Cleansing and Forced Relocation of Native American Nations

Trail of Tears The Trail of Tears is a name given to the Cleansing and forced relocation of Native American nations from Southeastern parts of United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The phrase originated from a description of removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831. We Cherokee Indians have lived in our lands for centuries. The white setters forcefully came into our world and had an eye on our land to grow cotton and other crops. First they wanted to â€Å"civilize† us and â€Å"save our souls† by converting us to Christianity. Many of our people tried to comply, but they thought of us as alien people and looked down upon us. The Choctaw, the Chickasaw, the Cherokee, the Muscogee, and the Seminole (collectively called the Five Civilized Tribes) were living as autonomous nations in what could be called to the American Deep South. They initially started harassing us by stealing livestock, burning and looting our houses and squatting on our land which did no t belong to them. The land they coveted was the east of Mississippi as this land was valuable for growing cotton. Several state governments passed laws limiting Native American sovereignty and rights, even though US Supreme Court affirmed our nation to be sovereign in the case of Worcester v. Georgia (1832). In Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831), the Supreme Court ruled the Cherokee nation was not sovereign and independent nation, and even refused to hear the case. Tensions between Georgia andShow MoreRelatedA Brief History of American Imperialism1391 Words   |  6 Pageseventual spread of the American nation beyond the Mississippi into Native and French land, referred to as â€Å"Manifest Destiny† by John O’Sullivan, was rationalized as a realization of their God given duty. The Louisiana Purchase set the precedent for unrestricted westward expansion in America, and allowed for others to follow in his footsteps. Characterized by racist overtones, a lack of the †Å"consent of the governed, and ethnic cleansing, there is no valid distinction between this American continental expansionRead MoreTaking a Look at Indian Removal751 Words   |  3 PagesIndian removal was a 19th-century course of action to forcefully migrate Native Americans. It started with tribes living on land east of the Mississippi River being forced to move to the west. The ethnic cleansing did not stop there, but instead began to spread. Impatient for land, settlers harassed the government to acquire more Indian Territory. However, throughout the seemingly innocent relocation process many Native American tribes were deceived through treaties and poorly treated. ResentmentRead MoreHistory and Relocation of Native Americans Essay2319 Words   |  10 Pageshistory of relocation and Indian reservations. In what ways did reservations destroy Native American cultures, and in what ways did reservations foster tribal identities? Be sure to account for patterns of change and consistency over time.    When one hears the word â€Å"relocation†, I assume, they think of taking one thing exactly as it was and placing it in a different location, but placing it as it was and with the same resources. Relocation is a loaded term because before the word relocation came aboutRead MoreEssay about The Trail of Tears: Indian Genocide2310 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race.† -― Martin Luther King Jr. The Trail of Tears is a historical title given to an event that happened in 1838.In this event, the Cherokee community of Native Americans was forced by the USA government to move from their native home in the Southern part of the contemporary America to what is known as the Indian territories of Oklahoma. While some travelled by water, mostRead MoreWays to Prevent Genocide2798 Words   |  11 PagesGENOCIDE PREVENTION Genocide Prevention The term genocide was developed during the Holocaust and announced an international crime during the 1948 United Nations Convention that focused on Prevention and Punishment of genocide as a crime. Genocide is, therefore, defined as deeds committed with the aim of destroying, in whole or partially, anethnical, national, religious or racial group.Such acts include, killing followers of the group, causing serious physical or mental harm to followers of theRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesand Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Read MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesStates quite an amazing thing. Those who would presage the arrival of Rastafarianism also witnessed and read about the dramatic struggle of Emperor Haile Selassie to remove the Italians from his homeland of Ethiopia, which became the ï ¬ rst African nation to effectively oust, by force, a colonial power. These were monumental times, and these men, fully steeped in the apocalyptic visions of the world, saw something important in all of these happenings. I grew up in Jamaica at a time when Rastas were

lieshod The Lies in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay...

The Lies in Heart of Darkness nbsp; A lie, as defined by Websters dictionary is 1) a false statement deliberately presented as true; 2) to convey a false image or impression. It is generally accepted that Marlow told a lie to the Intended - the reasons for that lie are debatable. I would suggest that he told not just one lie, to the Intended, but several - that his visit itself was, in a form, a lie. nbsp; The statement easily recognized as a lie, and that falls into Websters definition 1), is Marlows deliberate falsification of Kurtzs last words - The last word he pronounced was - your name (Longman p. 2246), when we all know that Kurtzs last words were, The horror! The horror!(Longman p. 2240). Marlows intentions -†¦show more content†¦He begins to soften and justify his stance when he says, I know that the sunlight can be made to lie, too...(Longman p. 2243). He makes a distinction - just as the dictionary does - between intentional/deliberately false statements and the more subtle portrayal of a false image/impression. Marlow struggles with this concept throughout the novel - the gray areas shift and expand while Marlows righteous hatred of lies slowly dissolves. He chooses to protect the image/impression of Kurtz - indirectly protecting his own image/impression through association and saves the Intended from the harsh reality of the truth. Marlow recognizes a moral strength in the Intended which he describes as a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering (Longman p. 2244) but, in the end he deems her character not strong enough to endure the truth and implications of Kurtzs real last words. Marlow appointed himself the guardian of the faith that was in her...that great and saving illusion(Longman p. 2245). This opinion of her is based on his preconceived notions regarding women in general. Its queer how out of touch with truth women are. They live in a world of their own...It is too beautiful altogether...(Longman p. 2199). nbsp; Marlow is, in a sense, a pawn in these events. Because he does not have a clear understanding of his experiences or of their effect on him personally - he walks into the meeting with the Intended with no principles; no inner

Harold and Maude Film Analysis Essay Example For Students

Harold and Maude Film Analysis Essay Harold and Maude is a romantic black comedy and it incorporates the elements of dark humor and existentialist drama. The movie interprets the romantic relationship between a young man called Harold with a 79 year-old woman called Maude. They share the same hobbies of attending different funerals of strangers. They eventually build up relationship with each other and find out their own feeling and meaning of life. The plot of the movie is attractive to lots of people since the setting of the relationship between the two main characters in the movie is with a large age gap which is unaccepted by the general. However what fascinated me the most is that the movie interprets how a person can find the meaning of life of oneself from another person they meet in occasion. There are quite a few scenes of Harold displaying fake suicide in the movie, while such behavior is related to the numb emotion, domineering mother and low self-esteem of Harold. To commence, Harold in the movie is emotionally numb, which means that he is unable to think, feel and react in a normal way. From his mother’s point of view, she thinks that Harold inherit his father’s strange sense of values, that penchant for the absurd. His father is arrested for floating nude down the Seine, experimenting in river currents with a pair of yellow rubber water wings in Paris once. (Higgins, P. 1) He is fascinated by the world of death and decay that leads him to demonstrate fake suicide. In the beginning, Harold is found with his throat slashed, and blood dripping from his neck and wrists in the bathtub. After this incident, he needs to see the psychiatrist for guidance. Besides, Harold also preoccupies himself with fake suicide because of his domineering mother. His mother is a wealthy yet snooty and controlling person. In the movie, his mother always ignores Harold so that he creates fake suicide in order to get the attention from his mom. For example, he writes the word â€Å"farewell† with blood on the mirror and leaves suicide note, yet his mom doesn’t even see them. (Higgins, P. 4) Later, he also shoots himself at home when his mom is doing questionnaire for the dating service. However his mom doesnt even look to make sure if he was fine and Harold fails to get the attention from his mother. He also hangs himself when his mother is talking on phone, yet his mother replies with â€Å"I suppose you think that is very funny, Harold. † All of the above examples show the ignorance of his mother towards Harold. According to the psychiatrist, he pretends suicide at least for 15 times. (Higgins, P. 3) This actually reveals that he lacks the feeling of self-worth in front of his mother. When he carries out fake suicide, he attempts to gain attention from his mother. He is likely to consider himself more valuable if he can get the attention from his mother, yet he fails after the one-time success in the beginning. Apart from finding himself with no value in his family, he also finds himself no value at all in the society. He thinks that he is not important in the society and he lives without a meaning. Since he has little lust and desire for life, he fakes suicide so as to recognize own individuality and find self-esteem. There are actually quite a lot of times that he self-suicide because of such thinking. Apart from trying to create fake suicide, he also attends funerals of strangers to try and find out the meaning of living. In conclusion, if a school were a miniature of the society, a person would also consider how to be treated and look at from the rest of the society by how they are treated in a family. As Harold cannot find his position and status in his family, he also cannot find it in the society. .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .postImageUrl , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:hover , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:visited , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:active { border:0!important; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:active , .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0 .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u04b9d2411653f2fcb19f5a8afe0916d0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analysis of Artwork and Techniques EssayHe wants to gain attention from people around him all the time to recognize his own identity and individuality. In fact, to solve such problem of Harold, it is not only about to find a psychiatrist or to find a person who understands, for instance Harold find Maude in the movie which he thinks that Maude shares the same thinking with him. To truly and completely settle Harold’s situation, is that the way of treating and interacting with Harold by his mom should be changed. His mom should show more care and love to him so as to solve the deep root of the problem. Bibliography: â€Å"Harold and Maude† Wikipedia. Web. 26 Dec 2014. Higgins, Colin. â€Å"Harold and Maude†. Web. 26 Dec 2014. Write Brothers. â€Å"Harold and Maude† Dramatica. Web. 26 Dec 2014. Harold and Maude. Hal Ashby. Bud Cort. Ruth Gordon. Paramount Pictures, 1971.

