Describe what is meant by 'leadership styles,' and discuss their Essay

Describe what is meant by 'leadership styles,' and discuss their applicability and importance to effective nursing leadership - Essay Example Working conditions in the current hospital setting are very poor and this has demoralized nurses as most of them are opting out of their professions. The hospitals have heavy workloads and they have limited resources, a condition that makes it difficult for nurses to attend to the high number of patients effectively. This has in turn resulted to poor performance in hospitals and has also put patients’ health at risk as noted by Gullatte (2005). Effective strategies that will address these issues should be developed and implemented if nurses have to be retained in their places of work according to Gullatte. One way of solving issues affecting health care systems and nurses in general is through mentoring and developing positive nursing leadership. Nurses leadership in this respect must be looked at both as a professional responsibility and a collective endeavor. There are different styles of nursing leadership which include: transformational leadership, congruent leadership, transactional leadership and servant leadership just to mention a few. The following sections of this paper will be dedicated to analyzing the different leadership styles that can be applied in nursing. Bass and Riggio (2006) claim that transformational leadership encourages change in social systems and individuals. It is the most preferred style of leadership in the healthcare setting since it enhances performance and motivates employees. Its main aim is to create value and instill positive change in employees so that they can develop into people with leadership qualities. Transformational leadership involves establishing of a vision so that employees can work towards attaining certain goals. It also involves developing people so that they can be able to adapt to changes that occur in their places of work. Transformational leadership also builds relationships which in effect lead to interactions which

Culture, Technology, and Politics - Assignment Essay

Culture, Technology, and Politics - Assignment - Essay Example Politics on the other hand, influence culture in different ways ranging from education to religion to ways of life. Most governments prefer a clear separation of church and state. United States has free religion where everybody can be a member of any denomination. France goes a step further in separating state and religion by banning obvious religious symbols. This is different in England where there is a state church (Sclove, 1995). Historically, technology has been a political tool. It has politically favored some politicians as well as worked against some. This is more so in the recent past where technology has advanced to greater heights. The advent of i tunes, podcasting websites, MySpace and YouTube has shifted the political playing field. Biggest political hurdles such as fundraising and reaching out to voters have been overcome through technology. This was more evident in the 2008 US presidential elections. Candidates used social networks to fundraise as well as educate voters on their agendas in an attempt to woo for votes. In a different example, Howard Dean initially rose to prominence by using Internet donations to fund his campaigns. The same technology later led to his downfall through excessive internet play of the â€Å"Dean Scream† video. On the other hand, technology might cause political downfall. For instance, Google’s algorithms are also used to spread negative information abou t somebody else. During elections, video recordings and old political speeches have used to show differing political stands of a politician. This highlights the downside of technology in politics (Sclove, 1995). Politicians and governments use technology to further their cause. Governments use technological innovations as a regulatory tool. For example, United States government set up regulatory agencies like Federal Communication Commission and

