Patients Claims Of Denial Of Services Essay - 1352 Words

Patients’ Claims of Denial of Services in Healthcare Facility The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health Human Services enforces federal laws that prohibit discrimination by health care and human service providers. Both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination against qualified persons with HIV other disabilities. Section 504 prohibits discrimination by health care and human services providers called â€Å"entities† that receive federal funds or some other types of federal assistance. Title II prohibits discrimination by state and local government entities even if they do not receive federal financial assistance. Hospitals, clinics, drug treatment center, nursing homes are all entities covered by Section 504. The Americans with Disabilities Act also protects other persons, such as family friends, who are discriminated against because of their association with someone who has HIV. If patient believes that they have been discriminated against and denied services because of having HIV/AIDS the individual and his/her representative may file a complaint with Office of Civil Rights. The deadline of filing a complaint is 180 days from the date the discrimination occurred, unless there is a good reason for the delay. Complaint forms are posted online and should be completed with personal information, name address of entity, how why the individual feel discriminated Show MoreRelatedEvaluating The Validity Of Patients Claims Of Denial Of Services2070 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction Patient claims are important in a health care setting because patient claims determine how well your staff and business is doing in the eye of the patient. No one wants to neither visit a hospital nor be sick but we all go through it eventually. At some point everyone visit a hospital for different reasons but we all have succumb to the hands of a doctor, nurse and other staff in a hospital where we had to trust them to give us the best treatment for the condition or illness we wereRead MoreQuality Assessment Of A Medical Biller And Team Player With A Positive Attitude1439 Words   |  6 Pagesinsurance claims for 6 physical therapists -Receiving patient claim data and submit insurance claims for visits and procedures performed -Issuing billing statements to patients when necessary -Working with insurance companies to monitor claims status, pursue and dispute claim denials, elevate claims to appeals, and/or seek all methods to resolve open claims -Supporting office by explaining patient account history, assist with communication of financial policy, and communicating with patients who haveRead MoreHow Does Incorrect Patient Information Impact A Claim?1642 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Project number (40930800). (1) How does incorrect patient information impact a claim? Responsible coder collects post and manages account payments, submitting claims and keeping in touch with insurance companies. If patient information is coded incorrectly or incomplete it could leave an impact that can be brought to a claim. Inaccuracy in patient information can leads to denials, none payment and investigation. It is important to get all the details right by verifying insurance coverageRead MoreHow Does Incorrect Patient Information Impact A Claim?1638 Words   |  7 Pages(1) How does incorrect patient information impact a claim? Responsible coder collects post and manages account payments, submitting claims and keeping in touch with insurance companies. If patient information is coded incorrectly, or incomplete it could leave an impact that can be brought to a claim. Inaccuracy in patient information can lead to denials, none payment and investigation. It is important to get all the details right by verifying insurance coverage properly. Make sure that the patient’sRead MoreRole Of The Medical Insurance Specialist1322 Words   |  6 PagesInsurance Specialist collects all the information necessary to prepare insurance claims, enter patient demographics and insurance information, enter ICD codes and CPT billing codes, research, correct and resubmit rejected and denied claims, bill patients and answer patient questions regarding charges. The billing process is actually the process of communication between the insurance specialist, medical provider, patient and the insurance company. This is consider ed the billing cycle. The billingRead MoreThe Reduction Of A / R Days862 Words   |  4 Pagesfacility and others in the area. A possible revision may be due because of the many changes that accompanied the Affordable Care Act. Although 55 days was great in the past, because of the increase of patients, staff shortages and training delays may be encountered. Further data in the following Claims (Billing), Charge Capture, HIM(Charting), Human Resources and Admissions will be collected and analyzed before the next meeting. Also, an audit of all departments will take place. The overall objectiveRead MoreThe Financial Manager895 Words   |  4 Pagesfinancial statements and internal data. In addition, the revenue cycle is critical in the healthcare organization when utilizing financial information. This information allows the financial manager to evaluate services provided, review how services were documented, establish the charges/claim and payer payment. The financial manager has a wide scope of responsibilities. However there are distinctive differences between the manager, controller and treasure. The controller focuses on the internalRead MoreThere Is Really No â€Å"One Size Fits All† Software Solution1097 Words   |  5 Pagesrecords. Every practice needs an infrastructure designed around their service delivery plan and their internal practice management framework. Behavioral and mental health organizations, along with addiction treatment facilities, need systems geared toward serving their unique patient populations. Building a behavioral health practice management system with a value-based focus allows specialty practices to successfully improve patient outcomes and achieve the financial goals of the organization. UnlikeRead MoreU.s. Health Care System1611 Words   |  7 Pagesto the consumer demanding more complex services from health care providers. Things such as new technology, equipment, research and testing procedures, along with pharmacy, and the number of uninsured are all dynamics of the increased cost in health care. The U.S. health care system relies heavily on third-party payers; these payers include commercial insurers and the Federal and state governments. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, the National Health ExpenditureRead MoreHealth Benefits Appeal Process759 Words   |  3 PagesBenefits Appeal Process Introduction An estimated 249 million private sector insurance claims will have been filed in 2011 (U.S. Department of Treasury, 2010, p. 43343). If the government sector and the market for individual coverage are included, an additional 70 and 62 million claims, respectively, were expected to be filed. Of these, 48.1 million or 12.6% will be denied. Only a small percentage of denied claims are expected to be appealed, approximately 162,300 or 0.34%, but nearly 40% of these

The Laws Regulating Kidnapping - 2512 Words

Kidnapping.. Case study analysis to trace its historical evolution Paper Submitted by, GouravManikesh 14A049 Gujarat National Law University. Index CONTENT PAGE NO. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 INTRODUCTION 4 ABDUR RAHMAN VS. EMPEROR 5 EMPEROR V. HARIBHAI DADA NATHUSINGHLAXMAN SINGH AND OTHERS V. EMPEROR DISCUSSION CONCLUSION Executive Summary This paper attempts to trace out the long journey of the laws regulating kidnapping. The research methodology used in the paper is diagnostic method with a qualitative approach, inductive through case study at micro level. Giving a brief introduction about the conception of kidnapping, the paper highlights three important cases from the pre independence era, spanning two decades, tracing the evolution of some fundamental concepts. First case is Second case is Third case is We see a trend Introduction Kidnapping means the forcible and unlawful abduction and conveying away of a man, woman, or child, from his or her will or consent, and sending such person away, with an intent to deprive him or her of some right. This is an offence at common law. Kidnapping is of two kinds kidnapping from India and kidnapping from lawful guardianship. Whoever conveys any person beyond the limits of India without the consent of that person, or of some person legally authorized to consent on behalf of that person, is said to kidnap that person from India. Kidnapping from lawful guardianship.—Whoever takes or entices any minorShow MoreRelatedMarijuana Legalization Essay952 Words   |  4 Pagesrepeat-offender laws. But it would not alter the basic character of the situation. If the United States had legalized marijuana ten years ago, all of the major concerns expressed by drug policy reformers would still be with us, except there would be fewer marijuana arrests.† As of right now our police force has to deal with people in the possession of Marijuana in the streets when they could be doing other things like stopping a killer and/or kidnapper. Also by the state regulating marijuana it willRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?940 Words   |  4 PagesGovernments in many western countries have tried to change their approach to prostitution management. The governments have attempted to amend laws to deal with the prostitution, but the process has met fierce controversy. In Canada, a role of criminal code in regulating or prohibiting prostitution has been the area of long-standing debate ( Lowman John, 16). 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However, we must first understand what prostitution is, and why it is high debated in America. This paper will cover what prostitution is, the history of the profession, the different types of prostitution, the United States laws that prohibit the line of work, how decriminalization, criminalization, and legalization effect prostitution. This paper will also discuss the negative effects of prostitution, while suggesting how legalization of pr ostitution can improve these negative

