On My Way - 670 Words

Renà © Descartes was a famous French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher. He was arguably known as the Father of Modern Philosophy. Descartes published many works of mathematics and philosophy throughout his life. In one of his most important works, Meditations on First Philosophy, he added a number of arguments for and against skepticism. Skepticism is the doubt about the truth of something and that absolute knowledge is not possible. Like past famous philosophers before him, Plato and Parmenides, Descartes believed that evidence from the senses was inadequate to prove the kind of justification required for a claim of knowledge. In the first of Rene Descartes Meditations, he provided arguments for the skeptical position. He†¦show more content†¦The method of hyperbolical doubt, also known as methodic doubt, is a methodical process of being skeptical about the truth of ones belief. According to the article â€Å"Descartes’ Epistemology,† Hyperbolical Doubt is perceived to mean that one applies doubt to all candidates of knowledge. However, Descartes sees hyperbolical doubt as this: when one decides to doubt their knowledge, one must apply their doubt to all candidates collectively and start at the foundation. As the phrase goes, one bad apple can spoil a bunch, one false piece of knowledge can cause an entire belief to collapse. Renà © Descartes describes three skeptical arguments in Meditation I. The first argument is about how one cannot rely solely on senses for knowledge because senses can be deceiving. One often makes decisions and judgments based on what one sees, hears, feels, s mells, and so forth; therefore, when one experiences some form of sensory illusion, their judgment is impaired and the information can possibly be false. For example, a person can be driving on a highway on a scorching hot summer day and be absolutely certain that he or she sees a puddle of water on the road ahead. However, the closer they get to the â€Å"puddle of water,† they quickly realize that it was an illusion of the sun. Their eyes deceived them and the knowledge which theyShow MoreRelatedThe Speech On Young Mistakes798 Words   |  4 Pagesadolescents we search for ways to have fun parties, drugs, and sex. In the process we make choices without thinking them through, which we will sooner or later regret. While the mistakes I’ve made weren’t as bad as other’s. There is one that I will regret the most. Smoking marijuana and my mom finding out about it. I regret it the most seeing that it pained her most, seeing her beloved son intoxicated. Woke up, got out of bed enthusiastically knowing it was Friday, and wanting my weekend to start asRead MoreOvercoming The Way Of My Life871 Words   |  4 Pagessee the word as a way of defeating a difficult obstacle. I would agree to an extent that this is true for some, maybe most. For me however, to overcome has a whole other meaning. For me, it meant to face my demons and forgive those who had hurt me. It meant finding a way to live my life the way that I wanted and to not allow my past to interfere. My life is not really what one would call the life of a typical teenager. My mother was a prostitute who was addicted to cocaine. My brother and I wereRead MoreMy Way Into Culinary School926 Words   |  4 PagesMy Way Into Culinary School Sitting in the classroom, getting myself to type this memoir, thinking about how I got here, and considering situations that influenced my decision to join culinary school. 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Climate Change And Global Warming - 1060 Words

Climate change (Klaus) 1000 The terms â€Å"global warming†, â€Å"climate change† or â€Å"greenhouse effect† have become more than just parts of the popular lexicon as they rather are subject of public discussions, scientific research or political debates. Despite the popularity and the ubiquity of these terms, the public’s theoretical and conceptual understanding of them and their causal relations is often based on superficial knowledge and buzzwords or caricatures outlined and depicted in several popular media. To take account for the latent threat that global warming embodies to humanity, wildlife and the whole environment, it is important to understand the science behind this occurrences. This abstract describes in short the terms mentioned above,†¦show more content†¦Global warming usually refers to human-caused impacts on the climate change, and in particular to the increase of the surface temperature. According to the 2014 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on C limate Change (IPCC), scientists were more than 95% certain, that most of global warming is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and other anthropogenic activities . In order to understand this causal relationship, it is necessary to understand the difference between the natural greenhouse effect and the human or enhanced greenhouse effect (figure 1 shows a depictive representation of the greenhouse effect). The term greenhouse house effect suffers from a bad connotation, whereas without it, the Earth’s surface temperature would be about 0  °F instead of actual 60  °F . This average surface temperature arises from an energy balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation and different sources of energy. Incoming solar radiation, which is visible as light, as well as invisible in form of electromagnetic radiation is partly absorbed (70%) by the atmosphere, clouds or the surface of the Earth. To maintain a stable energy balance, respectively a constant temperature, the Earth (as a whole) needs to emit the same quantity of energy it absorbed from outside. The wavelength of the radiation emitted by the Earth is longer than the wavelength of the incoming solar radiation. So called greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, which

