Major General Henry Knox in the American Revolution

Major General Henry Knox in the American Revolution A key figure in the American Revolution, Henry Knox was born in Boston on July 25, 1750. He was the seventh child  of  William and Mary Knox, who had 10 children in total. When Henry was only 9 years old, his merchant captain father passed away after experiencing financial ruin. After only three years at the Boston Latin School, where Henry studied a mix of languages, history, and mathematics, the young Knox was forced to leave in order to support his mother and younger siblings. Fast Facts: Henry Knox Known For: Knox helped lead the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later served as the U.S. Secretary of War.Born: July 25, 1750 in Boston, British AmericaParents: William and Mary KnoxDied: October 25, 1806 in Thomaston, MassachusettsEducation: Boston Latin SchoolSpouse: Lucy Flucker (m. 1774–1806)Children: 13 Early Life Knox apprenticed himself to a local bookbinder named Nicholas Bowes, who helped Knox learn the trade and encouraged his reading. Bowes permitted Knox to liberally borrow from the stores inventory, and in this manner Knox became proficient in French and effectively completed his education on his own. He remained an avid reader, eventually opening his own shop, the London Book Store, at the age of 21. Knox was especially fascinated by military topics, including artillery, and he read widely on the subject. March 5th, 1770: British soldiers open fire on a crowd of Bostonians, killing five people, in what became known as the Boston massacre. Hulton Archive  / Stringer/  Getty Images The Revolution Nears A supporter of American colonial rights, Knox became involved in the Sons of Liberty and was present at the Boston Massacre in 1770. He later swore in an  affidavit that he had attempted to calm tensions that night by requesting that the British soldiers return to their quarters. Knox also testified at the trials of those involved in the incident. Two years later, he put his military studies to use by founding a militia unit called the Boston Grenadier Corps. Though he knew much about weaponry, Knox accidentally shot two fingers from his left hand while handling a shotgun in 1773. Marriage On June 16, 1774, Knox married Lucy Flucker, the daughter of the Royal Secretary of the Province of Massachusetts. The marriage was opposed by her parents, who disapproved of Knoxs revolutionary politics and attempted to entice him into joining the British Army. Knox remained a staunch patriot. Following the outbreak of the American Revolution,  he volunteered to serve with colonial forces and participated in the  Battle of Bunker Hill  on June 17, 1775. His in-laws  fled the city after it fell to American forces in 1776. Fort Ticonderoga, New York.   Purestock/Getty Images Guns of Ticonderoga Knox served with Massachusetts forces in the states Army of Observation during the opening days of the Siege of Boston. He soon came to the attention of army commander General George Washington, who was  inspecting fortifications designed by Knox near Roxbury. Washington was impressed, and the two men developed a friendly relationship. As the army desperately needed artillery, the commanding general consulted Knox for advice in November 1775. Knox proposed a plan to transport the cannon captured at Fort Ticonderoga  in New York to the siege lines around Boston. Washington was on board with the plan. After making Knox a colonel in the Continental Army, the general immediately sent him north, as winter was rapidly approaching. At Ticonderoga, Knox initially had difficulty acquiring sufficient men in the lightly populated Berkshire Mountains.  He finally assembled what he dubbed the noble train of artillery. Knox began moving 59 guns and mortars down Lake George and the Hudson River to Albany. It was a difficult trek, and several guns fell through the ice and had to be recovered. In Albany, the guns were transferred to ox-drawn sleds and pulled across Massachusetts. The 300-mile journey took Knox and his men 56 days to complete in the bitter winter weather. In Boston, Washington ordered the guns to be placed atop Dorchester Heights, overlooking the city and harbor. Rather than face bombardment, the British forces, led by General Sir William Howe, evacuated the city on March 17, 1776. New York and Philadelphia Campaigns Following the victory at Boston, Knox was sent to oversee the construction of fortifications in  Rhode Island and Connecticut. When he returned to the Continental Army, he became Washingtons chief of artillery. After the American defeats in New York that fall, Knox retreated across New Jersey with the remaining troops. As Washington devised his daring Christmas attack on Trenton, Knox was given the key role of overseeing the armys crossing of the Delaware River. With the assistance of Colonel John Glover, Knox succeeded in moving the attack force across the river in a timely fashion. He also directed the American withdrawal on December 26. For his service at Trenton, Knox was promoted to brigadier general. In early January, he saw further action at Assunpink Creek and Princeton before the army moved to winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. Taking advantage of this break from campaigning, Knox returned to Massachusetts with the goal of improving weapons production. He traveled to Springfield and established the Springfield Armory, which operated for the rest of the war and became a key producer of American weapons for almost two centuries. After he rejoined the army, Knox took part in the American defeats at Brandywine (September 11, 1777) and Germantown (October 4, 1777). At the latter, he made the ill-fated suggestion to Washington that they should capture the British-occupied home of Germantown resident Benjamin Chew, rather than bypass it. The delay gave the British badly needed time to re-establish their lines, and this contributed to the American loss. Valley Forge to Yorktown During the winter at Valley Forge, Knox helped secure needed supplies and assisted Baron von Steuben in drilling the troops. Later, the army pursued the British, who were evacuating Philadelphia, and fought them at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778. In the wake of the fighting, the army moved north to take up positions around New York. Over the next two years, Knox was sent north to help obtain supplies for the army and, in 1780, served on the court-martial of British spy Major John Andre. In late 1781, Washington withdrew the majority of the army from New York to attack General Lord Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Knoxs guns played a key role in the siege that ensued. Following the victory, Knox was promoted to major general and assigned to command American forces at West Point. During this time, he formed the Society of the Cincinnati, a fraternal organization consisting of officers who had served in the war. At the wars conclusion in 1783, Knox led his troops into New York City to take possession from the departing British. Later Life On December 23, 1783, following Washingtons resignation, Knox became the senior officer of the Continental Army. He remained so until retiring in June 1784. Knoxs retirement proved short-lived, however, as he was soon appointed Secretary of War by the Continental Congress on March 8, 1785. A staunch supporter of the new Constitution, Knox  remained in his post until becoming Secretary of War as part of George Washingtons first cabinet in 1789. As secretary, he oversaw the creation of a permanent navy, a national militia, and coastal fortifications. Knox served as Secretary of War until January 2, 1795, when he resigned to care for his family and business interests. He died on October 25, 1806, of peritonitis, three days after accidentally swallowing a chicken bone.

