The Role of Communication in Team Dynamics Essays

The Role of Communication in Team Dynamics Essays The Role of Communication in Team Dynamics Essay The Role of Communication in Team Dynamics Essay One of the most critical, if not the most critical aspect of team dynamics is communication. Effective or ineffective communication can lead to a team being extremely efficient and successful, or inefficient and a terrible failure. â€Å"Ineffective communication can be a source of discontent in a team† (Newson, 2006). The purpose of team communication is to enhance team performance; therefore, it is each team member’s responsibility to ensure effective communication. Communication is an observable aspect of coordination, and insights into observable behaviors which predict high or low performances can be gained by team communication analysis† (Hutchins et al. 1999). Four crucial elements teams must possess to communicate effectively are a willingness to have open authentic discussions, active listening, willingness to confront conflicts, and understanding. There are several factors a team has to consider when creating the environment for o pen authentic discussions. One of the key factors is determining how each individual on the team communicates, and to access each individual team member’s strengths and weaknesses as it pertains to clearly expressing their views and opinions. Once this information is captured, then members will have a better understanding as to how to get all team members to participate in discussing key topics related to team goals. It is important that team members who are more expressive do not use this as an opportunity to dominate a more introverted team member. Clear objective conversations should be encouraged. Team members should present information in a very black and white manner (factual). Open discussions are a great way to get to know your team members. These discussions will reveal thing about your teammates that will help in your team’s communication process. So, encourage open discussions, this will lead to team trust. When team members are having discussions it is necessary that everyone is being an active listener. Team members should show an interest in the information being delivered by the speaker, before responding or reacting to anything that was said by the speaker. Team members should ask questions and/or summarize the information that was given to ensure understanding. Active listening can also be called sympathetic listening and it can be broken down into a four-step process. First, mimic the content. Second, rephrase the content. Third, reflect feelings, i. e. , understand the other persons feelings as well as your own. Fourth, empathize, rephrase the content and reflect feelings (Christol, 2008). The goal here is to try to understand the person’s thoughts and feelings to gain a better understanding. Asking questions such as â€Å"Let me make sure I heard you correctly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"Let me make sure I have everything†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , is an excellent sign that someone is actively listening. In class discussions are a perferct example of listening actively. While the professor is speaking the student is having constent conversation with the professor to ensure their understanding. Active listening can be taught and is a skill that needs to be practiced and incorporated into our daily communication. Being able to confront conflict within a team is also key to communication. There will not always be harmony within teams. Sometimes when things are not made clear, conflict shows it’s ugly head. A team charter is an example to how to make things clear within a team, which should address specifics about exactly what to expect from team members in order to achieve the team’s overall goals (University of Phoenix, 2008). There will be times where team members will have to agree to disagree in order to resolve conflicts. Remember, a team consists of three or more people and each person is unique in their own way. Therefore, it’s not a matter of if conflict will happen, it’s a matter of when will conflict happen in my team. No one likes to confront conflict by nature; however, we need to know how to confront it whenever it arises. Honesty is a great approach when confronting conflict. Team members will have a greater respect for you if you can approach them with honesty. This ties back to having those open authentic discussions. Although being open and honest may step on some toes, ultimately, it’s worth it in order to resolve the conflict. If things can’t be resolved among team members, it is ok to involve a mediator such as a faculty member, but beware. Faculty members will revert to your team charter to determine what your team agreed upon as it pertains to conflict resolutions. Be sure your charter is very specific. There will be instances that will be unavoidable and uncontrollable when dealing with teams. We are human beings and life happens whether we want it to or not. Our children get sick, our cars break down, and family members pass away. These are just a few of the things we need to have some level of understanding when it comes to teams. Once again, here is where the charter will play a role. There needs to be a revision in the charter that pertains to what if a team member is not able to participate on an assignment due to an emergency? How will this be addressed as a team? If the team has built a solid relationship, it will not be difficult for the members to step up in the absence of another member. However it is critical that the team member who is experiencing the emergency contact the other team members the moment it is known that he or she will not be able to deliver or perform the task the other team members expect them to have. If this is done, this will allow the other team members to make whatever adjustments they need to their schedules to manage the unexpected added responsibility. Life happens, but with effective communication there is no challenge that cannot be managed. In conclusion, according to Jim Temme and Jeanine Katzel (1995, 14), involvement must truly be auspicious. Team members need to hear each other’s suggestions and act on them when needed. To participate authentically means all ideas are ok and good ones are rewarded with positive feedback. When team members criticize each other’s ideas causes them to keep things to themselves. Team intimacy is achieved when there is open communication and no fear of making comments. Keeping in mind the authentic discussions, active listening, willingness to confront conflict and understanding are the keys to effective communication within teams. References Christol, T. (2008, May). Active Listening vs. Effective Listening. Tactical Response, 6(3), 60-62,65. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from ProQuest Central database. (Document ID: 1489166611). Newson, P. (2006, December). Participate effectively as a team member. Nursing Residential Care, 8(12), 541-544. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from CINAHL Plus with Full Text database. Temme, J. , Katzel, J. (Jan 9, 1995). Calling a team a team doesnt mean that it is: successful teamwork must be a way of life. Plant Engineering, 49, n1. p. 112(2). Retrieved July 22, 2008, from General OneFile via Gale: http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodId=IPS University of Phoenix. (2008). Week Two overview. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from University of Phoenix, Week Two, rEsource. GEN300- Managing Learning Team Conflict.

