How Do Octavio Paz and Albert Camus Convey Their Respective Views on Death

How do Octavio Paz and Albert Camus convey their respective views on death? World Literature 1 22/08/2010 Many aspects of death are pondered and questioned throughout Octavio Paz's poems, the two I have chosen to particularly focus on are Plain and Near Cape Comorin. Albert Camus has also considered the aspect of death within his novel, The Outsider. The title, The Outsider is vital to the text, as it reflects many aspects of the author's life. David Simpson explained that ‘Camus lived most of his life in various groups and communities without really being of them’ (iii).This also shows similarities between Camus and the protagonist, Meursault, as throughout The Outsider, Meursault seems to neutralise all his emotions allowing himself to watch his own life as an ‘outsider’. However, Camus was born as and brought up to be an outsider, whereas Meursault assumes his detached, individualised life himself. Both Camus and his protagonist share an existentialist vi ew on death, this is evident in the novel The Outsider. Whereas Paz shows a more positive stance on death.Both Paz and Camus convey the notion that death is an inevitable product of life, however they go about this in very different ways. While Camus takes a negative view of death, hauntingly reflected in his protagonist's amoral, emotionless attitude towards his death sentence, Paz juxtaposes images of death and decay, with that of beauty, and nature. Plain is saturated with sexual imagery, however, it is displayed to the reader in a grotesque manner, suggesting that life shares an intrinsic link with death.Visceral imagery such as that of ‘decapitated phalluses' and a gushing ‘open wound' would normally point towards mortality, but the presence of sexual imagery contrasts this notion as, sexual intercourse is representative of the fruition of life. Camus presents a similar concept in The Outsider; as he articulates the idea that the only certain thing in life is the in evitability of death, and, because all humans will eventually meet death, all lives are all equally meaningless.This theory manifests itself in Meursault's nonchalant response to his own impending death. Whereas during his trial Meursault passively observed the judgements levelled against him, in prison he begins to ponder the fact of his inevitable death. He begins to see his life as having a past, present, and future, and concludes that there is no difference between dying soon by execution and dying decades later of natural causes. This revelation comes about when Meursault experiences a sense of liberation in his jail cell.His emotional outburst towards the chaplain, ‘hurl[ing] insults at him’ (124), contrasts hugely against the blunt, nonchalant opening sentence ‘Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I can’t be sure’ (11). While awaiting his execution, Meursault takes the final step in the development of his consciousness. This capacity for self -analysis is a new development for Meursault, and it contrasts greatly with his level of self-awareness earlier in the novel. This is significant, as it catalyses his self enlightenment, enhancing his mindset into that of an existentialist.Meursault's approach to death, and in fact his entire belief structure points to that of an individual with an amoral stance on life. He is neither moral or immoral, he simply does not make the distinction between good and bad in his own mind. His encounter with the chaplain presents the reader with a clear binary opposite; differentiating between a rational, Christian system of belief and that of Meursault who refuses to succumb to Christianity. Meursault concludes that the universe is, like him, totally indifferent to human life.He decides that people’s lives have no grand meaning or importance, and that their actions, their comings and goings, have no effect on the world. This realisation is the culmination of all the events of the novel . When Meursault accepts ‘the benign indifference of the universe,' (127) he finds peace with himself and with the society around him, and his development as a character is complete. Paz asks similar philosophical questions in Near Cape Comorin; using the first person to rhetorically inquire: ‘Am I a lost soul or a wandering body? In the same poem he uses nature to convey various elements of religion, as it is universally known that people look for answers in their faiths. Hinduism is alluded to, with references to ‘a troupe of begging monkeys'; possibly a nod to the Hindu deity â€Å"Hanuman†. This is juxtaposed with references to Christianity; such as the ‘cobra' from Genesis; a binary representation of western versus eastern religion. Nature is also used to depict death in Plain when Paz talks of ‘the buzzing of the flies' connoting decay.The theme of insects continues as he mentions a statue of ‘a saint painted blue and pink. From his l eft eye' streaming ‘grey winged insects that†¦ fall turned to dust'. This again, savours of death and decay; creating in the reader's mind, the image of a rotting corpse. This is starkly juxtaposed with the cheery colours of the ‘saint' which could themselves represent the gender stereotyped clothes given to newborn babies. Lastly, death itself is evoked with the personification by Paz, of a ‘a bird dressed in black'.This is a regularly used symbol of death, and the notion that the ‘bird flies in circles' points to the cyclical nature of life and death. This bird, however, may also be used to portray hope as it ‘rests on the only living tree' showing hope in the preservation and search of life. This hope is also present in The Outsider because once Meursault dismisses his perceived difference between execution and natural death, he must deal with the concept of hope.Hope only tortures him, because it creates the false illusion that he can change th e fact of his death. The leap of hope he feels at the idea of having another twenty years of life prevents him from making the most of his final days or hours. Hope disturbs his calm and understanding, and prevents him from fully coming to grips with his situation. By using imageries of religion, nature and sex, Paz creates a relatively positive outlook on death, in stark opposition to Camus' melodramatic, emotionless stance on death.Through Meursault's actions, Camus implicitly challenges society's accepted moral obligations, which state that one should grieve over death, especially for a loved one or family member. Because Meursault does not grieve, society classes him as an outsider, a possible threat, a man with ‘a criminal mentality' (105) and stands ‘no place [within] a community' (108). Meursault's mindset and possibly that of Camus is transferred to his views on death; views which fit into an existentialist way of thinking.Paz also portrays death as an inevitable product of life nd existence, as exemplified by the sinister bird, ‘dressed in black', flying in monotonous circles, landing on ‘the only living tree' presumably as a portent of its certain death. (1,133 words) Bibliography: †¢ Camus, Albert (1971) L’Etranger, (translated from original French to English by Stuart Gilbert,) London: Heinemann Educational Books Limited †¢ Paz, Octavio,. 1979. Selected poems. A bilingual edition. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd †¢ Simpson, David â€Å"Themes and Ideas: iii) The Outsider,† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://www. iep. utm. edu/camus/

The Gift of the Magi Analysis Base on Mla Format

Name Subject Lecturer Date Sacrifice Della and Jim as a Young Married Couple in â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† By O. Henry William Sydney Porter who also known by his pen name O. Henry. He was born on September 11, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. O. Henry was an american author that always make excellent literary’s work with twist plot, suprising ending and irony as his style and usually his works also inspired by social live or condition. The several famous O.Henry works like  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Ransom of Red Chief, â€Å"The Furnished Room† and â€Å"The Gift of the Magi. † The Gift of the Magi to tell about a young married couple (Della and Jim) who to face the economic crisis in their live. They supposed to buy a prize for the Christmas Eve, but they just have bit money. Della who have a beautiful hair and Jim have a precious clock, finally Della’s sell her hair, and buy an expensive chain for Jim’s clock, and Jim sell his precious clock and h e changes it into an expensive hair accessories.The gift of the magi who setting when Chrismast Eve, with the main characters Della and Jim, the theme about a young marriage couple who to test their love in the Chrismast Eve, and the irony happens at the time they gift their present for each others. In this work O. Henry describe about young couple married, Della and Jim still young but they will become an adult when they’re try to solve their own problem. O.Henry describes the character Jim have a mature think, likewise Della’s, Della character is not an egoist wife, and an understanding wife and also she try to not bothered his husband otherwise she really helps Jim with : â€Å"Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. † Della’s understand their economic condition, and that’s way she help her husband.And how about Jim? Jim is a sample of husband who has a duty to make his wife happy; he’s a hard working man. He is also selling his precious clock to give Della Chrismast present with an expensive hair accessories. O. Henry makes a solving Della and Jim problems are, Della finally find how the way she can give her husband a prize, she’s sells her beautiful wave hair, and then she buy her husband and likewise with Jim. They immolate their precious things to give a present in the Chistmast Eve.Then in the relationship of marriage needs an understanding feeling without this feeling the relationship will be broken moreover they are still young couple, many young couples who have egoistic characters because they still young and difficult to control their emotions and finally get divorce is the best solution . But, differ to Della and Jim, they look so mature person when their face into trouble life, they have sacrifice love: â€Å"De ll,† said he, â€Å"let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on. In this works O. Henry likes neutral when describe their both characters. He’s use the feminism and heroic fenomens in describing each character. Della a strong woman and Jim a sincere man. They sincerity and their sacrifice love suitable as an example to the others young married couples. Works Cited Henry, O. â€Å"The gift of the magi. † Web. 19 Dec. 2012. Henry, O. â€Å"The gift of the magi. † Theme. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. Henry ,O. â€Å"Wikipedia. † Web. 19 Dec. 2012.

