Research paper on diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research paper on diabetes - Essay Example A number of major findings also contributed much to the contemporary knowledge of diabetes: taking out the pancreas will result in diabetes; the pancreas generates insulin in Langerhans’s group of cells; and giving insulin to a diabetic person is effectual medication (Pompei 39). The Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1923 was given to Banting and Best for their development of insulin and provision of insulin treatment to a teenager suffering from diabetes. It is now known that diabetes mellitus can be the outcome of lack of insulin, damaged insulin production, or resistance to the effect of insulin (Bertera 33). This knowledge was supported and enhanced by advancements in the capacity to measure levels of insulin in the mid-20th century. Some individuals with diabetes mellitus lack quantifiable insulin, whereas others, in spite of sufficient secretion of insulin, either do not produce it in a way that sustains normal physiological processes, or have organs unresponsive to its impact (Bertera 33). Nowadays it is known that a number of pathogenic mechanisms can lead to diabetes and that there is a vital connection between an individual’s genetic composition and environmental forces. Diabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic illnesses typified by high amounts of blood sugar because of defects in the secretion of insulin, insulin functioning, or both. ... Since the illness could be asymptomatic for a number of years, it is approximated that numerous older people with diabetes are not aware of their disease (Pompei 40). The commonness of this illness differs with ethnicity and racial affiliation. Hispanic whites and Hispanic blacks are roughly 1.8 times more prone to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites (Pompei 40-41). In spite of an extended asymptomatic duration, diabetes is a severe illness related to reduced life expectancy and considerable morbidity. The kind of diabetes usually impinging on older adults is related to a rate of mortality almost twice that of individuals without this illness and a decade shorter life expectancy (Bertera 35). Inadequately regulated diabetes can be the source of dangerous deterioration in an older individual and is manifested by functional disability, muscle impairment, loss of weight, and fatigue. More permanent complications of this disease involve neuropathies, kidney failure, and poor eyesight. The prevalence of kidney disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease is intensified, and the possibility of complete loss of eyesight is heightened roughly by 40% in older adults with diabetes (Bertera 35-36). Diabetes is one of the major serious illnesses, and hence one of the major public health concerns nowadays, and its overwhelming estimated growth is mostly because of the aging of the population alongside industrialization, urbanization, and the obesity outbreak. In the 1970s, the National Diabetes Prevention and Control Program was formed to advance education, raise awareness, and regulate and prevent complications by circulating empirical knowledge (Pompei 42). Findings from empirical research are being analyzed and disseminated on a regular

Television violence Essay Example for Free

Television violence Essay * Children watch an average of four hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of todays television programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may : * Become immune or numb to the horror of violence * Gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems * Imitate the violence they observe on television * Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness. Children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, they are more likely to imitate what they see. Children with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violence. The impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the childs behavior or may surface years later. Young people can even be affected when the family atmosphere shows no tendency toward violence. * While TV violence is not the only cause of aggressive or violent behavior, it is clearly a significant factor. Parents can protect children from excessive TV violence in the following ways: * pay attention to the programs their children are watching and watch some with them * set limits on the amount of time they spend with the television; consider removing the TV set from the childs bedroom * point out that although the actor has not actually been hurt or killed, such violence in real life results in pain or death * refuse to let the children see shows known to be violent, and change the channel or turn off the TV set when offensive material comes on, with an explanation of what is wrong with the program * disapprove of the violent episodes in front of the children, stressing the belief that such behavior is not the best way to resolve a problem * to offset peer pressure among friends and classmates, contact other parents and agree to enforce similar rules about the length of time and type of program the children may watch * Parents can also use these measures to prevent harmful effects from television in other areas such as racial or sexual stereotyping. The amount of time children watch TV, regardless of content, should be moderated because it decreases time spent on more beneficial activities such as reading, playing with friends, and developing hobbies. If parents have serious difficulties setting limits, or have ongoing concerns about their childs behavior, they should contact a child and adolescent psychiatrist for consultation and assistance.

