High Employee Turnover Rate Within Domino’s Pizza in

Abstract: This paper will examine the high employee turnover rate in Domino's Pizza. Employee turnover attributes to bad culture and defective human resources management within the company. Yet, this paper proposes strategies that could lead to an increased in employee retention rate, recommends to aid the high turnover, and employee supervision strategies combined with other strategies regarding financial incentives. This paper also provides recommends, such as, proper planning, enforcement of regulations and appropriate training, to create a workplace that suits all its employees. This paper accepts that Motivations are the very reasons behind people’s thoughts and behaviors and that motivation is an influence that accounts for an individual’s direction, intensity, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of effort to organizational goals, conditioned by the effort’s ability to satisfy some individual need. This need is the internal state that makes certain outcomes appear attractive. Motivation is an influence that accounts for an individual’s direction, intensity, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal (Robbins p. 175). Domino's Pizza has always looked for new ways to reward their team members. For instance, Domino’s entertains its workers with a franchise-wide pep rally that is held once a year. Domino's began the â€Å"World's Fastest Pizza Maker† competition in 1982, honoring those who best exemplify the company's philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store; to allow sufficient time for safe delivery of the products to the consumer. Regional competitions are held across the world to determine the competitors with the fastest times. Domino's Pizza gives the winner $10,000 cash to whoever obtains the fastest time. Shopping sprees, vacation trips, and even cars are also rewarded at this event. Yet, Domino’s pizza recognizes the best way to achieve success is to first ensure the satisfaction of its team members. Treating team members exceptionally well is just one way they is committed to putting Domino’s people first. Domino’s is proud to provide a fair and comprehensive rewards package (dominos. com). Benefits which includes: Competitive salaries, Medical, dental and vision coverage, Health Spending Account, Prescription Drug Benefit, Team Achievement Dividend (performance bonus), Partners Foundation (team member assistance) ,Above-average paid holiday program, 401(k) Matching Program, Employee stock purchase discount plan, Company-paid life insurance, Tuition reimbursement, National corporate discounts, Legal services, lastly Adoption assistance. On the contrary, with all that Domino's Pizza provides to their â€Å"team member† this year employee turnover was 260%. Even though, in modern society, motivation is still considered a contentious issue within management circles and within companies. It is believed that successful companies have employees who are motivated and believe in the mission. Even though, some theorists like Herzberg believe that money is not a positive motivator, a lack of it can de-motivate. I believe pay systems are designed to motivate employees. Financial rewards are regarded as a key factor in workplace motivation; however, additional factors such as work appreciation, variety, and security remain just as important. These factors can best be described as work outcomes which are a result of employee inputs. Adams’ equity theory identifies both inputs and outcomes as the two primary components in the employee-employer exchange (Kinicki & Kreitner 2007, p. 242). However, it is important to remember that pay is only one element of motivation and will work best where management gives attention to developing good management and supervision, designing jobs, and organizing work groups to make jobs satisfying. Providing feedback to staff about their performance along with training and development makes effective arrangements for communications and consultation within the company. All the same, Domino's Pizza has faced a very high employee turnover rate of 200% this year. The company's turnover rate reached 199. 9% in 2009. In the food industry, this turnover rate is not unusual, as turnover of 200% rate has been registered by other companies in this field. Domino's CEO started to focus on the company's human resources, by implementing certain strategies, like: improving store managers' workplace quality, improving personnel selection, recruitment, and retention methods, or using financial incentives. However, the key factor in retaining employees is to ensure that there is substantial scope for job enrichment. Since individuals differ in their motivation drive, there is not right or wrong method that will enforce a productive workforce. An individual will consider that he or she is treated fairly if he or she perceives the ratio of his or her inputs to his or her outcomes to be equivalent to those around him or her. The equity theory of motivation is based on the fact that people are motivated first to achieve and then to maintain a sense of equity (wikipedia. org). Equity refers to the allocation of rewards in direct parity to the contribution of each employee to the organization. Within Domino’s, each employee perceives their contribution in differing levels. For example, pizza-makers and telephone operators provide similar inputs as delivery drivers; however, the delivery drivers receive less financial reward creating inequity. Mcshane and Travaglione (2007, p. 154) suggest that employees will experience an emotional tension when they perceive inequities, and, when sufficiently strong, the tension motivates them to reduce the inequities. There are numerous methods that an employee can employ to correct inequity feelings. These include reducing inputs, increasing outcomes, changing perceptions, or changing the comparison other. Ultimately, if these methods do not obtain the desired outcomes, an employee will become de-motivated and may quit their occupation (Mcshane and Travaglione p. 154). An organization’s employee turnover does not solely depend on the input-to-output ratio alone – it also depends on the comparison between the input-to output ratios of employees fulfilling a similar position, Chapman (2007). An explanation of employee inputs and outputs will be used to identify the perceived equity or inequity of an employee within Domino’s. This will provide a better understanding of how Adams’ theory affects employee turnover.

Washington Crossing the Deleware

CROSSING THE DELEWARE HIST101 George Washington saved not only the continental army at the battle of Trenton, but he also saved and breathed new life into the cause of Independence. After knowing seemingly knowing nothing but defeat and hardship for the latter half of 1776, Washington knew that not only he, but the neophyte country known as the United States, needed a miracle. History dictates that he most certainly delivered that miracle and saved the cause, but what were the effects of his victory?What is the importance of his crossing of the Delaware? The crossing at the Delaware river has become over the years, the symbol of American spirit and resolve. Numerous historical evidence indicates the hardships and hazards that accompanied the crossing that fateful December night. But to discuss the effects of the crossing, one must set the stage of events first. In the winter of 1776, General George Washington and his fledgling continental army stood on the precipice of annihilation.A fter suffering a series of disastrous defeats which resulted in the loss of New York city and it's surrounding areas, Washington gathered the shattered remnants of his once proud army and retreated across the Delaware river into Pennsylvania. Washington knew that the life of not only his army, but the cause was ebbing away daily, more so with their disastrous string of defeats. With low morale, constant desertion, sickness and hunger facing his men, he also knew that there was one other chief problem which would befall him at the end of the year;the expiration of the soldiers enlistments. [1]When the continentals drove the British troops out of Boston in March of 1776, Washington had seventeen thousand troops under his command. By December of 1776, through not only combat but the attrition of war and what entails with it, he now commanded a mere four thousand seven hundred men. At the end of December when the enlistments for the soldiers ran out, he would be fighting with only twelv e hundred men. In a letter that Washington wrote to John Hancock who was residing with the Continental congress in Philadelphia at the time, Washington wrote, â€Å"Ten more days will put an end to the existence of our Army[2]. Washington was not exaggerating when he said this. He had no doubt in his mind that come the end of the year the expiration of enlistments would cause an exodus of his fighting force. Aside from the threat of the ending enlistments, there was also the Hessian mercenary force across the river at Trenton, which Washington had no doubt that the they would cross the Delaware river once it was frozen over and suitable to do so. Washington also realized that if he could end the year with a tremendous victory, it would do wonders not only for the cause, but for recruiting more soldiers to fight for it.With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Washington decided that he would attack the Hessian mercenary force on December 25, 1776. The Hessians were feared by the continental army, and rightfully so. They were some of the Europe's best trained troops at the time and the memories of their massacre of American troops at the Battle of Long Island, lay fresh in their minds. The need for self-preservation seemed almost as strong as the need to avenge the brave soldiers lost. Washington's staff strongly advised him from attacking the Hessians in broad daylight, even crossing the river it's self.Their seemed to be a prevalent feeling that the Hessians would destroy the continentals, even though they had the Hessian'soutnumbered(the Hessians in Trenton were around fifteen-hundred men). While the continentals had numbers on their side, the Hessians had several things they did not. The Hessians were billeted in houses no doubt with fire places and were relatively safe and comfortable from the cold. The Hessians were also no doubt well fed and well cared for. On the contrary, the continental soldier at the time had barely any adequate provisions at all .They were ill fed and ill equipped to face not only the Hessians but the driving winter which was upon them. Most of them wore no shoes, if any shoes at all. On the night of the crossing a major, John Wilkinson, had seen spots of red in the snow, â€Å"tinged here and there†, he wrote, â€Å"with blood from the feet of men who wore broken shoes. †[3] Washington had also lost a significant number of weapons and material during the retreat across the Delaware. Taking over the Hessian garrison in Trenton would not only be a good psychological boost for his troops, but it would also be a start in obtaining much needed supplies for them as well.On Christmas night 1776, Washington assembled his army to cross the Delaware. Several writings on that fateful evening indicated the hardships and perils of the crossing itself. Thomas Rodney who was there that night described it as, â€Å"It was a severe night as I ever saw. The frost was sharp, the current difficult to stem, the ice increasing, the wind high, and at eleven it began to snow. † When the continentals cross the Delaware, all accounted for and behind schedule, they began their march onto Trenton, New Jersey. John Greenwood, a fifer in the Continental Army described the march. What I suffered on the march, cannot be described. They who were with us know best about these things, others cannot believe the tenth part, so I shall say nothing further. 3† Exhausted, starving, frightened and freezing, the Continentals commenced battle with the Hessian at Trenton around eight in the morning, catching most of the Hessian unaware, most of which were still sleeping. From the start of the engagement, the continentals were fully in control of the tempo of the battle and seized the initiative. The Hessians became completely surrounded and their units became isolated and they were forced to surrender.They also suffered heavy losses with twenty-two men dead, eighty three wounded, and nearly one thous and and one hundred troops captured by the Americans. The American's only suffered two dead and five wounded. (statistics differ to a varying degree on the casualties and material obtained by Washington and his men). Washington had originally planed to march the army further to Princeton and New Brunswick, but after consideration and discussion from his staff, dropped the plan. He ordered his troops to recross the Delaware, where they took back with them not only the Hessian prisoners, but much needed quipment and supplies needed to sustain his army. The battle despite its seemingly small proportion increased not only morale among the men which had been dangerously low to begin with, but also their confidence. They had defeated one Europe, even one of the world's most respected troops at the time. Despite the victory and the bold gamble it was, there was still the issue of the expiration of enlistments. Washington seized the advantage and the boost the victory had given him, and two days after the battle, only a few days before the expiration, implored his exhausted, underfed and underpaid troops to stay longer.Fifty years after, a sergeant whom was present at the time gave his account of what Washington said to a group of soldiers. â€Å"My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected. But your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves put with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay but one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably can never do under any other circumstances.The present is emphatically the crisis that will decide our destiny. †3 Before this gambit, there were some members of the Congress and even Washington’s own soldiers and staff whom questioned his military ability and handling of the army. The victory at Trenton, and later at Princeton, quelled these fears. Faith was not only renewed in him, but also in his army. The victory also had a tremendous effect upon morale not only within the troops but in Congress as well. The victory also broke the psychological hold that the Hessians had over the continentals as well.They knew now and full realized that they were a capable army as any in the world. The defeat of the Hessians also caused the British to abandon their efforts of protection to the loyalist leaning peoples of New Jersey. When looking at the crossing of the Delaware and the victory at Trenton on a tactical scale, it seems to be a minor engagement. But the significance and the psychological impact, saved the not only the continental army, but it pulled the cause out of the depths of a sea of despondency and defeat.Over the years the American people have come to see the crossing of the Delaware, as a symbol of American resolve, and that we as a people will never give into tyranny and opp ression. Bibliography 1. â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm 2. â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html 3. â€Å"Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm ———————– 1]â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm [2]â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html [3]Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park† , http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm

Disagreement case study Essay

Disagreement between practitioner, child and a young person Sometimes children can be rebellious if there passing thru difficult time in their life or some stage, however we must not go into any argument with any child. Some times it’s good to give child and ourselves a little extra time alone to think again. Settings behaviour policy must be followed so the child or a young person will not be confused and they will know every consequence of their actions. We could call a another person to be with us at the time of talk to prevent any accusations, we must inform the manager just in case parent needs to be involved and also to allow communication between colleagues in setting to be up to date. Being informative and reasoning may allow child to understand further our point of view and in some case that may help issue to resolve. We must be sensitive, show them with our body language, that we are listening their point of view without interrupting their talk. Show child a respect and treat them like the adults, ask for mediator if you thin k that will be better for both side. Disagreement between Practitioner and adults In any work we all will have disagreement some point in our work life. Most of these disagreements are results of miss communication. To resolve this disagreement and prevent it to escalate we need to talk about them as soon as possible, the longer we leave the problem lye, becomes more difficult to get it resolve. It’s important to follow settings policies to make sure everyone behaves in an appropriate manner. Sometimes clash personalities, or our other qualities can make other side hard to cooperate with, in that case it’s good to arrange a mediator who can be voice of the both side and can mediate to resolve the issue. It will beneficial to be informative all the time, so other side can understand fully about the issue and the outcome of any actions. Other person can have their own personal problems so it’s good to show some sensitivity to their needs and questions may prevent lot of disagreements. Always we need to report our manager what happened and we nee d to keep manager up to date, so we will have the support we need if the thinks gets out of hand or escalates.

Discussion Questions and Participation Questions Essay - 1

Discussion Questions and Participation Questions - Essay Example The energy usage of the company should be reduced by 15% by the year 2012. The company is going to have to develop its renewable energy program further to achieve this goal. The CO2 should be reduced by another 10% by the year 2012. A popular product at Coca Cola is its 20z bottles soft drinks. These bottles are used for the classic coca cola and for other soft drinks the company sponsors. The product is currently in its mature phase of its product life cycle. An environmental lifecycle assessment of this product shows that the packaging material utilized by the company is causing great harm to the environment. The company sells every year over 2 billion bottles of these products. That is lot of plastic that is being wasted to package the bottle. The company recognized the existence of this problem which is contributing to the depletion of the crude oil natural resource. Coca Cola invested $60 million to create the world largest recycled bottling plant. The end state goal of the company is to achieve 100% usage of plastic recycled material. This plant will enable the company to come closer to the goal. Water scarcity is major problem the world is facing. There are regions in the planet that are facing major issues due the lack of water. One of the most affected regions in the world is Sub-Saharan Africa. The water stewardship program at Cola-Cola goes beyond setting operation agendas on how to reduce water consumption and improve the quality of water. The program also raises awareness worldwide about water scarcity in poor communities. You mentioned the importance of reducing green house emissions. This goal is essential in order to reduce air pollution. CO2 emissions are the top contributor that is causing global warming. You also mentioned that the company is using hybrid technology in its selection of its truck fleet. The ground transportation vehicle fleet of the company is an area in which the company could improve by replacing all of its

Windshield survey of Los Angeles California Assignment

Windshield survey of Los Angeles California - Assignment Example In reference to public health, the community is usually viewed as the client. It is imperative that proper planning is done in addressing the welfare of a community. One way of planning is through surveys. This paper is a Windshield Survey of Los Angeles, California. Housing and zoning The policy of land use is how land is used by communities within their boundaries. This policy establishes density for zonal development and development intensity for industrial and commercial uses. The overall plan is to manage all uses of land occurring in Los Angeles County by providing the scheme on how the to plan and address challenges of land use that may be faced. The element of land use uses short-term programs and strategies of providing comprehensive and flexible guidelines for the decisions on county land use and future development. This element also identifies the policies and goals that guide the extent of land housing, general location of housing, and other land uses in the county (Todd, 2007). Transport One of the major means of transport are, air transportation as evidenced by the presence of airports such as Lax (Los Angeles international Airport) and Ontario international airport. Other means of transport are train and bus services between cities, ferry services for water transport, bus services within the city and walking on foot. Race and ethnicity The downtown consists of Asians, African Americans, white non-Hispanic, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican, Korean, and Indian among others. These groups are said to outnumber whites. Open space The open space has Los Angeles union station which is the major transportation Hub that converge railways and bus services. It also has a collection of shops, a museum, and eateries police departments, with their buildings, shopping malls, city hall and commercial banks. Service centers There are various service centers which look into the welfare of the parties involved. These include; AIDS Service Center, Korean American Family S ervice Center, Ori's Automotive Service Center, Chinatown service center, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Religion and politics The main religious bodies include; Catholics, Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, Jewish, Islam, Eastern, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, and other Christians. The county has different political parties. (Brint, 2009) American independent party pledges to stop wars which are claiming lives of more Americans, stop impulse spending on foreign aid, do away with federal income tax, slow down immigration, stop illegal alien entering the country, defend national moral values, stop abortion, raise the standards of education, among other pledges. Communist party pledges to defeat the Bush administration agenda, ensure people’s wellbeing, and replace large business with labor to ensure that rights, expanding needs of the people and economic security are put on the forefront. Republican Party has a mission of winning elections. Reform party promotes job openi ngs, budget balance, alternative energy sources, debt repayment, military families’ fairness, and reform in healthcare, government waste elimination, finance reform campaigns and many others. Other parties include; Constitution Party, Democratic Party, Democratic Socialists , Green Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party, Socialist Party (Peterson, 1994). Official Boundaries of the County The county boundary starts from the southwesterly of California to northeasterly of rancho Simi then to southeast of the township line. Stores and street people The county contains the largest number of homeless people in the whole nation. This is approximated to be

The control of the Exercise of Proprio Motu Powers by the Prosecutor Case Study

The control of the Exercise of Proprio Motu Powers by the Prosecutor of the ICC - Case Study Example At this point, all the investigations that had been opened were either received from the Security Council or referred by State in reaction to Darfur. Earlier before this case, the Prosecutor turned down the request to open investigations in Venezuela and Iraq. This step resulted to both fears and jokes of the Article 15 opponents as they felt that it might get to the point of politicizing OTP operations who might in turn utilize his powers to get back to the western powers1. Such fears still exist till now especially with more investigations being opened in Africa. Article 15 provides that in an event that the Prosecutor has the mandate to conclude that there exists reasonable basis for an investigation to proceed, then he or she shall have to table an authorization request before the Pre-Trail Chamber of an investigation. This submission has to be accompanied with concrete supporting material. At this point, the victims can now make representations according to the Rules of Procedur e and Evidence to the Pre-Trail Chamber (Amediola, 2006, 349). ... This is to determine if the crime committed falls under the courts jurisdiction, whether the court can be considered as being admissible according to Article 17 and whether that particular investigation will not be to the interest of justice. Based on the above, the PTC II believes that it has the right to authorize an investigation to commence on condition it is in control of all the mentioned elements; the most important of all being the jurisdiction of the court and the admissibility of the case. The Admissibility Issue The PTC II acknowledges the need for a Prosecutor supervision to ensure that his or her obligations under the Statute are mirrored. It requires that if the statue expects the Prosecutor to evaluate admissibility, then the PTC has to control this evaluation2. However, this contradicts with the Court law case with relation to Pre-Trail Chambers in assessing issuance admissibility of a warrant of arrest under Article 58 (Bruce 2004, 13). In a situation where there cri mes are widespread and the victims are many, like what happened in Kenya, then the Prosecutor has to insist on the crimes scale. Hence the gravity threshold has to be refined further for it to have an ICC procedural rule. Crimes against Humanity The crimes that were allegedly committed in Kenya are believed to be crimes against humanity because the situation did not leave the prosecutor with many options as its scope did not fall under war crimes or genocide as there were no armed conflicts involved. The question that remains is to determine whether the attacks that took place amounted to what was termed as crime against humanity as stated in Article 7 Statute of the ICC (Bolton 1999, 71). According to the Rome Statute, crime against humanity means the acts committed

