Introduction Human beings are social beings; hence the reason they find themselves involved in social institutions in the society. Civil society arises from this set up of social institutions. By definition, civil society is a social realm that consists of actual institutions with moral substance and functions. Above all, civil society denotes that sector of the society that nonpolitical institutions operate.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The changing role of social institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These social institutions include family, churches, schools, community groups, neighborhoods, and any other form of voluntary association imaginable. The civil society arose due to the spontaneous aspiration and desires of the free people. They take part as people desire to join voluntarily, to serve larger social purposes. Social institutions promote the social society through performing various functions ( Eberly, 2000). How social institutions help to promote civil society To start with, social institutions form part of the civil society and through this, the essential habits of collaboration of ways define trust. Further, the freedom held by these institutions gives each and every one of them a right and a chance to define the habits that they would like be incorporated in, in the civil society. In addition, the desire to achieve a common purpose and meet the needs of individuals helps to have an association needed in the civil association. Social institutions such as churches teach good morals. Having these social bonds does not only generate virtues like trust, self-sacrifice and submission to the authority, but also helps to shape communities have a capacity to share virtuous characters. The above-mentioned virtues are developed through having these institutions by having citizens who develop moral obligations to each other (Eberly, 2000). Social institutions build the morals of individuals who later take in the civil society. They do this by binding people; not to law but to other people. Social organizations help people avoid having private interest, but also develop interest of the other people around them, which shapes the life of civil society. By building social ties and a sense of mutual obligation of weaving together isolated individuals into the fabric of a larger group, socials institutions ensure that there is the development of a body that has an interest of the community at heart (Foley, 2003). Individualism is fought against in the social institutions, and association for serving the larger society is encouraged. The principle of democracy is formed from these bases, as each person is treated as equal to the other. Civil societies usually have a public philosophy that emphasizes on the need to elevate the common good over private interest, renewing social values over the institutions, encouraging wider civil participation, and encouraging citi zen involvement in community problem-solving (Foley, 2003).Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The impact of modern social networks in replacing the traditional forms of social institutions and the related associations The development of modern social networks such as blogs, Facebook, twitters and email and replacing the social institutions has enhanced the values of people globally. Geographical boundaries have been overcome through the development of the new technologies, which previously were done through physical meeting. For example, making friends has been greatly substituted by the new inventions. Ultimately, family ties have been weakened as people spend most of their time chatting with online friends, in expense of taking the time with their families. Education has been changed in that students do not have to attend classes as they can get the information n eeded online. Subsequently, exams are also been done online, hence the relationship between the young children which is well developed in schools, is reduced. In the case of children, they do not get to grow together and at some point, they are socially inactive because of spending most of their time engaging with friends they get online. The neighborhood has also adversely changed the interaction between the children and the other children have decreased. The fact they don’t find time to associate with the other children in the neighborhood has made them to be socially handicapped occasionally, many neighborhoods used to have welcoming parties for the new people in the neighborhood. The same used to apply in case there were holidays where these neighbor hoods would organize parties or reunion so as to orient each other: this tread is on the decline as the method of association has changed and with time the neighborhood traditions’ may decrease or even become extinct. The scope of sharing information has been changed from being local to international, and be communicated at a faster rate. Introduction of blogs or twitter has made sure that many people can access certain information in great numbers at a faster rate. People are able to get information even from far places they may not be able to go physically. Moreover, research in different areas in learning institutions has become more easy. Submission of the research and the results can also posted online; hence the need to travel to do the research is avoided, which in turn reduces the cost needed. The presence of the option of having the information online has transformed the schooling set up to being optional for a student to study online, with no need of attending classes (Henderson, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The changing role of social institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, community groups have been promoted to be more diverse, as many people of different communities can join them. Modern networks can be given credit to these changes because they offer a chance of forming an online group and enrolling to join these groups. Using the high-volume blogs, the movements have been more radical in spreading their ideologies than in the traditional times. They go on to get much attention due to the presence of the network all over the world (Henderson, 2009). The culture of people has changed and is being replaced by sub cultures such as Cyber punk and test speaks. The new cultures have their bases set by the various provisions given in the Internet, which are integrations of various cultures. The culture, initially instilled by the family and society is largely dependent on the behaviors of the famous in the worldwide society, for example, celebrities such as actors, singers to mention but a few. Sometimes, it is not the right way to go since some of the famous people involve themselves with activities considered bad behaviors in their cultures. For instance, the issue of being gay was not welcome among many societies in the past. The family has suffered greatly due to the new developments. The parent’s obligation of teaching their children various things has been replaced by the presence of much information in the social networks. The set-up has changed, and children are more aware of their rights. The family formation has also changed, and there are more divorces, and part of the reasons they are happening is because of the some of the spouses met online, and probably did not get to know each other well. The issue of early pregnancy is also an indication of the deteriorating family values. Young teenagers are more likely to get sexual partners, and because of the decline in the family values, they get to a step of doing it. An institution like the church has suffered both positively and negatively. Positively, religion is in such a way that it can be spread to more people at a given time, but also negatively because there