Choose any two of the following questions and submit a report on your Essay

Choose any two of the following questions and submit a report on your findings with special reference to G20 summit - Essay Example Some of the drivers that positively influence globalization include the growth of industrialization in other countries of the world which reduces costs, tariff and working capital. Decreasing government trade barriers have increased foreign direct investments much faster than the world outputs (Suk, Seung and Kenneth 2006). For these reasons major corporations are engaged in expansionary activities to outsource their operations abroad. For example Ford is an American based company. It is one of the big three motor companies in the US and used to be the source of livelihood for a significant portion of the US population. However, with the increase in global financing opportunities, Ford has diversified its products to sell its motor vehicles in Europe and Asia. As Europe has opened its consumer markets to the world Ford has capitalized on the ready market to sell its completely assembled cars in collaboration with local companies. However, as the global finance environment in parts of Asia improved and opened up to Western investors, Ford has gradually shifted production of automobiles in low cost country like in China. Investment in China not only reduces cost of operations and productions Global financing has thus become an important source for world trade and incentive for foreign investment as it allows multinational companies to increase shareholders wealth. However, there are risks associated with global investing. Unlike local investment, global investment is subject to political, financial and regulatory risks. In countries where political turmoil is apparent like those in France, India, China and Indonesia, investment in these countries pose great threats to exchange controls, confiscation of assets and changing corporate policies. Similarly, financial risks include the fluctuating exchange rates, tax laws, interest rates and inflation rates as well as balance of payments. Legal risks like differences in legal system, overlapping jurisdiction and

The Moral Instinct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Moral Instinct - Essay Example However, the author points out that there are no clear avenues of reasoning and rationalization of the moral behaviors as different societies have different views concerning behavior, as much as people know that some behaviors are wrong and does not meet the standards of morality in the society, others don’t understand and can not justify them in this case. The article further elaborated on the different genealogy which also influences our moral behavior in the society as they were ranked depending on the perceived consequences that are likely to be displayed. The above concepts will be the key focusing point in this essay. Concepts/Claims The author argues that morality is universal having experienced a number of situations for its justification. He states that people are born with universal grammar, which makes them understand the speech structures without any conscious awareness about the rules in the play. He further states that by analogy, human beings are born with unive rsal grammar of morality which helps in analyzing the human actions in-terms of morality with little awareness (Compley et al 433). In this aspect, the author admits that human beings are born with morality part with them, and it can not be distinguished from them. Anyone who does not want to exercise morality does so because of his or her personal conscious. The author asserts that the moral sense is instinct in the design of the human brain, and it is very difficult to distinguish the morality in us from our everyday behavior. To justify the above concept, the author collected a list of universally accepted moral concepts and emotions. The collected moral concepts included distinctions between right and wrong, empathy, fairness, prosecution of murder, rape, admiration of generosity, shame taboos and sanction from wronging the community. The findings reveal that people are emotionally attached to the moral behaviors. The morality concepts start in early childhood as toddlers help t heir fellow by giving them toys and also comforting distressed persons. A four year old school going knows very well the dressing codes required in school and the dangers of hitting a fellow for whatever reason. The interviewed school children had the same response in regards to morality from the asked questions. From the above result from research conducted, morality is instinct and people are born with it making it universal phenomenon that everyone has to practice. Similarly, children are nurtured with morality when it is reinforced in them since it will stick and be part of them despite the external factors which might influence them. The second concept that the author puts forward is that morality is a psychological state of mind that can be put on and off. He argues that when the state is put on, the mind controls our thinking, which latter influences our actions in deciding what is wrong and right. The conscious mind, which is put on brings different hallmarks which are assoc iated with morality as being perceived to be universal. Rape and murder are universally immoral which are accepted in different societies hence universally warranted. Similarly, people feel that those who do wrong or exhibit immoral behaviors should be punished. This is not only to inflict pain on the offenders but also as a show that it is not allowed in the society (Comley et al

Security Issues in Daily Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Security Issues in Daily Life - Essay Example Airports serve as gateways for people to reach different places. Thousands of people go to the airport and work for the airport everyday that is why it is a must that airports are secured and safe. Airports are one of the places which practice heavy security inspection (FWAO, 2006). Every area of the airport has security inspections. Upon entrance, most airports will already have metal detectors and x-ray scanners for the baggage. Recent development in technology enables airport security to have a human scan similar to an x-ray baggage scan wherein all metals and explosives can be detected (TSA, 2008). Some of these scanners are the backscatter x-ray and Compton x-ray. After being thoroughly inspected, the airport passengers check-in their baggage. After checking in the baggage, passengers again undergo a more rigid inspection. Body search and metal detectors are again used (Airsafe). This is the last security inspection before leaving the airport. In the US, fingerprinting is now being practiced. They also use smartcard readers. Smartcard technology is an additional security device used in US airports to ensure all the passengers have a record in the system (FWAO, 2006). Together with the fingerprinting, they can name all the passengers and in case of attacks, they can trace the culprits using the finger prints. Aside from these security checkpoints, most airports are equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV). These are being monitored all day round. Airport security personnel are very diverse. Some of the most common security personnel are the airport police, some local or area police, military men, police dogs and bomb specialists, and airport security. Aside from these security personnel, airports have immigration officers who check the identity of the entering passengers. All of these personnel work together ensuring the safety of the people inside the airport (Airsafe). According to TSA (2008), different

Have sanctions achieved their political and economic goals in Zimbabwe Dissertation

Have sanctions achieved their political and economic goals in Zimbabwe - Dissertation Example It cannot be denied that the given policies have to some extent helped in stabilizing the strongly sanctioned economy by preventing a total collapse of the economic systems of a country that was once considered very successful. It is known that sanctions do not generally serve a positive role because they mostly lead to outcomes that are negative. Governments are known to develop contingency plans that aim at countering the adverse impact of sanctions. It is also evident that the sanctions imposed by the West are more reflective of thei...r own interests instead of what they purport to affect. Because of the different varieties of sanctions that have been imposed on Zimbabwe in its different sectors, this paper has mainly examined the economic and political impacts of the sanctions on the country and its people. This paper has found that after the imposition of sanctions in Zimbabwe, a number of sectors have deteriorated and put the lives of citizens to immense risk in view of the co llapse of health, education and water supply systems. Thus, the sanctions have worked in aggravating the conditions of people because the country’s relations with western countries have been soured and it has been virtually isolated in having only negligible influence amongst powerful nations. 1. Introduction It has been observed that states that have been known to violate human rights were invariably imposed with sanctions in different ways. Simply understood, sanctions are forms of punishments imposed on such states in order to make them comply with the given provisions of law. It is known historically that economic sanctions have been often used as an alternative to armed conflicts in making states to comply with given requirements. Zimbabwe has been under the grip of economic sanctions for over a decade, which has been imposed by the USA, the European Union, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia on account of alleged human rights violations by the government. The US and the EU believe that the sanctions are measures to restrict the activities of President Mugabe and some officials of his government that are supportive of his policies. In contrast, the ZANU PF, Mugabe’ political party, has viewed the sanctions as being targeted against the entire nation. This paper will analyze the issue of whether the sanctions have achieved their political goals in Zimbabwe. The paper will make a critical appraisal of the effectiveness of the sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe The major crisis situations that led to the imposition of sanctions will be outlined after which the positive and negative impact of the sanctions will be examined by determining the effectiveness of the sanctions regime. In order to understand the issue thoroughly, it is important to briefly examine the historical patterns of sanctions. Essentially, sanctions are a means available to the UN Security Council under provisions of chapter 7

RECRUITING Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

RECRUITING - Research Paper Example The industry of recruitment has its basis on the objective of facilitating a candidate or job seeker for a reward. On one end of the continuum, there exist the recruitment agencies which find jobs for the candidates and get their reward only when the candidate that they deliver to the organization stays with it for a long time. The individual has to spend a certain probationary period with the client. The other end of the continuum comprises of certain recruitment agencies which are given a retainer who concentrates on, analyses the needs of the clients, and accomplish the targets and milestones that are set in terms of the search for the right candidate. These agencies are again rewarded with a certain percentage of the salary of candidate as soon as the individual is placed in the organization and works even after the period of probation ends. The recruitment industry of the present age is sufficiently competitive, and this is the reason that there are various ways that have been s ought out by the agencies that aim to distinguish themselves and provide value added services by concentrating on the diverse areas of recruitment life cycle. 4 The various job search engines and recruitment websites are utilized to collect the maximum number of potential candidates by posting the vacant advertisements of the vacant position across a broad geographic area. Though, it is supposed to be a cost effective option, yet, a department manager or human resource department will consume time in addition to their normal responsibilities in screening through the resumes. 5 Various organizations desire to develop in-house recruitment and branding strategy of employer instead of the proper recruitment firms. The technological factor, in the current era, has resulted in the emergence of meta-search engines which permit the people seeking jobs in different professionals, to browse through different

NHS Computer System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

NHS Computer System - Research Paper Example Project management is further explained in five processes including initiation, planning, execution, controlling and closure. Moreover, it involves other knowledge areas such as time, scope, expenditure, risks involved, quality, commucation, procurement and even, integration at times (Milosevic 2003). The activities managed by the project team include identifying requirements, managing the expectations of stakeholders, and competing for time, scope, risk, cost, and quality. Projects are always marred by deviations from the scope, objectives and execution, and this has pushed project managers to link and harmonise change management, project control and risk management. This is because risks usually arise from inefficiency in management and inadequate documentation of changes (Heldman & Heldman 2007). Frame (2003) explains the importance of readiness by the project team to deal with changes and that it is risky to ignore a project’s environmental impacts and adequate information in the planning stage. According to Kerzner (2006), change and risk management is important as it reduces the number and level of surprises. He further he explains that risks and changes are â€Å"hand in hand† as risks are usually created by changes. NHS computer system NHS computer system was created under the functioning of UK Department of Health, and the system was produced to deliver the NHS National Programme which falls under IT (NPfIT). NPfIT was, however, initiated by the Department of Health of England which was given the task of shifting England`s National Health Service (NHS) to an integrated, electronic care record which can be centrally managed for patients, also which has the capacity... The NHS program has recently come under criticism especially with Department of Health refusing to give solid information about its progress to external observers. This has even led to academics in computer related fields to write a letter to the Health Select Committee raising concern about the program. The government has also been under fire for its apparent reluctance to evaluate and audit the program, and in case the development of the policy gets failed, i.e. the ICT policy proposed tends to cost less and benefit more, much evidence regarding technology is lacking.In 2009, the Public Accounts Committee reported that, the risks to the deployment system are getting higher and further termed in as being â€Å"as serious as ever,† whereby they further continued to say that the base of the project is now almost â€Å"way off the pace†, at this point further indicating the revision date which has already been extended i.e. the completion due date of 2014-2015 is still in doubt especially in the aftermath of the Fujitsu's contract being terminated, which had to cover the South. Moreover, it was concluded that there is already delay in essential systems, thus even if an effort to deploy the system is made, the clinical staff has high expectations which will not be possible to comply with. Furthermore, considering the current cost of the program, along with the managerial issues going on and also with the four IT providers being sacked, there has been an increase in the criticism going on about the project.

