My Bucket list free essay sample

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. -Michael Jordan. This quote tells me that I have to work hard to achieve goals and dreams, so when I made a bucket list I didnt choose things that were simple and didnt mean anything to me, I chose the things that meant a lot to me, even if they were small. I want to do 52 things before I die, and I am going to share 8 of those things I will hopefully do before I kick the bucket. The first thing I want to do is milk a cow, after that I want to go farther up north in Alaska to see the Aurora Borealis. While still in Alaska, I will fly up to Adak on the Aleutian Chain. Then I want to go to the more western states and try to see a tornado. We will write a custom essay sample on My Bucket list or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another hair raising activity will be to go ghost hunting. Next, I want to start traveling again and go to Loch Ness Lake. After all my crazy new adventures I want to go back home and relax and get a manicure/pedicure. The final, and most sentimental, thing I want to share is donate money to cancer patients. I am going to tell you about the challenges, and what is the most I can get out of each of the eight items I am sharing. Have you ever tried milk straight from the cow? I haven’t so the first thing on my bucket list that I want to share is milk a cow. I know it sounds funny but it is something I have always wanted to do since my friend told me about it and said it tastes better than store bought milk. I don’t like the taste of store bought milk so I thought it would be a good idea to try it straight from the cow. I will probably do it in the next year or later because I am having difficulty in finding someone who owns a cow. I’m afraid of the cow kicking me while I milk it, and that might result in me chickening out. Another difficulty is that I might be allergic to the milk, or might even like less than the store bought kind. But if I like it I would probably tell all my friends about it. When I milk a cow I will make sure to bring my family, so they can see me do it and I can make them try it too, also so I don’t have to drink it alone. My ultimate goal is to see if I like it, get over my fear, and be able to tell people that I actually got to milk a cow. After being so close to a cow, who in my opinion aren’t very good looking, I want to go and see something spectacular. I will go see the Aurora Borealis, because I have wanted to since I was little. I have lived in Alaska for 14 years and I have never see the Aurora Borealis. Every picture I have seen of it I have loved; and I think it looks beautiful and want to experience it myself. Since at night in the winter is when you can see it, I would have to do it then. I wish to go see it with my family so we can all experience it together. My friends will probably be jealous when I show them all the pictures I will take. My ultimate goal of seeing the Aurora Borealis is seeing something I have always wanted to. One of the most important things I want to do before I die is go back to Adak, Alaska. When I was little I used to live there, and my parent’s friends always tell me stories about how I loved it so much but I cant remember. Some problems I hope I dont run into are not having enough money to get a plane ticket down there, or I cant find my old address, and possibly even not liking it as much as everyone tells me. There are a lot of eagles and hawks there, and my fear of birds might also make this experience challenging. I hope to go back soon and see my old house and grow closer to my family by bonding over old happy memories. On the Aleutian chain there’s no tornados and I have always wanted to see one, so that is what I will do next. I’ve seen a lot on television and my family watches The Wizard of Oz every year, and I wondered what it would be like to see it in real life, because we don’t get tornados here in Alaska. I think seeing something so powerful happening right in front of me will give me such an adrenaline rush and I like adrenaline rushes. I hope that when I see it Im far enough away the tornado does not suck me up. Im going to go alone so if something happens, everyone else is still safe. Im also afraid of not getting to the tornado soon enough and I wouldnt be able to see it. I would have to go to one of the dry inland states to see one and also go the time tornadoes occur the most. My ultimate goal is to see something new that doesnt happen here. Another thing only a few have experienced up close and personal are ghosts. I never really believed in ghosts and dont really believe other people when they tell about an out-of-body experience. So, after watching a few episodes of Ghost Hunters I decided, another thing I want to do before I die is go ghost hunting. Some challenges I could face are finding a place thats haunted, and staying there because I might get scared and leave. Im going to have to do it when Im older so I can rent the ghost hunting equipment. Im also going to bring my sisters, and my friends so Im not alone. The most I can get out of this experience is possibly proving myself wrong. The next thing is probably not as exciting as a ghost, but still something I have always wanted to do. It’s get a manicure/pedicure, because all my friends go get manicures all the time and I always love how their nails look after they come back from a salon. People will probably think Im a girly-girl for having it on my bucket list. The only reason I havent gotten one yet is because my family thinks its too expensive for something that will only last a little while. So when Im older and have my own money Im going to get one. After getting my nails done, which is something anybody can do, I want to experience something only a few people have, seeing the Loch Ness monster. I chose that because I believe in the Loch Ness Monster, and I am fascinated by unknown creatures that defy science. I watch a lot of t. v. shows about people seeing the Loch Ness Monster and I want to try and see it too. I also read some stories about people who thought they actually saw it. Things that might be difficult in my adventure are getting money for an airplane ticket, and actually seeing the Loch Ness Monster. I think some of my friends and family members might think I’m crazy for believing in the Loch Ness Monster and trying to see it. I would have to do it in the summer because I have school the other days of the year and I hope to go with in the next five years. I would also try and go the time sightings occur the most. The last thing I want to share about what I want to do before I die is donate money to cancer patients. I chose this because I never thought it was fair when they had to stay in the hospital during holidays and can’t do normal things with their friends. So I’m going to save up money to make them feel better. I would have to donate when I’m older so that I have enough time to save the money. The biggest challenge I think I would run into is not having enough money. The ultimate goal for this bucket list item is for myself to bring joy to other people, and to be proud of myself for trying to help others. I hope my bucket list inspires ideas of your own and encourages you to create one. All 8 of these items are once-in-a-lifetime and special to me, because they are things I would not do on a regular routine. I hope to do all of these before I kick the bucket.

