Free Speech -- Liberty Rights Papers Internet Censorship

Free Speech â€Å"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.† These words were spoken by Benjamin Franklin, one of our nation’s founding fathers, when the United States was still a newly independent country. Free speech, which is defined as the right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government, is a subject that is still present in the minds of many people today. At one extreme of the spectrum is a group of folks that do not care the slightest bit about free speech issues and at another end is a group of people who will vehemently fight to protect their right to free speech. In a middle ground, like most peoples’ stance, lay a large group of individuals who only take notice and take action regarding such issues when they become personally affected. Only when a person is confronted directly with someone or something that limits their actions or ability to express themselves do they begi n to realize just how much they take the right to free speech for granted. And not only is free speech threatening issues becoming more common today, but the age at which individuals come across these threats to free speech is getting even younger. It is starting quite early for today’s children as they are becoming well acquainted with perhaps the most widespread but least recognized threat to our free speech, internet content filters. According to the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility’s (CPSR) Frequently Asked Questions on filtering, a content filter is one or more pieces of software that work together to prevent users from viewing material found on the Internet and is described by the Electronic Frontier Foundation as a software mechanism for... ...ob at actually restricting access to inappropriate material and rather do a much better job at blocking beneficial resources. First and foremost the issue of government-imposed internet content blocking must be addressed. Once a solution to that has been applied, then the use of filters in general can be tackled. The solution to this can best be summed up by the following quote from the National Research Council’s book, Youth, Pornography, and the Internet, â€Å"Swimming pools can be dangerous for children. To protect them, one can install locks, put up fences, and deploy pool alarms. All these measures are helpful, but by far the most important thing that one can do for one’s children is to teach them to swim.† Once parents address the issues through communication with their children, there will be much less of a need for the â€Å"filtering† software on the market today.

CArloos Santana :: essays research papers

Carlos Santana Ryan Conroy All the world knows the special magic of Carlos Santana. Since 1966, he has led the group that bears his name, selling over 30 million albums and performing before an estimated 13 million people. In every performance, Carlos shares with his audience a personal communication that crosses all boundaries and differences. Carlos was introduced to traditional music by his father, Jose. An accomplished mariachi violinist and experienced musician, he taught Carlos the basics of music theory and gave him an understanding of the value of a note. Although Carlos' excitement for music would be sparked by his first experience, he quickly discovered the limits of its traditional form and wanted more. Carlos wanted to play the kind of music that was filling the radio waves and making people dance. Tijuana, 1955 the drastic change of moving from the small, quiet town of Autlan to the humming, thriving boom town of Tijuana brought a renewed hope and opportunity for a new life. Both for Carlos and his family. The eight-year old Carlos quickly left the violin for the guitar, studying and emulating the sounds of B.B. King, T-Bone Walker and John Lee Hooker. Soon he was being asked to join local bands like the T.J.'s, where he added a unique touch and feel to his own renditions of all the great songs of the 1950's. As he continued to play with different bands along the busy Tijuana Strip, he not Page Two only started to perfect his style and sound, but actually started bringing home enough money to really help his family. His future looked promising. In 1960, Carlos' family moved to San Francisco while Carlos stayed in Tijuana for another year to make extra money until his family was settled. However, he soon found himself amid the multicultural atmosphere of San Francisco, with all of its diverse musical styles. It was here that Carlos would find what he had been searching for, as if destiny had brought him to the right place at the right time. For the next five years, Carlos continued to evolve his own unique style of music that would later identify him as one of the most distinctive, innovative musicians of our time. In 1966, the music of Carlos Santana exploded on the streets of San Francisco with the debut performance of the Santana Blues Band. For the next two years, the Santana Blues Band was overwelmed by a wave of popularity that would take them from San Francisco's Fillmore West, to that historical performance in 1969 before 500,000 at the Woodstock Festival in New York.

