The Necessity of Urban Local Government Institutions

Asia Research Centre Working Paper 19 Challenges for Urban Local Governments in India Written by Rumi Aijaz Rumi Aijaz was Visiting Research Fellow at Asia Research Centre in 2006. E-mail: [email  protected] com A section of this working paper has been accepted for publication in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Asian and African Studies, by Sage Publications Ltd. Copyright  © Rumi Aijaz, 2007 All rights reserved.Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of research or private study, or criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher nor be issued to the public or circulated in any form other than that in which it is published. Requests for permission to reproduce this Working Paper or any part thereof should be sent to the author, and to the editor at the address below: Asia Research Centre (ARC) London School of Economics & Political ScienceHoughton Street London WC2A 2AE www. lse. ac. uk/collections/asiaResearchCentre Abstract Urban local government institutions/municipalities are constituted for the maintenance and planned development of urban areas. The objective is to ensure that suitable levels of infrastructure and services are available to the citizens. In many parts of India, the quality of life in urban areas is miserable and the citizens lead a difficult life. To overcome this problem, a series of reforms have been initiated by the Indian government to strengthen local-level governance.The main purpose of this working paper is to describe the major issues of governance at the local level and to identify some important challenges for urban local government institutions in India in the light of recent urban sector reforms. This assessment is based on data collected from six urban centres situated in three northern/north-western states (namely Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal) of India on key urban local government characteristics – constitution and governance, duties, composition, management and finance practices, state/local-level initiatives and problems.The findings of this study show that urban local governments in India continue to remain plagued by numerous problems, which affect their performance in the efficient discharge of their duties. These problems relate to the extent of participation and rule of law in the municipal decisionmaking process, transparency in the planning and implementation of infrastructure projects, and level of efficiency in various municipal management and finance practices. It is concluded that fresh thinking is necessary to resolve the problems confronting urban local governments in India. 7 7 H H P ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? G  ¤ ? ? ?   3   ¤ ?  ? ?   ¦  F   $   ? %   ¦ !   ! I E ! 8 & 7 ? ? ? ? ?  ¤ ?  %   ) ?  ¤ ? ( % ?   § ?  ? )    ¤   ?    ¦ ? $  #  ?  §  †  ? !  ¦    ¤  §    ¤   ¦ ?   § ?  ¦ ? ? (   ? B @ 0 9  %  ? 3 3 8 D 7 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? % ? C ? $  ¦ ?   %  ?  ? B ?  3  ? A       ?   ¦    @  9  %  ? 3 3 8 4 6 7 0 & ? ? 4 1 ? 0 & ?  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Persevere of a Young Lady Essay

The start of the Holocaust began under the leadership Hitler. The Nazis blindsided by ideology started a war of hate against the Jewish People. The Germans at the beginning restricted human rights and bans transportation. Later in their rampage they began the onslaught of the Jewish people. Jews that managed not to escape the German stronghold were hunted down. People of Jewish decent had to abandon their lives and go in hiding. Hidden Jews had to live in the moment because they never know what is the future is ahead. In Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank shows the reader that the Holocaust did exist. The diary shows how a young girl was able to persevere in the cold settings. Frank described how important to lean on family but also believe in yourself. â€Å"Anne Frank’s ability to always improve herself enables her to resist oppression, determine for growth and a mind of direction†. Anne Frank’s was in a terrible situation where she had to remain hidden and stay with people who did not respect her. Under oppression, Frank felt the need to define herself. She longed for knowledge and enthusiasm to accompany her behind the walls. She was an able to reason the best approaches to address the situation. Frank shows her dedication in improving her condition: â€Å"Alone I had to face the difficult task of changing myself, to stop the everlasting reproaches, which were so oppressive and which reduced me to such terrible despondency† (170). At the time Anne was not strong to prevail against the compression of emotions in the house. Anne realized that she was becoming narcissistic; she started to enhance her view of situation differently. As the reader I felt that Anne at moments only felt that she was only individual going through these chaotic times. The way how Anne disrespected her mother was a developmental process. Anne comments were detrimental to her mother relationship. The sadness of her mother affected different parts of the family. I felt metaphorically Anne felt that group was like a wind chime, when you affect one part the other chimes respond. The need to improve herself is important for happiness in the Secret Annexe. Anne wanted to become something bigger then she. She was determined to become an Independent Woman. Being backed in the corner, Anne belief in improvement off sprang into knowledge of optimism. â€Å"The war goes on just the same, whether or not we choose to quarrel, or long for freedom and fresh air, and so we should try to make the best of our stay here. Now I’m preaching, but I also believe that if I stay here for very long I shall grow in to a dried up beanstalk. And I did so want to grow in to a real young woman†(138-139). Anne optimism in conflicts of her family and war was best kept to herself. Frank felt that the person who is able to control a situation is the one who can master oneself. This level of maturation was achieved by a bright girl. Anne intrigue in optimism of the moment was like the saying â€Å"the longest rope in the world has an end†. She had a good idea of how days were passing in the Secret Annexe. Anne remembered the days of having the freedom to go to school. Unlike girls her age going to school, Anne wanted become a woman. Anne not only wants to be a woman but to have a vision. Anne looked to the future for motivation. Despite all the troubles she was focused on improving her status. The motivation of this girl to pursue her goal shows no matter the situation it can always be manipulated. She did not worry of the past but focused on the future. Anne hard skin started to show: â€Å"Then I began trying to talk some courage into myself. I could only say: â€Å"I must, I must, I must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Completely stiff from the unnatural position, I fell against the side of the bed and fought on, until I climbed into bed again just before half past ten. It was over! And now it’s all over. I must work, so as not to be a fool, to get on, to be a journalist, because that’s what I want! I know that I can write, a couple of my stories good, my descriptions of the â€Å"Secret Annexe† are humorous, there’s a lot in my diary that speaks, but – whether I have real talent remains to be seen. †(197). Anne showed a commitment to achieve her max potential. She will work hard to be remembered on this earth. Anne becomes very aware of her talent to write with beautiful description with clarity. I think that this moment indicated that Anne was showing Independence. She was not going to let hunger get in her way of success. Anne’s spirit of growth has enabled her to direct what in life she wanted to pursue. During the time of the Holocaust put a big strain on the individuals who were persecuted. Many lifeless acts by Germans had destroying many Jewish Famines but not their hearts. The Frank family never successfully managed to hide in Amsterdam. The Frank Family was transported to a Holocaust Camp where the Dad only managed to survive. The father of Ann Frank, Otto Frank took the need to publish Anne’s Diary. Anne’s Diary shows that the holocaust did exist and the life she has lived. This is important time in history where the most persecuted people in modern history was able to persevere.

