Understanding SWOT Analysis

Understanding SWOT Analysis To most business and management students, the SWOT (which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis probably looks and feels like an uninteresting scholastic exercise; it’s either the sort of thing instructors like to make students do to make sure they’ve actually read the assigned case study, or alternately, a good way to pad out an essay with a challenging word limit. Yet despite its deceptive simplicity and its age – the method has been a staple of strategic planning and management textbooks for about 40 years – the SWOT analysis is still a very current and very useful planning tool for business, and well worth learning. What Is a SWOT Analysis? The SWOT analysis is attributed to Dr. Andrew S. Humphrey, who developed the method while working at the Stanford Research Institute in the early 1970s. SWOT can best be described as an environmental analysis tool; it combines an assessment of the company’s internal environment (Strengths and Weaknesses) with the relevant external environment (Opportunities and Threats). The SWOT typically takes the form of a 22 matrix, which allows planners to look at all the factors at the same time. Here is an example of a brief SWOT analysis, from a strategic assessment of a pharmaceutical company: Strengths Weaknesses Leading position in R D spending and organization Well-developed presence in global markets. Facilities are strategically dispersed to increase research volume. Testing processes are highly automated. Market reach and diversity help moderate effects of downturns in any one segment or market. Strong brand identity. Strong corporate responsibility images with the initiative to increase generic drug availability in underprivileged markets. Good financial position with respect to current assets liabilities: current ratio of 1.64, and acid-test ratio of 1.31. Less-than-ideal debt liability position High tax liability of 9.46%. Short-term debts greatly reduced in 2008, but long-term obligations correspondingly increased. Debt-to-equity ratio (at end of 2008) of 1.95. Opportunities Threats Consumer health issues are opportunities for new products High rates of vascular and heart disease increase demand for drugs to treat these conditions and their symptoms. Lower smoking rates increase demand for smoking-cessation drugs. Increasing obesity rates increase demand for weight-control drugs. Growing emerging markets, for example in Asia and Africa. Government support in the form of scheduled pharmaceutical price increases from 2009 2011. Strong generic drug competition in established markets, primarily the UK and the US. Mandated generic drug availability policies in large markets, for example, the UK and Brazil. Expiry of patents on some key products. Cautious or skeptical assessments from financial analysts can weaken investor confidence. Want to know more? Go here: Five Forces Analysis Critical Success Factors Analysis Critical Analysis Writing The ADL Matrix and Gap Analysis Advantages of the SWOT Analysis: The biggest advantage in using the SWOT analysis as a basic strategic planning tool is that it is an uncomplicated way to gather all the necessary information in one place; the methodology behind the SWOT is largely self-explanatory, and thus almost everyone in the organization can have input to it. This was the overall objective of Dr. Humphrey in developing it, as he was a champion of what he called â€Å"Total Action Management† (or TAM), an early conceptualization of what we know today as â€Å"flat† or â€Å"horizontal† organizational architecture, Total Quality Management (TQM), and the stakeholder approach to strategic planning. The SWOT analysis has an advantage over more complex and detailed environmental analysis methods like the PESTEL analysis because it categorizes the important factors – internal or external, good or bad. This can help the organization more easily determine which factors need attention. Finally, the arrangement of factors can help to identify other points that may have been overlooked; for example, an obvious threat from the external environment might reveal an internal weakness. Disadvantages of the SWOT Analysis: The biggest advantage of the SWOT analysis – its simplicity – is in some ways its biggest weakness; the analysis is only as good as the information put into it, and if key factors are not included, subsequent strategic planning can be adversely affected. One of the biggest flaws of SWOT analysis is not in the tool itself, but in its users, according to Professor Malcolm McDonald of Oxford University, who has called the SWOT, as it is taught in business schools these days, the SWAG (which stands for â€Å"Scientific Wild-Ass Guess†). The common problem, in McDonald’s view, is that many weaknesses and threats are generic and applicable to any organization’s environment – things like the threats of natural disaster, political instability, or poor global economic conditions – and are therefore not very helpful in planning for the specific circumstances of a particular organization and its market. The SWOT analysis is also not a stand-alone tool. It is an effective way to gather and organize information needed for strategic planning, but it gives no priority to the factors. In the example above, for instance, the various points are presented in a completely random order, as they were recalled by the managers helping to build the SWOT; beyond arranging the factors into their correct places in the matrix, the analysis by itself does not suggest which ones are the most important. Alternatives to the SWOT Analysis: In a regularly-cited 1997 article (â€Å"SWOT Analysis: It’s Time for a Product Recall,† Long Range Planning, Vol. 30, February 1997) authors Terry Hill and Roy Westbrook argue that the SWOT analysis produces ineffective results so often – largely due to the SWAG factors described by Professor McDonald – that it ought to be scrapped altogether. To compensate for some of the method’s shortcomings, variations of the SWOT analysis such as the POWER SWOT, the TOWS analysis and the Defensive/Offensive Evaluation (DOE) have been developed in recent years. These variations add depth and detail to the standard SWOT analysis and are valuable tools in the strategic planning toolbox. The traditional SWOT analysis, however, remains important for management studies even if its capital as a real-life assessment tool may be a bit diminished these days because it is the basis for more advanced and complex tools that followed. Understanding the SWOT not only makes i t possible to use this very simple tool to its full advantage but provides a necessary background for learning and applying more sophisticated strategic planning tools. offers professional academic writing services since 2005. In case you are in need of a paper on SWOT analysis, please feel free to visit our order page and our professional writers will be happy to assist.