Nicaragua Geography, History, Climate Facts

Nicaragua Geography, History, Climate Facts Population: 5,891,199 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: ManaguaBordering Countries: Costa Rica and HondurasLand Area: 50,336 square miles (130,370 sq km)Coastline: 565 miles (910 km)Highest Point: Mogoton at 7,998 feet (2,438 m) Nicaragua is a country located in Central America to the south of Honduras and to the north of Costa Rica. It is the largest country by area in Central America and its capital and largest city is Managua. One-quarter of the countrys population lives in the city. Like many other countries in Central America, Nicaragua is known for its high levels of biodiversity and unique ecosystems. History of Nicaragua Nicaraguas name comes from its native peoples that lived there in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Their chief was named Nicarao. Europeans did not arrive in Nicaragua until 1524 when Hernandez de Cordoba founded Spanish settlements there. In 1821, Nicaragua gained its independence from Spain. Following its independence, Nicaragua underwent frequent civil wars as rival political groups struggled for power. In 1909, the United States intervened in the country after hostilities grew between Conservatives and Liberals due to plans to build a trans-isthmian canal. From 1912 to 1933, the U.S. had troops in the country to prevent hostile actions towards Americans working on the canal there. In 1933, U.S. troops left Nicaragua and Nation Guard Commander Anastasio Somoza Garcia became president in 1936. He attempted to keep strong ties with the U.S. and his two sons succeeded him in office. In 1979, there was an uprising by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and the Somoza familys time in office ended. Shortly thereafter, the FSLN formed a dictatorship under leader Daniel Ortega. The actions of Ortega and his dictatorship ended friendly relations with the U.S. and in 1981, the U.S. suspended all foreign aid to Nicaragua. In 1985, an embargo was also placed on trade between the two countries. In 1990 due to pressure from within and outside of Nicaragua, Ortegas regime agreed to hold elections in February of that year. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro won the election. During Chamorros time in office, Nicaragua moved toward creating a more democratic government, stabilizing the economy and improving human rights issues that had occurred during Ortegas time in office. In 1996, there was another election and the former mayor of Managua, Arnoldo Aleman won the presidency. Alemans presidency, however, had severe issues with corruption and in 2001, Nicaragua again held presidential elections. This time, Enrique Bolanos won the presidency and his campaign pledged to improve the economy, build jobs and end government corruption. Despite these goals,  however, subsequent Nicaraguan elections have been marred with corruption and in 2006 Daniel Ortega ​Saavdra, an FSLN candidate, was elected. Government of Nicaragua Today Nicaraguas government is considered a republic. It has an executive branch made up of a chief of state and a head of government, both of which are filled by the president and a legislative branch comprised of a unicameral National Assembly. Nicaraguas judicial branch consists of a Supreme Court. Nicaragua is divided into 15 departments and two autonomous regions for local administration. Economics and Land Use in Nicaragua Nicaragua is considered the poorest country in Central America and as such, it has very high unemployment and poverty. Its economy is based mainly on agriculture and industry, with its top industrial products being food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,  and wood. Nicaraguas main crops are coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, and beans. Beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products, shrimp,  and lobster are also large industries in Nicaragua.​ Geography, Climate,  and Biodiversity of Nicaragua Nicaragua is a large country located in Central America between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its terrain is mostly coastal plains that eventually rise up to interior mountains. On the Pacific side of the country, there is a narrow coastal plain that is dotted with volcanoes. The climate of Nicaragua is considered tropical in its lowlands with cool temperatures at its higher elevations. Nicaraguas capital, Managua, has warm temperatures year-round that hover around 88ËšF (31ËšC). Nicaragua is known for its biodiversity because rainforest covers 7,722 square miles (20,000 sq km) of the countrys Caribbean lowlands. As such, Nicaragua is home to large cats like the jaguar and cougar, as well as primates, insects and a plethora of different plants. More Facts About Nicaragua Nicaraguas life expectancy is 71.5 years Nicaraguas Independence Day is September 15 Spanish is the official language of Nicaragua but English and other native languages are also spoken Sources: Central Intelligence Agency. CIA - The World Factbook - Nicaragua.  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Nicaragua: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com.  infoplease.com/ipa/A0107839.htmlUnited States Department of State. Nicaragua.  state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1850.htmWikipedia.com.  Ã‚  Nicaragua - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.  Ã‚  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua.

Mark Rothko - Contradiction between flatness and depth Research Paper

Mark Rothko - Contradiction between flatness and depth - Research Paper Example The essay "Mark Rothko - Contradiction between flatness and depth" discusses the art of Mark Rothko. In 1923, he went to visit one of his friends at the Art students’ league in New York where he got the opportunity to see students sketching. This really impressed him and later he decided to enroll in a school of design. One of the instructors that he met was artist Arshile Gorky. Out of the passion he had for art, he undertook other classes at the Art Students League. At the time, painters in New York were having many shows to display their artistic expressions and this largely helped Rothko as an artist. Rothko had his first art gallery show in the contemporary art gallery in New York. He displayed fifteen paintings that were mostly portraits and some drawings that were all oil based paintings. â€Å"The ten† was a group that was formed by some artists including Mark Rothko during the late 1935. Their main mission was to object the alleged equivalence of literal painti ng and American painting. At this time his art started to evolve and he came to the conclusion that his paintings will be influenced by symbols and mythological fables and it became more evident in his later works. This made him gain a reputation amongst people his age and also those who had an eye for art in terms of painting. He then later on changed his works from mythological forms and representations to the use of rectangular smooth fields of light and color. From 1946, Mark Rothko came up with a number of artistic expressions.

Recording music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recording music - Essay Example Technology has today simplified the work in the music industry. It is easier for a producer to produce high-quality music without the use of instruments. Music producers in most cases are competent composers or songwriters who can constantly inject new ideas into a project (Landy, 2013). He or she will often select and suggest to the mixing engineer what to record, edits and modifies the songs with software tools. This creates a stereo of all the artists’ voices and instruments to produce a high-quality soundtrack. The composers must be, therefore, communicative and meaningful in their music. She talked about Nyman’s process music, an audible or concealed process to the listeners. This is a very dynamic and highly complex process that involves audible structures in musical performance. The chance determination limits the composer’s powers in determining the materiality. This means that one can take an idea, put it through the process and wait for the outcome, which the ideas will generate by itself (Nyman, 2000). The process gives the performers a chance to move through the suggested or given material at their speed, useful for the in-depth understanding of the whole idea.It also helps in the detailed understanding of what was not understood during the first listening thus making recording more relevant. The presenter also encouraged the use of technology to capture or record musical ideas with an aim of repeated listening to manipulate, recreate, recycle and cannibalize these ideas in order to produce quality stereo.