Macbeth - Supernatural Forces In Macbeth Essays - Free Essays

Macbeth - Supernatural Forces In Macbeth Essays - Free Essays Macbeth - Supernatural Forces In Macbeth In the play Macbeth, there were many interesting sections which could be concentrated on due to the suspense and the involvement of the supernatural. The use of the supernatural in the witches, the visions, the ghost, and the apparitions is a key element in making the concept of the play work and in making the play interesting. Looking through each Act and Scene of the play, it is noticed that the supernatural is definitely a major factor on the play's style. The use of the supernatural occurs at the beginning of the play, with three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. This gives the audience a clue to what the future holds for Macbeth. When the battles lost and won (Act I, Scene I, l.4) was said by the second witch. It says that every battle is lost by one side and won by another. Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose his time of victory for the battle of his soul. After the prophecies of the witches' revealed the fate of Macbeth, the plan in which to gain power of the throne is brought up. The only way to gain power of the throne was for Macbeth to work his way to the throne, or to murder King Duncan. Murdering the king was an easier plan since the motivation in his dreams urged him on. Lady Macbeth also relied on the supernatural by her soliloquy of calling upon the evil spirits to give her the power to plot the murder of Duncan without any remorse or conscience (Act I, Scene V, ll.42-57). The three sisters are capable of leading people into danger resulting in death, such as the sailor who never slept (Act I, Scene III, ll.1-37). Lady Macbeth has convinced her husband Macbeth to murder King Duncan. On the night they planned to kill Duncan, Macbeth is waiting for Lady Macbeth to ring the signal bell to go up the stairs to Duncan's chamber. He sees the vision of the floating dagger. The interest of the dagger is that it leads Macbeth towards the chamber by the presence of evil of the dagger being covered with blood. Then the bell rings and Macbeth stealthily proceeds up the staircase to Duncan's chamber. Once the murder has been committed, eventually Banquo has his suspicions about Macbeth killing Duncan to have power of the throne. There is constantly more guilt and fear inside Macbeth and his wife that they decide to have Banquo killed. Macbeth and his wife attend a banquet in which a ghost appears. Once the murderer notified Macbeth that the deed was done, he observed the ghost of Banquo sitting in his regular seat. This caused Macbeth to act in a wild manner, making people suspicious of his actions. (Act III, Scene VI, ll.31-120). The use of the supernatural has increased the suspense now that Macbeth is constantly relying on the prophecies of the three witches. Hecate, the Queen of witches is angry with the three sisters for not involving her in their encounters with Macbeth. The witches plan to lead Macbeth to his downfall by making him feel over-confident. (Act III, Scene V, ll.1-35). Further on in the play, Macbeth finds his way to the witches' cave and demands to know what lies ahead for him. The three witches predict what he is going to ask and produce the first apparition which is an armed head. Macbeth!, Macbeth!, Macbeth!, beware of Macduff; beware thane of Fife. Dismiss me: enough. (Act VI, Scene I, ll.77-78). The first apparition tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff. Then the second apparition appears (a bloody child), and says: Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth. (Act IV, Scene I, ll.85-87). This apparition informs Macbeth that no man born from a woman can harm him. finally, the last apparition appears and is a child crowned, with a tree in his hand. The apparition is saying that he will never be defeated until Great Birnam wood shall come against him to High Dunsinane Hill. Be lion melted, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where

Expected and Unexpected Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley Legislation on IT and Research Paper

Expected and Unexpected Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley Legislation on IT and Business - Research Paper Example After the enactment of this legislation, the collapse of major corporations was imminent as a series of restatements began to emerge from major companies. The presence of this legislation has led to a decrease of restatements and securities class actions that have been filed. However, according to SOX, the number is still high. This paper will examine the impact the legislation had on businesses, and what the future holds for companies that do not comply with the regulations the Act has in place. The most crucial aspect of the legislation was section 404, which focuses on the monitoring of internal controls in the organization. Presently, public companies are required to include reports of internal control reports, which are then monitored by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). This board works directly with the SEC to conduct reviews. In light of the above operations, accounting firms are now liable for any, and all their audits. This is what has probably pushed f or some reforms in public companies that are present in most parts of the region. Some of the major impacts that have rocked companies expected to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley legislation include; additional costs, additional liability, and even the purchase of internal control software (Harwood & Simmons, 2012). ... The purchase of internal control software has increased the costs that companies, small and large, incur during their annual reviews (Brodkin, 2007). In order to build a control system that works, companies are required to hire skilled personnel to handle these issues. This, ultimately, comes at a price. The cost of planning, tracking, and reviewing internal controls in no easy task, and the outside assistance requires capital. All these factors contribute to the high prices, but it is tantamount for companies to do this. The labor workforce and human resource that is present in most companies was also a factor to consider with the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. These groups of individuals were at the forefront in pointing out the shortcomings of corporate governance. The issues were that management in most of the financial and accounting institutions were benefitting at the expense of the labor workforce present in their organizations (U.S. SEC, 2009). To most of the individuals in thi s group, the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation was a means of bringing management to account for all their conducts in their organizations. Some of the aspects of the labor workforce that were expected to be addressed by the SOX legislation included; the protection of whistleblowers, proper procedure of handling and tackling complaints (privately), and even the issue of executive pay and compensation. Unexpected impact of SOX After the implementation of SOX, some fields were first to be hit by the waves of transformation. One of the major fields to be hit was the IT field, which experienced some unexpected turns. The rapid implementation of internal controls saw the use of technologies in almost every company that needed the

International Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Human Resources Management - Essay Example The available study on this question however was limited and many avoids the question. The study proposed the hypothesis based on a triad notion composed of three concepts: work involvement, driveness and work enjoyment. It was hypothesized that workaholics will score high on work involvement and driveness but low on work enjoyment while work enthusiasts will score high on work involvement and work enjoyment and low on driveness and that enthusiastic workaholics will score high on all three components. Methods and point of view of the author’s research The sample populations were 530 male and female managers and professionals using anonymous questionnaires. They are between 35 to over 50 years old who has MBA degrees obtained over a number of years before 1985. Almost 80 percent were married and almost one third worked 46Â ±50 hours per week. A response rate was excluded from the 591 responses that were returned and the sample was reduced further to 530 when respondents indic ated that they were no longer working full time. The three scales that were used were Work Involvement, Driveness and Work Enjoyment. The result of the scales were combined to produce six workaholism types: Work Enthusiasts (WEs), Workaholics (Ws), Enthusiastic Workaholics (EWs), Unengaged Workers (UWs), Relaxed Workers (RWs) and Disenchanted Workers (DWs) depending on how low or high they scored on the three scales. Of these, the three psychological and physical well-being were included. They were basically the parameters whether working too much would good or bad for our well-being. Respondents then were asked they experience each physical condition in the past year such as headches, etch. The study revealed that the largest number of the respondents fell into the UW (Unengaged Worker) at 23 percent, followed by EW (Enthusiastic Workaholic) at 19 percent, EW (Work Enthusiast) at 14 percent and RWs (Relaxed Worker) at 12 per cent. It was also found that the hypothesis of the triad notion composed of the concepts work involvement, driven, work enjoyment were directly interrelated along with the significant correlation of the three indicators of psychological and physical well-being. But the most conclusive finding is that the two factors of the triad, driven and work enjoyment were inversely interrelated. Meaning, as one is driven or pressured to work, the less one enjoys it. It was also found that WEs, EWs and RWs had fewer psychosomatic symptoms than did both Ws and DWs. It meant that an enthusiastic worker suffers fewer stress compared to unengaged worker and relaxed worker and have a better life than the workaholic types such as W, UWs and DWs. In conclusion, enthusiastic workers such as those who fell into the category of WE and EW suffers lesser stress than the workaholic and those who likes their work has a better emotional well-being than the workaholics. Discussion Having answered the question that indeed overworking could not be good for our over-all well being, the study now compels managers and employees alike to be less obsessive with work and to relax a bit. It also implies that managers experiencing poor emotional and physical well-being may not enjoy their work and become more stressful. While the research was able to determine the correlation between overworking and stress, it was not however able to determine

