Social and Organisational Issues in Project Management

Table of Contents Introduction Leadership Role Style Communication Project Procedures Teambuilding Conclusion Reference List Introduction Extant literature demonstrates that the past several decades have been manifested by rapid growth in the exploitation of project management as a viable means by which contemporary organizations the world over realize their set objectives (Meredith Mantel 2011; Piyush, Dangayash Mittak 2011), as well as their competitive advantage (Jones 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Organisational Issues in Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As acknowledged by Meredith Mantel (2011), most projects were external to the organization in the past, but the rapid proliferation in the use of projects in recent years has primarily been targeted to the sphere of projects internal to the organization. Despite the substantial scholarship focussed on the critica l sphere of project management both in the developed and developing world, little attention has been given to understanding the drivers of conflict that profile the trajectory of projects and influence their successful completion (Boudet, Jayasunder Davis 2011). The principal objective of the present paper is to identify and critically discuss four social and organisational issues that could be areas of potential conflict in a project. The areas earmarked for analysis include leadership role and style, communication, project procedures, and teambuilding. Leadership Role Style In spite of advances in the project management profession, consecutive research studies demonstrates that many projects fail, underscoring the immense significance of the project manager’s role as manager. Distinctively, the manager’s leadership role and style are of considerable consequence in not only motivating people but also generating an effective working environment in order for the proje ct team to successfully surmount greater challenges in contemporary global economy (Geoghegan Dulewicz 2008). A research conducted by in 2005 by Turner and Muller and cited in Anantatmula (2010) demonstrates that â€Å"†¦different project leadership styles are appropriate at different stages of the project life cycle, and the project manager has a leadership role in creating an effective working environment for the project team† (p. 13).Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This therefore implies that leaders themselves may be the cause of conflict in project environments, not only in the context of applying the wrong leadership style but also in failing to create an effective working environment which is needed to reinforce the collaboration of cross-functional team members working in various spheres or aspects of the project. As suggested in the literature, it may i ndeed be true that leadership style and competence in project settings are not directly related to project success (Anantatmula 2010); however, it can be argued that these two variables are critical to facilitating various project success factors that eliminate any sources of conflict and hence contributing to project performance. Conversely therefore, it can be argued that a leader who exercises authoritarian leadership style is likely to lose the confidence of team members in addition to their respect, loyalty, and willingness to cooperate in project activities. Lack of adequate understanding of leadership role, according to available literature, will not only escalate intergroup conflict, but will also lead to poor project performance, poor decision making, lack of stakeholder satisfaction, and incoherent team development (Geoghegan Dulewicz 2008; Hanisch et al 2009). All these issues, in my view, are predestined to cause conflict in project environments and, subsequently, poor project outcomes and performance. Additionally, leaders themselves propel conflict by failing to develop and internalise leadership challenges. It mat be true that the quality of leadership in project environments depends heavily on the leader’s personal experience and credibility within the organization (Geoghegan Dulewicz 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Organisational Issues in Project Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, good leaders must demonstrate a set of competencies that include conflict management, negotiation, and effective communication (Hudson et al 2005), integrity, charisma and persuasiveness, motivation, vision, supportive of team members, and leadership by example (Piyush et al 2011), as well as good problem-solving skills, ability to handle interpersonal conflict, capacity to plan and elicit commitments, and above-average intelligence (Hanisch et al 200 9). Communication Available literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦communication in projects is essential for projects to succeed† (Ramsing 2011, p. 345). At the outset, effective two-way communication is a critical ingredient in any project activity because it engages both the senders (i.e., project managers) and receivers (i.e., stakeholders and employees) in a meaningful discourse about the vision, context, and scope of the proposed or ongoing project activity and its organisational and personal repercussions, thereby reducing potential conflict or resistance to the project (Levasseur 2010). Consequently, it can be argued that communication that is not guided by the doctrine of meaningful exchange of ideas presents a critical area of potential conflict in a project because some stakeholders may feel that their ideas and feelings are not taken into consideration in a manner that is not only likely to address their concerns satisfactorily, but also enhance their commitmen t to the project. Additionally, due to the ongoing globalization affecting all fronts of our society, projects tasks and activities are increasingly undertaken by team members from a multiplicity of linguistic, racial and cultural backgrounds (Proctor Doukakis 2003). This predisposition, in my view, has generated potential hotspots for conflict, especially for leaders who are yet to acquaint themselves with knowledge on how to deal with multicultural work teams. It is reported in the literature that although multicultural project teams are â€Å"†¦designed to pool resources and increase operational efficiencies, the cultural diversity of team members may create a longer learning curve for establishing effective processes than culturally homogenous groups† (Vesala-Varttala Varttala 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It can be rightly argued that single most important process that suffers the greatest in multicultural project teams is that of communication, leading to potential conflict witnessed in negative feelings among stakeholders, lack of clear vision of project goals and objectives, unmet project deadlines and expectations, lack of morale and insecurity. It is very clear from the analysis that these problems arise from failure to use two-way communication as well as failure to develop appropriate communication competencies that are intrinsically needed in multicultural project team settings. It is important for project leaders to realize that effective communication keeps important information and progress about project goals, objectives, and milestones flooding throughout the system that is affected by the project (Levasseur 2010). Arising from the ongoing, project managers should not only ensure that the internal information and communication avenues work effectively to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, but must also establish an open information climate with the view to improve interpersonal interactive communication channels in project settings (Proctor Doukakis 2003). Additionally, it is imperative for leaders to receive adequate exposure and training on leading multicultural teams with the view to reduce the negative effects that are occasioned ineffective communication. It should be noted that while ineffective communication may be the genesis of conflict in many organisational settings, successful project outcomes are realized when all stakeholders are fully integrated and aligned with project objectives using effective communication frameworks. Project Procedures Available literature demonstrates that many projects fail not only because they are unable to develop and actualise detailed administrative operating procedures to be followed, but also because they do not secure approval from key administrators (Bryde 2003). As a matter of principle, many pro jects operate without clearly defined procedures and do not take time to develop a statement of understanding or charter (Lientz Rea 2002). In the build-up phase, for example, many projects fail to schedule work breakdown packages, also known as project subunits, in liaison with functional team groups, leading to conflict exacerbated by communication