Industries using Economic Order Quantity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industries using Economic Order Quantity - Essay Example In this sense, distributors of the pharmaceuticals to improve efficiency in the distribution and minimize the ordering and holding costs that are very high in the industry have often used the Economic Order Quantity. An estimated savings of more than $200, 000 was reported by those industries that utilized effective inventory management techniques in their ordering and determination of optimum quantities to be reordered by the company (Siegel, and Shim 203). The basic reason that makes EOQ necessary for this industry is its ability to reduce its storage and holding costs. Most pharmaceutical wholesalers do not have ample storage facilities that can handle inventory for long periods. Further, storage of such inventory could be dangerous because of the risks of expiry which may lead to losses. In perspective, the technique helps in mathematical calculations of specific order quantities that the wholesalers can be able to order, achieve good business performance, reduce risk of expiry and make an economic gain out of the transaction (Krajewski, and Ritzman 79). In the manufacturing industry, the use of economic order quantity is popular, being a major current asset of most manufacturing industries. In this case, the example of a soft drinks manufacturing company is used. To make sure that the customers get the best products, in time and manufactured at the least cost, it would be important to analyze the production process in light of using specific measures to determine the optimal ordering quantities of the materials used. The company uses at least three materials namely, sugar, concentrates and crown corks, all of which are produced within the country (Siegel, and Shim 215). However, the company needs to make decisions of how much of each to order in order meet the demand in the market. In this respect, the Economic

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Marketing - Essay Example These impacts have proven to be found on the cost and availability of credit; household budgets, mortgages, pensions, big and small company financing and other related funding issues (QFinance, 2010). Thus, the current trend is to substantially create a good financial market for banking and financial services that aim at stimulating market needs. However, it is not only one organisation that tries to play or compete in this type of market. There are many of them which eventually create competitive rivalry. According to Porter (1998; 1984), there are new market entrants, supplier power, buyer power and product and technology development that together create a certain force for competitive rivalry. This same scenario is certainly part of the banking and financial market. In fact, this is visible because of the presence of some policies. For instance, economic policy measures are very important because they can essentially remove barriers to outside competition (Maudos and de Guevara, 2 007). Building societies versus banks There are major differences between banks and building societies even though they both belong to one category of banking and financial market. These differences are tantamount to the level of advantages and disadvantages an individual can possibly get. According to Building Societies Association (2011), there are three major differences between banks and building societies. One of these major differences is the emphasis that the building societies are mutual institutions. This gives certain rights and privileges to members who have savings account or mortgage to vote and acquire information. The second major difference is the fact that building societies are not companies which are successfully run by their shareholders. The good thing about this is that there are no external pressures from shareholders which normally on the point of maximising profits to pay away as dividends. Thus, this ensures operating the business at a lower cost, cheaper m ortgages, and other better opportunities such as rates on savings compared to other competitors. Considering that there are different types of shareholders, it is important to understand that companies are always subject to different motives of shareholders in order for them to get substantial benefits to satisfy their needs. The third difference is in line with the limit of proportion of funds raise by building societies from wholesale money markets. This is a sort of giving much more security and in return it gives substantial opportunity for investors. Current Harpenden Building Society trends Based on its company website, the following are important information about Harpenden Building Society that can help trace its current trends (Harpenden Building Society, 2010). It can be noted that Harpenden is one of the active 52 UK building societies which primarily consists of 20,000 members with 25,000 accounts. Harpenden is amazingly having no borrowings on the money market. Starting in 2008, Harpenden’s deposits increased by over 11% and its mortgages increased by more than 9%. Not only that, Harpenden was highly commended for its mortgaged for SVR. From Best Children’s Account Provider, Harpenden won the Moneyfacts award. All of these only substantially illustrate the fact that the business for Harpenden is significantly increasing to the fullest as it substantially targets the right segment, moves and

The Disintegration of Yugoslavia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Disintegration of Yugoslavia - Essay Example This was based on absence of an effective social and legal framework that resulted into distrust within the family settings, anxiety among ever-smaller divisions, and divisions among heirs over landholdings. Despite gaining independence from Ottomans, Serbia has continued to suffer agricultural crisis until today (Silber & Little, 1996). Despite the theological argument over use of Cyrillic contrary to Latin alphabet or adherence to pope as authority of the bishop, Slovenes, Serbs, and Croats differences involved a great deal. Croats were considered traitors to hereditary Habsburg because they declined to surrender their local traditions and Catholicism. Similarly, Bosnian Muslims were considered servants to old Ottoman oppressors because of their cleavage to Islam. Therefore, disintegration of Yugoslavia was ascribed to the perceptions of Muslims and Catholics as demons in accordance with the dominant Serbian Orthodox theology (Cohen, 1995). In regards to Serbs, conflicts emerged among landlords or family members over property ownership due to conversion of landlords to Islamic religion. Market haggling and peddling characterized entrepreneurship in Yugoslavia. Development of Serbian bourgeoisie into class was belated despite its late arrival on the historical scene. However, the Croats and Slovenes were prepared for the arrival of capitalism in the Balkans (Schwartz, 1999). This was exemplified by the embedded attitudes that were held towards property. Serbianism was symbolized by burning of property registers as a means to protest against Muslim domination in Yugoslavia and deep ambivalence about the broader legal; and social reality beyond the nuclear family settings. Disintegration was aggravated by existence of mistrust towards laws outside the family in addition to Ottoman land records due to their implication of foreign governance (Silber & Little, 1996). However, the differences which

Assignment (Continued De Stijl) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment (Continued De Stijl) - Essay Example I am designing architecture of a small house deriving from the features of the surface. The reduction of pure form is a figurative translation of cultural ideals for the practitioners of De Stijl (Helfand). The design adheres to the principles of De Stijl in a sense that it includes the use of straight horizontal and vertical lines to create a universal form of design. I am using three primary colors in the project’s design, which include blue, red, and green along with a non-color, which is Gray. I am trying to accomplish the essence of a real De Stijl art through creating a masterpiece, which should adhere to the principles of De Stijl. The concept behind the artwork is that a house is never small or big according to its structural design; rather the design or model of the house makes it look small or big. Therefore, I am designing a small house in a way that it should reflect a true art instead of its area. I am using Blob Brush tool to draw the vectors and oil paints to pa int the areas. The basic idea behind development of this project is to demonstrate the applicability of De Stijl principles in designing attractive painting and other artworks. Works Cited Helfand, Jessica. â€Å"De Stijl, New Media, and the Lessons of Geometry.† Typotheque.com, n.d. Web. 08 May 2011. .

Possible risks Essay Example for Free

Possible risks Essay Determination of pregnancy is not certain until the second trimester, at around twenty weeks, when the fetal heart beat can be heard via a fetoscope. Albeit there are presumptive and probable signs associated with pregnancy, like the early morning sickness or the growing size of the abdominal area, these could also be caused by a different pathology. Hence, it can be inevitable for a woman who is not aware of her pregnant state to be exposed to radiation, most especially if she is not aware of her current menstruation cycle. Radiation exposure usually occurs whenever a person is exposed to cosmic rays, external radiation from radioactive ores, internal exposure through radiation therapy given for treatment in cancer patients, and most commonly through diagnostic x-rays. More often than not, pregnant women who are not aware of their pregnant state could have gotten their diagnostic x-rays taken, which is equivalent to receiving 70 millirem. Also, she could have been exposed to other radiation sources, like watching the television and living next door to a power plant. But exposure to radiation can have an acceptable limit of 350 millirems for the pregnant woman. For the pregnant woman, the most critical period wherein the fetus will suffer the most health consequences is when the she is exposed to radiation around two weeks to fifteen weeks gestational age. At two weeks gestational age, if the mother is exposed to a radiation that measures greater than 5 rad or 5000 millirem, a miscarriage can take place or even death inside the womb. If the fetus is exposed to radiation at the gestational age of eight to fifteen weeks, the fetus is to suffer a severe brain damage from the exposure. This can result in lowered intelligent quotients or IQs, mental retardation, stunted growth and other birth defects. Mental retardation is defined as a general developmental disorder characterized by a lower than average intelligence marker and the child is to suffer from limited daily living skills due to limited learning capabilities. Stunted growth in a child will be evidenced by a sluggish growth and development progress, as evidenced by a lower than normal height, weight and even cognitive skills. After this critical period, the two to fifteen weeks of gestational age, the fetus will unlikely suffer from radiation exposure, unless the exposure is extremely large. Only having been exposed to at least five thousand x-rays at one time can give harm to a 16 week old fetus. At 26 weeks gestational age, the fetus cannot be harmed by radiation exposure, and if ever exposed to radiation, the fetus will unlikely suffer serious health consequences. This can be compared to a newborn being exposed to radiation; the chances of having defects are greatly decreased if not invisible already. However, some of the effects of being exposed to radiation cannot readily be seen or manifest in the early life. Studies also show that fetuses are extremely sensitive to the cancer causing effects of radiation exposure; hence this can increase their risks in acquiring cancer later in life. Radiation exposure can be limited, if not avoided. The pregnant woman needs to be aware of her physiological state. She would have to consult all of her diagnostic exams and her workplace to her physician, so that radiation exposure can be prevented early on the pregnancy.