Magnet Recognition Program for Nurses Research Paper

Magnet Recognition Program for Nurses - Research Paper Example There was a distinction between the two roles in the 1960’s but today the role of the RN is not as distinct; each level of education received the title of RN after successful passing of the state boards of nursing licensure test to become a practicing registered nurse (Pellico et al., 2009). Previous distinction of role included the definitions of the technical nurse and the professional nurse. The technical nurse was in the beginning educational preparation stage and attended a 2 year community college. The professional nurse was enrolled in a four year nursing program at a colleges or university; the distinction of roles is consistent with accreditation standards of thinking at the time (Donley & Flaherty, 2008). The goal was to expand the nursing programs and assist the technical nurse to transition into professional practice (Donley & Flaherty, 2008 & Nelson, 2002). These attempts notwithstanding, the needs of the educational curriculum were still not fulfilled for the RN at both levels after taking the state board licensure exam receives the same title, â€Å"RN†. There is a continued effort for nursing to elevate the profession at a higher educational level. healthcare facilities with Magnet ® status help to push this process forward with the continued excellence in nursing practice outcomes. In 1965, the American Nurses Association’s First Position on Education in nursing was published to describe the need for educational reform in nursing (ANA, 1965). This argument continues today. The goal for a standardized nursing entry level of education has yet to be resolved. According to Smith (2009) the environment of nursing has evolved considerably and educational advances need to be changed.... Magnet Recognition Program for Nurses With the advent of the Magnet Recognition Program ® more healthcare facilities are seeking attainment of a higher level of professional nursing practice. The rationale for healthcare facilities in seeking Magnet Status is driven by healthcare institutions wanting to serve the communities with the highest level of care possible in the use of innovative technology and excellence in care. Bargagliotti, West-Sands, Burchum & Selbe, note that in year 1960s, most nurses were trained at a diploma level, which was a two or three year hospital based nursing program where nursing students learned the basic skills to care for patients in the hospital. In the 1960’s, undergraduate programs were recognized as a path that nursing students should take to function at the professional level of nursing. This system was generally quicker and cost effective to utilize the diploma programs to produce a high functioning nurse to care for the large number of patients. The diploma programs were the first to be extinguished from the education framework as the profession moved into the ADN and BSN programs of study. All nurses at every level should be encouraged to go back to school and continue the path of lifelong learning in the profession of nursing. Lacey, Cox & Lorfing (2007) anticipated that the entry level for nursing will be the BSN which consists of entry level by the year 2020. This process continues and will continue until all can agree to the level and expectations of the professional entry level of the nurse.