breakdowns, lack of adequate knowledge of project goals and objectives, lack of cooperation between and among teams, as well as lack of effective feedback that could be used by team members to deal with challenges and forecast future project plans. It is also true that many project leaders not only fail to schedule monitoring and evaluation activities in the project life cycle, but do not consider reallocating available manpower resources to critical project areas that have been earmarked as prone to schedule slippages (Bryde 2003). In such instances, conflict arises from the inability of leaders to utilise available human resources as well as their incapacity to identify potential hotspot areas and consider possible alternatives. Additionally, the leaders are unable to attain prompt resolution of arising technical issues which may adversely impact project schedules, not only leading to conflict but also jeopardizing the realization of the targeted project objectives and outcomes. Power and authority struggles in project settings have also been identified as a likely cause of poor project procedures. According to Sutterfield et al (2007, p. 219), â€Å"†¦there are the departmental or organizational managers who are vested in protecting their own interests in the project, whether directly or indirectly†. In many instances, these low-cadre administrators consider the authority and sovereignty for autonomous action and decision-making accorded by the senior administration to the project leader to be infringing on their authority. Such departmental managers are concerned with maintaining the status quo of their own organizations and hence may endeavour to oblige the project manager to conform to each and every regulation pertaining to their separate spheres of interest, leading to conflict espoused by blatant disregard of the processes and procedures set to govern the interrelationships existing between and among project teams. Lack of properly formulated project procedures trigger deviations from the original project goals and objectives, implying that the project may be unable to justify the heavy investments made as it may fail even before it is completed. This leads to conflict between the funding agencies and the organisation. Teambuilding Building a fully functional and collaborative project team is one of the critical responsibilities of the project manager (Thomas et al 2008). In project environments, it is widely assumed that the â€Å"†¦team member’s goals are consistent with one another because any given project is typically focused on solving problems for a homogeneous set of stakeholders within a given functional area† (Jones 2008, p. 113). However, as demonstrated by this particular author, team building efforts are often affected by the scope and duration of the project, shifts in the initial project goals, change of team members, flagging enthusiasm and reduced financial or material resources. These factors may lead to conflict in a project. Additionally, important responsibilities of project teams may be affected by lack of collective team participation, inadequate skills and knowledge, lack of shared responsibilities, and insufficient creative talents (Gustafson Kleiner 1994; Thomas et al 2008). The problems related to lack of effective team building framework in project settings are often manifested in lack of definition of purpose, lack of a focused future, and absence of focused tasks, creative talents and rapid responses (Thomas et al 2008), as well as poor project performance (Jones 2008). To be effective, project lea ders must, in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders, nurture an atmosphere conducive to the realization of teamwork by not only creating good interpersonal relations and team spirit (Harris Harris 1996), but also demonstrating team building competencies such as good project leadership, open communication among team members and support organizations, unequivocal commitment to the project, and sincere interest in the professional and social growth of team members (Gustafson Kleiner 1994; Jones 2008). Overall, project leaders must realize that they must build teams in such a manner that all stakeholders can and will function together cooperatively and corroboratively to accomplish the shared goals and objectives of the project (Thomas et al 2008). Conclusion Conflict in project settings is inevitable and may originate from different quarters within the complex social systems we call organizations, primarily because they have inadequate means with which to satisfy the conflicti ng interests of their various stakeholders (Butler 1973). The present paper has discussed at length the four social and organizational issues that could present areas of potential conflict in any project setting. The issues discussed in this paper include leadership role and style, communication, project procedures, and teambuilding, though extant literature demonstrates that projects are also faced by myriad other issues such as politics, conflict of interests, ethics and knowledge management, among others (Bryde 2003; Larson Gray 2010). While the other issues may form an interesting topic of discussion in another paper, the present paper has been exhaustive and focused in discussing why these issues may or does often occur. It is interesting to underscore the fact that all these issues present real challenges to the successful implementation of projects, and hence project managers may find it noteworthy to read and digest the practical solutions contained in this paper for succes sful project outcomes. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that these issues are interrelated and therefore require concerted and multi-dimensional efforts to solve them rather than dealing with them on an individual basis. Reference List Anantatmula, VS 2010, ‘Project manager leadership role in improving project performance’, Engineering Management Journal, vol. 22 no. 1, pp. 13-22. Boudet, HS, Jayasundera, DC Davis, J, ‘Drivers of conflict in developing country infrastructure projects: Experience from the water and pipeline sectors’, Journal of Construction Engineering Management, vol. 137 no. 7, pp. 498-511. Bryde, DJ 2003, ‘Project management concepts, methods and application’, International journal of Operations Production Management, vol. 23 no. 7, pp. 775-793. Butler, AG 1973, ‘Project management: A study in organizational conflict’, Academy of Management journal, vol. 16 no. 1, pp. 84-101. Geoghegan, L Dulewicz, V 20 08, ‘Do project managers’ leadership competencies contribute to project success?’, Project Management journal, vol. 39 no. 4, pp. 58-67. Gustafson, K Kleiner, BH 1994, ‘New developments in teambuilding’, Industrial Commercial Training, vol. 26 no. 9, pp. 17-22. Hanisch, B, Lindner, F, Mueller, A Wald, A 2009, ‘Knowledge management in project environments’, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 13 no. 4, pp. 148-160. Harris, PR Harris, KG 1996, ‘Managing effectively through teams’, Team Performance Management, vol. 2 no. 3, pp. 23-36. Hudson, K, Grisham, T, Srinivason, P Moussa, N 2005, Conflict management, negotiation, and effective communication: Essential Skills for Project Managers. Web. Jones, MC 2008, ‘Large scale project team building: Beyond the basics’, Communications of the ACM, vol. 51 no. 10, pp. 113-116. Larson, EW Gray CF 2010, Project management: The managerial process, McGraw Hill, New York, NY. Levasseur, RE 2010, ‘People skills: Ensuring project success – A change management perspective’, Interfaces, vol. 40 no. 2, pp. 159-162. Lientz, BP Rea, KP 2002, Project management for the 21st century, 3rd edn, Taylor Francis, London. Meredith, JR Mentel, SJ 2011, Project management: A managerial approach, 8th edn, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Piyush, M, Dangayash, GS Mittak, ML 2011, ‘A study of critical project success parameters in different organizational conditions’, Advances in Management, vol. 4 no. 8, pp. 50-56. Proctor, T Doukakis, I 2003, ‘Change management: The role of internal communication and employee development’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 8 no. 4, pp. 268-277. Ramsing, L 2009, ‘Project communication in a strategic internal perspective’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 14 no. 3, pp. 345-357. Sutterfield, JS, Friday-Stroud, SS Shivers-Blackwe ll, SL 2007, ‘How not to manage a project: Conflict management lessons learned from a DODF case study’, Journal of Behavioural Applied Management, vol. 8 no. 8, pp. 218-238. Thomas, M, Jacques, PH, Adams, JR Kihneman-Wooten, J 2008, ‘Developing an effective project: Planning and teambuilding combined’, Project Management Journal, vol. 39 no. 4, pp. 105-113. Vesala-Varttala, T Varttala, T 2010, Challenges and successes in multicultural corporate communication, HAAGA-HELIA. 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The Range of Statistical Data Sets