Five Forces Model for Industry Analysis Essay

New Entrants The online bookstore industry that Amazon.com has pioneered in was, at first, very hard to penetrate. There were different barriers such as distributing capabilities and the variety of the selection offered that are supposed to be hurdled. Amazon successfully solved the tricky parameters as being the first one to get into the whole idea of online retail. With being the first, they had the luxury to set what were the norms for the industry. Factors that may lower these barrier tactics would be a wider selection and the ability to go to an actual bookstore to exchange or return books or other products. This network of â€Å"actual† retail spaces makes it easier for the consumer to return or exchange the products they were not satisfied with. These handicaps of Amazon were the basis for the emergence of book retail giants Barnes and Noble and Borders in the online shopping industry. Industry Competitors The major competitors of Amazon are Barnes and Noble and Borders. Barnes and Noble is a retail giant offering books and CDs both in their outlets all over the country. It opened their online industry in 1997 and has become the fourth largest e-commerce sites today. Focused largely on the sale of books, music, software, magazines, prints, posters, and related products, the company has capitalized on the recognized brand value of the Barnes & Noble name to become the second largest, and one of the fastest growing, online distributors of books. Their â€Å"advantage† to Amazon is the brand name and the availability of actual retail outlets in which consumers could go in to exchange or return products easily. They also have an established book selection based in their retail operations. Borders is another multi-media retail store found in major cities around the country. Started out as a small bookshop in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, it has since expanded into one of the finest bookstores. In 1992,  Borders was bought by the Kmart group which further flourished the company into a Multi Media Giant with a wide selection of Audio, Video and Books found throughout the United States. The Online Bookstore industry have become a fierce business which involves discounts, varied selections and fast delivery in which all three companies are challenging each other. Buyers The consumers of this industry can be found in every corner of the population. These are mostly people who have had some form of higher education and have access to the Internet and computers. The segment of online shoppers has increased dramatically in recent years due to the convenience of shopping in the comforts of the home and the accessibility of the Internet. These developments have made it easier for consumers to log on and buy on the Internet. Consumers also tend to compare prices among the retail leaders such that buyers are able to buy products with very big discounts compared to ones bought in â€Å"actual† retail outlets. The bargaining power of the consumer is based on the competitive strategies of each active firm in the industry. Thus, consumers can challenge one firm for charging more than the other one such that the firm will beat the price of the competing firm. Suppliers Amazon’s suppliers range from the publishing and media houses to electronics’ manufacturers. Amazon buys all their books, videos and audio CDs from the multi media houses and publishing giants such as Time Warner, Doubleday etc. Amazon also has alliances with other bookstores to cover orders that they cannot serve. Substitutes The substitutes for Amazon and other online bookstores are the â€Å"actual† book  retailers and music stores such as Barnes and Nobles, Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Sam Goody and other small mom-and-pop outlets. With the rise of online retail, there will be little impact from these substitutes. One impact would be some consumers who would like to hold or listen to their purchases prior to buying and those who are into the whole â€Å"shopping experience†. Barnes and Nobles have jumped into online retail and have succeeded into diversifying into the new e-commerce industry. Industrial Organization Model Degree of Competition Due to the shift of focus for Amazon, it has become the â€Å"Earth’s biggest anything store†. Its competitors have expanded from just online book retailers Barnes and Nobles and Borders to top audio retailers CDNOW.com and online auction house EBAY.com. Amazon has an overall lead of 40% market share against the other online retail firms. Their international business has more than doubled over the past 2 years and this growth increased Amazon’s share in the online business market. Life Cycle Amazon, in it’s first years, had negative income but the rise of e-commerce sites and being the pioneer made the succeeding years led to boom time for them. Their growth period was during 1994 to 1995 when they were the first of its kind in the world. They incurred very high costs in terms of distributions to customers. Still with a negative income, Amazon went public in 1997 and had one of the biggest IPOs of the time. With investors banking on future positive cash flow for this company, Amazon’s market value soared. Many people caught on with the idea of online shopping, thus, Amazon’s success. Amazon’s success as an online retailer prompted bricks-and-mortar rivals Barnes and Noble and Borders to join in. Competition decreased Amazon’s profitability so in the past couple of years, Amazon has expanded to more than books, audio and video to electronics and other retail concepts. Social Relevance Amazon’s products are marketed for every consumer possible. Books, audio, video and electronics are appreciated by majority of the population especially those who have access to the Internet. Amazon is active in pursuing literacy programs for young children by collaborating with the makers of the Dr. Seuss books. They have actively participated in the Dr. Seuss shops, story telling sessions and Dr. Seuss days. Degree of Globalization Amazon’s strength internationally lies within its networks in major ports and cities around the Globe. Amazon first started out in Seattle but as soon as they have established a niche market, they have opened shop all over the nation and in cities such as London, Berlin, The Hague, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and many more. These branches overseas improves their delivery service to a wide consumer base. Extent of Government Control There has not been many government regulations regarding online retailing. A group of CEOs whose firms that are engaged in such practices have formed an organization called Global Business Dialogue. This GBD group supports the development of a seamless global system that delivers the broadest array of goods and services to the largest number of consumers at the most competitive prices. This work effort will: offer recommendations to the WTO, including making the moratorium on online tariffs permanent; and collaborate with governments to target and eliminate discriminations against, or other non-tariff barriers to global trade in, electronic commerce. This working group will also provide an avenue for the GBDs to consider and promote the growth of the electronic marketplace in an environment unencumbered by detrimental taxation. Degree of Vertical Integration Amazon’s primary value chain includes purchasing/sourcing, marketing, distribution and after-sales services, which includes returns and exchanges from unsatisfied customers. Their main focus is in the purchasing/sourcing and in the distribution of the products to the consumers. Their investments are therefore, geared towards warehouses in key points of high consumer demand areas and an efficient delivery and distributing system to service all its consumers. Thus, Amazon controls most of its distributing system that spans across borders. Inter Organization of Network Economics Amazon in its efforts to sustain its market leadership in the online retailing industry has tied up with various online organizations. Netscape Navigator and Amazon will offer members of Netscape Netcenter a co-branded storefront where Earth’s Biggest Bookstore will be easily accessed through Netscape Netcenter (home.netscape.com). In addition, Amazon.com has multi-year exclusive and premier bookseller relationships with 5 of the top 6 sites on the World Wide Web: AOL.com, Yahoo!, Netscape, GeoCities, and Excite. These partnerships widen Amazon’s presence in the World Wide Web. Sensitivity to Business Cycles The Online retailing business has a very quick cyclical growth. Amazon being one of the firsts to venture in this type of commerce are all ready in what seems to be in their decline stage where market share is declining. Therefore, Amazon is expanding to different industries within online retailing. Amazon and other online retailing firms are very sensitive to business cycles due to the speed of technology involved in the services they offer. Dynamics of New Knowledge Generation Online retailing relies on the work of an excellent distribution system. Amazon has invested their money into expanding their network of distribution centers around the globe. They also have investments in creating better  technology for tracking orders and giving efficient delivery systems for their customers. Amazon.com has remained on top of the online retailing business despite the entrance of giants such as Barnes and Nobles and Borders. Their success is attributed to two factors; timing and continuing to invest heavily into the inventory and distribution systems. Amazon, by being the first of its kind, has a big lead over the nearest competitors due to their experience and its reputation as the first movers. Their thrust remains on improving efficient delivery systems across borders and to build name recognition as the number one retailing firm in the Internet. They have also ventured into different retail options to keep that lead. Marketing, Innovative inventory and distribution systems, and name recall have helped Amazon build a sustainable competitive advantage. In order for any online retail company to remain prosperous and income generating, they must invest a lot of time and money into research and development of more efficient operations and distributions systems. This proved to be key for the Market Leader in online retailing, Amazon.Com.

Major Approaches to Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Major Approaches to Knowledge Management - Essay Example Peter Drucker introduced the first related term ‘Knowledge Worker’ in 1960. Over the years, there has been a significant growth in this field and various authors and scholars have brought a number of different areas of focus on the subject. Carlie (1998) highlighted that several theories were developed to manage the intellectual capital in the 21st century. Graham and Thomas (2008) believed that KM is supported as a means of harnessing and utilizing intellectual resources to address challenges, as well as improving innovation, business performance and client approval. Since 1996, there has been immense and rapid growth in terms of KM. Knowledge is the awareness of what one knows through study, reasoning, experience or association, or through various other types of learning (McInerney, 2002). KM consists of four key processes to include knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing, scoring knowledge and knowledge use. DeNoni, Orsi, and Pilotti (2009) believed that the impleme ntation of knowledge management needs effective methods of accessing, measuring and controlling information to manage increasing complexity. This paper aims at highlighting the major approaches that have been developed for KM. This paper addresses the various approaches that have been developed and the importance that this plays in the success of a business. A comparison of the similarities and the differences of the major approaches are discussed. Finally, the importance of computer technology in capturing the unique level dependent organizational knowledge will also be discussed. It is essential to briefly understand the meaning of KM before moving into the various approaches. KM has been discussed and described by several experts. Ron Young, CEO of Knowledge Associates International has defined KM as, â€Å"the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organizations to

Critical Book Review - Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely (2008 or Essay

Critical Book Review - Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely (2008 or 2009 edn) - Essay Example However, this is not always the case. The book discusses that how cognitive psychology influences the ability of an individual to assess the pros and cons of a given economic situation. Behavioural economics being the focus, the book also develops an interdisciplinary approach and topics such as finance, market and management are explored from time to time. The book has been written by Dan Ariely. He is an Israeli – American professor of behavioural economics and psychology. Ariely is currently appointed as a professor in the Duke University, Department of Economics. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute of the same university. (Duke University, 2010) He has a strong grip of psychology and behavioural economics and hence he is better able to analyze people. His background suggests he has intercultural exposure as he has been brought up in Israel and now he works in USA. I think this helps him to develop a deeper insight of the people’s behaviour. Dan Ariely spent his early life in Israel. As a native Israeli, Ariely was engaged in military service when he was eighteen years old. While at service, a magnesium flare explosion left him severely injured. He had 3rd degree burns almost all over his body, and he had to remain in hospital bed for a long time. During this period of his life, Ariely began to reflect on human behaviour. For example, he wondered why the nurses removed his bandages in the way they did. Were they able to behave according to their intention to relieve him? If not, why? He also noted the behaviour of the other patients around him. It is from here Ariely started his research on irrational behaviour of individuals. The book is well structured and planned. It has thirteen chapters. Some chapters have impressive titles like ‘Power of Price (Why a 50-Cent Aspirin Can Do What a Penny Aspirin Can’t?)’ (Ariely, 2009: p. 173) and ‘The Effect of Expectations (Why the Mind Gets What It Expects?)â€℠¢ (Ariely, 2009: p. 155). These sorts of topics are certainly thought provoking. As the reader looks at the outline of the book, his or her curiosity is increased. The sections in each of Ariely’s chapters tell a story, describe it well and conduct an experiment. Finally, at the end of every chapter, Ariely analyzes the inferences and develops postulates on how the results obtained so far can change a person’s economic behaviour. In the book, the writer has not merely criticized classical economics. He has expressed his concern about behavioural irrationalities too. In the context of the books describing anomalies and irrationalities, there is â€Å"a growing fan base within disciplines outside of economics† (McKenzie, 2009: p. 32). Ariely respects the readers from this fan base and he is tireless to continuously explain his economic views so that the readers from non-economics background can also understand the key concepts. The basic idea of the book (as we fi nd in its 2008 ed. too) delivers a strong blow to the very concept that we can operate a system on the basis of the assumptions that people will always act according to the rational calculus. Cognitive inconsistencies are real factors, and they should be analyzed and reflected on by the academia, government, corporations and policy makers. In practice, economic strategies are actually directed to appeal to emotion, not rational calculus (Thomas, 2008). Further, as reviewed by Doctorow (2010), â€Å"