Research Aims and Objectives Free Essays

The following research for consumer preference regarding the choice for a particular Bank in the United Kingdom is done with the aim to analyze the consumer mindset and preference when they make a choice for something so essential like a Bank to whom they handover their hard earned money to. The aim of the research is to determine what consumers want and what the usually preferable features in the Bank are. In order to do so, a sample of the population would be analyzed who would be representing the entire population. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Aims and Objectives or any similar topic only for you Order Now The objective of this particular research to identify the consumer demands and their preferable features would be the understanding of consumer psyche in order to be in a better position to be able to provide them with what they require. However, this would be the prime objective but the secondary objectives would be to discover the hidden factors that mostly people tend to forget while devising a Bank or its strategies. This research would also enable the person formulating the strategy to have an insight to what consumer wants and requires of their efforts and endeavors. Apart from that, it is essential to conduct a research for what consumer wants rather than assuming their requirements and demands. This research would enable to actually find out that which strategies are to be continued by the Bank in the future while which strategies are meant for amendments or complete eradication. Not only banks, but any products or services that are highly dependent on consumer demand and preferences need to analyze their demands and choices before entering in the area to serve them. Hence, the primary Aim of the research is to determine the expectations and requirements of a customer from the place it entrusts its finances into. The objective is to make use of the research and make the result of the research the motive of existence. Rationale of the Research The rationale or the purpose of the research is to make sure that the consumers are receiving what they expect and require of the Banking services. It is to ensure that the current strategies adopted by the Banks in United Kingdom are appropriate or not. There are many sectors in which the Banking Industry of the United Kingdom is divided. The purpose of the research is to analyze the different customer present in each sector and the reason of their preference for a particular sector. The sectors for Banking Industry are Independent British Banks, British Banking Brands owned by British Companies, British Banking Brands owned by Foreign Companies, Foreign Banks in the United Kingdom and External Links. The Independent Banks in United Kingdom include HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank, HBOS, Lloyds TSB, Standard Chartered, Alliance and Leicester, Northern Rock, Cooperative Bank and Bradford and Bingley. The amount of independent Banks is few in the United Kingdom as compared to other countries. The research would also enable us to understand as to whether consumers want more independent banks or not. Quite a lot of foreign banks are present in the United Kingdom as well which are ING Direct, Citibank and Bank of Cyprus. This research would also enable in understanding the reason of the presence of such humungous amount of foreign banks in the country. In London, there is an investment and commercial branch of almost every big Bank in the world. Hence, the purpose along with determining the consumer preference and demand is to determine the purpose of the existence of different sectors and the consumer’s take on these different sectors. The research conducted would help in dividing the preference according to the sector under review which would make it easier for the Banks in different sectors to extract knowledge of their requirement. Theoretical Underpinning Several theories were evaluated to determine which would be best to analyze consumer behavior and their reason to choose a particular Bank for their transactions and activities. The major category which it was divided into was ‘Qualitative research’ as it had to do with consumer preferences and hence could not be quantified into any numbers. It would deal with qualitative data like questionnaires, Focus Group and In-depth Interviews. However under Qualitative research is further divided into three more types which include Positivists, Interpretive and Critical. The positivists takes the society at its face value and assumes that everything portrayed is for real and true, the interpretive assumes that the situation changes and so does human behavior as per the situation while on the contrary the critical approach takes a critical perspective on the society and everything present in the social reality is historically present and created by human minds so nothing is for real but a creation of people’s mind. The method that would be taken use of in this research would be the ‘Interpretive Research’ because it takes the most reasonable and rational approach to the data available in the social reality. As the primary data collected in a qualitative research is highly subject to personal views, therefore it is very important to take a rational approach on the analysis of data and its interpretation. For this kind of research theory, the most important aspect is the interpretation of the collected data as it is difficult to analyze the in-depth interviews and focus groups because of the presence of no right and wrong in the approach as it is highly dependent on human views and method of interpretation. Hence, the theoretical approach used is ‘Interpretive Qualitative Research Methodology’. Methodology Research Approach The research would be highly dependent on the data collected via primary as well as secondary sources. Since, the entire research is to determine human psyche and preferences therefore nothing can be assumed and neither is anything pre-determined. The data however would be achieved through primary sources via Focus Groups, In-depth Interviews, Questionnaire and Surveys as well secondary sources such as Internet sources, Journals, Articles, Past Researches, Magazines, and Books etc. The theory that is used as a methodology is as defined the Qualitative Interpretive method as the data received would be either the feedback from the customers or the secondary published resources. The data interpretation is where the methodology or the theory of the research would be utilized. The focus groups would be analyzed based on people’s verbal reactions as well as their attitude and gestures and so will be the In-depth interview which would be a one-to-one interaction with the consumer. However, the answers of the questionnaire would have to be quantified and displayed via graph to display the inclination of the answers. The research methodology used would be ‘Relational’, this is because one factor of the research would be analyzed as to whether it depends on the other or not. For example, if consumers prefer on-the-go Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Service then is it because of the low savings and high expenditures of the people in the United Kingdom. The relational approach would also help in analyzing and explaining the reason of several factors and demands by the target consumers of the Banks in the United Kingdom. It would be helpful in explaining a lot of consumer preferences and would be better in understanding the logic behind the Human Psyche. Research Strategy The research strategy has several steps which are being followed in the conducted research. It started of with defining a title for the research which was finalized to be stated as ‘How the people choose in U. K which bank to patronize? ’ After that came the step to analyze the background data which would be partially collected via primary sources as well as secondary published sources. The primary sources as mentioned would be the Qualitative Research tools such as the Focus Groups, Surveys and Interviews while the secondary sources would be the publishes material in the form of either past Researches in the relevant field, articles, journals or magazines. In order to get hold of the relevant sources several catalogs have been searches and the internet has been browsed in order to come up with as authentic and relevant material as possible. Even the internet sources that are being analyzed are the published authentic ones and not just the random material present. After the collection of data, it was critically analyzed to remove all loop holes from the procedures and find reliable material from which the research can take constructive help from in order to make it as productive as possible. The next step of defining the citation style has been done with utmost care keeping the professionalism and the research relevance in mind. Therefore, the citation style used in this research is Harvard style of referencing. The material used in the literature review and the entire research would be cited in the Harvard style of citation and so would be the in-text citation. The Harvard style has a professional work procedure and cites the work in an appropriate manner for the reader to understand where the work is taken from and along with that helps in giving the original idea provider the due importance by mentioning and recognizing their efforts. The strategy adopted in the process of the research has to be clear and defined in order to follow a research process that has a vivid objective and is able to reach its motives effectively and efficiently. Primary Data and Secondary Data Collection The primary data will be collected with the qualitative tools such as the †¢ In-Depth Interview: The one-to-one interviews with the few selected customers who would be questioned in detail and would have the option of answering open ended in order to gather the most data possible and then extract the one relevant. Along with the information the interviewee would also be analyzed of his/her gestures and body language. Hence, this would help in providing a deep insight in the consumers mind and preferences. †¢ Focus Group: This would be a method for a group of customers to express their opinion on a platform provided. Several minds when act together would give a clear view of what majority of the customers think. However, there are certain pitfalls to this procedure as well which would be tried and avoided as much as possible. †¢ Questionnaires: These are the only tools in the qualitative method that can be quantified and does not entirely depend on interpretation. The questionnaires would mostly contain close ended questions as the open ended ones would be there in the focus groups as well as the in-depth interviews of the customers. †¢ Surveys: As per this method, the customers in each sector would be randomly surveyed for their opinions and suggestion to improve the Banking service in the country. Hence, all the above mentioned primary data collected would not only help in devising as to what customers prefer but also would provide with a solution and recommend possible outcomes. The secondary sources would be from published sources. In order to analyze the scenario of Multinational Banks in the United Kingdom, the book by Geoffrey Jones (1993) is used for referencing which present the scenario of international Banks in the United Kingdom’s market. Presenting the scenario it states â€Å"the leaders were five large American Banks which dominated the process of syndicated sovereign loans as they sought to achieve an accelerated growth of their assets. They pursued lending strategies that emphasized wide margins and large volumes of loans. † (Jones, 1993, p. 352). Another book by Francesca Carnevali called as the ‘Europe’s Advantage: Banks and Small Firms in Britain, France, Germany and Italy since 1918’ talks about the importance of small Banks. In the research the customer of small banks would also be a subject therefore this book would be of high importance as its states â€Å"small firms are part of local economies. These can be defined simply and loosely as spaces where most local saving found their way to local financial intermediaries and then back into the local economy† (Carnevali, 2005, pp. 2-3). In order to understand the Human psyche as well as competing for customer the help of a book called ‘Competing for Customers and Capital’ by Victor J. Cook Junior (2006). It talks about the competitive cut-throat environment that today every field has including products as well as services and bridges the gap between the marketing and the finance areas. It is also helpful for those who aspire to be the upper level management as it enables the reader to understand the consumer psyche and the reason behind their preferences. A very important book that is used in the literature as a reference is a book by John R. Weeks called the ‘Unpopular Culture: The Ritual of Complaint in a British Bank’ (2003). It talks about how unsatisfied culture of the employees spreads a negative energy in the entire organization and it effects on the performance of the employees which ultimately affects the customer service and produces unsatisfied customers. Book which talks about the history of the Banking Industry in the United Kingdom and the changing and evolutionary trends is a book by Ronald Myles Fitzmaurice (1975) called ‘British banks and banking: A pictorial history’. In order to understand British banking history and how it dealt with crisis in the past, a book by William Frazer (2000) is used called as ‘Central Banking, Crises, and Global Economy’ which states that â€Å"Governments in crises should not be surprised, however, when aid and coordinated private-sector support packages are extended on condition that problem-causing traditions and practices be changed† (Frazer, 2000, p. 315). Along with that the news article by Steve Pain (2000) indicates the importance of customers in the generation of profits by the banks. Hence, the satisfaction of the customers is of utmost importance and therefore they need to be given special attention to. Their needs and requirements have to be identified in order to be in a better position to provide them with better service which is up to their mark. Some companies or banks even misuse their customers by getting them into trouble so that they force them into calling the call center as â€Å"BANKS and power companies have been accused of making big money out of customers who ring their call centers† (Poulter, 2005, p. 6). Hence, there are all kinds of business running around the world and in order to have healthy business one needs to get rid of these unethical tactics. Data Analysis As mentioned above, the data collected through primary means as well as secondary means would be critically analyzed to ensure their importance in the research and to determine whether they are being utilized efficiently or not. However, due recognition would be given to any data that has been extracted from other sources and is not achieved via primary method. The entire data collected would not be used but only the important and highly relevant portions would be selected to gain knowledge from and cite in the original research. The data would relate to the original topic as to what are the criteria of the customers when choosing a Bank in the United Kingdom. Anticipated Limitations Despite the best of efforts there are certain limitations that would be faced by the people conducting the research which are as follows; †¢ Time Constraint: Although there my be a lot of time available but for the research of such magnitude there is no sufficient time as with new time new data arises which can be incorporated as well. So time acts as one of the constraints. †¢ Monetary Constraints: Due to the status of being students, there are certain financial limitations that have to be abided by, hence acting as constraints as there is not a sufficient or unlimited flow of funds. †¢ Knowledge: Although a lot of background research would be done and plenty of material would be read to make this research as authentic as possible but still there is some knowledge that would be unattained. Hence, that unattained knowledge would act as a constraint for further depth in the research. †¢ Secondary Data: The presence of secondary data regarding the given topic is scarce and hence proper information of several fields cannot be gathered which is a constraint for the production of an excellent research. Ethical Considerations The first and the foremost consideration as per the ethical boundaries would be the due recognition of the material or data taken from other authors by books, articles and journals. If they are not acknowledged, it would be included as plagiarism rather than help from various outside sources. Apart from that, what needs to be taken care of is that none of the Banks or financial institutions is allegedly claimed for poor performance. In short, there should be no incorrect data; all the data should have a back support to it in order to provide the proof of its authenticity. One thing that is often ignored by the researchers is the pre-developed biasness or prejudice. A personal experience or a past knowledge may lead the researcher to have a pre-conceived notion regarding a certain factor. This makes the entire research to be less authentic as its starts to involve personal opinion rather than rational views. For instance, in this case the researcher might have had a bad past experience with a bank and may prolong that biasness into the research making it less objective. Hence, in order for the research to be carried out in an ethical manner, all these ethical concerns have to be taken into account. Otherwise all the effort done by the researcher may result to be void. Conclusion The following research would be carried out with the Harvard style citation and the methodology would be ‘qualitative interpretive’ method. The primary sources of data would be the qualitative tools which include In-Depth Interviews, Surveys, Questionnaire and Focus group. The ethical constraints would be followed to make sure that the research is highly objective without the involvement of any plagiarism, incorrect information or personal biasness or prejudice. Hence, the research would follow all the pre-determined set patterns of following a research with a research theory and methodology. Although there are slight constraints which would act as a hurdle in the way but it would be made sure that it doesn’t have a drastic impact on the research. The hypothesis of the research would conclude as to what are the primary, secondary and involuntary (hidden) reasons for customers to choose a particular Bank in the United Kingdom. Bibliography Jones, G. (1993). British Multinational Banking 1830-1990. Oxford University Press. ISBN 019820602X. Carnevali, F. (2005). Europe’s Advantage: Banks and Small Firms in Britain, France, Germany and Italy since 1918. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0199257396. Cook, V. (2006). Competing for Customers and Capital. South-Western Educational Pub. First Edition. ISBN-10: 0324405979. ISBN-13: 978-0324405972. United States of America. Crawfordsville. Weeks, J. R. (2003). Unpopular Culture: The Ritual of Complaint in a British Bank. University Of Chicago Press. ISBN-10: 0226878120. ISBN-13: 978-0226878126. United States of America. Fitzmaurice, R. M. (1975). British banks and banking: A pictorial history. Barton. ISBN-10: 0851531547. ISBN-13: 978-0851531540. Frazer, W. (2000). Central Banking, Crises, and Global Economy. Praeger Publishers. Westport, CT, London, United Kingdom. Pain, S. (2000). Customers Co-operate in Bank’s Profits Boost. The Birmingham Post. 19. How to cite Research Aims and Objectives, Essays