My Favorite Place Essay Example For Students

My Favorite Place Essay Its amazing how one telephone conversation will forever be imprinted in my memory as the most rewarding conversation I have ever had. I still recall every little sigh and syllable that was uttered. I can still feel the urgency of how important it was that I get in touch with my father, three weeks prior he had been diagnose with severe lung cancer and started intense chemotherapy immediately. Hi dad, how are you feeling? I asked. A little better now. I was sitting here watching the History channel and was actually able to keep some Lasagna down, it was the best Lasagna that I have ever had. These of course were the best words I have ever heard. Due to the Chemo he was unable to keep food down, we ended our phone conversation with I love you and talk to you soon. One week later he passed away. My father was a very loving, caring, and a truly amazing man. He raised all five, of us kids. Even though four of us were his step- children. He treated us like we were his biological children. He worked for thirty-five years driving a forklift. Which he truly loved his work. His favorite hobby was taking care of his land and his horses. This land is where he is laid to rest. This is my favorite place. As I move thru the gateway of the first pasture I see the huge barn with its few corrals for the horses to the East. It has a pear tree with an abundance of fruit on it. Then as I glimpse to the west of me I see the smaller familiar barn with its speckled rusted coffee colored roof. On the side of the barn there is an extremely wide poultry pen. A few feet straight in front I see the ever present solid, secure, and strong fence with barb wire leading to the second pasture. I open the gate and proceed thru it following the dirt path that has been worn in the ground from being traveled upon so much. After entering the second pasture I begin my journey by foot across lush, green grass. All around me I take in the breathtaking landscape of the many different types of intense, dark, sweet smelling flowers. The abundance of trees and plants amazes me more every time I see them. As I move toward the incredibly old, wobbly bridge that covers the babbling stream. I come to a stand still in the middle of the bridge. As I listen intently to the water rushing by with its current so swift. Just listening to the sounds makes my anxiety melt away. I continue on my long journey. Hiking up the humongous, unreasonably rough and earthy hill I notice the many different birds that are so happily whistling their songs. I feel the warm breeze and sun hitting the back of my neck. Instantly it makes me think of my fathers warm embrace and smile. I pause and take in the tranquil sounds and sights nature can only provide. Nature is truly a beautiful and remarkable sight. Each and every one of the trees is exceptional and vivacious with color and life. I persist again on my journey on foot once more down an earthly trail that has been worn out thru the grass. I move about toward the opening to the clearing. There are pine trees as far as the eye can see. Some seem to be so tall that as I gaze up they are reaching to the heavens above. In the distance there is another fenced in area blocked off for cattle and horses to graze. It seems so long ago when it was in fact being used. I continue my quest eventually in the distance I see the four familiarly large oak trees. The trunks of the trees by themselves are actually quite massive. The trees have got to be at least two hundred years old. .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .postImageUrl , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:hover , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:visited , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:active { border:0!important; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:active , .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u16f064b611c6da52e71d9451cdeff98f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: racial targeting EssayThey have sustained the four seasons many times. The weather damage is apparent from the limb structure and the bark condition. A couple of the trees have even been struck by lightning. The Oak trees are broadening so widely. They are fashioned in the most puzzling form of a circle. Their branches extend upward like they are demanding to lay their hands on the sky. Their leaves are vivacious with life. You can tell by the richness of the green in the colors of their leaves. I make my way thru the dense, tall grass and proceed to the center of the trees. Each one is now located around me at its focal points of North, South, East, and West. As I acquire a seat at this point I stare around at the beauty of my surroundings. Its peacefulness and beauty astounds me. I also use my sense of smell to discover the sweetest aroma of honeysuckles. Truthfully, my greatest, most adorned fragrances. At the same time as I swiftly stare in the direction of the breathtaking light blue sky I notice the sun so vibrantly shining above me. It feels so wonderful. There are ways of watching nature that can make you feel safe, secure, and tranquil. At this point I am flooded by memories of my father. His wit, charm, sense of humor and love rush upon me leaving me breathless. This was his most favorite place to be. When I am here it makes me feel some what closer to him. It makes me feel to a greater extend nearer to my father. His presence is to a great extent felt. This is his final resting place in his journey of life. It makes me sense that I am so stressed free and relaxed. I am extremely fortunate to have this amazing place. I am next to ease and this point and like my father I am at peace.