INFA questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INFA questions - Assignment Example It does not dictate how many or which tool to use in improving the security of system. Rather, the choice on what number of layers and technologies to use depends upon the risk analysis done by the organization (Cisco). Concerned with the way authority is assigned and organized (Northcutt). Entails formulating security policies, guidelines and planning in order to reduce loss (Stallings & Brown). Basically involves setting what employees may do, must always do, or cannot do. Examples include changing of policies, installing motion detectors, security awareness training among others. Involves enforcing the implementation of security policies, standards and also maintaining consistency in operations together with executing corrective measures in case of deficiencies (Stallings & Brown). The procedures are effected on both hardware and software. Examples include recovery actions like system reboot, data backup and access control to data (Slideshare). It involves utilizing the security capabilities of the hardware and software. The security once set up is managed entirely by the computer system. Examples include setting up firewalls and access tokens, password encryptions. 2. Most security models categorize controls into three types: management, operational, and technical. Describe each of these categories, and provide two examples of controls that would fall within each category. (1/2 page) A characteristic of a technology that someone can take advantage of to orchestrate a security incident (Stallings & Brown). Example is when a program unintentionally allows ordinary users to execute commands that can only be executed by privileged users. A potential for violation of a security policy that comes into play when there is an event or circumstance that could trigger breaching of security and therefore cause harm. It can be explained as a possible danger that could result in someone taking advantage of a

Essentials Mangement (report) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Essentials Mangement (report) - Essay Example Early on, the proposition seems to be true as it is appealing but research and retrospection conducted for the study would indicate that the claim is actually oversimplified. The arguments that will prove this point are presented and detailed in the ensuing discussion. Team building is essentially defined as a continuous, multifaceted process where the members learn to work together for a common goal. It can pertain to any assembly of individuals in different areas of concern such as in sport and in business. The core principles that operate in building any successful team include making the members appreciate and develop a shared vision and unity of purpose, gradually forming a collaborative and synergistic teamwork and establishing an open and honest communication process. However, an effective team does not only cooperate for this can be forced or coerced. An effective team is essentially where people forms relationships that surpasses work. It also involves peer and social support and a build-up of trust that combines to create a positive team culture and a cohesive group atmosphere. This process only comes only after several stages of team building. Thus, the process of making people work together as a team involves an understanding of complex social and psychological processes which is further explored in the ensuing discussion. Human Psychology would tell us that every individual is unique in his own ways. Group and team development strategies try to make team members to appreciate common goals. A manager tries to develop in his group a need to achieve the organization’s objectives. He tries to motivate the members to work together as a team. However, the knowledge that all individuals are unique informs us that the development of synergistic relationships is easier said than done. Philosophical undertakings followed by scientific research would tell

Lego Branding Community Essay Example for Free

Lego Branding Community Essay Online communities are becoming â€Å"places† of belonging, information, and emotional support that people cannot do without. These social groups have a real existence for their participants, and thus have consequential effects on many aspects of behaviour. This article examines collective value creation and empowerment in an online brand community. It presents the main features of an online brand community, the process of value co-creation, and motivators for participating in online brand communities. These key factors jointly characterize collective value creation and empowerment. This netnographic study focuses on an online brand community called BrickBuilders, which is a meeting place for LEGO builders in Finland. BrickBuilders’ members feel a sense of belonging, they share similar motivations, and they create value together. Introduction A brand community can be formed by any group of people who share a common interest in a specific brand and who create a parallel social universe rife with its own myths, values, rituals, vocabulary, and hierarchy (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001; Cova and Pace, 2006). Brand communities become more than a place. They become a common understanding of a shared identity, which can be found in both face-to-face interactions and in cyberspace (Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001). Analysts no longer question whether the concept of community should have a place in the domain of marketing (Cova and Pace, 2006). However, the concepts of brand community and online brand community are relatively new and have yet to find their place in the academic world. Traditionally, companies produced products relatively independently. Today, consumers and other stakeholders can create value more collectively. The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze collective value creation and empowerment in an online brand community. Main Features of Online Brand Communities Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) used three constructs to identify the distinguishing features of brand communities. First, a sense of belonging is a connection that members feel toward one another and the collective sense of difference from others outside of the community. The second feature is the presence of shared rituals and traditions that surround the brand. Rituals and traditions perpetuate the community’s shared history, culture, and consciousness. Traditions include certain behavioural norms and values. The third feature is a sense of moral responsibility, which is a felt sense of duty or obligation to the community. The sense of moral responsibility is what produces collective action. Heinonen and Halonen (2007) have identified motivators for online brand community activities. Members want to belong to something, build and strengthen their identities, get feedback from others, and create something new. The Process of Collective Value Creation Schau and colleagues (2009) have identified the process of value co-creation in online brand communities. The process consists of four thematic practices, which are social networking, impression management, community engagement, and brand use. Social networking is a practice that focuses on creating, enhancing, and sustaining ties among brand community members. These include welcoming, empathizing, and governing. These practices operate primarily in the intangible domain of the emotions and reinforce the social or moral bonds within the community. Impression management includes evangelizing and justifying. Online brand community members act as altruistic emissaries and ambassadors of good will. Members devote time and effort to the brand, share the news of the brand, and inspire others to participate in the community. Community-engagement practices are those that reinforce members’ escalating engagement with the brand community. These include staking, milestoning, badging, and documenting. Staking, milestoning, and badging mean that community members bring out brand experiences and proclaim openly that they are fans of a particular brand. Documenting occurs when brand community members construct a narrative of their brand experiences. Brand-use practices are specifically related to improved or enhanced use of the focal brand. These include grooming, customizing, and commoditizing. Grooming means that members share, for example, homemade tools and advice. Customizing means modifying existing ideas and discovering new ideas, which result in customized products. Commoditizing means that members rant or chastise some products, but at the same time, they have new ideas on how those products could be developed. Synthesis of the Theoretical Framework The main features of online brand communities, value co-creation, and motivators for participating in online brand communities (Heinonen and Halonen, 2007; Kozinets, 2010; Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001; Schau et al., 2009) are the key factors that jointly – realized in various combinations – characterize collective value creation and empowerment in an online brand community. The collective value creation and empowerment in the online brand community may occur when its members have a sense of belonging, they create value together, and they have similar motives. The collective value creation and empowerment of the online brand community allows mutual interaction between the online brand community and the company as well as other stakeholders. Companies have an opportunity to communicate with consumers and influence their opinions (Kozinets, 2010) and vice-versa. We have moved away from one-way transactions to a relationship-based interaction model that emphasizes consumers’ and other stakeholders’ roles in networks and communities.