Islamic Religion Zakah

The Islam religion in addition to giving spiritual guidance, also gives economic guidance one of which is the Zakah. Zakah is listed among the five pillars forming the basic foundations of the religion of Islam; it is the third of the five. The word ‘Zakah’ in Arabic means to be purified, to grow and receive blessings. In some texts it is also referred to as Zakat.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Islamic Religion: Zakah specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Khan describes Zahra as a mandatory levy paid on wealth and agricultural products that are in excess of a specified minimum (the nisab) (Islamic Economics and Finance 195).  During the time of Prophet Muhammad, there was a list of the nisab for each asset one could own for example the nisab for gold was 85grams and the nisab for silver was 595grams. At that time value 595grams of silver was equivalent to the value of 85grams of gold. Times have chang ed and gold and silver are no longer used as currency. We now have paper money. The value of silver has decreased while that of gold has remained almost the same. Muslim scholars differ on whether to use the nisab of gold or the nisab of silver when calculating the nisab for the current currencies. Those who support the nisab of gold to be used argue that its value has remained the same over time. Those who argue for the nisab of silver argue that it would be of more benefit to the poor if the nausea of silver is used. Using the nisab of silver will lower the minimum hence increasing the number of people to pay Zakah and hence increasing the amount of money. The nisab of silver is used in some countries like Saudi Arabia; although the nisab of gold is the most common (Khan 1994).  Therefore, Nisab’s value is directly dependent on the retailing price of gold (or silver for the countries that use the nisab of silver) in the world markets as it is equal to a specified amount o f gold. In 2012, it was an equivalent of USD$5200. The nisab should be calculated based on the price of gold on the day that the individual pays the levy. The regulations governing the collection and spending of this fund are based on the Quran and the Hadith; works attributed to the Islamic Prophet Muhammad but are not found in the Quran. In some countries the calculation of nisab is based on the poverty level of the country rather than the price of gold or silver (Ahmad 2010). The levy has a lot of importance in the Islamic faith. In the Quran it is equated to prayer. The funds collected are given to the needy and therefore act to bridge the differences between the rich and the poor. This levy leads to the development of the economy as the rich cannot just keep their wealth as it will continue decreasing over time as the levy is imposed, thus it forces them to invest (Ahmad 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your firs t paper with 15% OFF Learn More It develops in people the virtue of generosity and condemns selfishness. It prepares one to get used to the act of giving and when they are required to give up all their wealth for the act of faith they will be ready to do so. Muslims believe that all wealth belongs to Allah and humans are just entrusted with the wealth. They are therefore required to use the wealth as required by the owner. Giving reminds them not to lay too much emphasis on material wealth. Making the contribution purifies wealth and souls of those who give (Khan 1994).  Zakah is not based on all the property one owns since some wealth is considered taxable while other types of properties are exempted from the levy. Wealth that is considered taxable include; livestock, minerals, investments in business including stock, and agricultural products while properties for personal and home use such as furniture and houses are tax exempt. Property that does not have a specific ow ner such as taxes collected by the government is exempt from Zakar as it is used for the benefit of everyone including the poor. Property and businesses that are owned by the public such as schools and mosques are also exempted from the levy. An individual cannot pay Zakah on property that was acquired through stealing, corruption or cheating. The property does not belong to them they therefore cannot pay Zakah for it.  Muslim scholars make it clear that if an asset is not named in the Quran or Hadith as Zakatable it does not mean that it is exempted from the levy. The Prophet Muhammad who was the founder of Zakah only mentioned in his works assets that were available during his time. As people continue to develop new products the zakatable products should be revised in accordance with the current trends.  Zakah is usually paid as a percentage. The percentage of Zakah to be paid varies with the type of asset for which one is paying the levy. It is 2.5% of profits from investment and income from work; 5% of Agricultural products that are irrigated; 10% of agricultural products that do not require irrigation or are watered by natural means such as the rain and 20% for minerals. The percentage is a minimum of what should be paid, if someone is willing to pay more, they can.  Wealth has to meet some requirements before the owner pays the levy. The levy is based on the wealth that is with the owner for a lunar year; 355days.An individual begins counting the days once his wealth exceeds the nisab. Agricultural products are an exemption to the rule of the lunar year; Zakah is paid after harvesting. Zakah for mineral wealth is also paid after acquisition of the mineral and not annually. The levy is imposed only on goods that are developing and increasing.  The rule requiring that an asset has to be growing to be zakatable has some limitations; individuals who intentionally make their wealth not to grow are required to pay Zakah. Prophet Muhammad warns such peo ple and calls them lazy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Islamic Religion: Zakah specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wealth that is not growing as an exemption to payment of the levy is limited to people whose property has been stolen or destroyed or whose lack of growth is due to the characteristics of the asset and not the individual’s choice.  The goods also have to be under the individual’s control, debts owed are not included in the calculation. Gold or other precious stones that are in the form of jewels are exempted from the levy as long as they are used for the purpose of looking good and not for business. In the case of land that is used for Agriculture, if it is in the hands of the owner, then the owner pays the levy. In the case that the owner rents out the land without payment, the person who uses the land for farming will pay the levy.  Debts are another area where the payment of the levy is unclear. The debtors cannot pay the levy as the money is not rightfully their neither can the creditors because the money is not under their control. In this century loans which fall under the debt category are common, Muslim scholars differ on opinions whether one should pay the levy for loans or not. It becomes more difficult when one has loans on assets that are tangible. Some people argue that the creditors should be levied as the property belongs to them while others argue that the debtors should be levied as they are in possession of the asset. Levying taxes on both of them will be against the Muslim laws (Shariah) which warn against duality.  Duality in Shariah is defined as dual payment where an asset is levied more than once in the same lunar year. Another issue that has come up with this century is savings such as retirement benefits. The payment of the levy will vary depending on whether the savings are within the control of the individual or they are within the control of the employer. In the case that an individual is paid retirement benefits, he would be required to pay Zakah when he is given the money.  The Quran and Hadith give a description of who should pay the levy. The individual has to meet the requirements of nisab. The individual also has to be an adult of sane mind; children and mentally ill are not required to pay. There is debate on whether children and the mentally ill can pay Zakah. The Hadith requires that children cannot pay until they reach puberty and the mentally ill cannot pay until they recover.  Those who support that the levy should not be imposed on children and the mentally ill argue that it’s an act of worship and therefore requires one to be willing. The intention is compromised in children and those with psychiatric illness. They also argue that those who have a compromised state of mind cannot develop their wealth. Those who are arguing that those who have a compromised state of mind should be tax ed say that the Quran does not provide any exemptions for them (Ahmad 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The individual has to be Muslim in order to make the contribution. Non Muslims are required to pay Jizyah. Zakah is an act of worship and belief in the religion; it therefore cannot be paid by someone who does not believe. In the case that a non believer converts to Islam, he cannot be asked to pay Zakah for the years he did not believe in the Islamic faith. In some states a tax an equivalent of the Zakah is levied on non Muslims to ensure economic balance. The individual to pay the levy has to be free; Prisoners are exempted from the levy (Ahmad 2010).  Zakah is considered mandatory for all Muslims. The Quran also requires that one does it voluntarily. In the case that an individual is too mean and refuses to pay, the state has the authority to collect the payment by force and impose a penalty on the individual. The penalty is equivalent to half of the defaulter’s wealth. A group of people may decide to evade the levy. War should be declared on them as they would be consid ered to have rejected the Islamic faith. Some people claim that this law was used during the establishment of the Muslim religion and has since been done away with. There is no evidence to the effect that the law was nullified and therefore most states are considered to have a right to forcefully collect and to impose penalties on those who have defaulted. Those who evade paying the levy will face the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Those who evade payment are not considered part of the Muslim brotherhood unless the individual is ignorant of the requirements of Zakah or is new to the Islamic faith (Ahmad 2010). When calculating the percentage of Zakah to be paid, the individual first calculates all his assets and subtract liabilities. The difference should be more than the price of 85grams of gold. The Individual can then group assets of the same kind together and get the percentage of the total. In the case of money, 2.5% of the total amount of money he has. The laws of Isla m prohibit grouping of different kind of wealth when calculating the percentage profit. The laws of Islam discourage double payment of Zakah. An asset can only be levied once in a lunar year. Zakah on investments is based on the profit and not on the total amount while the Zakah on money and cattle is based on the total amount of assets. Products that are not money such as cattle should be calculated based on the market price at the moment (Ahmad 2010). Zakah is collected through various means; in some countries it is collected by the state while in others it is collected by organizations specifically for that purpose. The Hadith gives regulations for state collection of the fund. Ahmad says that in as much as the state may collect the contribution, the laws of Muslims require that it should be separated from the national budget (49). The separation is done to ensure that the money collected achieves its purpose of helping the needy.  Payment of Zakah can be traced back to when th e Muslim religion was established. Its origin is from the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Khan says that Zakah has existed in all Muslim societies throughout history although during the colonial period it was neglected but it was later restored following the Second World War (An Introduction to Islamic Economics 81). The main objective of collecting this fund is to provide support to specific groups of people especially those in the lower socioeconomic status. The Quran gives a list of those people who qualify to receive funds collected through this levy and they include; those in need, street children, people who have gotten debts when trying to earn an honest living, individuals who want to convert to the Islamic religion, travelers who have encountered difficulty, debtors, The people who collect Zakah and people who work for Allah (Ahmad 2010). The needy are those whose assets are below the nisab and those whose property cannot cater for them for the whole year. The poor on the other h and are described as those who have no assets and do not have the capability to work to earn a living. The fund is given to those in debt only if the debts were incurred when they were seeking to satisfy their basic needs (Khan 2012). Those who incurred debts through gambling or mismanagement of money do not qualify for this fund. This fund is also given to those who fight in the Holy War. Travelers are defined as those who are far away from their homes. In the past slaves also qualified for this fund but they are no more slaves. Allowing collectors of the fund to take part of it ensured that they are not tempted to steal or mismanage the fund. Some funds were donated to people who wanted to convert to Islam to aid in spreading the religion (Khan 2012).  The Hadith prohibits investment of the money collected through the means of Zakah. The money should be given directly to those in need. The family of the prophet Muhammad and his descendants are prohibited from benefiting from thi s fund. The Hadith warns that there would be punishment for people who receive funds from Zakah collection yet they are not qualified. It also warns the collectors not to take more than they deserve. There is debate on whether poor people who are not Muslim can qualify for the fund. Some states prefer that before the fund is given to non Muslim; all the Muslim needs should be met. In addition to the uses listed in the Quran, the fund can also be used for administration purposes in Organizations that manage the fund (Ahmad 2010).  According to Muhammad Khan, Zakah has not achieved its expectations because of the limits imposed by governments. Zakah is also not well managed due to a lack of proper methods of accounting and inadequate monitoring. These are the problems frequently encountered by institutions collecting this fund and should be addressed to ensure Zakah meets its expectations (81). A case in point is Pakistan, they began a centralized way of collecting the fund but to d ate they still have problems like interruptions in the collection and distribution of the funds (Khan 2012). The levy is distinguished from other kinds of religious payments by various ways. Most religious contributions are voluntary, Zakah is mandatory. Unlike the other payments, which even the poor can make, this is paid by a specific group of people. The spending of other forms of payments is based on the agreement of the religious leaders. The spending of funds collected through this means is dictated by the church. In the event that one does not pay other voluntary religious contributions, no punishment is imposed on them. If a person who is Muslim refuses to pay Zakah, they are given a penalty which is half of their wealth (Khan 1994).  In summary, Zakah is an obligatory contribution of Muslims who fulfill the requirements of Nisab. Its main function is to help the needy in society and a means of giving back to Allah the greatest. There are many issues that have changed sinc e the time Zakah was founded by The Islamic Prophet Muhammad to date. The means of collection and the distribution have to be reviewed to be in line with current trends. This should be done in a way that ensures that the reason for the collection of the fund is still met. Works Cited Ahmad, Abu Umar Faruq. Developments in Islamic Banking Practice: The experience of  Bangladesh Boca Raton, Florida: Universal Publishers, 2010. Print. Khan, Muhammad Akram. An Introduction to Islamic Economics, Pakistan, Islamabad:  IIIT, 1994. Print. Khan, Muhammad Akram. Islamic Economics and Finance: A Glossary, New York:  Routledge, 2012. Print. This essay on Islamic Religion: Zakah was written and submitted by user GhostRider to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