Country Analysis of Immigration Policies

Country Analysis of Immigration Policies Throughout history, the handling of integration of immigrants in any country has been a pressing political issue. There is no exception in Europe. Although there has been a recent spike in favorable feeling towards minorities in Europe, there are still countries, such as Italy or Germany, that have a deep rooted hatred towards some groups. On the other hand, Countries like France, and Sweden have shown upward movement in the public opinion towards minority groups. Some of the more blatantly discriminated groups in Europe are people who identify as Muslim, and those who identify as Roma. These two groups have long heritages in Europe, and have faced discrimination throughout their history. Because France is has been noticeably proposing policies to help integrate the minority population, it serves as a good country to compare to those that hold a less favorable view on their minorities, such as Greece. The population of a country is key in defining an identity for that country, and so me countries try harder than others to alter who represents them. Although most countries in Europe have a problem integrating immigrants into their social and political systems, France has been a country that has shown the most potential for integration. The recent events occurring in Paris, involving Muslim radicals killing 13 political cartoonists, hasnt helped with integration, but the progress is more evident on other levels. A good benchmark in the upward trend of French opinion on minorities is when Nicholas Sarkozy took office in 2007. Three Muslims, Rama Yade, Rachida Dati and Fadela Amara, were named Secretary of State for Human Rights, Minister of Justice, and the Minister responsible for city housing, respectively. These are huge jobs that have major influence in policies that affect minorities. Part of having a collective identity is integrating the people who arent originally from the country being represented, and minority integration into the government of France is an enormous step forward towards full integration of minorities in France. â€Å"If three-quarters of naturalized immigrants â€Å"feel French,† nationality is not everything. The adoption of a French national feeling among non-naturalized immigrants is quite noteworthy here: more than half of non-naturalized immigrants feel French, and two-thirds of those from North Africa. If a result deserves comment, it is not the lack of adoption of national identity by immigrants and their descendants but rather the strength of that adoption† (Simon, 2012). This quote directly addresses the idea that French immigrants feel a sense of collective identity. In comparison to other countries, this number is very high, and has been increasing steadily. Another aspect that heavily affects the integration of immigrants into a given country is the accessibility of immigration. One of the biggest aspects of French immigration is the idea of duel-citizenship. This means citizens of foreign countries can hold their citizenship in that country, while also be coming a citizen of France. Although Poland holds a similar policy, France allows for an easier transition to citizenship as it promotes children who have been in France to remain in France, while allowing them to keep their original heritage. According to Simon, â€Å" . . . 64 percent of immigrants who arrived before the age of 10 acquired French citizenship, as did 53 percent of those who came between the ages of 10 and 16, and 32 percent of those who arrived after age 16† (Simon, 2012). The reason this information is important is because it shows people who immigrate to France embed their children with French ideas and culture enough that it becomes a part of their heritage. It shows that immigrants in France enjoy their roots in the country, and want to continue their lineage as French citizens. Immigration is an aspect of collective identity that identifies a countries acceptance, and the promotion of integration can lie within the immigration policies of a country. Like France, Germany has shown an upward movement in the general opinion on integration of immigrants, but the rich history of discrimination and the policies that still exist from it are hard to alter, thus making it hard to change opinions. German policy makers have attempted to change these embedded ideals, but their work is in the short term, when in actuality, a long term plan is heavily needed. Migration flows have been low over the past decade in Germany, (Rita, 2009) and this has caused policy makers to focus on other aspects of the country, which is detrimental as the policies made for immigration need to be long lasting and flexible with the tides of migration. Germany has made this mistake before, between 1950 and 1970. They ignored integration policies when there was a huge influx of guest workers immigrating to Germany, causing a greater social inequality for said workers. This ignorance of policy remained active until recently. The quality of immigrants has also never r eally been on Germanys side throughout its history. The recent swing from Turkish, low-skilled labor workers to European families shows very few high-skilled labor workers, also creating social disparity. This a big aspect of Germany that differs from France. While there is an influx of third-country nationalists in France, Germany has a very miniscule percentage of their immigrants coming from this category. Students of German heritage are much more likely to follow an education path than immigrant students, as well as immigrants being much more likely to be unemployed than non-immigrants. Another aspect affecting German immigrant integration is the economy. When the economy is poor in a country, the idea of locking up jobs for citizens is more favorable, and in January 2009, 8.3 percent of Germanys workforce was considered unemployed (Rita, 2009). This is a huge cause for concern because of the lack of policies that support integration. One of the best ways to overcome a deficit i s to understand that everyone is needed in a country, and increasing the workload for foreigners is a good way to strengthen the economy. The holes in the collective identity of Germany restrict the contribution of immigrants, and really allows the country to suffer as a result. Compared to France, Germany has marginally lower rates of naturalization, as well as stricter policies on voting, which shows a lack of inclusion in society for foreigners. These aspects, on top of very restricted work visa applications contribute to an aging society, a declining economy, and social inequality throughout Germany. Along with the recent decline of the Euro, and economies belonging to the European Union declining, the ECB, or European Central Bank has began a process of Quantitative-easing, which mean they will purchase 80 billion Euros worth of bonds from EU countries over the next 18 months to kick-start their economies. This has been met with mixed responses, most being good, yet there are some countries that feel that it is a bit over intrusive and that it will have an adverse effect. Two countries opposing each other on this issue are Greece and Italy. Both countries have their reasoning for their ideas on the policy, and both make good points to support their arguments. The president of each country have spoken out about the policy, making the outcry very political and important. The fall of the Euro has created a pressing issue for the ECB, and they have been attempting to determine the best plan of action in fixing its value. The plan they have proposed will attempt to bail out countries in debt buy purchasing a large amount of bonds from each one. Italys president, Pier Carlo Padoan, has spoken out in support of the plan saying it has â€Å" . . . already being successful through a declining euro.† Padoan said a â€Å"weaker euro is in line with the single currency area’s long-term economic outlook and will boost Italy’s recovery this year† (Rotondi, 2015). Padoan also says that the new plan will increase Italys GDP by a percent, as the new Euro trend promotes Italian export firms. Italys past few years of having an on and off declining economy fears that low rates of inflation will lead to high rates of deflation, and the new plan of QE will help reduce the risks of full deflation. One aspect of the plan says that it will incre ase the budget of Italys bank, while at the same time not exposing it to any new risks. This is key because when you change such a massive influence of money in an economy, there are usually risks associated with trading with new countries, larger debts, and other economic downfalls. The biggest upside to the QE program for Italy is that it will increase the banks interest in funding private organizations, increasing the value of financial activities. Greece is an example of a country that opposes the QE implemented by the CBE, and they have a few main arguments as to why they oppose it. As of March, 2015, they were not one of the countries included in the list to buy bonds from. This will change if the bonds they purchased from the ECB mature by this summer. Internally, Greece is dealing with their own bailout scheme they implemented that restricts their addition to the QE plan. Their biggest argument is that it does not promote private investing, which is what it aims to do. Greeces president, Yanis Varoufakis has openly stated â€Å"QE could prove both unsustainable and incapable of boosting private credit growth and investment in productive activities,† Varoufakis said. â€Å"Imagine an alternative plan to QE where the EIB will take its marching orders to lead an investment-led recovery for Europe. I’d like to call that the Merkel plan.† This shows the lack of trust that Greeces government has for the plan , and even though they are currently exempt from it, it also shows their mindset for controlling their own economy for the years to come. It is important for Greece to become a country being bailed out by the ECB because the bank no longer accepts Greek bonds, forcing them to rely on emergency liquid assistance, which is a more expensive and damaging asset. Both countries face strenuous economic conditions, and the plan proposed by the ECB seems to benefit most. Greece has internal issues that they must iron out before being included, but once they do it seems there is room for an upward trend in their economy. Minority groups attempting to define themselves in European countries is a long lasting fight that has led to many reforms in governments, as well as society itself. One minority group that is good to compare between countries is homosexuals. Homosexuals have been oppressed throughout history, and most European countries are no exception to this. In fact, how forward the Netherlands are in their policies on homosexuality makes them the perfect country to counter against a country with harsher ideals, such as Russia. Determining a countries collective identity begins with the people, and for a country to have a strong identity, they must recognize all of its people. If certain groups of people cannot be represented, it creates a gap in society, and allows for discrimination. Homosexuality has been an issue that every country has to face, as it is a way of life. Some countries handle it well, and include homosexuals in their identity, while others brush them under the table and hinder their representation. Russia has for a very long time been considered to have a conservative view on homosexuality. It wasnt until 1999 that being a homosexual was considered a mental illness. This absurd legislation was eventually changed, but the fact that it remained for such a long time is a bit unnerving. The problem stems from a long history of institutionalized discrimination towards the homosexual community. For example, the police in Russia does not keep records of hate crimes towards homosexuals, instead treating them as common crimes. Also, there have been numerous studies showing that in cases involving a homosexual victim, the police have exhibited a lack of interest towards closing the cases, and most of them do not even reach the courts. This disinterest towards homosexuals rights, supports the notion that it is institutionalized, and represents how harsh the treatment of the homosexual community is. Furthermore, the recent rise in radical groups labeling themselves as â€Å"social movemen ts† has shown no favorable attitudes towards homosexuals. A group named â€Å"Occupy Pedophiles† was created in 2012 to actively seek homosexuals and commit acts of violence towards them. Vigilante groups such as this one are becoming more common in Russia, as groups of people aim to prevent their children, and the future of the country from being subjected to homosexuality. The most recent issue involving homosexual rights in Russia came to light during the most recent Olympics. Russian legislation passed a law saying it is illegal to hand out homosexual â€Å"propaganda† to children, including hosting activist events and rallies. Also included was a law stating that same-sex couples could not adopt children. These are recent, relevant examples showing that Russia has not taken many strides towards equality. There is a large homosexuality community in Russia that in not represented, and fearful to express their views as it puts a target on their backs and remove s them from society. Its not until Russia reviews these laws that there will be a true representation of homosexuals, and until then, the countrys identity is blemished. The Netherlands on the other hand, has a long history of homosexual acceptance, and welcomes them into the identity created for Dutch society. As the first country in the world to adopt a policy of same-sex marriage, it has long been considered a front runner in not only European acceptance, but across the globe as well. In comparison the Russia, 30% of homosexuals feel some sort of discrimination (EUAFR, 2012). Also, according to the survey, The Netherlands have the highest percentage of population that supports homosexuals living as they wish. With collective identity as the issue, this shows that the people of The Netherlands accept homosexuals into their society, allowing them to be a part of their identity. The greatest aspect of this tolerance is shown in the fact that even though they are considered heavily progressive when it comes to homosexual rights, The Netherlands is still proposing policies that will strengthen relations within itself and with other countries. This init iative remains constant with their stance on the issue throughout history, and promotes equality for the present and future. According to the LGBT and Gender Equality Policy Plan of the Netherlands 2011 – 2015, one of the main focuses of strengthening homosexual relations involves increasing social awareness. Their two main points of focus are: increasing the rights of same-sex couples and the legal parenthood that comes with it, as well as increasing homosexual equality. The first issue addresses the fact that kids raised in homosexual households should have the same status as those raised in heterosexual ones. This key to developing the future citizens ideas on how identity works in their country. If kids grow up separated from other kids because their parents are homosexuals, it creates alienation which alters identity. The second aspect handles more administrative business of homosexual equality. For example, homosexual men may not donate blood, due to the higher risk of STDs. There are a few countries in Europe that allow this under certain conditions, so the plan will attempt to rewrite the laws for donating blood based upon these countries. Even though this is a small aspect of everyday life, each discriminatory law that is altered is a victory for the homosexual community in Europe. Democracy is an idea that has been around for years, but is still a work in progress to determine the best way to implement it. Public participation is key to any democracy, as the people of the country in discussion must be involved with the government to be heard. There is no one way to run a democracy, and this is evident when comparing different countries public participation. The UK has a long history of public involvement, and is showing progression to allow for more. They involve the citizens in many aspects of government, reaching out explicitly to obtain the public opinion on certain issues. Poland, on the other hand faces difficulties in this section because of old policies and failure to reform them. A new constitution is being worked on, but the constraints of the old one prohibit the involvement of the public in creating a new one. One of the basic rights of many countries is public involvement in the government, and this is detrimental to the success of democracy. The United Kingdom is known for its progressiveness in public involvement, and it serves as a guide for other countries looking to become more democratic. There are, however, some issues that they face when dealing with public involvement. â€Å"One of the biggest problems in UK participation today is that the focus has been on quantity rather than quality. Two common assumptions that many people hold are that ‘participation is always a good thing’ and that ‘if we build it they will come’. We often assume that there is a vast untapped reserve of active people who want to get involved.† (Bucharest, 2008). This quote is a good start on determining the UKs stance on public involvement, as it highlights the common assumptions held in the country, and underlines the issues they face when dealing with it. What the statement, â€Å"quantity over quality† refers to in this sense is that the group of people who influence governmental decisions in the UK is a small one. The ‘Audit of Political Engagement’ survey for 2007 shows that only â€Å"12% of the British population could be said to be activists and almost half had not taken part in any form of political activity (in the broadest sense) whatsoever.† (Hansard Society, 2008). This is a problem because this percentage doesnt represent the UKs people as a whole. Most of this percentage is elderly, white males with an education, and minorities are represented with just a percent. So what causes the lack of interest in policy making and government regulation? There are a few answers to this question. One is a lack of faith from the public that their voices will be heard. This can be stemmed from bad processes in law-making, making the voter feel as though the decisions have already been made before the vote happens. The system in place if run correctly is sound, but most activists will tell you that their opinions are pushed under the rug by politicians who have their own agendas. Another reason why there seems to be a lack of interest from the UKs public toward policy making is a sort of egocentric mindset that many countries have, which is the idea that if a policy doesnt affect someone personally, then they wont deem it important to them and wont get involved. This is a commonality, but what governments like the UK do is try and make the process sought after by more people. Their goal is to increase the percentage of people who vote to become more involved, which will also increase the amount of people who vote in general.