Palette vs. Pallet vs. Palate

Palette vs. Pallet vs. Palate Palette vs. Pallet vs. Palate Palette vs. Pallet vs. Palate By Mark Nichol Palette, pallet, and palate are three similar words sharing (in most senses) a common etymology that can trip writers up. Here’s a guide to the distinctions in meaning, plus a look at other distantly related words: If you were to describe a traditional image of the artist at work, you and I would likely note the same tropes: the beret, the smock, the painter squinting one eye as he looks down his outstretched arm at his model or subject next to his upraised thumb or paint brush (a strategy that helps him determine proportions). And in his other hand would be a flat, oval board, held with a handy thumb hole, with small, variously colored glops of paint a palette. The name of this handy paint-mixing surface comes from French (certainement!) the original meaning was â€Å"blade† or â€Å"small shovel† and ultimately derives from the Latin term pala, meaning â€Å"shoulder blade† or â€Å"spade.† Palette, by association, later came to refer to the range of colors employed in a work of art or, later, available in analog and then digital graphic design. Several other, more obscure senses exist. A pallet, meanwhile, is a flat structure made of wooden slats (or, increasingly, other materials), used to support heavy items in storage and when hauling freight, or a wooden tool used in pottery or a flat component in an analog clock that sets it in motion. In heraldry, pallet denotes a vertical band of color. These meanings derive from the â€Å"blade† sense of palette. The same word used to refer to a crude bed or mattress, the latter generally stuffed with straw, is unrelated. The palate, the name of the roof of the mouth, is also of Latin origin: Palatum means just that. (Oddly, the palate, rather than the tongue, was long considered the medium by which taste is experienced, hence the use of the word to mean â€Å"sense of taste.†) The adjective palatable means â€Å"tasty.† Another adjective, palatine, used in anatomy to identify, for example, the palatine bone, is unrelated to the identical-looking word derived from palace. Plate and its many forms are only tangentially related to this trio. Taken as is from French, it originally meant â€Å"a flat piece of metal,† ultimately from the Greek word platys, meaning â€Å"flat,† which was borrowed by Latin as plattus. The sense of a shallow dish is from the fact that such utensils were originally made of precious metals; one meaning of plate, singular in construction but plural in meaning, to refer to valuable dishes retains this sense. Words with the same origin as plate include plateau, platelet (literally, â€Å"little plate†), platen, platform, platinum, platitude, platter, and platypus (literally, flat foot†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"Probable vs. Possible40 Idioms with First

Vermont Teddy Bear Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vermont Teddy Bear - Research Proposal Example Validation of Organizational Vision In specific, it is an understanding that vision and mission of a company plays the most crucial role in providing a fundamental basis to the organization, as well as a sense of strategic understanding to its employees and stakeholders. However, at the same time, it is essential that processes of the organization should be in line with the identified aims and value statements of the company as mission and values provide a virtual roadmap to achieve some target in the future. For this reason, the proposed research will include analysis of mission, objectives, and value statements of Vermont Teddy Bear (VTBC, 2011) along with their comparison analysis with existing strategic processes of the organization. In this regard, website of Vermont Teddy Bear (VTBC, 2011), as well as published brochures and reports will be an efficient way of getting hold of its mission, objectives, and values statements. At the same time, the same resources will be helpful in the evaluation of their implementation and effectiveness in different processes of the organization.

Microeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microeconomics - Assignment Example These goods are traded in the market where the buyer and seller first agree on a price level and then the buyer acquires the good. Thus, consumers have to pay for the good in order to acquire its benefits. Cars and cell phones are examples. In contrast, a public good is one that is available for all and does not necessarily need to be acquired by paying for it. For example, street lights or a light house benefit all instead of one person. The increase in the number of public goods by the government helps it to cut across the system of class disparity and allows everyone to benefit from them without actually paying for the goods. The government thus produces public goods to increase the social welfare of the society. Ans 3) Private goods are paid for by the consumers in order to get ownership of the good. Thus, only the person buying it acquires all the benefits. However, the free rider concept comes into play when one entity such as the government is responsible for providing all the benefits that are equally shared by the people. An example of this can be bridges and roads that are used by everyone while the government builds them. Ans 4) The optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero because any production activity in the economy makes pollution an unavoidable spillover effect. For instance, a car manufacturing company will cause air pollution and for an economy that is operating on a free market basis with no government intervention, even though the cost of the pollution will not be borne by the company, it will be a byproduct of that production process. Thus at any point, the optimal quantity of pollution can never be zero unless all forms of economic activity are halted (Mankiw, 2002). Ans 5) Increasing the gas tax would have a number of adverse effects. Firstly, the cost of other goods will increase with the increase in gas tax. The automobile, aviation and shipping industry rely heavily on gas and will raise their prices in accordance to the increas e in tax so that the costs can be covered. In addition to this, the purchase of automobiles will decrease since the gas tax would result in a higher cost of the car for the consumer. Secondly, the demand for gasoline is considered to be inelastic in the short run. This means that the gas consumption would not decrease with an increase in gas prices. Therefore, an increased gas tax would be a further strain on the costs of manufacturers and consumers. Also, this increase would be reflected on specifically the lower and middle income groups that own fewer vehicles than the higher income group. People in rural and remote areas depend on public transportation and thus a high gas tax would be unfair to the low income groups (O’Sullivan & Sheffrin, 2005). Ans 6) Pollution is defined as damage or harm caused to the environment that we live in. A pollution tax will thus reduce pollution by making large and small organizations to take responsibility for the pollution their economic ac tivities cause. The revenue from these taxes can be used to take measures to eliminate the pollutants that are responsible for harming the environment. For instance, a carbon emission tax can allow the government to invest in projects that reduces industry pollution such as CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). Moreover, a pollution tax will balance the pollution costs that many organizations may not incorporate in their production proces