All About the Word About! - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog

All About the Word About! - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog All About the Word About! One of the most common problems our customers have is how to use the word about correctly. This is particularly tricky because about is a common word and can be used in several contexts. Well run through a few of these uses here. About: On the Subject Of As a preposition, the word about can be used to link nouns and verbs, such as when using about to mean concerning or on the subject of: We spoke about her neighbors awful choice of house paint. However, a common mistake here is using about with discussed. This is incorrect; even though we speak about something, the term discuss doesnt require a preposition. As such, if we were to use discussed in the sentence above, it would simply be: We discussed her neighbors awful choice of house paint. About: To Affect The word about can also be used to mean to affect, as in: There is nothing we can do about our neighbors house. Its staying lime green. About: Around We can also use it to mean distributed around an area: In my town, there are several horribly painted houses about. Or on ones person: She concealed the blue paint about her as she crept up on the house in the dead of night. About: Approximately or Nearly It can also be used to mean approximately, as in: After repainting her neighbors house, she was caught by the cops. They say shell get about 10 months in jail for criminal damage. Furthermore, it can mean nearly: In her mugshot, she was about the same height as Jackson Pollock. About: Movement We can even use the word about to mean movement: As the cops drove up, she was still flinging blue paint about wildly. These are just some of the ways in which about can be used, so dont forget to check a dictionary if youre unsure whether you should be using this term in any particular example.

Custom Essay A No-Cost Sample About Pandas Created by Top Writers

Custom Essay A No-Cost Sample About Pandas Created by Top Writers Descriptive Essay Example about Pandas How could anyone not be charmed by a Giant Panda? The black-and-white bears are a national treasure of China, whose bamboo forests are their natural habitat, and universally recognized as the epitome of cute: A panda is nothing more or less than a chubby, fluffy ball of gentleness, and if we didn’t know they were a real animal from an identifiable part of the world, we would assume they came from the same place where rainbows and unicorns are made. In ancient China, warring armies even used to raise flags emblazoned with images of pandas when they wanted to stop fighting and discuss their problems peacefully. Private Writing offers professional writing assistance with any kind of writing assignments in any field of knowledge alongside with the individual approach to every customer. Our top-notch customer support is ready to help you 24/7. Place an order and enjoy the result. It seems, however, that Mother Nature may have given the Giant Panda its heartwarming appearance as a consolation prize to partly make up for all the other traits that make the panda kind of an evolutionary failure. The Giant Panda is indeed a peaceful creature, but that is because it simply does not have the energy not to be. Unlike other bears, which are omnivorous, the panda’s diet consists solely of bamboo. A single panda requires an area of about four square kilometers of bamboo to have a sufficient supply of food, and it must spend 14 to 16 hours of each day eating that food in order to survive. The panda has to spend so much of its time eating because it has a poor digestive system. The panda only uses about 30% of the nutrients from its diet; by comparison, other herbivores such as deer use about 80%. The panda’s diet does give it one dubious talent: Pooping. Because most of what it eats passes through the panda’s system undigested, an adult panda produces an astonishing amount of â€Å"number two† – as much as 62 kilograms per day. The Giant Panda’s inability to use its food efficiently also prevents it from hibernating; the panda simply cannot eat enough to build up the fat reserves necessary to allow it to slumber through the winter like a â€Å"normal† bear. The diet also is responsible, some scientists believe, for the panda’s unusual reproductive pattern. Female pandas ovulate just one a year and are only fertile for two or three days. Because pandas must individually maintain a large area of the bamboo forest for their own food needs, encounters between pandas in the wild are relatively rare, and that includes opportunities for mating. If mating is successful, gestation takes from four to eight months; the wide time range is due to the female panda’s body delaying implantation of the fertilized egg until there is enough nutrition to support it. Then once the panda cub is born, it has a fifty-fifty chance of surviving to adulthood; panda cubs are easy prey for a number of predators, but more often than not are killed by being accidentally crushed by their own mothers. While the Giant Panda has been seriously threatened by human activity such as poaching – which is treated as a heinous crime in China, punishable by a long prison sentence or even the death penalty – and destruction of its natural habitat, the panda’s characteristics that naturally seem to work against its survival have led some scientists to conclude it is a â€Å"remnant species†: One that is naturally becoming extinct on its own. In that sense, the fact that pandas are just so darned adorable may be a clever evolutionary advantage – unable to survive in the wild, the Giant Panda is equipped with a look and a personality that has proved irresistible to the one species with the ability to overcome nature for the panda’s ultimate benefit. We hope that this descriptive essay sample provided above will help you to write a brilliant descriptive essay. If you dont have time to write a descriptive essay on your own, feel free to contact our essay writers or place an order.

Basing Sentencing on Retributivist Principles is the Most Effective Essay

Basing Sentencing on Retributivist Principles is the Most Effective Means of Producing a Less Punitive Range of Outcomes - Essay Example Retributive principle has had both supporters and critics. Many believe that retributive justice is the way to go as it brings justice to the victim and punishes the offender. But its critics argue that it is based on negative emotions such as revenge and does not contribute positively. It is backward looking and not forward looking. This debate has been on for a long time and many scholars and researchers have tried to address this issue. One of the main arguments supporting retributive justice is that it helps in reducing similar offences and injustices in the future. This essay revolves around this idea. The author of this essay believes that basing sentencing on retributive principles is the most effective means of producing a less punitive range of outcomes. This essay is aimed at justifying this ideology. In order to effectively justify the above, it is first necessary to understand retributive justice. And then the author argues why it is an effective means of producing less p unitive range of outcomes. Retributive Justice Retributive Justice is based on a simple concept that the wrongdoers or criminals must be punished and the punishment should be proportional to the damage caused. In simple words, people must get what they deserve. This means that a labour who works hard deserves to be rewarded while those who break the rules deserve punishment. Also everybody has a choice in the way they treat others. Hence, people only deserve to be treated the way they choose to treat others. It is on these simple ideas that the retributive principles are based2. The simplicity of the idea behind retributive principles is what has lead to the confusion over retributive justice and has attracted criticism. The basic requirement of retributive justice is that punishment is proportional to the crime and cases that are similar must be treated in the same way. Wrongdoers inflict harm and cause damage and hence the punishment and blame that they deserve must be in direct p roportion to the damage and harm caused3. Criticism of Retributive Justice Retributive principles have been criticised by many. One of the main criticisms of retributive justice is that it is backward looking. The retributivist theory does not look into the future but is only concerned about the crime committed in the past. Punishment is only looked from the perspective of a victim or the aggrieved party. Punishment according to retributive principles is a response to the crime and not a way to bring about social good (to the offender or the society). Critics of retributive principles take utilitarian views to support their argument. Utilitarian justice is forward looking and punishment is looked at as a tool to bring in social benefits. The severity of the punishment is not proportional to the crime but is with a purpose to reduce such crimes or offences4. Failure to take various factors such as social, economical, etc into account during imposing a penalty is another argument that critics use against retributive principles. That is if an offender is awarded with a penalty only based on the factor that it is proportional to the crime committed, then it might not be an effective one. For example, if a millionaire and an unemployed offender are both awarded the same penalty or fine based on the crime committed, then it might create an unjust situation. For the unemployed offend