Attendance Problem in TAFE NSW Meadowbank College †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Attendance Problem in TAFE NSW Meadowbank College. Answer: Introduction TAFE NSW is a renowned vocational training and education provider institute in Australia training over 500,000 students in distance education, online or campus education as well as providing education at workplace. TAFE Commission Act 1990 had the role in establishing this independent statutory body and at present, this institution has several campuses distributed in various parts of Australia with around 130 campuses ten geographical area groups. Among these, the chosen campus of this institute is the TAFE NSW Meadowbank Campus campus that comes under the Northern Sydney Institute group of campuses (Nsi.tafensw.edu.au. 2017). The college offers Higher Education Degree Programs and certifying courses in vocational education and training (VET) that have high demands not only in Australia but also all over the world. The institutes of NSW are renowned for delivering quality training and provide degrees on an array of courses. Many people choose this Meadowbank Campus campus particularl y because it offers interesting and unique degree subjects and vocational training subject matters that will enhance their career opportunities. With real world environment and practical industry practices, the students learn effectively (Alia, Tamimi and Al-Allaf 2013). However, despite being one of the most reputed institutions in the country, in recent times the Meadowbank Campus of TAFE NSW suffered from severe attendance issue of the students. The college data shows that between 2012 and 2016, the attendance at not only in Meadowbank campus but also in all of the TAFE NSW campuses dropped considerably. This highly affected the institutions profitability and other administrative works; in fact, a leaked document in 2015 shockingly reveled that TAFE NSW had been planning to close 27 of its sites due to heavy financial losses. This particular functional issue bothering TAFE NSW Meadowbank Campus and TAFE NSW institutions in overall needs further evaluation (Bhatambrekar et al., 2013). Description of the Problem Having analyzed the problem from the core, it has been found out that the dropped attendance problem had its root in suddenly hiked fees in the institutions. Since the Meadowbank campus mostly offers vocational courses and not many mainstream degree courses, it became difficult for many students to continue with the courses at such a high fees rate. This problem grew severe with time so much, so that it drew governments immediate attention. On 16 June 2016, the NSW Government announced strict instructions to the TAFE institutions to scrape all the existing EBS4 systems of managing students. In fact, in the last year, to control the steadily declining attendance rate among students the fees structure was frozen as per the fees of 2015 level. In addition, the Skills Minister of NSW government Mr. John Barilaro instructed the institution to develop immediately a completely new system for the peak enrolment period in 2018. This is because the prevalent EBS4 rollout had been causing TAFE NSW institutions major troubles in the process of enrolments as well as it was proved inefficient to track the financial data of the students and produce testamurs. Due to the rising decline in the student attendance rate, the TAFE NSW institutions had to reduce its other financial costs (Bowen and Bok 2016). Analysis of the Problem The attendance issue of the Meadowbank Campus campus as well as the TAFE NSW institutions has been a grave matter of concern to the authorities. The further analysis of the problem has revealed some major points about it. The primary cause of this may be that students pursue the vocational courses as a part time activity to get further opportunity in their careers. However, it is not possible to pay high fees for a part time vocational course or even for distance courses (Lane 2014). Apart from the fees structure issue, the declining attendance might have other aspects also too. The second issue is regarding the psychology of the students that has been mentioned in different other researches on the same problem matter. The tendency of absenteeism is principally because some students do not attach much importance to the attendance guidelines of the college and rather believe that since they are paying for the course, they should be the deciding ones whether to attend classes. Students even have tried to attach some logic behind them not being present in the lectures. According to the students survey done in various TAFE NSW institute campuses including the Meadowbank Campus, the students have indicated that they would prefer sit down to study on their own rather wasting time in the classes. This brings out another crucial issue for the college attendance matter i.e. the less interesting quality of the lectures where the students get bored. The classroom absenteeis m caused by this thinking process of the students is sure to perturb the college authorities. Apart from these, the lectures clarity and quality, conflicting the schedules of the classes with the students other engagements of more priority and to some extent the professors lack of ability to engage the students also become a factor in the low attendance issue (Hirsch 2013). Since many of the students studying in TAFE NSW colleges are already employed and study vocational courses to enhance their career graph furthermore, it can also be possible that due to the workload in their job field they are not being able to attend classes regularly. Besides, the students may also think that classroom attendance will not affect their academic performance and hence, high grades have no apparent link with high attendance. However, the student records of Meadowbank Campus shows that the students who have been absented from the initial lectures had difficulties in grasping the topics later and as a result generated poor results in the assignments. On the other hand, in the degree courses the reason of absenteeism, as thought by the educationists and scholars being numerous distractions of college life and since, there are not too many residential colleges under TAFE NSW to help the fresher students minimize the diversion factors (WHORLEY and Montgomery 2016). Another issue behind the rising absenteeism in the Meadowbank Campus, as opined by many of the professors, is their unjustified higher grades received in the high schools. According to them, a considerable percent of freshmen have grades of A in their high school results whereas the fact is they studied much less. Hence, these high school students with poor habits of study feel that attending classes is not that necessary when they have already had high grades with minimal study efforts. Besides, it has been seen that the Meadowbank Campus lacks in active engagement between teachers and students. It is a fact that students are likely to accomplish poorly in their academic performances if their reason of class attendance becomes socialize only. Students in this college lack in participation in their own education and other academic activities. It is important for them to understand that if class attendance cannot guarantee success, it can certainly increase the probability of their success (Mehan 2015). In addition, the irregularity among teachers also, to some extent has caused students disinterest in the classes. The professors, however, have different reasons for their irregularity in coming to the classes. They may have seminars or other prior engagements; it is also a fact that many professors themselves are involved in their research programs and these causes result in professors arriving late in the classes or at times skipping entirely. This may also be potentially a reason behind students growing disinclination towards attending classes in Meadowbank Campus (Mertler 2015). Apart from all these, the problem of absenteeism is prevalent almost all the colleges across the world and psychologists have significantly pointed out that in some cases there have been no valid reason behind students growing habit of absenteeism. This, according to the psychological terms, is termed as truancy or excessive unexcused nonattendance. Delinquency has also been associated with this rule-breaking behavior on students part and few psychologists have even termed it as severe conduct disorders (Windmeyer, Humphrey and Barker 2013). Probably, all those aforementioned and critically analyzed reasons have accumulated the serious problem of student absenteeism in the Meadowbank Campus as well as few other colleges under TAFE NSW institution. Suggested Solutions and Arguments The NSW government considered the increasingly dropping attendance rate in the colleges of TAFE NSW a consequence of sudden fee hike. In order to prevent the tendency of absenteeism, the authority of TAFE NSW decided to freeze their fees at 2015 level. Although this fee deduction was done to encourage students to attend classes like before, this initiative is probably not enough to make the students return to the usual class attendance. In this case, some other serious issues must have to be considered (Mason and Walton 2017) In the first place, the issues with vocational training and its issues are to be considered. The colleges need to understand the problems that the students experience while doing vocational education training or VET and then either remain absent from classes for a long period or drop out of the courses. This is simply not because of the hiked fees but certainly, there are several other reasons behind this. The people doing VET courses often become unable to manage course and other commitments, while some others remain absent from the rest the classes other than the part of the syllabus that they need. The primary reason behind the absenteeism in the distant education courses is the syllabus pressure that the students cannot balance with the pressure of the workplace. In addition, the class timings or assessments may clash with their work schedule and the job being their priority, they miss out assignments and even drop out of the courses. To resolve these, the Meadowbank Campus as we ll as other TAFE NSW colleges must set the study curriculum according to the students preference of time. This is to say that the college must give the students ample time to submit their assignments and the class timings should be flexible so that they can avail the lectures at their own convenience. Besides this, the VET course curriculum in Meadowbank Campus as well as all other TAFE NSW colleges is grounded on conventional curriculum theories and practices. Therefore, the curriculum lacks interesting and innovative features that may hold the attention and interest of the students. The possible solutions for this may be to introduce a range of interventions in the vocational training courses and in the distance education programs to encourage the students to continue with the education program and thereby achieving their objectives of training (Romero, Romero and Ventura 2015). Except for the attempts of college, the government can also have a significant role in retaining high attendance in the colleges. The TAFE foundation of colleges rely greatly on government funding and hence, if the Australian Government grounds the funding criteria on retention rates rather than the enrolment figures the endeavors on the colleges part are bound to increase. However, the TAFE NSW institution has vehemently opposed to linking government contribution to retention rates; they have objected with the logic that this linking would cheer the private education organizations to flock students through high priced courses. The authorities of TAFE NSW have claimed that the retention rate in their organization is much higher than the other colleges (Shapiro and Gross 2013). On the other hand, the best way to make the students continue with the course is to make them understand the benefits of the courses that they are pursuing. Most of the students pursue vocational education training because of the rising demand in the workplace for skill development and productivity. Besides, for the unemployed people the vocational training courses increase the career opportunities for them. This should categorically need to be held to them so that they realize the importance of the courses and attend the classes. As far as the fee structure in Meadowbank Campus and all other TAFE NSW colleges are concerned, the authorities are right in freezing the increasing fee level of the organization as many disadvantaged students also avail the vocational courses. It is a fact that the high fees have been an important reason behind many students dropping out in the midway. Revision in the fee structure will definitely be of help for the students and especially for the underprivileged aboriginal students who aim to have a mainstream career with the help of these vocational training programs (Chostelido, Griva and Tsakiridou 2017). Among many other solutions to these problem, one effective way out to reduce the nonattendance trend is introducing useful interventions. However, TAFE institutions apply some of the standard interventions in the course curriculum like conventional guidance, support to the learners and counseling when in need but the consistently dropping rates of attendance reveals the need of something more. Some students, on the other hand, have different problems other than the ones that have been discussed. Many students have been found to be struggling with lack of family support, addiction problems to alcohol and drugs as well as financial fears. In these cases, the college, in the first place must identify the student who is at risk of exclusion and then apply effective intervention on them. Following the model of some foreign colleges, the TAFE NSW institution should enhance its expertise in developing and elaborating new educational, pedagogical and didactical approaches, especially for the underprivileged and disadvantaged students. The interventions should be targeted at those having difficulties in the learning process or addiction problems or that those suffering from psychological or discrimination issue in the campus. The Meadowbank Campus as well as other TAFE NSW institutions needs to diagnose and research on these problems and then provide training accordingly. Overall, the colleges need to attempt an integration of those students who are at the risk of leaving out. Moreover, the students are to be ensured about the career opportunities as soon as they finish the courses and for this, the institute has to make sufficient arrangement for placement. This insurance will sustain the student retention in the colleges of TAFE institute (Syeed et al., 2017). Since the professors can interact directly with the students, they can contribute the most to make them retain in the classes. In the first place, the professors must try to present exciting and informative study materials to the students so that they remain engaged and interested in classes. The classroom environment also should be exciting as well as appealing that would provide the value-added knowledge to them, and this responsibility lies only in the hands of the professors. Now, the value-added knowledge, though may vary from student to student, should be something other than what students can gain by reading textbooks and other study guides themselves. In some colleges other than TAFE NSW ones, there have been attempts of assigning high grades to students attendance rates were moderate to very good. Now, this cannot be an effective solution for reducing absenteeism. Rather the professors should try arranging quizzes on the study topics and taking attendance regularly in the cl asses to keep hold of the students interest. It may be better if the professors can personally invest in each student and thus, going beyond the conventional duties and role of a professor they can make the students reciprocate by attending classes regularly. Prior to all these, the students must be made cognizant of the advantages of being present in class (Soria, Fransen and Nackerud 2013). Regarding the issue of absenteeism, the introduction of attendance feedback can also be an effective measure to improve the rates of class attendance. The suggestion is that to handover the students, feedback documenting their monthly attendance in the classes comparing with the average attendance rate of other students in the same period. This attendance feedback is likely to improve the situation creating a sense of healthy competition. Conclusion Therefore, it can be seen that TAFE NSW Meadowbank Campus along with all other campuses is struggling with low attendance problem and is in urgent requirement to keep hold of the enrolled students by any means. This has been a serious issue even more as TAFE NSW is one of the most reputed organizations in Australia providing vocational education training or VET. Being the institute of much repute, TAFE NSW faces serious challenges with the students dropping out and remaining absent from the classes for a longer period. With the suggestions referred in the report, the institution can amend its existing teaching techniques and concentrate on the required changes on the administrative level. The report concludes that the problem of non-attendance that the institution has thought to stem from fee hike has deeper roots. From the report, the clear reason for absenteeism emerges as disinclination among students towards vocational trainings and since all the possible reasons have been pointe d out, the institute, once implements all the suggested measures is sure to be back with its past glory. References Alia, M.A., Tamimi, A.A. and Al-Allaf, O.N., 2013. Integrated system for monitoring and recognizing students during class session.The International Journal of Multimedia Its Applications,5(6), p.45. Bhatambrekar, S., Kulkarni, S., Mohurle, S., Kumar, P., Naik, S. and Pokale, S., 2015. Student attendance system (SAS)-RFID-based application.Industrial Electronics and Engineering,93, p.385. Bowen, W.G. and Bok, D., 2016.The shape of the river: Long-term consequences of considering race in college and university admissions. Princeton University Press. Chostelidou, D., Griva, E. and Tsakiridou, E., 2017. A Record of the training needs of ESP Practitioners in Vocational Education.Selected papers on theoretical and applied linguistics,18, pp.131-143. English-Sydney, A. and Sydney, E.L.S.I.S., 2015. English Australia Member Colleges. Hepworth, D.H., Rooney, R.H., Rooney, G.D. and Strom-Gottfried, K., 2016.Empowerment Series: Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills. Nelson Education. Hirsch, G., 2013.Helping college students succeed: A model for effective intervention. Routledge. Lane, C., 2014. Vocational training and new production concepts in Germany.Adult Learners, Education and Training,2(4), p.112. Mason, G. and Walton, J., 2017. Creating a Pedagogy of Vocational Training for Young People Not in Education, Employment, or Training. InThe Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research(pp. 189-202). Palgrave Macmillan US. Mehan, H., 2015.In the front door: Creating a college-going culture of learning. Routledge. Mertler, C.A., 2015.Introduction to educational research. SAGE Publications. Nsi.tafensw.edu.au. (2017). Meadowbank - TAFE NSW - Northern Sydney. [online] Available at: https://www.nsi.tafensw.edu.au/campus/Meadowbank/ [Accessed 5 May 2017]. Romero, C., Romero, J.R. and Ventura, S., 2014. A survey on pre-processing educational data. InEducational data mining(pp. 29-64). Springer International Publishing. Sayeed, S., Hossen, J., Kalaiarasi, S.M.A., Jayakumar, V., Yusof, I. and Samraj, A., 2017. REAL-TIME FACE RECOGNITION FOR ATTENDANCE MONITORING SYSTEM.Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology,95(1), p.24. Shapiro, J.P. and Gross, S.J., 2013.Ethical educational leadership in turbulent times:(Re) solving moral dilemmas. Routledge. Soria, K.M., Fransen, J. and Nackerud, S., 2013. Library use and undergraduate student outcomes: New evidence for students' retention and academic success.portal: Libraries and the Academy,13(2), pp.147-164. WHORLEY, J.F. and Montgomery, J.W., Core Principle, Inc., 2014.System and method for monitoring class attendance. U.S. Patent Application 14/529,675. Windmeyer, S., Humphrey, K. and Barker, D., 2013. An institutional responsibility: Tracking retention academic success of out LGBT students.Campus Pride Blog. April,8.