Virtue and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Virtue and Happiness Essay There are so many different circumstances under which someone will perform an action that it can be confusing when to determine if an action is virtuous. There can be factors of ignorance or factors of pressure to do certain actions. Pressure, ignorance, or reward can have a various affects on a person’s choices about virtuous acts but when it causes his or her moral actions to be compromised, then only certain situations can pressure or ignorance be an excuse. Courage is a virtue that can be determined by choices that a person can make. A person that only does an act because he sees some personal gain from the act such as saving a child from a fire may not have committed a virtuous act because of the motive behind it such as fame or honor. However, a person who has done a virtuous act can still be honored and glorified with the act still being virtuous. If that person were held at gunpoint and told to save the child, if he performed the act it would be hard to determine if it was truly virtuous. It does not mean that it was not a virtuous act, but it would be hard to tell what the motive was behind the action. Near the end of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle talks about the range of peoples characteristics. Aristotle states that the: â€Å"†¦of the moral states to be avoided there are three kinds-vice, incontinence, brutishness. † (Aristotle. Page 157.) Aristotle states that there are the opposites of these which are virtue, continence, and the super-virtue. Vice would mean the person knows what they are doing is wrong but does it regardless. Incontinence would mean that a person has an incorrect moral that they act on, causing them to act in a manner that was not virtuous. And brutishness would be a person acting purely on urge and having no emotional or rational or even irrational thought behind what they are doing. It would be primarily animalistic in nature. Looking at Aristotle’s view on â€Å"the best life† or a â€Å"happy life,† it can be seen that virtue is what he really believes will lead to a â€Å"good† life. The fact that there are many different ways in which someone may be virtuous or not shows that acting on desire can be right as well as wrong. And many different situations can determine this right or wrong act. Aristotle states that one must fulfill the desire for happiness by virtuous means and that our rational mind can lead us away from the correct way of fulfilling our ultimate desire.

Huckleberry Finn Learns He Must Grow Up Fast If He Wants To Survive Li :: essays research papers

Huckleberry Finn Learns He Must Grow Up Fast If He Wants to Survive Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huckleberry Finn, the main character, learns he must grow up fast if he wants to survive life. Huck Finn has a drunkard as a father, a hogshead as a home, and a mother (dead ) of which he never knew. He is a congenital liar, a thief, and someone who has no respect for the rules of society. He will use every technicality to get off with doing something completely wrong, but is ok by him. Huck is not all evil as one would think by this introduction. He in fact believes in personal freedom, something which he never really has had.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jim, a supporting character, also has to deal with many problems of society. The greatest one in fact is, the fact that he is a slave. Jim is a very modest person, he will sacrifice anything to help his fellow man. Huck sees this and begins to think of Jim as a human being also, and will â€Å"go to hell † for Jim. Although Jim is a slave, he does not think of people based on their skin color, but in fact believes that everyone is equal regardless of skin, and even age. One may ever say that Jim is Huck's true father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Jim and Huck have experienced life at a tedious level. They have their highs and lows, but mainly life is not all it is cracked up to be. For Huck, he must experience having a horrendous father who beats Huck to a pulp any time he is sober. And for Jim, the fact that his family is not considered human by society but rather chattel that can be bought, sold or even traded at the slightest whim. Together Huck and Jim must work together to escape the society which has allowed them to live the vile life they had, and move to a place where society will let them start a brand new life. When Pap , was not around, Huck felt better about himself. He enjoyed life a little more, did not have to worry about coming home on time, only to get beat up by his own pap. He kept me with him all the time, and I never got a chance to run off. We lived in that old cabin, and he always locked the door and put the key under his head nights. He had a gun which he had stole, I reckon, and we fished and hunter, and that was what we lived on