The effect of terrorism on the global economy Essay

The effect of terrorism on the global economy - Essay Example and all of the countries it trades with. The federal government, in what some might term a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to the attack, spent unprecedented amounts of money on questionable programs and ventures in an effort to ‘provide security’ to its citizens. â€Å"The President has requested a significant increase in security-related programs in the context of the budget for 2003. Additional spending of $48 billion was proposed for national defense (an increase of 14 percent from the previous year). In addition, the President asked Congress for an appropriation of $38 billion for homeland security, compared to $20 billion spent in 2001† (Looney, 2002). The combination of a stunned economy, a flat-line growth in the job market and dwindling government resources made its affects known worldwide. This paper will examine how the events of 9/11 influenced many aspects of the U.S. economy and examples of its global consequences. The U.S. was enjoying a period of vigorous economic expansion during the second Clinton administration, a period that saw the nation’s first budget surpluses in 40 years. This growth was fueled largely because of a general confidence in the nation’s economic health and an increase in worker’s productivity. This time of prosperity was over by the latter part of the year 2000 as the trend in business appeared to reflect a lessening confidence in the direction of the national economy. Corporations, especially those in the technical industries, began systematically downsizing, outsourcing and employing other means of economizing because of steady revenue losses. The economy had shown signs of weakening the entire year of 1999, and by the end of 2000, the manufacturing segment was also steadily shrinking as was evidenced by the lack of equipment orders, profits and number of employees. This trend was experienced many other industries

Looking for Alaska Essay Example for Free

Looking for Alaska Essay John Green’s 2006 novel Looking for Alaska personally affected me as I could relate to one of the main characters Miles (Pudge). The theme of belonging was also very relevant as this novel touches on the concern of Miles fitting into his new school and finding out how everything works at Culver Creek Preparatory. I directly can relate to Miles in this sense as I am still new and am trying to figure out how my new school works and also finding a friendship group that I am comfortable in. This novel is great because it raises questions about individuals understanding of true friendship, love, loyalty and having a sense of belonging. It shows the importance of truly living life to the fullest rather that just watching it fly by. The conflicts within the characters themselves lead readers inward to examine how much everyone needs a sense knowing where we belong. Pudge buys the cigarettes to show that he can be a part of his new friendship group’s crowd. A certain amount of peer pressure was probably involved, with Pudge worried about ‘fitting in’ and making friends. â€Å"The Colonel talked me into paying five dollars for a pack of Marlboro Lights I had no intention of ever smoking. † I think that by Miles giving into this peer pressure he would hope that it would make him feel more normal and apart of that what his friends were partaking in. The use of first person narrative point of view allowed me to experience things as Miles does. It gave me a deeper understanding of how he is affected by people, events and his own reactions and feelings as the novel progresses. This is no more clearly seen than in the event of Alaska dying, I was limited to Miles’ own feelings and emotions surrounding her death. The idea of guilt and loss becomes apparent as we see him struggle to deal with her death and the role he played in it, with him trying to figure out where he belongs. He experiences a loss of innocence as he is forced to re-evaluate his philosophy on life and find his own place in the world. Alaska’s death aids in Miles’ coming-of-age journey. â€Å"I felt the total loss of her, still reeling from the idea that she was not only gone from this world, but from them all† This can be very relatable for other audiences who might have suffered a great loss like Miles’. Looking for Alaska depicts many messages about one’s vital need to belong, some of which I can personally relate to. As well as other aspects of the novel that other audiences can personally relate to.

PAULA ABDUL :: essays research papers

Rarely in the history of entertainment has there been an artist equally recognized, awarded and celebrated in front of the camera as well as behind the camera, as is Paula Abdul. Abdul’s extraordinary music career encompasses worldwide album sales exceeding 40 million records, two #1 Albums, six #1 Singles, a Grammy Award, seven MTV Awards, 3 American Music Awards, two Emmy Awards, two People ¹s Choice Awards and two Kid’s Choice Awards. She has also been honored with her very own Star on Hollywood Boulevard and inducted into Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Hall of Fame. Currently, Abdul is receiving acclaim as â€Å"the heart and soul† of the record-breaking primetime FOX show American Idol, for which she is a Celebrity judge. Abdul has even gone so far as to design inspirational â€Å"Innergy† good luck jewelry for the American Idol contestants, which they can occasionally be seen grasping for strength and inspiration during more stressful times on the popular high-stakes show. The jewelry became so popular, that Paula developed an entire jewelry line to make available for all men and women in America. Each piece represents the â€Å"Inner Energy† it takes to succeed. Paula’s jewelry is available at Sam’s Club and on her web site, www.paulaabdul.com. Most recently, Paula has used her former dance and cheer career, along with her unique expression of style, to design her own lines of dance and cheer clothing called â€Å"Skirtz.† â€Å"Skirtz† serves as an inspiration for young girls and teens all over the country. Her clothing is available at Wal Mart stores. Behind the camera, Abdul is known as one of the most gifted and recognized choreographers in the industry of film, television, video, stage and live tours. Her celebrated work in choreography includes Emmy-winning contributions to The Tracey Ullman Show, She choreographed the film Coming toAmerica, which starred Eddie Murphy. Paula’s own performance as an artist on the American Music Award, and her choreography for the Academy Awards, for which she earned an Emmy nomination. Other triumphs include her award-winning work with Janet Jackson, which garnered two MTV Video Awards; and working with such musical legends as Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Luther Vandross, INXS, Heart and Prince.