Strategies for Reform in Kenya: Development of Equality

Strategies for Reform in Kenya: Development of Equality STUDENT: CHRIS MUGO NDIRANGU REG.NO: 1021356 Question Reform agenda in Kenya, committees, parties involved and previous practices INTRODUCTION Reforms are about bringing positive change in any country or administration. It’s about becoming better through the removal of false and error or by correcting malpractice, especially of a moral and social kind. Reforms are about enhancing value and qualities. In Kenya various reforms have been initiated particularly with the adoption of a new constitution in 2010. Various committees and parties have been involved in the reform agenda. The following then are some of the reforms initiated in Kenya. Measures to Curb Corruption According to Transparency International corruption index of 2013 Kenya ranked number 136 out of 177 in the world. This indicates the high level of corruption in the country. Indeed corruption is endemic to Kenya. It has contributed to wastage and misuse of national resources. Thus the new constitution has a number of provisions to allow for stronger checks and balances to curb corruption. Generally the constitution ensures the supremacy of parliament where parliament scrutinizes the executive to ensure it does not abuse its mandate and also scrutinizing state finances. This ensures no wastage or loss of funds occurs through corruption. Other than parliament the constitution provides for a commission that will work to curb corruption in government. The establishment of this commission is key in Kenya’s reform agenda. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has since been established and given the following functions under the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, 2011. Some of the functions include: Ensure compliance with, and enforcement of, the provisions of the Constitution in relation to ethics, integrity and anti-corruption Develop and promote standards and best practices in ethics, integrity and anti-corruption Receive complaints on allegations of breach of the ethical principles or code of conduct by a public officer Investigate and prosecute any acts of corruption Recommend appropriate action to be taken against public officers alleged to have engaged in unethical conduct Develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat corruption and economic crime Promote ethics and ethical conduct among public officers, the private sector and the public in general. Decentralization of Government This arguably is the biggest reform initiated by the constitution. This is the ceding of power and autonomy by national governments to the counties. The constitution devolves power closer to the people at the grassroots. This diffuses political power and avoids on group or ethnic community from dominating the country by winning national elections throughout. Thus preventing political violence as witnessed in the 2007/2008. The constitutions allows for the following: Establishment of counties that replace the previous administrative units of provinces and districts. Creation of 47 counties where each county has an executive committee led by a governor and a deputy governor elected for a maximum of two terms Creation of county assemblies composed of elected members. Devolution of health services, infrastructure among other functions from the national government to the county government. The county governments are also empowered to impose levies and permit fees to support its development needs. The reform agenda of devolution or decentralization of the Government is intended to achieve the following political, social and economic goals by: Enhancing the principles of democracy Bringing power closer to the people and increase public participation in policy-making Enable greater responsiveness to the needs and opportunities for people at the grassroots level Establish new hubs of economic growth away from the capital city Promote equitable development across the country In ensuring smooth transition of national government functions to county government a County Transitional Authority has been formed under the Transition to Devolved Government Act, 2011. The main function of the authority shall be to facilitate a coordinated transition to county governments. Other functions include: Facilitate comprehensive and effective transfer as provided for under the constitution Oversee transfer of assets, liabilities and staff of national governments and local authorities to county governments Carry out an audit of the existing assets and infrastructure of the national government and local authorities with respect to devolved functions Develop and implement training programmes for county government staff Resolve disputes over transition issues between the nation and land county governments Women rights and marginalised groups This is one of the major issues in Kenya’s reform agenda over the past decade. Women rights groups and marginalised groups have pushed for reforms that would allow for greater participation and recognition in the running of affairs in the country. This is especially in government political sphere. The major reforms regarding women are entrenched in the new constitution. According to (Mugambi, 2010) the purpose of these constitutional gains on the side of women are to preserve their dignity and to promote social justice. The constitution ; ensures that women are able to pass on citizenship to their children regardless of whether they are married to Kenyans or not, eliminates gender discrimination in relation to land and property. The greatest provision in relation to women and of major significance is that the constitution provides that a one third requirement for either gender in elective bodies. This translates to women occupying at least 1/3 in elective institutions. This rule has a major shortcoming as citizens cannot be forced to elect women in order to achieve the gender threshold. The constitution also provides for the election of women representatives for each county who shall sit in parliament. Marginalised groups have also benefitted from the reforms being initiated in government. These marginalised groups include youth, marginalised communities and the disabled. The constitution provides that for the nomination of members of this group into parliament and county assemblies. The youth have also benefitted from the creation of funds that will enable them to set up businesses and earn income. An example of this is the creation of the Uwezo fund. The government has also formulated a policy of awarding contracts and tenders to youth groups and women. The policy states that 30% of the contracts and tenders shall be awarded to women and the youth. Performance Contracting The Kenyan government has been characterized with long bureaucratic procedures, inefficiency, lack of accountability which translates to high levels of corruption and wastage of resources. This results into poor economic performance. The government has however been adopting measures to change the common bad practices. This government hopes will change the perception and attitude towards government in service delivery. The government has thus initiated reforms in the public sector to gain public confidence both locally and internationally. Key to this reforms is performance contracting. Performance contracting is a mechanism under the public sector reforms that aims at improving performance of the Public sector through setting clear objectives. It involves setting simple, measurable, accurate, realistic and time-bound targets. Specifying agent performance in terms of results and assigning accountability for those results, increasing transparency and accountability in public institutions, establishing clear reporting, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the projects. Performance contracting is done on a quarterly basis. At the end of every quarter, government institutions submit their quarterly reports and finally annual report to relevant agency. Feedbacks then are sent to the government institutions for improvements. The first procedure in performance contracting process is target formulation. The government institution sets targets based on the following indicators; financial, service delivery, non-financial, operational and dynamics. A work-plan/ implementation schedule based on its departmental plans is formulated. The plan indicates with activities hoped to be accomplished in the contract year. The second procedure is Negotiations. The targets set are negotiated on the basis of available resources, time frame and relevancy to existing policy documents. The third is vetting. The targets in this stage are looked at again. The fourth stage is signing. The contract is signed by the relevant heads of the institution and the monitoring agency. This shows commitment by both parties towards the attainment of the set targets. The fifth stage is implementation. The government institutions implement their agreed contracts and work towards achieving the set targets within the specified time frame. The si xth and final stage is reporting. The reporting is done on a quarterly basis which culminates in an annual report to the relevant reporting authorities. Performance contracting is important because of the following reasons; Helps in fast tracking existing plans in a government institution and a countries strategic plan example Kenya’s vision 2030 Proper coordination of projects is achieved through the development of intense monitoring and evaluation system so as to achieve the set target Setting of higher targets in every contract period leads to improvement in efficiency. Public servants have the opportunity to be recognised thus motivates them to perform Performance contracting has led to the emergence of a competitive Public Service which enhances their growth and development. REFERENCES Mugambi, M. (2010, March 28). Constitutional Gains for Kenyan Women. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from Academia.edu: www.academia.edu Constitution of Kenya.2010 Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, 2011. Transition to Devolved Government Act, 2011.

The Education System In Mauritius

The Education System In Mauritius Education has been free for the secondary level since 1977 and for full time undergraduate level at the University of Mauritius since 1988. The State provides adequate funding for education, occasionally straining tight budgets and even subsidizing a great part of the expenditure in grant aided secondary schools, that is, schools under the control of privately owned institutions. With universal primary education being achieved in the 1970s, free education in 1977, and legislation making education up to 16 years of age compulsory, the challenges policyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ makers have had to face have related to broadening access at the higher education level, improving quality, and strengthening the management of the sector (while ensuring equity). The financing of higher education is basically via the government and students/parents. Students enrolled in public higher educational institutions are funded to a very large extent by the government. Students enrolled in local private higher education institutions and those in overseas institutions pay the full cost of their education. The key factors influencing the quality of higher education are the quality of faculty, curriculum standards, technological infrastructure available, research environment, accreditation regime and the administrative policies and procedures implemented in institutions of higher learning. The overall vision of government was spelt out in the New Economic Agenda formulated in 2000. The main challenge was to move gradually away from traditional sectors to the services sector. The objective was to diversify manufacturing into higher value-added markets and to consolidate services (financial, ICT, etc.) as a fourth pillar of economic development. To attract new investment and to maintain the countrys competitiveness, a highly productive skilled workforce was seen as imperative. With a view to setting Mauritius on a higher growth path, the country has recognised the importance of developing higher education as a regional hub for high quality education and training, to ensure that the knowledge industry acts as a catalyst in broadening the Mauritian economy, and in providing the necessary support to the existing and upcoming sectors. There has been a dramatic paradigm shift in the development strategy mooted by the government. In summary, it has been accepted by government that the education system, especially higher education, needs to be re-orientated to respond more effectively. Higher education in Mauritius can be traced back to the establishment of the School of Agriculture within the Department of Agriculture in 1914, which became integrated into the UoM when it was established in 1965. However, it was only in post-independent Mauritius that several public higher education institutions were created, which were complementary to UoM. Over the years the higher education sector has become increasingly diversified. Pre Primary sector The Pre-primary sector traditionally catered for children aged 4 onwards and , since this year, for those aged 3. The NER currently stands at 94 percent, with the State providing a per-child grant of MR 200 (USD 6). Private individuals/ institutions make up some 80 percent of the educational provision in the sector. The following measures are part of policy developments to consolidate the sector: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strengthening the institutional and regulatory framework for the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduction of disparity among pre-schools. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Addressing the problem of out-of-schools pre-primary children due to absolute poverty. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing a National Curriculum Framework for the pre-primary subsector. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensuring readiness of all pre-primary school children for primary school. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Construction of pre-primary units in disadvantaged areas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strengthening partnerships with parents through a Parent Empowerment Program. Primary sector Children are enrolled in primary school from the age of five and enter Standard (Grade) I and move automatically up to Standard VI. The system is competitive and a two-year preparation starts since Standard V up to Standard VI for the end of primary school examinations, the CPE (Certificate of Primary Education). The CPE is a national examination carried out in all the schools of the island following a grading system. Five subjects are compulsory English, French, Mathematics, Science, and History and Geography and the grading process is based on the 5 best grades obtained from these along with any one of the Asian/ Arabic languages. . Government has implemented several initiatives in primary schools of the country in order to improve CPE examinations results. One such initiative is known as the Zones dEducation Prioritaires (Z.E.P.). This initiative targets the schools with low performance over a consecutive period of five years and involves the whole school community: school staff, parents, NGOs, business and community-based associations in improving the school climate and results. Other recent initiatives have included the development of an Enhancement Programme to cater for students of Std III and IV providing several co curricular activities to support the holistic development of the child, and the introduction of ICT in the classroom through the Sankorà © programme where classes of Std IV are progressively being equipped with computers and interactive projectors. Secondary sector The CPE determines admission to a secondary college. Secondary schools are either State owned, grant-aided private schools, or fully private fee-paying schools. The child enters college in Form I and progresses through to Form VI, requiring seven years of schooling since there is a two year preparation for the Higher School Certificate/A-Level examinations. A major nationally devised curriculum has been developed for Forms I-III with the Secondary Curriculum Framework now in place since 2010. Students study for a broad compulsory curriculum up to Form III comprising English, French, Mathematics and the Social and Hard Sciences. When students reach Form IV, they have to choose at least six major subjects for their O-Level examinations in Form V. Subsequently, students have to specialise in 3 main subjects and 2 subsidiary ones for the A Level examination. The O-Level and A-Level examinations are carried out by the University of Cambridge through the University of Cambridge International Examinations, which devises the syllabus; prepares and prints the examinations papers and does the correction for most subjects. TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) The main provider of the TVET program is the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD). The purpose of the MITD is to offer numerous technical programs to provide human resource training to meet the needs of the world of work at the middle professional level. The MITD also currently also provides courses at the level of National Diploma. The TVET sector is regulated by the Mauritius Qualifications Authority which also develops and maintains the national Qualifications Framework (NQF). Tertiary sector Tertiary education which started in 1924 with the College of Agriculture has since developed into a diversified system, composed of public, private, regional and overseas institutions catering for a wide range of courses and programmes. Tertiary education in Mauritius is characterized by a wide range of institutions with diverse characteristics. Some provide all levels of tertiary education in a range of disciplines while others focus their activities on only one or two areas at certain levels. A number of the institutions are overseas with their provisions made available through the distance education and mix mode. Within the public sector, tertiary education revolves around the University of Mauritius (UoM), the University of Technology (UTM), the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD) and the Open University of Mauritius (OUM). Overseeing the four tertiary education institutions (TEIs) is the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) which, inter alia, has responsibility for allocating public funds, and fostering, planning and coordinating the development of post-secondary education and training. In addition to the above publicly-funded institutions (PFIs), a number of private institutions are presently delivering tertiary-level programmes, mostly in niche areas like Information Technology, Law, Management, Accountancy and Finance. Many of the programmes in the private sector are offered in collaboration with overseas institutions. Many Mauritian students also either go overseas or resort exclusively to the open learning mode in pursuing their higher education studies. The University of Mauritius The University of Mauritius (UOM) is a national University in Mauritius. It is the oldest and largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered. The public universitys main campus is located at Rà ©duit, Moka. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was accompanied by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, inaugurated the University on 24th March 1972. Over the past decades, in response to the contemporaneous and emergent needs of the various sectors of the Mauritian economy, the university now has progressed from being a mostly in-service training institution to a fully-fledged university, concentrating increasingly on bachelors degrees, postgraduate programmes, research and consultancy. The universitys current strategic plan, Strategic Directions 2006-2015, has the following six strategic directions: Knowledge creation Knowledge diffusion Investing in resources Quality culture and good governance National, regional and international collaborations Community outreach The University of Mauritius has committed itself to continuous improvement and quality management. These are the actions that the university is trying to cater for: Ensuring relevance interact proactively with the world of work and the community to cater for emergent requirements while inculcating a wider sense of belonging to the university. Ensuring quality of teaching and learning enhance existing provisions for continuous improvement in the quality of teaching and learning, and work progressively towards the implementation of best practice. Strengthen research develop further the universitys research capacity and research management plan. Internationalize the university improve the international standing of the university and expand its role and programme of activities. Amongst Mauritian universities the UoM stands out both in terms of its dominance with regard to enrolment and it numerous pockets of excellence with regard to research. The UoM is the largest supplier of tertiary education locally, accounting for 22.2% of total higher education enrolment. Faculties Originally, the university had three schools, namely Agriculture, Administration and Industrial Technology. It has since expanded to comprise five faculties, namely Faculty Of Agriculture, Faculty Of Engineering, Faculty Of Law and Management, Faculty Of Science, and Faculty Of Social Studies Humanities. The faculties are involved in teaching, research and consultancy. It has also a Centre for Medical Research and Studies, a Centre for Distance Education, a Centre for Information Technology and Systems, and a Consultancy Centre. Following these on-campus developments and expansions, it resulted in a simultaneous increase in the number and in the diversity of programmes being offered, and the number of students enrolled. The programmes of the University are internationally recognized and include quality assurance mechanisms such as the external examiner system and affiliated with renowned Universities worldwide. There is a Quality Assurance Office which helps the University in maintaining and improving the quality of all its activities. There are various exchange agreements that have been established between the UOM and overseas universities. Students Union The Students Union, established in 1971, is run by and for the students. It work in the interest of students and regularly organize various activities. All students are members, the membership fee being included in the registration. Students are very dynamic in organizing extracurricular activities supported by the Public Relations Office.