BACP Ethical Framework Focus Essay

Considering a way to ethically monitor what I do with clients is a really interesting area for me. I said to my supervisor very early on in our working relationship that there was no way for her to know if any work was actually taking place in the room, because there was no practical way to observe my practice. Although this was part in jest, I am genuinely intrigued that there is so much work going on around individuals’ welfare, with no real way of ensuring it is healthy, productive, professional and appropriate. My supervisor told me that, if work was not occurring, then this would be clear in supervision, and my retention of clients. I have kept this in mind if my thoughts have ever wandered since. I think, for me, there is a level of confidence, I can only hope this comes as a result of a level of competence. Within OnTrak it has been mentioned by my supervisor and senior staff that I am successful at retaining what can often be a very sporadic client group. I think that the young people I work with must be getting something from the process, or they simply would not return! OnTrak work to ensure clients are aware of the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy from their initial assessment. It is covered (along with the agencies specific policies) during a client’s assessment with a senior practitioner. The core components are then covered by myself at the first session and then covered as and when necessary. An example of this would be a client who missed a session and, at the next session, told me he had done so because he was not entirely sure of the confidentiality boundaries around criminal activity. He had missed the session because he ‘knew I would make him talk about it’, after subsequent discussion we worked to clarify this to mean he would want to talk about it on some level, and knew I would encourage this as an empathic result. By restating the confidentiality conditions I was able to reas sure the client, and positive work continued. I think, like any profession, there will be bad counsellors in operation, I believe that the reasons for (and importance of) working within an ethical framework ensure that clients can, at the very minimum, be met by an individual who will do no harm, even if they are not able to help the individual progress with their issues. In order to ensure that my relationships with clients are bounded by this professional framework they are invited to discuss the ethical guidelines throughout the  sessions, and encouraged to research any areas they are unsure of on the BACP website. When we did an exercise in class around the contracting and boundary setting that takes place in our own sessions some class members thought mine was a bit lengthy. In my experience my initial contracting would have been fairly focussed but, with experiences of subsequent clients, I have found it necessary to include more areas for the client to be aware of, which lengthens this initial exchange. As an example of this, I was approached in a bar by one client’s friends who asked about our counselling relationship. The client has obviously pointed me out, and this led to the encounter. I politely declined talking about any client issues, using client confidentiality as the reason, and have been really clear with subsequent clients what expectations we have if contact outside of the counselling room occurs. Considering the values covered in the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, I think three stand out for me: Ensuring the integrity of practitio ner-client relationships. This is key to me due to my professional background alongside these studies. I work at a local school and the pastoral role I have means there are frequent occasions where young people can be in a state of incongruence and display a lack of consequential thinking. This means it is crucial to be empathetic, but also aware of self-preservation too, both emotionally (to avoid transference) and also professionally (to avoid any questioning of professionalism or allegations of inappropriateness. I have found this lends itself really well to my counselling practice as I am hyperaware of any situations that could be misconstrued, and believe I can interpret clients struggling with boundaries in their own awareness. One female client was displaying inappropriate sexual overtones, so this was discussed with my supervisor and addressed within subsequent sessions. Fostering a sense of self that is meaningful to the person(s) concerned. With the clients at OnTrak, so m any of their presenting issues can be attributed, at least in part, to an unawareness of self. Often exacerbated by a need to be what others (parents, teachers etc) believe they should be. For me, the real turning point is when these young people find their own voice, as I have managed to do myself, then they also begin to see that they can create their own sanctuary. Striving for the fair and adequate provision of counselling and psychotherapy services. This one represents somewhat of a challenge for me,  personally. Within OnTrak we are a self-referral only agency. A group I struggle with, due to my own beliefs, is the client base with OnTrak who simply don’t want to be there. Although self-referral suggests clients have made the autonomous decision to enter therapy, we have a number of clients who feel coerced to attend, this can be through pressure from parents, or heavy suggestion from GP and/or school. Due to my own reticence to access personal therapy, and feeling obligated to attend sessions. I can relate to clients who are in therapy against their will, I empathise with them (perhaps there is an element of envy as well!) and encourage clients to move on if they are not in a place to access therapy positively. Therefore, whilst I feel 100% that we have adequate facilitation of a therapeutic practice, I do sometimes question how ‘fair’ it is, from the perspective of clients who would rather be somewhere e lse. Something I have struggled with in many jobs since I returned from my time living and working overseas in the idea of professional standards. I am very reluctant to do anything which stops me from expressing my of creativity and style but, as this usually does not represent a very ‘corporate’ outlook, I understand there are some parts of my external appearance that clients may struggle with, particularly my tattoos and piercings. I resolved from fairly early on that it would be inappropriate to have my larger tattoos on show; I have experienced how judgemental people can be and did not want to risk the client-counsellor relationship to take on any negative connotations due to transference. There was one occasion that this potentially represented an issue, my supervision overran one week and, although I had allowed myself time to get changed, it meant that I would potentially be meeting a client in a top that revealed my chest tattoo. This offered several interesting areas of focus, my supervisor offered to give me a lift to my home to get changed (I saw this as blurred lines, so politely declined), the supervisor was the one who initially highlighted there may be an issue (which raised the familiar sense of being judged) and it meant the client session would start a little later on this occasion, which could impact the client and myself. I think there is a definite expectation of clients (particularly being young at OnTrak) and I do not necessarily embody that. Clients have mentioned on several occasions that I am not what they expected, and I think sometimes I struggle with the behaviour, dress, and communication with professional peers due to my issue  with supervi sion and being submissive. I believe I have competence and integrity when it comes to my clients’ wellbeing, but this sometimes goes missing when dealing with colleagues. I have the same perspective to my counselling as I do in my role at the school, to use the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy’s ideas of ethical principles I put great value in beneficence and justice. The clients (or, in my professional capacity, the students) are key, and thus they occupy most of my concern. This can put me out of sync with colleagues and classmates as I struggle to see the link between peer feedback & guidance, and professional progression. I am working to build bridges with colleagues, my supervisor and classmates, but I think there is a definite desire to relate to the clients, not the ‘experts’. Although I have been at the agency for three years, I already have quite a varied anecdotal base of experience to draw from. Specific training at the agency allowed me to look at areas that may be accessed (consciously or unconsciously) while dealing with this client type, this fosters a sense of competence, but also resilience to the issues these clients may be bringing. There have been cases where I have had to consider my limits as a trainee, particularly a client who brought legal issues to our sessions. After disclosing her experience of sexual abuse from a sibling during one of our sessions I signposted a client to the local sexual assault centre. This was done after discussion with my supervisor and senior staff at the agency, and involved one of the senior staff joining us for part of a session. I initiated that, as I wanted to ensure the client’s needs were being met, but accepted that I may not be best placed to do so at the time. Another client believed her cousin w as having inappropriate relationships with minors. Again, this was explored away from the sessions to help me see where I was struggling, and how much of my ‘self’ was potentially playing out in the sessions. The outcome of this was that a youth worker at the youth club where this boy was meeting young girls was made aware of his activity (with the client’s permission, and direction) and acted according. One of the things my supervisor and senior staff at the agency acknowledge is my ability to recognise my responsibility to clients. When I started at the agency I had my probationary period extended by six months. This was not due  to my inability to work with clients (which was made clear to me), but a result of my poor administration. Initially this was a struggle, I was working well with clients, having positive outcomes and keeping clients engaged, but I have since realised there is a responsibility I have to the wider profession. With CORE forms and client notes (for the agency, not myself) there was an initial distrust as I felt they were just box ticking exercises (in truth, a part of me still believes this!), but I now realise they are necessary parts of the process, to ensure the continuation of the agency, and the appropriate records are kept for clients. There is still a sense that I am a child in an adult world for me. Not just in my studies, but in life as a whole. Thi s means I can sometimes struggle with expectations of my own conduct within my training group and in the agency setting. As I have said, I believe my time with clients is appropriate, positive and productive, but there is a definite need to be seen as a team player and contributor, which I have often struggled with. There are times I will say things in class, or to colleagues in the agency that represent me as an individual, rather than as a professional. I think the gap between these two ‘sides’ is getting smaller as a result of my personal therapy, and just getting older, but there are still times when I feel the need to censor my views. Unfortunately, this is often retrospectively! I believe I can competently demonstrate professional standards in my therapeutic work, but there is still a side of me that can cause issues for me when it comes to peer relationships. However, the solace from this is something I feel within the counselling relationships I have. There is something about being in emotional contact with someone at that level that just unlocks empathy, sincerity, respect and humility in me that I struggle to access away from those sessions. I find that as a client as well, not just a practitioner. I agree that the challenge of working ethically means that I will inevitabl y encounter situations where I have competing obligations and perceptions. I believe that I have the courage to seek support and advice, to ensure that there are no ‘heroic’ actions I take in haste, which may result in dangerous decisions and consequences for my clients, or myself.