Case Study-Cooper Tire and Rubber Company Essay

Introduction â€Å"Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, founded in 1914, specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of rubber products for consumers. Products include automobile, truck and motorcycle tires, inner tubes, NVH control systems, automotive sealing, and fluid delivery systems.†(http://www.coopertire.com/about/). The case study on Cooper mainly concentrates on the tire industry, and  Therefore the following analysis will be based on this. Cooper Tire & Rubber co. has enjoyed much growth and strong returns. However, with intense competition and developments in new technology, Cooper must follow suite to maintain competitive advantage by balancing efficiency with cost specifically in the Replacement Tire Industry. To set the right strategies it is important for Cooper to first analyse the external environment, both on a macro and micro basis, and then assess the resources and capabilities/competences in order to get a detailed overview of the company. The External Environment The Macro environment; PEST framework Political/Legal Analysis The introduction of NAFTA and GATT has created new opportunities for tire manufacturers for the supply of cheap labour. Companies can reduce their costs by producing their tires in low-cost labour countries such as Mexico. The foreign trade sub zone status, which reduces the company’s duty payments on imported raw materials, benefit smaller companies like Cooper greatly as it allows them to compete on an international level with relatively smaller budgets. The tire market is a heavily unionised industry, by URW the industry’s union. Over the last years the union has won, after long strikes, increased wages and benefits for workers. Economical The industry as a whole is influenced by the economic demand for vehicles, this is characterised by the strength of the economy and the disposable incomes of the consumers. The early 90’s recession had a major effect on the industry. The decline in the car industry meant that the competition for replacement tires increased, whilst the original equipment demand fell. This resulted in many companies diversifying into the replacement market in a bid to compete. The gasoline prices have an effect on the tire industry, due to the number of miles driven by drivers. After many years with fluctuating gasoline price, the price is now reasonable and stable. Social In the tire industry, the standard of living has a direct effect on the demand for tires. An example of this is found in the sub urbanisation of the US community, which resulted in more wear and tear on tires, thus a need to change tires. In addition to this the transport industry, buses, taxis, and trucks were proving more popular than the rail system, thus increasing the demand for tires. Vehicle owners are often reluctant to spend money on replacement tires, as they do not want to spend money on an old car with the ambition to purchase a new vehicle in the short term. This social attitude has lead to low-cost tire producers being more attractive in the replacement tire market. Technology Customers in the OE market often set special requirements for tires. Due to improved technology, the companies can easier produce products tailored to customers’ needs. The introduction of new technology has also lead to companies being able to produce new, better quality products at low costs. This has lead to the importance in having the latest technologic equipment in order to compete in the market. The Microenvironment; Porter’s Five Forces Model Threat of Entry by Potential Competitors New entrants in this industry may be deterred to enter the industry, due to the high fixed cost investments needed in plants and equipment. The incumbent companies have also achieved economies of scale through mass production and production know-how as they have moved down the â€Å"learning-curve†. The brand loyalty is quite moderate, but consumers do not face any cost in the eventuality they decide to switch from an incumbent manufacturer to a new entrant. When considering all these factors as barriers to entry, the barriers to entry for new competitors would be moderate/high. Rivalry among established companies The OE market is highly consolidated with Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone dominating the slightly growing market. The competition is fierce, and the players in the market compete mainly on price and product technology differentiation. The replacement market is more fragmented, and cost reduction is used as the  key competitive strategy. In both markets, competitive structure results in more rivalry as tire manufacturing companies have to fight to maintain revenues and market shares. The exit barriers present in the industry lock incumbent companies from leaving the industry when profits are low. Main barriers are the investment in plants and equipments, pensions and insurance for workers. The competitive structure and the high exit barriers show clearly that the rivalry among established companies is fairly high. Power Of Buyers In the OE market, the buyers are the automobile and truck manufacturers that buy tires in large quantity and are relatively few compared to the tire companies. They have the possibility to switch orders from one supplier to another in order to get the most convenient deal (quality products at low prices). As for tire manufacturers loosing one single buyer would mean loosing a large market share, and therefore the power of buyers is high. In the tire replacement market, the buyers consist of independent tire dealers, service stations, major department stores and automobile dealerships. Independent dealers are the most powerful retail channels as they satisfy almost 66 percent of the replacement market and have been proved to have the ability to influence customers’ choice, they will have the power to agree convenient deals with tire manufacturers. However, the power of retail channels is fairly low, as they buy in relatively small quantity secondly and the tire firms can easily switch to other solutions such as manufactured-owned retail stores or simply other dealers. Power of Suppliers The power of suppliers of raw material is low. The main reason is that â€Å"all of the raw materials are commodities, available in bulk from a variety of  sources on world markets.