The Search For Other Worlds Extrasolar Planets Essays - Astronomy

The Search For Other Worlds: Extrasolar Planets Earths Beyond Earth: The Search for Other Worlds In early 1990, the first extrasolar planet was detected, surprising everyone by its strangeness. More planets have now been discovered outside our solar system than in it. These planets present many great mysteries to the astronomical world. Extrasolar planets are planets that exist outside our solar system; they are orbiting a star other than our Sun. So far, eighteen have been found, all of them defying well-established theories about planets and how they operate (Winters, 46). As Stephen Maran said, ?The new discoveries remind us that ignorance is not just bliss, it is also a lack of imagination. The newfound planets show us not only that a solar system is not a rare commodity, but that ours may be plain vanilla.? (73) Finding extrasolar planets is both difficult and complicated. The average star, for instance, is one hundred million times brighter than any planet orbiting it (De Grasse Tyson, 87). ?Picking out a planet against the glare of a star is like trying to spot a 100-watt light bulb next to a 100-billion-watt searchlight,? says Michael Lemonick (54). Also, earth-size planets are too small to have any significant effect on their star, so they are almost impossible to detect (De Grasse Tyson, 88). There is, however , a way to find extrasolar planets without using direct sight: the Doppler Effect. When a star has a planet in its gravitational field, it makes the star appear as if it is ?wobbling? by stretching the light waves and slightly changing the star's color (Maran, 75). A second method of finding a planet is to search through a disk of debris surrounding a star, such as Vega. Chances are that a planet will exist there (De Grasse Tyson, 87). Out of the detected planets, only a few have actually been ?seen,? being found by accident by either the Hubble Space Telescope or the Infrared Space Observatory (Lemonick, 53). In short, planets can only be found in a limited number of ways, and under very specific conditions. In general, most extrasolar planets are alike in that they are all very odd compared to what humans are accustomed. For example, most of them orbit around sun-like stars no further than 100 light years from the Sun. Also, they are gas giants, almost all of them being larger than Jupiter, and have temperatures up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (Maran, 74). On the other hand, these planets all have very different orbital patterns; some of them have orbits that are extremely close to the star that they orbit, while others have odd elliptical orbits (Naeye, 45). Either way, almost all of these planets differ significantly from the planets in our solar system. Very little specific information is known about most extrasolar planets, but a few have been researched extensively and found to have interesting characteristics. For instance, 51 Pegasi (all planets being named after their host stars) was the first extrasolar planet found, being discovered by Swiss astronomers Mayar and Queloz. This planet is half the mass of Jupiter (seventy-five times more massive than Mercury), and has the least mass of any of the new planets (Maran, 74). Also, it is 5 million miles from its star, but still manages one orbit in only a little more than four days (Flamsteed, 80). 70 Virginis, another odd planet, is six times the mass of Jupiter, has extreme weather conditions, and orbits elliptically (Lemonick, 53). Likewise, 47 Ursae Majoris has fierce hurricanes, and is also larger than Jupiter. The planet with the most elliptical orbit known to man is 16 Cygni B; it travels from 56 million to 250 million miles of its sun. In contrast, 55 Cancri B is an example o f a tight-orbiting planet, circling the sun closer than mercury is to our sun (Maran, 74). In summary, what we know about these planets shows that they are very diverse and strange. Though strangeness may promote curiosity, a major goal in searching for extrasolar planets is to discover one that resembles ours or possibly harbors life. Though strangeness may bring curiosity, the main motive behind finding extrasolar planets is to discover one that resembles ours or possibly harbors life

Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps

Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps The USA and the Middle East experience a relationship today that bears the stamp of a millennium and more of crucial decisions on both sides.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From nearly the first years of contact between people of European descent and the peoples of the Middle East, these decisions have reflected more misunderstanding and self-interest than statesmanship or vision. There are several moments over this span of time that stand out as opportunities: periods in history when relations could have been turned towards tolerance and even cooperation, but were not. Three examples of these are: the medieval push to take control of religiously important sites in what is today Israel, the betrayal of the region at the end of World War I, and more recently, the failure of Arab governments to adopt the best practices of m odern governance. While these are by no means exhaustive, they are exemplary. In the 11th century, the hardline, and an altered attitude of the Seljukian Turks towards Christian pilgrims prompted outrage and ill-organized crusades. However, a glance at a map of the area suggests the great potential advantage to the nations north of the Mediterranean of control over the sea lanes in the Mediterranean and eastward. Trade, at the least, would be easier if European powers controlled this region. This may have been the reason for the increasing emphasis on naval campaigns in the later Crusades (Bridges 10). In this instance, a more tolerant attitude by the Seljukian Muslims towards Christian pilgrims who had moved with relative freedom through the region for a long time would have made a great difference. After all, the Muslim faith had already successfully, albeit violently, taken over as much as two thirds of the European continent (Madden, Hillenbrand and Ryan). However, the behavior of the Europeans was regarded as boorish and ignorant by the Saracens, so there was probably fault on both sides (Madden, Hillenbrand and Ryan). This was a chance for mutual understanding that was thrown away. At the end of World War, after taking advantage of the Arab revolt to topple the Ottoman Empire, the Allies secretly agreed to partition the area. The Balfour agreement, also secret, promised the Jewish people a homeland in Palestine. These baldly self-interested betrayals and subterfuges were the reasons that prompted T.E. Lawrence to work for three years to make the Arab revolt as effective as possible (Lawrence).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This double-dealing gave the Middle Eastern countries a very good reason to resent the Allies (Lawrence). It also injected a massive and persistent disruptor into the area in the form of the Zionist hom eland (Zakaria, Why do They Hate Us?) . This dishonesty was probably not necessary and fairer dealings could have laid the groundwork for greater cooperation. Over the decades since then, the sponsorship by the USA of Israel has colored all US-Middle Eastern relations. More recently, the increasing interests of the European countries and the United States in regional oil have distorted matters further (Djerejian) (Atiemo). The Middle Eastern countries have not achieved the development of modern governments and what the West regards as desirable liberties and markets. To some degree, this retarding of governmental evolution was enhanced by the use of several countries as proxies for the former USSR (Djerejian) (Ahmadov). Many of the countries of the Middle East have, additionally, cut themselves off from many of the advantages of the Western world, often, according because of a distaste for the values associated with them (Ozdemir) (Christie, Zwarun and Clark) (Woods). It is possible that if the West had not been more honest and less self-interested, these nations might have turned towards Europe rather than to the USSR or to fundamentalism. Thus, the West and the Middle East may have had chances for rapprochement, which have been discarded. As far back as the Middle Ages, and in both the Twentieth and Twenty-first centuries, approaches have been taken that plunged increasing wedges of distrust and distaste between the two. These turning points should be our guide to avoiding such bad choices in the future. Ahmadov, Ramin. The U.S. Policy toward Middle East in the Post-Cold War Era. Alternatives: The Turkish Journal of International Relations Spring/Summer 2005. Web. alternativesjournal.net/volume4/number1/ramin.pdf. Atiemo, Nancy. What is the relationship between the United States’ energy policy and its foreign policy in the Middle EastT? n.d. Dundee University. Web. dundee.ac.uk/cepmlp/car/html/CAR10_ARTICLE21.PDF.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bridges, Cyprian. Sea Powerand Other Studies. Echo Library, 2006 . Web. https://books.google.com/books?hl=enlr=id=UTuZeVOU23QCoi=fndpg=PA1dq=%22why+did+the+crusades%22ots=ASWFLQn7mZsig=PKfclXE1VzsZHnjVTgNLrSoxgWU#v=onepageq=%22%20crusades%22f=false. Christie, Thomas B., Lara Zwarun and Andrew M. Clark. Finding a Credible Message to Win Hearts and Minds of the Muslim World: Article 2. Global Media Journal Volume 5.Issue 8 (2006). Web. http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/PDF_archive/amer_edition/spring2006/2%20Christie%20Clark%20Zwarun.pdf. Djerejian, Edward P. The US and the Middle East in a Changing World, The. Department of State Dispatch 444 (1992). Washington: HeinOnline, 2 June 1992. Web. http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journalshandle=hein.journals/dsptch5div=246id=page=. Lawrence, Thomas Edward. Introductory Chapter. Seven Pillars of Wisdom. 2012. Web. http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100111h.html. Madden, Thomas, Carole Hillenbrand and Antonia Ryan. The Crusades: Why the Crusades Stil Matter: An Interview with Carole Hildebrand and Thomas Madden. 24 February 2006. National Catholic Reporter. Web. natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2006a/022406/022406a.php. Ozdemir, Erhan. Globalization and Its Impact on the Middle East. 2008. US Navy Post-Graduate School. Web. http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecordmetadataPrefix=htmlidentifier=ADA493849. Woods, Joshua. The Common Enemy Rationale: An Attempt to Apply Concepts of Cognitive Consistency to the Portrayals of the United States in the Foreign Press. Fall 2005. Purdue.edu. Web. https://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/PDF_archive/amer_edition/fall2005/4%20Woods.pdf.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Zakaria, Fareed. Why do They Hate Us? n.d. http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/12447013/417620819/name/whydotheyhateus.pdf.

See the dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

See the dis - Essay Example A sales plan will be prudent since it helps in organizing and thinking through ones’ sales strategy. Its writing should be in a way that makes sense to the marketer. It should include the sales goals, which should be specific and measurable. The goal bases on the nature of product and breaks it down into manageable parts. For example, sell 50 units to end-users in 30 days and sell 100 units to local independent retailers in six months. Through this, the management will be able to know the projection of profits they would be able to make at a certain time (Ellis, Fitchet, Higgins, Jack, Lim, Saren and Tadajewski 25-26). The company should ensure it has sales activities, which would help the management develop a plan that makes sales. The sales can be direct-to-consumer through a website or via craft shows. In addition, the sales may include activities like developing a sell sheet, to send to independent retail stores (McLeish 45). This will enable the company realize more sales with more strategic sale plans in place since the management will know what to undertake at different times of economic downturns. With the growth use of the social site in UAE, the marketers should consider marketing the product on the website. ... Inconveniences arise to its customers if the number of distribution channels is too few, while too many distribution channels may increase its operating cost. There should therefore be a retail store with easy access and more convenient to the consumer (Ulph 98). The company should seek to adopt e-commerce fully at the stage of webpage promotion of products and services. This increases the chances of online sales and marketing at large. Summit sportswear should also seek to franchise its distribution channels, not only to increase its incomes, but also to minimize its operating cost and unify its operation mode to enhance its brand identity. In coming up with the retail prices, the company should research its competitors' prices and manufacturer suggested prices to determine product pricing. Once the product has moved from the wholesale, the retailers should decide on what type of retail prices to set. They can determine price by using three pricing models: cost-based pricing, compet ition-based pricing or customer-based pricing. Cost-based pricing sets the retailer’s price based on product and operating costs. Competition-based pricing uses local competitors' prices to decide on retail charges. Customer-based pricing sets retail prices based on how much the products is in demand (Ellis, Fitchet, Higgins, Jack, Lim, Saren and Tadajewski 180). In determining retail prices and the willingness of the customers to buy, the managers should review the manufacturer suggested retail price as a starting point. This would give managers an idea of the value of the product from the manufacturer's perspective. The organization should set prices close to his competitors (Synder 98). Charging too much or too little