The Role of the Teacher Essay Example for Free

The Role of the Teacher Essay Perhaps the most important factor in the learning environment is the teacher. This is because the most successful and accessible form of input for the learners in the learning environment is introduced by that of the teacher. The reason for this is somewhat obvious as the teacher is the primary focus and authority in the direction of any given topic. After all, they are there to teach. Essentially, when teachers talk in class they provide the learners with opportunities to develop and expand their comprehension in relation to the given subject. That is to say, that the teachers have the knowledge and it is their ultimate role to distribute this knowledge to the learners. However, this also extends to the significance of the zone of proximal development and the role of keeping the class focused. In relation to teaching English, the teacher can optimise this opportunity in choosing the relevant levels of vocabulary, structure, speed of delivery, degree of clarity, and range of register and style required in relation to the given topic. However, as we have concerned ourselves here, the delivery of teaching has come under scrutiny due to the aforementioned criticisms regarding testing in a formalised manner. This is particularly significant when the role of knowledge acquisition and group dynamics mentioned in the last section are taken into account. We will now return to some of the literature, theory and practise associated with the role of the teacher in the learning environment. The teacher is often perceived by children and learners as the leader of the learning environment. Essentially, they are perceived as the role model in relation to the learning process and therefore the group dynamic (Dornyei, 2003). There has been a great deal of research related to the nature of group dynamics in teaching that have indicated that without the understanding and/or application of the group dynamic, the teacher can unintentionally manipulate an environment that is not conducive to development and in many cases destructive with regards to learning outcomes. This is clearly a problem in relation to the criticisms associated with tests in the contemporary domain. The reason for this becomes apparent and can be seen in the theory and research related to group dynamics and the role of the teacher in the learning environment. For example, Hadfield indicates that the perception of the teacher as a leader and/or role model is in some way detached from the learning environment and the group dynamic. Further, to act upon this perception is given as a hugely significant disruptive factor in learning as it compromises the learner’s identity and inclination to disclose information by way of input. This is given by Hadfield explaining that: ‘From the point of view of emotional orientation, many teachers are not unlike the other members in their class groups. Great deals of the psychological processes that underlie group formation apply to teachers as well. For this reason, it may be particularly important for you at this stage to take part in the class room events as ordinary group members by joining as much as is feasible some of the ice breaking activities and, in a reciprocal fashion, sharing some personal information about yourself with the students. ’ (Hadfield, 1992, p. 17) In this key extract, a need for the teacher to acknowledge their position within, rather than above, the group dynamic is clearly outlined. Further, their role in providing group cohesion and productivity from within the group dynamic is given as essential to a cohesive group. From this perspective, we can assume that without knowledge of group dynamics and their own role within the group, the teacher would not realise their significance in the cohesion of the group and the need for extending and coordinating the focus of the class. This clearly has disruptive implications. Essentially, if the teacher were to perceive themselves as a leader and distributor of knowledge they may drag the group along leaving many of the group behind. The contrary positive effects of negating this form of teacher role are given by the findings of Broadfoot, who suggests that: Many pupils have found the opportunity of talking with their teachers on a one-to-one basis about achievements, experiences, needs and appropriate future targets a rewarding and helpful experience that has a positive effect on their motivation (Broadfoot et al, 1988). This shows that the role of teaching is significant in the nature of learning English. It indicates that the teacher is more than a distributor of predefined tests. It shows that although they are the leader of the learning environment, they should be immersed in it and be responsive to the inputs, goals and directions put forward by the children. This means that rather than maintaining a focus on testing the children, they should attempt to derive a focus and aim through following the feedback from the group. This means that continuous re-assessment rather than pre-defined testing is the primary tool to be used by the teacher. However, while we can perhaps reject the notion of a teacher role based upon top down input at this stage, we must still take into account the direction of learning. That is to say, that it would be unwise to allow the children and learners to simply guide the class outright and have the teacher allow the group to govern the class. For example, as well as losing focus and a sense of established knowledge, the children may form their own groups based upon friendships and other bonds that may disrupt the focus of learning and the acquiring new knowledge. We can perhaps view the teacher’s role as one looking to authentically allow for personal expression and social bonding. However, it must also be focused upon the input deriving from the class. If this is not observed then it is the suggestion at this point that it would be highly likely that there would be lower success in terms of acquired knowledge and a disruption to the process of input. It is with that we turn to the alternative forms of leading and assessing the focus of the group in the learning environment.

Internship Report at National Bank of Malaysia (BNM)