Relationship between stories :: essays research papers

The Relationship between Stories and Their Sources   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most authors use some type of source when writing a story. The source could be religious, scientific, or something else that is inspiring to them. Even great writers such as Shakespeare had a source in which their stories came from. The source can be used for many different purposes. A certain author may use a source to show different parallels between two stories or to show similarities between events or characters. They may use the source to prove a point or to add meaning to the book. The source could also just be an ambiguous connection that helps complete the story. Whatever the authors reason for picking a certain source it seems to give the story completion and significance. In this class, we read many stories in which the source deals with religion and especially the gospels. In this paper, I will discuss these different stories and how they relate to their religous sources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first story we read in class was, ?gA Visit of Charity?h by Eudora Welty. In this story, the source that is eluded to is the Genesis story of Adam and Eve. The story begins with Marian, a young campfire girl, who is on her way to an Old Ladies?f Home. Before entering the home she stops by some prickly shrubs. The outside of the home was covered by beautiful shrubbery and the whitewash brick building reflected the sunlight. Yet, the inside of the home was in bad shape. It smelled musky and the linoleum on the floor was bulging up. The details Welty adds are significant because it shows two different worlds. The one world Marian still sees which is beautiful like the Garden of Eden and the world she is slowly stepping into where things are not beautiful and good. The story continues with Marian visiting two old ladies who fought between themselves the whole time she was there. Marian did not want to be at the home and especially dislike visiting these two ladies. Although, the one lady was friendly to Marian she was still scared of both ladies. At the end of the visit the one lady grabs Marian?fs arm and asks her for a penny or a nickel. Marian runs from the old lady without looking back. When she gets outside she grabs the apple she hid in the prickly bushes on her way into the Home. As she jumped onto the bus Marian took a big bite of the apple. This is the most significant part of the story because it shows how Marian knew what she was doing was wrong but she carelessly did it

Cervantes Motivation for Writing Don Quixote Essay -- Biography Biogr

Cervantes' Motivation for Writing Don Quixote  Ã‚   Miguel de Cervantes' greatest literary work, Don Quixote, maintains an enduring, if somewhat stereotypical image in the popular culture: the tale of the obsessed knight and his clownish squire who embark on a faith-driven, adventure-seeking quest. However, although this simple premise has survived since the novel's inception, and spawned such universally known concepts or images as quixotic idealism and charging headlong at a group of "giants" which are actually windmills, Cervantes' motivation for writing Don Quixote remains an untold story. Looking at late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Spain from the viewpoint of a Renaissance man, Cervantes came to dislike many aspects of the age in which he lived, and decided to satirize what he saw as its failings; however, throughout the writing of what would become his most famous work, Cervantes was torn by a philosophical conflict which pervaded the Renaissance and its intellectuals--the clash of faith and reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Cervantes began writing Don Quixote, the most direct target of his satirical intentions was the chivalric romance. He makes this aim clear in his own preface to the novel, stating that "..[his] sole aim in writing..is to invalidate the authority, and ridicule the absurdity of those books of chivalry, which have, as it were, fascinated the eyes and judgment of the world, and in particular of the vulgar.† Immediately after the beginning of the novel, he demonstrates some of the ridiculous and unbelievable writing of these books: as Alonso Quixano--the man who decides to become the knight Don Quixote, after going mad from reading too many of these romances--sits in his study, tirelessly poring over his belo... ...r (Magill 330). In Part II of the novel, however, Don Quixote becomes less of a sadly comic figure, and more heroic (331) after he stoically faces down a lion, leading Sancho to change his master’s previous title--†Knight of the Rueful Countenance†--to â€Å"Knight of the Lions†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the tale told in Don Quixote, the account of an idealist who embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to rid society of injustice, â€Å"[has] assumed archetypal importance for what [it reveals] of the human mind and emotions (Person 81),† there is another story which remains hidden between the pages of the novel: what was Cervantes’ original intent in writing, and how that simple goal--a humorous parody of chivalric romances--eventually led to the literary embodiment of a tremendous philosophical debate: whether to let the perception of truth be dominated by faith, or by reason.   