The Struggle for Racial Uplift Essay Example for Free

The Struggle for Racial Uplift Essay * Ishmael. He was caught in the jungles of Africa at a young age and has lived his life in captivity ever since. He started out in a zoo-purchased by Walter Sokolow, with whom he learned to communicate telepathically. * Ishmael’s investigation focused on the issue of captivity-and grew into a more comprehensive exploration of humanity. * Ishmael helps the narrator understand his cultural history. Ishmael divides humans into two groups: Leavers and Takers. * Takers are members who believe you should dominate first the planet, then the universe, through technological innovations. Leavers are members of tribal cultures that live simple, basic rules that govern other populations on Earth. * Ishmael helps the narrator see that taker culture is in freefall, bound to crash once you have depleted the planet of its biological and environmental resources. * Ishmael shows the narrator how various cultural myths have helped shape both cultures. One main myth he discusses is the story of Adam and Eve. -historically this myth was used by Leaver cultures to explain the expansion of Taker cultures. -Leavers were trying to understand why Takers had turned to agriculture and were trying to force their way of life on the Leavers. -Takers had eaten of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil — the tree of the gods must eat from in order to know who should live and die. Only to know that that form does not belong to life- form on earth. * Narrator becomes a teacher in Ishmaels honor, in hopes to teach people about the taker culture and find a new way to live w/others on earth. Character List and Analysis * Ishmael- they see themselves as superior and removed from the rules that structure the evolution and survival of other life-forms on the planet. * through his research on human history, hes come to see that they, too, are captive to a destructive way of life in their pursuit of domination over the rest of the world. * Through his studies, Ishmael tries to understand why humans feel called to dominate the world, and he teaches the explanation hes come up with to his student (the narrator) Narrator * The nameless narrator is Ishmaels fifth student and the only one who isnt completely defeated at the end of his instruction. * Hes open-minded and maintains his desire to save the world, though he often finds it difficult to maintain a sense of hope. * Analysis * cultural revolution of the late 1960s * constructing the novel in first person, the reader closely aligns himself with the narrator and can sympathize with the problematic feeling of giving up ones youthful dreams * by being both named and renamed, Ishmael gains a stronger sense of himself as an individual. He is not the giant enemy Goliath-but rather Ishmael, the cast-off son of Abraham. * Quinns use of biblical allusions for Ishmaels names structure the relationship he has with humans. While imprisoned, hes a goliath, an unknown monster. Once hes able to communicate with humans and share their knowledge, he is like a distant relative, as the offspring of Ishmael are to the offspring of Isaac in the Bible. * why are things the way they are? This question is first presented by Ishmael in his memories of life in the zoo. Part 1 * Rachel’s mother, who has always resented Ishmaels relationship with her husband and daughter. * When Ishmael moved in the city he became a teacher, his key subject being the issue of captivity. * Ishmael says that, while it may not matter if one individual discovers the lie, it could change the world if the entire human population discovered the truth. Analysis groundwork to answer the novels central question: why are things the way they are? -Ishmael uses rhetorical strategies, such as asking guiding questions and storytelling, to engage his pupil -humans are captive to a civilizational system and are unable to see the bars of the cage. Part 2 * Ishmael explain The first is that story is the explanation of the relationship between humans, the world, and the gods. * second is that to enact something is to live as if a certain story is a reality. * The third term he defines is culture, which is a group of people enacting a story. * Mother Culture concludes that the Leavers story is the first chapter of humankinds development and the Takers are the second chapter. * narrator insists there is no overarching story or myth that forms his culture. * Greeks did not think of their myths as myths either; rather, what are now considered myths were just the stories that structured their lives. Analysis-Quinn associates takers with civilization and leavers with primitive cultures. –Additionally, Ishmael provides the narrator with three key definitions for story, to enact, and culture. -framework for Ishmaels exploration of Takers and Leavers, who are groups of people with their own story theyre enacting as a culture. Part 3 * myth contains facts, those facts are arranged in a way that suggests the point of the formation of the universe and evolution is the formation of man. Ishmael claims that this is the central idea behind the Takers culture — that Earth was made to support human life Analysis- storytelling is essential to the narrators epiphany in this section. -story featuring a jellyfish rather than a human at the end of it, narrator begins to see the difference between fact and myth. Ishmael and the narrator discuss the way culture influences humans, and on the micro level as a means for Ishmael to instruct the narrator. -many of Ishmaels statements to the narrator are in the form of leading questions . Part 4 * Taker Culture, middle of the story is humankinds time as hunter-gatherers, a time when they were living much as other animals do. * for humankind to achieve its destiny, it had to discover agriculture, which provided it with the means of staying in one place and developing civilization and technology. * so why must man do this? Whats the purpose of rising above the other animals? Ishmael has the narrator imagine an Earth without humans on it; * Ishmael helps the narrator see the next part of the story: man was put on Earth to rule it, and to do so he had to conquer it. * Taker cultural story suggests that things are the way they are because man had to fulfill his destiny of conquering everything, really things are the way they are because man hasnt become the ruler of the world, but its destroyer and enemy. Analysis- why are things the way they are — evolves in Part 4 through Ishmaels use of imaginative exercises and Socratic dialogue. * Ishmael encourages the narrator to imagine Earth without man. Through this creative exercise, the narrator sees the world in a new way and better understands his culture myth. * explain how Takers justify the destruction of the worlds natural resources and wildlife, the narrator says that Takers would see this as the price that must be paid to advance human culture. Part 5 * figure out the end of the story. * man has been put on Earth to conquer it, in conquering it hes caused a lot of problems. * but at the end of his story is that humans are inherently flawed and thus will continue to screw up their pursuit of paradise. * Ishmael asks what evidence his culture uses to back up its claim of being flawed, and the narrator admits it only uses its own history. * topic of prophets and asks the narrator why Taker culture is so obsessed with prophets. Analysis- Mother Culture says humans do not know how to live, so they rely on prophets to tell them what to do. Ishmael foreshadows that the narrator is ready for the next step — to see the world through the Leavers eyes, rather than the Takers. Part 6 * Mother Culture would suggest that humans are above any law that applies to the rest of life on earth. * regardless of what Mother Culture says, the law of living applies, and that hell use the analogy of gravity and flight to explain. * Takers gods tricked the Takers in three ways: -the Takers not the center of the universe -humans evolved just like everything else, even though they feel above evolution. -not actually exempt from the laws of life. * even though it feels like flight, and Takers are accelerating toward a crash. Takers also see abandoned attempts at civilization (for example, the Mayans) but nonetheless believe that their attempt will survive because it has worked so far. Analysis -Taker culture: it is obedient to a law about living, but it is ignorant of that law and so is unable to see how its doomed to fail. -Newton discovered the law of gravity by observation. Ishmael also builds on this analogy to explain that the only way to understand what laws organisms must live by is by observing living organisms. -Mother Culture tells Takers that theyre above the laws of life, they