Role of Project Manager

NICMAR ASSIGNMENT ON â€Å"ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS† SUBMITTED BY: JHA PRAVIN KUMAR JOSHI SOURABH MALANI GOVIND 221071 221074 221094 GUIDED BY: Prof. T. K. GANGULI ACM 22-SECTION 2 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH, PUNE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 1 NICMAR INDEX Contents 1. Introduction 2. Role of Project Manager 2. 1 Planning 2. 2 Organizing 2. 3 Controlling 2. 4 Leading 2. 5 Communicating 2. 6 Cognitive functions 2. 7 Self management functions 2. 8 Motivational and personal development functions 2. 9 Customer awareness functions 2. 0 Organizational savvy functions 2. 11 Project Manager’s Unofficial Job Duties 3. Conclusion Page no. 3 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 2 NICMAR 1. Introduction 1. 1 Project A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to achieve a particular aim. At the most basic level, a project is actually the response to a need, the solution to a problem. Further it is a solution that promises a bene fit especially financial benefit. The fundamental purpose for most projects is to either make money or save money, hence projects should be financially justifiable. A project is temporary in nature; that means that it has a specific start and finish. A project consists of a well defined collection of small jobs and ordinarily culminates in the creation of an end product or products. A project is a unique, one time undertaking; it will never again be done exactly the same way, by the same people, and within the same environment. There will always be some uncertainty associated with the project. This uncertainty represents risks to your ability to make definitive plans and predict outcomes with high level of confidence. All projects consume resources in the form of time, money, materials and labour. 1. 2 Project Management Project management is the application of knowledge, skill, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirement. The project management process calls for the creation of a small organizational (project team), which is often a microcosm of larger organization. Once the team has produced desired outcome, the process then calls for the decommissioning of that small organizational structure. The project form of organization allows the manager to be responsive to: †¢ †¢ †¢ The client and the environment Identify and correct problems at an early date Make timely decisions about trade-offs between conflicting project goals ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 3 NICMAR †¢ Ensure that managers of the separate tasks that comprise the project do not optimize the performance of their individual tasks at the expense of the total project- that is, that they do not suboptimize. 1. 3 Project Manager A project manager is usually responsible for the success or the failure of the project. They first need to define the project and then build its work plan. If the scope of the project is not very clear, or the project is executing poorly, the manager is held accountable. However, this does not mean that the manager does all the work by himself (which is practically impossible). There is an entire team under the project manager, which helps to achieve all the objectives of the project. However, if something goes wrong, the project manager is ultimately accountable. Apart from this, depending on the size and the complexity of the project, they may need to take on multiple roles. The project manager may need to assist with gathering business requirements, help to design a database management system or may prepare project documentation. They may work full time on a large project, or may work part-time on various projects of a smaller nature; or may alternatively handle various projects as well as handle other responsibilities like business analysis and business development. At times, they may have accountability but not authority. For example, he or she may be using certain resources but might not have direct control over those resources. At such times, the manager might find certain limitations over task execution, which might not take place as they might have liked. Not having direct control over the state of finances and finance allocation might cause ambiguity. Project managers use project management software, such as Microsoft Project, to organize their tasks and workforce. These software packages allow project managers to produce reports and charts in a few minutes, compared to the several hours it can take if they do not use a software package. ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 4 NICMAR In order to be successful, the project manager must be given support and authority by senior management. 2. Role of Project Manager It is the responsibility of project manager to make sure that the customer is satisfied and the work scope is completed in a quality manner, using budget, and on time. The Project Manager has primary responsibility for providing leadership in planning, organizing and controlling the work effort to accomplish the project objectives. In other words, the project manager provides the leadership to project team to accomplish the project objective. The project manager coordinates the activities of various team members to ensure that they perform the right tasks at the proper time, as a cohesive group. The different roles of project manager are as follows: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Planning Organizing Controlling Leading Communicating Cognitive functions Self management functions Motivational and personal development functions Customer awareness functions Organizational savvy functions ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 5 NICMAR 2. 1 Planning First, the project manager clearly defines the project objectives and reaches agreement with the customer on this objective. The manager then communicate this objective to the project team in such a manner as to create a vision of what will constitute successful accomplishment of the objective. The project manager spearheads development of a plan to achieve the project objectives. By involving the project team in developing this plan, the project manager ensures more comprehensive plan than he or she could develop alone. Furthermore, such participation gains the commitment of the team to achieve the plan. The project manager reviews the plan with the customer to gain endorsement and then sets up the project management information system-either manual or computerized-for comparing actual progress to plan progress. It’s important that this system be explained to the project team so that the team can use it properly to manage the project. 2. 2 Organizing Organizing involves securing the appropriate resources to perform the work. First, the project must decide which tasks should be done in-house and which tasks should be done by subcontractors or consultants. For tasks that will be carried out in-house, the project manager gains a commitment from the specific people who will work on the project. For tasks that will be performed by subcontractors, the project manager clearly defines the work scope and deliverables and negotiates a contract with each subcontractor. The project manager also assigns responsibility and delegates’ authority to specific individuals or subcontractors for the various tasks, with the understanding that they will e accountable for the accomplishment of their tasks within the assigned budget and schedule. For large projects involving many individuals, the project manager may designate leaders for specific group of tasks. Finally, and most important, the task of organizing involves creating an environment in which the individuals are highly motivated to work together as a project t eam. ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 6 NICMAR 2. 3 Controlling To control the project, the project manager implements a management information system designed to track actual progress and compare it with planned progress. Such a system helps the manager distinguish between busy-ness and accomplishments. Project team members monitor the progress of their assigned tasks and regularly provide data on progress, schedule and cost. These data are supplemented by regular project review meetings. If actual progress falls behind planned progress or unexpected events occur the project manager takes immediate action. He or she obtains input and advice from team members regarding appropriate corrective actions and how to replan those parts of the project. It’s important that problems and even potential problems, be identified early and action taken. The project manager cannot take a â€Å"let’s wait and see how things works out† approach- things never works out on their own. He or she must intervene and be proactive, resolving problems before they become worse. 2. 4 Leading Project manager fosters development of a common mission and vision to the team members. He should clearly define roles, responsibilities and performance expectations for all his team members. He uses leadership style appropriately to situation or stage of team development. He should be able to foster collaboration among team members. He should provide clear direction and priorities to his team members. He should be efficient enough to remove obstacles that hamper team progress, readiness or effectiveness. He should promote team participation in problem solving and decision making as appropriate. He should pass credit on to team, and promotes their positive visibility to upper management. He should appreciate, promote and leverage the diversity within the team. 2. 5 Communicating ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 7 NICMAR The Project Manager should be able to communicate effectively with all levels inside and outside of the organizations. He should be able to negotiate fairly and effectively with the customers/subcontractors. He should be able to bring conflicts into the open and manages it collaboratively and productively with the help of other team members. He should be able to able to influence without relying on coercive power or threats. He should be able to convey ideas and information clearly and concisely, both in writing and orally to all the team members. . 6 Cognitive functions The project manager should identify the problem and gathers information systematically and seeks input from several sources. He should then consider a broad range of issues or factors while solving these problems. For this he collects the appropriate quantity of data for the situation and discusses it with all the team members before making a decision. He then draws accurate conclusions from quantitative data and makes decisions in an unbiased, objective manner using an appropriate process. For this process of decision making he understands the concept of risk versus return and makes decision accordingly. 2. 7 Self management functions The project manager should be able to maintain focus and control when faced with ambiguity and uncertainty and should be able to show consistency among principles, values and behavior. He should be resilient and tenacious in the face of pressure, opposition, constraints, or adversity. Being the head of the project he should manage implementations effectively and should recognize as someone â€Å"who gets things done. He should continuously seek feedbacks from the team members and modify his behavior accordingly. He should take keen interest in learning and self development opportunities. 2. 8 Motivational and personal development functions Project manager should consider individual skills, values and interest of all his team members when assigning or delegating tasks to them. He should allow team ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 8 NICMAR me mbers an appropriate amount of freedom to do the job. He should accurately access individual strength and development needs of his team members to complete the work effectively. He should continuously offer opportunities for personal and professional growth to his team members. He should arrange for training program and continuously seeks support to his team member when needed. He should pass credit on to the individuals and promote their positive visibility to upper management. He should give timely, specific and constructive feedback to all his team members. 2. 9 Customer awareness functions Project manager should be able to anticipate customer’s needs effectively and proactively strives to satisfy them. He should be able to accurately translate the customer’s verbalized wants into what they actually needs. He should be able to understand customers and their business and actively build and maintain strong customer relationships. He should understand customer’s issues, concerns and queries and try to resolve them effectively. He should actively strive to exceed customer expectations. 2. 10 Organizational savvy functions Project manager should involve the right people at the right time for a particular job. Understands, accepts and properly uses power and influence in relationships. He should build and leverage formal and informal networks to get things done. He should know the mission, structure and functions of the organizations and others. He should understand profitability and general management philosophy. He balance interests and needs of team/project with those of the broader organization. 2. 11 Project Manager’s Unofficial Job Duties The functional competencies listed above represents official duties of the typical project manager. In fact, if organization has developed a job description for project managers, it probably includes many of these functional competencies. What we won’t find in job description are the unofficial duties that Project Managers perform in the course of carrying out their mission. Let’s examine some of the key ones: ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 9 NICMAR Babysitter: This refers to the apparent need to provide close guidance or detailed instructions to certain individuals. This situation results from any number of root causes. The target may be under qualified, lack of confidence or simply crave attention. Salesperson: There will be times when they will have to rely heavily on their ability to influence thers to sell an idea, sell themselves or perhaps sell the virtues of Project Management. Most of the selling situations will be helpful and have positive outcomes. However if he find himself spending too much time selling Project Management, they may signal deeper underline problems such as issues of trust or confidence. If most of the selling he does to his management, he is in trouble; this is a signal that l ife as a project manager may be exceptionally challenging. Teacher: This is an example of an unofficial role that actually yields positive roles. In fact, superior project managers will be able to educate and develop those they work with as they manage the project. Friend: Maintaining friendship and professional relationship with the same people is difficult. However if they can do it they will benefit greatly. An open, informal and comfortable communication linkage is much more likely to keep them supplied with more of the information they need than formal, rigorous and stiff team meetings. Finally avoid the trap of believing that he is been put in charge of a project so he has risen above his peers and friendship no longer matters. . Conclusion â€Å"The Project Manager is a key ingredient in the success of a Project. In addition to providing leadership in planning, organizing and controlling the Project, the manager should possess a set of skills that will both inspire the project team to succeed and win the confidence of the customer. Effective Project Managers have strong leadership ability, the ability to develop people , excellent communication skills, good inter personal skills, the ability to handle stress, problem solving skills and time management skills†. ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 10

Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi Who Planned the Holocaust

Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi Who Planned the Holocaust Reinhard Heydrich was the high-ranking Nazi official in charge of planning Hitlers Final Solution, which established the framework for the extermination of six million Jews in Europe. His role in the genocide earned him the title of Reich Protector, but to the outside world he became known as Hitlers Hangman. Czech assassins trained by British intelligence agents attacked Heydrich in 1942 and he died from his wounds. However, his ambitious plans for genocide had already been put into action. Fast Facts: Reinhard Heydrich Full Name: Reinhard Tristan Eugen HeydrichBorn: March 7, 1904, in Halle, GermanyDied: June 4, 1942, in Prague, Czech RepublicParents: Richard Bruno Heycrich and Elisabeth Anna Maria Amalia KrantzSpouse: Lina von OstenKnown For: Mastermind behind Hitlers Final Solution. Convened the January 1942 Wannsee Conference that coordinated plans for mass murder. Early Life Heydrich was born in 1904 in Halle, Saxony (in present day Germany), a town known for its university and strong cultural heritage. His father sang opera and worked at a music conservatory. Heydrich grew up playing the violin and developed a deep appreciation of chamber music, an odd contrast to the villainous brutality for which he would become known. Too young to serve in World War I, Heydrich was commissioned as a German naval officer in the 1920s. His career was scandalously ended when a military court found him guilty of dishonorable behavior toward a young woman in 1931. Discharged into civilian life at a time of massive unemployment in Germany, Heydrich used family connections to seek a job with the Nazi Party. Though Heydrich had been skeptical of the Nazi movement, looking down on Adolph Hitler and his followers as little more than street thugs, he sought an interview with Heinrich Himmler. Heydrich inflated his experience in the German military, leading Himmler to believe he had been an intelligence officer. Himmler, who had never served in the military, was impressed by Heydrich and hired him. Heydrich was tasked with the creation of the Nazis intelligence service. His operation, run at first from a small office with one typewriter, would ultimately grow into a vast enterprise. Rise in the Nazi Hierarchy Heydrich rose quickly in the Nazi ranks. At one point, an old rumor about his family background- that he had Jewish ancestors- surfaced and threatened to end his career. He convinced Hitler and Himmler the rumors about a supposed Jewish grandparent were false. When the Nazis took control of Germany in early 1933, Himmler and Heydrich were put in charge of arresting those who opposed them. A pattern developed of detaining so many political enemies that prisons couldnt hold them. An abandoned munitions plant at Dachau, in Bavaria, was converted to a concentration camp to house them. The mass imprisonment of political enemies was not a secret. In July 1933 a reporter for The New York Times was given a tour of Dachau, which the Nazi administrators referred to as an educational camp for about 2,000 political opponents. Prisoners worked brutally long hours at Dachau, and were released when they were deemed demoralized and accepting of Nazi ideology. The camp system was considered successful, and Heydrich expanded it and opened other concentration camps. In 1934, Himmler and Heydrich began making moves to eliminate Ernst Rohm, the head of the Nazi stormtroopers, who was viewed as a threat to Hitlers power. Heydrich became one of the leaders of a bloody purge, which became known as The Night of the Long Knives. Rohm was murdered, and scores of other Nazis, perhaps as many as 200, were killed. Following the purge, Himmler made Heydrich the head of a centralized police force that combined the Nazi Gestapo with the police detective forces. Throughout the late 1930s Heydrich ruled a vast police network with spies and informers strategically placed throughout German society. Ultimately, every police officer in Germany became part of Heydrichs organization. Organized Persecution As the persecution of Jews in Germany accelerated during the 1930s, Heydrich assumed a major role in organized antisemitism. In November 1938 he was involved in Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, in which his Gestapo and SS arrested 30,000 Jewish men and interned them in concentration camps. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Heydrich was instrumental in rounding up Polish Jews. His police units would enter a town after the military and order the local Jewish population to assemble. In typical actions, the Jews would be marched out of town, forced to line up beside recently dug ditches, and shot dead. The bodies were thrown into the ditches and bulldozed over. The gruesome procedure was repeated in town after town across Poland. In June 1941, Heydrichs evil planning was put to devastating use when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. He assigned specialized troops- the Einsatzgruppen- the specific task of killing Jews and Soviet officials. Heydrich believed that Soviet Jews were the backbone of the communist state, and he sought the murder of any and all Jews in Russia. Herman Goering, operating as Hitlers second in command, assigned Heydrich the task of formulating a plan to deal with all European Jews. With forced deportation off the table, Heydrich concocted ambitious plans for mass murder. Wannsee Conference On January 20, 1942, Heydrich convened a conference of high-ranking Nazi officials at a luxurious villa along Lake Wannsee, a resort in the Berlin suburbs. The purpose of the gathering was for Heydrich to detail his plan for various components of the Nazi state to work together to accomplish the Final Solution, the elimination of all Jews in Europe. Hitler had authorized the project, and attendees were informed of that by Heydrich. There has been debate over the years about the importance of the Wannsee Conference. Mass killings of Jews had already begun, and some concentration camps were already being used as death factories by the beginning of 1942. The conference was not necessary to begin the Final Solution, but it is believed that Heydrich wanted to ensure that both Nazi leaders and key people in the civil government understood their role in the Final Solution and would participate as ordered. The pace of killing accelerated in early 1942, and it seems Heydrich, at the Wannsee Conference, had succeeded in removing any impediments to his plans for mass murder. Hitler saluting coffin of Reinhard Heydrich. Getty Images   Assassination and Reprisals In the spring of 1942, Heydrich was feeling powerful. He was becoming known as the Reich Protector. To the outside press he was termed Hitlers Hangman. After setting up his headquarters in Prague, Czechoslovakia, he oversaw the pacification of the Czech population with typically brutal tactics. Heydrichs arrogance was his downfall. He took to riding about in an open touring car without a military escort. The Czech resistance noted this habit, and in May 1942 resistance commandos trained by the British secret service parachuted into Czechoslovakia. The team of assassins attacked Heydrichs car as he traveled to the airport outside Prague on May 27, 1942. They succeeded in rolling hand grenades under the vehicle as it passed. Heydrich was severely wounded with fragments of the grenades in his spine and died on June 4, 1942. Heydrichs death became international news. The Nazi leadership in Berlin reacted by staging a massive funeral attended by Hitler and other Nazi leaders. The Nazis retaliated by attacking Czech civilians. In the village of Lidice, which was located near the ambush site, all the men and boys were killed. The village itself was leveled with explosives, and the Nazis removed the name of the village from future maps. Newspapers in the outside world documented the reprisal killings of civilians, which the Nazis helped publicize. Hundreds of civilians were murdered in the revenge attacks, which may have dissuaded Allied intelligence services from assassination attempts on other high-ranking Nazis. Reinhard Heydrich was dead, but he provided the world with a grim legacy. His plans for the Final Solution were carried out. The outcome of World War II prevented his ultimate goal, the elimination of all European Jews, but more than six million Jews would eventually be killed in the Nazi death camps. Sources: Brigham, Daniel T. Heydrich Is Dead; Czech Toll At 178. New York Times, 5 June 1942, page 1.Reinhard Heydrich. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 20, Gale, 2004, pp. 176-178. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Reshef, Yehuda, and Michael Berenbaum. Heydrich, Reinhard Tristan °. Encyclopaedia Judaica, edited by Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 2nd ed., vol. 9, Macmillan Reference USA, 2007, pp. 84-85. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Wannsee Conference. Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction, edited by John Merriman and Jay Winter, vol. 5, Charles Scribners Sons, 2006, pp. 2670-2671. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