Services of DEX Media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Services of DEX Media - Assignment Example Additionally, Dex Media prints directories for use in automobiles. These directories feature maps, shopping guides, entertainment lists, and telephone as well as address information for central business district. Similarly, Dex Media prints bilingual directories in English and Spanish for about 20 markets. On the other hand, Dex Media offers digital services including marketing on search engine and optimization, keyword implementation, social media marketing, tracking, and reporting. Since most customers did not use print directories frequently, Dex Media faced stiff competition from online businesses and hence launched its online directory assistance program with an enhanced and superior internet search system. The company used recent technology to reinforce search ability of its content in more than 240000 advertisement displays in the company’s directories in the yellow pages. The Dex Media’s search system offers multiple search choices in a single search box thereby allowing customers to search using product or brand names, hours of operation, and location. Dex Media’s online presence is on the Dex Knows.com and Superpages.com. In addition, it offers consumer digital services like search portals, applications, and directories. The company displays content in a number of platforms in partnerships with digital companies like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and many others. Again, Dex Media offers face book creation with automatic updates and guidance on social media

Stress Management to Human Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Stress Management to Human Relations - Essay Example Arnold, Cooper & Robertson (1995) stated that a stress can be defines as a person's response to a disturbance and is any force that pushes a psychological or physical factor beyond its range if stability, producing a strain with the individual. It is likely to occur constitute a threat to the individual and a threat can cause a strain because of what it signifies to the person. Selye (1979) stated that job stress refers to the non-specific response of the body to any demands made upon it.. It is regarded to be an inner state or response to anything we consciously or unconsciously comprehend as a threat, either actual or reckoned (Clarke & Watson, 1991). While Robbins (2001) defines stress as an active condition in which the individual is faced with a chance, restraint, or demand linked to what he/she wants and for which the effect is apparent to be both tentative and vital. Stress at work is a comparatively new experience of modern lifestyles. With change, be it in working environment or change of cadre etc, comes stress and most certainly Professional stress or job stress presents a risk to physical health. Work linked stress in the life of controlled workers, subsequently, strikes the health of organizations. Actually Job stress is a chronic disease as a result of conditions in the workplace that adversely affect an individual's performance and/or on the whole well-being of his body and mind. A host of physical and mental illnesses attests job stress. Sometimes job stress can be crippling. In chronic cases a consultation with a psychiatric becomes necessaryt to validate the reason and degree of work related stress. According to Dr Bernard Lim, president of the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS), "Stress is part and parcel of life. In fact, without some stress at the workplace, we would not strive to meet deadlines or archieve production targets. Instead, one should look for alternatives to handle it. Resignation is only a last resort."On the reverse, there must be control in stress degrees since too much of it can be negative to one's physical as well as mental well-being. Dr. Lim also warned that "Excessive stress at the workplace can lead to increased blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, migraines, gastrointestinal disorders and emotional upheavals like anger, anxiety, depression and low esteem." Stress at Singapore: Similar to other industrialised countries, Singapore has to deal with a lot of major labour related challenges. The strong globalisation and fast technological development which is increasing day by day in the knowledge society has resulted in fast alteration in the Singapore economy and the labour market (A Turning Point, 2003). In reality, the entire employment landscape of the Republic is changing. Ho (2004) argued that Singapore's employment landscape is increasingly characterised by greater instability and more frequent job displacements. Furthermore, the fierce competition from overseas and an unstable domestic job market have brought in new challenges and demands on the workers of Singapore. These workers are required to realign attitudes and expectations by taking on latest attitudes of flexibility when searching for job opportunities (Ho, 2004; Aggarwal & Seet, 2005). Thus, retraining and lifelong learning have become a