Examine the reasons and implications of the decline of trade unions in Essay

Examine the reasons and implications of the decline of trade unions in Australia - Essay Example The greatest decline of trade unionism however occurred in the 1990s and was attributable to a combination of government and employer policies which have resulted in a populace focused on free enterprise rather than collectivism. Trade unions by definition are an organized body established to principally negotiate pay rates and employment conditions on behalf of its members; such bodies generally comprise a collective of workers who are separately and jointly assigned as representatives of its members in dealing with management (Aktaruzzaman, 2006). In other words their purpose is to protect their members by improving and maintaining their employment conditions and keeping non-unionists out of the labour market (Time of our lives, 102). The problem with this model of representation however, is that empowerment is taken from the people under representation; they become passive observers while trade union reps solve problems on their behalf exterior to the workplace environment. Trade unions are also part of government structure in much the same way as political parties and thus must adhere to the laws of government and democracy. Support from trade unions towards governments however, wavers in accordance with the level of shared labour market goals and the extent to which they can increase power (Johns, 2002). They are astute at â€Å"positioning themselves in civil society† (Johns, 2002, p.3) but are weighted with their involvement with government by being placed alongside government as the primary cause of its own demise. This was never more evident than when they worked in support of the Labour government to lay the way for an economy that was more open and included enterprise bargaining (Johns, 2002). Employment conditions within Australia were primarily decided by state and federal awards that opted in favour of union members but the situation changed after 1986 whereupon awards were changed, enterprise bargaining came into existence and agreements w ith non-union members were provided for collectives (Bowden, 2009). Late in the 1980s awards were restructured (Bowden, ), and starting with Keating’s Industrial regulations Reform Act 1993 that introduced enterprise bargaining, followed by Howard’s Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cranston, 2000; Caspersz, 2007) that provided for individual workplace agreements (Bowden, 2009) as well as collective agreements between employees and companies (Johns, 2002), and then a further amendment in 2006, it seems that government support for unions has disappeared (Sappey, Burgess, Lyons & Buultjens, 2006, cited in Caspersz, 2007, p.3). Added to this, the majority of Australian states implemented laws to stop compulsory membership of unions in order to make the transition from award systems to those focused on individual enterprise and bargaining more effortless, and later the federal government under Howard brought obligatory membership to an end (Leigh, 2005). Such legislations crea ted a massive exodus of union members who were then given choice rather than obligation to pay their union dues. Trade unions during this time faced massive changes in terms of legislative deregulation of the labour market (Cranston, 2000) which in turn affected the financial and economical sectors of the

Registered Nurse, Psychiatric Specialty Research Paper

Registered Nurse, Psychiatric Specialty - Research Paper Example These functions include: assistance during surgeries, administration of medications, monitoring vital signs, monitoring for side-effects of surgeries and/or medications, and also monitoring for complications. Aside from these assistive functions however, these nurses also carry out independent nursing functions, functions which do not need to be ordered by doctors or other health professionals (Temple, 2012). For psychiatric nursing, nursing care involves the administration of psychiatric drugs, observing patient symptoms, including extra-pyramidal symptoms, providing therapeutic care, carrying out suicide watch, and preventing self-harm (Temple, 2012). In order to be RNs, a state licensure exam is often needed. Each state has its own licensure examination and has its own requisite for practice. II. Education and Certification The basic requirement for a career as a registered nurse is to pass the licensure examination in the state where one desires to practice (Nazarko, 2004). Befor e the licensure examination is taken however, the applicant needs to finish first a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. ... The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is also a requirement for entry into the registered nursing career. As was mentioned above, the examinations vary with each state, and depending on the entry requirements for each state, practice can include other licensed nurses from other states (Rosdahl and Kowalski, 2007). The cost of education for a career in registered nursing varies with each state and for each country. In the US however, Lee (2012) discusses that the average cost for 4 years tuition for a Bachelor’s degree in nursing is $26,340 in a public university, and for a private university, about $100,572 (Lee, 2012). This is the comparable tuition rate for nursing. The University of Washington for example, estimates $28,000 for state residents and $93,000 for non-state residents for their BS Nursing degrees. An ivy-league school like the University of Pennsylvania averages about $150,000 for its nursing program (Lee, 2012). Aside from the tuition, other academi c requirements like books, laboratory and administrative fees are also essential. Other costs also accrue in terms of living arrangements, including housing, parking, and other living expenses which would vary depending on the student’s circumstances and the country or state where the student is studying (Lee, 2012). Registered psychiatric nurses have to go additional training and certifications in psychiatric nursing (APNA, 2012). These nurses need a Master’s Degree in psychiatric mental health nursing. Doctorate degrees in psychiatric nursing are also options for interested RNs. Such degrees would allow them to participate in teaching, research, and in administration (APNA, 2012).

Industry Environment Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Industry Environment Analysis - Research Paper Example However, the business can shield itself by use of the barriers to entry. Barriers to entry are those actions by the firm that increase the costs incurred by potential competitors for them to enter the market (Hill & Jones, 2012). Therefore, the higher the barriers to entry, the higher the costs incurred by competitors and, therefore, the lower the rate of entrance into the market. The common barriers used by industries include economies of scale, switching costs by customers, capital investments, government regulation, brand loyalty and absolute cost advantages. Economies of Scale Economies of scale refer to the benefits and advantages that accrue to a company due to its large size. Economies of scale usually arise from sources such as mass production by the firm, discounts awarded due to buying in bulk, and benefits received due to spreading fixed costs over a large volume of production. Because of a large volume of output, the industry also limits its marketing and advertisements c osts (Hill & Jones, 2012). Therefore, the profitability of a fast-causal restaurant will be affected if its size is small, which limits its economies of scale. However, it can focus on increasing its size in order to increase its economies of scale such as pricing benefits. ... For example, a restaurant could create new recipes for foods; it could also spice up its foods in a unique way as compared to those of its current competitors. Therefore, customers will get used to the products and will prefer the restaurant’s foods to other foods offered in the market (Hill & Jones, 2011). This is a feature referred to as customer loyalty; it is used to ensure that customers stick to the original supplier irrespective of any other suppliers in the market. Capital Investments The business can ensure that its profitability is maintained by investing in capital intensive projects which assure it high returns in the future. For example, a restaurant could invest in latest technological equipment of operation. Such an investment will lead to offering of quality services to customers, thus increasing the number of customers attracted. Consequently, the profitability of the business will be increased. New competitors will be barred from entering the market since the y will not have similar investments for them to compete in the market. On the other hand, the capital requirements needed to make similar investments will be extremely high, so any new business would opt not to enter the market (Kar, 2011). Absolute Cost Advantages Cost advantages for the business will arise from such angles as experience, high quality trained personnel, and control of crucial inputs of production in the market such as labor, raw materials and management skills. It could also have additional advantages such as access to cheap sources of finance and insurance benefits. Therefore, a new company in the market will be hindered from entering since it will not be able to match to the advantages of the

FROM HAUTE COUTURE TO HIGH STREET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FROM HAUTE COUTURE TO HIGH STREET - Essay Example g the possibility of a collaboration between this world of fashion and the diametrically opposite world of brands and labels is the basis of this study. The target segment for this collaboration would be the college going and early jobbers in the population. The brand is termed as ‘IQ’ which literally means intelligence quotient, choice of today’s woman. The brand represents the value of respect to today’s woman of substance and also looks at educating a younger segment in the process in terms of style more than the volatility of fashion. This crowd can be converted into a loyal market base over a period of time for both the brands. The study concludes to believe the feasibility of such collaboration and the recommendation is definitely go ahead as both stand to benefit from each other considerably. Fashion evolves in itself and that too every 10 years then the question arises is that why does it need the support of effective marketing? The objective of this paper is to not only analyze the brand names but to tap the potential market of high end fashion stores by associating it with the label, the customer would like to buy. Hence we are consulting various perspectives of marketing in fashion industry especially the necessity of such collaboration between a high end fashion store and a designer label. 1. Fashion industry works on the imaginations and creativity of the creators. For a commoner in the society the desire to look good and acceptable by the surrounding society becomes a need which is regulated by the resources that are available. Marketing sets a trend to follow by all means and the second part concentrates on the individual’s own desires to be acceptable. 2. Promotion focuses on making the customer understand the company, its policies, objectives and values. For ex: If an organization is into designer diamonds ornaments, the brand should clearly state so. Every aspect of marketing mix should take this into consideration. The prices quoted,