Indira Gandhi Quotes

Indira Gandhi Quotes Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1984. Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, a hero in winning independence from Britain, Indira Gandhi was also a follower of Gandhi in her early years. Indira Gandhi was elected Prime Minister in 1966, and her administration was often controversial. After using the military to put an end to a Sikh separatist operation, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh security guards in 1984. Select Quotations You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose. Actions today  mould  our tomorrows. What matters is that we should achieve what we set out to do.  (1977) Social change is brought about by those who dare and act, who can think unconventionally and who can court unpopularity.  (1974) My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition. Tolerance and compassion are active, not passive states, born of the capacity to listen, to observe and to respect others. They are founded on a reverence for life that shows itself in ones attitude to man and to the earth and to other creatures. This state of listening, observing, is to be alive; it is a state of understanding and it is the manifestation of a truly scientific mind that is mature with the quality of humanness. Ends may vary but means must be based on the acceptance of man as the  centre  of all quest. (1981) There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten.  (1975 interview with Oriana Fallaci) I would say our greatest achievement is to have survived as a free and democratic nation. Let us not allow ourselves to be oppressed by frustration or misguided by anger into  wrong  action which will inevitably increase the burden on the common man, undermine the very foundations of democracy and imperil the well-being and happiness of us all. But let our concern lead us to constructive effort, to hard work, to co-operation.  (1966) Our ancient philosophy speaks of right action. Lifes journey should be in quest neither of power nor wealth but of inner worth. The Gita says, To action alone  have  you a right, not to its fruits. We want progress, we want development, but in such a way that it does not disrupt the life of the area, the looks of the area, the beauty of the region and does not alienate the people from their own surroundings...  (1975) Martyrdom does not end something, it is only a beginning. You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. There are moments in history when brooding tragedy and its dark shadows can be lightened by recalling great moments of the past. Even if Indira Gandhi dies, her blood would spring from the earth and thousands of  Indiras  will emerge to serve the people of the country. I say so because Indira Gandhi is not the name of a mere woman but a philosophy which is wedded to the service of the masses. –the month she was assassinated, October 20, 1984 I dont mind if my life goes in the service of the nation. If I die today every drop of my blood will invigorate the nation.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œthe night before she was assassinated, October 30, 1984. To bear many children is considered not only a religious blessing but also an investment. The greater their number, some Indians reason, the more alms they can beg.  (1975) It is not enough for a few at the top to reach outstanding ability. Performance at every level, even the very lowest, must be improved. All of us are part of the huge apparatus of the nation, the efficient working of which is dependent on the smooth functioning of every individual component.  (1969) Ability, and not class or community or wealth, should determine what education a child should have, what school he or she should go to.  (1966) The Himalayas have shaped our history; they have  moulded  our philosophy; they have inspired our saints and poets. They influence our weather. Once they defended us; now we must defend them. Our  defence  services are learning to know them and to love them.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹(1968)