† Therefore, tire manufacturers can easily switch from one source to another. Furthermore, tire firms can eventually vertically (backward) integrate the processes to obtain the raw materials they need. On the other hand, it would be less likely for suppliers to threat tire manufacturers forward integrating into tire manufacturing as they would have to face the high barriers to entry the industry. Complements The demand and profitability of the tire industry depends critically on the oil and auto/truck manufacturing industry. Lower gasoline prices increase the number of miles driven by vehicles, which lead to more wear and tear on tires and an increasing demand for replacement tires. If the number of new cars sold declines, it means that drivers are holding on to their cars longer, and the demand for replacement tires increases. The demand for OE tires is directly related to the number of new vehicles produced and sold. The number of new vehicles produced worldwide has been stable the last years. Substitutes The retread tire market segment is a substitute of the replacement tire manufacturing industry, because it serves a similar consumer need. However, the retread market is not a threat to the tire industry anymore. In 1996 the sales of retread tires started declining, due to the fact that buyers could purchase new, more reliable tires for a slightly increase in the price. Cooper’s resources, competences and competitive/business strategy As Hill & Hones argue, â€Å"a distinctive competency is unique strength that allows a company to achieve superior efficiency, quality, innovation or customer responsiveness and thereby to create superior value and attain a competitive advantage†. Cooper with its distinctive competencies is achieving substantial low costs compared to that of its rivals through its key resources and capabilities. Key resources and competences Intangible Resources and Competences A key intangible resource has been identified through Coopers distribution. This involves Coopers relationship with its wholesalers as it sells half of its production as a private label to store-chains, mass merchants and discounters, while the other half is sold under the Cooper brand through independent tire dealers. Cooper has achieved superior customer responsiveness by developing a good relationship with their distributors through valuing them instead of competing against them. Cooper’s inventory system is a key resource that has helped them in cut costs even further, when using the capability of buying ahead to get cheaper deals. Cooper has the competence of bringing their products quickly to the market by outstanding service to the distribution channel with an efficient automated material handling system. Cooper knows that it is pointless to compete against the largest players in the market like Michelin and Bridgestone when it comes to R&D. Instead they copy and imitate the largest companies. â€Å"Instead of pioneering its own design, the company often waits to see what sells well†. In addition, Cooper use their efficient technologic manufacturing equipment so they can produce products at higher standards tailored to meet customers requirements. Cooper also concentrates on implementing new ideas, and innovation is developed through the manufacturing of new production lines. This no frills approach of manufacturing its products, aided by product innovation leads to reduced costs. Cooper has a low marketing expenditure, compared to their competitors. They focus their marketing and promotional strategy towards their most important customers, which are dealers and distributors. The TQM (Total Quality Management) Concept Gorr, chief executive of Cooper supports the TQM concept, and argues that the company’s corporate philosophy is to â€Å"produce value and quality, as defined by the customer†. Top quality management is an intangible resource, which gives them the capability to produce products that are superior to their competitors. It also creates efficient production methods while delivering excellent service to its distribution channel. This is represented in their strategic â€Å"Cooper 21† plan. Cross-functional teams have also been developed within the organisation, where employee skills and know how can be easily switched from department to department. The decision making although undertaken by management were made in consultation with all members of the company, as employees implement ideas in the most effective way. Cooper is therefore capable of developing and producing tires at a lower cost relative to those of its competitors. In addition Coopers innovative compensation system where by wages rise or fall due to the individual’s performance further contributes to motivation and overall productivity. An effective measure of efficiency is employee productivity, and Cooper is much more efficient than their competitors (see Appendix 1). Coopers, recruitment process in aid with its screening test is also designed to â€Å"team players†, which is designed to identify people with the â€Å"right attitude† to fit the job. This improved quality maintained by Cooper means that costs decrease because of less rework, fewer mistakes, fewer delays, and batter use of time and materials. Consequently productivity improves as â€Å"better quality leads to higher market share† (Hill and Jones, Strategic Management, 2001). Tangible Resources Cooper’s plants located in small towns and Mexico are one of its key tangible resources. Its plants have provided the company with cheaper resources including plants and labour. When Cooper want to expand its capacity, buying old plants and refurbishing them are very cheap. This tangible resource has helped cooper to create superior