The Range of Statistical Data Sets In statistics and mathematics, the range is the difference between the maximum and minimum values of a data set and serve as one of two important features of a data set. The formula for a range is the maximum value minus the minimum value in the dataset, which provides statisticians with a better understanding of how varied the data set is. Two important features of a data set include the center of the data and the spread of the data, and the center can be ​measured in a number of ways: the most popular of these are the mean, median, mode, and midrange, but in a similar fashion, there are different ways to calculate how spread out the data set is and the easiest and crudest measure of spread is called the range. The calculation of the range is very straightforward. All we need to do is find the difference between the largest data value in our set and the smallest data value. Stated succinctly we have the following formula: Range Maximum Value–Minimum Value. For example, the data set 4,6,10, 15, 18 has a maximum of 18, a minimum of 4 and a range of 18-4 14. Limitations of Range The range is a very crude measurement of the spread of data because it is extremely sensitive to outliers, and as a result, there are certain limitations to the utility of a true range of a data set to statisticians because a single data value can greatly affect the value of the range. For example, consider the set of data 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 7, 8. The maximum value is 8, the minimum is 1 and the range is 7. Then consider the same set of data, only with the value 100 included. The range now becomes 100-1 99 wherein the addition of a single extra data point greatly affected the value of the range. The standard deviation is another measure of spread that is less susceptible to outliers, but the drawback is that the calculation of the standard deviation is much more complicated. The range also tells us nothing about the internal features of our data set. For example, we consider the data set 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10 where the range for this data set is 10-1 9.  If we then compare this to the data set of 1, 1, 1, 2, 9, 9, 9, 10. Here the range is, yet again, nine, however, for this second set and unlike the first set, the data is clustered around the minimum and maximum. Other statistics, such as the first and third quartile, would need to be used to detect some of this internal structure. Applications of Range The range is a good way to get a very basic understanding of how spread out numbers in the data set really are because it is easy to calculate as it only requires a basic arithmetic operation, but there are also a few other applications of the range of a data set in statistics. The range can also be used to estimate another measure of spread, the standard deviation. Rather than go through a fairly complicated formula to find the standard deviation, we can instead use what is called the range rule. The range is fundamental in this calculation. The range also occurs in a boxplot, or box and whiskers plot. The maximum and minimum values are both graphed at the end of the whiskers of the graph and the total length of the whiskers and box is equal to the range.

5 Confused Word Pairs

5 Confused Word Pairs 5 Confused Word Pairs 5 Confused Word Pairs By Mark Nichol The similarity of the letters e and i leads to frequent confusion between similar-looking and similar-sounding pairs of words. Here are five such word pairs with their respective meanings and tips for keeping each word in its place: 1. Elicit vs. Illicit Elicit, meaning â€Å"draw forth,† comes from the Latin term lacere, â€Å"to entice or lure.† Illicit means â€Å"unlawful†; the root word stems from the Latin term licere, â€Å"to be allowed,† from which license also derives. To keep them separate in your mind, connect elicit with exit and illicit with illegal. 2. Emigrate vs. Immigrate To emigrate is to leave one country and live elsewhere; to immigrate is to move to a country. To maintain the distinction between the two, associate emigrate with embark and immigrate with immerse. 3. Eminent vs. Imminent Eminent means â€Å"prominent† or â€Å"conspicuous† and is generally associated with accomplished people; imminent means â€Å"about to happen,† often with the sense of something of import or involving danger. To help you remember which is which, think of an eminent person as one who emits greatness, and connect imminent with immediate. 4. Emulate vs. Imitate Emulate can be directly synonymous with imitate but often has the sense of an effort to try to be equal to, whereas to imitate is to try to match an example, or to resemble. To keep them straight, think of emulating as something to do to become eminent, whereas imitating involves mimicking. 5. Explicit vs. Implicit Something explicit is something fully developed or revealed, and something implicit is not expressed directly, though it can also mean â€Å"potential† or â€Å"without questioning.† Remember the difference between the two by thinking of explicit in regard to something X rated and implicit as referring to something implied. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of RhymeSelect vs. SelectedDealing With A Character's Internal Thoughts