Roles and Responsibilities of a Teachers Essay Example for Free

Roles and Responsibilities of a Teachers Essay Roles ,Responsibilities, boundaries and Relationship of teachers with other professional. * Roles and Responsibilities of a teachers in life long sector. In my view ,followings should be the roles and responsibilities of a teacher of numeracy /math, Physics, and ICT at adults level. 1. One of the responsibilities of someone who is thinking about going into teaching in the lifelong learning sector would be to gain the skills, which are required for the subject , in which he/she intend to teach and make sure that the/she have relevant literacy, numeracy and ICT skills and preferably the qualifications. 2. A teacher must make communication in easy and simple words so that all the learners can understand easily. He should communicate by lowering his own level at the level of the learners. A teacher should be very clear and concise in his ideas .Words and language with dual meanings or ambiguous language should not be used. He/she should be Generous with advice and guidance. Teachers should adjust their teaching style to meet individual needs of students. 3. A teacher should enter into the classroom with full preparation and in depth knowledge of the subject .He/she should plan the sessions and prepare the teaching materials with great care. It should be the responsibility of a teacher to make sure that all handouts, lesson plans, presentations and any other writing is always spellchecked as any spelling mistakes will reflect on the learners. He/she should use the modern technology in preparation of this material. It should be attractive, creative and inspiring. 4. Sometimes, the behaviour of learners demonstrates that something is not going right. Therefore, I think ,I as a teacher must pay attention to any suspicious sings that could bother the learners. As teacher must be my responsibility to find out what is going on with the learners in the classroom 5. A teacher should be inspiring , patient and must not preach. 6. A teacher should attend and contribute team meetings, section meetings, tutor and area team meetings where applicable. 7. A teacher should work closely with colleagues in developing and improving the current curriculum offer for programs of teaching. 8. A teacher partake in marketing and recruitment activities including open evenings, school tasters and visits, student profiling for publications, interview, induction, awards evenings, result day and enrolment. 9. A teacher should identify students weaknesses and should be able to plan a strategy to assist them with it. 10. A teacher should encourage students to discuss the chosen topic/method not only with the teacher but also amongst themselves . Teachers should create effective and stimulating opportunities for learning through high quality teaching that enables the development and progression of all learners 11. A teacher should assess various learning styles within the group and identify the methods by which various learners can understand better. And method should be easy and updated. 12. A teacher must try to make sure that all students have equal rights and safe learning environment where they are able to build a trusting and honest relationship. Teachers should value all of their learners individually and equally .A teacher should be professional yet sympathetic to the learner’s needs. Teachers should give students an environment to learn on their own without putting them in a box and sayingyou belong here because of your age, etc. 13. A teacher should be friendly with the learners, but he/she must remember that the learners should not be his/her friends. 14. The teacher needs to show respect toward the students so the students also respect the teacher 15. A teacher should complete attendance records and maintain the records of learners progress e.g. interviews, tutorials, assessments. 16. A teacher must not give false advice but a constructive and accurate one. 17. A facilitator must be organiser, analyst, administrator, media designer, tutor, team player, communicator, assessor, group leader and presenter. 18. A teacher should actively participate in continuous professional development appropriate for the development of programs and career of a teacher as a member of college staff. 19. And most of all, the perfect teacher, is the teacher that doesnt think himself/herself perfect. * Boundaries of the teachers in life long sector.

Gender Analysis of The Crying Game

Gender Analysis of The Crying Game Through a close analysis of The Crying Game, examine Judith Butler’s notion of the performativity of gender There appear to be many similarities between Neil Jordan’s 1992 movie The Crying Game and Judith Butler’s theory of the performativity of gender as promulgated in her seminal book Gender Trouble, which has been one of the most hotly contested intellectual studies on feminism published in the past fifty years. Both managed to cause major controversy by turning the traditional notion of gender on its head and both invite the audience/reader to question society’s making of ‘man’, ‘woman’, ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’. The following analysis seeks to show how Butler’s ideas managed to permeate Jordan’s film, which is – it should be noted – a much more complex movie than a mere study of gender issues. First, however, a definition of the ‘performativity’ of gender must be attempted so as to establish a conceptual framework for the remainder of the discussion. Judith Butler’s theory on gender should be interpreted within the broader social and political context of feminist theory that came in two distinct ‘waves’ during the 1960’s and the 1970’s. After securing the requisite political achievements gained by the advances of the first wave, the second, more radicalised wave of feminism sought to challenge historical notions of man and woman in western society, â€Å"which maintains male dominance by co‑opting women and suppressing the feminine. These arguments link dominant western forms of rationality with male power and control over women and nature, which is associated with violence, oppression and destruction.†[1] Thus, while Butler’s views are doubtlessly revolutionary, they should also be read within this dominant feminist climate of deep‑seated change that characterised the second half of the twentieth century in the West, which sought to deliberately create divisions between heterosexual men and heterosexual women in order to further the feminist cause. This is also the reason behind the alliance between radical feminism and the gay and lesbian communities, which was forged at this time and which is directly relevant to the performativity of gender as seen in The Crying Game. Butler’s views deviate from the feminist norm with regards to the way in which she formulates the idea of having to ‘perform’ the parts of man and woman in contemporary society. In this sense, she sees both masculinity and femininity as being manufactured by culture and she plants the idea that if this culture were structured along less visibly male‑female lines, then the two g enders would behave in a discernibly different manner. This is the idea which is used in The Crying Game to which attention must now be turned. The Crying Game is a movie that is as much about the Troubles of the IRA as it is a film about trans‑gender analysis. The plot concerns the nucleus of a small band of Irish terrorists who kidnap a British soldier (Forest Whitaker) for the purpose of exchanging him in order to secure the release of captive IRA operatives in UK jails. The gang is led by Maguire (Adrian Dunbar) and also contains Jude (Miranda Richardson) and Fergus (Stephen Rea.) It is the character of Fergus who will become the main focus of the film as first he finds himself unable to the kill the British soldier, Jody and subsequently he embarks upon discovering the dead man’s lover, Dil (Jaye Davidson) to whom he finds himself immediately attracted. This burgeoning relationship between Fergus and Dil is fraught with tension as Fergus feels tortured by guilt for the death of Jody (although Fergus lets him go, the soldier is still accidentally killed by a British tank). This tension is an essential cinem atic precursor to the movie’s central plot twist, which comes as a major surprise to the viewing audience. Before moving towards a critical appraisal of the revelation that occurs within the relationship of Dil and Fergus, mention must be made of the way in which Neil Jordan manages to exploit the traditional notions of woman in film. By picking an androgynous looking actor to play Dil, the director tricks the audience into believing a traditional heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman is about to take place – a relationship rendered tragic by the loss both characters have already suffered. This coupling, in film history, has usually seen the man seducing the woman who acts as the aesthetically beautiful centrepiece of the action. â€Å"In the celluloid brothel of the cinema, where the merchandise may be eyed endlessly but never purchased, the tension between the beauty of the woman, which is admirable, and the denial of the sexuality which is the source of that beauty but is also immoral, reaches a perfect impasse.†[2] Therefore, when it slowly transpires that Dil is not yet another example of the cinematic female beauty but is in fact a man, the sense of shock is all the more pronounced. As with Butler’s idea on the performativity of gender, Jordan stops short of stating this development as a fact; instead, it is left open to conjecture as a philosophical question: does Dil’s biology mean that he is a man no matter what or does the fact that he has assumed a female role mean that he has transgressed the gender divide to become a woman in the cultural sense? This is a key line of inquiry in radical feminist ideology and one that has no direct answer. For instance, although traditionalists would argue that no‑one can ever reverse the gender of their birth liberals would likewise state that gender is a construct of society and that both males and females should be freely able to choose not only their sexuality but also their gender. This is a direct descendent of Judith Butlerâ⠂¬â„¢s Gender Trouble where the author argues the case that men and women both perform the roles of masculine and feminine without ever questioning its validity in this way. â€Å"Gender is †¦ a construction that regularly conceals its genesis; the tacit collective agreement to perform, produce and sustain discrete and polar genders as cultural fictions is obscured by the credibility of those productions – and the punishments that attend not agreeing to believe in them.†[3] Fergus’ response to the realisation that Dil is a transvestite is typically male and typical of society’s general horror at such transgressions of sexuality and gender. His first response is to punch Dil in the face and retract his previous statements of affection. He exits the scene, leaving Dil lying bloodied on the floor. Fergus’ disgust is mirrored in the shock felt by the contemporary cinema audience, which was manifested in mass protests from Christian and conformist communities when the film was released both in the UK and abroad. The director makes sure not to over or under dramatise the revelation of Dil’s transgression of gender, preferring instead to let the remainder of the plot play out to the backdrop of the shock of the ongoing relationship between the two main characters. With the spectre of the IRA unexpectedly re‑appearing towards the end of the film, the audience is transported away from the notion of the performativity of gender to see how Fergus is able to rise above his initial feeling of disgust to save Dil from prison after the shooting of Fergus’ old comrade, Jude. Interestingly, Dil is compelled to murder Jude when it transpires that she had enjoyed a sexual relationship with Jody while the soldier was in her captivity. Thus, there is no doubt that – after all that has transpired – Dil still identifies herself as a woman and is directly challenged by the more obviously feminine Jude. At this point, mention must be made of the difference between Butlerâ€⠄¢s notion of the performativity of gender and the kind of transgender concepts encapsulated in drag and cross‑dressing. â€Å"In the majority of the works that have followed in Butler’s wake, drag (as the parodic enactment of gender) is represented as something one can choose to do: the imputation is that one can be whatever type of gender one wants to be, and can perform gender in whatever way one fancies. This is what you might call a voluntarist model of identity because it assumes that it is possible to freely and consciously create one’s own identity. Whilst in many ways this voluntarist account of gender performance is in direct contrast with Butler’s notion of performativity, it is also, at least in part, a consequence of the ambiguity of Butler’s own account of the distinction between performance and performativity in Gender Trouble.†[4] Appropriately, Neil Jordan never alludes to whether or not Dill is voluntarily transgressing gender or whether it is a biological necessity for man to have morphed into woman. This mirrors Butler’s ambiguity and the ambiguity that pervades every aspect of the notion of crossing gender, which is one of the more intellectually challenging concepts for any society to grapple with. Ultimately, though, The Crying Game ends with a hint of the director’s views on the subject. During the final scene, which is set years later, Dil asks Fergus why he took the blame for her. Recounting an earlier scene, Fergus replies, â€Å"It’s in my nature.† This implies that there is no choice with regards to gender, sexuality and performance. We are what we are. Conclusion The Crying Game is a challenging film that operates on a variety of levels. Politics, race and gender are all subject to scrutiny without being dealt with in a moralistic way. Judith Butler’s notion pertaining to the performativity of gender is likewise a multifaceted study that has greatly influenced feminist ideology and has clearly infiltrated the mind of director Neil Jordan. In the final analysis, there can be no doubt that there is a strong link between the two without any simple, broad‑based conclusion being put forward by either party. In both instances, it is left up to the reader and viewer to make their minds up concerning gender and the wider issue of whether it is nature that constructs our sexual being or whether it is cultural nurturing that subconsciously encourages us to play the roles of heterosexual men and women. This is a difficult sensible balancing act to maintain, yet it is also ultimately sensible as both The Crying Game and Gender Trouble arriv e at the opinion that there can be no one deduction that manages to satisfy everyone. The conclusion, like the choice of gender and sexuality, must in the end be wholly subjective. BIBLIOGRAPHY Butler, J. (1990) Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity London: Routledge Carter, A. (1978) The Saideian Woman and the Ideology of Pornography New York: Harper Row Featherstone, M. (Ed.) (2000) Body Modification London: SAGE Shaviro, S. (1993) The Cinematic Body: Theory out of Bounds, Volume 2 Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press Stallybrass, P. and White, A. (1986) The Politics and Poetics of Transgression London: Routledge Sullivan, N. (2003) A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Weedon, C. (1987) Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory London and New York: Blackwell FILMS The Crying Game (Neil Jordan; 1992) Footnotes [1] Weedon, C. (1987) Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory London and New York: Blackwell, p.7 [2] Carter, A. (1978) The Saideian Woman and the Ideology of Pornography New York: Harper Row, p.60 [3] Butler, J. (1990) Gender Trouble London: Routledge, p.140 [4] Sullivan, N. (2003) A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, p.87