efficiency of resources as it permit to  reap savings over the company. Cooper’s own designed equipment is a valuable tangible resource for the company. Its own production equipment meet better the company’s own needs and specifications than commercial equipment. Cooper’s custom machines have helped to create superior efficiency and productivity in the production process by increasing production capacity at a reduced time. Its computer technology has not only enabled Cooper to keep up with its competitors but also reduced its costs. Contribution of Key Resources and Competences to the Value Chain To gain competitive advantage on its competitors, Cooper Tire focuses its strategy on what are its key resources and capabilities. It is really about maximising and concentrating all the key strengths of the different organisation’s primary and support activities, as represented in the value chain diagram. One of the strongest advantage for Cooper Tire is its ability to produce good quality tires at low cost, and this is the result of a winning combination of key resources such us technological machinery and key capabilities such as low-cost production know how and an efficient product distribution. In terms of value chain Cooper Tire creates its value with an efficient and consistent production, marketing and sales activities and at the same time with a well-organized company infrastructure. For these reasons Cooper Tire pursues a cost-leadership competitive/business strategy that will enable the company to maximise profit and expand. As Hill & Jones stated: † A strategy is an action a company takes to attain one or more of its goals/(superior performance).† Therefore, once established that Cooper’s goals are to produce good quality products at the lowest costs possible, maximise profit and expand the company, therefore the strategy will consist of the actions taken to achieve these goals. One of the main resources that contributes to Cooper’s low-cost strategy is  the company’s cheap plants and labour. In particular, as Cooper operates mainly in the replacement tire market where it is not vital to pioneer in product innovation and design, its competitive/business strategy is mainly based on a low level of product differentiation. Very little is invested in product R&D and tires designs and characteristics are adapted in relations to other companies’ already successful products. On the other hand much more attention and investments are dedicated to implement the distinctive competency of effective manufacturing and materials management. More in details, the effective manufacturing and materials management consist in adopting high computer technology for â€Å"product design and development, machine design and mold design†. Technology enables Cooper to produce high quality products quicker than most of its competitors and therefore adds much value to its products. Cooper are characterised by its shared norms and values attained from employee quality and innovation (TQM) with employee recruitment tests for â€Å"team players and communicators† undertaken by Cooper. This has been reflected in its organisational culture. As a result value is added as competitive advantage is attained because it is difficult to imitate staff operations and efficiencies in decision-making, which is reflected in its Source Award for its quality. Company No. of Employees Estimated Capacity (units per day) Output per employee Goodyear 22830 366900 16.07 Michelin 17505 216000 12.34 Bridgestone 9145 129900 14.20 Cooper 4300 126000 29.30 Continental/General 4509 87600 19.42

The Splendiferous Sunset

The horizon slices through the magnificent sun, a bigger segment lying in reflection in the water as its sharp blend of rays in orange, pink, blue, red and purple pierce the clouds painfully. The bright yellow, hot flames that had been warming and brightening the day slowly extinguish, converting to deep cool orange flames. The never ending, deep ocean tardily becomes several shades darker, mirroring the splendiferous sky while sharing the unique beauty of its colours smoothly. The scene is simply dazzling. Colours of the rainbow given off by the umbrellas, hats and swimming costumes, battled wildly against the colour of, the golden sand; a layer of tiny eroded rocks blanketing the land from the ocean. All the colours were fading swiftly like water pouring out of a jug. The dark grey cliffs piercing the splendid sky, with its sharp heads, adding to my view of the sweet scene, hanging uninterestingly in the sides of the sand. The once noisy beach, where children's shout of laughter was heard, is suddenly slowly being replaced by the constant whisper of the wind and the splashing, spluttering and swishing of the waves. Footprints stamped into the sizzling sand, being washed away by the wild waves driven by the wind; erasing all evidences of life having been there. Distant leaving figures, against the stunning colours of the background, were shown as black difficult to observe. Silence hung, a sharp knife, threatening anything that disturbs it. Sharp rocks pierce my feet as I walk through the sand slowly, but also strangely comforting at the same time; the skin on my feet being slowly stroked by the waves is left tingling. As I slowly sat myself positioned between the sand and small waves, the feeling of comforting loneliness suddenly started to overwhelm me, the sereneness of the sunset scene, the whispering of the few trees stranded, the sound of the distant seagulls all combined together able to make any stone heart melt. As the enormous orange marble makes the last step of its journey, welcoming the darkness that would soon wrap itself around the world until tomorrow, with its remaining rays. I got up slowly, my gaze on the amazing scene before me; trying to absorb as much of the beauty while it lasts. Inch by inch the orange marble slips out of view, letting its slowly extinguishing rays say goodbye with the little energy left in the rays to the land soon to be enclosed in darkness. I started to run home.