Business Report on Ethical Consumerism Corporate Governance

Question: Describe about the Business Report on Ethical Consumerism for Corporate Governance . Answer: Introduction The concept of ethical and moral consumerism has been gaining grounds in the previous past up to the present. The reason attributed to this phenomenon is that companies globally comprise of different sets of economic facts and relations. Certain attributes such as trustworthiness, personal integrity, and social competence and various other core competences have become crucial when it comes to dealing with corporate partners, employees, and decisive public. Most organizations have discovered that yearly assessment are not efficient enough to measure employee performance.The management has the capacity to identify any issues ahead of time by seeking to maintain employees abilities and workload. Company Review Overview As a food producing and selling company, Wegmans stood out as exceptional company because of the way it has constantly maintained its position in the rankings. The best memorable time came in 2007 when Wegmans got an award from the Food Networks for being the leading supermarket in the United States. The company is a thriving grocery store positioned in Rochester in the heart of New York. Its achievement is witnessed in the manner it has spread to close to 70 of its stores across Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland by 2010. There are uncountable reasons as to why Wegmans retains such loyal staff and a high turnover rate of 9% for their 40k workers. The astonishing feature of this establishment is the way it applies job sharing as well as a compressed worksheet and providing of telecommuting for its staff members. The organisation has eventually created a viable environment that symbolises that staffs matter the most. Therefore, the first ethical aspect practice d by this company is the giving of due recognition to its workers. This has always remained a challenge to majority of firms out there who are not concerned by the welfare of the employees as much as they do with other goals like wealth creation and profit maximization. This firms mission is always Workers First, Clients Second, and is cherished on the premise that when workers feel cared for, they automatically reciprocate by displaying utmost concern and care for the clientele they serve (Smith, 2013, p. 3). The core purpose of this paper is to attempt to extract the organizational behaviour of the company in question, and give elucidative reasons why it is the best organization one should strive to work for. Conducting Primary Research for the Company When researching public opinion, it can be difficult to understand the reasons why consumers choose a particular retailer especially when there are numerous indicators that the company may have a flawed perception of what those consumers really need or a less than stellar process of treating their team members. By conducting experiments, we are able to identify an effect of a particular variable and can potentially gain insight into what prompts consumers to continue shopping even though the company has its fair share of challenges and what contributes to employee turnover rates. Another ways through Wegmans has upheld ethics in its operations and management is by bringing innovation to a traditional industry. In 1996, for instance, the company initiated a website for its major stores with key specifics on recipes and health coupled with other significant information for all its clients. Many have labelled the experience at the company as Food Theatre. The company has always strived to ensure that all its employees are ahead in terms of innovativeness and skill development. A good company is the one that keeps all its stakeholders including the management and employees, who come should be kept at par with the ongoing progress of the company. It would be very unfair for this company if it does its activities and does not disclose them to the concerned parties attached to it (Laurin, 2006, p. 300). Ethical Consumerism Commercial enterprises that work by insisting on the use of conventional methods of persuasion and marketing are failing because of the advent of a younger class of consumers who have high levels of literacy standards and are interested in firms that undertake ethical businesses. A good and effective consumer is in a position to purchase and use products which are generated in an ethical manner, and not otherwise (Tricker, 2012, p. 16). The modern-day consumers expect products produced by companies to be 100% harmless in both the society and the environment. The concept of ethical consumerism is associated with mistrust to both suppliers and manufacturers of products. Consumers (who are strictly ethical clients) have various demands and possess high prospects to enable them attain value and have value delivered at their disposal via ethical processes and techniques (Brink, 2011, p. 3). There are