too are in free fall, and eventually their civilization will also crash due to its inability to follow the laws of life. Part 7 * ishmael invites the narrator to imagine himself in a foreign land where everyone is happy * Through more questioning, the narrator discovers he has three guides with which to narrow down the law by which they live: -what makes their society successful what people in the society never do -what a person who has broken the law has done that the others never do. * species of creatures on the planet have followed this rule and prospered; it is only that when a portion of humans decided to abandon the law and live beyond it that Earths ecosystems were thrown out of balance. * He realizes that he doesnt want to complete this task, once hes learned Ishmaels lesson hell be left alone again. Analysis -Ishmaels analogy allows the narrator to better see how wildlife also follows similar rules and that Takers have tried to abandon such rules. -narrator is upset by this proposition as he realizes that, if hes successful, hell eventually no longer be Ishmaels pupil. -What will he become when hes no longer a student? Part 8 (1-6) * takes the narrator four days to figure out the basic laws of life. He returns to Ishmael on the fifth day with his findings. * He says the three basic rules. What they promote? -promotes diversity and survival for the community as a whole since it favors no species above the rest. * Ishmael-ecological principles, when food supplies increase, populations increase. Additionally, when population increases, food decreases and when food decreases, population decreases as well. * increasing populations leads to more and more groups of starving people among the population as a whole. Part 8 (7-10) * The American Heritage Book of Indians, and instructs him to look at the map. * narrator admits theres nothing stopping people from changing geographies, and this helps Ishmael make his key point: -there were cultural and territorial boundaries between the diverse tribes that lived in the Americas prior to the arrival of European settlers. * narrator feels hopeless; he thinks no one in Taker culture will be willing to kill off Mother Culture and try another way of life. * Ishmael helps the narrator see that the overarching law is that the world was made for many species to live on, not for one to dominate the rest. * Taker culture. They fill their lives with distractions and drugs to make up for the lack of satisfaction Analysis-Ishmael points out, people in Leaver cultures experience dramatically fewer cases of addiction and suicide. -Leaver culture might be a key way to change the destructive path Taker culture. Part 9 (1-8) * Taker culture took off with the beginning of the Agricultural Revolution and that it has been spreading ever since. * The Gods were arguing, whether which species should prosper.they decide to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil-soon they had godly power. * Gods were worried knew humans would be tempted to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and have godly powers too- so they forbid the tree. * story has always remained mysterious to Takers as it doesnt make sense why it should be forbidden. Analysis-explains the roles of gods and humans and the problems that occur when humans take on the role of the gods. -knowledge of the gods, which is the ability to determine what should live and what should die. -differences between the two is their cultural attitudes to the rest of life on the planet. Part 9 (9-11) * Taker destiny, they had to take land from the herders. Ishmael instructs the narrator to read the story of Cain and Abel to better understand how this expansion took shape. * Cain represents the Takers who must kill the Leavers (Abel) in order to expand agricultural production. -Cain and Abel arent actual brothers, but representatives of different human cultures. * Takers, through the spread of Christianity, came to adopt a tale that once was used to show their shortcomings as one of their own creation myths. Part 9 (12-17) * in order to understand why the Takers were invading their land and taking it from them, they had to figure out how they got to be the way they are. * the gods, upset with these Takers, had banished them from the garden of life, forcing these people to get their food through the hard work of farming. * Taker perspective, is not the right to have the knowledge of the gods, but the issue of disobedience-story makes much more sense when told from the Leavers perspective. Analysis- Ishmael helps the narrator to see how Leavers saw the Takers as cursed -Leavers saw the story of The Fall as the story of the Takers becoming cursed, the Takers saw it as the story of their growth -The Fall has evolved not to explain the formation of humans on earth, but the formation of a specific culture -Takers interpretation, he is punished for disobeying the gods, not for the knowledge he gained. Takers are able to make the story a tale of hope/tale of warning, as it is for the Leavers — Adam has eaten of the gods tree and thus must die. Part 10 (1-4) * sidetracked by work and a dental emergency, causing him to miss several days of meetings with Ishmael. * Ishmael got evicted. * Narrator finds Ishmael in a slideshow carnival. The narrator tries to help Ishmael, but Ishmael doesnt appreciate the narrator butting into his personal life. Analysis Ishmael is cold, distant, and wary of the narrators desire to fix the situation. -thru narrator and Ishmaels dispute. Ishmael learns to distrust humans benevolence and resents his dependency on the kindness of humans in order to have a decent life. Part 10 (5-9) * narrator defines culture as whats passed along from generation to generation. For Leaver cultures, culture has evolved since the start of the species and is passed down Analysis -Takers transmit knowledge of agricultural production over the centuries, constantly expanding and improving on the technology used to grow crops. -Leaver cultures transmit knowledge about living well and the way of life of a specific culture rather than the means of production. -Evolution to explain differences between leaver and taker cultures. -leaver cultural structure evolved allowing their cultural practices to adapt and support their livelihood in the environment in which they find themselves. -Taker Cultural structure responds to its cultural beliefs that man is made to rule the world and that everything in the culture is designed to bring the environment under humankind. Part 11 * Mother Culture-technological development * life before the Agricultural Revolution was horrible and that to live that way would be reprehensible. * narrator tells Ishmael that while he may have enough food, he doesnt have enough to free himself from the gods Analysis-If offered to go back to hunter-gatherer time- Taker society for that matter, would reject the offer because Mother Culture has taught him that such a lifestyle is intrinsically worse than Taker Culture. Part 12 (1-6) * Still imprisoned and sleepy, Ishmael asks narrator what happens to Leaver cultures that does not happen to Takers? * evolution is what happens because Leavers remain within the community of life. * removing themselves from the rules that govern life on earth, have removed themselves from evolution. * Man’s role on earth? a guide or role model — a figure that sets the standard for how self-aware, intelligent life-forms should act to benefit and promote biodiversity. Analysis-Taker culture has removed itself from the chain of evolution by living outside the ecological laws. -focused on the historical events that have resulted in the current state of human dominance on the Earth: environmental degradation -Humans should rethink their role to have a positive rather than negative impact on the worlds ecology Part 12 (7-12) * chapter two of the Leavers story-the issue of civilization. the attitude civilized nations have toward the world. * Ishmael tells him he must be a teacher, for humans minds must change before their actions will. * that all members of Taker culture are imprisoned by a destructive, unfulfilling way of life. And, like any prison, it has ways of distracting inmates so they dont notice the conditions. ANALYSIS -Ishmael suggests to the narrator, the only way to change peoples actions is to start with their minds. -Ishmael reminded the narrator of the ways Mother Culture hides the bars of her prison. -help his fellow prisoners see what binds them to their ecologically destructive way of life. Part 13 * Ishmael dies. Analysis – narrator regrets that his self absorption enabled him to see that Ishmael was sick. -With Gorilla Gone, Will There Be Hope for Man? contemplate what action should come next after such philosophical debate and discussion.