Developing Corporate Culture within an organisation

Developing Corporate Culture within an organisation As defined in Assignment 1, culture is a set values, beliefs, common understanding, thinking and norms for behavior that are shared by all members of a society. Organizational climate, on the other hand, is the process of quantifying the culture of an organization. It is a set of properties of the work environment, perceived directly or indirectly by the employees, that is assumed to be a major force in influencing employee behavior. In laymens terms, it is the employees opinion of the workplace environment that could have a direct bearing on their performance. For instance, a high performance climate will encourage individuals to do what is needed to meet goals, satisfy customers, and exceed expectations. Likewise, a poor climate will result in loss of confidence in the organization, lower commitment and mediocre performance from employees. There are six factors to evaluation climate, and they are: Clarity Everyone knows what is expected of them. Standards Challenged with reasonable goals. Responsibility Employees given authority to accomplish tasks without checking for approval. Flexibility Employees are recognized and rewarded for good performance. Rewards Employees are recognized and rewarded for good performance. Commitment People are proud to belong to the organization. Using these six factors to assess the climate at the School Employee Retirements System of Ohio (SERS), we can evaluate SERS existing climate from their scores in the Denison Organization Culture Survey. Climate Factors Denison Organizational Culture Survey Score Clarity Vision: 81% Goals Objectives: 82% Strategic Direction Intent: 78% Standards Coordination Integration: 87% Agreement: 73% Core Values: 73% Responsibility Customer Focus: 79% Flexibility Creating Change: 77% Empowerment: n/a Rewards Launch a rewards and recognition programme such as their standardized merit system to recognize those that go above and beyond. Commitment Capability Development: n/a Organizational Learning: 82% Team Orientation: n/a SERS has definitely taken on board the feedback from their initial Denison Organizational Culture Survey scores in 2006 and progressed significantly using the Culture Change Monitor. In a mere three years, it has realized remarkable improvements across many areas of the Denison model and transformed into an organization with balanced top-down and bottom-up team work and involvement. Task 2 Recommend ways to improve corporate climate in an organization. SERSs effort and accomplishment in their transformation is indeed an incredible feat. It would be wise for them to keep at their efforts in establishing an open communicative environment and aim towards creating an inclusive and meritocratic culture. American marathon runner, Joan Benoit Samuelson, was once quoted saying, I look at victory as milestone on a very long highway. Likewise, the journey to victory for SERS is a long road ahead. Thus it is important for SERS to consistency review the data to ascertain the details to progress forward and achieve organizational success. SERS could perhaps make improvements in their efforts for diversity and inclusion, which would ultimately lend in creating a strong future for SERS. This can be attained through addressing the factors of difference and fully capitalizing on the potential contribution of all employees. Embedding diversity and inclusion will give SERS the competitive advantage and help cultivate a competitive culture. For example, SERS could launch a global diversity drive and arrange networking events for affinity groups whereby particularly sub-sets of employees can network and exchange experience. Here, members can come together to discuss key issues and learn from each other, very much similar to their existing leadership development programme. On the employee development front, the SERS University is a good development to embed a learning culture within the organization. With this platform, employees are given the resources of a university to help them advance their careers, realize personal enrichment and achieve success. Additionally, the employee culture of SERS could be weaved into employee development course to inculcate a culture that focuses high engagement. Last but not least, it is recommended that SERS launch their own sustainability campaign to formulate a culture that is part of life and spirit of the communities it serves. It could be accomplished by involving volunteers across the company to donate time, money and resources to help those in need. Furthermore, SERS could offer educational resources such as books, classrooms, teachers to children in need. Task 3 Proposed a framework of organizational values that meet the specific strategic and operational needs of an organization The Competing Values Framework (CVF) developed by Quinn, Rohrbaugh could be proposed to conduct organizational analysis of the existing organizational values. The CVF was initially developed from the research on major indicators of effective organizations. Based on statistical analysis of a comprehensive list of effective indicators, Quinn and Rohrbaugh (1983) discovered two major dimension underlying conceptions of effectiveness. The first dimension is related to organizational focus, from an internal emphasis on the well-being and development of people in the organization to an external focus on the well-being and development of the organization itself. The second dimension differentiates organizational preference for structure and represents the contrast between stability and control and flexibility and change. Plotting this to illustrate, we get a spatial model that forms four quadrants, each with its own set of distinct indicators. Graphically, the CVF can be illustrated as the following: Each quadrant represents one of the four dimensions as depicted in the Denision Organizational Culture survey. These are the four major modes of organization and management theory. In the first quadrant on the upper left corner, we have the Human Relations Model which stresses on flexibility and internal focus. Here, cohesion, morale and human resources development are regarded as a criteria for effectiveness. On the upper right corner, we have the Open System Model. In this quadrant, emphasis is placed on flexibility and external focus, and the primary concerns are the readiness, growth, resource acquisition and external support. Moving on to the lower section of the diagram, the left quadrant is the Internal Process Model, while the right quadrant is the Rational Goal Model. The former emphasizes on control and internal focus and stresses the role of information management, communication, stability and control. The latter emphasizes on control and external focus, and looks upon pla nning, goal setting, productivity and efficiency as effective tools. Using the similar methodology, an alternative model of the CVF demonstrates the applicability towards leadership. Here, eight categories of leadership behaviors emerge, and can be illustrated as the following: Within each quadrant in this alternative model, each represents two roles that aligned with the four modes of organization and management theory. Human Relation Model Mentor is helpful and approachable, and is responsible for the personal development. Facilitator promotes teamwork, cohesiveness and manages interpersonal conflict. Open System Model Innovator possesses the creative and out-of-the box thinking skills, whereas broker possesses the political astute, persuasive, influential and powerful. Internal Process Model Monitor role checks on the performance and handles the paperwork, while coordinator facilitates the structure, schedules and the coordination efforts. Producer Role Model Producer role is responsible for the tasks and work, and motivate employees to attain stated goals, while director role engages in planning and goal setting, sets objectives and establishes clear expectations. This Competing Value Framework (CVF) can be a useful framework of organizational value that meets the specific strategic and operational needs of an organization. Management should take into account all of these eight roles and achieve a balance in competing demands and expectations. As such, this tool could help diagnose their existing and desired culture, and identify organizational gaps. Furthermore, it could be used as a tool for teaching and provide help in better understanding the similarities and differences of managerial leadership roles. Task 4 Identify internal and external stakeholders of an organization. Stakeholders in an organization are simply individuals or group that has an interest in the outcome of your objective. Internal stakeholders are defined as the people who are already committed in their responsibilities as board members, staff, volunteers, and/or donors. External stakeholders, on the other hand, are the people who are impacted by your work as clients/constituents, community, partners, and others. Internal Stakeholders can be represented by the following groups: Board members: Responsible for appointment of management in an organization, take accountability of management for their use of resources and the results of the stewardship of management. This stakeholder may engage in economic decisions which include whether to buy or sell an investment or whether to reappoint or replace the management. Staff members: Employees and their representative groups are interested in the well-being such as the stability and profitability of their employers. They are interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to provide remuneration, retirement benefits and employment opportunities. Donors: The investors of the organizations that provides the risk capital. They are concerned with the risk taken, and return on equity from their investments. They need information to make informed decision of either buying, holding or selling. Shareholders are also interested in financial metrics to discern the ability of the organization to meet dividend payments. External Stakeholders can be represented by the following groups: Clients: Clients or customers are the source of revenue for the business. Community Partners: These are the association boards, regulatory bodies that are concern with the business codes of conduct that the organization follows. Others: Could range from their Corporate Social Responsibility partners, group alliances, the charities that are in partnership with, and the environment. Using NHS as a case study, we can identify the following list of internal and external stakeholders: Internal Stakeholders External Stakeholders Director of Public Health Head of Health Intelligence and Information Procurement Director of Nursing Public Health Strategists Public Health Management Analyst Director of Programmes and Services Research Scientist Communications Environmental Health Intelligence Analyst Public Health Manager Trustees Board committee members Local Authority/council Providers Acute trusts Patients Service users Customers Suppliers Funders Quality assessors LINk group Special interest groups Health visitors/school nurses Wider public health workforce Media Task 5 Evaluate the effectiveness of an organizations existing communication strategies. Communication is one of the basic functions in an organization and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is the process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions and plans between various parts of an organization. In other words, it is an active two way process that involves listening, speaking, writing and reading. Effective communication in the workplace is essential to provide clear direction and expectations to employees. This will help promote higher productivity, improved performance and increased customer loyalty and profit. Communication strategy in an organization is defined as a management technique for determining the most effective method of communicating in an organization. It outlines the process for communicating and sharing information on project benefits and facts to target audiences and stakeholders. In order to evaluate the effectives of SERSs existing communication strategies, it important to analyze this with respect to its internal and external stakeholders. Communication among internal stakeholders Since 2006, SERS have come a long way in establishing increased communication and promote a culture of openness. One avenue of communication among employees is the daily newsletter publication that provides the latest updates on community information and events, new hires and other relevant organizational information. In addition to that, monthly publications are handed out to employees detailing highlights from monthly board meetings to keep employee abreast on major organizational decisions. This provided employees a structured platform to keep track of major changes and also foster inclusion by encouraging participation in meetings. The set up of cross-function teams was another initiative on the communication front. This enabled staff to work in teams to address key issues, set specific goals and milestone to ensure accountability for their team. Here, cross-functional teams were responsible in the evaluation of the existing performance management process and the creation of competency models for every job function. These models communicated the performance metrics by first defining SMART goals, thus giving employees a sense of empowerment and accountability for reaching their goals. Communication among external stakeholders On the communication initiatives among external stakeholders front, not much have been mentioned in this case study. Extending this with additional research, SERS is currently exploring new ways to communication with their strategic partners. This involve identify and delivering solutions that will bring the greatest impacts to their external stakeholders. Currently, SERS is looking at providing multiple service channels for their existing members to include face-to-face, electronic, web, multi-lingual, etcetera. They have also engaged in lobbying and public education to minimize the potential for detrimental legislation. Task 6 Develop new communication strategies of an organization that address differences in belief, values, customs and language. The ability to communicate is essential to organizational success. We have come into an age of knowledge, and the ability to communicate effectively is the key to harness that knowledge. A good communications strategy would allow for better control and help structure issues in perspective to ultimately address the difference in belief, values, customs and language. Today, SERS has clearly identified its new model in its mission statement affirming its dedication to communication and collaboration to help them identify, and deliver solutions for, the issues of greatest impact to their members and retirees. In the initial stages of the development of a new communications strategy, it would be ideal to make this a collective process and involve participation of all members. This will help facilitate the brainstorm session and pool the necessary skills and competencies to develop an appropriate communications strategy for SERS. This strategy can be structured in several stages: Phase 1 Preliminary outline prepared by the close collaborators. Phase 2 Outline submitted to various partners for comments and revisions. Comments are also received from individuals, groups, etc. Phase 3 Management meets to finalize the strategy, and input/feedback from a communications expert is prompted. Phase 4 Once established, the strategy must be communicated to partners, groups and all members in the organization. The ideal way through the development process is to hold regular team meeting to keep everyone up to date on the needs and to keep the dossier active. This ongoing process allows the strategy to be continually verified during meetings, and evolve to adapt its existing requirements. At SERS, there are a few suggestions to be included in this new communications strategy. SERS can introduce new technologies to facilitate communication among staff. This could be implemented by installation of instant messenger applications, video conferencing tools and email to allow internal stakeholders to communicate more efficiently. SERS could bring its daily newsletters and monthly publications through its intranet and allow members access this information remotely or in the free time. Embed diversity and inclusion by launching a global diversity drive and arranging networking events for affinity groups whereby particularly sub-sets of employees can network and exchange experience. Here, members can come together to discuss key issues and learn from each other, very much similar to their existing leadership development programme. Adopt an open door policy to create an open atmosphere and allow junior members to freely discuss ideas or views on various issues. Creation of special occasion like an SERS day to allow employees from different departments to get to know each other on a personal level and engage in team building activities. Establish a feedback system to ensure a two-way process in the evaluation of colleagues and managers. Anonymity can be enforced by allowing employees to post feedback through an opaque ballot box. Conduct periodic surveys with their internal and external stakeholders to monitor existing performance and seek out avenues for improvement. Taking into account these suggestions for SERS coupled with the 4 stage action communications strategy, SERS will be able to achieve better manager employee relations, bring about improvement in motivation and morale, and ultimately increased productivity and ensure organizational success.