(business)Minimum Wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

(business)Minimum Wage - Essay Example Peter Jones in Rights contrasted the difference between natural and human rights1. The concept of natural rights is tied up in the idea where the citizens gave up to the governing body for the good of law and order and in return the governments protected and upheld within the law, i.e., Constitutions. Therefore the argument of natural rights has now become so diluted that it is no longer an effective model. Human Rights as theory admits from the outset they are intangible and not from nature, therefore one cannot empirically observe or measure them, as Margaret MacDonald2 criticized the argument from nature. Human rights, as described by Jones, are prescribed by the fact of being human and part of humanity3. It picks up on the egalitarian theory of equality, whereby human beings are equal and therefore are afforded these basic rights. The arguments for these rights come from arguments, such as self-evidence, human worth and moral worth. The basis of the core rights theorists is the work of Immanuel Kant. ... How does Kant argue that this is an all-encompassing ethic outside of societal conventions, without the aid of a divine being Kant argues that it is the individual's ability to reason and autonomous will that is the basis of his a priori argument. Shestack5 describes the basis of Kant's argument as; 'rights then flow from the autonomy of the individual in choosing his and her ends, consistent with a similar freedom for all... In short, Kant's imperative is that the central focus of morality is 'personhood', namely the capacity to take responsibility as a free and rational agent for one's system of ends'.6 This ethic was one of the most influential arguments for universal human rights, in response to Nazism, eugenics and ethnic cleansing, which can be illustrated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with words such as inherent, inalienable and equality applied to rights and the basis of these rights are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in world. Kant's theory is th e basis of the core theorists and has been very influential in the drafting of the 20th Century human rights treaties and legislation. However how do we measure what should be included in these universal rights The answer to this question is at the heart of this discussion for the international treaties and human rights legislation does not seem to be meeting the needs to fulfil Kant's ethic as Evans argued modern human rights law is too legalistic. This is a core rights theory, which purports these rights transcend statehood therefore automatically requiring the state to extend these rights to all individuals and arguably future generations. Rawl's, on the other hand, in his thesis for engendering human rights states that justice7 is the prime basis of all

Why did political parties form in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why did political parties form in the US - Essay Example As Hamilton once said, â€Å"Its not tyranny we desire; its a just, limited, federal government.† The idea had support, but also had a lot of opposition. Many Americans felt that the creation of federal parties would make the U.S. like the U.K. which the hated. It is part of a question that has troubled billions of people since the dawn of time: how should a society construct itself to maximize justice and opportunity? Is a strong central government necessary to do so? There are as many theories as there are grains of sand on the beach, but some ideas over the years have been more popular than others. Some people believe in socialism and that everyone must be made equal by a very powerful central government, the tall cut down and the short pulled up; others believe in a meritocracy where those people who have talent and work hard are rewarded for their labours. These people believe the government should get out of the way. Considering how developed the U.S. is today, the latte r view should prevail. Thomas Hobbes is most famous for his book Leviathan. In it he argued that a â€Å"war of all against all† existed in nature and that people were mostly motivated by fear and distrust and that peoples’ motivations all conflicted with each other. The only way for order to prevail, Hobbes argued, would be through an absolute sovereign or strong central government. While there is certainly some truth to what Hobbes says regarding human beings, other political thinkers have questioned elements of his vision. Indeed there are several flaws in this theory, but it shows us that it is not possible for people to effectively work as a commune. That does not mean we need a dictator to control things, but it does mean we need a strong rule of law to protect individual freedoms. The rule of law is effectively the latter-day sovereign. It serves the same purpose: it protects contracts and business and

Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structures Essay Example for Free

Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structures Essay Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structures I will explain the basic accounting concepts and business structures from the following topics: GAAP sources and hierarchy; Good accounting information using the qualities of accounting principles; Difference between Accrual based accounting and cash basis of accounting; Types of business structures and the features of each structure. 1. GAAP sources and hierarchy Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) is the set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to prepare their financial statements. GAAP principles are the bases of financial reports and the guidelines of United States accounting practices. There are four categories of sources of GAAP hierarchy as follows: Category (A): FASB Standards, Interpretations, and Staff Positions; APB Opinions; AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins. Category (B): FASB Technical Bulletins (no longer issued), AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides, AICPA Statements of Position. Category (C): FASB Emerging Issues Task Force, AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins. Category (D): AICPA Accounting Interpretations, FASB Implementation Guides (Q and A), widely recognized and prevalent industry practices. The category (a) of the GAAP hierarchy has a higher authority than a FASB Technical Bulletin, which is in category (b).The hierarchy is important because it gives the out layer for companies to search for the specific accounting transactions. For example, if a specific transaction can not be covered in category (a), then companies will turn to categories (b) for selecting and applying appropriate accounting principles, then (c) and (d). 2. Good accounting information using the qualities of accounting principles Good accounting information should be understandable. If no one can not understand the accounting information presented, it becomes useless to lose all of the other qualities. The good accounting information should be Reliable and Relevant. Reliability means verifiable, representation faithfulness, and free of error and bias. If the accounting numbers are wrong, there is no any meaning to use the information. Relevance means predictive or feedback value presented on a timely basis. The internal managerial accounting reports are different from the external financial reports. The relevant information is needed to prepare the different kinds of reports. The good accounting information should be Comparability and Consistency. The good information can be used to identify the differences and similarities between companies. The company consistently use the same accounting treatment for better auditing purposes. 3. Difference between Accrual basis accounting and cash basis of accounting The revenue recognition principle and the expense matching principle are two key elements for Accrual basis accounting. Company uses accrual basis accounting to recognize income when goods are shipped or services are rendered, and to recognize expense when it is obligated to pay it. On the contrast, cash basis accounting recognizes the revenue and expenses when the cash is received and paid. The cash basis accounting is prohibited under GAAP because it does not record revenue and expense when earned and incurred. It will misstate the actual income and expenses incurred and can not reflect the real business operation during the accounting period. 4. Types of business structures and the features of each structure There are three types of business structures-Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, and Corporation. Sole proprietorship is a business owned by one person. It is the simplest form of business ownership. The sole proprietor is in direct control of all affairs and entitled all profits and losses and is free to transfer his interest in the sole proprietorship at will. The disadvantage is that the sole proprietor would be fully responsible for all debts and obligations related to the business. The business would have difficulty in raising capital. Partnership is a business owned by two or more persons associate a partner. Partnership can bring broad resources and unique skills. All the partners share profit and losses, share the right to manage and make major business decisions, have unlimited personal liability for obligation of the partnership. For tax advantage, the partnership does not pay federal income tax; rather, partners file their own individual tax return. Disadvantage is that partners are fully and personally liable for the debts if their partnership. Corporation is a legal entity distinct from its owners (called â€Å"shareholders† or â€Å"stockholders†) and manager. It is easy to raise fund. The major advantage of corporation is that the owners are not personally liable for the obligation. Stockholders are free to transfer their ownership interests. Corporation must pay income taxes on any profits that it makes, and stockholders generally do not have to pay income tax on its profits until they are distributed as dividends. The corporate tax rate generally is lower than the personal tax rate.