Imperatives for Developing My Transformational Leadership Potential: Some Plans Essay

The word â€Å"leader† first appeared in the English language in the 1300s; it stems from the root â€Å"leden† meaning â€Å"to travel† or â€Å"show the way.†   The term â€Å"leadership†, however, followed only some five centuries later.   One can sift through many definitions of the term â€Å"leadership† and fail to find a single ‘common denominator’ that will unite all of them. This may be because there are so numerous, varying usages of the term in equally numerous and complicated situations.   However, for purposes of this paper, the following definitions used in many leadership studies were adopted: Leadership was broadly defined by Yukl (1989) as â€Å"influencing task objectives and strategies, influencing commitment and compliance in task behavior to achieve these objectives, influencing the culture of an organization.†Ã‚   In simpler terms, leaders influence the actions and behaviours of their followers to obtain a shared vision or aim.   According to Deming (1992), leadership must come from top management and leaders must possess profound knowledge. By profound knowledge, Deming meant that one must have knowledge of systems, variations (statistical thinking), theory, and psychology. Leadership is quite different from management; leaders grow from mastering their own conflict which arises during their developing years using internal strength to survive. On the other hand, managers tend to perceive issues as positive progressions of events which must be planned, organized, scheduled, and controlled.   In order to create the proper thinking perspective, leaders must aggressively investigate and act on the current market to create opportunities.   Effective leaders are those that are capable of assisting their organization/country manage change and steer it towards success. Past Work Experience I have had the opportunity to work with a local company; at peak work periods, I am tasked to manage a small team of 4 staff. Some of the responsibilities involved in this role are delegation of work; prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance; reporting regularly to my superior for updates and new directives; and updating my superior at the end of the day for concerns and accomplishments. Moreover, it requires me to plan and manage my own time. Effective people skills are as critical as the management of tasks in a team leader’s role. It is necessary for me to create and manage smooth working relationships with line managers, colleagues, and team members. I am also expected to manage their performance by clearly explaining to them standards of work and behavior. An Assessment of My Leadership Style I personally want to develop a transformational leadership style that is more dynamic, innovative and accepting of change than that espoused by a management role. Tichy and Devanna (1986) assert that managers engage in very little change but manage what is present and leave things much as they found them when they depart. Transformational leadership, they declared, focuses on change, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They assumed that transformational leaders begin with a social fabric, disrupt that environment, and then recreate the social fabric to better reflect the overall business climate (Bass, 1990). They argue that there are four suggested personal characteristics of a transformational leader: (a) dominance, (b) self-confidence, (c) need for influence, and (d) conviction of moral righteousness. These are the traits that I have to focus on in undertaking my development plan. Transformational leaders are expected to deal with the paradox of predicting the unknown and sometimes the unknowable.   These leaders change and transform the organization according to a vision of a preferred status. Leaders then are change makers and transformers, guiding the organization to a new and more compelling vision, a demanding role expectation. Studies have been carried out in many different countries, and research in this area also shows that transformational leadership is closer to perceptions of ideal leadership than transactional leadership.   As Hartog et al (1999) note, being perceived as a leader is a prerequisite for being able to go beyond a formal role in influencing others.   They hold that leadership perceptions can be based on two alternative processes.   First, leadership can be inferred from outcomes of salient events, and attribution is crucial in these inference-based processes. For example, a successful business ‘turnaround’ is often quickly attributed to the high quality ‘leadership’ of top executives or the CEO.   Leadership can also be recognized based on the fit between an observed person’s characteristics with the perceivers’ implicit ideas of what ‘leaders’ are (Hartog et al., 1999). This again points to the fact that an effective manager is not only focused on delivering tasks, but on handling his people well. This is especially true among people in the organization who put high premium on a manager’s interpersonal skills. The first step I will consider in my developmental plan is to maintain my enthusiasm and motivation of my team towards their work. Concurrently, I will also aim to develop my leadership potential. I will concretely undertake this by developing a strong mentoring relationship with my superior. Empirical research from both educational and industrial settings suggests that students and employees both have increased probability of success if they have had a mentor. While mentors are effective for everyone, sometimes organizations implement mentoring programs to support particular parts of their populations, often newer employees. And while mentoring programs are always established with the best of intentions, their results are often mixed (Werner, 2004). To make the most of my work exposure, I hope to establish a strong mentoring relationship with my superior or with an expert in my field to develop my competence further. Coaching and mentoring is a very effective way of developing my leadership potential because it does not only develop me in terms of technical expertise, but it will also allow me to actually experience how these experts undergo the coaching and mentoring exercise. Skills Acquisition Skill acquisition acknowledges that proficiency