Little thing Essay

Of the five poems I have selected beforehand, I happen to choose the poem â€Å"The Pebble†. It took me awhile to choose which poem to talk about but somehow, I keep coming back in reading this poem. I favour this poem compared to the other four because of the simplicity it implies. It starts off with the title which gives out a plain imagery of the thing that will be talked about. The poem struck me in the way that it talked about a very little thing. A thing that is often taken for granted. Nobody would actually pay much attention to a pebble. Usually, the pebble is just an add-on to an aquarium or a little thing to beautify a garden. Even so, be it in an aquarium or a garden, the object of concentration is not the pebble. But in this poem, the pebble holds the main attraction. My attention was taken away by the description given to a pebble. And as to how the poem unfolds, the comparison and contrast of a pebble and that to a person was stated plainly, but not directly though. Often times we think of a use for a certain thing and eventually we talk about it or write about it. In any case, we share that what is important. So, in the case of this poem, a pebble never seemed to be something important. Most of the time, people don’t seem to bother about anything regarding a pebble. A poem expresses the emotions of a writer and usually in the state of turmoil. What is captivating about this poem is that there isn’t much of a turmoil expressed in words for this. It describes what a pebble is, how a pebble could be and compared it as to how a person could feel. I feel a certain depth in this poem, though I doubt if I could eventually express that depth. I somehow could feel that this poem has something more than what it is giving. The problem is just that I’m still trying to measure up the feeling conveyed by this poem. Somehow, I have a strange idea of being able to fathom what the poem holds, but because of its vividness, I’m having a hard time grasping the concept it implies. Such ironic feelings are extracted from my mind but I’m trying though to put it into words. The poem has an intrinsic impact on me. I don’t have much of an idea of the author but as I read the poem over and over again, and internalize it somehow, I gain knowledge to the truth it may imply. With how I describe it, the poem may seem to be a prayer, but actually, it’s not. It’s not everyday that we read a poem which is presented so simply. I just have a feeling that the writer wrote this according to how he perceives the truth of the pebble. A pebble which is a little stone that eventually could last longer than any other thing. Part four The Pebble is a very interesting poem. From the title itself, it projects a literary piece about simplicity. As we have seen pebbles and grasp a meaning of this thing, it is an object that is pretty much of little value. But this thing has been often times used as an instrument for symbolism. It doesn’t actually become the symbol, but yet, it is used as a contributor for the statement of the symbol. Like the ripples on the water, to make the ripples, the pebble is used as the object that is thrown to create the ripples. But in this situation, the impact was made by the pebble but the symbol was the ripple. Interpretation of the Poem At the start of the poem, the pebble is described as a perfect creature. It is here that we can see that the object has been given the traits as that of a person. Attributing the perfection that the writer is talking about for the pebble would be on its physical aspect. The physical description of pebbles which are often perfectly oval in shape with a smooth surface, having no cracks or lumps, would suit the description of excellence or perfection. In comparison to a person, a perfect creature would then be one without cracks or perhaps loopholes and one who doesn’t have any lumps. Perfection in our own view would be that of someone who doesn’t possess any frailties, errors and does all things without mistakes and stands as clean as ever. But as the writer proceeds with the poem, it mentioned that it could only be equalled to itself and is aware of its limits. A perfect thing that cannot be compared by anything except itself and has limits, were the descriptions emphasized by the poet. Still, this has been compared to that of a person. Perfection does not imply that the person has no limits. With this description then, we could imply that in perfection, it is being and doing something flawlessly but in the range of one’s limits. Often, when we talk about perfection, it is in comparison already to supreme beings or gods. But the poet has stated that what could be compared to one creature would not be anyone else, but only with it. Indeed, the concept of uniqueness has been unfolded. As the poem proceeds, it has been defined by the author that the meaning this object holds, is the meaning it holds from the time it has been made. â€Å"A pebbly meaning† would mean the identity that this object holds and whatever that is, that is the true meaning of the thing. Same goes if related again to a person, that the definition or meaning of who we are is the self. It is not somebody else that hold the meaning of our life, but it is our self, the one with us from the beginning, that defines what we are. Another idea of the â€Å"pebbly meaning† would be the concept of a pebble which is not of great significance but just possesses the simplicity that it is as an object. It is not a big rock that could smash something smaller or a stone which may be small but definitely holds weight. It is not a mountain that shows greatness just by looking at it. It is emphasizing a pebble, small, perhaps insignificant, and does not hold much weight. But as we ponder on the purpose as to why it exists, it holds more than what it is actually letting us see. The poem describes further that the pebble is one thing that doesn’t have a specific characteristic that would be intimidating and though it is unique and different, it stands with its uniqueness without any other factor that might entice anybody. As all other things or people would need more than what they have, like they would go for enhancing the appearance or develop any form of attractive facilities for others to see or witness, the pebble sticks with what it has. Despite the simplicity or plainness it holds, it still has its dignity and pride. It is contradicting to the idea that without pride is simplicity. Being simple does not mean that one does not hold any value of himself. It doesn’t also mean that there is no regard for the self. Instead, inside that simplicity, an aura of pride and dignity emanates. It’s just that people don’t get to see it because they are more aware of the obvious things. As the poem proceeds, the writer was somehow humbled down to the value of the pebble that in the changing world, struggling all the time for attention and importance, the pebble or anyone that could be related to a pebble, simply sits quietly and wait. In the end, all the others vanish, and it’s just the pebble that remains. Those who do not live such complicated lives could eventually see all that is happening and live longer than most of the people. Conclusion The poem is written as a realization in life. Often times people would prefer to have the symbol of a mountain, or something powerful and bigger. This is so because of how we see our life, we prefer to have the control especially when we are not in control in reality. We want to be in power when in reality we are weak and helpless. Our symbols tell what we really are and it’s has always been the opposite of what we are. In this poem, the concept of simplicity and the awakening of humility are emphasized. Simplicity is held in the object of the pebble. The object of no complications and the writer is in the point of using this imagery to a person’s life. The awakening of the humility is expressed in the last two stanzas of the poem where the writer has gone to see the impact of a pebble and how it absorbs everything there is without complaining. This is a contradiction to people where complaining has been made a hobby and dissatisfaction always a companion. Before going to the point of appreciating, people tend to complain, grumble and then when the worse has come, perhaps, mellow down and bear with the idea of appreciating something. The poet has created a very good concept of life. The poem written is also expressed the same way as that of the idea it intends to convey. Simplicity indeed is beauty and only few have seen it.

Dominating the Dominant Behavioral Style Essay

The personality profile that I scored the highest on was the dominant behavioral style. Conscientiousness was a close second. Both of these results reflected my personality very well. There are positive and negative attributes to my determined style. Now that I am aware of what profile fits me, it is necessary to make adjustments. A balance is crucial for my development. In order to find a positive balance, it is essential to recognize my strengths and weaknesses. For me to make progress as an individual, I need to understand what identifies me as dominant and of a developer’s pattern. I also need to take a look at how I view myself and in turn how others view me. By making this assessment, I can begin to eliminate the negative traits and highlight my positive behavior. This will allow me to become a better person in both the workplace and my personal life. Taking a look at the dominance behavioral style, I took note at the many similarities to my personality. I am, indeed, a person that accepts challenges, makes quick decisions, causes action and likes to get immediate results. In my environment, I desire opportunities for advancement and individual accomplishment. I also seek freedom from controls and supervision. I demand direct answers. The action plan that I should follow holds the key to decreasing the negative aspects of this style. Learning to pace myself and relax is difficult for me. My need for people is something I have trouble realizing. Hopefully, coming to terms with what I need to do will allow me to make strides in the right direction. After my coworkers’ assessment of me, I came to the conclusion that I may be showing inconsistencies in my behavior. I received three different evaluations of my personality. I was seen as dominant, influential and steady. In my own defense, I chose three very different coworkers with varying degrees of acquaintance. One of them knows me very well, another knows me only at work and th e other met me only months ago. The person that knows me well chose the dominant behavioral style. The one that knows me only from work chose the influential behavioral style. The one that I met months ago chose steadiness as my behavioral style. In retrospect, I believe that the reason for the differences is based not only on how well each one knows me, but also on my working self-context. The need for me to become more consistent is evident by the way people perceive me. I want to be more dependable and steadfast. Another aspect that needs some work, on my part, is expectations. I have to stop putting expectations on myself and others. Sometimes setting unrealistic standards creates unnecessary conflict. Expecting others to behave in a particular way often becomes a great source of stress and disappointment. Less judgment and more understanding are goals that I have in place for myself since the assessment. Another downfall is my inability to give up control. Often in my career, it has come to my attention that I am over-assertive to the point of being abrasive. In my attempts to encourage, my efforts have been misinterpreted as criticism and judgment. It is my desire to relinquish my desire for control and give it to God. I also hope to be less judgmental and understanding of my co-workers. I want to be viewed as part of the team and to inspire and encourage others. God’s plan for me becomes more evident every day. Jesus shows us the best way to treat one another. I need to take from His example and apply His teachings to my life every day. It is my opinion that our Lord, Jesus Christ, had all of the positive attributes from each behavioral style. He showed us inspiration by spreading His enthusiasm for our God by preaching the Sermon on the Mount. That is a perfect example of His influential style. His steadiness style showed patience, loyalty and calm. He displayed this in His dealings with His disciples. He taught us how to create harmony and stability in our lives by following the laws of God. Jesus’ conscientiousness showed us that He was the ultimate diplomat. He dominates our hearts as Christians. He moves us to manage our trouble and solve our problems with His love. He causes us to take action and to accept challenges in His name, the way He did when He died on the cross for us. It is my belief that we should take the example of Jesus’ life as a template for our own lives. We should strive to build on the positive aspects of our particular behavioral style. Making it a priority to develop ourselves and enhance the way we grow is what will allow us to become more like Him. In the glory of His name, we should try to eliminate the negative and enhance the positive of our own unique and individual personality style. In doing so, we will find rewards in all aspects of our lives.