Where we Stand by Hooks :: Free Essay Writer

Where we Stand by Hooks In our current society, it is acceptable to talk about race or gender. However, when it comes to the subject of class, people tend to tense, and are uncertain as to where they stand. At one time in history money afforded prestige and power, however now, money is a large part of our society and tends to rule many peoples lives. In the book Where We Stand: Class Matters, by bell hooks, she describes a life growing up in a family who had nothing, to now becoming one of America’s most admired writers. She wrote this book because she wanted to write about her journey from a working class world to class-consciousness, and how we are challenged everyday with the widening gap between the rich and the poor. In her book, hook’s describes a life dominated by the haunting issues of money, race, and class. Looking at this from the different perspectives of a functionalist, symbolic interactionist, and conflict helps to show other points of view. If you were to look at this book from a functionalist’s perspective you would be looking at it from an extremely greedy aspect. A functionalist would say that their parents and society told them that only people with money were good and successful. Thus, causing you to feel like â€Å"trash† or class if you did not make a huge salary, and live a wealthy life. A symbolic interactionist would tell you that they grew up where all of their peers drove nice cars, and had large homes, so to fit in, you need to be able to buy those things. However, a person with a conflict point of view would say that it was her ongoing struggle with society, and having to defend her class, that has made her who she is today. There are many ‘norms’ and values expressed throughout hook’s writing. In the early part of the twentieth century survival belonged to the fittest. Not necessarily meaning fittest as ‘strongest,’ but able to produce, work hard, and make a secure life for yourself and family. On the other hand, in today’s society the message is that survival belongs only to the greedy. Also many young kids have the notion that in order to ’live the good life’ you must be wealthy of material possessions. Younger kids have to deal a lot more with the pressures associated with wealth.

It’s a Hard Knock Life for Them Essay -- Literary Analysis

In both Katherine Porter’s â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† and Eudora Welty’s â€Å"Why I Live in the P.O.†, the main characters deal with family members they frankly do not like. Due to both of their being jilted by men, they are full of resentment and anger causing these women to leave their families on bad terms. Porter and Welty are presenting through the character’s flashbacks and memories that we should pick our battles wisely when it comes to our families because one day they will be gone and, some of us might miss our deceased loved ones, like Granny from â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall†, or be filled with a hatred towards them, like Sister from â€Å"Why I Live in the P.O.†. Porter and Welty both provide flashbacks and memories in their stories to help the reader see what Granny and Sister’s lives were like before everything fell apart with their families. Porter’s â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† is packed of the flashbacks and memories of Granny’s past relationships with the only people she loves even though are all dead. She reminisced about her youthful days when she was strong, independent, and with John, the man who stood her up at the altar and died when Granny was young. She still loves him and wants to see him, but â€Å"John would be looking for a young woman with the peaked Spanish comb in her hair and the painted fan,† (Porter 81) she believed he would not recognize her. Granny also lost one of her daughters, Hapsy along with her newborn who also died. When Granny brought those memories to the surface a fog of darkness, clouds reality and she gets lost and recalls that, â€Å"there was the day, the d ay, but a whirl of dark smoke rose and covered it, crept up and over into the bright field where everything was planted so c... ...to be pertinacious like Sister. The flashbacks allow the reader to go back with the characters and see what we missed out on, example; Granny’s happier days, when she had her man and she was strong and young, or Sister’s happier days when she also had her man and was treated respectably by certain members of her family. Furthermore, I believe the point both authors proposed was this, â€Å"Choose battles wisely and forgive or, forever suffer continuous loss.† Works Cited Porter, Katherine. â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall.† Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 79-86. Print. Welty, Eudora. â€Å"Why I Live at the P.O.† Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 42-50. Print.

Impact of Technology in Australians Lives Essay -- Technology

From invitro fertilisation to autopsy, people’s lives in Australia are potentially subject to scrutiny. The extent to which details of a particular individual’s existence are on show depends not just on the person’s own decisions but also on the decisions of related others, private firms and the state as well as inadvertent access by technology. This essay examines several points in people’s lives where they are most likely to encounter the public gaze, either now or into the future. Specifically, these junctures are the Census, The 100 point ID system and the lens of telepanoramic digital photography. Every five years, the Census provides a snapshot of Australian households. The data collected forms the basis of public planning. (How to complete your Census form 2006, p.2) On the night of August the 8th 2006, Australian households undertook the latest census. The form could be completed in either hard copy or online. Of particular interest was Question 60, Time capsule, which invited households to have a copy of their responses to the Census identified by their names in microfilm format for future reference. This information will be held in secure storage by the National Archives of Australia for 99 years when it will be made available to ‘genealogists †¦, historians, academics, social analysts, journalists, and fiction and non-fiction writers’. This option was first made available at the previous Census held in 2001 (How to complete your Census form 2006, p.17). This opportunity was welcomed by genealogists, who have long envied their British counterparts historic and full access to census data from 1841 onwards. Indeed, the 1901 census has recently been made available (Census Online 2006). In the Australian case however, t... ...to complete your census form 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra. The metroguide: a guide to Adelaide’s public transport system n.d. Adelaide Metro, Adelaide. Murray, E 2006 ‘Jail for â€Å"greedy† con woman’, The Age, September 22. Viewed 19th of October 2006 Norris, M 2006 ‘I caught our most-wanted con woman’, Woman’s Day, October 2006, pp.34-35. Privacy on the Internet: Effect on genealogy n.d. Viewed 12 October 2006 Tadros, E & Petrie, A 2006 ‘Moment of truth in the many lives of Jodie’, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 7. Viewed 19th of October 2006 Whittaker, N 1998 Controlling your credit cards, Simon & Schuster, East Roseville.