and expertise are a function of the exposure to a variety of situations. These circumstances become experiences for the learner to elicit apt responses. Bandura (1977) emphasized that most learning transpires by observing and modeling behaviors. Information is then stored and coded cognitively and utilized as guide for action. He further noted that the development of a realistic learning setting incorporating environment, behavior, and thought promotes the acquisition of complex skills. Moreover, simulation can help in providing this realistic exposure for neophyte professionals (Bandura, 1977). Because I have gone past beyond being a novice, now is the perfect time for developing strategic leadership skills. I will also be able to add on to my networks by attending conferences related to my field to be able to build and establish peer contacts. I will also endeavor to build relationships with members and managers of other teams within the organization. The following soft competencies have been recommended areas for leadership development by the Development Dimensions International website (2005): master at managing through ambiguity; inspires confidence and belief in the future; have a passion for results; are marked by unwavering integrity; set others up for success; have strong rather than big egos; and have the courage to make big decisions. Mastery at managing through ambiguity. Build a culture that embraces change; constantly set clear goals and expectations; are able to manage across boundaries (and lead others to do the same); show connections between individual accountabilities, team goals, and organizational vision and strategies; sets out a clear course even though it may change frequently. Inspires confidence and belief in the future. Are able to articulate a vision depicting what they want their organization; exudes calm and projects optimism in the face of uncertainty; can engage and inspire employees in their work connecting their needs and values with those of the institution. Passion for results. Set clear accountabilities and high expectations for themselves and for others; hire, promote and reward high performers; keep themselves and their employees focused on the top two or three customer-driven priorities; take action on those who do not fit or who are consistently not performing; establish critical measures of success and make sure they are visible to others. Marked by unwavering integrity. Serve as a â€Å"moral compass† for others; keeps promises and commitments; â€Å"walks the talk†; gives straight, honest feedback; leads through values; acts promptly when their own or the integrity of their organization is compromised.    Set others up for success. Coaches others to succeed before they have the opportunity to fail; truly enjoys seeing people learn and grow; rewards and recognizes success; views failures as learning opportunities; shares (rather than hordes) talent for the good of the organization. Have strong rather than big egos. Humbly shares credit with others; never shoots the messenger – they encourage the sharing of bad news; are always asking â€Å"how can we do things better?†; blame themselves before pointing a finger at others; knows themselves and are guided by strong personal values; listens to understand; recognizes that they, more often than not, are not the ones with the right answers.    Have the courage to make big decisions. Addresses issues or problems quickly; takes actions that are right, even when they are unpopular – they act on conviction; stands by their decisions once they make them – even if circumstances cause them to change course later; takes a longer term view consistent with a future vision (www.ddiworld.com, 2005). Soft skills are as equally if not more important than technical skills, in the development of leadership potential. These competencies must also be integrated into my success competency profile and adequately addressed through formal classroom or on-the-job training. Naturally, to be able to identify which leadership areas I need to focus on, I need to use reflection. The main approach is to develop fully into a transformational leadership role. With transformational leadership, the followers feel trust, admiration, loyalty and respect towards the leader and they are motivated to do more then they originally expected to do. Leaders transform and motivate followers by: (1) making them more aware of the importance of task outcomes, and (2) inducing them to transcend their own self-interest for the sake of the organization or team and activating their higher order needs. In contrast, transactional leadership involves an exchange process that may result in follower compliance with leader requests but is not likely to generate enthusiasm and commitment to task objectives. Therefore, my staff need to feel that I can empathize with them, are able to give them feedback while maintaining their self-esteem, and also solicit their ideas on important issues. Transformational and transactional leadership are distinct but not mutually exclusive processes. Transformational leadership increases follower motivation and performance more than transactional leadership, but effective leaders use a combination of both types of leadership.   Such is the argument of   Gary Yukl (1989).   He defined transformational behavior as idealized influence, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation. Yukl theorized that transformational leadership probably involves internationalization because inspirational motivation includes the articulation of an appealing vision that relates task objectives to follower values and ideals, it therefore also involves personal identification.   