HR Management Organizational Culture Essay

HR Management Organizational Culture Essay HR Management: Organizational Culture Essay Organizational culture can be explained as the sum of beliefs, attitudes, traditions and behaviour of an organization. It is the summation of a company’s goals and the behavioural change of the organization in the process of achieving these goals. It therefore concentrates on human behaviour in organization, how the people interact in the organization and the organization itself (Alvesson, 2002). The arrangement of the organization is also important because it through the structure that issues such as efficiency and effectiveness of the company can be achieved. This is usually done by the process of harmonization and control of the entity. Organizational structure usually deals with issues such as the size, technological aspects, the pattern of activities, strategies, and the concentration of decision making power and also supporting features. It also tries to harmonize these differences for the overall best performance for an organization. People do not work alone but are in contact with other persons and the organization in several ways such as fellow employees, managers, policies and changes put in place by the organization. To make the overall success of an organization, it is necessary to make sure of successful implementation of the policies and harmonization of these factors to the policies and goals. Realistic decision formulation theory: This school of thought puts emphasis on problem identification, action plan formulation, alternative plan formulation and implementation and an overall mechanism for monitoring the progress of the so formulated plans. By going through the problem identification all the way to solution logically helps in proper implementation process of ideas which have been given a proper incubation period to contribute. Decisions made properly will consequently give yield to better results and improve the organization’s performance. According to Plantinga (1993b, 144-145), he put forward the criticism that the level of rationality usually differs from one person to another. Consequently, what appears rational in an organization in respect to another may be different to another. In addition, Plantiga also added that it is in the nature of people to comply with the decisions and rules set within an organization but this does not necessary warrant that they agree with the decisions in regard to the firm. The company can apply the Maslow’s ladder of requirements that was formulated by Abraham Maslow to appeal to the staff, the management needs to concentrate more on what the employees in the firm need. If the management needs the staff to participate in certain activities and behaviour then it should correctly identify and appease the needs of the staff (Maslow, 1954, p. 47). The management needs to identify the needs in a hierarchical order and will need to satisfy the lower hierarchy needs before it proceeds to the next level. Therefore, one cannot achieve self actualization until the lower hierarchical needs are met (McClelland, 1962). By attending to needs such as time to socialise with co-workers and secure work environment only once they have been achieved can the staff achieve better self esteem and hence better staff motivation. Mismatched motivation efforts and hierarchy need then these results to unsatisfied needs and consequently poorly motivated staff. The areas of criticism for this theory may be attributed to the fact that it does not put into consideration the part organizational cultures plays in the success and activity of the firm. The theory also ignores the fact that people who are deprived may still strive to attain self actualization. This is because self actualization is innate in people and this does not necessarily mean that just because one is deprived they cannot attain self realization (Kane-Urrabazo, 2006). How Maslow attained those five categories is also another area that has raised disagreement. The accuracy of the needs and also order of those needs do not include an in depth study of the needs and order from a scientific point of view. There has been no evidence to point of the direction of a study being done by Maslow (Behling Schriesheim, 2001). Another point that is pointed out was the measurements needs. To quantify things such as love, security among other needs is nearly impossible to achieve. In addition, there may be some needs that also overlap like when he states that physical needs and safety needs. These two will have a point of intersection and this can be difficult to tear apart (Kane-Urrabazo, 2006). The personality theory urges that so as to improve group performance, the managers should choose only the staffs that possess the right skills and trait geared more too self achievement. The effort made by a person to ensure that the task at hand is accomplished can be used a san measure of how much they are motivated towards success. Staff with a strong achievement orientation work hard to achieve socially accepted success and activities. Therefore, finished assignment, solved work problems usually means better performance of the organization and a successful one for that matter (Behling, Schriesheim, 2001). The five factor model (openness, extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness and conscientiousness) (Rita, Richard, Edward, Smith, Bem Susan, 2000) determines the level of performance across most jobs. It is exemplary good at gauging the level of success experienced at any given company. Staff with higher achievement levels set high individual goals and also put in effort and time so as to achieve them. Individuals with such characteristics are on wonder the one getting promotions in the work place. With a staff with such qualities essentially means a greater successful organization that once goals are set, the employees do not settle until they have been achieved. The leaders can only manage to get such group of people right from the hiring process such as getting people with high score. With such, it is expected that an aggressive bosses will set aggressive goals with their staff and the staff will work hard to achieve them. It should not come as a surprise when you find the same staff going back to class or learning other trades related to the organization (Chavan, 2009). One critic of the hypothesis is that personality conversion in individuals is inevitable. The characters that one meets and interacts with in that course of life modify the personality of a person. In addition, it can be very hard to be certain that those same characteristics in the staff are likely to remain the same after a year (Behling Schriesheim, 2001). In addition, the measurements of these five traits do not necessary give a forecast of the individual behaviour. A person may exhibit the personality of being an extrovert but the reality is that the person is an introvert. This will in turn affect the communication transmission within the organization (Ybema, 2011). On the other hand, the personality of a person is affected by the situation one finds them in. During an interview, a potential employee may exhibit those personalities but upon arrival in the work place, the person is different from the expected (Ybema, 2011). Goal setting theory is perhaps the easiest and common theory of improving staff motivation and improving the company’s performance. The leaders should set clearly the performance goals and objectives and device a systematic way into achieving them. Targets and goals demand attention, effort, development of achievement strategies and exert people’s efforts to achieve them. When the goals set have been attained greater and more difficult tasks are even set (Latham, 1979). A study done by Locke and Latham (2006) showed that specific and difficult goals got higher performance and effort compared to those of do the best you can goals. Devotion to the goals and purposes of the firm was also very important. This is directly proportional to the goals individuals help set so long as the leader had authority, set clear performance levels and had confidence in the staff. Giving a summary on the success and failure of the tasks is also essential. Goals can be set for any activity in an organization such as cost reduction, better service and product quality among others (Locke and Latham, 2006) However, care should be observed to avoiding setting goals that are contradictory because staff can only concentrate only such effort at a time. Goals achieved successfully give the staff a sense of satisfaction and the easier the goals are the easier they are to accomplish compared to more tough goals. A the same time extremely easy goals which require less effort lowers performance compared to more tough jobs (Alderfer, 1972). The manager’s goal accomplishment expectation affects the level of performance by the staff and company in general. Therefore to improve an individual and consequently the organization performance, the management should set high but attainable goals and also show confidence and give support to the staff about the job being done (Doyle, 2001). Criticism of this theory have been that , one, the theory has been over praised as being effective across all jobs in an organization but in reality some organizations do not agree with this. This is because there are some departments that goal setting might not be the best way of getting jobs done (Day, Sin, Chen, 2004). The theory focuses very much on the specific task. By doing this, the staff might spend too much time in trying to get these tasks done but ignoring other aspects of the organization hence negative consequences (Coulehan, 2004). It is the inborn trait of individuals to only concentrate at one job at a time. However, since this theory advocates for multiple, small goals, the staff will still only achieve a goal at a time even if those two goals need to be achieved simultaneously to impact the organization performance (Doyle, 2001). In addition, the time horizon of jobs does overshadow one another. Taking that organizations fix attention on short term jobs, the long term goals will be affected. This was not put in mind in advancing this theory (Latham, 1979). It has not yet been determined if there is a linear agreement between the level of toughness of goals and job performance. There are times when jobs that are tough may lead to unwanted results in the organization. If the employees fail to reach the set targets, it might lead to unwanted effects on them in that they may develop poor self esteem among others (Latham, 1979). Generation of counterpoise scorecards is another theory. Financial performance is not the only way to assess the performance of organizations. By concentrating only on one such indicator will affect the other indicators and will suffer in the long run. It can take a short time to indicate the financial performance of an organization but other key organization indicator performance are little mentioned. They include satisfaction of the customer, turnover of employees among others. According to Norton and Kaplan, setting goals for all of such indicators will results to improved operational and financial performance (Coulehan, 2004). This theory has been critiqued in that it lowers the certainty levels in an ever changing environment. There have been investigations carried out and they do affect the manager’s decisions in regard to budgeting plans. Consequently, strategic planning of operational activities is affected in the long run (Doyle, 2001). Conclusion Therefore, strong organizational culture has a positive correlation with the productivity of the organization, the staff, environment of the workplace and even staff motivation. This can be achieved by a strong incentive programs, fairness in policies and also good leadership. A motivated employee works more and harder, gives better results and also maintains a good attitude than a person who is not motivated. To understand the organizational culture in favour of staff motivation and hence overall improvement in the organization performance, the management requires having an in-depth understanding of the goals, needs and expectation of the staff and also the organization. Policy fairness is very important in creating a safe work place and also a great factor that contributes to motivation and hence improved company performance. Therefore, the way the structure of the organization is determines a lot how the culture will be. Feel free to enjoy professional Management essay help from academic experts at if you need a high-quality custom written paper. We guarantee non-plagiarized papers!

Quotes to Use in a Toast at Your Sisters Wedding

Quotes to Use in a Toast at Your Sisters Wedding Your sisters getting married and youve been asked to make a toast. Fortunately, many wonderful authors have written about their sisters, providing you with some wonderful starting points for your toast. Whatever your relationship with your sister and your personal style, at least one of these will feel right to you. Heartfelt and Loving Quotes Start your toast with one of these quotes, and then add your own personal touch. Explain how the quote relates to your own relationship with your sister. Tell a little story about the bond you share. Then wish the happy couple joy! A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. Isadora JamesYou may be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts. You need her, as she needs you. George R. R. MartinTo have a loving relationship with a sister is not simply to have a buddy or a confident - it is to have a soulmate for life.  Victoria SecundaBless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart- oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape- of your sister.  Katherine Mansfield Funny and Snarky Quotes If you and your sister tend to be silly rather than sincere, these quotes may be a perfect start for your toast. Use the quote, then tell a little story from your own lives that reflect the sentiment. Even if your story is a little snarky, though, be sure to finish up with a warm wish for happiness that comes from the heart! Having a sister is like having a best friend you can’t get rid of. You know whatever you do, they’ll still be there.  Amy LiMore than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you’ve been bad and good.   Linda SunshineBig sisters are the crabgrass in the lawn of life. Charles M. SchulzYou can kid the world, but not your sister.  Charlotte GrayHow the hell do you sum up your sister in three minutes? She’s your twin and your polar opposite. She’s your constant companion and your competition. She’s your best friend and the biggest bitch in the world. She’s everything you wish you could be and everything you wish you weren’t.  Ã‚  M. Molly BackesThere’s nobody in the world that knows me better than my sister.  Tia Mowry  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦she’ll go and fall in love, and there’s an end of peace and fun, and cozy times together.†Ã‚  Louisa May AlcottA sister smiles when one tells ones stories, for she knows where the decoration has been added. Chris Montaigne Sincere Quotes While some siblings feel comfortable being cute or funny at a wedding, most prefer to be sincere. These quotes give you a jumping off place for a wonderful toast that celebrates the meaning of sisterhood.   A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. Marian GarrettyThe best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. Cali Rae TurnerDon’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. Maya AngelouA sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves; a special kind of double. Toni MorrisonHelp one another, is part of the religion of sisterhood. Louisa May AlcottShe is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she’s the reason you wish you were an only child.  Barb ara Alpert

Women in the City of the Dead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women in the City of the Dead - Essay Example It implies that every woman has a city within her heart, a city that she nurtures from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb. The stories in this book explain how the women in Cairo (in that era) have to cope with their personal problems, domestic issues and the sociological challenges. It is a tough call viewed from any angle. It has been succinctly described by Helen Watson (1992, p.7) â€Å"Conflict and change tend to have a catastrophic effect on any highly structured system. Women’s increasing presence in the male world of work and money provides great potential for disruption of the complementary nature of male and female roles. This is a cause for considerable concern to both men and women.† The vast cemetery close to the centre of Cairo is the reality as well as the symbol of the past and present life there. The departed souls resting in peace in a number of graves must be watching with concern the developments taking place in the city due to the impact of industrialization, materialistic civilization, and the ambitions of the combustible generation, thousands who migrate to the cities in search of employment to better their prospects and adopt new lifestyles. The author describes about the worst part of this unchecked urbanization thus: â€Å"Families have moved into tomb buildings and ceremonial ante-rooms, and additional dwellings and extensions have been tackled on as required.†(p.4)