Brazil World Trade Essay example -- Brazil Economics Economy Essays

Brazil World Trade From the 1500’s to the 1930’s the Brazilian economy relied on the production of primary products for exports. For three centuries Brazil’s economy was heavily curbed because since Portugal discovered Brazil, they subjected it’s economy to an imperial mercantile policy or a strictly enforced colonial pact. Even though Brazil received its independence in 1822, Portugal’s phase of decisions left a lasting, powerful imprint on Brazil’s economy and society. In the late eighteenth century, when wage labor was adopted and slavery was eliminated considerable changes finally began to occur. Only starting in the 1930’s were the first steps taken to convert key structural changes by changing Brazil into a semi-industrialized, modern economy. The intensity of these transformations caused the growth rates of the economy to remain distinctively high and a diversified manufacturing base was instituted between 1950 and 1981. Substantial difficul ties such as slow growth and stagnation have plagued the economy since the early 1980’s, though it’s potential enabled itself to regain it’s large and quite diversified economy in the mid-1990s still with its share of problems. After World War II, Brazil’s inhabitants that resided in towns and cities grew from 31.3 percent to 75.5 percent. The 146.9 million inhabitants living in the cities by 1991 caused Brazil to have two of the world’s largest metropolitan centers in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Despite the reduction of the share of the primary sector in the gross national product from 28 percent in 1947 to 11 percent in 1992, the agricultural sector remains important. It’s primitive and intensive, yet also modern and dynamic parts make Brazil of the largest... ... procedures, and contingent protection policies). Many different transactions are possible if a deal in the FTAA can be achieved for both Brazil and the United States. Cutting all tariffs is could be the basis of the deal, with some balance struck between US farm trade reforms and enhanced access to Latin American procurement and service markets. Regarding procurement, FTAA negotiators must be able to agree on principles that give transparency for guidelines for open tendering and for public tenders. Also, such guidelines must be complemented by a promise to negotiate within 5 years or so a list of entities whose purchases would be covered by these new obligations. The desired outcome would be a deal on a negative list that would cover all service under FTAA restrictions excluding ones explicitly written- hopefully these exceptions would be kept to a minimum.