Yukl (1989) described transformational leadership as a process of micro-level and macro-level influence. At the macro-level, transformational leaders must take charge of the social systems and reform the organization by creating an appropriate power situation. At the micro-level, transformational leaders must attend to the personalities in the organization to facilitate change at an interpersonal level. One other way of developing my leadership potential is by regularly reflecting on areas for improvement. In this area, the feedback of my superior would serve as critical input. There is now broad agreement on four key attributes, therefore, known as the four i’s of Transformational Leadership (Avolio et al., 1991; Bass & Avolio, 1994b). Inspirational leadership means ‘the arousal and heightening of motivation among followers that occurs primarily from charismatic leadership’ and individualized consideration is evident when subordinates are treated individually according to their needs. Intellectual stimulation refers to the leader’s influence on followers’ thinking and imagination (Bass, 1985, pp. 62,82 and 99). And, finally, idealized influence is the identification with and emulation of the leader’s mission and vision. Apart from focusing on my own leadership needs, I would also like to assist in the drafting of Career Management plans of the members of my team. I would also like to ensure that I continuously serve as a model and inspiration for them in terms of giving support, praise and encouragement to all team members. Moreover, I will work for the implementation of retention strategies among the team members I work with through career development,   flexible work, induction, partnership and staff involvement, and pay and rewards. Some Comments on the Transformational Leadership Framework / Theory In contrast with leader emergence which deals with the likelihood that a person will become a leader, leader performance involves the idea that excellent leaders possess certain characteristics that certain leaders do not. For example, an excellent leader might be intelligent, assertive, friendly, and independent, whereas a poor leader might be shy, aloof, and calm. Research on the relationship between personal characteristics and leader performance has concentrated on three areas: traits, needs and orientation. In relation to transformational leadership framework, I do agree that the leader must possess certain characteristics to transform the organization. But this is not all – there must also be ample consideration of other factors such as subordinates’ ability and organizational climate. Traits. The idea that certain traits are associated with effective leadership is appealing, but in 1964, a review by Heslin and Dunphy indicated that only two traits – intelligence and interpersonal adjustment – have consistently been related to leadership performance. More recently, it has been proposed that good leaders need to possess only one stable trait – adaptability or self-monitoring (Cohen & Bradford, 1990). Thus, good leaders will constantly change their behaviors to meet the demands of the situation or person with whom they are dealing. Support from this theory comes from a study by Caldwell & O’Reilly (1982), who found that field representatives who dealt with many different types of people were more effective if they were high self-monitors. Similar results were found with Zaccaro, Foti & Kenny (1991). The concept of self-monitoring focuses on what leaders do as opposed to what they are. For example, a high self-monitoring leader may possess the trait of shyness and not truly want to communicate with other people. He know, however, that talking to others is an important part of his job, so he says hello to his employees when he arrives at work, and at least once a day stops and talks to each employee. Thus, the leader has the trait of shyness but adapts his outward behavior to appear to be outgoing and confident. An interesting extension of the trait theory of leader performance suggests that certain traits are necessary requirements for leadership excellence but that they do not guarantee it (Simonton, 1979). Instead, leadership excellence is a function of the right person being in the right place at the right time. The fact that one person with certain traits becomes an excellent leader while another with the same trait flounders may be no more than the result of timing and chance. Needs. A personal characteristic that has received some support to a leader’s need for power, need for achievement, and need for affiliation. Research by McClelland and Burnham (1976) and McClelland and Boyatzis (1982) have demonstrated that high-performance managers have a leadership motive pattern, which is a high need for power and a low need for affiliation. The need is not for personal power but for organizational power. This pattern of needs is thought to be important because it implies that an effective leader should be more concerned with results than with being liked. Leaders who need to be liked by their subordinates will have a tough time making decisions. A decision to make an employee work overtime, for example, may be necessary for the organization’s survival, but it will probably be unpopular with employees. Leaders with high affiliation needs may decide that being liked is more important than being successful, causing conflict with their decision. Needs for power, achievement and affiliation can be measured through various psychological tests. The most commonly used is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The TAT is a projective test in which a person is shown a series of pictures and is asked to tell a story about what is happening in each picture. The stories are then analyzed by a trained psychologist who identifies the needs themes that are contained in the stories. Obviously, this technique is time consuming and requires a great deal of training. Task vs. person orientation. Over the last 45 years, three major schools of thought – Ohio State studies (Fleishman, Harris & Burtt, 1955), Theory X (McGregor, 1960) and managerial grid (Blake & Mouton, 1984) – have postulated that differences in leader performance can be attributed to differences in the extent to which leaders are task versus person oriented. Person-oriented leaders (country club leaders, theory Y leaders, leaders in high consideration) act in a warm and supportive manner and show concern for their subordinates. Person-oriented leaders believe that employees are intrinsically motivated, seek responsibility, are self-controlled, and do not necessarily dislike work, Because of these assumptions, person-oriented leaders consult their subordinates before making decisions, praise their work, ask about their families, look over their shoulders, and use a more â€Å"hands-off† approach to leadership. Under pressure, person-oriented leaders tend to become socially withdrawn (Bond, 1995). Task –oriented leaders (task-centered leaders, theory X leaders, leaders high in initiating