certain products that can be termed as ethical. Such comprise products in industries comprising of soft drink industries, travel, dairy, energy, toiletries and cosmetics, food and beverage. Apart from the form in which products are manufactured, consumers are encouraged to be ethical specifically through assessment of their food miles. The presence of food miles is used to describe the volume or bulk of energy used in making products and availing them to consumers (Sudbury, Kohlbacher Hofmeister, 2012, p. 291). For this particular reason, majority of ethical consumers are now fond of purchasing and consuming locally manufactured products. While addressing the principles of business ethics, corporate social responsibility and human rights, corporations too, can come up with the fundamental ethics principles by positioning them as the foundation of the requisite protection of human rights of people in global business. According to Bruce (2007, p. 8), it becomes clear that respect for human self-respect is the most treasured and essential responsibility of any business especially those operating on a worldwide scale. Such kind of human dignity should always be expressed in the concern for human needs as the pillar towards realizing human rights. In this particular ethics of the world, it is always important to protect the fundamental ethical principles of vulnerability, integrity, dignity, and autonomy. With every passing cloud, the business context, which is the backbone of nearly every economy in the world, is in shambles because of failure to indoctrinate the right measures of perpetuating the human rights need. Businesses have embarked on making and amassing huge profits whilst compromising on their integrity and ethical standards. The Wegmans code of conduct guides its day-to-day operations, proving that acting unethically is compulsory for them. Since 2005, Wegmans has engaged in boosting the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within its partner organizations (Borden, Chu, Fishman Prospero Sacks, 2008, p. 18). The company is ceaselessly working towards lessening environmental impacts. These are just some of the examples the company has adopted to commit itself for environmental and social causes. Secondly, the companys strong emphasis on reputation created trust, loyalty, and faith amongst their clients, and the strongest brand recognition of all time. The a ct of placing employees on a number scale does not work as desired. It causes unncessary competition, causing reduced productive workforce (Trigger, 2012, p. 14).Most businesses are evaluating their staff based on the succcess of each member towards the company goals. Employees are encouraged to be considerate towards each other.The management should ensure that there is no practice of some employees being turned down based on their gender. In terms of promotions, equal sexes are considered. i.e. 6 males, 6 females while seeking for 12 positions. All positions are being turned into gender-netral. Organizations are now cognizant of the gender-parity issues, and have sought to address them. The role of senior management is now being viewed with regard to how balanced the management is in terms of gender equity (Sudbury, Kohlbacher Hofmeister, 2012, p. 300).The world of globalization is shifting from praising men-only or male dominated jobs to female-related jobs. It bespeaks of the position both sexes hold in global development. In future, some of the jobs and occupations known for certain sexes will be unheard of (Bhimani, 2008, p. 11). Survey on Infleunce of Consumerism Consumer buying and consuming behavior is a field of study which has been gaining a lot of popularity in the world of business. There is unique waay and style in which consumers in the current age respond to the buying of products, a reason why I undertook to study thier behavior by just sampling a small fraction of these consumers. As a researcher, I undertook to carry out a short and informal opinion survey that studies a sample of 15 students studying at GSM London as a means of determining the factors influencing consumer purchasing behavior. The selected survey instrument used was in form of a questionnaire (as shown below): THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESEARCH Instructions: Please dont bother writing your name on the questionnaire. Kindly attempt all questions. Indicate your choice of answer by using a tick () Ensure you answer all questions as precisely and honestly as possible. The information you give will be treated with a lot of confidentially, and will not be disclosed to any third party. PART A: Background Information Indicate your gender: Male [] OR Female [] Age [] 15-30 years, [] 31-45 years, [] 46-60 years, [] Above 60 Education level attained/Pursued [] Undergraduate, [] Masters [], PHD. PAST B: Influence Please indicate your agreeableness in the below statements by placing a tick. The question requires that you honestly rate the degree (level) of