Behavior: Nature vs. Nurture Essay -- genetics vs environment

For centuries psychologists have argued over which plays the larger role in child development, heredity or environment. One of the first theories was proposed in the seventeenth century by the British philosopher John Locke. Locke believed that a child was born with an empty mind, tabula rasa (meaning "blank slate") and that everything the child learns comes from experience, nothing is established beforehand. Years later, Charles Darwin brought forth his theory of evolution, which led to a return of the hereditarian viewpoint. With the twentieth century, however, came the rise of behaviorism. Behaviorists, like John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner, argued that a child can be made into any kind of person, regardless of their heredity. Today, most psychologists agree that both nature (genes) and nurture (environment) play an important role, not independently, but as they interact together (Atkinson, p. 72). One of the most important factors believed to influence a child are parents. Parents are known to share a distinctive bond with their children. This special bond is what enables parents to shape their children. Whether it is into free-willed adolescents, ready to challenge any controversy, or into caring adults willing to spend the seventy cents a day to save a poverty stricken child. Parents have the power to mold their children. Setting firm, yet sensible, guidelines teaches children discipline and good behavior. Using physical abuse produces aggressive children, but having patience and understanding leaves a child better capable to handle stress in later years. How parents raise their children influences how they will turn out (Begley, p. 53). Surprisingly, a new debate is taking place. As the author of The Nurture Assumpt... ...sweek, (September 7, 1998). p. 52-59. Edwards, Randall. "Divorce Need Not Harm Children." in Child Welfare: Opposing Viewpoints. Bender, David and Leone, Bruno, Series Editors. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Kevles, Behhyann H. and Daniel J. "Scapegoat Biology." Discover, (October 1997). p. 58-62. Pinker, Steven. "Against Nature." Discover, (October 1997). p. 92-95. Pool, Robert. "Portrait of a Gene Guy." Discover, (October 1997). p. 51-55. Rosenblatt, Roger. "A Game of Catch," Time, Vol. 152 (July 13, 1998). p. 90. Sapolsky, Robert. "A Gene For Nothing," Discover, (October 1997). p. 40-46. Waldman, Steven. "Divorce Harms Children." in Child Welfare: Opposing Viewpoints. Bender, David and Leone, Bruno, Series Editors. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Wright, Karen. "Babies, Bonds, and Brains." Discover, (October 1997). p. 74-78.

Relationship between humans and nature Essay

Marlowe in his poem ‘The passionate shepherd to his love’ talks of the strong link between humans and the nature that surrounds them. The poem from beginning to the end talks mainly of the nature that surrounds us wherever we go. The poem makes us understand that we are actually dependent on nature for all our needs. The nature in its splendor is so beautiful that Marlowe has actually united with the environment. The poem captures the joy of love, in the midst of nature. In fact reading the poem makes one wonder, if the natural splendor that surrounded Marlowe when he wrote the poem, was the reason for his love to flow like a river. Nature makes one forget about the present. In fact, it makes us forget all about ourselves and become one with nature as we enjoy and be part of the beauty that surrounds us in all its glory. Marlowe in this poem talks more of the nature that surrounds him and less about his love. The poem talks of the quiet simplicity of rural life and how humans are part of nature. There is no way of separating humans from nature. The humans are dependent on nature for their very existence. The nature is dependent on humans to be admired and glorified. The human dependence on nature is highlighted by the fact that Marlowe is sitting upon a rock. He wants to make a bed of roses; wool for a coat from the lambs, buckles for the slippers from gold, a belt of straw, the list goes on. Marlowe by writing this poem has made the readers understand the relationship between humans and nature. Annie Dillard in ‘Sojourner’ talks of the Earth in its entire splendor. She talks of the mangrove tree that floats and becomes like an island in a sense. She rediscovers the magic of nature and how it can be viewed in a beautiful sense. People ordinarily will not give a second thought to a tree floating. She magnifies the significance and projects a simple natural event into something extraordinary. In fact Annie Dillard brings to life the mangrove tree that is all but dead. A tree that has no life has been brought to life with her words. When Dillard talks about the mangrove tree, she actually means the Earth and its movements. She tells that Earth is a sojourner, creating its own path and moves in a path that cannot be followed by any other thing on Earth. She tells that Earth is a wet ball thrown into eternity and humans are part of this. We the humans and nature have united to become one. She ends with a question asking what will happen at the end of the journey. The mangrove tree will finally end up in the Ocean. So where do the Earth and the humans living on it finally end up, is a question left unanswered. Mangroves play a major role in the essay by Annie Dillard. She uses the tree to show the human nature. The mangrove starts from scratch and builds a strong foundation. The human nature and relationships are similar. We all start from scratch and build many strong relationships as we grow. Some who are not able to make any relationships are like the mangrove tree felled by the hurricane, being tossed and not knowing the final destination. Annie Dillard unites with nature and is part of it. She talks of the Earths movement in words that make a person imagine and feel the true aura of nature. She has merged the human nature and the nature to be examples of each other.

Media Reaction Paper

Media Reaction Paper Even with the hundreds of cable stations there are today, it is not easy to find a TV show that truly promotes tolerance and diversity the way Sesame Street does. This paper will illustrate why Sesame Street is so unique when it comes to topics of culture. Specifically, the paper will explain how it attempts to address diversity represented in the American landscape. It will also address to what extent the media relies on stereotypes when depicting a certain group. Lastly, an assessment will be made on whether or not the author believes the television show fosters a better understanding of diversity and multiculturalism.Sesame Street BackgroundMost American that were brought up during or after the 1970's are not just familiar with Sesame Street, but probably grew up on it when they were in preschool. Sesame was originally created to help inner-city children tools to help with their education via the most popular media method - TV.Mr. Johnson (Sesame Street)It is today one of the most influential children's' educational programs, imbedding themes of cultural diversity, sharing, and building self-esteem through puppets, actors, humor, song and dance, and real life situations they can understand. One of the five goals of the show is listed in the PBS website as "encouraging children to appreciate cultural diversity by modeling people who differ in appearance, action, or point of view playing together, working together, making friends, and resolving conflicts." (PBS, 2003-2007)Addressing DiversityLooking at the appearance of the neighborhood of "Sesame Street," it is set in a brownstone architecture looking like New York City, with different types of muppets and people living there, which is very similar to the melting pot of cultures in the real life NYC. They showed all walks of life living there: African-Americans, disabled people, Native Americans, young people, senior...