Strategic Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic Leadership - Assignment Example The tactical implementation plan is as important as the strategic plan because it takes the vision and strategy to the point of contact.† The author likens Sun Tzu’s leadership with the European strategist, Captain Johnstone, wrote mention in his 1916 research that one must fight the enemy to uncover the enemy’s weaknesses. With the initial proving attacks, the army can engineer the main decisive attack based on the outcome of the initial attack advances. The tentative attack should not be classified as a separate attack but s part and parcel of the main attack. The initial attack is classified as the beginning of the war. Sun Tzu’s attack formation can include a surprise attack on the enemy’s seemingly formidable front to learn the true shape, and strength of the enemy’s forces. With the most suitable war strategy, the battle is 50 percent won; the strategy succeeds only with professional execution of tactics Machiavelli. In terms of Machiave lli, Maurizio Viroli2 emphasized Machiavelli focused on national interest and military objects in the war implementing several war principles. ... military resistance against absolutism.† The formidable army of Machiavelli showed strong dominance of the political as well as European military environment The strong message of the Machiavelli’s Republican patriotism is a very clear sign to re-emphasize, against the politics of the moderns, in relation to the political efforts of its leaders, also known as the politics of the ancients. Machiavellian politics shows that the word Patria is another word to mean Machiavelli republic. Machiavelli’s government is grounded on a self-governing community of individuals snugly staying together within the justice terms of the law. The Machiavelli government implements rule law, which incorporates patriotism. Clauseritz. In terms of Clauseritz, Tiha Ghyczy3 insists the conduct of war includes the important planning stage. The author states that â€Å"were this combat a single act, there would be no need for further subdivision. But combat consists of a greater or lesser n umber of individual acts, each complete in itself, which we call engagements, which constitute new things. This gives rise to an entirely different activity, namely, individually planning and conducting these engagements and joining them together to achieve the objective of the war.† The quote clearly shows that that it includes the important tactics in the governance of the constituents. Likewise, the tactics includes the many advantages of implementing a well engineered war and government strategy. The segregation of the government’s act to divide the planning stage into both the tactics and strategy is now quite a common- lace in occurrence. All individuals are reasonably sure where to classify a specific factor without necessarily taking considerable notice of the reasons underlying such

Economic Modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic Modelling - Essay Example Moreover, most employed individuals may opt do drop out of employment in the event they perceive employment benefits to be more viable than their income (Lalive, Vanours & Zweimà ¼ller, 2011). As a result, it is essential to verify the validity of these perceptions based on evidence from empirical data. The United Kingdom has over the years between 2004 and 2014 been experiencing a consistent rate of unemployment (Statista, 2014). As a result, it is evident that there are significant factors that have contributed to the level of the unemployment during the period. On the other hand, one of the consistent trends that have been witnessed in the United Kingdom labour market during the period is the allocation of unemployment benefits by the United Kingdom government (Office for National statistics, 2014). As a result, there are major possibilities that there is a correlation between the allocations of unemployment benefits in the United Kingdom and the rate of unemployment. The study is based on empirical data gathered from the United Kingdom’s labour market. In order to verify the effect of unemployment benefits on unemployment information regarding unemployment and unemployment data was gathered for a ten year period ranging between 2004 and 2014. Thus, in order to evaluate the reliability unemployment and unemployment another set of data that correlates with unemployment will be used. Hence, the relevant alternative set of data for the study will be based on inflation data for the relevant period of the study. This is due to the fact that most of the major unemployment levels in any labour market are caused by requirement of market forces to sustain optimum levels of inflation (Arnold, 2010 pp. 382). Whereas the rate of inflation will be necessary for this study it will be essential in outlining any other potential indicators of increase in the levels of employment in United Kingdom. Therefore, the study will be aimed

Project Manager Essay Example for Free

Project Manager Essay The main communication method they use is the telephone. This is because it is handy and convenient to use, and it is also fast. They use telephone for various reasons such as to arrange an appointment, to confirm orders, to book activities etc. The alternative method instead of using the telephone could be e-mail and letter, this way they can keep the letter for hard copy and evidence to confirm that they did arrange the appointment if there are any complications. The Fax machine is quite useful because it is fast and the letter can be kept for hard copy so there will be no need to type up any information. A meeting saves quite a lot of time and they get feedback from people immediately. Some information may be confidential so a certain method may need to be used such as face to face or letter, this way no confidential information is being leaked. There are different types of communication used because they need to know which type of communication to use for each purpose for example if its confidential they can either use telephone or letter so that no confidential information is being released out. And also if letter or email is being used, this can be kept for future reference and hard evidence for any purpose. Although there are some disadvantages of using the alternative methods, this is due to the confidentiality of information handling. Some information needs to remain or private in a company so a certain method has to be used. How information is collected, processed and stored All administrative staff play a key role in: Collecting information: whether it arrives in the mail, electronically, by telephone or is passed on by word of mouth. Processing information: inputting it, merging it with other information, sorting it, reorganising it, reproducing it or updating current records. Storing information: in filing systems and on computer. The main aspect of a storage system is so you can find things quickly and the items stored are kept in good condition. Information is processed when it is changed or converted in some way. It may be improved or may be prepared for a particular use such as notes from meetings, messages from telephones, sales figures that need to be input into a spreadsheet etc. These roles are important to the Business because it depends how well information has been organised and stored so that it can easily be accessed when it is needed. Every day, Businesses receive a vast amount of paperwork that is generated by organisations such as forms, fax messages, telephone messages, letters, memos reports and many more. So the administrative staff is responsible for the storage, processing and collecting these information in order to keep the constant flow of the Business going. Post arrives at the reception and then is sorted and stored separately by name in a little locker by the reception assistant, each locker is provided with a key so the administration assistant or the manager has to collect their post from their locker. After all the post is bought back to the department to be opened and read, they also have to do certain things such as processing and storing the type of information. For example: When they receive an invoice for the art and crafts equipment, the amount is processed onto spreadsheet on the computer by the administration assistant. This is because they need to record how much money is spent using the companys money. Then the assistant writes a number on top of the invoice to help keep all the invoices in order which is then kept in a box file then stacked on the shelf. When the cheque is made out, the same number as the invoice is also written on the top of the cheque so they know they match. Records of the young people who join the community are kept on a CD Rom. Their details are also kept in a lever arch file and are updated if any changes have been made. The lever arch file is then stacked on the shelf along with some other files. When an application form is received, it is read by the manager and details of that person are noted down and then the form is filed in a vertical filing cabinet. If the manager approves one or two forms, he then photocopies them and then the original copy is filed and the other is sent to the director. All other information such as catalogues and booklets from the suppliers of office organisations are stored in a tall cardboard box file and is kept on the shelf. Decision making Decisions are made every day within businesses. The Board of Directors makes the major decisions at GAZ and the Project Manager makes the simple decisions such as what equipment to buy.