Business Memo on AVON Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Memo on AVON - Essay Example More and more women aspired to be more than just homemakers and part time sales women and more importantly fewer women purchased products door to door. New innovative ways of selling such products are being adopted by its competitors like specialty retail chains. Selling through internet was taking off in a big way. There were no doubt many other reasons also contributed for this; product positioning and price (Avon’s products had little appeal with teens and many lower-income women found Avon’s products too expensive), poor brand image (not glamorous), inadequate research and lack of new products, but these as has been seen could be quickly addressed with appropriate results. While suggesting solutions to problems, it is being taken without questioning for the time being that the company does not want to change its core value of reaching customers predominantly through its direct representatives. Avon is the world’s largest direct seller of beauty products (Miller and associates, 107). Whether the company is deriving competitive edge through this strategy is not verifiable because of lack of data. Assuming it does, the solution to the problem will have to address the issue of how to better equip its sales representatives to deliver better. The solution in brief would see the entire marketing model is reengineered to see that the selling agents add substantial value as channel partners to the company, as well as create scope for themselves to earn much more and find self-fulfillment in their association with Avon. Such an exercise should also make it possible for the company to become flexible in deciding its channels of marketing. Players in the CFT industry operate in an oligopolistic market (Oligopoly watch 19 March 2006). No company derives advantage from one sole unique competitive advantage. They follow several strategies

Discuss (herosim and Treachery) in Jorge Luis Borges' The Theme of the Essay

Discuss (herosim and Treachery) in Jorge Luis Borges' The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero,The Shape of the Sword - Essay Example He can be considered as a master of surrealist prose, and a literary genius. His works are abstract yet somehow always concretely themed and indisputably compelling. His stories characterize a holistic view of humanity and its endless struggle towards improvement while often altogether missing the point. Often his characters act completely focused on a specific problem or set of ideas, while Borges reveals to the reader that these ideas are superfluous and that the true meanings are hidden elsewhere. In his work, the themes of chaos and indefinite repetition work to establish themselves in universes where man's perception of reality, if not reality itself, works in a fundamentally different manner. The concepts he chooses to convey, on the other hand, are not usually apparent to the reader. Several attempts to understand are usually required for his message to our conscious minds. He made note of the fact that he excluded women from his texts, claiming that he did not understand women well enough to write about them. As masterful author, he used character and literary device to adroitly convey an important idea to any reader. While several examples lend themselves to this conclusion, the devices used by author most clearly illustrate that of a manipulative secret organization controlling the fate of society, and that of the coexistence and unification of the protagonist and antagonist. While these two specific and unusual themes are present in several works by author, a juxtaposition of the works will clearly show the dramatic difference present in the underlying themes. The image we get from Borges is of a random and often malicious organization that uses its calculative abilities to further whims and chance with little if any good for society as a whole. He even gives the impression that the rewards and punishments are in some sort of equilibrium and are designed to preserve the status quo. In "Theme of the Traitor and the Hero" and "Three Versions of Judas," Borges presents two individuals struggling with the realization that our present-day conceptions of the past may be inconsistent with the actual truth. By undermining the traditional concepts of hero and traitor, as they are presented in historical and religious narratives, Borges calls into question the absolute faith with which people place their trust in what may amount to just another story. In "Theme of the Traitor and the Hero," The narrative begins suspiciously, setting the scene as "Poland, Ireland, [or] the Republic of Venice." The generalizing technique immediately universalizes both the story of Kilpatrick and the experience of Ryan the biographer. The narrator explains that "although [Ryan] is contemporary, the narrative related by him occurred toward the middle or the beginning of the nineteenth century." This comment serves as a subtle reminder that even Ryan's version of Kilpatrick's fall is subject to the same skeptical scrutiny as any historical account. As Shakespeare fictionalizes the death of Julius Caesar; Nolan plagiarizes the plays of Shakespeare in orchestrating his plan; and finally, as the gatekeepers of history record only the

Diagnostic radiography

Diagnostic radiography 2. Background and Objectives of Study Student retention is widely seen as a threat to the nation at large as it creates not only an economic burden to the government but also to the institutions.It establishes loss of wellskilledpersonsexpectedto enter the labour force and has animmense impact in student welfare as well. Yorke (2000) describes predisposing factors which resultin drop outs as; wrong pick of course, frustration with environment, failure to cope with workload, no support from within, fiscal issues as well aspersonal matters.Recent research by SCoR (2007) has revealed that retentionrates in diagnostic radiography have steadily decreased in the past four years and this brought up heaps of issues of concern to higher education. Therefore guidelines by the SCoR were put in place to try and improve retentionin institutions but the question is; has enough been done to implement those guidelines so as to eliminate the attrition rates.There is an overlook into the matter and institutions are suffering from the outc omes of retention. Thus, it is necessary to find the root of the problem, which comes down to having a look into students views on the course itself. This might give the HE an insight on how to tackle the problem knowingly aware of the exact factors that they are dealing with. Retention of students is not only the universities role but also of the student contribution in the programme, therefore the overall aim of this study is to identify, recommend and target support needed to aid retention and also to find out student insight as they progress in radiography courses and how this has an influence in retention. Most of this research will be based on a study carried out by Yorke and Longden (2004), as it covers first year experiences into higher education thus it might be useful in relating overall students perspicacity of higher education with how radiography students feel about their course. The only differences being that both 1st and 3rd year diagnostic radiography students are to partake in the study. 3. Methods Research on the selected area embraces the survey research design. As a quantitative method it is perceived in a sense of being steadfastas it involves collection of statistical data on study variables, (Sim Wright, 2000). Use of this design came down to it being simple and well known, with the amount of satisfactory information one can acquire from opinions and perspectives of individuals, on current issues.A large amount of data would be easier to obtain as it would be from a widely dispersed geographical sample group. As a qualitative method, a survey explores reasons of trends in behaviour and attitudes, perceptionand actions of individuals, more reasons to carry out this research with this method. A survey is relatively cost effective thus making it easier to conduct the research, (Neale, 2009). There is however need for choice of the research instrument for data collection. Anopen ended questionnaire would be a useful tool to get the desired information in alogicalway(ref). They will be distributed face to face to individual students by telephone, via post and emails to the Radiography Departments. Radiography students to be investigated are in the UK. Only 24 universities provide Radiography (diagnostic), hence a larger sample size of the whole population would be essential but only 9 universities (approximately 279 students) will be sampled, each school as a representative of each province in the UK. Altman (1991) discusses the random sampling method as appropriate to useas it lessens preconceived notions of the results as most of the universities have a likely chance of being selected for the research reducing biases.A random sample will be achieved by drawing up the sample groups into cohorts.A survey of each cohort (intake, 1st year and 3rd year) will be conducted to explore issues that may be specific to each particular year of study, for example 1st year home sickness or financial issues in final year students, 4. Location of study and access arrangements The study will be limited to universities in England and Wales. Admittanceto the universities would be through the school faculty ethics and their Heads of department. 5.Personnel Cost Factors As a first time researcher need for personnels, such as a supervisor and advisors, to help in the undertaking of the study is essential in a sense that they have more knowledge in the field of research and therefore will be able to steer the research in the right direction, (Barnard Seale, 1998). No costs are to be considered in this manner as these supporters are volunteers to give out assistant where applicable. As the sample size of this study is relatively of a great cohort, the cost is going to be considerably high. Equipment to be used in the research will include paper sheets for construction of the hard copy questionnaires, as well as the ink ( £20) needed to print out the questionnaires. They will need to be dispersed in envelopes (stamped) via the post office which cost around a total of  £0.74. To travel to the different universities travel costs have to be considered, nevertheless emails could be used as a means of reducing travel cost. Overallit gives an approximation of about  £376 to carry out the research. 6. Ethical Considerations Issues that may arise in conjunction with conducting this research include getting access to participantsalong with student enrolment and dropout records. Approval on these issues would be achieved through the School Ethics Committee under the department of radiography, in the universities under study. Other issues might be of acquiring data from students. This involves confidentiality, consent and free wiled partaking. All these issues will be addressed accordingly through the assurance of anonymity in staging of results, utter confidentiality in data compilation and privacy, although sometimes this will not be possible especially when the partakers are to be considered at various intervalsof research, (Polit Hungler, 1995). Introductory letters, and consent forms were possible will be issued to be sure that a mutual agreement of involvement is met, (Trochim 1999). Due to taking part in this research individuals might experience potential distress, therefore support arrangements will be put in place. Is NHS R D approval required?Yes No If which Trust/s will be required to give approval? Is NHS Ethics Committee approval required?Yes No If Yes, state the name of the REC to whom you will be applying. 7. Project Milestones and Timescales Activity Start Date Completion Date Await approval from ethics committee and Research practice panel Construct questionnaires Ethical review and data collection Data analysis Discussion conclusions Completion of written research Design of poster and article Submission of article and poster 10.01.10 01.06.10 08.10 11.10 12.10 02.11 01.03.11 09.05.11 01.05.10 20.06.10 10.10 12.10 01.11 03.11 08.05.11 09.05.11