structure) define and structure their own roles and those of their subordinates to attain the group’s formal goals. Task-oriented leaders see their employees as lazy, extrinsically motivated, wanting security, undisciplined, and shirking responsibility. Because of these assumptions, task-oriented leaders tend to manage or lead by giving directives, setting goals, and making decisions without consulting their subordinates. Under pressure, task-oriented leaders tend to produce humor (e.g. tell jokes and stories) whereas person-oriented leaders tend to appreciate humor (e.g. listen to others’ jokes) (Philbrick, 1989). I feel that the best leader who may undertake transformation in the organization ought to be both person and task-oriented. In effect, in being a transformational leader, I should put premium on both person and task orientations, exhibiting each one with equal strength or emphasis. Interaction between the Leader and the Situation Apart from just focusing on the leader, I feel it is equally important for him to consider the complexities of his situation so that he may have a better grasp of how it is to transform the organization. In line with this, I should also be able to focus not only on developing myself but also consider the characteristics of the situation which I find myself in. One of the more recent research on this area is the situational theory of Geier, Downey and Johnson (1980) who believed that the leader has one of six behavioral styles, namely, informational, magnetic, position, affiliation, coercive or tactical. Each type is only effective in a particular situation, or in what researchers call an organizational climate. These researchers further say that based on the organizational climate, a leader with an informational style is best fit in ac climate of ignorance; those with magnetic style in a climate of despair; those with a position style in a climate of instability; affiliation style in a climate of anxiety; coercive style in a climate of crisis; tactical style in a climate of disorganization. This suggests that as a transformational leader, I should be able to adjust myself on the basis of my assessment of my organization’s climate. Relationship with Subordinates One other facet of transformational leadership which I intend to integrate into my personal development plan is my relationship with subordinates. This is consistent with the vertical dyad linkage theory. Vertical dyad linkage (VDL) theory was developed by Dansereau, Graen, and Haga (1974) and is a unique situational theory that makes good intuitive sense. Some situational theories concentrate on interactions between leaders and situations and between leaders and employees with differing levels of ability. VDL theory, however, concentrates on the interactions between leaders and subordinates. These interactions are called leader-member exchanges (LMXs). The theory takes its name from the relationship between two people (a dyad), the position of the leader above the subordinate (vertical), and their interrelated behavior (linkage). VDL theory states that leaders develop different roles with different subordinates and thus act differently with different subordinates. Dansereau et al (1974) believe that subordinates fall in one of two groups, the in-group or the outgroup. In-group subordinates are those who have developed trusting, friendly relationships with the leader. As a result, the leader deals with in-group members by allowing them to participate in decisions and by rarely disciplining them. Thus, in-group membership is thought to increase performance. Out-group subordinates are treated differently from those in the in-group and are more likely to be given direct orders and to have less say about how affairs are conducted. In general, research on VDL theory has been supportive (Grestner & Day, 1997). There are, however, relationships between leaders and subordinates that probably can be categorized into types other than in-group and out-group. In relation to transformational leadership, I should increase my self-awareness in treating my subordinates such that there is no rigid classification of whether they are members of the in-group or the out-group. Under the transformational leadership framework, all subordinates are encouraged to participate in decision making. As such, I should try my best to gather input from all of my staff to be able to come up with the most optimal solution to a problem or an issue. Subordinate Ability Apart from self-development, the transformational leader must also be wary of his subordinates’ abilities in carrying out his plan for change or transformation. According to House’s (1971) path goal theory, a leader can adopt one of four behavioral leadership styles to handle each situation: instrumental, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented. The instrumental style calls for planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of employees. The supportive style leader shows concern for employees, the participative style leader shares information with employees and lets them participate in decision making, and the leader who uses the achievement oriented style sets challenging goals and rewards increases in performance. Each style will only work in certain situations and depends on subordinates’ abilities and the extent to which the task is structured. In general, the higher the level of subordinate ability, the less directive the leader should be. Likewise, the more structured the situation, the more directive the leader should be (Schriesheim & DeNisi, 1981). In conclusion, I feel that the transformational leadership framework is wanting of some considerations. Apart from just focusing on the leader himself, the plan should include a grave consideration of other important factors, such as his subordinates’ ability and the organizational climate in which the leader operates. My transformational leadership development plan, in summary, will equip me with the necessary technical and leadership competencies towards effectively taking on a management role, whilst seriously considering my subordinates’ abilities and the culture of the company I am working for. Ultimately, this will reflect in being able to lead and motivate a team – who in themselves are competent, goal-driven and are able to contribute to the organization’s bottomline. References Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Psych Rev . 