Internship Report at National Bank of Malaysia (BNM) Introduction My internship was performed in the Republic of Macedonia, more exactly, at its National Bank. This institution is the one that deals with the macroeconomic policies applicable in the country. These policies allow a stable and long term economic development of one country. I opted for Macedonia because it is the country of my origins, and also because I think one day I will be able to work for one of the Macedonians institutions. So this internship will help me find out how these kind of institutions really work, what is the aim of their work. Macedonia is in a transition process, that undoubtedly is always characterized by numerous difficulties, which are, in general, very similar to other countries living these same processes. The mail purpose of the government of Macedonia is the integration of the country in some international organizations such as NATO or the European Union. While its integration in NATO would secure the borders of the country, and a long term stability (as we know that some under ethnic conflicts had risen in 2001), the integration in the EU, which is far more complicated and demands a very high responsibility of the government, will boost the economic development of this small country with a little bit more than 2 million citizens. The importance of the National Bank, in terms of these integrations, is unavoidable. The Bank is responsible for the monetary policy and economy, for important indexes such as Inflation Rate, CPI (consumer price index), which indexes help to clarify the development of the country in a long term. The economic stability, and the territorial stability, are two very important things, in order that Macedonia could be part of the big European family, and become a potential country that will attract foreign investments at a much higher degree. I. Description of the institution About NBRM Organization chart Functions : the National Bank shall perform the following functions: establish and conduct the monetary policy; regulate the liquidity in the international payments; establish and conduct the Denar exchange rate policy; handle and manage the foreign exchange reserves; regulate the payment system; grant founding and operating license to a bank and a savings house and supervise the banks and savings houses; grant a license for performing services of prompt money transfer and supervise the operations of the entities performing services of prompt money transfer in accordance with a law; grant operating license to foreign exchange bureaus and supervise their operations in accordance with a law; issue banknotes and coins perform activities for the account of the central government and the government administration bodies. THE MONETARY POLICY: Monetary Policy-Design Designing of the monetary policy The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia (NBRM) is a central bank, and accordingly, the only bank of issue in the Republic of Macedonia. Its primary objective is to maintain the price stability, thus being independent in the performance of its functions. The National Bank supports the economic policy of the country and the financial stability of the country, without jeopardizing the achievement of the main objective, and adhering to the principles of market economy. In line with the legally set functions, the NBRM designs and conducts the monetary policy at a level of the national economy. At the end of the current year, in line with the previously determined macroeconomic framework, the NBRM works out the Projection of the monetary developments for the following year, adopted by the NBRM Council. Monetary policy goals The maintenance of the price stability is a primary objective of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, established by a Law. The establishment of this goal is in line with the current EU monetary policy layout, based on the empirically confirmed perceptions that the price stability creates most favorable macroeconomic environment for accelerated economic growth sustainable on a long run. Until 1999, the inflation in the Republic of Macedonia was measured through the retail prices index, while since 2000 it has been monitored by the costs of living index. In order to attain its ultimate goal, the NBRM determines an intermediary target of the monetary policy. Thus from April 1992 to September 1995, the NBRM was applying the strategy of targeting the money supply M1, as an intermediary goal of the monetary policy. Since October 1995, the NBRM has been implementing monetary strategy of targeting the nominal exchange rate of the Denar against the Deutsche Mark, i.e. against the Euro since January 2002. Accordingly, the maintenance of the Denar exchange rate stability is an intermediary goal of the monetary policy. The exchange rate targeting strategy is applied due to the following: a. the importance of the exchange rate in a small open economy (the Republic of Macedonia exchanges around 80% of the GDP with abroad); b. the need of nominal anchor for maintenance of financial discipline and credibility; c. high degree of currency substitution (over 40%) and d. exchange rate transparency and the possibility of daily monitoring by the economic agents. Money supply and money demand The money supply in the Republic of Macedonia is subordinated to the maintenance of the Denar exchange rate stability, as a nominal anchor in the economy. The amount of money supply is determined in line with the need of regular execution of goods and money transactions, i.e. the economic activity in the country. The money supply is monitored through the following monetary aggregates: M0 – reserve money (currency in circulation, banks account with the NBRM and cash in the banks vaults), M1 (currency in circulation and transaction deposits), M2 (M1, Denar and foreign exchange deposits with a maturity of up to one year), M3 (M2 and restricted deposits) and M4 (M3 and Denar and foreign exchange deposits with maturity of over one year). The movement of these aggregates is monitored in line with the adopted projection. The money demand, by the definition, is determined by the income level, the price level and the short-term and the long-term interest rates. On the basis of the prev ious practical experience, the money demand in the Republic of Macedonia is relatively unstable, primarily due to the transitory and the external shocks, as well as the effect of the currency substitution. Interest rate policy and transmission mechanism With the monetary policy being directed towards preserving the Denar exchange rate stability, the interest rates and the money supply are endogenous variables, determined by the achievement of the intermediary goal. The NBRM, through its interest rate policy, sends monetary signals to the banks, thus making efforts to influence their lending and deposit interest rates. The lowest interest rate of the NBRM is the discount rate, whereas the highest is the interest rate on the Lombard credit. Currently, the referential interest rate in the economy is the interest rate registered on the CB bills auctions, with respect to its close relation with the interest rate on the Money Market. Due to the higher liquidity in the banking system, no need of organizing credit auctions has been registered over a certain period. However, the transmission canal of the monetary policy through the interest rates in the Republic of Macedonia is still insufficiently developed, considering the insufficiently d eveloped financial market, the rigid interest rate policy of the banks and their insufficient responsiveness to the monetary signals of the NBRM. DENAR EXCHANGE RATE POLICY Exchange rate policy According to the National Bank of Macedonia Law (Official Journal of Republic Macedonia nr. 3/2002 51/2003), the National Bank of Macedonia establishes and executes the denar exchange rate policy in order to achieve the main purpose – the conservation of the price stability. Current foreign currency system According to article 33 from the currency policy law, the denar rate is determined by the simple rule of offer and demand for foreign currencies in the currency market. The denar rate in relation with the Euro is fixed by the reports from different banks that take part in the currency exchange market. As for the other foreign currency, the rate of the denar is determined by the relation between these currencies and the Euro rate, which is fixed by the European Central Bank. The buying and selling rate is calculated with the addition and deduction of 0.5%. In fact, this is the way how the National Bank of Macedonia exposes every day the approved currency rates on the Currency List. The execution of the currency policy According to the denar rate targeting strategy, as an important element, the goal and also hard task of the monetary policy is to keep stability between the denar and the Euro rates. If there are tendencies to the depreciation or appreciation of the denar, the National Bank interacts by selling or buying respectively, foreign currencies, after what the monetary strategy becomes respectively more restrictive or more expansive in relation to the projected targets. Relationship between the monetary and the currency policy There is a huge dependence between the monetary and the currency policy. It is important for the Macedonian economy to keep a stable exchange rate with the euro, in order to keep price stability in the country, which element will lead to a better life for all its citizens. In October 1995 the monetary targeting strategy was overturned, and a new strategy was embraced, called the targeted nominal denar rate strategy. With this new strategy, the rising of the money supply is transformed into an instrument that helps, directly, on the stability of the currency rate, and indirectly, on the price stability. Currency reserves When the Macedonian National Bank became independent, it had no currency reserves at all. It all began in 1992, when the National Bank began creating its own reserves. The amount of foreign currency reserves is rising permanently. While in 1992, there were around US $60 million, it became US $803 million in 2003, which represents the amount of four months of import. According to article 25 from the Law on the National Bank of Republic of Macedonia, the management of the National Reserve is in the hands of the National Bank itself. It has also to duty to prepare and consolidate reports every 6 months. On behalf of the management of the National Reserve, the National Bank, according to article 28, is loyal to the principles of awareness, liquidity and profitability. The exchangeability concept The Macedonian currency has a present exchangeability. In June 1998, Macedonia has accepted article nr. 8 of the International Monetary Funds Statute, which stated that all currents transactions between residents and non-residents can be completed freely, without restrictions. As part of this agreement between the National Bank of Macedonia and the IMF, was also the liberalization of capital transactions. The direct investments of residents abroad, and of non-residents in Macedonia, are now free, except of a taxation fee in order to register by the ministry of economy. Non-residents can now invest into any Macedonian company, to start their own companies, and to buy shares so that they can become shareholders of all enterprises listed on the Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE 10). The profit and all the capital investments can be taken back to the non-residents place, if there are no more liabilities towards the government. Non-residents, on behalf of diplomats, and other embassy representatives, have the right to buy real estate, but under certain conditions of demand and registration at the Central Registry of Macedonia. Residents may distribute and sell native shares at foreign financial markets if he/she has the permission from the Commission of shares and financial instruments. Credit transactions are also liberalized, in and abroad the country, so that the funds can move loosely, but for that, the National Bank needs to be informed. Residents may use foreign currencies obtained from transactions made with a foreigner to clear any debt he has, or also use them in the currency market to exchange them into the national currency. In order to pay with a foreign currency abroad, a resident may â€Å"buy† these currencies in exchange offices. Other residents, such as physical persons, can also exchange their money for other purposes, not only for business. As for the opening of an account abroad, residents need to be authorized by the National Bank itself. It is possible for any non-resident to open a denar or foreign currency account, and to use it whenever he/she wants to, with no objection. But there is a limitation on the amount of payments a month, this limit is 10.000 Euros. But, in case of disorder of the balance of payments or the financial system, the National Bank can prevent the circumstances to worsen by application of some restrictions. PAYEMENTS SYSTEMS IN MACEDONIA General Features of the Payment System The payment system represents a sum of instruments, procedures and infrastructure for money transfer. It is of great importance for all economic agents since it enables fast and efficient payments in the national economy. The payment system of the Republic of Macedonia can be presented schematically as: The central bank, which runs the accounts of the deposit money institutions – the banks, is at the top of the payment system. In the payment system, the central bank has the following functions: operational, development and function of monitoring of the other payment systems in the country. The banks, which run the accounts of other legal entities and natural persons, consist the following level. Running of the accounts is decentralized – which means, each bank runs only the accounts of its clients. In order to execute and perform prompt settlement of the large value payments and urgent interbank payments, the system of the central bank is used. For netting the small value payments, a specialized institution – the Clearing House for small value payments is used, while the results of the netting are later settled in the system of the Central Bank. Start of the New Payment System On July 30, 2001, the functional implementation of one of the most complex reforms in the Republic of Macedonia, the Reform in the Payments System, commenced. This Reform is managed by a Steering Committee comprised of experts from the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry of Finance, the banks, the Payment Operations Bureau and eminent professors from the Faculty of Economics in Skopje. This start represents a beginning of a new payment system designed according to the payment systems of the countries with developed market economies. The new payment system enhances the competitive component of the banks and represents a prerequisite for implementing new banking products which increase the efficiency of the banks and the banking system as a whole. The competitiveness induces new IT tendencies in the banking operations. The reform enables more efficient monitoring and management of the liquidity of individual banks, as well as better efficiency in conducting the monetary policy. The previous payment system (effective until December 31, 2001) incorporated strong static components and limitations both regarding the options, as well as technological limitations, which represented an obstacle for the future development of the financial infrastructure and the financial system as a whole. The implementation of the new payment system was encompassed a transitional period from July 30, 2001 until December 31, 2001, during which besides the implementation of the new systems, the Payment Operations Bureau continued with its operations as a specific payment system. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has important functions in the new payment system, which are stipulated in the new Law on Payment Operation. BANKING SUPERVISION According to the Law on the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia and the Banking Law, the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia is the only supervisory authority responsible for licensing and supervision of banks and savings houses in the Republic of Macedonia. The main purpose of the supervisory function performed by the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia is the maintenance of safe and sound banking system and protection of the depositors and other creditors that had invested their money in the banking system. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has established supervisory standards that are incompliance with the international standards and practices set by the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision. Supervisory standards While performing their activities, banks are obliged to comply with the existing supervisory standards that are implemented for the purpose of limiting the banks risk exposure. The supervisory standards established and implemented by the National Bank are derived from the Basle Committees principles and the European Directives. The most important standards implemented by the National Bank are: capital adequacy, i.e. maintenance of an adequate capital base that will enable covering of the risk profile of banks. The capital adequacy ratio calculated as a ratio between the banks own funds and its risk weighted assets, must not be lower than 8%; criteria for classification of on-balance and off-balance sheet asset items of banks according to their risk level and determining adequate amount of impairments and special reserves for coverage of the banks potential and/or established losses; exposure limits as a ratio between the total on-balance and off-balance sheet exposure to a single persons and group of connected persons and the banks own funds; limits of exposure to the FX risk and the manner of managing this type of risk; limits on investments in land, buildings, equipment and equity holdings. ISSUE COINS AND BANKNOTES 1. Legal Tender in the Republic of Macedonia Legal tender in the Republic of Macedonia is the Macedonian Denar, consisting of 100 Deni. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has the exclusive right of printing and issuing banknotes in the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian banknotes in circulation (issue 1996 and 2003) :  · 5000 Denars issue 1996  · 1000 Denars issue 1996 and issue 2003  · 500 Denars issue 1996 and issue  · 100 Denars issue 1996  · 50 Denars issue 1996  · 10 Denars issue 1996 2. Printing and characteristics The lower banknote denominations of 10, 50 and 100 denars are printed in Macedonia, while the banknotes of 500 and 1000 denars (1996 issue) are printed at â€Å"Thomas de la Rue†, London. The last banknote issue of 2003, 500 and 1000 denars denominations, was also printed in TDLR. The Macedonian banknotes posses several security features like watermark, windowed-thread, intaglio print, latent image, micro-text, see-through feature, and optically variable ink. 3. Institutions which Act as cash collectors Institutions which act as cash collectors are the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia and commercial banks. II. Internship description As I am from the Republic of Macedonia, I thought maybe doing an internship there would be a plus for me. I graduated in Macedonia in 2002, so I really wanted to go back there to an internship, which I think it was a good idea in order to put together what Ive learned at university and whats happening in the real life out there. I think it is crucial for a student, or a future graduated student, to learn and make the link between theory and real life practice in order to get ready and not surprised or shocked when first meeting life for real. The reason also why I chose Macedonia to complete my internship, is that one day after graduating in Belgium, to be able to go back there, and work for my country, which would be much easier if the internship was done there, especially at a very important institution, its National Bank. But, it is also important to say that in this kind of countries, it is difficult and complicated to find a company, private or public, that would accept a future graduated student to do his/her internship there. This is also the position of national institutions. In such countries, that are living in transition, and where this process takes so long, and has many difficulties, the problem of informal economy is very present in the everyday life. This is the reason why, it is so hard to find a company that would offer you a normal and proper internship, unless, of course, if you may know the head of the company or institution. I was, unfortunately, not in this case of knowing somebody â€Å"important† to either private or public institutions. Regardless this fact, I still applied and send the demand of such internship at the National Bank of Macedonia. It took very long to get a response from them, but it finally came positive. After this, they were some complication, especially during the 2007 summer, for me to begin with the internship. In fact, there were some procedures to respect, which were not told to me and which I didnt know. Above all, the extreme heat of that summer had an impact on the government to reduce much of the working hours, especially in its institutions. That is the reason why I could not manage to start the internship that summer. My internship could finally be done during the three months of holiday granted to last year students at ICHEC. I was accepted by the human resources manager at the Bank, who interviewed me, especially to learn about my background, such as school, political, interests on the National Bank, and so on. After that I could finally begin with the internship. I was told to begin the very next day, after signing a convention of behavior at the Bank. I was supposed to start at 8 am and finish at 4 pm, which is the work time of each functionary working at this institution. After the interview, the Human Resources Manager advised me, in relation with my interests, to do the internship in the Research and Development department of the National Bank. It was a little confusing, because in general, students are allowed to come for their internships a few hours during working days, while I was invited to go there all day long. It was a something I didnt expected at all when I applied for this internship. But the conditions were given by them, so I did not wanted to react about that. But it was not the best manner to execute and learn about my topic. When I begun the internship, I had the task to read the reports that are issued by the National Bank itself. Actually, I didnt understand why I had to do this, but everybody told me they had done so when they started work at the Bank. It was also the way internship students started at this institution. It was a little confusing, but I had to rely on this task. This reading of the reports helped me though to learn further more of the different indexes that are studied, and their importance in order to measure the development of the macroeconomic policy of Macedonia. But I would have been more satisfied if I was told before beginning this internship to do so, in order to not waste my time reading during my internship, which was limited in time. First, I had a topic that seemed very clear and comprehensive to me. But after a few days at the Bank, I understood that something had to be changed in this topic because as I was entering my internship everyday more and more, I could see that my topic was too vast, and it could not really help me for my final paper, which would be related with the internship. After many consultations with my internship advisor, and also with participation of the head of the sector, I decided to somehow change my topic. At the beginning, I was opting for a study about the macroeconomic indexes, such as Inflation Rate, Unemployment Rate, CPI (consumers price index), etc. These indexes are studied and performed by the National Bank of course. But as I said, it was really a vast topic, which could have gone nowhere, and finally not helped me much to the purpose of the internship. So I opted for a change. This change was more directed towards the energy sector of Macedonia, and how energy has an influence on the economy of this country. This idea came, as I said, after consulting people working there, but above all, after attending on a presentation performed by a professor of the Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje for the National Bank. The professor presenting was Dr. VlaÃ… ¡ko ÄŒingoski, and the topic: The Electro-energetic Situation and Perspectives of Republic of Macedonia. The presentation was mainly on the problems concerning the energetic sector of Macedonia, from its independence until today, the current situation of energy and also the most probable and real manners to overcome the negative balance on this sector. This presentation really opened my path, and helped me a lot into finding a new and more specific topic for my final paper. Other presentations regarding energy, and the energetic sector concerning Macedonia were performed after. I attended all of them, as my interest was since balancing toward this topic. I was allowed though to be present at these meetings, so it helped me further more in my focusing. The other presentations were performed also by professors, or people working in the management of electro-energetic companies. But my internship wasnt all about attending presentations, and taking notes of them. As I said, I was accepted at the Research and Development department of the Bank. This department, which was the one where my main advisor worked, is the principal responsible for the construction, consolidation, editing, and writing the annual, trimester, monthly, and even two-weekly reports concerning the development of the economical situation of Macedonia, and comparing them to other countries, mainly from the Balkans. These reports have different parts, in general. The first part, concerns the economic development in a global point of view. Next we have the development of Macedonia, then the monetary development, the capital market, etc. Generally speaking, they are specific teams that work on a specific part of these reports, but the teams can sometimes change. My main advisor was more active on determining and calculating macroeconomic indexes, and then, comparing them with the same indexes of one specific period of last year, or same periods in the past. That was in general his role, and the one of his team. In fact, I was introduced at his computer to see how things are going, working thus with these indexes. All indexes were calculated via Microsoft Excel, and a software, which is frequently used by National Banks in the region and wider, called eViews. I was not able to have this software on my computer, as it is a program only the National Bank of Macedonia may use. This is why I couldnt really get deep into this software, in order to understand how it works, and what data or information it offers. So, the whole things was to take right data, transform and calculate them into indexes, compare them with same indexes of past periods, design different graphics and tables so that it is more comprehensive to the reader, and finally do the interpretation of the results. The data I mentioned before, which are the base of these indexes, are delivered from the Statistical Office of Macedonia. It is this office that has almost all statistical data for the population living and working in Macedonia. It also has information about the housing sector, which is important to calculate some indexes, such as inflation and CPI. Then, I was able to start and calculate myself some basic and simple indexes, but mostly, I was asked to compare them with the past permofmances. This is not a very difficult task to do, as I have had many statistical classes during my study years both in Macedonia and Belgium. But I have to say that, my internship was far from what I was expecting. I am conscious that the period I was able to do the internship, was a full working period. Everybody there was working at high speed to finalize the annual report of 2007, which is the most important, and also most voluminous of all. So, they had not very much time to spend with me and my internship. In general, this internship enabled me to see what the sector works in real terms, and also, it was very important for me that I was able to have access to the Banks library, and also to many publications that I saved, which helped me analyze the data that interested me more after I was done with the internship. III. Technical Part Introduction As I mentioned in the introduction of this internship report, I was first keen on studying the macroeconomic indexes that the National Bank of Macedonia uses in order to develop its reports (annually, monthly, even 2 weekly reports) that are required by many organizations such as World Bank, the ECB, the International Energy Agency, etc. But after some time, I realized I should be focusing more on one specific matter, and that was the energetic sector of Macedonia. I think the problem of energy, globally speaking, is becoming more and more an important issue, that is undoubtedly an unavoidable factor for the economic growth and development of one country. Especially, in countries such as Macedonia, who arent very rich in natural resources, this situation can have a huge impact, having in mind that these countries are highly dependent on the import of energy producing products. The reason why I chose this topic to study is, that it is a problem everybody talks about in these days, as we are conscious of the high prices of oil in the recent months. This is another important factor that pushes the issue of the Macedonian energetic sector just further. This study provides an overview of the investment and policy choices in the Macedonian energy sector. On the investment side, the study highlights the criteria under which potential investments in a new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant and a new coal mine should proceed. The Report focuses on reforms that would be required to support the CHP project, namely ratification by Macedonia of the Kyoto Protocol and resolution of ownership issues related to the gas pipeline linking