Essay --

Hello Mr. Schneider and classmates. Are you aware that more than 443,000 people die annually in the United States from cigarettes including deaths from second hand smoke, so why is smoking still legal? Although there are specific restrictions such as where smoking is permitted and not permitted in certain states of the U.S. it should be banned completely throughout the United States of America. By banning cigarettes it would help people who smoke and people who don’t smoke. As I said before more than 443,000 people die from cigarettes but, 50,000 of those people do not even smoke. Most of the people who do not smoke die from second hand smoke because of lung or heart disease. Nearly 20 percent of women and men smoke in the United States. Their is another variation of the cigarette called smokeless tobacco, that is thought to be better than smoking regular cigarettes In June 2010 smokeless tobacco companies had to put these warnings on their products; Warning: This product can cause Mouth cancer, Warning: This product can cause gum disease and tooth loss, Warning: This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes, and Warning: Smokeless tobacco is addictive.These warning signs would surely bring attention to my eyes if I were using the product nevertheless putting the product into my mouth. There are many advertisements that have smoking in them either promoting them or going against them. TobaccofreeCA is a company that is highly against tobacco in the state of California. You probably have seen some of their advertisements on television. They have a new couple of commercials when they show old family footage where the people are happy, but in those commercials the people are coughing and after it says â€Å"Lost Moments.† This... ...ers started because of their friends smoking and peer pressure. I believe smoking should be banned in the U.S. not only do the harmful fumes hurt you, they affect others. Why keep a harmful product that kills not only the people that smoke but ,also anyone around them. Many cigarette smokers claim it's their body their harming but  it affects everyone. Imagine how many people would still be living if they never started smoking. Many children live with parents who smoke, and imagine how many times they are made fun of because the way they smell. Cigarette smoke can't just disappear, or be covered up with products that use smelly fumes such as Lysol. Many people who try to stop give up because they think they can't give smoking up but, it is possible to stop. So do yourself a favor and  don't give your hard earned money and your life to those nasty cigarette companies.