Essay --

1.1. Background and problem statement Food is an essential component in the life of human beings and thus a necessity for survival. Often food crises in developing world has seen millions of people starve to death despite tremendous wastages witnessed in developed countries. It is often accentuated that, this wastages are attributed to our attitudes and habits as consumers, especially with regards to eating habits and the way we dispose food waste (Morgan 2009).Such attitude and habits have been regarded to not only impact on the consumers way of life but also the economy and environment (Morgan 2009, von Braun 2007). For the last five decades increased economic growth in Singapore has seen tremendous increase in amount of disposable income coupled by declining food prices, thus leading to reduction in the proportion of income spend. Imperatively, with increased availability of food worldwide and variety choices offered, there has been increased lack of interest towards wasteful behavior and attitudes. This is more pronounced developed countries. In this countries the increase in plenty of food choices offered necessitated increased purchase of such foods (Stuart 2009). Such increased purchases have contributed to increased food wastages and over consumption. However the year 2008 saw a change in world perception towards food consumption. This was as a result of the food crises that saw the prices of food rise significantly in Singapore as well as globally. Thus the dwindling food resource and scarcity, has necessitated a rethink and drawn much attention on the problem that is food scarcity and wastages. Further, with increased concern for reduction of greenhouse gas emission contributing to global warming focus has been draw... ... basis for implementation of measures by the government, consumers and other stakeholders towards reducing wastages for sustainable development. 1.3. Research questions The study sought to answer the following question 1. Which are Singapore consumers’ perceptions regarding the food waste? 2. Which are Singapore consumers’ practices regarding food waste? 3. Which are the predictors of the food waste behavior of consumers in Singapore? I undertaking the research the study utilized the theory of Planned Behavior. This thesis is structured into five chapters. Chapter two will be the literature review on prior studies on food wastages and theoretical models. Chapter three will incorporate the methodology adopted for the study and empirical study findings. Chapter four will include the research findings. Chapter five will provide conclusion and recommendations. .

Thesis Researched by Rose

Rose's thesis states that â€Å"Students will float to the mark you set. † † Vocational education has aimed at increasing the economic opportunities of students who do not do well in our schools. Some serious programs succeed in doing that, and through exceptional teachers – like Mr. Gross in Horace's Compromise – students learn to develop hypotheses and trouble shoot, reason through a problem, and communicate effectively – the true job skills. The vocational track, however, is most often a place for those who are just not making it, a dumping ground for the disaffected.† Rose attempts to persuade his readers by showing how dysfunctional the vocational students are and how mediocre or unchallenging their studies are. He also persuades the readers by exemplifying the instructor's poor attempts to care about the quality of learning the vocational education students are receiving. His argument is that the instructors are not inventive in their teaching methods and do not work hard at education through use of their imaginations. â€Å"The teachers have no idea of how to engage the imaginations of kids who were at the bottom of the pond.† I agree with Rose's point stating that † You're defined by your school as â€Å"slow†; you're placed in a curriculum that isn't designed to liberate you but to occupy you, or, if you're lucky, train you, though the training is for work the society does not esteem.† This seems to be the norm at all schools. But, I think at all levels, be it high school or college, the instructors teaching these types of programs should be trained to use more imaginative methods of teaching the vocational level students. Obviously, these students each learn at a different pace, but their minds still need to be challenged. They should receive education that stimulates their minds so they do not lose interest. The vocational education system is used as simply as Rose put it, as a â€Å"dumping ground for the disaffected.† I also understand the point Rose made referring to the fact that if a student is trained in a mediocre way he will do nothing but turn into a mediocre student. Resulting in boredom, indifference, tuning out, ignorance, and finally a lack of job skills society deems necessary. I think Rose was correct in the comment â€Å"Champion the average.† Although that is assuming that every vocational student has the courage to rely on his/her own good sense and put the fear behind him or her. Only most of them lack the courage or self-esteem to stand up for themselves, be it only in their own mind. Moreover, many would not take themselves seriously if they did so.