Theories on the Gender Pay Gap

Theories on the Gender Pay Gap Australian women earn about 83 ¢ cents for every $1 a man earns, according to a new report analysing the gender pay gap. Linda McDowell suggests that gendered assumptions have a range of influences on contemporary workplaces. Analyse the gender pay gap, engaging with the theorists you have studied this semester. INTRODUCTION As Linda McDowell suggests, gendered assumptions coming from heteronormative ideals and rules significantly influence contemporary workplaces. This subsequently results in the gender pay gap (1995). This paper seeks to critically analyse the influences emanating from gendered assumptions on contemporary workplaces.   Additionally, the link between these assumptions and the gender pay gap will be examined. This will be executed through examining the impacts of heteronormativity, which result in a never-ending binarised cycle that perpetuates the gender pay gap. Further, the possible challenges to gendered assumptions introduced by Judith Butler will be examined. However, to ensure a well-rounded analysis, the shortcomings of these challenges, and the subversive power of hegemonic masculinity will also be discussed. WHAT IS THE GENDER PAY GAP? The gender pay gap in society is something that is deemed ‘distressingly evident’, and continues to steadily control women in society (McDowell 2014 p.829). In Australia, the Gender pay gap refers to the discrepancy in pay between men and women in employment. Current statistics highlight that full-time working women earn 84% of a mans pay, making the gender pay gap sit at 16%. (WGEA, 2017, p.8). From this, it is obvious that progress is necessary. However, progress is not only slow, but proving to be difficult, as the gender pay gap twenty years ago was sitting at 17%, meaning that it has taken up to two decades to improve women’s pay by a mere 1% (WGEA, 2017, p.8). This is highly indicative of the stronghold that institutionalised gendered assumptions have over the workforce, even in the twenty-first century. A key theorist on the gender pay gap, Linda McDowell, states that women in the workplace have fought to ‘establish the right to be there at all’ (1995,p.80). This idea that women need to gain rights to earn money is embedded in historical ideologies that are not only out-dated but still guide the lives of many women today. Early feminist interventions to improve access to work and pay rates are still ongoing, such as the Liberal Feminist movement. The Liberal Feminist movement began in the early 1800s, with the aim of providing women with rights equal to those of men in education, the workforce and in society   (Tong, 1989). Although some of the endeavours of the movement have been achieved, such as women acquiring corporate and authoritative jobs that were once male-dominated, there are new barriers (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016). The gender pay gap is one of the most significant new barriers implemented by institutions to prevent further development of gender equality in the workforce. The gender pay gap can be seen as originating from the three ‘glass ceilings’ embedded in contemporary society, and subsequently, contemporary workplaces (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016,p. 102). The term glass ceilings refers to the invisible barriers that women confront as they approach the top of the corporate hierarchy. This term was established by the Glass Ceilings Commission, which sought to identify the glass ceiling barriers, and remove the blockages to advancement of women and minorities in employment (USDOL, 1995). The commission found there were three levels of barriers. The first barrier is relates to prejudice and bias, coming from educational opportunities, or lack thereof. The second barrier is concerned with the internal structures of a business. These structures are controllable by the business. They relate to the corporate climate and what is referred to as ‘pipeline barriers’ that come from lack of training and career development, which leads to the stunting of possible career advancement (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016,p. 103). The final barrier is concerned with the government, and the lack of law enforcement, combined with dissemination of information about glass ceiling issues (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016, p. 103). Although these three barriers cannot solely justify the widespread hold that the gender pay gap has on contemporary workplaces, they seek to pinpoint where the gender pay gap stems from, allowing work to be done in addressing these areas. HETERONORMATIVITY IN CONTEMPORARY WORKFORCES With the fundamental aspects of the gender pay gap now having been examined, the forces that perpetuate the existence of this significant issue within society require analysis. The most pressing force is the concept of heteronormativity, which is a harmful gender assumption that has a substantial influence on contemporary workforces. Heteronormativity can be defined as ‘a body of lifestyle norms, in which people tend to reproduce distinct and complementary genders (man and woman)’ (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1011). In contemporary society, heteronormativity is deemed to keep women in (within its confines) and also keeps women down, that is, subordinated (Jackson, 1999). Feminist discourse surrounding heteronormativity rose in second-wave feminism, the movement that broadened the feminist debate to address issues of inequality and sexuality, as well as workplace difficulties for women (Evans 1995). However, the origins of the ‘normalised’ heterosexual label within society can go back to the historical and cultural depictions of men and women from the eighteenth century (Boe & Coykendall, 2014). Though heteronormativity has a substantial presence within history and society, its impact as a gendered assumption within contemporary workforces is substantial. As heteronormativity conditions men and women to act a certain way according to their sex (which is also historically and socially defined), it leaves women boxed in.   Heteronormativity and the strict, reinforced gender binaries within society reflect the systems of oppression, and the construction of gender hierarchies (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1011). In order to maintain a hold on society, ideas of conforming to hyper-heteronormative behaviours are reinforced by institutions within society. Subsequently, these societal influences reverberate into education, family-life and in particular, the workforce. Although women have gained the right to coexist with men in contemporary workplaces, strict gender binaries prevent women from career development, strengthened abilities, and subsequently reinforce the gender-pay gap. The work of Angela McRobbie, a key theorist in the area of gender inequality in the workforce is highly pertinent to this discussion. McRobbie’s concept of the post-feminist masquerade highlights the harmful impact of gender assumptions in contemporary workforces (2007). McRobbie critiques the hyper-gendered performances women have been encouraged to engage in, as they place emphasis on the sexed body, and in turn gender differences. The ‘post-feminist masquerade’ is a means for patriarchal law and hegemonic masculinity to gain dominance against feminism (McRobbie, 2007, p. 723). Hegemonic masculinity refers to the configuration of â€Å"gender practice, which embodies the currently accepted answer to the problem of legitimacy of patriarchy which guarantees the dominant position of men, and the subordination of women† (Bartholomaeus, 2013, p.280). This is done through encouraging women to engage in feminine consumer culture, so as to reinscribe their femini nity in the workplace (McRobbie, 2007). These hyper-gendered performances include subscribing to common feminine practices, such as wearing tight skirts, high heels and a face full of make up to assert their femininity (McRobbie, 2007, p.722).   As women are encouraged to perform hyper-femininity, institutions are able to reinforce fear of retribution from abandoning heteronormativity in the workplace. This forces women back within the rigid gender binary, creating an even greater divide between men and women in the workspace, ultimately perpetuating the gender pay gap. THE LINK TO THE GENDER PAY GAP AND THE REPERCUSSIONS Based on the analysis to date, the harmful nature of gender assumptions in the workplace has been examined. However, the way that these gendered assumptions impact the gender pay gap requires concentrated analysis. Gender assumptions have a direct link to the gender pay gap, as they dictate the field of work that many women are in. Women are significantly overrepresented in the lowest paying occupations, as female-dominated jobs pay far less than male-dominated jobs (Ting, 2017). Feminised jobs include those relating to care-taking or domestic tasks, such as nursing, cleaning and childcare. These sex-segregated jobs are clearly indicative of the roles ascribed to women within heterosexual discourse. These feminised jobs stems from what is known as the caregiver model. This model is a historical regime that took the inherent caregiver role of women, and limited their employment to areas relating to this heteronormative ideal (McRobbie, 2007).   As more women are found in jobs that abide by the caregiver model, the influence of this troublesome ancient structure today is evident (McRobbie, 2007, p.730) However, this caregiver model cannot explain the fact that the gender pay gap in Australia has been found to exist in more than 1,000 occupations (Ting, 2017). This is due to the fact that men in workplaces are promoted into higher positions rather than their female counterparts (Jaffee, 1989, p.377). This is problematic, as there is somewhat a double-disadvantage coming from these jobs. Women in feminised occupations are â€Å"twice disadvantaged- first by being in a â€Å"female† field, and second by being a woman in that field, since men make more than women, even in â€Å"female† fields†Ã¢â‚¬ (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 137). Additionally, women in corporate jobs face vertical segregation. Vertical segregation refers to the exclusion of women from organisational positions of autonomy and authority, due to the sex differences within workplaces (Jaffee, 1989, p.387).   