The Logic of Collective Action by Mancur Olson

The Logic of Collective Action by Mancur Olson There are a lot of government policies, like airline bailouts, that from an economic perspective dont make any sense at all. Politicians have an incentive to keep the economy strong as incumbents are reelected at a much higher rate during booms than busts. So why do so many government policies make such little economic sense? The best answer to this question comes from a book that is almost 40 years old: The Logic of Collective Action by Mancur Olson explains why some groups are able to have a larger influence on government policy than others. In this brief outline, the results of The Logic of Collective Action are used to explain economic policy decisions. Any page references come from the 1971 edition. It has a very useful appendix not found in the 1965 edition. You would expect that if a group of people has a common interest that theyll naturally get together and fight for the common goal. Olson states, however, that this is generally not the case: But it is not in fact true that the idea that groups will act in their self-interest follows logically from the premise of rational and self-interested behavior. It does not follow, because all of the individuals in a group would gain if they achieved their group objective, that they would act to achieve that objective, even if they were all rational and self-interested. Indeed unless the number of individuals in a group is quite small, or unless there is coercion or some other special device to make individuals act in their common interest, rational, self-interested individuals will not act to achieve their common or group interests.(pg. 2) We can see why this is if we look at the classic example of perfect competition. Under perfect competition, there is a very large number of producers of an identical good. Since the goods are identical, all firms end up charging the same price, a price that leads to a zero economic profit. If the firms could collude and decide to cut their output and charge a price higher than the one that prevails under perfect competition all firms would make a profit. Although every firm in the industry would gain if they could make such an agreement, Olson explains why this does not happen: Since a uniform price must prevail in such a market, a firm cannot expect a higher price for itself unless all of the other firms in the industry have this higher price. But a firm in a competitive market also has an interest in selling as much as it can, until the cost of producing another unit exceeds the price of that unit. In this there is no common interest; each firms interest is directly opposed to that of every other firm, for the more the firms sell, the lower the price and income for any given firm. In short, while all firms have a common interest in a higher price, they have antagonistic interests where output is concerned.(pg. 9) The logical solution around this problem would be to lobby congress to put in place a price floor, stating that producers of this good cannot charge a price lower than some price X. Another way around the problem would be to have congress pass a law stating that there was a limit to how much each business could produce and that new businesses could not enter the market. Well see on the next page that The Logic of Collective Action explains why this will not work either. The Logic of Collective Action explains why if a group of firms cannot reach a collusive agreement in the marketplace, they will be unable to form a group and lobby the government for help: Consider a hypothetical, competitive industry, and suppose that most of the producers in that industry desire a tariff, a price-support program, or some other government intervention to increase the price for their product. To obtain any such assistance from the government, the producers in this industry will presumably have to organize a lobbying organization... The campaign will take the time of some of the producers in the industry, as well as their money. Just as it was not rational for a particular producer to restrict his output in order that there might be a higher price for the product of his industry, so it would not be rational for him to sacrifice his time and money to support a lobbying organization to obtain government assistance for the industry. In neither case would it be in the interest of the individual producer to assume any of the costs himself. [...] This would be true even if everyone in the industry were absolutely convinced that the proposed program was in their interest.(pg. 11) In both instances, groups will not be formed  because the groups cannot exclude people from benefiting if they do not join the cartel or lobbying organization. In a perfect competitive marketplace, the level of production of any one producer has a negligible impact of the market price of that good. A cartel will not be formed because every agent within the cartel has an incentive to drop out of the cartel and produce as much as she possibly can, as her production will not cause the price to drop at all. Similarly, each producer of the good has an incentive not to pay dues to the lobbying organization, as the loss of one dues paying member will not influence the success or failure of that organization. One extra member in a lobbying organization representing a very large group will not determine whether or not that group will get a piece of legislation enacted that will help the industry. Since the benefits of that legislation cannot be limited to those firms in the lobbying group, there is no reason for that firm to join. Olson indicates that this is the norm for very large groups: Migrant farm laborers are a significant group with urgent common interests, and they have no lobby to voice their needs. The white-collar workers are a large group with common interests, but they have no organization to care for their interests. The taxpayers are a vast group with an obvious common interest, but in an important sense they have yet to obtain representation. The consumers are at least as numerous as any other group in the society, but they have no organization to countervail the power of organized monopolistic producers. There are multitudes with an interest in peace, but they have no lobby to match those of the special interests that may on occasion have an interest in war. There are vast numbers who have a common interest in preventing inflation and depression, but they have no organization to express that interest. (pg. 165) In a smaller group, one person makes up a larger percentage of the resources of that group, so the addition or subtraction of a single member to that organization can determine the success of the group. There are also social pressures which work much better on the small than on the large. Olson gives two reasons why large groups are inherently unsuccessful in their attempts to organize: In general, social pressure and social incentives operate only in groups of smaller size, in the groups so small that the members can have face-to-face contact with one another. Though in an oligopolic industry with only a handful of firms there may be strong resentment against the chiseler who cuts prices to increase his own sales at the expense of the group, in a perfectly competitive industry there is usually no such resentment; indeed the man who succeeds in increasing his sales and output in a perfectly competitive industry is usually admired and set up as a good example by his competitors. There are perhaps two reasons for this difference in the attitudes of large and small groups. First, in the large, latent group, each member, by definition, is so small in relation to the total that his actions will not matter much one way or another; so it would seem pointless for one perfect competitor to snub or abuse another for a selfish, antigroup action, because the recalcitrants action would not be decisive in any event. Second, in any large group everyone cannot possibly know everyone else, and the group will ipso facto not be a friendship group; so a person will ordinarily not be affected socially if he fails to make sacrifices on behalf of his groups goals.(pg. 62) Because smaller groups can exert these social (as well as economic) pressures, they are much more able to get around this problem. This leads to the result that smaller groups (or what some would call Special Interest Groups) are able to have policies enacted that hurt the country as a whole. In the sharing of the costs of efforts to achieve a common goal in small groups, there is however a surprising tendency for the exploitation of the great by the small.(pg. 3). Now that we know that smaller groups will generally be more successful than large ones, we understand why the government enacts many of the policies it does. To illustrate how this works, well use a made-up example of such a policy. Its a very drastic over-simplification, but its not that far out. Suppose there are four major airlines in the United States, each of whom is near bankruptcy. The CEO of one of the airlines realizes that they can get out of bankruptcy by lobbying the government for support. He can convince the 3 other airlines to go along with the plan, as they realize that theyll be more successful if they band together and if one of the airlines does not participate a number of lobbying resources will be greatly diminished along with the credibility of their argument. The airlines pool their resources and hire a high-priced lobbying firm along with a handful of unprincipled economists. The airlines explain to the government that without a $400 million dollar package they will not be able to survive. If they do not survive, there will be terrible consequences for the economy, so its in the best interest of the government to give them the money. The congresswoman listening to the argument finds it compelling, but she also recognizes a self-serving argument when she hears one. So shed like to hear from groups opposing the move. However, its obvious that such a group will not form, for the following reason: The $400 million dollars represents around $1.50 for each person living in America. Now obviously many of those individuals do not pay taxes, so well assume that it represents $4 for each tax-paying American (this assumes everyone pays the same amount in taxes which again is an over-simplification). Its obvious to see that its not worth the time and effort for any American to educate themselves about the issue, solicit donations for their cause and lobby to congress if theyd only gain a few dollars. So other than a few academic economists and think tanks, nobody opposes the measure, and it is enacted by congress. By this, we see that a small group is inherently at an advantage against a larger group. Although in total the amount at stake is the same for each group, the individual members of the small group have much more at stake than the individual members of the large group, so they have an incentive to spend more time and energy trying to change government policy. If these transfers just caused one group to gain at the others expense, it wouldnt hurt the economy at all. It wouldnt be any different than someone just handing you $10; youve gained $10 and that person lost $10, and the economy as a whole has the same value it had before. However, it does cause a decline in the economy for two reasons: The cost of lobbying. Lobbying is inherently a non-productive activity for the economy. The resources spent on lobbying are resources that are not being spent on creating wealth, so the economy is poorer as a whole. The money spent on lobbying could have been spent buying a new 747, so the economy as a whole is one 747 poorer.The deadweight loss caused by taxation. In the article The Effect of Taxes on the Economy, its illustrated that higher taxes causes productivity to decline and the economy to be worse off. Here the government was taking $4 from each taxpayer, which is not a significant amount. However, the government enacts hundreds of these policies so in total the sum becomes quite significant. These handouts to small groups cause a decline in economic growth because they change the actions of taxpayers.