The Role of Action in the Development of Ethical Certainties :: Psychology Psychological Essays

The Role of Action in the Development of Ethical Certainties In any conscient human action it is always given a motive which leads us to act with one orientation instead of another. This is what, in a certain sense, allows us to say that we choose what we want or what fulfils our expectations in terms of the limits of the given circumstances. There is always the search for a benefit related to what we consider preferable, and this is so called delimited by what it signifies for us. In the end, it has an origin that supports our elections, and give the basis to have reasons for justifying these elections. This line of reflection has to be of use not only to understand the meaning of our actions in order to satisfy our current necessities, but it can also help to clarify the scope and content of the ethical discourse. That is, we orient our behavior on the basis of certain convictions we take for granted, which, in principle, we cannot ignore if maybe we want to make decisions showing our ethical preferences. An exhaustive analysis of our behavior will have as a result a final point beyond which we cannot go. In a certain sense, we can give reasons for any of our acts, that is, we can justify why we act that way instead of another; we can explain the motives which, from the ethical point of view, lead us to orient our decisions in one sense or another. Nevertheless, if the analysis is rigorous enough, we will reach some propositions the justification of which will not be possible; rather, they are the foundations for any justification. To justify a decision means that one has reasons to specify why he/she did so. Why he/she preferred doing this instead of any other possibility. The end we reach in the analysis of our behavior is a sort of rocky floor beyond which it is senseless going on. This rocky floor is the basic certainties on which our conduct is structured and grounded. Then, we could ask ourselves about why we call them certainties. It is obvious that to act we need to assume — or take for granted — something to depart from. Their central character resides precisely in that we cannot negate such certainties we assume, given the peculiar relation of them with the rest of our behavior.