My Leadership Practices and Future Essay

This following will outline my personal leadership practices and potential future leadership. To analyze my leadership qualities I will use the Seven Habits Profile and a leadership theory to determine my strengths, weaknesses, and areas of opportunity for improvement. In conclusion, I will determine the best recommendations for long-term improvement as well as SMART goals, or short-term courses of action, for leadership improvement. Seven Habits Profile The Seven Habits Profile revealed that I rank as outstanding in two categories, very good in six categories, and good in just one category. This seems to highlight what I am most exemplary at in terms of leadership, what I am just proficient at, and what presents itself as an opportunity for improvement. The main two strengths include having a work-life balance and being a proactive problem solver. An area of opportunity as indicated by the profile would be having the ability to synergize which is a combination of seeking the views of others and making creative decisions. The two strengths point to qualities I have constantly tried to improve upon. Earlier in my career, I was a bit of a workaholic and tended to bring work home with me. This resulted in a dismal personal life which eventually permeated negativity into my professional life as well. In light of that, over the years I have created rules for myself to remedy that initial error and in doing so this has become one of my str engths. My other strength, being proactive, stems from the lack of this quality in my current career field. More often than not it is more imperative to be reactive in my line of work.  To set myself above the rest I decided early on in my career to work on being both, as being reactive is just as important as being proactive in order to prevent conflict and deal with one once it has arisen. The category in which I rated as only good, or a possible opportunity for improvement, is synergize. I believe I scored myself low in two out of three categories because it has been an incredible weakness in the past and one I have been working on for quite some time. While I have significantly improved in this area I continually work on this factor of working better with people by seeking their input. In doing so, I rate myself harshly on this aspect, despite the progress I have made, because I am not as competent as I would like to be. My Leadership Practices Over the course of my career, I have tried to model various leadership behaviors based upon successful leaders that I have worked with or for. This has led me to incorporate different styles into my own. Considering my current leadership strengths and how I view successful leaders I will use a servant leadership theory to analyze my own competencies. Servant leaders have 9 different aspects comprised of: emotional healing, creating value for the community, conceptual skills, empowering, helping subordinates grow and succeed, putting subordinates first, behaving ethically, relationships, and servanthood (Boone & Makhani, 2005, pg. 86). The aspects of a servant leader are those that I personally value and identify with. In addition to this, it is my belief that servant leaders, because they are people oriented, are more effective in a variety of environments and situations. My Leadership Strengths In accordance with the servant leadership theory I have three main strengths that I employ in my leadership practices. The first recognized strength is my ability to develop strong working relationships with employees. This strength is best demonstrated in my practice of getting to know all of the employees on a personal basis and caring about their professional and personal lives by showing interest every day. This aspect of leadership requires a considerable amount of listening on my part and therefore assists in fostering clear communication and trust between me and the employees. According to Boone & Makhani (2005), â€Å"A vital prerequisite to servant  leadership is credibility, which is the foundation of leadership. People must believe in their leaders and know that they are worthy of trust† (Boone & Makhani, 2005, pg. 85). This establishment of trust, fostered through caring and building a sense of community within the team, lays the groundwork to being viewed as a competent leader that employees will follow with enthusiasm. In conjunction with my first strength, my second strength has been identified as the capacity to help subordinates grow and develop within their career. I have demonstrated this by mentoring employees. This has included helping them grow within their current position as well as aiding them in moving up from their current level within the organization. This aid is often in the form of teaching, listening, and giving them my insight to what I have observed within the organization in concern to both reviews of work and job promotions. Development of employees has to be a quality that is purposefully demonstrated consistently and not just when an employee asks for help. This requires a regular effort on the part of the leader of a team. In order to help an employee in this aspect a lea der has to know employees on a basic fundamental level. The leadership practice of aiding in an employees’ career growth cannot be effectively engaged without the insight gained by the understanding and communication gained through the aforementioned practice of getting to know your employees. Developing the people in your workforce builds skills and confidence and in turn