Effective Speech Writing Essay

Physical appearance affects delivery very much. It shapes first impressions when a person sees you. When it comes to dressing for public speaking, the clothes chosen must not be flashy, so as to turn off the audience from you. You want to dress simply but elegantly. The way in which a person presents their physical appearance tells people a little about that person’s character and personality. Sometimes the item a person carries says a lot about them; for example if the person is always carrying a suitcase, they can be viewed as very serious minded. I remember attending a conference, and the guest speaker was pastors from a well known church. On first glance he was very relaxed; his clothes were very well put together, stylish and very appropriate for the audience. He had a smile on his face and did not even have a paper or pen in his hand, when he got up to speak, but when he began to speak, everyone was listening, no one moved, no one spoke in hushed tones, it as if he held the audience in a trance. Because of his laid back attitude and his casual way of dressing and the fact that he knew what he was talking about enhanced his effective delivery. His personality was warm and very inviting. I believed if he had dressed any differently in addressing the audience who were all teens; the effectiveness of his delivery would not have been effective at all. Question 4 Movement enhances delivery by keeping the audience interest. Movement in public speaking emphasizes what the speaker is trying to say. When hand gestures are used, it conveys to the audience the speaker’s enthusiasm and the audience is able to image what Effective Speech Writing 4 the speaker is talking about. Hand gestures tend to excite the speaker and help to keep the audience interested in what the speaker is saying. Emphatic gestures also help to stress key points within the person’s speech. Eye contact reveals a lot about a person and helps to maintain a connection with the audience that you are presenting to. Not making eye contact can be seen on the part of the speaker as a failure to connect with the audience and in some cases makes the speaker seem unsure of the subject matter that they are talking about. Eye contact keeps the audience interested and makes the audience feel as is you are connecting with them, giving the sense that you are very knowledgeable about your subject matter. Keeping and maintaining eye contact with your audience is very important as you receive instantaneous feedback as to how effective you are. You are able with eye contact to immediately see if a point is lost on your audience, if they are bored or becoming restless. This helps you to know when it is time to stop your speech, to use a little humor or take a break in between. Once the skill of maintaining visual contact is achieved, it will help in keeping your audience interested in what you are saying. Question 5 Bill Cosby’s delivery can be seen as a very effective. This is a celebrity who is very good at public speaking. His ability to keep the audience entertained, while being serious is pure genius. His delivery was flawless. He exuded self-confidence and poise. As he mentioned in the speech, this is not his first time speaking at a college campus. His delivery showed knowledge and skill about the various subject matters that he touched Effective Speech Writing 5 upon. The pitch of his voice was very pleasant, he paused in between speaking, which seemed to be very effective, it was as if he was building anticipation, while at the same time keeping his audience interested in what he was saying. He made eye contact a number of times and his humor came through in his speech and you are able to glimpse his personality. His physical appearance was very appropriate. It was as if he was identifying with the graduating class, by donning a graduating gown too. This was a very effective way of capturing the audience’s attention and keeping it. He did not move around a lot during the speech, but there was a lot of hand movement and you could see the facial expression on his face and hear the enthusiasm in his speech. The kind of speech he did was an impromptu speech which most people dread doing. But he was prepared and gave a very good and interesting speech. Question 6 I would evaluate my delivery strength in that I make eye contact, I use a lot of hand gestures and I try to connect with my audience. I find that I am better at impromptu speech versus manuscript speech. I tend not to do well at the latter. One of my weaknesses is that I tend to gesticulate a lot, which can be very distracting to people and takes away the focus of what I am saying. Sometimes I get very nervous and tend to hold a pencil in my hand and fiddle with it while I talk, which can be very distracting for people. I can improve my weaknesses by practicing before I give a speech, so that I can improve my delivery. Also I can try to focus on my speech and practice gesticulating at the appropriate parts instead of Effective Speech Writing 6 gesticulating throughout my speech. But the most effective way to gain strength in my weak areas is to practice as much as I can, in front of friends and family. I can also overcome my weaknesses by becoming more knowledgeable, about the subject matter, which will help me during my speech. Also if I follow the instructions and deliver my speeches extemporaneously, I will become better, and will be better able to connect with my audience, as this kind of speech delivery. Source: Effective Public Speaking – Let Your Body do the Talking retrieved April 2, 2008 fromhttp://ezinearticles. com/? Effective-Public-Speaking—Let-Your-Body-Do-The-Talking&id=482746