Thus, the gender pay gap not only stems from the one area of feminised jobs, but also from a lack of career advancement that is within the power of organisations in society. According to Wolf and Fligstein, the sexual differences in power in the work setting ‘are an important factor generating inequality in earnings between men and women’ (1979, 235). This highlights how ideas about the femininity of women drive contemporary workforce standards, as women are expected to perform work according to their performance of heterosexuality. Further, the long-term disadvantages that come from gendered assumptions and the subsequent gender pay gap will be critically analysed. Not only does the gender pay gap lead to disadvantage for women in social, financial and personal situations, but also leads to lifetime disadvantage. Lifetime disadvantage refers to the factors that lead to ‘the retirement ills of many women’ (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 190). That is, the risks that women face from being unequally paid. As women go into retirement, they are at risk of experiencing the critical impact of the gender pay gap. Women subsequently earn less over their lifetime, which results in lower superannuation, and a risk of poverty in old age. In 2012, 21.7% of women aged over 65 were at risk of poverty, whereas only 16.3% of men were likely to experience poverty (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 116). Gender inequality in the workforce not only reflects current social position and power inequalities, but it also leads to detrimental outcomes of lifetime disadvantage for women. TACKLING THE GENDER BINARY Although gendered assumptions continue to drive workplaces, there are ways to tackle this blatant discrimination that women face in employment. According to leading gender theorist, Judith Butler, there is a means to challenge heteronormativity, which forms the foundation for the gender pay gap. Butler believes that gender is reiterated through regulatory practices, and is culturally constructed through the heterosexual matrix (Butler, 1990, p.9). The heterosexual matrix refers to the re-stabilisation of gender through women repeatedly engaging in feminised behaviours and appearances (Butler, 1990). Therefore, the sexed body only gains significance from its constant reification and institutionalised endorsement within society. As the gender binary requires engagement by society, an inherent instability within this social construct can be made out (Butler, 1990, p11). Because of this, women are able to exploit gendered assumptions through their constant reinforcement, as it becomes obvious to those looking to challenge it. Women in the workforce have already taken charge in this area, as the overall gender pay gap in full-time employment decreased in 2015 to 2016 (WGEA, 2017,p.15). By viewing sex and gender as something culturally, historically and socially constructed, society will be able to define themselves with their own limitations and freedoms by challenging these constructed ideals. In particular, the feminist movement will make significant headway in this area through challenging normative heterosexuality. This effect will reverberate in the workforce, as the structures seeking to restrain women from challenging hegemonic masculinity will destabilise. The gender pay gap, in particular, has improved among men and women in trades including machinery operating and building, decreasing by 4% in terms of total remuneration between 2015 and 2016 (WGEA, 2017, p. 16). This is indicative of the progress being made by women in challenging the preconceived capabilities of their bodies. By going beyond the behaviours of gender that limit their capabilities, they are able to challenge both gender constructs and inequality in the workforce. As McDowell suggests, women’s sexed bodies are threatening in the workplace for the very reason that they are not meant to be there -‘They challenge the order of things’ (1995,p.80). Not only have women challenged order through entering the workforce; they have also challenged the very structured foundation of the order.   This provides women with the means to break through the metaphorical glass ceilings that limit equality in the workplace. Additionally, if women persevered with obtaining both equality and equity, it would ‘liberate not only women but also human personality from the straitjacket of gender’ (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1010). Therefore, by furthering the feminist movement, those reinforcing hegemonic masculinity and the institutions that enforce gendered assumptions will be disembodied. This includes the governing of each individual of society through the heterosexual matrix. THE PARADOX THAT IS GENDER EQUALITY In current gender studies, there are now ways to challenge gender assumptions that feed the gender pay gap. However, the gender pay gap is not in steady decline, and is expected to hold its position, if not rise in areas of managerial roles (WGEA, 2017, p. 6). As individuals are provided with the previously mentioned means to challenge the reification of gender binaries, the institutional stronghold over sex and gender conceptions tightens, finding new ways to subvert these challenges. By virtue of the fact that women are entering the workforce and fighting for equal pay, hegemonic masculinity is weakened. Because of this, institutions use any perceived gender equality improvements to set the fight back, rather than enhance it. This can be seen through the concept of ‘attribution of capacity’ enunciated by Angela McRobbie (2007). This attribution of capacity refers to the freedom given to women in the workforce. In a post-feminist context, women are provided with roles of accountability and autonomy, with the expectation of embodying a strong, can-do attitude to work. However, McRobbie argues that these improvements are instead reinscription of hegemonic masculinity, leading to drawbacks in the fight for equal pay. Women are ‘invited to recognise themselves as privileged subjects’ and are expected to be grateful for achieving   (with a fight) the fundamental human right of equality (McRobbie, 2007, p, 722). As institutions have relinquished this control over who enters the workforce, they apply new barriers under the faà §ade of equality. Women are now expected to be accomplished subjects who can come forward, however this is only on the condition that feminism fades away despit e neither equality nor equity being achieved (McRobbie, 2007, p.720). Therein lies what Raewyn Connell refers to as the patriarchal dividend, which is the advantage given to men as a group from maintaining inequality within society (2009). Monetary income from the workforce is just one of the benefits, in addition to respect, safety, institutional power and autonomy. (Connell, 2009, p.142). From the reinforcement of hegemony, the patriarchal dividend and gender binaries within society as a response to feminist movements, women are once again placed back into the labels and categories that they first sought to escape from, subverting years of feminist work. Additionally, the critique of the ‘Virgin Atlantic: 25 years: Still red-hot’ highlights the drawback that women face in the postfeminist struggle for equality (Duffy et al., 2016). The article critiques the marketing strategies used to evoke idealised gender appearances in a postmodern context in order to facilitate the perpetuation of gender binaries. The advertisement ultimately utilises ‘good old-fashioned sexism while simultaneously distancing themselves from it’, which suggests that the institutions that seek to retain a hold over postmodern feminism have utilised the newfound freedom of women and bent it to their will, making women slaves in their own emancipation (Duffy et al., 2016, p. 266). CONCLUSION Ultimately, by examining the structures within the contemporary workforce, the gender pay gap has been critically analysed. By examining the institutionalised gender binaries entrenched within society, the root causes of the gender pay gap have been established and evaluated. The analysis reveals that through heteronormativity and the enforcement of gender binaries, the gender pay gap is perpetually reified, with lifelong effects. Although Butler provides an outlet for change through challenging these binaries, the institutional stronghold over the sexed body and its link to societal outcomes proves to be rigidly in place, as discussed by a key theorist studied within the unit, Angela McRobbie. REFERENCE LIST: 1. Bartholomaeus, C (2013) ‘Colluding With or Challenging Hegemonic Masculinity’.  Australian Feminist Studies, vol. 28, pp. 279-293. 2. Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M (2016) Lifetime disadvantage, discrimination and the gendered workforce. Cambridge University press. 3. Boe, A & Coykendall, A (2014) Heteronormativity in Eighteenth-century Literature and Culture. Ashgate publications. 4. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, New York: Routledge, pp.1-19. 5. Connell, R (2009). Gender Politics.  Gender. Pp.136–51. Cambridge: Polity Press. 6. Duffy, K, Hancock, P, & Tyler, M (2016) ‘Still red-hot? Postfeminism and gender subjectivity in the airline industry’. Gender, work and organization, vol. 24, pp. 260-273. 7. Evans, J (1995) Feminist theory today: An introduction to second-wave feminism. Sage publications. 8. Herz, M & Johansson, T (2015). ‘The normativity of the concept of heteronormativity’. Journal of Homosexuality. Pp. 1009- 10209. 9. Jackson, S (1999) Heterosexuality in question. Sage publications. 10. Jaffee, D (1989) ‘Gender inequality in workplace autonomy and authority’. Social science quarterly, vol. 70, pp. 375-390 11. McDowell, L (1995) Body work: heterosexual gender performances in city workplaces. (Routledge) 12. McDowell, L (2014) ‘Gender, work employment and society: Feminist reflections on community and change’. Work, employment & society. pp.825-837. 13. McRobbie, A (2007) ‘Top Girls? Young women and the post-feminist sexual contract’. Cultural Studies. pp.718-737. 14. Ting, I 2017. ‘The gender income gap in more than 1000 occupations, in one chart’, The Age. Viewed: 22 April 2017.