increases and maintains a high level on morale. Along with caring about employees through getting to know them it is imperative that a leader show they care about the person and their future. Consistent with Hamilton & Nord as cited by Caldwell, Dixon, Floyd, Chaudoin, Post, & Cheakas (2012), servant leadership has been defined as ‘‘providing leadership that focuses on the good of those who are being led and those whom the organization serves’’ (Hamilton & Nord as cited in Caldwell, Dixon, Floyd, Chaudoin, Post, & Cheakas, 2012, pg. 180). Assisting an employee up through the career ladder demonstrates that the leader cares about each emp loyee’s future both on a personal and professional level. The third strength I have identified in my leadership practices, conducting myself ethically as a leader, relates to the first two strengths. I have established this strength by holding myself visibly to a higher standard than the organization I work for requires of me. This often involves a great amount of transparency with my work  processes and what decisions I make. I conduct myself in a manner that is viewed as beyond reproach. In addition to setting an appropriate example for employees behaving ethically allows trust to be established. If a decision or action were ever called into question my openness on honesty in matters would quickly dispel any thought of impropriety on my part. If a leader failed to obey the rules, no amount of caring, communication, or helping associates would build a sense of trust from the followers’ point of view. According to Parris and Peachey (2013) , â€Å"Whereas other leadership theories are traditionally defined only by what the leader does, servant leaders are defined by their character and by demonstrating their complete commitment to serve others† (Parris & Peachey, 2013, pg. 379). A leader’s style and effectiveness are defined by one’s character and is therefore defined by their actions and the ethics that govern their actions. My Leadership Weaknesses I have three main areas of opportunity for improvement in my leadership practices. While they are not complete deficiencies, or lacking, they require development to form a balanced leadership approach. My first weakness is a lacking of showing thoughtfulness or understanding with subordinates personal concerns. While this is not always the case, when I fail at this point is often because I am putting the organization first and failing to completely listen to an employee’s point of view concerning a specific subject matter. This often occurs when an associate is upset about a new organizational policy. Because I do not adequately listen to the associate’s point of view I fail in showing understanding and simply state to the employee that the policy must be followed. While this in an infrequent occurrence, when it does transpire it often leaves the employee to feel that I do not care about them and they in turn give the impression that they would be reluctant to come to m e with other issues that I could assist with. These perceptions degrade lines of communication and trust to an extent that negatively impacts how I may viewed as a leader and how my subordinates may, or may not, perform while working with me. The second leadership weakness I have pinpointed is that in certain situations I do not put employees first. When a new or big project is to be completed I do not always seek input from subordinates because of time constraints. In all  actuality their viewpoints on how these projects are to be done would likely decrease the time needed to accomplish the task. However, when I failed at seeking their input only my ideas are carried out, which may not be the most efficient way, and the employees feel that their views do not matter which fails to motivate or inspire fast and effectual performance. Therefore this failure leads to a demoralized team that negatively impacts not only the current project but future tasks as well. My third weakness as a leader is that I fail to empower subordinates concerning specific kinds of tasks on a consistent basis. This occurrence is typically the result of performance constraints on my end leading me to not help employees by showing them how to complete certain tasks. Instead I often do these tasks on my own so that I know they are done right and in a timely manner. By not always allowing employees to do these tasks, or helping them improve on these tasks they do not get a chance to grow within their position by mastering certain aspects of their job. This causes friction between me and employees as they perceive my actions to be a lack of trust or faith in their abilities. This weakness, like the first two, also contributes to a decrease in morale because the employees question my judgment or because they lack confidence in their abilities because I doubted them. Recommendations for Leadership Development To address my weaknesses, it is necessary to alter my leadership practices to be more congruent with the servant leadership style. All following recommendations for changes in my leadership practices will be a move toward a more complete servant leadership style. â€Å"Servant leadership differs from other models of leadership in that it focuses on leaders meeting the needs of followers, in that, if followers are treated as ends in themselves, rather than means to an end, they will reach their potential and so perform optimally. Such an approach is found when leaders respect, value and motivate those who follow them† (McCrimmon as cited by Waterman, 2011, pg. 25). The first