Biopure Solution

Biopure Corporation has two new products that are Oxyglobin and Hemopure. Oxyglobin is the first new blood substitute for the veterinary market and is ready for consumer use. Hemopure is another new blood substitute for the human market and it will take two years to launch the product from now on. Ted Jacobs, vice president for Human Clinical Trials, is concerned about creating an unrealistic price expectation for Hemopure by marketing Oxyglobin before Hemopure. On the other hand, Andy Wright, vice president for Veterinary Products, believes that selling Oxyglobin has benefits for the company in terms of generating revenues for the use of launching Hemopure and learning how to market and make mistakes prior to the launch of Hemopure. Carl Rausch, the president and CEO of Biopure Corporation, has to decide if the release of Oxyglobin would be beneficial for the company without jeopardizing the potential of Hemopure. The Solution: I think that launching Oxyglobin has many benefits for the company. For this reason, I agree with Andy Wright’s decision to begin by selling Oxyglobin. Ted Jacobs indicates that the veterinary market is small and price sensitive. He also believes that if the company prices Oxyglobin around $150, it will be very difficult to price Hemopure at $800 because of the huge difference in price for the same product. I disagree with Ted Jacobs because although the production processes and physical characteristics of these two products are identical, Oxyglobin is targeted for the animal market whereas the target customer for Hemopure is the human market. Just because products are identical does not mean that the company prices separately; it is all about the supply and demand. The determining factor of price is the market itself, so Ted Jacobs thinks that Biopure can achieve the price points of $600 to $800. He can only estimate these price points based on the market price. Additionally, even though the veterinary market is small and price sensitive, being the first in any market will make a huge difference and impact the company’s reputation in a positive way if the product satisfies the needs and wants of the consumers. 84% of veterinary doctors complained about the lack of alternatives to the blood transfusion in the marketplace. I believe that this is a big opportunity for Biopure to enter the veterinary market because Oxyglobin has already passed an FDA – approval process specific to the veterinary market. If the competitors want to get a share for animal blood substitutes, they have to wait at least for two years. Waiting for Hemopure to launch both products at the same time will also put the company in a risk because of the possibility of competitors’ entrance to the veterinary market. Once Oxyglobin achieves its purpose for animals and satisfies the veterinary doctors and pet owners, the success of this product will help Biopure to easily launch Hemopure and attract the human market. The Implementation: Andy Wright and his team can have a successful launch for Oxyglobin by implementing the followings: †¢ The Pricing Strategy: Even though the surveys show that veterinarians recommend less-expensive treatments over more-expensive, 90% of pet owners are willing to be informed about all the available alternatives to treat their pets. For this reason, giving the many advantages of Oxyglobin relative to donated animal blood and being the only animal blood substitute in the market, Oxyglobin should carry a premium price of up to $200 per unit. The Distribution Strategy: Instead of making a contract with one of the distributors, Biopure should consider of distributing Oxyglobin by using its salesforces. By doing so, the company does not have to pay 20% of the selling price on a more-established product and 30% of the selling price on a new product. Since the estimated cost of distributing Oxyglobin is $10 to $15 per unit, Biopure would save money compared to the cos t of contracting with one of the distributers which would be $60 per unit.

Strategic Management Case Study The WritePass Journal

Strategic Management Case Study Introduction Strategic Management Case Study IntroductionReferenceRelated Introduction Harley-Davidson is one of the oldest business organizations in the motorcycle industry with over 10 decades of experience in the production and supply of motorcycles. This is evident in its historical performances attributed with sustained competitive results of the company’s motorbikes in the racing arena (Vasudha 2011). This was a powerful branding strategy that propagated the company to market leadership due to sustained competitiveness of its products in the market. Specifically, the company has managed to establish a unique brand founded on proud history, unmatched riding experiences, in-depth connection with its customers, and a sustained personal relationship with its customers. In terms of rich history, the company is cherished for being the first largest manufacturer of motorcycles on a global scale. It is also closely related to one of the best motorcycles in the United States in the early 20th century with its services ranging from military activities, policing, and racing (Vasudha 2011). The firm is also linked to the origin of the famous riding leather accessories, sportster, and the origin of most of the motorcycle racing competitions in the US and the world in general (Vasudha 2011). Simply put it is impractical to analyse historical development of motorcycle technology and innovations without mentioning Harley-Davidson Furthermore, the company has for many years managed to establish powerful brand community where its customers are proud to be associated with Harley-Davidson. Specifically, the company has not only observed high quality in its products and services but also developed a powerful relationship with its customers due to its many years of portrayal of the American image of happiness, individuality, and freedom (Vasudha 2011). This culminated to most consumers valuing the experience of owning a Harley motorcycle. For instance, the formation of the Harley owners group which was the largest motorcycle club in the world allowed the company to establish close relationships with its customers.   In addition, the company formed a unique anniversary celebration practice where its customers celebrated riding the motorcycles in a celebration (Vasudha 2011).   These are powerful tools that made its customers feel like they really own the company. The consequence was increased levels of customer loyalty. To enhance its competitiveness and its relationship with its customers, the company has established an online marketing platform that is not only used for promoting its products but also building on the brand community through its online HOG program (Vasudha 2011). This allowed the company to establish an online followership of its brand culminating to the emergency of a Harley lifestyle that replaced the brand in the context that consumers who bought Harley products were more interested in the lifestyle associated with owning the motorbike. As a consequence, the company established personalised relationship between it and its consumers. In conclusion, Harley has effectively managed to integrate its services into the lifestyle of its customers by providing high-quality products and services that are linked to the rich historical background and huge community attachment. This has culminated to formulation of a sentimental value on ownership of any Harley product among consumers. Its ability to sustain many years of innovativeness and still keep in close contact with its customers has culminated to emancipation of a lifestyle approach to marketing its product and hence, it is trust to say It is a unique brand that is built on personal relationship and deep connections with customers, unmatched riding experiences, and proud history Reference Vasudha, M 2011. Harley-Davidson’s Commitment to Brand Communities. Case study Reference no. 511-006-1