Reflection Essay :: Reflection Essay

REFLECTION PAPER Chapter 10 is entitled Conflict Management in Groups. This is a very essential chapter for all members of a group to read and understand. Fortunately, my group members and I have not had a problem with getting along. It just so happened that four members of my group already know each other from another class they are in together. So, they already got along and had some connection with one another. I think we all have good personalities and we enjoy working with each other. The characteristics of our group allow us to be a successful group. The semester is coming to an end, and we have worked hard together to perform all tasks and accomplish all our goals. Getting to the stage where we are now involved a lot of comprimising and negotiating. So, the two terms I would like to concentrate on from Chapter 10 is comprimise and negotiation. To me, comprimise is meeting someone half way. You may have to adjust some of your beliefs or ideas to fit the beliefs or ideas of another group me mber. the book defines comprimise as a middle ground. You show a moderate concern for both task and social relationships in groups. The next term I would like to look at is negotiation. I would define negotiation as giving and taking to reach a common goal. The book’s definition of negotiation is a process by which a joint decision is made by two or more parties. After researching information for my group project and listening to another group’s presentation, it is evident that everyone thinks comprimise and negotiation are very important. There was a strong emphasis on avoiding conflict in the group

The Importance of Documentation

The Importance of Documentation Documentation: Material, printed or electronic, that provides official information or evidence or that serves as a record. Why is documentation important? Without it there would be no record of anything. Humans have been documenting and recording important information for centuries. Information from inventory lists to details of wars, weather reports, past civilizations, and census data. As a non-commissioned officer having documentation when required is important in many aspects of my duties at work and even at home.At work there are medical files and profiles, leave paperwork, ammunition requests, forms for vehicle repairs, parts requests, dependent documents†¦ the list goes on and on but each document is important for its own unique reasons. Without medical files there would be no documentation of injuries or illnesses and what was done to treat them. What if the issue reoccurred? A physician would need the details of past treatments and medica tions to determine what the current treatment should be.A medical profile is an important document for showing proof of health or injury related limitations or restrictions to avoid causing the issue to worsen. Without properly completed and filed leave paperwork a soldier’s leave request would be denied. Other paperwork ignored or improperly completed can result in mission failure, delayed repairs, etc. Dependent documents are imperative to ensuring eligible family members receive the benefits entitled to them. The NCO Creed: No one is more professional than I.I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a noncommissioned officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as â€Å"the Backbone of the Army. † I am proud of the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers and will at all times conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps, the military service and my country regardless of the situation in which I find myself. I will not use my grade or position to attain pleasure, profit or personal safety. Competence is my watch-word. My two basic responsibilities will always be ppermost in my mind — accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my soldiers. I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient. I am aware of my role as a noncommissioned officer. I will fulfill my responsibilities inherent in that role. All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership. I know my soldiers and I will always place their needs above my own. I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed. I will be fair and impartial when recommending both rewards and punishment.Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers and subordinates alike. I will exe rcise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, leaders! As an NCO, as a leader of soldiers, it is my responsibility to set the standard.It is my responsibility to be the example and demonstrate that which I expect from my soldiers. Leadership, competence, responsibility, and accountability are the foundation of successful operations within the United States Military. That ability to train, prepare and lead men into combat has been a defining characteristic of our military for hundreds of years. The importance these skills cannot be underestimated. Leaders apply these skills to ensure a successful mission. Since the revolutionary war, men have been dedicating their lives to the freedom of our country.These men were part of a team that received orders from leaders about how to overcome the enem y of the day. Today’s enemy is much harder to find, but the skills needed to succeed are easily to found here within the ranks of the United States Military, the thousands of men and women giving their best to lead soldiers. The words of the NCO Creed state clearly the responsibilities of the Army’s NCO leaders and the importance of these responsibilities is beyond measure. This country’s leaders have been teaching about leadership for quite some time.As General George Washington expressed more than 200 years ago, serving as a Soldier of the United States does not mean giving up being an American citizen with its inherent rights and responsibilities. Soldiers are citizens and should recognize that when in uniform, they represent their units, their Army, and their country. Every Soldier must balance the functions of being a dedicated warrior with obedience to the laws of the Nation. They must function as ambassadors for the country in peace and war. When speaking to officer candidates in 1941, then General of the Army George C.Marshall said, â€Å"When you are commanding, leading [Soldiers] under conditions where physical exhaustion and privations must be ignored; where the lives of [Soldiers] may be sacrificed, then, the efficiency of your leadership will depend only to a minor degree on your tactical or technical ability. It will primarily be determined by your character, your reputation, not so much for courage—which will be accepted as a matter of course—but by the previous reputation you have established for fairness, for that high-minded patriotic purpose, that quality of unswerving determination to carry through any military task assigned you.Soldiers need to be able to have faith in their command to do what is right for the soldier and the country. Command is about sacred trust. Nowhere else do superiors have to answer for how their subordinates live and act beyond duty hours. Society and the Army look to commanders t o ensure that Soldiers and Army civilians receive the proper training and care, uphold expected values, and accomplish assigned missions. Having a â€Å"good† commander is vital for unit cohesion and success. In Army organizations, commanders set the standards and policies for achieving and rewarding superior performance, as well as for punishing misconduct.In fact, military commanders can enforce their orders by force of criminal law. Consequently, it should not come as a surprise that organizations often take on the personality of their commanders. Army leaders selected to command are expected to lead beyond merely exercising formal authority. They should lead by example and serve as role models, since their personal example and public actions carry tremendous moral force. Soldiers need to work in a positive environment. Many will argue that aggressive leadership inspires more work.While this may be true, the motivating factors within soldiers of such a leader are going to be less personal than those found within a soldier who respects and values his leader’s guidance. How important is character in those trying to lead? The answer is of course that character is the defining element in a successful leader. Three major factors determine a leader’s character: values, empathy, and the Warrior Ethos. Some characteristics are present at the beginning of the leader’s career, while others develop over time through additional education, training, and experience.It is essential to success that Army leaders lead by personal example and consistently act as good role models through a dedicated lifelong effort to learn and develop. The Army cannot accomplish its mission unless all Army leaders, NCOs, soldiers, and civilians accomplish theirs— whether that means presenting a medical profile upon request, filling out a status report, repairing a vehicle, planning a budget, packing a parachute, maintaining pay records, or walking guard duty . The Army consists of more than a single outstanding general or a handful of combat heroes.It relies on hundreds of thousands of dedicated NCOs, soldiers, and civilians—workers and leaders— each doing their part to accomplish the mission. Each of their roles and responsibilities may differ, but they are no less important in reaching the goal. Every leader in the Army is a member of a team, a subordinate, and at some point, a leader of leaders. The Army relies on it’s NCOs to be capable of executing complex tactical operations, making intent driven decisions, and who can operate in joint, interagency, and multinational scenarios.They must take the information provided by their leaders and pass it on to their subordinates. Soldiers look to their NCOs for solutions, guidance, and inspiration. Soldiers can relate to NCOs since NCOs are promoted from the junior enlisted ranks. They expect them to be the buffer, filtering information from the commissioned officers an d providing them with the day-to-day guidance to get the job done. To answer the challenges of the contemporary operating environment, NCOs must train their Soldiers to cope, prepare, and perform no matter what the situation.In short, the Army NCO of today is a warrior-leader of strong character, comfortable in every role outlined in the NCO Corps’ vision. NCO leaders are responsible for setting and maintaining high-quality standards and discipline. They are the standard-bearers. Throughout history, flags have served as rallying points for Soldiers, and because of their symbolic importance, NCOs are entrusted with maintaining them. In a similar sense, NCOs are also accountable for caring for Soldiers and setting the example for them. NCOs live and work every day with Soldiers.The first people that new recruits encounter when joining the Army are NCOs. NCOs process Soldiers for enlistment, teach basic Soldier skills, and demonstrate how to respect superior officers. Even after transition from civilian to Soldier is complete, the NCO is the key direct leader and trainer for individual, team, and crew skills at the unit level. NCOs have other roles as trainers, mentors, communicators, and advisors. When junior officers first serve in the Army, their NCO helps to train and mold them. When lieutenants make mistakes, seasoned NCOs can step in and guide the young officers back on track.Doing so ensures mission accomplishment and Soldier safety while forming professional and personal bonds with the officers based on mutual trust and common goals. â€Å"Watching each other’s back† is a fundamental step in team building and cohesion. An NCO is a direct leader, giving leadership that is face-to-face or first-line leadership. This leadership occurs in organizations where subordinates are accustomed to seeing their leaders all the time: teams and squads; sections and platoons; companies, batteries, troops, battalions, and squadrons. The direct leaderâ €™s span of influence may range from a handful to several hundred people.NCOs are in direct leadership positions more often than their officer and civilian counterparts. Direct leaders develop their subordinates one-on-one and influence the organization indirectly through their subordinates. To ensure that I as an NCO, in a direct leadership role, positively influence and guide the soldiers around me, I have the responsibility, the obligation, to convey the example of the ideal soldier. Character, a person’s moral and ethical qualities, the ability to determine what is right and gives a leader motivation to do what is appropriate, regardless of the circumstances.An informed ethical conscience consistent with the Army Values strengthens leaders to make the right choices when faced with tough issues. Since Army leaders seek to do what is right and inspire others to do the same, they must embody these values. As a non-commissioned officer having documentation when it is need ed is important in many aspects of my duties at work but more than that it is important for me to set an example for the soldiers looking to me for guidance.