Marketing Intelligence Helping Adidas

Marketing Intelligence Helping Adidas The paramount marketers discern their market they have in depth acquaintance of their customers, their needs, what companies/ competition have done in the past, and in which course the market is headed. The Best Battle of the Past Few Decades Nike vs. Adidas The battle between Nike and Adidas started in the late 70s. In the mid-80s, Nike signed basketball superstar Michael Jordan and quickly released the Air Jordan line. Adidas signed Run DMC banking on the explosion of Hip-Hop. Who won? Well, they both sell sports shoes and Adidas signed a musical group while Nike signed a sports star. Till 2000, Nikes worth was$15 billion and Adidass $8 billion. Nike dominated most sports while Adidas remained strong only in soccer. Why did this happen? The strong Market Intelligence helped Nike stay in correct positioning by signing basketballs most popular rising star. Adidas strayed from the sports theme completely by signing a Hip-Hop group. Market Intelligence (MI) is the information relevant to a companys markets gathered and analyzed specifically for the purpose of accurate and confident decision-making in determining market opportunity, market penetration strategy, and market development metrics. Competitive Intelligence describes the broader discipline of researching, analyzing and formulating data and information from the entire competitive environment of any organization. Business Intelligence of any kind may also be their responsibility, in tandem with (or solely performed by) the Finance department, for measuring market share and setting growth targets, the Mergers Acquisition group for exploring acquisition opportunities, the Legal department to protect the organizations assets or RD for cross-company comparison of innovation trends and the discovery of opportunities through innovative differentiation. Market intelligence focuses particularly on competitors, customers, consumer spending, market trends, and suppliers. A marketing intelligence system is a set of procedures and data sources used by marketing managers to examine information from the environment that they can use in their decision making. Unfocused scanning The manager, by virtue of what he/she reads, hears and watches exposes him/herself to information that may prove useful. Like did by adidass Louis-Dreyfus in its 1993 downsizing the staff following the trends of industry. Semi-focused scanning Manager narrows the range of media that is scanned. For instance, the manager may focus more on economic and business publications, broadcasts etc. and pay less attention to political, scientific or technological media. Like its seem in the ads which were targeted only the youth. Informal search This describes the situation where a fairly limited and unstructured attempt is made to obtain information for a specific purpose. For example, the marketing manager of a firm considering improving its bottom line. Like in the case of Adidas . In 1994 U.S. sales grew 62 percent, and a year later the company went public. By the late 1990s the companys U.S. sales were growing at an annual rate of nearly 50 percent Formal search This is a purposeful search after information in some systematic way. The information will be required to address a specific issue. Like in case of Adidas over merging with Reebok. COMPETITION Adidas estimated that Nikes media budget was 10 times greater than its own-but adidas believed that its quality products and careful marketing could generate enthusiasm among consumers. Fortunately for adidas, Nike hit a rough patch in the late 1990s that helped pave the way for adidass success. Although Nike still dominated the athletic-footwear category, its hold grew weaker. MARKETING STRATEGY through MI Better to have a conversation with people, not a conversation at people. Adidass marketing intelligence found what people wanted to see, feel and buy. How people associate themselves with different celebs and it proceeded on same lines. OUTCOME Adidas continued to flourish and in 1998 held onto its number three ranking in the athletic-footwear industry with a 6 percent share, according to market research firm NPD Group, Inc. In comparison, Nikes retail dollar share was 34 percent and Reeboks 13 percent. Adidas spokesperson John Fread told the Business Journal of Portland, For us, [1998] was an outstanding year, another record. Adidas was back in the game, and it planned to stay there, pursuing its commitment to sports and athletes around the globe through its strong Market Intelligence. Adidas plus Reebok is equal to better competition with giant Nike In 2006, Adidas acquired Reebok in a US$3.1 billion deal. The merger was aimed at helping Adidas increase its share in the U.S. market and better compete with market leader Nike Inc. and fourth ranked Puma AG. The Reebok acquisition was seen as a key factor in growing the Adidas brand in developing and fashion-oriented markets of Asia like China, Korea, and Malaysia. Moreover, Reebok already had marketing tie-ups in China (with Yao Ming). The Adidas brand had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7.1 billion (US$10.8 billion) while Reebok had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.3 billion (US$3.5 billion). In 2006 the Adidas brand had sales worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6.6 billion to Reeboks à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.5 billion. The marketing Intelligence has definitely helped Adidas to evolve as one No. 1 in sports footwear. Nike reported worldwide futures orders for athletic footwear and apparel (scheduled for delivery from December 2007 through April 2008) totaling $6.5 billion, 13 percent higher than such orders reported for the same period last year.

Ambrose Bierces An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay example -- Bi

Ambrose Bierce's â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,† by Ambrose Bierce, is the story of the hanging of a Civil War era Southern gentleman by the name of Peyton Farquhar. The story begins with an unidentified man being prepared to be hanged by a company of Union soldiers on a railroad bridge that runs over a river. He is then identified as Peyton Farquhar, a man who attempted to destroy the very bridge they are standing on based on information he was given by a Federal scout posing as a Confederate soldier. As he is dropped from the bridge to hang, the rope snaps and he falls into the river. After freeing himself and returning to the surface of the river, he realizes that his senses are all much heightened and he even â€Å"noted the prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass† (153). Peyton then begins to swim downstream as he is being shot at by the soldiers and a cannon as well. He soon pulls himself ashore and begins the long journey home. After walking all day and night, to the point where â€Å"his tongue was swollen with thirst† and â€Å"he could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet† he finally makes it to his home (155). Just as he is about to embrace his wife he feels a sharp pain in his neck and hears a loud snap. He is dead from the hanging, and all this was just a dream. â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† shows the potential strength that a person’s will to live can have, and that we often don’t appreciate...