Lazzaro Spallanzani :: essays research papers

Lazzaro Spallanzani Lazzaro Spallanzai, was the Italian physiologist who was one of the founders of experimental biology. Born in Scandiano, a small town in the providence of Emilia on Jan. 12, 1729 , Spallanzani was among the many dedicated philosophersof the eighteeth century (Lazzaro...1). His main scientific interests were biological and was a master at mircoscopy,but he also looked into problems of physics,chemistry, geology, and meteorology, and volcanology (Gillispie,1). After attending a local school, Spallazani went at afe fifteen to a Jesuit seminary in Reggio Emilia where he dominated in rhetoric, philosophy, and languages. He left Reggio Emilia in 1749 to study jurisprudence at the ancient University of Bologna, where he expanded is education in mathematics, chemistry, natural history, and aquired a knowledge of French (Asimov,1). For three years he worked toward his docterine in law. In 1753 or 1754 he became a doctor of philosophy. Then, he recieved instructions in metaphysics and theology and took minor orders. Within a few years he became a priest and added himself to two congregations in Modena (Gillispie,2). Spallanzani, in hundreds of experiments tested various rituals for rendering infusions permanently barren and finally found that they remained free of microorganisms when put into flasks that were sealed and the contents boiled for one hour (Lazzaro...1).The entrance of air into the flask through a slight crack in its neck was Patel 2 followed infusoria. He reported no spontaneous generation in strongly heated infusions protected from aerial contamination. In 1765, after cutting up thousands of earthworms and exploiting the ability of the aquatic salamander to regrow its tail, he resolved to investigate reproductive phenomena in animals ans plants(Gillispie,3). He proved this by cuting theworms the area that affected the segmental regenerative response. Amputation of the tailwas followed by vascularization of the transparent growing stump. He also established the general law that in susceptible species inverse ratio obtains between the regenerativecapacity and age of the animal. Lazzaro launched countless experiments relating to infusion animalcules and "spermatic worms," with result that soon made chimera of thevegetatice force and undermined the docterine of organic molecules; but these ideasdemanded more attention so they were postponed (Asimove,2). He also found that complex infusoriaare more susceptible to heat and cold than the "infinitely minute" germ of lower class,whose relative resistance he ascribed to their eggs. In 1777 he publicly demonstrated the great force exerted by the gizzards of fowls and ducks in

South African Power Groups Essay -- History, South Africas Revolution

Efforts to Address the Problem South Africa’s revolution was unique because it was neither an elite-imposed transition nor a classical revolution. Many analysts were surprised that a classical revolution hadn’t occurred sometime in the 1980s (Marx, 1997, 476-479). It is likely that there wasn’t a classical revolution because the military was still loyal to the dominant white group. Furthermore, whites controlled nearly all of the economic power, and as a result, blacks needed the white structure to stay in place to continue lest the economy crumble (p. 478). But, mounting pressure from citizens, a steadily weakening economy, and the international community caused the Afrikaners to reevaluate their position. An elite-imposed transition didn’t occur because the citizens of South Africa had mobilized to too great of an extent. The Afrikaners realized that a negotiated settlement was the only option if they didn’t want to face a thorough-going revolution (p. 478). This negotiation process wasn’t particularly effective though. It was initially assumed that such a tactic would result in peaceful negotiations similar to those of Brazil (p. 479-480). The ANC promised to end the guerrilla violence that was causing thousands of people to die each year once the negotiations started (p. 481-482). Unfortunately, the perception that violence could enhance negotiating positions quickly grew, and by 1992 South Africa had become, â€Å"one of the most violent countries in the world† (p. 483). This violence lead to a situation in which ‘winner take all’ amendments to the constitution were rejected as being too inflammatory (p. 483). Clearly, this slowed down the process of integration. There are simply some parts of Apartheid that needed to be elimin... ...stricts 87% of the population to just 13% of the land. Overcrowding and a lack of infrastructure remain problems (Mochaki, 1995). Nevertheless, this was one of the more successful programs of the post-apartheid era. It helped to include those groups that had traditionally been displaced by making them citizens of South Africa again. In addition, it gave millions of people voting rights allowed them to participate in a governing body for the first time in ages. If any change is going to be made, it must include, at the very least, input from the group it is trying to help. Not only did the abolition of homelands do that, but it allowed blacks and the other subjugated minorities access to governmental offices previously reserved for the white citizens of South Africa. Furthermore, abolishing homelands could become an important symbol for the anti-apartheid movement.