Sez- Challenges Before Indian Economy

Mundhe. Dept. of Business Economics, Siddharth College of Comm. & Eco. Mumbai. SEZ – Challenges Before Indian Economy Introduction : Over the years it has been seen that the growth rate of the Indian economy, employment generation, improvement in the standard of living of the people has not been as expected.It was realized that foreign (and even domestic) investments in India were much lesser as compared to the much smaller South East Asian countries mainly due to multiplicity of controls and clearances, absence of world class financial infrastructure, etc. With a view to overcome the shortcomings experienced in attracting investments, increasing exports and accelerating economic growth the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) policy was introduced by the then NDA government in April 2000.This policy intended to make SEZs a tool for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure complemented by an attractive fiscal package, both at the Centre and the State level, with the minimu m possible regulations Further, to instill confidence in investors and signal the Government’s commitment to a stable SEZ policy regime and with a view to impart stability to the SEZ regime thereby generating greater economic activity and employment through the establishment of SEZs, a comprehensive draft of SEZ Bill was prepared after extensive discussions with the stakeholders.The over enthusiasm to push the SEZ policy as an instrument of rapid industrialization has met with a series of roadblocks especially after the Nandigram incident. The SEZ policy is a part of the policy of â€Å"Growth at any Cost†, with the cost falling on the marginalized section of the rural population. Thus, those who gain and those who lose will be different sections of the population. This simply means that the SEZs are not Pareto-optimal over a situation where SEZs are absent. Therefore, this policy can lead to various socio-economic and political challenges.Meaning of SEZs? The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are well developed enclaves of industrial infrastructure with plots, built up space, power, water supply, transport, housing etc. Besides industrial facilities, the SEZs provides social infrastructure including schools, hospitals, roads, hotels and the like. The SEZs are specifically delineated areas wherein units may be set up for specified purpose of manufacturing or trading or rendering services or providing warehousing facility for exports.In terms of the Section 2(i) of the said SEZ Act 2005, the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) is defined to mean the whole of India (including its territorial waters and continental shelf) but not including the areas of SEZs. Furthermore, section 53 of the said SEZ Act provides that the SEZ shall be deemed to be a territory outside the Customs territory of India. The legal implication is that the SEZs are treated as the foreign territory for the purpose of trade operations, duties and tariffs.In other words, goods and services go ing into the SEZ (from the DTA) are treated as exports and goods and services coming from SEZ into the DTA are treated as imports. Therefore, domestic laws do not generally apply to the SEZs and the units therein. In short, SEZs will be considered sovereign territories of MNCs setting up shops there and ordinary Indians will require passports to enter these enclaves. Historical Background & SEZ Act: The SEZ Act was enacted only recently, in 2005, but the origin of the SEZ scheme can be traced to as far back as 1965 when the Kandla Free Trade Zone (FTZ) was started.Thus there were Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in the country well before the new legislation was enacted, but these were few in number (only eight, operated by Central Government) and did not have a major impact on exports or investment. This led to a comprehensive review of the policy framework for existing EPZs/FTZs In 1999, which included a study of many SEZs world-over. The finding of the study was that there was scop e for significant improvement in export performance through policy changes relating to DTA access, export obligation, etc. The concept of SEZ was given to India by late Shri.Murasoli Maran, former Union Commerce Minister. During his China visit he had a occasion to visit some of the SEZs in coastal regions of China. He observed the contribution that these SEZs have made to the Chinese exports and was deeply impressed by the progress achieved by SEZs and their overall impact on the economy. Back at home, he introduced the concept of SEZs in the EXIM policy-2000. He was very much interested in creating some SEZs in India and develop them on the lines of SEZs in China. He wanted to use the concept of SEZs to achieve a speedy economic growth in India.As a result, the Special Economic Zones Act was passed by Parliament in May, 2005 which received Presidential assent on the 23rd of June, 2005. After extensive consultations, the SEZ Act, 2005, supported by SEZ Rules, came into effect on 10 th February,2006, providing for drastic simplification of procedure and for single window clearance on matters relating to Central as well as State governments. Objectives of SEZs: The SEZs are primarily viewed as elements of the Government’s export promotion strategy but that is not entirely correct. They are expected to benefit the economy in multiple ways, as spelt out in Section 5 of the said SEZ Act.Herein it is provided that the following factors should be considered by the Board of Approvals in Approving proposals to establish SEZs: (1) Generation of additional activity (2) Promotion of exports of goods and services; (3) Promotion of investments from domestic and foreign sources; (4) Creation of employment opportunities; (5) Development of infrastructure facilities; It is expected that this will trigger a large flow of foreign and domestic investment in SEZs in infrastructure and productive capacity, leading to generation of additional economic activity and creation of employment opportunities.Here it is important to mention that in case of India, the key element for the success of SEZs are political will and commitment, removal of bureaucratic hassles, labor reforms, better fiscal incentives and continual review and monitoring of the functioning of SEZs and adoption and application of correctives. Criteria for Approvals: 1) SEZ size not to be less than 1000 hectares, recently it is scaled down to 5000 hectares & further to 1000 hectares (2) Sector specific SEZ can be set up in lesser area 3) Local Laws, Rules / Regulations applicable to SEZ & Units there in (4) Units to be approved under the SEZ scheme, by the Unit Approval Committee headed By the Development Commissioner. (5) The minimum processing area limit has been fixed at a Uniform level, at 50% of the total land acquired, for multi product and sector-specific SEZs Scheme to Develop / Operate / Maintain SEZ: The SEZs can be developed and managed either jointly or separately by the Central Government, State Government, or Any Person (including a Private orPublic Limited Company, Partnership or Proprietorship), for manufacture of goods; or for rendering services; or for both; or as a free trade and warehousing Zone. Incentives for Developers of SEZs : Developers and SEZ units shall be entitled to the following exemptions and concessions: 1) Exemption from customs duty on goods imported into the SEZ by the Developers or SEZ Unit to carry on the authorized operations; 2) Exemption from customs duty on goods exported from the SEZ by the Developer or SEZ Unit to any place outside India; ) Exemption from excise duty on goods brought from Domestic Tariff Area (â€Å"DTA†) to the SEZ by the Developers or SEZ unit to carry on the authorized operations, 4) 100% Income Tax exemption on export income for SEZ units in the first 5 years and 50% for the next 5 years. 5) Exemption from service tax on taxable service provided to a Developer or unit to carry on the authorized op erations in a SEZ 6) 100% of the profits of the developer arising from the business of developing an SEZ, shall be deducted from taxable income ) The developers of SEZ are not required to pay Minimum Alternate Tax. Challenges before Developing Economies, A Case Study of China: The SEZs policy is a part of the policy of â€Å"Growth at any Cost†, with the cost falling on the marginalized section of the rural population. Thus, those who gain and those who lose will be different sections of the population. This simply means that the SEZs are not Pareto-optimal over a situation where SEZs are absent. Therefore, this policy can lead to various socio-economic and political challenges.China is a shining example of a country which has developed through its SEZs. But this image of success of Chinese SEZs is both incomplete and incorrect. They have by no means been an unqualified success, and they have brought about severe economic and social problems. We have taken the case of SEZs in China and analyzed the effects on arable land, water, environment, health, income equality, poverty, etc. Some of the most striking effects of SEZs in China are as following: 1) during the period of 1996-2005, SEZs in China, have caused diversion of more than 21% of arable land to non-agricultural usage.Per capita land holding now stands at a meager 0. 094 hectares. This is when China has to feed 22% of the world’s population on only 7% of land, and every year, an additional 10 million people have to be fed. As more arable land is taken over for urbanization and industrialisation, issues related to changes in land use have become a major source of dispute between the public and the government. 2) In just thirteen years, between 1992 and 2005,about 20 million farmers were laid off agriculture due to land acquisition for SEZs.Protests against land acquisition and deprivation have become a common feature of rural life in China. Social instability in China has become an issue of concern. In 2004, the government has admitted to 74,000 riots in the countryside. 3) Whereas a few years ago, excessive and arbitrary taxation was the peasants’ foremost complaint, resentment over the loss of farmland, corruption, worsening pollution and arbitrary eviction by property developers are the main reasons for farmers’ unrest now. 4) China set up its first SEZ, Shenzhen in 1979.After growing at a rate of around 28% for the last 25 years, Shenzhen is now paying a huge cost in terms of environmental destruction, soaring crime rate and exploitation of its working class, mainly migrants 5) In 2006, the United Nations Environment Programme designated Shenzhen as a â€Å"Global Environment Hotspot†, meaning a region that had suffered rapid environmental destruction. 6) According to Howard French, the New York Times Bureau chief, most of the year, the Shenzhen sky is thick with choking smoke, while the crime rate is almost nine- fold higher than Shanghai.The working class earns US$ 80 every month in the sweatshops and the turnover rate is 10% – many turn to prostitution after being laid off. Further, real-estate dealers have stockpiled houses which have caused prices to spiral and have created a new generation of people, French calls them as, â€Å"Mortgage Slaves† in an article in the International Herald Tribune on 17th December,2006. 7) The mindless pursuit of growth following the model of high input, high consumption and low output has seriously impacted the environment.In 2004, China consumed 4. 3 times as much coal and electricity as the United States and 11. 5 times as much as Japan to generate each US$1 worth of GNP, according to the The Taipei Times, some 20% of the population lives in severely polluted areas and 70% of the rivers and lakes are in a grim shape. 8) Around 60% of companies that have set up units in the country violate emission rules. According to the World Bank, environmental problems are the cause of some 3,00,000 people dying each year.The Chinese government has admitted that pollution costs the country a staggering $200 billion a year – about 10 % of its GDP. 9) While export-driven policy for economic growth has helped China touch record growth figures, the income gap is widening and rapidly approaching the levels of some Latin American countries. Going by a recent report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Gini coefficient – a measure of income distribution where zero means perfect equality and one is maximum inequality – touched 0. 