Sociological Deviance

Deviance: Then and Now Tischler defines deviant behavior as the behavior that â€Å"fails to conform to the rules or norms of the group in question† (Tischler 139). What is considered acceptable or deviant behavior perpetually changes as the morals and norms of society change in accordance with the time and culture. When a certain behavior is condemned by the majority of society it can be considered deviant. However, labeling a certain behavior as deviant is difficult because not everyone will agree on what this behavior is. A behavior that is not accepted by one group of people may be considered commonplace to another group of people.Something that was once rejected by society can eventually grow to be accepted by society and even considered normal over time. This can happen through certain society's adaptation to behaviors and as a different perspective is developed amongst the society or group of people in regards to those behaviors. An example of a behavior that was once c onsidered deviant but is now acceptable or tolerant is interracial relationships. Interracial marriage/relationship were once a very controversial concept, but today, interracial marriage issues have become a thing past but and it is much more widely accepted.Interracial relationships used to be frowned upon by most societies mainly because certain societies or different races have a standard that they abide by as far as marriage, and this standard has to be met in order to conform to that culture's or time period's rules and norms. The whole idea of marriage also engages tradition in the sense that if something has historically or traditionally been done a certain way, it should always be done that way. Many people do not like the idea of change. Not until 1967 did the Supreme Court decide that state bans on interracial marriage violated the 14th amendment.From this point on, interracial marriage was legal throughout the United States, yet it was still not widely accepted by the ma jority of American society. The reason that interracial marriage went against cultural norms was because of the hierarchy of races that was in place. It was understood by the culture that a white person was at the top of the hierarchy and a black person was at the bottom. For two people on opposite sides of the hierarchy to unite in such an intimate way went against all rules of culture.People were only just getting used to the idea of having an integrated community; they were not yet ready to accept the idea of integrated marriages and families. This was the era of a lot of tension between blacks and white and many whites still viewed themselves as the superior race. The people who would have viewed interracial relationships as deviant would be almost everyone in the 50s and 60s, not because they were against integration but because it went against society's norms and it was a new concept to them. Even if it wasn't a crime, it was still a cultural taboo.People of extremist pro-segr egation groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, would have thought this behavior to be more deviant than others, while people of anti-segregation groups would have thought it to be more acceptable and maybe even supported it. Time and context play an important role in whether different race relationships are accepted. After laws banning this behavior were lifted, it started to become more and more accepted. As integration increased, the idea of interracial marriage as a deviant behavior decreased. Today, although racism does exist, it is looked down upon and most people would not openly admit to being racist.Because racism is not the cultural norm anymore, condemnation of interracial marriage is not widespread. Racism is actually considered more of a deviant behavior in today's culture than interracial marriage is. Context also affects whether one would consider interracial relationships as a deviant behavior. I think that in more conservative families or more segregated communities inter racial relationships would be considered deviant. For example, Alabama only just officially legalized interracial marriage in 2000, and many Alabama residents are still opposed to the idea of interracial marriage.In Los Angeles, or in an area with a more liberal culture, interracial marriages are not looked down upon by the majority of the population. Some of the most famous couples in Hollywood are interracial couples; Ice T and Coco have their own television show, and Heidi Klum, a Victoria Secret model, raised a family with Seal. While interracial marriages have become less deviant over the past 50 years, marriage at a young age has become more deviant in American culture. According to the Bureau of Census, the age at first marriage has increased drastically since the 1950s, form 23 to 28 for men and 20 to 26 for women.In the past, marriage was the first step into adulthood so people tended to get married at a young age. My parents were married when they were both 22 years old an d most of their friends married around the same age. However, the majority of my friends are 22 years old and it is a rarity for someone I know to get married so young. It is not the social norm anymore. Young marriage is considered deviant because it is uncommon, but it is not completely unheard of. I think that people with a more traditional lifestyle are more likely to marry at an early age and dismiss this behavior as deviant.Also, people with lower income and education level tend to marry young. Many people are adopting more contemporary views in how they would like to live their life. More women are seeking higher education, something that used to be rare. Women are more focused on finding a job and supporting themselves than on finding a husband. They used to be expected to stay at home and start a family. They were not expected to be educated. Most women only attended college for the sole purpose of finding someone to marry. But today, women have different priorities than th ey once had.A woman does not have to be a good wife to be considered a successful person. They definition of success for women has changed over time so women can be happy as either a wife or as a single women focusing on her career. People used to get married for reasons other than love; financial security, family ties, pregnancy, religion. Today, while those conditions do exist, men and women both strive to be more independent and therefore ignore many of those conditions. Men and women want to be financially independent so they marry less and less for security.In today's culture, there is less emphasis on obeying one's parents, so people do not marry just to please their families. Also, there is an increasing amount of single mothers and it is not frowned upon like it once was, it is even applauded in many cases. Because being a single parent is more of a societal norm these days, people feel less pressured to tie the knot because of pregnancy. Our culture has become much more acc epting, with less emphasis on rules, which allows both men and women to do as they please and not feel pressured by society to jump into a marriage that they do not want.Interracial marriages can best be explained by the sociological theory of deviance called the labeling theory. â€Å"Under the labeling theory, the focus shifts from the deviant individual to the social process by which a person comes to be labeled and the consequences of such labeling for the individual† (Tischler 149). It is not that the interracial relationship is deviant, but that the culture around them is labeling their behavior as deviant. People in the past thought that interracial relationships were unnatural and sinful.Condemnation of interracial marriage was a strong social norm, therefore, people who violated this norm were considered deviant. However, I do not think that the labeleing theory's ideas of primary deviance and secondary deviance apply to interracial marriages. I do not think that peo ple who engaged in interracial relationships were prone to more deviant behavior because of their relationship, but I think that this theory applies best when trying to explain interracial relationships as a behavior that was once deviant.None of the sociological theories of deviance really fit when trying to explain marriage at an early age. Rather, it is just that our values and norms change over time in society. What was once valued and considered important loses its significance from one generation to the next. In 20 years, our societal norms concerning marriage will probably have evolved even more, maybe marriage altogether will become a thing of the past. Women used to be expected to be only homemakers and mothers.Today, men and women are both equally eligible to go out and compete for the same jobs and make their own mark on society. This is not because of a specific sociological theory of deviance but because of the evolution of society. What makes a type of behavior deviant depends on several factors, the predominant and most notable one being culture. But because deviant behavior is culturally relative, one could give countless examples of this behavior because it is constantly changing or being redefined by different groups of people.The moral code of a culture is the â€Å"symbolic system in terms of which behavior takes on the quality of being ‘good' or ‘bad,' ‘right' or ‘wrong'† (Tischler 139). To decide if a behavior is deviant, one must be familiar with the moral code of the culture. They must assess the act in regards to the culture's rules to decide if it is normal or deviant. Interracial relationships were once considered deviant but only because of the rules of that culture. Early marriage, something that people in society once highly desired, isn't a main concern anymore.