Management of change at BNP Paribas

Management of change at BNP Paribas A descriptive case study of BNP Paribas BNP Paribas S.A. is a major global banking company that was formed way back in the year 2000 from a merger between Paribas and the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP). It has two headquarters, a global one based in London and another in Paris. The merger was lauded for having reduced unhealthy competition and increased service delivery in the banking industry all over the world.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Management of change at BNP Paribas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Its continuous successful performance and current policy status are attributed to the main objective of serving its retail end of the market while widening its investment base throughout the world. Through its leadership, it has been able to diversify its service and products portfolio to the consumers all over the globe making it to be ranked as a major bank in terms of provisions. The same ranking in 2011 revealed that the measurement of its total assets was US$ 2.670 trillion. Despite the global crisis of 2007-2009, the bank was able to make massive profits of about â‚ ¬3 billion and â‚ ¬5.8 billion in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Other sources also reveal that the bank has several interests in investment solutions, corporate and investment banking as well as retail banking as its strategic business units which have helped it rise above other market competitors in terms of performance. In addition, it has four domestic markets namely Luxemburg, Belgium, Italy and France. Its retail operations are found in almost all the continents of the world. In terms of revolutionizing its operations, the management team at BNP Paribus has in the previous months focused on management of change as one of the most important aspects of enhancing its performance both at local and international levels. Management of change in leadership has given the bank an opportunity to improve its servic e delivery while focusing on the goal of raising overall profitability. Surveys on the bank reveal that its leadership has embarked on the process of management of change especially in the area of management to enhance performance. This company has been one of the leading banks in the provision of consumer financial services, investment banking, commercial banking and small scale businesses, processing financial transactions, private equity and assets management as shall be noted in its case study in relation to management of change.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Effective leadership at BNP Paribas has remained one of the most remarkable models that have brought out the much needed organizational change. This has been through the creation of favorable working environment, moderation of organizational operations and staff motivation that are all aimed at atta ining organizational goals. The leadership practice in this bank has continued to be outstanding in driving the organization towards change and linking its operations to long-term objectives. One would agree from past surveys that its leadership has indeed been the driving force for the much needed organizational change and is quite crucial in defining its effectiveness in terms asset management. Needless to say, the ability by the management of the bank to spearhead positive change in the operations of the bank has been invaluable. It goes without saying that its regular positive change in leadership strategies has seen the organization thriving where others have fallen. Since its inception, the management at BNP Paribas has been concerned with the need to foster change. Its leadership has been inherently value-based and has developed close ties with staff and stakeholders making it a group process. The enormous successes the bank has enjoyed are highly credited on leadership, chan ge and professionalism employed at all levels of its operations. This growth has been maintained through well founded change management strategies used in recruitment and selection of the different staff, shared values and systems, therefore serving as a major link between performance and practical skills. Through its leadership, the bank has emphasized on the need to maintain high quality levels of services to employees and the diversification of products and services as core factors in maintaining a competitive advantage in the fast changing global market. Emerging difficulties –leadership and management problems Leadership issues The report by the Worldwide Nicosia Business Review dated May 24, 2012 brings out one of the major issues facing BNP Paribas as leadership challenge. The bank has been blamed for using low-key leaders to run its operations in spite the fact that it has recorded significant growth in the past few years.Advertising We will write a custom cas e study sample on Management of change at BNP Paribas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, it is imperative to note that some of the loopholes in its leadership structure may not yield immediate visible impacts but may take quite a considerable length of time before such effects are realized. Even though its performance has been steady in the last few years, its leadership has never been able to competently effect necessary changes in terms of systems, building cohesion among its diverse workers and policies. The calls for change among its stakeholders could perhaps be the reason why there was an earlier than expected departure of its former leader Michael Pebereau. His departure came after the realization that under his leadership as well as the market position of the company was not going to improve in the foreseeable future. Ineffective teamwork and discrimination The management approach that BNP Paribas has been using is based o n diversity, a consideration which has seen it employ over 205,300 employees from 160 nationalities in the 84 countries where its offices are located. Even with its ambitions, commitment, creativity and responsiveness, its team of leadership has not been efficient in establishing strong working network. One would sharply disagree with this argument on the basis that the bank has embraced corporate values and opted to work through groups to attain success. While that may be true, it still falls short of reflecting teamwork, a factor seen in its constant discrimination troubles featuring among its 30 operational risks. Lack of team work is a critical challenge at BNP Paribas and might greatly affect the realization of its vision, objectives and long term goals. Teamwork is a critical component and a tool which the bank has not fully established and which when employed, can enhance performance and work success. While its leadership understands the need to foster teamwork as a process o f change and achieve established objectives, it has not been able to carry out its operations effectively due to issues of team dynamics.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Areas that need change Structure One of the areas that require immediate change interventions at BNP Paribas is its leadership structure. An effective leadership structure within BNP Paribas will improve the level of productivity by encouraging efficient and effective work. It is important to note that it is growing faster and becoming more complex. As such, it endeavors to catch up with the growing complexity of market trends. Its leadership understands and acknowledges the fact that better and efficient provision of services is important towards growth. Using McKinsey 7s model, the structure of an organization which represents how units of an organization relate is critical in enhancing performance. BNP Paribas organizational structure should comprise that which incorporates speed in decision making, increasing the flow of information in and out of the banking environment and offering mobility and value to all its workers. One cannot doubt the effectiveness of leadership at BNP Pa ribas, but cannot also fail to admit that its leadership structure has not been keen on ensuring a top-down functional division, networking and organization of effective working systems. As matter of fact, it is imperative to mention that for effective management of organizational resources including human capital demands good leadership roles within various departments of an organization. As it is the case with PNB Paribas at present, it is clearly evident that there are myriads of missing links in the leadership structure of the organization which ought to be addressed if positive growth is to be realized. While the current leadership structure at BNP Paribas is decentralized and quite active, it should have a strong structure, as this will make it more competent and will form the organization’s greatest asset. Its leadership structure should represent how well the organization can execute its strategies. There is need for a strong establishment of the existing leadership s tructure with competent leaders and the elimination of low key leaders. A poor leadership structure full of low-keyed leaders negatively impacts on organizational performance. It is without doubt that the current management at BNP Paribas has a strenuous task of making sure that it maintains brilliant market performance while at the same time harmonizes its workforce in a manner that will boost the morale of employees. While balancing between the two extremes may be a cumbersome duty, it is worth to note that it can still be achieved by proper restructuring of leadership of various departments. It is imperative for leaders at BNP Paribas to develop knowledge on leadership styles that will create change and curb the challenges posed by discriminatory practices. In order to strengthen the competitive position BNP Paribas has, proper and efficient leadership structures should be put in place. Through changing and strengthening leadership structures, BNP Paribus will be able to establis h new competitive structural abilities that will boost its global image. This will also see to it that its International participation via virtual management systems and modernization of the new branches in other countries contribute towards great success. Its success requires high level and dynamic orientation of the management structures in order to overcome the stiff competition. Flexibility in the management of all the departments of the bank should be clear for international outlook and profits to be realized (Valentine 2012, p.41). Strategy Strategic leadership as a means of change remains one of the important ways through which BNP Paribas can remain progressive in terms of planning, performance and resource allocation, and be responsive to the market. Strategy, from the 7s model focuses on the allocation of resources which may be scarce and focusing on customers, competition and the business environment with a mission of reaching identified goals. Being strategic at BNP Pari bas leadership is critical in the management of change bearing in mind that it will act as a strong force that will continuously reenergize diverse workforce, refresh the informal and formal systems of the organization and propel it to a higher level. Without strategic leadership, management of change and subsequent continuity in BNP Paribas, productivity and profitability will be an elusive practice. Indeed, in spite of the massive studies directed at re-evaluating management of change in the banking sector, without strategic leadership, banks fail to make great advances in implementing change. This scenario has been noted as a common case in the banking industry. Having enjoyed a long period of continued profitability, the leadership of BNP Paribus should be aware of the need to restructure itself strategically as part and parcel of capturing diverse marketing opportunities and also counter emerging uncertainties. Therefore, there is need for it to have its strategies centered on a strong change process aimed at decentralizing its structures and creating newer units in its operations to accelerate growth. In addition, this change process needs to involve all departments, encourage them to liaise with other structures and work together in enhancing service provision, relaying of feedbacks and re-evaluation of progress. Skills and shared values Skills are distinctive capabilities which individuals or personnel in an organization possess at their disposal. On the