96 in the year 2006. In comparison, income inequality figures are 0. 33 in India, 0. 41 in the US and 0. 54 in Brazil. Further, the rural-urban income divide is staggering – annual income of city dwellers in China is around US$1,000 which is more than three times that of their rural counterparts. 10) In certain areas such as asset distribution or years of schooling China’s levels of inequality ar e lower (i. e. , more favourable ) than India. However, when one looks at it at the aggregate level, the picture is different.The levels of inequality in China have been rising through the last three decades, whether between rural and urban, within them, or on an aggregate basis. According to Zhu Ling, between 1978 and 1995, the Gini coefficient of rural income increased from 0. 21 to 0. 34 and that of the urban from 0. 16 to 0. 28. 11) With the Chinese economy opening up rapidly post – 1995 and also due to the massive concessions that China was forced to make in order to join the WTO, the trend continues and the aggregate Gini coefficient in 2006 was around 0. . Lessons India should learn from China: There are far reaching negative impacts of SEZ policy in India. It is normally advocated that India should learn from China. It is big failure there in China on the grounds of food shortages that may arise in future due to land acquisition, environmental problems etc. , therefor e India should consider the following while implementing the policy of Special Economic Zones – 1) Following China, India is replicating a similar model where vast tracts of a agricultural land are being acquired for creating SEZs and other industries.Therefore it will have the similar impact on the environment as in the case of China, as the dirty industries may enter in these zones. Further with drastic changes in labour laws favouring industry being considered, the plight of workers in these SEZs will be similar to those in China. Hence, such a model of development is environmentally unsustainable and socially undesirable. 2) It is now widely acknowledged that Chinese exports have also been boosted by its undervalued currency something which is turmed as an â€Å" effective subsidy†. This is a luxury that Indian exporters do not enjoy.Therefore, the argument for setting up SEZs to emulate China’s export-led growth is questionable. 3) Is export-driven growth t hrough SEZs desirable for India? There is no doubt export play a significant role in boosting GDP. However in the case of a country with a sizable domestic market, the choice lies with the producer to either export or supply to the domestic market. 4) According to Ila Patnaik of the National Institute for Public Finance and Policy, household consumption in India at 68% of the GDP is much higher than that of China at 38%, Europe at 58% and Japan at 55%.Given the high level of consumption of Indian households, it is quite possible that this rush to set up SEZs in India is fuelled not by the desire to export out of the country but by the possibility of exporting from SEZs into the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA). The SEZs act is also designed to facilitate this. Any unit within the SEZ can export to the DTA, after paying the prevailing duty, as long as it is a net foreign exchange earner for three years. It is therefore a win-win situation for these units. ) The soaps in a SEZ will reduce t he cost of capital while labour reforms will ensure trouble-free operations. Further, given the considerable international pressure to reduce industrial tariffs, SEZs will be able to export to the DTA at highly competitive prices. This does not augur well for units outside the SEZs who will now face unfair competition. As cheaper imports have already played havoc with the livelihoods of artisan sector of the economy, cheaper imports into DTA from SEZs will also adversely affect the domestic.No wonder many of them now want to migrate into SEZs. 6) In a country with 65% of the population depending on agriculture as a means of livelihood, industry ought to be complementary to agriculture. Though SEZs however, industry is being promoted at the cost of agriculture. This is the reason why Indian farmers all over the country are not willing to depart from their farm lands. It is witnessed on 21st Sept,2008, where 85% of the farmers from Raighad District have voted against the SEZs. ) Valua ble resources spent to create SEZs will be at the cost of building better infrastructure for the rest of the country, something that will affect both the domestic industry as well as agriculture. Challenges before Indian Economy: Given that India’s socio-cultural and economic scenario is altogether different from that of China’s, it is debatable whether SEZs prove to be a success here. In the words of, Sunil Rallan, MD of Matadee Eco Parks,† The Indian government’s SEZ policy is superior to China’s in terms of legislation but has failed in the implementation process. Thus while SEZs may be loudable idea it is doubtful whether it is the right policy for the basic problems of heterogenous country like India. Replicating the Chinese model, India may end up not only with insufficient SEZs but also with reintroduction of the era of famines, water crisis, riots, pollution, etc. , and many more socio economic and political problems. We have taken the case of existing SEZ units (and the units which are slated to be set up in days to come) and analyzed their socio-economic effects on the Indian economy. 1) Threat to Food Security:According to the website of the Commerce Ministry, totally about 41,700 hectares of land is to be taken for the formally approved and notified SEZs. Land acquired on such massive scale has posed a threat to the food security of the country. Already, India’s food security is in a precarious state and the country has to import food grains including wheat, pulses and oilseeds. In this scenario if our arable land is diverted to establishment of SEZs, it will create a major food security problem in the country.Studies in West Bengal have shown that loss of food grains production due to SEZs would be of the order of 1. 5 million tones. This can create a serious shortage of food grains in the coming years. 2) Threat to Water Security: The SEZs are going to be set up by acquiring huge tracts of land. When the l and is acquired on such massive scale, the water requirement for such SEZs would be huge and would have very large impact on water access for the surrounding area. The SEZs at such locations will also have impact on irrigation and agricultural development.Available information about the water needs and sources of water for various SEZs should ring alarm bell. For example, the massive water demand, at least 8 million liters per day, for The Mahamumbai SEZ is to be met by the Hetwane and Morba dams in Pen and Khalapur tehsils in Raigarh districts. In a situation where, farmers had to struggle to get irrigation water due to them from these dams, the huge water requirement for Mahamumbai SEZ would definitely lead to the water crisis. Forum of Manglore has quoted that the Manglore SEZ’s water requirement is at a hoping 136 million liters a day.When Manglore city is facing the water crisis without the SEZ, one can imagine what will be the case when SEZ comes up. 3) Displacement and loss of livelihoods in SEZs: Estimate show that close to 114,000 farming households (each house hold on an average comprising five members) and an additional 82,000 farm worker families are dependent upon these farms for their livelihoods will be displaced. In other Words, at least one million people who primarily depend upon agriculture for their survival will face eviction.Experts calculate that the total loss of income to the Farming and farm workers family will be at least Rs. 212 crore a year. This does not include other income (for instance artisans) due to the demise of local rural economies. The government promise humane displacement followed by relief and rehabilitation. However historical records does not offer any room for hope on this count an estimated 40 million people(of which nearly 40% area Adivasis and 25% Dalits) have lost their land since 1950 on account of displacement due to large development projects.At least 75% of them still await rehabilitation. Almost 80% of the agricultural population owns only about 17% of the total agricultural land, making them near landless farmers. Farmer’s families and communities depend on a piece of land (for work, grazing) than those who simply own it. 4) SEZ are actually land grab by the real estate mafia and the corporate sector: What are SEZ likely to become in few years time? According to a clause in the SEZ Act (section 5(2) as much as 75% of the area under large SEZs above 1000 hectares) can be used for non-industrial purpose.What will the remainder of the land used for? This lacuna in the law is likely to become a loophole for massive accumulation of Land by private players including the real estate mafia, developers and property dealers for the purpose of real estate speculation. This explains why so many of them have been buying land for SEZs. In fact it may well be the case that the rationale for the above clause in the SEZ Act is the uncertainty surrounding the Economic attractiveness of SEZs. If adequate productive investment is not forthcoming, the SEZ developer can at least cash in on the land value.Conglomerates like Reliance already own upwards of 100,00acre of land in the countrywide. 5) Loss of natural habitat, flora and fauna Massive land acquisition for the establishment of SEZs has led to the destruction Of natural habitat, flora and fauna due to deforestation. For example due to the Mundra SEZ in Kutch in Gujrat about 3000 hectares of area covered by Mangroves is being destroyed. . 6) More suicides, More crimes†¦ It is again no. coincidence that all most all the SEZs are being built only on the fringes of cities – like satellites all over again.A rough study based upon the â€Å"in principle† approved SEZs in Maharashtra shows that around 67% of the land for SEZs is within 100 km. of Mumbai. If the cities pf Pune and Nagpur are also considered, then a figure of 85% of land for SEZs is arrived at, and if Nashik and Aurangabad are also th rown then about 98% of the land for SEZs in within 100 km of these five cities. Thus there will be no real development. the rural areas will be further devastated. Farmers will commit more suicides larger slums with even more squalor will be created.There will be more crime, more communual riots, more atrocities against Dalits and more attacks and exploitation of women as always happens in the condition of squalor. 7) Ruthless Depeasantisation : However the SEZs are not the only instruments for grabbing the lands of the peasantry, millions of acres of land are taken by national and international big business for construction of Greenfield projects, private airports, tourist resorts, health tourism, smart cities, entertainment parks, building of private township for the super rich including vast areas for golf courses and luxury hotels.To provide infrastructure for super profits of local and multinational big business the state is acquiring millions of acres of fertile land to build industrial zones, golden corridors express ways including the much flaunted golden quadrangle express highways systems. This is the glaring phenomenon of contemporary global enclosures of forcible depeasantisation ruthlessly divesting the producers from their means of production, cultural moorings and commons.Adding salt to the injury the neo-liberal state is resorting to the most predatory inhuman primitive accumulation of forcing the farmers and adivasi’s out of their land when the entire peasantry is reeling under acute agrarian crisis where more than 2 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the past decade under the neo-liberal economic regime. Conclusion:There is much more to learn as well as unlearn from the Chinese experience. Until this is done, millions of poor across the country will be made to pay an even higher price than the Chinese did for following this flowed approach. India should thus work towards reforming its domestic economic rather than supplementing it with an SEZ model. It should not blindly follow China in this regard.