Regulatory Risks Essay

Risks are inherent to all business organizations. Risk management often considers several areas of practice and is an absolute necessity, not merely an option. The author will discuss regulatory risks for organizations, and explain how they can be identified and managed. Risk management requires considering and weighing risks and implementing procedures to monitor and moderate them. Risk Identification Overview Legislative and executive branches of the United States government have enacted laws that regulate all businesses.  Thousands of administrative agencies are authorized by Congress to administer and enforce statutes by regulating businesses. Administrative agencies are typically given executive power to investigate and prosecute potential infringement of statutes, administrative rules, and administrative orders (Cheeseman, 2010). Intentional Torts, Negligence, and Liability While no organization’s risks are identical to another’s, several can be identified and applied to organizations in general. There are three categories of â€Å"wrong:† intentional torts, unintentional torts, and strict liability. Intentional tort. This category of â€Å"wrong† requires that intent was present when harm was caused. Examples of intentional torts are assault, battery, and false imprisonment. The law safeguards individuals from uninvited touching, restraint, and any other contact (Cheeseman, 2010). Unintentional tort. Negligence is the â€Å"omission to do something which is a reasonable man would do, or doing something which a prudent and reasonable man would not do† (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 80). For a legitimate negligence lawsuit, several elements of negligence must be present: duty of care, reached duty, injury, act was the actual cause of injuries, and the negligent act was the legal cause of the injuries. Strict liability. Even if an individual was not negligent and had no intent, he can still be held legally liable for injuries caused by certain activities. Strict liability imposes legal responsibility for injuries sustained in the following: product liability, ultra-hazardous activities, animal care, and some statutory offenses (Butera, Beausang, Cohen, & Brennan, 2011). Disclosure of Agency Actions To prevent public perception of secrecy, Congress has allowed statutes to promote public disclosure of federal administrative agency actions, while at the same time protecting companies from overly public administrative agency actions. These statutes are the Freedom of Information Act, the Government in the Sunshine Act, the Equal Access to Justice Act, and the Privacy Act. Freedom of information act. This federal law allocates for full or limited disclosure of formerly unreleased information and documents. This law guarantee public access to government records and holds a presumption of disclosure. However, there are nine exemptions of the act. Government in the sunshine act. This law allows closed or partially closed advisory committee meetings. Closed or partially closed to the public are discussions of classified information, reviews of proprietary data, and deliberations that consider personnel privacy. Equal Access to Justice Act. A party who is subject to an action of an unjustified administrative agency can sue to recover attorney’s costs and other fees (Cornell University Law School, n. d. ). Privacy Act.  This act safe-keep records that ca be recovered from a system of records by personal identifiers like name or social security number. An individual can have access to his records and request correction if they are incomplete or inaccurate (Social Security Administration, 2011). Risk Management The Industrial Revolution caused substantial environmental pollution of solid and toxic wastes into the land and water. Companies such as Alumina, Inc. , were not efficient in voluntary pollution control, so the government took on its regulation and control (Cheeseman, 2010). Awareness of and compliance to these regulatory statutes may be the best risk management strategy available to companies who are at potential risk. Risk assessment and compliance are managed in together with one another. Compliance management includes three interrelated perspectives: preventive, detective, and corrective procedures. 80% of organizations report improvements from expanding their compliance regimens (BPM Forum, 2006). Preventive The easiest, most fiscally sound, fastest way to solve a problem is to prevent the problem in the first place. The best risk preventive practice for agencies such as Alumina, Inc is regulatory compliance. The government places a high level of importance on the preservation of the environment and has stringent means of enforcing compliance to environmental regulation. The best approach for achieving compliance, thus minimizing regulatory risk, is to have a preventative focus. Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 as a rule-making agency to hold hearings, make decisions, and order remedies for violations of environmental laws. Air and water quality standards are established that regulate pollution rates. If companies were compliant with enacted statutes at all times of business operations, such measures would prevent regulatory risks. Although Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits unfair and deceptive practices, some companies are in violation. Part of preventive risk management, companies must avoid misleading or omitting information. Unsubstantiated claims and bait and switch tactics must be avoided as a preventive measure. Insurance, which is governed by the law of contracts, is designed for businesses to protect themselves against risk of loss. The law requires some companies to carry a minimum of $1 million of liability insurance, which will cover negligence, wrongful acts, and misconduct by the company (Cheeseman, 2010). Liability insurance will guarantee injured third parties compensation. This measure is both preventive and corrective. Detective Compliance evaluation inspections and audits will not serve as a preventive measure; however serve to detect possible risks and is an â€Å"after-the-fact† approach. Compliance is defined as ensuring business procedures, operations, and practices are in concord with a given set of norms (Sadiq & Governatori, 2010). Detective measures are based on reporting and conducting internal and external audits. Changing legislatures and compliance requirements make it difficult to detect. â€Å"The diversity, scale and complexity of compliance requirements warrant a highly systematic and well-grounded approach,† (Lu, Sadiq, & Governatori, 2008, p. 345). Corrective Measures Organizations can raise several defenses as corrective measures against liability. While maintaining public image and damage control, defenses must be ethical in resolving potentially damaging lawsuits. Alternative Dispute Resolution. Negotiation is a simple form of alternative dispute resolution, and includes only the parties involved in the dispute. Negotiation is resolved when the parties reach a voluntary resolution. Mediation is another popular form of alternative dispute resolution. It is available through individuals and organizations like the American Arbitration Association and some court systems. Alternative dispute resolution is an attractive way to resolve disputes because of its speed and the empowerment of the involved parties. Court litigation is slow, expensive, and has uncertain results. Organizations can hold back sensitive business information from public dissemination. This will protect the disclosure of information that could hurt foreign policy or national defense, privacy of individuals, proprietary interests of business, functioning of the government, and other interests (HRSA, 2011). Corrective measures vary from the initiation of a new regulation, to breech reporting, to the company coming under surveillance and scrutiny by a control authority. In the worst-case scenario, a company can undergo an enforceable undertaking (Lu, Sadiq, & Governatori, 2008). The company will position itself favorably with regulators and other controlling authorities if corrective measures are undertaken with a proactive approach. Conclusion The states as well as the federal government administer and enforce laws related to safety. Companies are required to comply with the regulations and legal procedures of regulatory agencies just as much as they are required to follow federal laws. Managers must be aware of, and comply with federal and state laws that govern their business. Aligning business objectives with regulations and legislation will minimize tort and regulatory risks and improve business performance.

Objectification of women Essay

Should prostitution be legalised and monitored or illegal and unmonitored? Main Arguments Primoratz â€Å"what’s wrong with prostitution?† ( Vol. 68, No. 264, Apr., 1993 ) Nussbaum â€Å"taking money for bodily services† Yolanda Estes â€Å"moral reflections on prostitution† Sources The philosophy of sex contemporary readings, Alan Soble and Nicholas.P.Power, Rowman & Littlefield, Jan 1, 2002 Prostitution and pornography: â€Å"philosophical debate about the sex industry† Charges against prostitution: an attempt at a philosophical assessment, Chicago journals, Vol. 90, No. 3, Apr., 1980 Lars.O.Ericsson Introduction and thesis I will clearly state how my argument will be structured for prostitution through the various articles and philosophers I have studied. I shall also outline how I will come to my conclusion. Body An outline of my basic arguments will be presented with supporting sub arguments, these will include all the above references. I will use both Primoratz and Nussbaum to back up my conclusion. I will then evaluate and analyse their arguments in order to further support my view for prostitution. Then I will look at views that are opposed to the legalisation of prostitution through Yolanda Estes who defends Kantian ethics. After evaluating this I will come up with various responses. Conclusion Look at objections I was unable to argue against as lack of space, also look  at my overall argument and see implications of accepting the conclusion. Essay plan Although we are sometimes justified in withdrawing or withholding life sustaining treatment for someone who is terminally ill and suffering, we could never be justified in killing such a person? Critically discuss the claim? Intro Define what passive and active euthanasia are and their basic differences, Discuss the various arguments that you will look at and show your point of view for the essay State the part of the world that you will be discussing, both the us and uk Main body Body will be split into two main arguments, my first argument will discuss the moral difference between killing and letting a person die. I will use various references and examples from the articles and books noted. My argument will attempt to show that their can be no yes or no answer to the question as each case is very specific and should be taken on its own merits and not by one law. I will then look at various examples where courts have both ruled for and against passive and active euthanasia, critically discussing the decisions and as to weather they were morally permissible. I will then attempt to add a philosophical standpoint such as utilitarianism or Kantian ethics to further prove my original argument. After this I will also add counter arguments and attempt to provide possible responses in order to strengthen my argument. Conclusion Here I will summarise my viewpoint and show various arguments that I may have added if I had more space. I will then attempt to finish my essay with a quotation from one of the various articles that both agrees with and summarises my stance. Books and articles Euthanasia and physician assisted euthanasia, (Gerald Dworkin, Cambridge University Print, August 28 1998) Euthanasia: a reference handbook Jennifer Fecio Mcdougall, Martha Gormen, 2008) Euthanasia: death with dignity and the law, Hasel Biggs, Hart publishing, jan 1, 2008) Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (why active euthanasia should be allowed, article, 2001, navlo, Brithish medical journal)