California Utility :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chris Parker   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  482.004 Dr. Singer  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1996 deregulation allowed California utility companies to sell power plants and collect over 19 billion dollars in ratepayer subsidies. The money was used to purchase plants in other countries, reward executives with huge pay raises and buy back stock. A handful of unregulated companies withheld power, causing shortages to boost wholesale prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deregulation led many consumers to believe that open markets would bring in an array of choices and lower prices. Consumers will have to settle for a single power provider at higher prices. Rates are nearly 150 percent higher than last spring. Power companies are exploiting the market for their own advantage. Some companies have jacked rates up to 200 percent than offer a deal at a 50 percent hike.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utility companies promised to modernize the electricity market and reduce business and residential bills. The California public utilities commission is caving in to pressure to make the investor owned utilities look good on Wall Street. Utilities are to use their markups to pay investors for stranded assets incurred during regulation. Utility companies lobbied to pass a law that suited their needs, and now the situation has changed it is trying it again. In 1998 big utility companies lobbied Proposition #9 buy paying a local consum er reporter 106,000 dollars to create a campaign. Proposition #9 would decrease electric bills and promote modernization of the industry. Also, many agency boards are stacked with officials with ties to energy companies, creating conflicts of interest. A member of Public Utilities Commission is being sued for an overseas investment. Taxpayers are paying for his legal bills. The investment was in a company his commission regulated.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A recent study has found incriminating information on the California utility industry. Plant operators would skip maintenance routines. These errors would cause machines to break down and force power cut back. The plants would have sudden shutdowns with no justifiable reason. Shutdowns were calculated to shrink the amount of power available driving up the price. They would hold back power until the state is desperate and vulnerable. They could sell power at super high rates. They sold power to other states. Selling to other states allowed for an increase in wholesale prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The California utility companies had planned to make a large amount of profit off of deregulation.

Definition of Science Fiction Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps one of the most versatile genres in films, television, books, artwork and any number of things today is science fiction. Many times I have seen a sci-fi movie filed under comedy or drama. That is one of the major things that has led to my love for science fiction, the simple fact that it can be so much more than just science fiction. I would like to present a definition of what science fiction is in this paper. My definition will not be exact, because so many people have a different idea of what counts as sci-fi and, not only that, but we may have found yet another venue for science fiction by the time this paper is complete. In order to define what science fiction is and to support my definition, I am going to give some examples of stories that I think fall into this genre first and then give a semi-solid definition of what I think science fiction is. The first example of science fiction I’d like to take a look at is Alien. A prime example of straightforward science fiction would be this movie. Space miners (or merchants†¦something like that) are awakened from their cryogenic sleep-state much earlier than was originally planned. A distress/warning beacon on an unfamiliar planet caused their ship to awaken them so that help could be dispatched. Of course, it turns out to be a ship that was taken over by the Aliens and the Earthlings’ ship was soon to be infested. No questions about this one; it is most definitely science fiction. Humans meeting up with aliens and, of course, space travel, instantly places this film into the science fiction category. Another example of science fiction, and one that proves science-fiction’s elusive nature, is Tarzan. This is a fantastic example of a popular story that nobody would normally think of as being sci-fi. Everyone knows the story: A baby is lost in the jungle, raised by apes, and then is discovered years later by some jungle-adventurers. It sounds sort of questionable as to whether this should be considered science fiction, but it remains a fact that this story takes place on Earth and involves a character that has adopted ape-like qualities. One could argue that this is just a fictional story or even fantasy, but it still retains an element of science and, therefore, falls into the category of science fiction. Time travel: is it really science fiction? Some people would not agre... ... is. Science fiction (adj.) [sy-ens fik-shun]: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some fictional event that was brought about using logical, scientific methods or caused by logical, scientific events. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sentence use: I watched this science fiction movie the other day that scared the heebie-jeebies out of me! Needless to say, science fiction is a wonderful genre that encompasses a vast number of stories, even ones that we don’t really think of as sci-fi at first. As I have illustrated in these examples, science fiction can be the major genre of a story or it can be merely a piece within a story. Such a debatable concept as this one can be extremely difficult to completely define. For now, we’ll have to settle for a general definition such as the one I have written above, but perhaps in the future someone will define science fiction more clearly. Of course, if we limit the term science fiction to a clear-cut definition, will science fiction have such wonderful stories as it does now or will they end up being bland, repetitive stories? I believe that science fiction will never have a single definition because that just happens to be the nature of the genre.

Allegory of the Cave Summary and Response Essay

Marlo Diorio Dr. Mishra – College Writing I â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†, written by Plato, is story that contrasts the differences between what is real and what is perceived. He opens with Glaucon talking to Socrates. He has Glaucon imagine what it would be like to be chained down in a cave, not able to see anything other than what is in front of him. He tells a story of men that were trapped in a cave and were prisoners to the truth. These prisoners have only seen shadows. But because of their ignorance, these slaves to the cave believe that the shadows are real. The story goes on to say that one of the men has been dragged out of the cave. He is not happy to see the real world, yet upset because he is being taken away from all that he knows. As he approaches the outside, he is blinded by the sunlight that he has never seen. The sunlight can be interpreted as actual sun or as knowledge, making the journey rather painful in mental and physical ways. The prisoner wants to return to his life as a peasant inside of the cave. When he is outside of the cave, he only wants to look at shadows and reflections, but later proceeds to look at actual objects surrounding him. Lastly, he looks at the sun itself, as he realizes that is what created this beautiful nature. The climax of the story is when the ma realized that he no longer has to worry about reality and reasoning, because he achieved the understanding of it. Eventually, he goes back to the cave. He is not greeted nicely back at the cave because he is seen to have taken a meaningless trip. The man who had seen the outside world took it upon himself to teach the others and lead them into understanding the truth of reality. The story finished by Socrates saying that the most qualified and wise people are the best options for leading in government, like the prisoner who discovered truth. Throughout the reading of this symbolic narrative, I found it easy to relate to my own life. This story can be taken as an extended metaphor with a great meaning. I took this story as, the hard path to take out of the cave, was like the pattern of life. It would never be an easy path to walk down, and it would take a lot of struggling. Only certain determined people will actually make it to the opposite side. Socrates says these most qualified people should be the ones to lead the public. I believe this is also true in today’s society. I say this because when it comes to election time, we as a country are not going to vote for an uneducated lunatic. I believe that the president should be someone intelligent with good morals and very qualified. In order to reach that high point, you must go out of your comfort zone, like the prisoner did. In life, people go out of their comfort zones all of the time. I’ve always believed that in order to achieve something you’ve never had/done, you must do something you’ve never done before, such as stepping out of your comfort zone. Only the best can be found when you make an attempt to extend yourself as a human being. I relate the cave in this story to the social norm. No one wants to step out of it because I their life, the norm is all there is. I believe the shadows would represent all of the other things that could be out there, but they have no desire to go find out what they are. They are too comfortable with what they have and haven’t gone looking for more. The cave is a comfort zone for the prisoners in Plato’s time and for teenagers today. Without the outside world, there is no curiosity, no questioning. I believe it is important to question everything, because with questions come answers. And when you find out something you didn’t know, you’re learning. Yes, ignorance is bliss, but ignorance won’t make you president.