Professional and Personal Development Plan Essay

According to the experience in the ledge weekend, I finished self – exploring with the help of my team members as well as our mentor Brandy. By carefully reading my personal insights profile and putting outcomes in practice, I find out that it is helpful by offering detail leadership information and organized analysis of myself, which includes something I even have not realized before. All these information give precious guidance to me to improve myself becoming a better leader as well as a follower. Personal Style – As a â€Å"Green† person, I am proficient at alleviating the concerns of others and always consist trying and working hard in order to fulfill my sense of responsibility and obligation. Different from â€Å"Red† and â€Å"Yellow† people, I am low ley and would like to experience strong internal personal reaction rather than showing private feelings. I would like to do things in routine manner and is consistent on my work. Order means a lot to me, which is showed by always making plans and keeping everything organized. In other words, work and home structure affect me very much. My mother influenced me a lot on structure making since I was a young girl. She is an organized person who subsequently is very efficient both in home stuff and her work. She is stick to time and plan, as well as flexible when facing changes. Furthermore, I am also tolerant, open-minded, and adaptable, enjoying the present moment. Most of the time I am patient and always understand others and I am forgiveness to make time for people and their problems. I am very effective in specialized work and highly consistent in performance. Interacting with others – I am good at blending productivity with an interest in, and compassion for, the work force. I am capable of great devotion and loyalty to a valued person or cause. In most situations, I could bring harmony and goodwill to the whole team as well as make great contribution constructing a better team. Being as class monitor from a young age, I have huge experiences on how important it is to keep groups of people in harmony and construct a peaceful environment for better development of work and study. Decision-making – In work, I am always deeply committed whenever I choose to undertake a role or task. Compared to the results, I concern more on process. Usually I am good at finding out what we need at the moment and then deal with it – like an â€Å"effective observer†. My team members gave me this title during the Edge Weekend. According to the their  feedbacks, I am excellent at making calm and critical decision as well as comments in rush occasions while others shows panic or have conflicts. Although I am not a perfect vocal person, this feature does not prevent me making critical and incisive decisions and offering useful comments to help modify current incorrect working situation. This leadership competency also comes from my former leadership experience. When being responsible for scheming the high school anniversary celebration, I met similar problems facing internal team conflicts on different ideas. I realized that when groups of people are eager to express and force others to accept their ideas, it becomes more difficult for the whole team to come up with a comprehensive conclusion or path to follow without bias. By the several times’ practices and experience collecting, I consciously calm down to think carefully of everyone’s opinion objectively. Although it is hard to keep a reasonable mind during severely discussion, I could handle it very well now and get to the critical point easily when others are affected heavily by conflicts or the loss of direction. Vision for the leader I will become ï  ¬What contributions will I make to an organization that builds my strengths and the organizational success? i.Self-confidence and influential ii.Can state significant views with clarity and forethought iii.Prefers flexibility and open mindedness  iv.Reliable, cohesive and identity – Commits to realistic goals, expresses through actions, supports others by being loyal, diplomatic and sincere v.Sensitive to Environment – Brings fun and light-heartedness to any environment vi.Tolerance for Sustainable Development – Be patient and forgiving ï  ¬Why would anyone choose to follow me? Some leaders tend to distribute work to employees without considering carefully the capacity differs from person to person. However, I am the kind of leader who could utilize employees’ ability according to their strength and always be considerable, making them comfortable when working. Also, as the leader of employees, I commit to realistic goals and could state significant views with clarity and forethought. At the same time, I express myself not only vocally but also through actions, which makes employees feel reliable and motivated to construct trust. Furthermore, I am flexible and  open-minded to accept different ideas, which offer platform for employees to express their ideas. They feel being respected and have more motivation to improve and raise productivity. As a leader pay much attention on harmony, my efforts on making working environment comfortable and light-hearted may be welcomed by employees. Like what is said in the article Beyond Uncertainty, â€Å"A company is not an instrument; it is, or should be, a living and growing community.† No one will refuse to follow a leader who is effective using right strategy to mange, being mindful, reliable, open-minded and concern much on working performance as well as environment. ï  ¬How will I impact the world from a leadership perspective? As such a leader, I would impact the world by making my team or company more likely to be a community, instead of just focus on economics or financial results. Thus the company’s lifespan may extend. – The Living Company. If all companies could understand leadership on this perspective, all of us will construct healthier companies so that have a better market. Gap Analysis and Professional Development Plan A.Identify gaps and development needs   According to my insights profile results and the concept of Emotional Intelligence, including Personal Competence and Social Competence in order to achieve my future vision, I still need to fulfill several gaps shown as below: ï  ¬Self-confidence: A strong sense of one’s self-worth and capabilities; ï  ¬Communication, share concerns and reservations bravely In order to become the leader in my future vision, the first thing to do is increasing self-confidence. In some occasions, I found it hard to demonstrate all my abilities and may be underestimated by others and also disappointed myself. Through the readings and feedback of my team members, I discovered that it is not because I am lack of certain ability to complete the task, but I do not hold the belief that I can certainly do it well. In other words, I am lack of courage to step forward a little bit further. ï  ¬Developing others and be influential: Sensing others development needs and bolstering their abilities ï  ¬Emotional awareness: recognizing one’s emotions and their effect These two sections relate to what we read in the past few weeks on moral leadership. â€Å"Moral leadership, by definition, cannot be  situational or contingent. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The ultimate in disrespect of individuals is to attempt to impose one’s will on them without regard for what they want or need and without consulting them. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Thus treating people with respect is what moral leadership is about, and nothing could be harder.† It responses to my former future vision that being a considerable leader should not only pay attention on financial profit and performances, but also the awareness of employees. Furthermore, how to act is more important because the way you act could change their thoughts. To acquire moral leadership, I should practice more on how to treat others respectfully. ï  ¬Innovation while decrease risks According to results of the Insight profile and Emotional Intelligence, I need to be braver to take risk through innovations. Although in The Living Company, the author points out that one of the four common features of long life span companies have is that â€Å"Long-lived companies were conservative in financing†, it is not wise either to be so frugal and do not take any challenge. In my opinion after reading materials, I think it is also important for me to learn how to balance between embracing challenges and decreasing risks. ï  ¬Initiative: Readiness to act on opportunities, make quick or unprepared articulation ï  ¬ Be more flexible, do not over-dependence on rules and procedures. In Week 6’s Oxford discussion, we talked about lots of critical questions about sustainable development. In the article of Value Creation: The Promise of Sustainable Development, the author points out we should balance among Economics, Social and Environment. To create sustainable strategy, we should follow four primary drivers of value creation: Margin improvement, Risk reduction, Growth enhancement and Capital efficiency. All these four aspects remind me how to achieve my future goal by being more flexible. The value creation is a comprehensive process, which needs not merely avoiding risks or losses. B.Development Plan B1: Clearly identified SLOT During the Edge Weekend, we discussed SLOT with each other and tried to analysis ourselves and others using this strategy. S – Strength, means we can use it to make a contribution to the team. Since everyone’s strengths  are different, we could construct a stronger team if we utilize them well. But before that, we need to do accurate self-evaluation in order to take advantage of our strengths. My main strengths, which are mentioned in my formula 2+2, are excellent summarizing skill and organized personality that enhance the whole team’s efficiency. L – Limitation, means nobody is perfect, everyone may face some problems no matter they are internal or external ones. Limitations come from personality or leadership. That’s why we need to explore ourselves and make plans to improve our leadership, and also combine together to help each other in the team. My limitations showed in the Edge Weekend are unvocal and being lack of consistency on own ideas when facing conflicts. O – Opportunity. T – Threat Like the SWOT model in Management, environment plays an important role in influencing our development. Facing opportunities, we should catch them in order to create value by improving our leadership. On the other hand, we should avoid threat. For me, the opportunities are everywhere since I am eager to try new things, all team members treat me very well and always would like to help me improving myself. The threat for me may be the foreign environment, which makes me feel hard to keep on the same page with other American students, since communication is very important for good leadership. Strengths and limitation are internal elements that affect our leadership development, while opportunity and treat are external elements. What we should do with them is shown as below in the form. Internal Elements External ElementsUse itImprove itOpportunity Supervise itEliminate itThreat StrengthLimitation B2: My goals clearly relate to SLOT In order to improve my leadership, I should make plans according to SLOT: Using my strengths of well organizing and opportunity of listening to team members’ opinions in order to become more sensitive to environment and reliable, cohesive and identity. Although I have limitations of unvocal and  not that idea-consistency, I can use my opportunity of my team members’ encouragement to become more self-confident and influential. Since I have the limitation of unvocal and the threat of unfamiliar environment, I should eliminate them by practice English more in order to state significant views with clarity and forethought. Although I have the strength of well organized and considerable, the threat I am facing is the changeable world that requires me to take more risks while not loose too much. Therefore I should learn to keep balance of these two sides in order to improve flexibility and open mindedness and tolerance for sustainable development. B3: SMART – 15 My leadership development goals do meet the SMART criteria, which include Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound. According to SLOT analysis, every goal could be achieved in one specific way: use, improve, supervise or eliminate. Most of them are measurable by collecting team members’ feedback. All those goals are achievable, although some goals such as balancing risk-taking and flexibility is hard to handle in the long run. All those goals and my internal as well as external elements are relevant. Only if they combine together could I do accurate analysis and make detail plan for the future. At last, all these goals could be achieved in time bound, if I keep following the above plan.