1977;84:191–215. Bass, B. (1990). Bass & Stogdill’s handbook of leadership: theory, research and managerial   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   applications. New York: The Free Press. Blake, R. R., & Mouton, J. S. (1984). The managerial grid III. Houston: Gulf. Bond, G. E. (1995). Leadership behavior: How personality, stress, and gender affect leader behavior. University of Washington. Caldwell, D. F., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1982). Boundary spanning and individual performance: The impact of self-monitoring. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 124-127. Cohen, A R., & Bradford, D. L. (1990). Influence without authority. New York: John Wiley. Dansereau, F., Graen, G., & Haga, W. J. (1975). A vertical dyad linkage approach to leadership within the formal organization. Unpublished report, State University of New York, Buffalo. Deming, W. E. , (1992) Leadership, Four Day Seminar – Charlotte, NC, October 27 – 30. Development Dimensions International. (2005). DDI’s leadership beliefs. Retrieved on December 17, 2006 from www.ddiworld.com. Fleishman, E. A., Harris, E. F., & Burtt, H. E. (1955). Leadership and supervision in industry. Columbus: Ohio State University Press. Geier, J. G., Downey, D. E., & Johnson, J. B. (1980). Climate impact profile. Minneapolis, MN: Performax Systems International. Gerstner, C. R, & Day, D. V. (1997). Meta-analytic review of leader-member exchange theory: Correlates and construct issues. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(6), 827-844. Hartog, D. N., House, R.. J., Hanges, P. J., et al. (1999). Culture specific and cross-culturally generalizable implicit leadership theories: Are attributes of charismatic/ transformational leadership universally endorsed? Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 219-256. House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 9, 321-332. McClelland, D. & Boyatzis, R. E. (1982). Leadership motive pattern and long-term success in management. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 737-743. McClelland, D. & Burnham, D. H. (1976). Power is the great motivator. Harvard Business Review, 54(2), 102-104. McGregor, D. (1960). The human side of enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill. Philbrick, K. D. (1989). The use of humor and effective leadership styles. University of Florida. Schriesheim, C. A., & DeNisi, A. S. (1981). Task dimensions as moderators of the effects of instrumental leadership: A two-sample replicated test of path-goal leadership theory. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66, 589-597. Tichy, Noel and M.A. Devanna (1986). The Transformational Leader, John Wiley and Sons. Werner, W. (2004). The importance of mentoring. Law Practice Today. Retrieved on December 17, 2006 from http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt07041.html Yukl, G. (1989). Managerial leadership: A review of theory and research. Journal of Management, 15(2), 251 – 289. Zaccaro, S. J., Foti, R. J., & Kenny, D. A (1991). Self-monitoring and trait-based variance in leadership: An investigation of leader flexibility across multiple group situations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(2), 308-315.

Through the Looking Glass

Through the Looking Glass Summary of the Class Readings The first article â€Å"Through the Looking Glass† supports the use of effective communication after a crisis. The SCCT model offers useful guidelines that can manage the manner in which different organizations respond to crises. According to this article, the diminish strategy can minimize an organization’s association with different crises.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on â€Å"Through the Looking Glass† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The findings indicate how Red Cross fails to assume responsibility for different crises. The second article â€Å"Compassion without Blame† examines how ValuJet responded after one of its planes crashed. ValuJet decided to use several mortification strategies after Flight 592 crashed. The company â€Å"also used new strategies such as nonexistence, suffering, ingratiation, and distance† (Englehardt, Sallot, Springston, 2004, p. 149). This approach resulted in detrimental results. The targeted accident was human-induced thus resulting in many deaths. The article explains why it was appropriate for the company to use mortification strategies in order to maximize its concern for the community. The approach would have repaired the firm’s image. The article recommends the use of â€Å"Compassion Without Blame† strategy in order to produce the best image. ValuJet should have also established the best PR strategies in order to restore its image.  The article â€Å"Crisis Communication, Image Restoration, and Battling Stereotypes of Terror and Wars† explores the issues facing many countries in the Middle East. The region â€Å"experiences constant coverage of terror attacks, conflicts, and wars† (Avraham, 2013, p. 1354). According to the author, the multi-step model can alter place image. Many countries in the Middle East use â€Å"three strategies (message, sou rce, and audience) to deal with wars, crises, and stereotypes of terrorism† (Avraham, 2013, p. 1354). This discussion explains why the Middle East should adopt a powerful branding tool. The fourth article â€Å"Blowout!: Firestone’s Image Restoration Campaign† explores how concealment of incriminating evidence and denial occur after every wrongful event.Advertising Looking for critical writing on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Firestone used such responses after producing defective tires. Such tires caused numerous injuries and deaths. The company was driven by corporate greed. This case study explains why a corrective action could have produced the best results. The authors also examine how mixed strategies such as corrective action and mortification could have produced the best results. Significance and Implication to Strategic Communication The first article supports the use of the diminish strategy in order to ameliorate the targeted crisis. This strategy can therefore help many organizations to deal with every crisis. An â€Å"informed approach should therefore depend on the best public relations (PR) theory† (Sisco, Collins, Zoch, 2010, p. 27). The Role of Apologia can also produce the best results instead of avoiding responsibility. The second article recommends the use of â€Å"Compassion Without Blame† strategy in order to produce the best image after a crisis. This approach can also bolster a company’s communication approach whenever there is a crisis. These two articles encourage entrepreneurs and organizations to respond to different crises.  