Crimes Essay

Crime prevention is a major responsibility of law enforcement organizations. It is necessary to promote and maintain peace and order to the community by executing measures that lessens or diminishes crime rates as impacted by lawbreakers in society. Several solutions bring about the decrease in crime rates in the community. These solutions do not only depend on the roles and responsibilities expected to be carried out by law enforcement agencies, but also require cooperation from the people in communities and the government. Crime prevention should be a group effort because the will to prevent crime is everyone’s concern. With this in mind, one possible solution for crime prevention is motivating the community to be vigilant and cooperative in responding to criminal offenses. Law enforcement agencies cannot prevent crime without the help of other members of the community. In this case, the roles of victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers are magnified. When victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers experience criminal offenses of any gravity or kind, they should report it to the police. This catches the attention of law enforcement agencies allowing them to respond to the situation in a timely and apposite manner. Aside from experiencing criminal offenses, people should be able to inform the police of concerns regarding potential offenses observed in the community. Staying one step ahead is better, and by informing the police of concerns or observations, law enforcement agencies are able to plan ahead to prevent crimes from happening. Another way to prevent crime is by being cautious or vigilant about oneself and his surroundings. People should take safety measures in order to protect themselves, their property, and other people from the harmful nature of offenses. This includes following tips on safety precautions as advised by the state, law enforcement agencies, and concerned citizens or private organizations (HCSO, 2008). Engaging in a joint effort by the neighborhood, such as the establishment of neighborhood watch groups, is also one possible way to reduce or eliminate crime. Crime prevention does not only necessitate cooperating with the police, but also with other members of the community. Neighborhood watch groups are composed of people from a neighborhood who are concerned with the community’s safety and are willing to provide assistance to law enforcement agencies for crime prevention. Through collaboration and teamwork, people in the neighborhood are able to counter crime by evaluating their neighborhood and determining what steps to take in order to increase peace and order in their area. (Solutions for America, 2003) Technology and innovation also play a major part in reducing or eliminating crimes committed by offenders in the community. Law enforcement agencies use information technology in order to prevent crime and capture offenders. Crime rates, data sheets, and other background information about crimes, criminals, usual victims, and environments where crimes take place, etc. re stored electronically in a database managed and maintained by law enforcement agencies. Through this system or database, law enforcement agencies are able to share or view this information whenever needed for reference when it comes to predicting criminals patterns of potential risks that may cause the rise in crime rate in a particular situation. (SCRA, 2008) Continuous research and innovative techniques are being employed by private organizations in order to improve technologies that are being used by law enforcement agencies. For instance, the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center or NLECTC is active in research and experimentation in order to improve the quality, features, and functions of law enforcement technologies, making them more suited for crime prevention and criminal capture. Since technology demands high fees, it is the role of the state or federal government to allocate funds for this cause because technological advancement improves the performance of law enforcement agencies. Using technology automates law enforcement work, making it more efficient and timely in crime prevention. SCRA, 2008) Some of the gadgets that law enforcement use that assists in reducing or eliminating crimes committed by offenders include lightweight body armors, drug-recognition tools (through pupil scanning), cars (such as the Lotus Exige S which increases road safety for police officers especially when in pursuit), gunshot location technologies (computer that supervises specific areas to detect gun shots), video intelligence softwares for computers (may be used in houses, business companies, etc. or surveillance purposes), LED Incapacitator (it is a flashlight which emits LED light that restrains individuals when they look directly at it), and armed robots (apparently, some robots are utilized by law enforcement agencies by arming it with taser guns. (Gizmag, 2008) Focusing on rehabilitating crime offenders is also a plausible way in preventing criminal offenses. Restorative Jus tice is one way of rehabilitating criminals in order to reintegrate them back into society. It includes motivating jailed offenders to contribute to the community as a form of penalty. Restorative Justice also focuses on restoring damages to the victim and the community as a result of criminal actions taken by offenders. As a way to pay for crime offenses committed by offenders, they should be able to take necessary actions to patch up the relationship between the victim and the community to the offender. Through the penalties imposed to criminals, they are able to learn how to become responsible and cooperative citizens who area belt to make the right decisions. Moreover, restorative justice eliminates recidivism because it provides offenders the chance to correct their mistakes and become a valuable and accountable part of society.

George Orwell Webquest

His experience in Sp Alan was the defining moment of Rowel's political awakening. He left Spain with a life Eng hatred of totalitarianism, and this stance formed the basis of all of his following work s. 3. The book Animal Farm reflects on events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 191 7 and then onto the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. It was critical of Joseph Stalin and based off of Rowel's belief that the Soviet union had become a brutal dice tutorship. The novel is an allegory. 4. 1984 was published on June 8th, 1949. The novel was based on a British Labor Party.Orwell warned against the Russian state. Orwell died in a London hoses tall on January 21 SST, 1950. Topic II Totalitarianism Totalitarianism is the political concept that the citizen should be totally subject t to an absolute state authority. 2. Bonito Mussolini coined the term totalitarian to describe the new fascist state of Italy. 3. Three examples of totalitarian are Italy in the 1 sass and Germany and Japan I n the asses. 4. Stalin transformed the Russian economy as part of his five year plan by rapid growth Of heavy industry and increased farm production through acclimatization of agric ultra.Russian's totalitarian state controlled people and the media with Stalin's used propaganda, censorship, and terror to force his will on the Soviet people, the government newspapers glorified work and Stalin himself, and secret police s pied on citizens, and anyone who refused to praise Stalin and the state faced severe punishment, even death 5. Mussolini's totalitarian party was called fascist party 6. Three ways Mussolini and his party controlled the media were appointing Fast cists to top offices, censoring the press, and organizing a secret police, and banning a y criticism of the government. 7. Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state. † was Mussolini's well known slogan. 8. The purges occurred in 1 930 and were aimed at extermination Of those who o opp osed industrialization and the kulaks (Wolff farmers and entrepreneurs, who opposed acclimatization). 9. 36% of the communist party membership was purged. 10. The purge of the Red Army Officer Corps was a power play which resulted in S Italian consolidating his power as leader of the Soviet Union. During the prewar peer d he systematically imprisoned and/ or executed thousands of his own military officers.