other hand, shared values are attitudes and central beliefs the aforementioned members of an organization have. The development of skills among workers in BNP Paribas plays a crucial role of elevating performance levels to a position whereby an organization enjoys profitability. This practice of developing human capital is an attribute of strategic leadership. Implementing change in terms of developing skills among staff has been a model that has brought immense benefit to the business. At BNP Paribus, human capital is an integral factor which has continually boosted the capability and overall performance. In order to improve its output and limit low-key staff, the top leadership of this bank ought to organize training to enhance workers’ skills. Trained and adequately skilled workers will form the bank’s capital resource and will also be a source of gaining a competitive edge. Forming of development and training programs are some of the best strategies of developing human capital. This management of change model targets constructing a vision that is common to a firm will facilitate communication and helps in building skills. Besides, skill development programs will be critical in inculcating core values, enhancing social levels and promoting cohesion among the workforce. Staff and style Successful changes usually pick intensity and speed as they progress through different stages in the change process. BNP Paribas’ leaders must account for the new behavior an d cultural development in the institution by nurturing the tender change and avoiding identity crisis for different employees. Special cases must be addressed in the bank for slow learners to avoid drifting behind due to their inefficiency. Increased credibility of the employees and structures is therefore built on to anchor the change progress after establishing the short term win situations.Policies that do not cohere with the change process should either modified or dropped completely in order to maintain the direction of the vision. Assessment at this stage will be necessary to make sure that the overall services delivery and the expected results are attained alongside the short term individual attainment. Systems System in PNB Paribas is a critical component that encompasses routines, processes, and procedures an organization has. Its leaders must be in a position to align all the systems of an organization to meet organizational goals. At BNP Paribas, its leadership needs to c haracterize its systems to reflect the importance of managing assets, information systems, performance appraisal systems, promotion, hiring and financial systems for better performance. Some of the areas that were changed It is imperative to note that the leadership in BNP Paribas has been able to effect certain changes in areas of its operation. Notably, its profitability has been based on the ability to factor leadership changes in prevailing internal and external situations and infusing its mission with articulate objectivity of improved performance and high profitability. In light of staffing, skills and shared values, it has set up mechanisms for training, development, recruitment and employee selections based on critical outlook of the prevailing conditions and the balance between implications of the program’s effects to the employees. A sense of stability and decisiveness that focuses on the employees to a better future has been generated as a tool for maintaining comm itment and hard work. Questions What is the function of leadership in creating and managing change? Should the leadership of an organization involve change agents to implement organizational change? What impact has workers, staff and stakeholders in effecting change? Analyze the management of change using various theories. Main learning points One of the key learning points from the case study is that management of change in organizations remains to be a core practice that cannot be ignored if positive growth and performance is to be realized. In addition, the ability to manage change especially in regards to leadership within an organization stands out as an integral need in the banking industry. As noted in the case of PNB Paribas, low key leadership is a factor that has seen its growth slowdown compared to its former years. Thus, a sustainable growth and performance of an organization will largely depend on how well change is introduced, embraced and implemented within an organ ization. Another factor that has come out from the case study is that the role of strategic leadership in creating change sprouts from various driving forces which compel an organization to seek intrinsic outsets for improvements. This reflects the perspective which Albanese (2012, p. 13) holds in his article when quoting the change management model by Kurt Lewin’s and indicating that leadership must be flexible and anchored on a strong force to facilitate re-evaluation and acceptance and implementation of the ideology. This can also be implemented when both internal and external orientations of strategic leadership are considered. A further learning point from the case study mirrors, Cohen’s (2002 p. 53) sentiment from the model of organization change. He indicates that there is need for management of an organization to develop a desire for change before shifting to seek change in an organization. Under this model and with regards to the case study, it becomes clear t hat a leadership must be able to consider an organization’s internal and external factors and move towards implementing them. Besides, it reflects the connection that exists between strategic leadership, change management and innovation. Answers and discussions to questions on the case study What is the role of leadership in creating and managing change? Leadership according to Bielski (2005, p. 57) plays a critical role of providing direction, vision and opportunity for organizational change. It achieves this by evaluating performance of various departments and systems within an organization. In agreement, Toegel and Barsoux (2012, p. 55) indicate that leaders must become aware of change and the need to create it at any given time during the lifetime of an organization. This should be carefully articulated by being actively involved in the change process. Should the leadership of an organization involve change agents to implement organizational change? Clark (2012, p. 1) poi nts out that for an effective change to take place in an organization, all stakeholders, workers and departmental leaders in an organization must be included in defining change and its application. While change as noted in the case study is a crucial aspect which BNP Paribus needs.to improve its leadership and business operations, Hernandez-Lopez (2003, p. 180) is of the view that it should enhance involvement of all entities as agents of change. Hernandez-Lopez (2003, p. 180) continues to point out that in banking institutions, the changing and highly dynamic trends of various operations call for involvement of all workers as change agents for greater efficiencies in services delivery and asset management. This concurs with the view held by most management scholars who indicate that the participation of all entities as change agents is crucial in introducing fresh ideas and practices in leadership and organization management (Palmer, Dunford Akin 2009, p. 57). Kurt Lewin’s model of refreezing and freezing augments this consideration and presents all organizations including BNP Paribas as having enough potential for innovation, strategic leadership and change either to address their negative considerations or further enhance their positive outcomes. What impact has workers, staff and stakeholders in effecting change? Clark (2012, p. 1) is of the view that the staff, workers and stakeholders of an organization are critical entities of change management in the sense that they create the necessary forces for articulating an organization’s ideals in the market. Human resources management best practices theory as exemplified by Dave Ulrich seeks to create an intrinsic outset in the management of labor towards pre-established goals. Clark (2012, p. 1) and Streeter (2003, p. 60) therefore consider the implementation of these applications in an organization to have two key change implications that greatly count in staffing. Discuss some of the theories reflecting management of change in an organization Organization change theory Analysts are increasingly in agreement that one of the most important and inevitable concept in an organization is change management. In his theory of organization change, Kurt Lewin presents the model of freezing and refreezing in facilitating identity and acceptance of new systems. In their review of the theory, Janicijevic (2010, p. 98) and Hopkins (2009, p. 28) indicate that for an organization to realize its objectives, it needs to ensure that change is effectively articulated in areas or departments that are not performing. Janicijevic (2010, p. 98) and Hopkins (2009, p. 28) further indicate organizational change must be viewed as a point of raising an organization to its next level. Besides, they emphasize on the need to effect change by adhering to the established culture in an organization. Contingency theory This theory as Cohen (2002 p. 53) indicates advocates for diversity in managing organizat ions. Therefore, as majority of bank managers argue, the theory calls for analytical outset in making key decisions for guiding an organization. In view of the theory, human resource managers should be able to respond to internal and external forces through effective leadership practices (Jenkins, 2012). This view concurs with the argument posed by Johnson (2002, p. 8) that though organizations have their own pre-established standards in management; they should avoid rigidity by seeking a leadership that is flexible and accommodates new objectives and dynamic standards. This consideration is further echoed by Hopkins (2009, p. 28) who indicates that contingent change factors are especially very crucial in leadership practices. In recap, it is imperative to mention that management of change in organizations remains as a core practice that cannot be ignored if positive growth and performance is to be realized. In addition, the ability to manage change especially in regards to human re source development within an organization stands out as an integral need in the banking industry. In the case of PNB Paribas, the sustainable growth and performance of the organization will largely depend on how well change I introduced, embraced and implemented within the organization. This will be the only way through which effective leadership will translate to positive growth of the organization bearing in mind that the market competition in the banking industry is quite dynamic. References Albanese, C 2012, ‘Spotlight on Carl James, BNP Paribas Investment Partners’, FX Week, vol.12 no.4, pp. 12-13. Bielski, L 2005, ‘Getting front and center on security policies’, American Bankers Association. ABA Banking Journal vol. 97 no. 3, pp. 57-59. Clark, J 2012, ‘BNP Paribas rolls out single-dealer e-FX platform’, FX Week, vol. 12 no. 2, pp. 1-2. Cohen, D 2002, ‘Making change effective, American Bankers Association. ABA Banking Journal vol. 94 no. 12, pp. 53-55. Hernandez-Lopez , E 2003 ‘Bag wars and bank wars, the Gucci and Banque National de Paris hostile bids: European corporate culture responds to active shareholders’, Fordham Journal of Corporate Financial Law vol. 9 no. 1, pp.127-190. Hopkins, M 2009, ‘8 Reasons Sustainability Will Change Management (That You Never Thought of)’, MIT Sloan Management Review vol. 51 no. 1, pp. 27-30. Janicijevic, N 2010, ‘Business processes in organizational diagnosis’, Management : Journal of Contemporary Management Issues vol. 15 no. 2, pp. 85-106. Jenkins, P 2012, Low-key leaders may unlock new problems for banks, Johnson, L 2002, ‘Issue selling in the organization’ MIT Sloan Management Review vol. 43 no. 3, pp. 8-9. Palmer I, Dunford R Akin G 2009, Managing Organizational Change A Multiple Perspective Approach, McGraw Hill, Boston. Streeter, B 2003, ‘Sweet deal’, American Bankers Association. ABA Banking Journal vol. 95 no. 11, pp. 69-74. Toegel, G Barsoux, J 2012, ‘How to become a better leader’. MIT Sloan Management Review vol.53 no. 3, pp. 51-60. Valentine, L 2012, ‘Wealth management: revenue solution? American Bankers Association. ABA Banking Journal vol.104 no. 3, pp. 40-44.