Colonization and Wealth in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and Chinua

Colonization and Views on Wealth in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart The novels Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe share a common theme; both deal with the colonization of Africa by settlers from Europe. When one examines the motives for this imperialist attitude in each book, one notices that in both books the motivation for colonization revolves around the gaining of wealth. However Conrad and Achebe define wealth differently. In Heart of Darkness the Europeans view wealth economically, such as the trading of ivory. In Things Fall Apart the idea of wealth is viewed by Europeans as belonging to and spreading the European culture and religion. Despite these different definitions of wealth, both groups of Europeans obtain their wealth by assuming a position of power over the Africans. However, the Africans in Things Fall Apart have an opposing view of wealth; that of peace and status within their society. Because of this they achieve wealth in a different manner than the Europeans. These methods of acquiring wealt h suggest that the conflicts in Africa are a result of the colonization efforts of the Europeans. The main reason for colonization of Africa by Europeans is for profit. In the novel Heart of Darkness, profit comes from the ivory that the Europeans receive from trade agreements with the Africans. This desire is evident as suggested in this quote: â€Å"The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading-post where ivory was to be had, so that they could earn percentages† (Conrad 42). This statement shows that all the Europeans want from Africa is ivory. Therefore, it can be assumed that one of the main reasons that colonization to... ...onial conflict is entirely one sided. The Europeans have been shown to define wealth as gaining money and spreading their religion, therefore they can be seen as the aggressors in this conflict, reaching outside of their area for personal gain and profit. To obtain this wealth they assume a position of power over the Africans by enslaving them and using their knowledge to overthrow the African culture and religion. The Africans view of wealth and their method for obtaining this wealth in no way involves the Europeans. All that the Africans wanted to do was to continue living on their own and to not be intruded upon. From this, one can see that the colonial conflict is entirely due to the Europeans desire for wealth. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin Books, 1999.

The Truth On Empowerment

1. Empowerment has been criticized since it leaves no one in particular accountable. The goal of empowerment is to provide power to the individual. Each individual is trusted to make his or her own decisions regarding his or her life and work. In this way the individual is also provided with the opportunity to take responsibility for his or her own situation in life and work. Empowerment of course has many levels. Politically, it means that each group of individuals within a society is given the same power and rights as all others. All sectors of society are for example allowed to vote, voice their opinions and follow political channels for change without the need to fear unreasonable persecution or other repercussions. In work, empowerment means that all individuals are allowed to apply for jobs where the likelihood of being accepted for employment depends on nothing except their qualification level. In life, empowerment means that each individual has the same rights to do the same things in society, i.e. enter public places, make use of public transportation, and the like. In terms of accountability, I do not believe that the criticism leveled against empowerment is valid. Instead of only a single entity being accountable for the actions within the whole of society, every individual is now required to take his or her own responsibility for his or her own life and actions. Individual accountability means that responsibility for individual actions lies with the individual. Collective actions are accounted for by groups of people. In this way accountability cannot be required only of leaders or other empowered individuals. Empowerment has the advantage of placing accountability at the location of every person taking certain actions. Indeed, this results in a more responsible society where fewer crimes are committed. Individuals know that certain actions will lead to certain consequences, and this knowledge leads to the accountability necessary to ensure a stable society (Dewettinck, Singh, & Buyens, 2003). 2. â€Å"We practice empowerment because we don't expect our employees to leave their brains at the door.† In the current workplace situation, a business is held to function much better when individuals are given the opportunity to develop to their full potential. Workplace empowerment then means not only empowering individuals to enter any workplace for which they adequately qualify, but also that they function as intelligent beings within this situation. Employees are given the power to think critically about the tasks they are assigned, in order to do these tasks to the best of their ability (Dewettinck, Singh, & Buyens, 2003). Employees are therefore expected to think for themselves. This allows for much more creativity within the company. Leaders who empower their employees have the advantage of a large amount of creative energy to provide solutions to difficult problems. Sharing the power in this way therefore means that the collective company ultimately possesses greater collective power in the business world. Furthermore empowerment within a company means that individuals are recognized for their ability to think individually and creatively. A possible drawback of this approach is that all employees may not be ready to use their individual thinking skills in order to provide the company with creative energy. Indeed, empowering individuals who are not ready could mean disaster for such a company, as incorrect, unmonitored decisions and actions could be very detrimental. It is therefore probably a good idea to first monitor all decisions for which an individual is newly empowered (St. John's University, 1993). Basically, empowerment within a company can greatly enhance its decision-making and creative power. Such empowerment has to be handled with great care, however. Individuals need to be monitored for their readiness to take responsibility within the company. 3. Leadership Style(s)that are related to the statement â€Å"Empowerment has been criticized since it leaves no one in particular accountable†. There are mainly two leadership styles that may criticize empowerment for its apparent lack of particular accountability. These include the directing and coaching style of leadership. With all three of these, the ultimate responsibility lies directly with the leader, although the level of employee responsibility varies (Dewettinck, Singh, & Buyens, 2003). Directing leadership entails a high level of directing and low supportive behavior. All employee actions are directly supervised by the leader, and the leader also takes responsibility for all the decisions. Low supportive behavior then means that the leader determines the tasks necessary, and seldom listens to input from employees. Employees are expected to do what they are told without critically examining decisions. Accountability is then directly with the leader, as employees are in a state of receiving orders and carrying them out without question. In coaching leadership, there is a high level of both directive and supportive behavior. As in the directing style, the leader makes all decisions. However, this process contrasts with the first style, as employees are more actively included: decisions are explained, while the work is continually monitored. Feedback is also given on a continual basis, and employees are expected to learn from their work. All final decisions and responsibilities are with the leader, although employees are allowed to provide input (Chimaera Consulting Ltd, 1999). The argument against empowerment here is then that too many decision makers within a company could defeat the purpose of a company to act as a single entity. There would be no overall leadership paradigm, where a single entity could take the responsibility for any problems. Empowerment in this way would then undermine the collective purpose of the company to conduct their business in a single-minded and focused manner. 4. Leadership Style(s) that are related to the statement â€Å"WE practice empowerment since we don't expect our employees to leave their brains at the door†. Leadership styles that support the above statements include the delegating and supporting leadership styles. The paradigm behind these styles of leadership is, as mentioned above, to make full use of the inherent and creative brainpower of each employee for the benefit of the company. While the overall directive and responsibility for unity still lies with top management, leadership is seen to a great degree as a partnership rather than an unequal power relationship. The delegating style of leadership entails low directive as well as low supportive behavior. The leader provides each employee with tasks. The employee is then expected to carry these out individually, with responsibility, and with the minimum supervision. In this style, the ability of individuals to make critical decisions and carry out tasks unsupervised is recognized. Individuals are therefore empowered to make most decisions, because this leadership style recognizes their ability to do so. Low support means that monitoring is absent to a great degree, while employees are expected to implement their own thinking skills without necessarily first consulting the leader. Problems could arise when incorrect decisions are implemented. Nevertheless, the responsibility for such results then lie with the individual who made the decision, and not with the leader (Chimaera Consulting Ltd., 1999). The supporting leadership style entails low directive, but high supporting behavior. This means that employees are still empowered to make their own, self-reliant decisions, but that they are encouraged and given feedback while doing so. The risk of faulty decision making is lower, as supporting leaders take a more active role than delegating ones. Other behaviors included in this paradigm are collaborating and appreciating actions. Individuals are therefore empowered and recognized for their brain power, but also monitored and led more actively. 5. Situational Leadership and Empowerment. Situational leadership is seen as the new leadership style in order to optimize business practice and revenue. Not only employees, but also leaders, are empowered under this paradigm. Situational leadership means to incorporated whichever leadership style is most appropriate for particular situations. This is done by monitoring the development level of employees. Situational leaders recognized that not all employees may be ready at all times to receive full empowerment, and leadership styles are adjusted accordingly. It is furthermore recognized that development may cease or even regress, and once again leadership flexibility is of the highest importance (Chimaera Consulting Ltd., 1999). In terms of empowerment, situational leadership does not see this as the most important element of business. Although empowerment does play a powerful role, leaders recognize the changing nature of humanity, and adjust their leadership style accordingly. Employee development therefore plays a more important role than empowerment itself. Empowerment is only bestowed when employees are ready for it. Furthermore, the level of empowerment is carefully monitored in order to fit the development of the employee involved. If an employee is for example very developed in his or her assigned job situation, the delegation leadership style would be used. For employees just entering their profession on the other hand, a leadership style with a low empowerment level such as directive leadership would be used. Situational leadership therefore incorporates all of the leadership styles as it suits each particular situation. Flexibility rather than empowerment is the most important element in situational leadership. This requires continual monitoring of each employee situation within the company. Through situational leadership then, each employee is monitored for the maximum benefit of both employees and management.