Description and History of AK-47 Assault Rifle

Description and History of AK-47 Assault Rifle AK-47 Specifications Cartridge: 7.62 x 39mmCapacity: 10-75 rounds depending on magazine usedMuzzle Velocity: 2,346 ft./sec.Effective Range: 330-440 yds.Weight: approx. 9.5 lbs.Length: 34.3 in.Barrel Length: 16.3 in.Sights: Adjustable iron sights,Action: Gas-operated, rotating boltNumber Built: approx. 75 million, 100 million AK-47-style weapons Development The evolution of the modern assault rifle began during World War II with the German development of the Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44). Entering service in 1944, the StG44 provided German soldiers with the firepower of a submachine gun, but with better range and accuracy. Encountering the StG44 on the Eastern Front, Soviet forces began looking for a similar weapon. Utilizing the 7.62 x 39mm M1943 cartridge, Alexey Sudayev designed the AS-44 assault rifle. Tested in 1944, it was found to be too heavy for widespread use. With the failure of this design, the Red Army temporarily halted its search for an assault rifle. In 1946, it returned to the issue and opened a new design competition. Among those who entered was Mikhail Kalashnikov. Wounded at the 1941 Battle of Bryansk, he had begun designing weapons during the war and had previously entered a design for a semi-automatic carbine. Though he lost this competition to Sergei Simonovs SKS, he pushed forward with an assault weapon design that drew inspiration from the StG44 and the American M1 Garand. Intended to be a reliable and rugged weapon, Kalashnikovs design (AK-1 AK-2) sufficiently impressed the judges to advance to the second round. Encouraged by his assistant, Aleksandr Zaytsev, Kalashnikov tinkered with the design to increase reliability across a wider range of conditions. These alterations advanced his 1947 model to the front of the pack. Testing progressed over the next two years with the Kalashnikov design winning the competition. As a result of this success, it moved to production under the designation AK-47. AK-47 Design A gas-operated weapon, the AK-47 utilizes a breech-block mechanism similar to Kalashnikovs failed carbine. Employing a curved 30-round magazine, the design is visually similar to the earlier StG44. Created for use in the severe climates of the Soviet Union, the AK-47 possesses relatively loose tolerances and is able to function even if its components are fouled by debris. Though this element of its design enhances reliability, the looser tolerances decrease the weapons accuracy. Capable of both semi- and fully-automatic fire, the AK-47 is aimed with adjustable iron sights. To enhance the AK-47s lifespan, the bore, chamber, gas piston, and the interior of the gas cylinder are chromium-plated to prevent corrosion. The AK-47s receiver was initially made from stamped sheet metal (Type 1), but these caused difficulties in assembling the rifles. As a result, the receiver was switched to one made from machined steel (Types 2 3). This issue was finally resolved in the late 1950s when a new stamped sheet metal receiver was introduced. This model, dubbed the AK-47 Type 4 or AKM, entered service in 1959 and became the definitive model of the weapon. Operational History Initially used by the Red Army, the AK-47 and its variants were exported widely to other Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War. Due to its relatively simple design and compact size, the AK-47 became the favored weapon of many of the worlds militaries. Easy to produce, it was built under license in many nations as well as served as the basis for numerous derivative weapons such as the Finnish Rk 62, Israeli Galil, and Chinese Norinco Type 86S. Though the Red Army elected to move to the AK-74 during the 1970s, the AK-47 family of weapons remains in widespread military use with other nations. In addition to professional militaries, the AK-47 has been utilized by a variety of resistance and revolutionary groups including the Viet Cong, Sandinistas, and Afghani mujahedeen. As the weapon is easy to learn, operate, and repair, it has proven an effective tool for non-professional soldiers and militia groups. During the Vietnam War, American forces were initially stunned by the volume of fire that AK-47-equipped Viet Cong forces were able to bring to against them. As one of the most common and reliable assault rifles in the world, the AK-47 has also been utilized by organized crime and terrorist organizations. During the course of its production, over 75 million AK-47s and licensed variants have been built. Selected Sources Wired: The AK-47, An All-Purpose KillerMilitary Factory: AK-47

Careers in the EPA Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Careers in the EPA - Research Proposal Example the environmental impacts of pollutive industries led to a widespread call for sustainable development which takes into account the environmental and social aspects of economic development; an offshoot is the requirement of environmental impact assessments for development projects deemed to cause substantial ecological impacts. Large dams were subjected to review particularly as dams inadvertently alter a stream’s morphology, and subsequently the surrounding landscape as well as its biota, which several studies contend. Large dams inundate a large area and the environmental repercussions redound to adjacent ecosystems. An analysis of the environmental effects of dams as obtained by scientific studies is the objective of this report. Specifically, this paper proposes to assess the available research base on the environmental impacts of dams; the methods applied to obtain data on environmental effects; and the implications of the revealed impacts on dam development and management in the context of sustainable development. Data sources will include the review of selected publications on the positive and negative effects of dams on the geophysical environment and on the affected biota, and analyses of impact assessment studies. This evaluation and studies of the same nature are significant, urgent, and timely because it is only recently that the full impacts of dams have been felt due to the compounding nature of such effects. Looking at this effects from various perspectives is also relevant because there are varied scopes a dam alters the environment – global, regional, and local. Especially where local impacts are considered, one dam’s effect does not necessarily mean the same effect on another owing to the differences in their biologic and geographic components. Burke, M., Jorde, K., & Buffington, J.M. (2009). Application of a hierarchal framework for assessing environmental impacts of dam operation: Changes in streamflow, bed mobility, and