Assignment One Essay

1.) What are some of the hardships faced by indentured servants in Virginia during the early days of the colony? a. Some of the hardships faced by indentured servants was disease such as â€Å"scurvy, bloody flux, and diverse other diseases.† Also, they have not much of a variety of food to eat, they eat â€Å"peas and loblollies†, and so they will do anything to be able to eat other variety of foods. The amount of food they get is shared between other men. Therefore their amount of food intake is not enough to make them full. They have clothes but they are old and dirty because they one of everything they wear. Since they do not have anything worth a penny, because if they do others steal it, they cannot have food other than peas. They cannot eat bread because it cost a penny and they don’t have a penny to buy anything. 2.) How does the physical location of Jamestown colony lead to many of the hardships described in this document? b. It seems they are close to possibly Indian attacks or people from other countries because he stated in the story â€Å"but yet we are 32 to fight 3000 if they should come.† He hasn’t seen any deer or venison since he arrived in Jamestown; therefore the meat source is not a great source for food reliability. It takes them a few days to retrieve cargo from the ships. They start to the shore and sleep the first night they get there, then unload the next day and start back to their home with the cargo. 3.) How have conditions at Jamestown affected the writer of this letter? c. He thinks negative about everything. He has nothing in Jamestown to call his own or â€Å"nothing to comfort him.† He expects the worse because people are dying by the hour. Not having much to eat, he doesn’t think he will survive much longer unless his he dies before he receives the package. He believes in God and that he can keep him alive if he drinks water, he heard. He tells his dad to have mercy and pity on him, that life in England was better because he had more food that filled him. He thanks his parents for providing all that they did while he lived in England. He loves his dad and doesn’t want his dad to forget him.

Leading and motivating a team Essay

Leading and motivating a team effectively and understanding leadership †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. is registered charity providing social housing. Its vision is homes and neighbourhood’s we can be all proud of. They put customer’s first, keeping a strong financially viable, socially responsible, well governed business which is learning and growing achieving continuous improvements while obtaining value for money. My team Sustainment and Support(S&S) provides support, advice and assistance to customers who are vulnerable or in need. We successfully sustained tenancies and communities for tenants and will give them a platform to address other challenging issues and circumstances within their lives. The service is tailored to the individuals support needs, which is identified through the initial assessment. The support incorporates an action plan which is reviewed regularly to make sure the actions are being met. The most important characteri stics of a successful organisations is the clarity of purpose, adherence to core values, a distinct identity and a clear vision of the aim of the organisation. A good vision keeps the organisation moving forward and is a good motivator for the staff to achieve the set goals. All teams within the housing directorate have set goals and like the S&S team these have to be achieved. Without goals there would be no direction for the staff to achieve and participating in making the organisation successful. These targets and achievements are discussed at one to ones, and team meetings so team members are aware of how their performance contributes to the overall targets set at strategic level to achieve success overall. Other options available are away days, global emails to staff and group sessions. Not everyone likes to be communicated the same way. Email and literature works for some, but others would rather listen and talk. Respect the person you’re trying to communicate with and use the method they prefer. Clear communication and understanding is essential giving you the ability to deal with any issues or concerns that the staff have effectively and quickly. High performing teams will have clear understanding of roles and responsibility acknowledges the objectives, functions appropriately while carrying out the required task. Monitoring performance and regular 1-1s will indicate areas which require addressing, while allowing the team to be open and honest about what works and doesn’t and encouraging them to provide  feedback will show areas of strength and ways to improve. Receiving support and guidance from senior managers will enhance your own capabilities to lead the team UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIPS STYLES – Kurt Lewin (phycologist) researched and created a model Lewins leadership Styles putting them in 3 categories .Authoritarian – provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. Participative- offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. And delegation -offers little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members. A leader needs to analyse personal abilities, the group and the situation, then select the best leadership style. A leader who chooses the most appropriate style and has the ability to adapt is likely to be successful. There are many factors which could influence choice, size, skill, experiences and knowledge, individuals with different personalities and backgrounds. Large teams may have staff with varying levels of skill. This may require the manager to adopt a more authoritarian style, providing clear communication so that everyone knows what to do to achieve goals and tasks. On the other hand, team leaders may take a more participative approach with other managers of equal standing in order to get their own team functioning efficiently. The delegating leadership style is thought to be most effective when the followers are comfortable taking responsibility, and have the experience to accomplish the necessary tasks. The leader provides guidance in the decision making process; then delegates. Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard were the first to describe the delegating leadership style and recommend that the leader move around the task maintenance grid with a specific situation. Group maturity is a measure of group growth and development High Maintenance and Low Task High Maintenance and High Task Low Maintenance and Low Task Low Maintenance and High Task Low – task behaviour providing direction High Authoritative management styles, which make expectations clear. These styles allow for little input or innovation from subordinates and may breed resentment, which can result in subordinates disengaging from the organization’s vision and lead to lower productivity levels. A leadership style that has significant positive effects on subordinates requires cultivation. It is as important to know the people on your team as it is to know your organization’s vision and policies, take time to learn about their families and hobbies. Developing your knowledge will enhance your respectability, and getting to know your team will create camaraderie and mutual trust. Willingness to listen, flexibility and mutual respect are, crucial to developing a leadership style likely to produce the coveted effects of high productivity, flexibility, innovation and loyalty on subordinates. Self assessment survey carried out as part of my ILM learning indicated scores of 34 participative (democratic) ,28 authoritarian(autocratic),24 delegation(free reign).During my Housing Diversity Network(HND) mentoring program I completed a more in depth assessment which highlighted my strengths weaknesses and potential leadership qualities sharing the report with my line manager, colleagues and mentor then receiving feedback I reviewed criticism constructively, examined my own skills and developed an action plan to address weakness’s to expand my leadership capabilities ,which included additional training, coaching, mentoring and attending workshops and seminars. Participative leadership is a managerial style I consider to have the attributes to succeed with, this links in with organisations working practices allowing structured teams to empower them selves delivering services which are flexible and adaptable while working within the guild lines of the companies policy and procedures. Motivate and developed at team To motivate a team to successfully achieve the set goals and to work effectively while maintaining and improving performance I feel the use of Abraham Maslow’s motivation theory as guidance that will ensure that the team are kept motivated The basis of this theory is that people are motivated by unsatisfied needs and that certain lower factors need to be satisfied before higher needs can.  As long as we are motivated to satisfy these cravings, then we are moving towards growth and self actualisation. Satisfying needs is healthy while preventing has a negative effect. My Sustainment and Support(S&S) south team was created in mid 2012 bringing together staff with various skills and different personalities. I assisted my manager to help motivate and drive the team forward to be successful in obtaining the objectives of the organisation within this new structure. This included having discussions in team meetings to see if any obstacles would hinder staff from functioning to their full capacity, identifying needs then implementing with team building exercises, which was forefront of the process. Maslow’s model mirrors this by making sure our working environment and personal needs are met, providing all aspects of s afety. Love and belonging created great team spirit and high moral which was required as to the intensive nature of the post, enhancing the team’s wellbeing by bringing in Yoga and meditation which created a team that functions well and gaining a reputation of successful tenant engagement where others have found it difficult, e.g. Tenant facing court proceedings for rent arrears ,not responding to Income management (IM) but engaging with S & S while we stabilise the tenancy. When these pre court visits were introduced team members initially refused to carry out this task stating it was not part of their job role. it was an IM function, discussions during team meeting about the subject matter became heated creating low moral .The following week I explained to the team if we carried out this task, was successful we could show case the talents of the team to the organisation, talked about the positive effects this would have on our clients and encouraged everyone to take on board , bein g able to communicate in this fashion proved successful. I supported and motivated a member of the team who I shall refer as C who was not functioning at the correct level and not achieving the teams and his own individual set goals. I was given this task as part of my own leadership development plus the manager had used all the resources and C was still not operating team’s objectives, this was having an impact on the rest of team as case loads increased. With the threat of disciplinary action and the impact this could have on the team I felt I had experience and knowledge to assist having previously been part of a team which included C for a number of years and was well aware their learning style. I now realise the process I used symbolises two theory  models working alongside each other Maslow’s and Hershey and Blanchard situation leadership style Looking at that model the four headings of Directing, Coaching, Supporting, Delegating I feel covers the method I used to resolve this problem Directing – Provide specific instructions clear and simple while closely supervising task accomplishments Coaching – Continues to direct and closely supervise task accomplishments, but also explains decisions, solicits suggestions and supports progress Supporting – Facilitates and supports subordinates efforts toward task accomplishments and shares responsibility for decision making with them Delegating – Turns over responsibility for decision making and problem solving to subordinates. If we look at the Maslow triangle Physiological – In this case study for C there was a lack of confidence, knowledge and understanding Security – C felt threatened in his new role that perhaps he couldn’t achieve but now he feels his expertise is being recognised Loving and belonging – C initially felt isolated that the team had developed quicker than him, with the team being a strong supporting group they also assisted in the process Esteem- self esteem was low but grew as C developed Self actualisation – This is about reaching full potential, where I feel there has been significant change and is more motivated, there is still more room for development Looking at the actions taken below I do feel that in the process, styles were combined together to achieve a result. Bibliography www.teambuilding.co.uk/team-building-theory-maslow.html ILM learning material