recommendation will be to take the time to listen to employees regardless of the situation. This will require that I use the listening skills I have developed in all situations, especially in the types of situations I have consistently failed. This remedy will prevent the decay in trust and communication th at not understanding subordinates personal concerns often causes. This increased thoughtfulness in all matters on my  part will foster improved teamwork between myself and the team instead of hindering performance with decreased morale caused misunderstandings. The second recommendation change to my leadership practices is to seek input from employees on all tasks that involve them. A change in the practice would seek to prevent employees from feeling disenfranchised by having to complete work as dictated to them rather than doing tasks in a manner in which they believe is best for the work style that will still end with the same desired result. This change will garner an increased enthusiasm in daily task as well as the larger goals by giving employees a sense of ownership in their work. Gaining input and insight into how things are done will also add the possibility of increased efficiency and expediency in daily tasks by giving control to task experts who perform these regularly and have insight on how to improve. The increased performance coupled with an increased sense of trust will also seek to increase and maintain a healthy level of employee morale. The third recommended improvement to my leadership practices will be to challenge employees with new types of tasks and grow their skill sets to build performance, enthusiasm, and job satisfaction. When giving employees new challenges I also need follow up during and after their tasks to give constructive criticism and offer additional training if indicated. This alteration to my current practices will also prevent the erosion in trust my seemingly lack of faith in the past has had on employees and the team. This change to my practices will lead to greater employee skill set development and an added confidence within team members. SMART Goals To hasten my leadership development in a measurable method I am setting two SMART goals to accomplish within the next two weeks. The first goal is to set aside time to talk with each employee to ascertain what short and long term goals they have within the organization. I will also discuss with them what skill sets they believe they lack that is preventing them from moving to the next level. I will then assign tasks to each employee that seeks to build the desired skill set of each person. I will monitor their progress and give feedback as necessary. At the end of the two week period I will follow up again with each employee to ask them what they thought about the process, if they learned anything from doing new activities, and what, if  any, new tasks or skills they would like to learn or hone to further their career goals. The second goal will be to hold small team meetings, or huddles as we call them in the organization I work for, and gain the opinions and insights from employees on current changes within the organizations. I will guide the meetings and help employees choose how certain objectives will be met and how they might influence accomplishing long-term goals. Within reason, I will set into motion the employees plans and suggestions. At the end of the two week period I will again hold a series of huddles to discuss our accomplishments based upon the changes the employees have planned and further adjustments we could make to improve processes to these changes. I am optimistic that through the accomplishment of these two goals employees will feel more involved and valued within the organization. These immediate changes will also seek to build trust within my leadership and the organization. This improvement will further open up the lines of communication and reestablish a better sense of teamwork, as I will also be seen as part of the team in addition to its leader. These achievements will boost performance for both long and short-term objectives while increasing the teams’ morale. References Boone, L. W., & Makhani, S. (2012). Five Necessary Attitudes of a Servant Leader. Review Of Business, 33(1), 83-96. Retrieved from: http://wguproxy.egloballibrary.com/login?user=true&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=heh&AN=86286635&site=ehost-live&scope=site Caldwell, C., Dixon, R., Floyd, L., Chaudoin, J., Post, J., & Cheokas, G. (2012). Transformative Leadership: Achieving Unparalleled Excellence. Journal Of Business Ethics, 109(2), 175-187. Retrieved from: http://wguproxy.egloballibrary.com/login?user=true&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=heh&AN=78333229&site=ehost-live&scope=site Parris, D., & Peachey, J. (2013). A Systematic Literature Review of Servant Leadership Theory in Organizational Contexts. Journal Of Business Ethics, 113(3), 377-393. Retrieved from: http://wguproxy.egloballibrary.com/login?user=true&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=heh&AN=87015717&site=ehost-live&scope=site Waterman, H. (2011). P rinciples of ‘servant leadership’ and how they can

Ecotourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ecotourism - Essay Example However, according to the normative definition, ecotourism is centered on three main criteria: (i) 'it should have nature based attractions (ii) visitor interactions should focus on education, and (iii) experience and product management should follow the principles associated with ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability' (Weaver and Lawton 2007:170). Prescriptive definitions of ecotourism is preferred amongst experts which include 'value-based dimensions' such as conservation, community involvement and social responsibility.(Weaver and Lawton 2007: 1169). Ecotourism is being promoted by governments and the tourism industry as a sustainable alternative to mass tourism. However, this too has not escaped critics' comments and myths. They have suggested that ecotourism can be damaging to the natural environment. Critics are skeptical that the future of tourism industries can be at risk (Mihalic 2000) with the motivation of ecotourists. There are different types of eco/nature tourists. Lindberg's 1991 typology distinguishes hard-core, dedicated, mainstream tourists from casual nature tourists. Similarly Laarman and Durst (1987) has drawn a distinction between 'hard' and 'soft' ecotourism experiences based on the degree of difficulty in ecotourism. Ecotourism is one of the 'new' forms of tourism based around sustainable ideas. As compared to other forms of tourism ecotourism is small in scale, non-consumptive, ethical/responsible, and of benefit to local people. However, in the absence of an adequate management regime ecotourism is unlikely to be sustainable ecologically by any relevant measure. Most ecotourism destinations are geographically remote and hence ecotourism involves the issue of carbon expenditures with long distance travel and their contribution to climatic changes. Therefore, ecotourism can never meet the parameters of environmental sustainability. Critical Comments The sustainability of ecotourism is a controversial issue. As long as ecotourism serves its purpose as an 'alternative tourism' by satisfying ecotourists and fulfills their mission, it has already achieved its goal and purpose. There is a definite scope of developing ecotourism both at the local and global scales in order to promote tourism industry as such. Critical Reflections Different types of ecotourism have to be formed and developed by the government systems of developing and developed countries. Ecotourism must aim to gain the economic advantages of tourism development causing minimal negative environmental impact. SUMMARY 2 Tourism and Environment With reference to the environmental impacts of tourism from geographical perspective tourism as an industry depends on physical environment. Tourism is associated with environmental benefits although it is not free from negative impacts. Tourism is not free from related pollution problems. Most of these are related to traffic, tourist infrastructure and the activities of tourists. In congested areas emissions negatively influence vegetation, soil and visibility. Heating systems of tourist related buildings emit some

Heritage Education and Interpretation Dissertation

Heritage Education and Interpretation - Dissertation Example Assessment Details Remember all parts of the Assessment are compulsory. Suggested Timescale Before Placement. †¢ Complete Task 1 – Skills Audit. During First Week. (w/c 1st May 2006) †¢ Contact Niesha Nicholson to confirm your placement details. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Second Week. (w/c 8th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Third Week. (w/c 15th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fourth Week. (w/c 22rd May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fifth Week. (w/c 29th May 2006) †¢ Placement Co-ordinator to make contact. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Sixth Week. (w/c 5th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Seventh Week (w/c 12th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Eighth Week. (w/c 19th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. Assignment 1 Task 1 – Personal Skills Audit ... You can then look for development opportunities during your work experience. Please answer all the questions by ticking one of the boxes. Do not spend too long thinking about the answers, if you do not know if the question applies to you then tick 'don't know'. The audit should take no more than 15 minutes. You are examining your skills as they are now, not trying to tick every Yes box. There are no right or wrong answers. Remember - you are postgraduates, some of these skills will already be familiar to you! Personal Skills Audit Yes No Don't Know 1. As part of your course are you required to write a number of different written documents, essays, reports, etc. X 2. Do you make a point of listening attentively and seeking to understand what other people say X 3. Have you recently given a presentation to more than five people X 4. Have you recently worked with others, as part of a team, towards a goal or to complete a task X 5. Do you consistently meet and/or exceed targets (i.e. deadlines) X 6. Do you enjoy the challenge of solving problems X 7. Do you regularly analyse your performance and try to learn from it X 8. Do you identify ways of improving you own performance X 9. Are you familiar with the functions of a calculator and confident in applying them X 10. Are you able to use the different software packages available on the University PC clusters (Word, Excel, etc.) X 11. When writing an essay do you always prepare and work to an outline plan or structure X 12. Can you quickly establish a rapport with someone you've never met before X 13. Do you use a range of visual aids when giving a presentation, e.g. OHP's, flip chart, PowerPoint X 14. Have you made a substantial contribution to the planning and