Jobs within the tourism industry Essay

Introduction The travel and tourism industry is one of the faster growing industries in the world with over 50,000 jobs being created every year. This shows due to amount of employment this trade has created by the year 2007 there will be another 300,000 jobs created. The industry provides a wide variety of employment both direct and indirect jobs which will cater for people of all ages, skills and abilities. The nature of the industry will mean that many companies would need staff over the high seasons known as seasonal or temporary staff. Some jobs can also involve unsociable hours such as evenings or weekends. Travel Services Jobs available Jobs within the travel services include: * Agency clerk * Tour Operator * Resort Representative * Travel agency Manager * Administration * Reservation clerks etc Job Description and Working conditions The Representative is the primary source of help and information for guests, dealing with any immediate problems arising in resort such as accident or injury. The representative is responsible for welcoming guests and briefing them on the resort, ensuring the hosting in the chalets is of the highest quality, and will accompany passengers on the transfer coach between airport and resort. The working conditions are often outdoor based travelling from airport to resort sometimes many trips can be made within one day. They are expected to work 6 out of 7 days a week. Travel agents are the link between the customer and tour operators. The travel agency clerk sells a diversity of products and holidays to cater for incoming, outbound and domestic tourists. The working conditions are very different to a resort representative because it is often office based (shop floor), staff are usually required to work on 9-5 including some weekends, similar to any other retail outlet. Skills and qualifications The skills and qualifications depend in the job and the level of employment. A resort representative employee is expected to have at least one other spoken language i.e. French (depending on where the resort is based), good communication skills and must be over the age of 21. A travel agent is required good communication skills, ICT skills and literacy and numeracy skills can be useful. Transportation Jobs available Jobs in Transportation can be divided into three types these are land, air and sea. These jobs can include: * Cabin attendant * Pilot * Air traffic control officer * Airport baggage handler * Taxi driver * Train driver etc Job Description and Working conditions Cabin attendants are responsible for the safety of passengers during flights, all aspects of the cabin management, the menu planning and catering, the organisation of professional meal-services as well as the comfort of V.I.P. passengers and their assistance before and after flights when necessary. The working conditions are mainly within the aircraft. They are expected to be away from home for long periods of time and for unsociable hours, within a confined environment. Taxi drivers transport passengers to and from their homes, workplaces, and other locations. They also help tourists and other travellers get around in a new area. They drive cars licensed as a taxi to transport passengers for a fare that is calculated on a taximeter. Taxi drivers usually work shifts involving day, evening and weekend work usually unsociable hours, within a confined environment. Skills and qualifications Cabin attendants foreign languages, a pleasant appearance, customer service skills and communicational and organisational skills. Most air companies will only employee people over the age of 21. Taxi drivers need good communication skills, able to remain calm at difficult times and a high level of driving skill. The skills and qualifications depend in the job and the level of employment. Accommodation and Catering Jobs available Jobs within Accommodation and catering can be very varied from working away in a cruise ship to working with a local pub other jobs within the area can include: * Receptionist * House keeper (manager) * Chef * Waiter * Hotel porter * Bar person etc Job Description and Working conditions The Housekeeping assistant is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Resorts Housekeeping Department. The essential duties include responsibility for the day-to-day cleaning of public areas and accommodation, laundry, bed linen, banqueting linen and staff uniforms. Working conditions include working long, irregular unsociable hours and shift work. A job as a Bar person within a resort hotel may often involve waiting on tables, bar work and cleaning within the restaurant and bar. Duties may also include organising promotions and stock control. Hours are often unsociable on evening and weekends. Skills and qualifications A housekeeping assistant should have a smart appearance, well spoken and have a pleasant character and must be able to work within a team. Minimum age of bar staff is 18 although most bars prefer 21+. Bar staff need Stamina, enthusiasm and be able to work within a team. Good communication skills are needed and customer service skills. The skills and qualifications depend in the job and the level of employment Tourist attractions Jobs available Jobs within tourist attractions can be varied depending on the type of attraction i.e. Natural (such as beaches) or purpose built (such as theme parks). Jobs within the area can include: * Advertising staff * Catering staff * Tour guides * Retail assistant * Pool lifeguard * Cleaners etc Job Description and Working conditions A job as a tour guide will involve directing a group of holidaymakers or day-trippers around an attraction or to a wide variety of locations within the UK or overseas. They will act as a guide and ensure that the itinerary, facilities and services promised are provided. Tour guides work in all weather conditions. Tour guides may work regular or irregular hours depending on the organisation they are working for. The work is seasonal, this means that they will be very busy within the summertime it also means that there will be many non-permanent jobs. Lifeguards are responsible for the supervision of swimming and a variety of recreational activities. There are key Responsibilities in which a lifeguard will have to do for example preventing accidents, respond quickly to all emergency situations and to maintain cleanliness within the pool area. Pool supervisors and lifeguards may work indoors or outdoors, and conditions are usually wet and noisy. Pool supervisors and lifeguards usually work eight hours a day. Skills and qualifications Customer care skills are needed in all types of attraction employment this is generally because they are in contact with costumers all the time. The employee would also have a willingness to work long unsociable hours especially within the high season. The skills and qualifications depend in the job and the level of employment for example a GVQ in travel and tourism may be required in a higher level of employment. Tourism Support and Information Promotion Jobs available Jobs within tourism support and information promotion include jobs within the RTB (regional tourist board), TIC (tourist information centres), and LA (local authorities) jobs within these areas can include: * Information staff * Tourist information assistant * Standards officers * Administration staff * Marketing staff * Research officers etc Job Description and Working conditions A Tourist information assistant is required to provide tourists within information about attractions etc within the area and promoting the area by giving tourists free leaflets on the attractions and facilities around the destination other responsibilities may include advising tourists about places of interest, providing directions, prices and opening times of facilities. And may often Book accommodation and tickets (e.g. theatre or football) for tourists. Working condition are Office based and often work with computers these are similar to any office work. Skills and qualifications Skills and qualifications in which are needed to work within this section are ICT skills, marketing and sales experience, customer care skills language qualifications may be required and an NVQ in travel services ad tour guides may also be required depending in the level of employment.

Leadership †Making the Business Successful

Leadership has different meanings to various authors.   Leadership could be defined as influence, that is, the art of process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of group goals (Bass, 1981).   Although their approach to leadership theory is primarily one of analyzing lead ­ership style, Fred E. Fiedler and his associates at the University of Illinois have suggested a contingency theory of leadership (Fiedler, 1967). The theory holds that people become leaders not only because of the attributes of their personalities but also because of various situational factors and the interactions between leaders and group members. On the basis of his studies, Fiedler de ­scribed three critical dimensions of the leadership situation that help determine what style of leadership will be most effective (Miner, 1982): Position power is the degree to which the power of a position, as distinguished from other sources of power, such as personality or expertise, enables a leader to get group members to comply with directions; in the case of managers, this is the power arising from organizational authority. As Fiedler points out, a leader with clear and considerable position power can obtain good followership more easily than one without such power (Bowers, 1975). With the dimension of Task structure, Fiedler had in mind the extent to which tasks can be clearly spelled out and people held responsible for them. If tasks are clear (rather than vague and unstructured), the quality of performance can be more easily controlled and group members can be held more definitely responsible for performance. Fiedler regarded the dimension of Leader-member relations as the most im ­portant from a leader’s point of view, since position power and task structure may be largely under the control of an enterprise. It has to do with the extent to which group members like, trust, and are willing to follow a leader (Yuki, 1981). To approach his study, Fiedler set forth two major styles of leadership. One of these is primarily task-oriented; that is, the leader gains satis ­faction from seeing tasks performed. The other is oriented primarily toward achiev ­ing good interpersonal relations and attaining a position of personal prominence. Favorableness of situation was defined by Fiedler as the degree to which a given situation enables a leader to exert influence over a group. To measure leadership styles and determine whether a leader is chiefly task-oriented, Fiedler used an unusual testing technique (Kirkpatrick & Locke, 1991). He based his findings on two sources: (1) scores on the least preferred coworker (LPC) scale – these are ratings made by people in a group as to those with whom they would least like to work; and (2) scores on the assumed similarity between opposites (ASO) scale–ratings based on the degree to which leaders see group members as being like themselves, on the assumption that people will like best, and work best with, those who are seen as most like them ­selves. Today the LPC scale is most commonly used in research. In developing this scale, Fiedler asked respondents to identify the traits of a person with whom they could work least well (Fiedler, 1967). Leadership performance depends as much on the organization as it depends on the leader's own attributes. Except perhaps for the unusual case, it is simply not meaningful to speak of an effective leader or an ineffective leader; we can only speak of a leader who tends to be effective in one situation and ineffective in another. If we wish to increase organizational and group effectiveness we must learn not only how to train leaders more effectively but also how to build an organizational environment in which the leader can perform well (Indvik, 1986). In a highly structured situation, such as in the military during a war, where the leader has strong position power and good relations with members, there is a favorable situation in which task orientation is most appropriate. The other ex ­treme, an unfavorable situation with moderately poor relations, an unstructured task, and weak position power, also suggests task orientation by the leader, who may reduce anxiety or ambiguity that could be created by the loosely structured situation. Between the two extremes, the suggested approach emphasizes cooperation and good relations with people. To conclude, leadership is the art or process of influencing people so that they contribute willingly and enthusiastically toward group goals. Leadership requires followership. The approach to leadership, built on the assumption that leaders are the product of given situations, focuses on the study of situations. Fiedler’s contingency approach takes into account the position power of the leader, the structure of the task, and the relations between the leader and group members. This would make the followers to like, trust and follow the leader. The conclu ­sion is that there is no one best leadership style and that managers can be successful if placed in appropriate situations. References Bass, Barnard M. 1981. Stodgill’s Handbook of Leadership: A survey of theory and research, Rev. ed, New York: The Free Press. Bowers, David G. 1975. â€Å"Hierarchy, Function and the Generalizability of Leadership Prac ­tices,† in James G. Hunt and Lars L. Larson (eds.), Leadership Frontiers (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1975), pp. 167-180. Fiedler, Fred E. 1967. A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1967). Indvik, Julie. 1986. â€Å"Path Goal Theory of Leadership: A Meta-Analysis,† in John A. Pearce II and Richard B. Robinson, Jr. (eds.), Academy of Management Best Papers-Proceedings, Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Chicago (Aug. 13-16, 1986), pp. 189-192. Kirkpatrick, Shelley A. & Locke, Edwin A. 1991. â€Å"Leadership: Do Traits Matter?† Academy of Management Executive (May 1991), pp. 48-60. Miner, John B. 1982. Theories of Organizational Structure and Process, Hinsdale, Ill.: The Dryden Press, Chap.2. Yuki, Gary A. 1981.   Leadership in Organization, (Englewood Cliffs, N.]: Prentice-Hall, chap. 4.