Empathy Task Ww1 Yr.10 Assessment

EMPATHY TASK. WW1 BY Manon Collins The fog still clung to the ground. We could barely see two feet in front of us. The men’s voices were loud and projected off into the fog were they became lost and tangled in ‘No Man’s Land’ The grey sun seemed to be making it’s way up over the broken backs of the hills. The silhouettes of the men suddenly became clear. Faces dirty with mud, blood or anything that could be found in the trenches. Shoes without soles, shirts without sleeves we are the men of Ypres once of boy of 17 his only thoughts were of women.Now a man of 20 his eyes only peeled for the shadow of a man, the point of a bayonet, the fright full image of gas consuming a comrade’s lungs. Me and the other men had not yet experienced a gas attack but the stories spread across the trenches with the message ‘ Remember your mask’ The shadow loomed through the thickened fog with a will to kill. The envious green mist was determined to pu sh the boundaries. The word came ringing through the mist with great urgency ‘Gas†¦. GAAS’ The fumbling of men’s hands trying to grab a mask became the priority of our mission. There was no chance without a mask.The cry of a man without a mask rung out across the battlefield like a little girl who has lost her mother. Pivoting round only to spot Lindsay without a mask. The panic in his eyes was the last human characteristic that was displayed on his face. The gas consumed his lungs growing tighter each second. Not even I could imagine the pain that was growing in him. The whites of his eyes glowed amongst the blood that was starting to evolve around the creases of his lips. His hand opening and closing, his fingertips searching for something to clasp onto to stop the pain†¦ they fall upon the hem of my pants with a grip of an eagle.As he held my pants for his refuge the words he mumbled will never leave me. ‘Tel†¦tell them†¦tell them I s aid bye’. As his body became limp on my feet the words and noise of the other men became apparent again. ‘Lindsey gone, he is Gone’ ‘ Get the other men, we are going back’ Shoes without soles, shirts without sleeves we are the men of Ypres. Trudging back leaving the dead innocent body behind us all human dignity thrown out the window everyman swearing under their breath ‘When the war is done, never shall I touch a gun’

Academic Freedom Essay

Freedom is a basic to education in modern democracies. Freedom in education can be categorized in the various aspects such as; Freedom of the child, academic freedom and freedom to read. Mc’Garry and Ward, (1966) puts it: A free society and a free world imply a free educational system and a freedom within the framework of maximum control. In such a closed society they maintained, freedom in education may consist of ability to say or do in consequential things. The legal idea of academic freedom originated in Germany in 1850. The Prussian Constitution declared that â€Å"science and its teaching shall be free. † In Germany, academic freedom is known as the right of faculty to teach on any subject, that was freedom of scientific research, and the right of students to attend any lectures, and the absence of class roll calls writes standler (2000). Academic freedom spread to America in the early 20th Century (Post, 2000). Most American universities at that time were proprietary; professors were understood to be the employees of whoever owned the university, whether that was a private or state. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Then the professors began to conceive of themselves not as mere employees, but as professional scholars who were answerable to the professional judgment of their peers, they began to create the idea of academic freedom. Still, academic freedom has limits. In the United States, for example, according to the widely recognized â€Å"1940 Statement on Academic Freedom and Tenure†, teachers should be careful to avoid controversial matter that is unrelated to the subject. When they speak or write in public, they are free to express their opinions without fear from institutional censorship or discipline, but they should show restraint and clearly indicate that they are not speaking for their institution. Academic tenure protects academic freedom by ensuring that teachers can be fired only for causes such as gross professional incompetence or behavior that evokes condemnation from the academic community itself. Proponents of academic freedom believe that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy. They argue that academic communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to their ability to shape and control the flow of information. When scholars attempt to teach or communicate ideas or facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public vilification, job loss, imprisonment, or even death. For example, in North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that his country’s infant mortality rate was higher than government figures indicated. He lost his job and was imprisoned. Academic freedom refers to the amount of independent judgment allowed teachers and students as both seek knowledge about the world. Maclever as sited by Harris and Liba (1960) holds that academic freedom refers to the freedom of the scholar with the university to pursue knowledge. Dewey and Lovejoy cited by Haris and Liba (1960) also related academic freedom to university teaching. In the modern society and modern aspects of teaching and learning, academic freedom can no longer be considered a university concern but it cuts across all aspects of the academia. Right is what a person is entitled to. Or what is legally due to a citizen account of being a member of a state, (International Declaration or Human Rights) established in 1948, as a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations. This document recognizes the basic human rights and freedom, justice and peace in the world having experienced the two world wars. The commission for Higher Education (CHE) University Act was established in 1985, July and inaugurated on 16th October 1985. It plans programs and finances public universities. It also coordinates admission process, accreditation of university coordination or post secondary training institution and standardization. Recognition and equation of qualifications are also its function according to the requirements of the law. It also guides students in applying or various courses that will lead them to different career choices. This was adopted by the United Nations (U. N) assembly is resolution 44/25 on the 20th November 1989. Talks of Freedom of Expression of opinion and views in Art 12 states that; every child who is capable of forming views and opinion has a right to express them freely; in all matters that affects them. In article number 13 on Freedom of Expression says that the child shall have a right to freedom of expression in terms of: Freedom to seek, Freedom to receive and Freedom to impart information and ideas of all kinds either orally or in writing in art and music. But the exercise of these rights must respect the rights and limitations of others and must respect the country’s laws and morals. Academic freedom consists in protecting the intellectual independence of professors, researchers and students in the pursuit of knowledge and the expression of ideas from interference by legislators or authorities within the institution itself. This implies that no political, ideological or religious orthodoxy will be imposed on professors and researchers through the hiring or tenure or termination process, or though any other administrative means by the academic institution. Nor shall legislatures impose any such orthodoxy through their control or the university budget. This protection includes students. Gwin, Swanson, and Goetz, (1986) also defined academic freedom as the freedom of teachers students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction from law, institutional regulations, or public pressure and added that the basic elements of academic freedom include the freedom of teachers to inquire into any subject that evokes their intellectual concern; to present their findings to their students, colleagues, and others, to publish their private data and conclusions without control or censorship; to teach in manner they consider professionally appropriate; and to act in their private lives with all the rights and liberties enjoyed by other citizens This directs towards speaking your mind and challenge conventional wisdom. In today’s political climate it is harder than ever for academics to defend open debate. In away restrictive legislation, and the bureaucratic rules and regulations of government and Universities themselves, have undermined academic freedom. Many academics are fearful of upsetting managers and politicians by expressing controversial opinions. Afraid to challenge mainstream thought, many pursue self-censorship. Academic freedom in Kenya was one of the casualties of repression. Mutunga and Kiai, (1996) stated that since proponents of academic freedom cherished free thought, open expression and good organization, they have been victimized, jailed and tortured. The harassment led to both external and internal exile. Academics like Ngugi wa Thiong’o, ali Mazrui, are victims. There are others who are internally exiles some of these scholars were forced to seek alternatives to the public universities to continue their scholarship and their contribution to the society. The Control of responsibility of public Universities by the state led to abdication of responsibility by university authorities. They instead prefer to call upon state machinery like the police to deal with any crisis in whichever way. University students or staff member wishing to travel outside Kenya must have official government clearance. In the case of university staff, the application from clearance is initially approved by the head of department followed by the dean of faculty, the principal of college, and ultimately the vice-chancellor. Subsequently, the ministry of Education and the Office of the President have to give the final approval, (Mutunga and Kiai, 1996). As at the time the above views about Kenya were documented, one could conclude that academic freedom hangs perilously close to non-existence in Kenya. It was not only the students and lecturers who suffered then, but all the people of Kenya who were denied the benefits that accrued from the existence of academic freedom. There was a moment in Kenya when they President threw a ban on Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and allowed KUPPET to come into existence to suppress the powers of KNUT. This was due to the stand that KNUT took as concerns the rights of the teachers in the country. Academic freedom is experienced unequally in the contemporary world. It is securely established in some countries, and scarcely exists in others, and in between the extremes it exists in varying degree of amplitude and security. Where academic freedom is well defined and respected, the teaching profession understands that the principle protects the professor against the devastating consequences of arbitrary dismissal. It is recognized that the eacher can be dismissed only for adequate cause, as established in a proceeding, which measures up to the requirements of due process, including a hearing before a tribunal consisting of his academic peers. It is well understood that the security of the professor depends not so much upon the substantive definition of what constitutes adequate cause, as upon the procedures which are followed. That proper procedure is an indispensable element of justice in the life of the state is a commonplace observation. Proper procedure is equally essential if academic freedom is to remain a viable concept. This will promote literacy in the African continent.