has been numerous group that have risen to criticize the churches through anti religion campaigns. Areas where certain religions had not reached have a chance of getting to them due to online social networks. Generally, religion is losing its popularity and many people are turning to different activities, even on days considered holy days. However, the impact of the social networks has not only been negative, as there is also the positive side of it. The rights of the people in the society have greatly been enhanced due to the ability to pressure political leaders through the social networks. A good example is the recent demonstration against president Mubarak of Egypt. Through these social networks, the demonstrators were able to fight any incidences of humiliation from the government forces that were opposed to the move. However, the social network sites also pose a problem as leaders can use t hem to fracture resisting groups. In a greater scale, this may be viewed as factionalization (Foley, 2003)Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The changing face and redefining of these social institutions Social institutions have undergone several changes that have changed the way they look, and how they are being defined. Due to the impact of social networks, they have gone through a transformation that has a good and a bad side. To start with, there is no limit geographically as to how much one can relate with other people; people from all regions and walks of life have a chance to participate actively in the modern-day activities, which is far much better as the traditional set up only involved a smaller group of people. The definition of the virtues has been left to the global community, changing the previous responsibility of the social institutions to define them and incorporating other cultures. The changes will ensure that diversity will be more upheld within these institutions as many of their values will need to incorporate views of many different people. How social institutions might change in future The institu tions are likely to change to a state that they will not be much of an influence to the people. Transpired by the fact that people’s way of life is changing dramatically, they will tend to demand less since they will not have the great control of the people’s minds like the past. There is also the risk that more people have a tendency to value social institutions lesser and lesser, and it may get to a point that they become extinct or less influential to the people. It may also be possible that there will not be much of a change in the social institutions as some people will tend to cling on the past as they view the past being more fun than the present day, as well as being more enjoyable as one is relating with real people rather than a computer. The importance of the social institutions towards the people might also change to a state that even the children who are born nowadays do not get to know even there extended families. Churches on the other hand, may transfor m to be achieves and it is evident in some countries that they are now becoming clubs as lesser and lesser people show up to attend them. Associations and reunions of these institutions may also turn out to a lower lever such that the coming generations may no have no idea they even existed and individualism be the order of the day. Technology might also build social institutions that people meet online and with time a tradition of the same might come up. Conclusion New developments and technologies are good since they make life more fun. However the society should not forget the past and the benefits accrued through having it. New social networks can be considered as necessary social evils because, however much they are destroying our social institutions in a big scale, they are also providing us other benefits that we cannot live without, once they are introduced to us. A good example is the education that children are learning; it is more explosive and with more content, which is opening up their mind to a greater knowledge of the world around them. We cannot also forget the fact that the world has been unified to one global village where people are sharing and receiving information in a matter of a short time. On the other hand, social institutions that have been in existence are the source of our identity, and people should strive to have a healthy relationship with their families, as well as the community. It is, therefore, our responsibility to strike a balance where we have balance relations in the social relations as well as healthy social institutions. List of References Eberly, D. E. (2000). The essential civil society reader: classic essays in the American civil society debate. Mary Land: Rowman Littlefield. Foley, W. M, Hodgkinson V. A. (2003). The civil society reader. Lafayette: University press of New England. Henderson, P. (2009). Supervisor Training: Issues and Approaches. London: Karnac Books.

Adolesent Drug Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Adolesent Drug Abuse - Essay Example This is because the two aspects are majorly social and should be successfully and affordably manageable through social initiatives. Controlling risk factors while promoting counter control measures should have, contrary to the current situation, led to minimal level of adolescent drug abuse cases. However, successful initiatives have not been achieved with respect to these useful tools of preventing and controlling substance abuse among the teens. Risk factors such as environmental change and aggressiveness as well as tools and avenues such as â€Å"family relationships, peer relationships, school environment, and community environment† have been identified for their potential role in controlling teen substance abuse and its eventual adverse effects (Physician, 2002, p. 16). However, persistent trend shows that the structures, family, society and school, have failed to utilize their leadership potential to help the adolescents out of drug abuse (Physician, 2002). The most interesting aspect of adolescent drug abuse is therefore the fact that in spite of its social, readily available, and affordable risk factors and control measures, successful efforts have not been made to identify with social structures’ commitment controlling adolescents’ drug

Article summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Article summary - Assignment Example company that lowers the price of its tickets will affect not only its own profitability but also the profitability of its competitors since a lower price will influence consumers’ decision making† (p.490). This way, this article relates to the concept of best-cost strategy. We know that best-cost strategy enables the producer to provide value-added products to consumers by lowering the prices and enhancing the value of the product. Unlike low-cost strategy, best-cost strategy focuses on a broader market and adds value to the product. Poh and Mohayidin (2011, p.494) state that â€Å"Value is what buyers are willing to pay and superior value stems from offering lower price than competitors for equivalent benefits.† This means that consumers will prefer to travel on that airline which has low ticket prices but provides the similar or even greater benefits than other competitor airlines. Here comes the concept of best-cost strategy. Airlines adopting the best-cost-str ategy will attract more consumers in the broader market as it eliminates customer changing preference behavior and enhances image positioning of the service provider. Poh, L.S., & Mohayidin, M.G. (2011). Competitive pricing strategies of low cost airlines in the perspective of game theory. International Conference on Sociality and Economics Development , 10, pp. 490-494. Retrieved March 12, 2014, from