Martin Luther King Jr & Malcolm X essays

Martin Luther King Jr & Malcolm X essays Martin Luther King Jr. is someone who is well known for not using discrimination. The whole reason why he even became involved in the civil rights movement is when Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white person at a time when whites chose where to sit. As a result he was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association in December of 1955 and emerged as a national hero when the United States Supreme Court made segregation on buses illegal in Alabama. He believed in freedom and equality to all Americans of every ethnic background. Malcolm X was a very different leader than Martin Luther King Jr. He preached to mostly one race. He was the minister and spokesman for the Nation of Islam until he was told not to speak in 1964, then he founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. He ended up deciding to convert to orthodox Islam in the late1964 and found the organization of Afro-American Unity. He was basically for the black race other. He was mostly remembered for his anti-white speeches. Unlike Malcolm X, Marin Luther King Jr. had so much charisma. In his leadership skills he showed so many special qualities. He had people of all different races and ages join peaceful, nonviolent protests against segregation. In a time period where whites and blacks fought against each other a lot, he took the lead to show people that we could get along despite the rocky past. He had so much charisma that in 1964, when King was only thirty-five years old, he became the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. ...

Well, we know its big - Emphasis

Well, we know its big Well, we know its big David Cameron has referred to it as his mission and his passion, but it does seem that very few people are entirely sure what the Big Society is actually all about. This isnt too surprising when even those well and truly behind the idea are not helping matters. Phillip Blond, director of the think tank ResPublica, and according to the Telegraph a driving force behind David Camerons Big Society agenda, has argued the case for the policy in the Independent. He guides the people thus: Public sector mutualisation and budgetary takeover by citizens of the state is a crucial initial phase in endowing ordinary citizens with the power to ensure that the services they run are operated in a way that combines public interest with economic efficiency and localised employee ownership building in all the gains that this model delivers. Writing this convoluted and opaque will do very little to clarify the concept for the ordinary citizens it claims to want to empower. In relation to this, one letter to the Independent quoted Nobel prize-winner Peter Medawar: People who write obscurely are either unskilled in writing or up to mischief. The writer then commented: I dont think Mr Blond is unskilled in writing. If Cameron and co. are to defend the Big Society as more than (as some rumours have it) a slightly sinister cover for the cuts, they need to put away the thesaurus and use considerably fewer big words.

Is Lesbianism A Sickness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is Lesbianism A Sickness - Essay Example Calling something a â€Å"mental illness† has, ever since psychology became a respectable science, has constituted an effective tool for smearing individual human beings with the label of â€Å"deviant† or â€Å"abnormal†. These â€Å"diagnoses† have, instead of promoting individual health and well-being, reinforced society’s biases and promoted oppression. Unfortunately, these kinds of attitudes and folk psychological notions of â€Å"mental illness† still remain, which leads some people (particularly lesbians) to remain safely in the closet. However, doing so poses a great risk to the psychology of the lesbian in question. Nevertheless, as Nanette Gartrell1 points out, â€Å"coming out of the closet† is the only way to resolve many of the problem that afflict lesbians who feel that silence is necessary for their jobs, homes, economic security, families, friends, or their children. Gartrell surveys the history of lesbianism by looking at its history of psychological evaluation. Like male homosexuality, it was treated as an â€Å"illness† or as a matter of abnormal psychology. While it is clear today that there is no physical basis for such a scientific conclusion, in previous times the science was made to reflect a value-based conclusion instead of a factual one. Freud, like in many of his examinations, created an elaborate explanation for lesbianism, using a series of his concepts. Likewise, Helene Deutsch explained lesbianism by looking at the phenomenon as a â€Å"perversion†, which is a patently anti-scientific inference. Criticism of this psychological methodology led to advances in the study of lesbianism from a psychological perspective, and thus a better understanding of the phenomenon itself. No longer were lesbians categorically seen as â€Å"perverse† by researchers: indifferent investigations could pursue the truth about the pl ace of lesbians relative to heterosexual women in the