Jesus Messiah or Universal Savior

Matthews and Like are the most similar of all of the canonical gospels, they offer different messages and send differing accounts of the figure of Jesus. Matthew calls Jesus the Jewish Messiah, while Luke does the opposite. Luke calls Jesus the universal savior, and by doing so each writer sets up their gospel to try and explain who they think Christ Is by using their writing and knowledge to their advantage. Matthew depicts Jesus to be the king of the Jews by using words such as kingdom and fulfilled.He tries to present evidence as to why Jesus is the promised Jewish messiah. Both gospels contain a genealogy of Christ and in each of them the writer agrees that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and David. This relationship between Jesus, Abraham and David is essential to Matthews gospel. He uses these key Jewish figures to prove that their prophecy has been fulfilled. Luke on the other hand agrees that Jesus Is related to both Abraham and David, however, he argues that Jesus is the un iversal savior and the son of man rather than Just the Jewish messiah and he roves this by tracing Jesus' lineage back to Adam the Orlando Son of God.The mall point that each writer raises Is that Christ Is of Importance . I believe that Matthew sets up his gospel so it cannot be proven wrong. One interesting thing that he does is he compares Jesus to Moses in the â€Å"Sermon on the Mount† And in that very moment Jesus is like a king to his subjects. † When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him† (Matthew 5:1 MRS.). In many ways this imagine is Just like that of Moses when he came down from Mat. Sinai.Jesus starts interpreting the original Ten Commandments, the old law, and offers new law; which is recalling the revelation to Moses. If Jesus is like Moses, and Moses is a messianic figure then Jesus must also be a messianic figure himself. It is also suggested that Jesus teaches much Like that of a rabbi acc ording to Duet. 9:9. Jesus Is set up to be above everyone else, and this Is what Luke has an Issue with. If Jesus were the Messiah, why would he stop with Just Jews? Luke believes the complete opposite of Matthew.Jesus is not the Jewish Messiah because he is the son f man; his is the universal savior. A sharp contrast to the â€Å"Sermon on the Mount† is the â€Å"Sermon on the Plain†. This idea puts Jesus on the same playing field as all other people. † He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of people from Judea, Jerusalem, and the coasts of Tree and Sided† (Luke 6:17) Instead of being above of all non-gentiles on a mountain he stands with them, suffers with them; he is equal.In Lake's words God's love goes beyond Jews and Judea. God's love goes beyond Judea because Christ is the universal savior. So why does this matter? It matters because It is possible that Matthew and Luke may be using the same document for their gospels. â€Å"It Is assumed in this article that the verbal resemblances between Matthews â€Å"Sermon on the Mount† and Lake's â€Å"Sermon on the Level Place† are so striking as to make It certain that the two evangelists are here working over the same documentary source. † (Peg. 88 In the this is the case then it is plausible that no only did Luke expand off of Matthews gospel but he may have used the same â€Å"documentary source † to preach a similar message. Patton goes on to talk about the similarities and differences in both Matthew and Luke like I have except he looks directly at the differing ways that Christ talks to his followers such as † The injunction of Jesus according to Matthew, † Be Ye there Perfect,† Luke seems to have softened into the injunction, † Be ye therefore merciful,† as being more within the bounds of attainment. (Peg 288, Deviations) If this is the case then Matthew and Luke are both trying to make sen se out of the same or argumentatively the same document. Matthew and Luke have differing motives as to why they focus on certain elements in their gospels such as their takes on Jesus' sermons and his genealogy. Where ever Matthew emphasizes Jesus' â€Å"Swinishness† , Luke De-emphasizes it by tracing Christ back to Adam the original son of God and by including both Abraham and David it ties both of these figures to Lake's belief because most of Christians were Jewish at this time.So instead of associating his reader ship wants to bring Jesus to the â€Å"world†. Matthew uses language in his gospel to describe Christ as king of the Jews. Luke twists Matthews word in his own gospel to prove that Christ is instead the universal savior. I find it interesting that Matthew argues that Chris is solely the Jewish messiah and how the prophecy was fulfilled. On the other hand, Lake's gospel to sounds like the very first beginnings of the idea of Christianity.It is as if Luke wa s saying that is Just so much more to this figure of Christ that he is more than what we thought. In essence, the concrete differences in both Matthew and Luke are only minute compared to the possibility of their source being the same, the synoptic problem loud lead us to conclude that if they both hold a different view of the sermons of Christ. Then who was he really? Is Christ the Jewish Messiah or is he the universal savior?Luke makes Christ both divine and human while Matthew makes Christ the King of the Jews; I think that is necessary to know how they were as people or Disciples of Christ before we even compare these two gospels. Their geographic locations will allow us to the see their differing religious views more easily. Even though they have very different motives, they both agree that Christ is a savior, and although they will always promote different things the messages that they send will always resound as similar tidings.Both gospels tell us to be a decent human being and to hold your self to a standard higher than animals. Through Patron's article † In the Deviances of Matthew and Luke† we can see that not much differs and not much changes the message of the lord will remain the same through out time regardless of what religion one claims he is the savior of. Bibliography: 1 . The Deviations of Matthew and Luke in the â€Å"Sermon on the Mount†, by Carl S. Patton The Biblical World 1916 The University of Chicago Press.