People over 68 years of age should have their driver's licenses Essay

People over 68 years of age should have their driver's licenses cancelled - Essay Example With an increase in life expectancy and reduction in population growth, the number of old people in the U.S is expected to triple. In recent years there has been controversy concerning the maximum age beyond which a person should not drive. Ageing is a continuous and complex process and hence there is no any absolute definition of an old person. Lack of a precise definition for an old person must be the cause of controversy surrounding maximum driving age. The rising number of accidents caused by seniors indicates that old people are more likely to cause accidents. Driving is a process that requires speedy reactions and decision-making. This is because drivers are expected to drive their vehicles at a relatively high speed especially the highway drivers. Driving at a high speed requires a person to have quick response as well as fast and rational decision-making. Response and decision-making depends on a person’s rate of reaction. Hope (web) stated that old people have slow response. Slow reaction makes old people to have slow response in relation to the speed of the vehicle. Accident takes a fraction of a second to happen but have fatal consequences. This implies that a driver should have quick response to events and occurrences on the roads. This makes the old people to be more likely to cause accident than young people. Old age is a losing process as described by theories of aging. This implies at old age people lose most of their capabilities. Aging is also described as an accumulation process, at old age a person accumulates problems acquired during his lifetime. The sense of sight plays an important role in driving since through the eyesight drivers are able to determine their direction. Eyesight also enables drivers to determine and avoid obstacles that might be present on the way. Most importantly, drivers use their eyesight to determine distance and speed (Lindenburg 78). It is not clearly known how this

Political socialisation (models and theories) Essay

Political socialisation (models and theories) - Essay Example The hypotheses include moral development, life course, and gender and moral development (Glasberg, & Shannon, 2011). The theory of moral development that was developed by Kohlberg argues that individuals acquire various political ideologies based on three stages of reasoning (Glasberg, & Shannon, 2011). The theory argues that the first stage of reasoning is the pre-conventional phase. In this stage, children appreciate the things that give them pleasure while they dislike those that give rise to pain. This means that at this stage, individuals acquire the behaviours and beliefs that give rise to happiness. For example, children support the ideas of leaders who provide them with resources such as books in school. The next stage is the conventional phase that takes place during teenage years (Glasberg, & Shannon, 2011). According to the theory, children appreciate the beliefs and ideas that are in accordance with the beliefs of their culture. In the last stage, which is the post-conventional stage, individuals begin to embrace the attitudes and behaviors that are ethically upright. The life course theory that was developed by Erikson argues that individuals experience various challenges in eight phases during their life time. The eight stages of life course include infancy, adolescence, pre-school, old age, pre-adolescence, toddlerhood, middle, and young adulthood (Glasberg, & Shannon, 2011). Erikson argues that in the first stage of infancy, children learn to differentiate trust from mistrust; while in the last stage of old age individuals face the challenges of hopelessness and honesty. Therefore, Erikson postulates that individuals acquire the ideologies and beliefs that are shaped by the challenges that they face. For example, during infancy when the main challenges are trust and mistrust, children may hold onto the beliefs of their parents because they trust them. Children trust their parents more than other people at this