The third article supports the use of appropriate marketing initiatives, campaigns, and PR strategies. Such approaches can restore the image of the targeted region.   New media campaigns and appropriate marketing officials can also promote the best PR practices. This approach can deal with negative situations and events characterizing a specific region. The article supports the use of a corrective action in order to produce the best communication outcomes (Blaney, Benoit, Brazeal, 2002). Companies can therefore use the above models in order to support their strategic communication approaches. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles The first article begins by examining the aspects of the SCCT model. This understanding makes it easier for the reader to identify the effectiveness of the diminish strategy. The authors have also used the best research approach. The authors have used three approaches to explore the models used by the American Red Cross. However, the article lacks sufficient examples and quality sources to support the arguments. The second article combines different models that can support a firm’s public image. The authors present a powerful model to explore how different organizations can deal with certain crises.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on â€Å"Through the Looking Glass† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These ideas can support the goals of different companies. The â€Å"Compassion Without Blame† approach is also applicable in other industries. The study approach presents quality ideas to the reader (Englehardt et al., 2004).  The third article identifies unique branding strategies that have supported the image of the Middle East. The article examines how the multi-step model can deal with such challenges (Avraham, 2013). However, the article fails to offer a powerful PR approach that can produce the best outcomes. The article on Firestone identifies the major mistakes committed by different companies. The article uses an appropriate methodology and discussions to discourage companies from shifting blames. A corrective approach can produce better results. A combined strategy will also improve the image of ever y company. The main weakness associated with the article is the absence of quality or recent sources. Agreements and Disagreements These articles present powerful arguments that can make different firms successful. The authors of the articles also support the importance of crisis communication and management in every organization. This approach â€Å"can support the goals of both for profit and not for profit organizations† (Sisco et al., 2010, p. 25). Most of the concepts presented in these articles can transform many companies. The articles support the importance of Public Relations (PR) in every firm. Societies and companies should use the best models to address every crisis. Reference List Avraham, E. (2013). Crisis Communication, Image Restoration, and Battling Stereotypes of Terror and Wars: Media Strategies for Attracting Tourism to Middle Eastern Countries. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(9), 1350-1367. Blaney, J., Benoit, W., Brazeal, L. (2002). Blowout!: Fireston e’s Image Restoration Campaign. Public Relations Review, 28(1), 379-392.Advertising Looking for critical writing on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Englehardt, K., Sallot, L., Springston, J. (2004). Compassion Without Blame: Testing the Accident Decision Flow Chart With the Crash of ValuJet Flight 592. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(2), 127-156. Sisco, H., Collins, E., Zoch, L. (2010). Through the looking glass: A decade of Red Cross crisis response a situational crisis communication theory. Public Relations Review, 36(1), 21-27.

Free Essays on Where The Wild Roses Grow ~ NickCave

and symbolicall... Free Essays on Where The Wild Roses Grow ~ NickCave Free Essays on Where The Wild Roses Grow ~ NickCave â€Å"Where the Wild Roses Grow† by Nick Cave is a tragic tale of ill-fated love. Nick Cave uses a variety of literary elements such as foreshadowing, symbols and mood to strengthen and deepen the effect of his poem. The tale of Elisa Day’s first and her last love takes place over a period of three days. From the moment he walked in her door she was captured by his charm and trustworthy personality: â€Å"When he knocked on my door and entered the room/ My trembling subsided in his sure embrace/ He would be my first man.† The man appears to be drawn to her at first sight: â€Å"From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one/ As she stared into my eyes and smiled.† On the second day their feelings toward each other become more apparent. â€Å"On the second day I brought her a flower/She was more beautiful than any woman I’d seen.† The man notices Elisa’s exceptional beauty and seems to desire it, but it is still unclear what his intentions are. Elisa on the other hand sees the man with adoring eyes and wants to be with him and to be comforted by his tender embrace: â€Å"I nodded my head as I lay on the bed.† On the third and final day after E lisa accepts her love’s offer to take away all of her pain he takes her to where the wild roses grow. There on the banks where the wild roses grow the man murders Elisa merely muttering â€Å"All beauty must die.† Elisa is referred to as â€Å"the Wild Rose† throughout the poem, symbolizing that she is willful and not refined. The man often connects Elisa to a rose especially in beauty: â€Å"For her lips were the colour of the roses.† The final connection he makes is placing a rose between her teeth after killing her down by the river where the wild roses grow. At first the man is charming and seems very reliable and in love with Elisa: â€Å"Do you know where the wild roses grow/ So sweet and scarlet and free?† The use of the word scarlet deepens the meaning of his words and symbolicall...