Impeachment Essays - Lewinsky Scandal, Politics Of The United States

Impeachment Essays - Lewinsky Scandal, Politics Of The United States Impeachment Impeachment: A long process It is the ultimate punishment for a president: impeachment. But it is a long and complicated route to removing a political official from office and never in more than 200 years of U.S. history has it happened to a president for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors,'' as spelled out in the U.S. Constitution as reasons for impeachment. The Constitutional process Article II, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution specifies the procedures to be used to remove the president, vice president or other officials from office. The rarely used procedure is complex, reflecting 18th-century formalities. The process opens in various ways through the House. In one process, the House votes on an inquiry of impeachment which would direct the Judiciary Committee to investigate the charges against the president. If a member of Congress takes the more serious step of introducing a resolution of impeachment, all other work must stop until a decision is reached. Either the president is cleared of the charges through an investigation, or the committee votes to send articles of impeachment to the full House. If the House approves articles of impeachment, a trial is conducted in the Senate, presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. At the conclusion, the Senate may vote to simply remove the official from office, or to remove him or her from office and bar from holding any other federal office. Removal requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Could Clinton be impeached? House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, respected by both parties as a thoughtful lawmaker, said on CNN that impeachment could follow if Clinton were found to have urged a former White House intern to lie under oath. If he (independent counsel Kenneth Starr) verifies the authenticity of these charges, impeachment might very well be an option,'' the Illinois Republican said. At the Capitol some of Clinton's staunchest Republican critics showed deep discomfort at the prospect of impeachment proceedings. Only Rep. Bob Barr, the Georgia Republican who has campaigned for Clinton's impeachment for months, called the allegations the smoking gun'' and urged the House to start the process when it returns next week. But Clinton could face up to 10 years under a federal statute for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit crimes for persuading Monica Lewinsky to lie under oath. Only two other presidents came close to impeachment: In 1868 President Andrew Johnson was saved by one vote in the Senate after the House approved articles of impeachment against him over a dispute on the post-Civil War reconstruction of the South. In 1974 President Richard Nixon chose to resign in disgrace rather than face impeachment for his role in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. There is substantial and credible information supporting the following eleven possible grounds for impeachment: 1. President Clinton lied under oath in his civil case when he denied a sexual affair, a sexual relationship, or sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. 2. President Clinton lied under oath to the grand jury about his sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky. 3. In his civil deposition, to support his false statement about the sexual relationship, President Clinton also lied under oath about being alone with Ms. Lewinsky and about the many gifts exchanged between Ms. Lewinsky and him. 4. President Clinton lied under oath in his civil deposition about his discussions with Ms. Lewinsky concerning her involvement in the Jones case. 5. During the Jones case, the President obstructed justice and had an understanding with Ms. Lewinsky to jointly conceal the truth about their relationship by concealing gifts subpoenaed by Ms. Jones's attorneys. 6. During the Jones case, the President obstructed justice and had an understanding with Ms. Lewinsky to jointly conceal the truth of their relationship from the judicial process by a scheme that included the following means: (i) Both the President and Ms. Lewinsky understood that they would lie under oath in the Jones case about their sexual relationship; (ii) the President suggested to Ms. Lewinsky that she prepare an affidavit that, for the President's purposes, would memorialize her testimony under oath and could be used to prevent questioning of both of them about their relationship; (iii) Ms. Lewinsky signed and filed the false affidavit; (iv) the

Books About Writing

Books About Writing Books About Writing Books About Writing By Daniel Scocco I figured that it would be useful to have a page on the blog dedicated to books about writing. This initial list was created taking into consideration the books that our writers reviewed or recommended in the past. We plan to update it regularly as well. If you have a suggestion just write a comment below and we might add it. The links to Amazon are affiliate ones, so yeah if you end up purchasing the book we will earn a dollar or two. That money will be spent purchasing new books though. Enjoy. The Elements of Style: Originating as a classroom study aid prepared by Cornell English Professor William Strunk in 1918, this widely-used desk reference of English usage, form, and style continues to influence writers after a hundred years. A must have.Click here to get more details or buy. Eats, Shoots and Leaves: First published in April of 2004, Eats, Shoots and Leaves stayed 25 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and by October of that year it had already sold one million copies. At a bit more than 200 pages including the bibliography, this little book describes the rules that govern the use of: apostrophe, comma, colon, semi-colon, dash, hyphen and period. Click here to get more details or buy. The Dictionary of Concise Writing: A must have book for anyone who wants to write better. It brings over 10,000 alternatives you can use to free your text from wordy constructions and unnecessary phrases. Click here to get more details or buy. Oxford American Writers Thesaurus: Another book worth investing in, as you will be able to use it over and over again. It comes with synonyms, antonyms, sample sentences and cross references to let you pick the most precise word for each occasion. Click here to get more details or buy. Concise Oxford English Dictionary: If you are looking for a solid dictionary and dont want to spend a fortune on it, this is a good choice. Click here to get more details or buy. On Writing: One of the best books about writing and being a writer. Stephen King is probably the most popular horror writer ever, and in this book he shares how he started, the basic writing rules and the fiction writing process. Click here to get more details or buy. The Screenwriters Bible: If want to start writing scripts, this book could help. David Trottier is a writer, producer and script consultant, and he shares tips on all the stages you will go through, from getting started to formatting and selling your script. Click here to get more details or buy. Plot Structure: This book is part of a series called Write Great Fiction. As the name implies, it will assist you while creating the plot for your stories. It comes with techniques, tips and even exercises you can use to practice what you will learn. Click here to get more details or buy. Rules for Writers: A book aimed at college students (regardless of the course). Diane Hacker, the author, has been teaching at the Prince George’s Community College for over 35 years, and this book is the result of what she learned from her students over that time. Click here to get more details or buy. On Writing Well: The subtitle says it all: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. The book covers many aspects of writing, from removing unnecessary words and phrases to identifying your audience and editing your pieces. Click here to get more details or buy. The Associated Press Stylebook: One of the most popular style guides among professional writers and journalists. The 2009 edition has been revised and contains over 3,000 new entries. Click here to get more details or buy. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About NumbersItalicizing Foreign Words13 Theatrical Terms in Popular Usage

Reasons for College Transfer Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Reasons for College Transfer - Personal Statement Example I transferred because I was interested in changing my majors. Initially, I used to do a course in social science, but I felt it was not appropriate for me. While still in high school, I became interested in business, and I made my mind to take a career in entrepreneurship. However, after finishing high school, I could not take any course in business because of some college restrictions on the number of students enrolling for the courses. Thus, I was forced to take a social science course. Later, I realized it was still possible to major in business, but my former colleagues could not offer the courses that I considered appropriate. Because I had entrepreneurship in my heart, I thought I would never be satisfied with a career in social science. Therefore, I decided to transfer in order to do what I liked. Third, I transferred because I did not want to do an online distance learning course. Although some online distance learning courses are offered by reputable institutions, their accreditation system is not credible. When one completes an online course via distance learning, most employers do not recognize the qualifications, making it almost impossible for an individual to secure a relevant job. For instance, in my native country, higher education institutions and the government do not recognize academic certificates offered and accredited via online means. Because I wanted to avoid such inconveniences, I decided to transfer. In addition, I transferred because I wanted to study in a reputable institution that could increase my prospects of securing employment in some of the U.S. multinationals.