Unit II Solid Waste Disposed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit II Solid Waste Disposed - Essay Example Sanitary landfills refer to the sites in which waste isolation from the environment is done until the living environment is safe (Lanier & Eldredge, 2005). Safety is achieved through physical, chemical, or biological degradation. Recycling of waste involve the collecting and reusing the waste materials, but mainly for secondary purposes. In the case of sustainability, improvement of the environment is done through sustainability-related programs such as resource recovery practices. In the biological processes, materials that are organic are recovered through digestions and composting processes aimed to decompose them. On the other hand, the energy recovery methods involve the conversion of waste materials that are non-recyclable into useable energy such as heat, fuel, or electricity (Kutz, 2009). Generation of solid waste and its disposal shows an increase trends over the recent years. People are increasing in term of population as well as their purchasing power thereby contributing to higher waste generation each year. The capacity of waste handled by each method of disposing solid waste seems to increase as well. This happens due to the government’s efforts to maintain a healthy environment despite the increased waste generation. Between 1999 and 2006, the management of waste has improved significantly (Kutz, 2009). It appears that as the volume of waste materials increase since 1999, the disposal methods are improved and widened to absorb such materials. Generally, the trend in the management of solid waste materials shows an ever-increasing improvement in almost every method used. Lanier, H. J., & Eldredge, R. W. (2005, August 29). Part 3: The Sanitary Landfill. A Brief History of Solid Waste Management in the US During the Last 50 Years. Retrieved from forester.net:

REWARD SYSTEM- CASE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

REWARD SYSTEM- CASE STUDY - Essay Example 1.3 Pay. The basic rate for regular employees is  £14,000. A bonus system is in place which is commensurate to the call handler’s efforts in terms of (a) number of calls taken, and (b) informal assessment by supervisors on the quality of customers relations in sampled calls. So far it has ranged from 0 to  £8,000, averaging at  £1,300. Bonuses are paid out every three months. 1.5 Commission. The chief executive has commissioned a study to be made on an appropriate rewards system that would resolve the aforementioned problems, while at the same time matching the organisation’s key competencies, namely From the case situation given, there appears to be prima facie dissatisfaction with the rewards system of Chalmers pertaining to their call handlers, and the way the rewards system is being administered. However, this may be misleading as all allegations of unfairness and poor pay come solely from the handlers, which may be a biased perception. At present, there is no agreed, specific definition of a call centre. The University of Sheffield, commissioned to create a study of the industry for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), formulated a working definition of a â€Å"call centre† as â€Å"a work environment in which the main business is conducted via a telephone whilst simultaneously using display screen equipment (DSE). The term call centre includes parts of companies dedicated to this activity, such as internal help lines as well as whole companies.† (Sprigg, Smith & Jackson, 2003). An alternative name for this type of business firm is the â€Å"contact centre† which is described as â€Å"a business unit with responsibility for communicating directly with customers, either proactively to initiate sales, or reactively in order to respond to specific needs or enquiries. Contact centres are used extensively across both the private and public sectors (UK Trade and