influence the following factors/persons pose on your buying behaviour. Factors Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Satisfaction by a previous bought product associated with a certain brand Position in the society Product quality Brand recognition Firm ethical behaviour Dispensable income Factors considered in making purchases Factors Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Brand recognition Packaging Product quality Taste and appearance Firm ethics Durability Product availability Do you have any additional comments? If so, then state them briefly. Summary of the Questionnaire These results from the survey conducted on fifteen students at the GSM London reveal that there are various factors that combine and influence consumer buying and consuming behaviour. The factors include psychological, economic, societal, situational, and individual in nature. Whereas some of the students disposal income was very applicable in influencing their buying choices, their own perceptions regarding the unlike brands that are accessible in the marketplace influenced other group of students. The study shows that an estimated three fourths of the participants cited in the study are disposed towards the assessment of a companys ethical production before embarking on making a good buying decision. Recommendations As early as now, there is need for the company to engage in enhancing and simplifying the activities and processes. All the approaches used and adopted by the company henceforth should mirror straightforwardness and openness. Company leaders are encouraged to resist the temptation of making management decisions based on employee analytics. Though this data offers insight into skill levels, it fails to put light on the engagement between the management and other stakeholders. The management should focus much on increasing employee motivation and satisfaction in order to deliver desirable long-term results (Bhimani, 2009). Conclusion The company that has been selected and discussed is classic example of firm that uphold ethical values and practices honesty and transparency to its clientele. Its consumers ranked Wegmans Food Markets as the leading supermarket in the nation during the latest Consumer Reports survey. From the analysis what has been discussed in the paper, it is evident that for any firm that meets the needs of its employees will always stand better chance of taking care of its consumers. The duties mandated by every firm to fulfil to its employees include the duty to assist consumers who are deprived of their rights and the duty to assist by protecting consumers from any form of deprivation. Reference List Bhimani, A. (2008) Making Corporate Governance Count: The Fusion of Ethics and Economic Rationality. Journal of Management and Governance, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 135-147. Borden, M., Chu, J., Fishman, C., Prospero, M. A., Sacks, D. (2008, September 11). 50 ways to green your business. Fast Company. Retrieved January 27, 2008, from https://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/50-ways-to-green-yourbusiness_5.html Brink, A., (2011). Corporate Governance and Business Ethics, NY: Springer. Bruce, C. (2007, October). Business Etiquette 101: Making a good first impression. Black Collegian, 38(1), 7880. Crane, A., and Matten, D., (2007). Business Ethics, NY: Oxford University Press. Laurin, K. R. (2006). Is strategic human resource management socially responsible? The case of Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Employee Responsibility and Rights Journal,18, 295307. Sison, G.S., (2008). Corporate governance and ethics: an Aristotelian perspective, UK: Edward Elgar publishing press. Sudbury Riley, L, Kohlbacher, F, Hofmeister, A (2012), A Cross-Cultural Analysis Of Pro- Consumer Behavior among Seniors, Journal of Marketing, 28, 3/4, pp. 290-312. Tricker, B., (2012). Corporate governance: principles, policies and practices, NY: Oxford University press. Smith, Jacquelyn. (2013). The Worlds Most Ethical Companies. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/03/15/the-worlds-most-ethical-companies/gt

Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak Essay Example

Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak Paper Wolfgang Keller graduated from Harvard Business School at the age of 34 and soon after experienced instantaneous business success in the food manufacturing industry. Keller, drawn to turn around opportunities departed the food manufacturing industry for Konigsbrau brewing. Keller accepted the role of managing director of Konigsbrau subsidiary in the Ukraine. Keller applied his hands on style of management, which brought earning success to the suffering subsidiary. Keller seemed to be on the successful pathway only to realize he had not yet developed leadership skills that would facilitate his relationship with Dmitri Brodsky. Brodsky, the commercial director presented a management style polar opposite to that of Keller. Keller, driven to continued success views Brodsky as the last hurdle to complete success at the Konigsbrau subsidiary. Keller, desirous of attention by the firm’s Vorstand for his business success now finds himself noticed by the Vorstand for his inability to solidify his leadership skills. Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-TAK (A) Case Analysis The black cloud following Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau is a product of insufficient time to develop leadership skills. Keller rapidly moved into a general manager role six months’ postgraduate school and experienced swift and lasting success over the next two years. Enter Dmitri Brodsky commercial director for the Konigsbrau subsidiary who represents the rain falling from Keller’s black cloud. Brodsky, 10 years elder to Keller is talented in his ability to design a sales team and provide a well-orchestrated flow of information. We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Unfortunately, Brodsky does not possess the same angst as Keller when presented with a complex customer problem. Brodsky’s leadership suffers from his lack of personal contact with subordinates’ and unwillingness to develop personal relationships with Konigsbrau’s lifeblood, the distributers. Keller’s approach to leadership is developing personal relationships with subordinates while fostering his micromanagement style of leadership. Throughout the case study, two notable issues come to light: 1) Keller’s lack of effective leadership and 2) Keller’s need to identify a dysfunctional team. Jack Welch stated, Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence (2005, p. 63). Keller obviously missed opportunities to apply this leadership rule in working with Brodsky. Missed opportunities evidenced by the explosive exchanges during Brodsky’s evaluations. These explosive exchanges happened not one year but two years running. In Winning, Jack Welch states, â€Å"Too often managers think that people development occurs once a year in the performance reviews† (2005, p. 6). Had Keller taken occasion to evaluate Brodsky’s performance on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis the evaluation presentation would not have been a surprise to Brodsky. Brodsky’s attempt to discuss a pending lawsuit against Konigsbrau presented by a distributer with no success represents the last opportunity lost we will discuss. Keller, leaving Brodsky in the dark took it upon himself to discuss the lawsuit with the disgruntled distributer. Keller was successful in his discussion but failed again as a leader. Welch states, Self-confidence energizes, and it gives your people the courage to stretch, take risks, and achieve beyond their dreams. It is the fuel of winning teams (2005, p. 66). Had Keller taken the time to apply the first rule of leadership, Keller’s success as a leader would have been elevated and Brodsky, feeling energized and confident would have been willing to investigate the leadership style of Keller moving forward. Keller’s second issue surrounds his inability to identify a dysfunctional team. In the book The FIVE Dysfunctions of a TEAM, Lencioni mentions the first dysfunction is absence of trust (2002, p. 88). To be clear Lencioni describes trust as confidence among members that their peer’s intentions are good, and there is no reason to be protective or careful around the group. He goes on to discuss the importance of vulnerability with each other in a group (2002, p. 195). In review of the case study it is obvious Keller has never exhibited trust toward Brodsky and equally so in the reverse. As the leader, Keller’s duty first to Konigsbrau and second to Brodsky is to build a team that can function in the face of adversity. There is no mention throughout the case study where Keller has completed a soul-searching exercise into how Brodsky’s team viewed their leaders’ style. Interestingly enough Keller did experience a meeting where the team depicted Keller’s micromanagement style in a special organizational chart. Keller ignorantly placed this loud message as to the dislike of his style on his office wall. Keller also does not take one moment to recognize that Brodsky’s failures are a direct correlation to Keller’s failure. Keller does receive a letter from his supervisor that solidifies this oncept. In a letter from Dr. Hanspeter Haussler it states that Haussler doubts Keller’s ability to work as a team. With the confirmation from Haussler Keller remains oblivious to his failure. Moving forward Keller must acknowledge his role in Brodsky’s perceived failure far beyond stating he acknowledges being in the weeds of management while attempting to lead a comp any. Keller must devote time to Brodsky one-on-one and further assist, coach, and mentor Brodsky while assisting in his team development. Keller must acknowledge Brodsky’s beliefs as Brodsky must acknowledge Keller’s; this exercise is building trust between one another. Keller must, as Welch states make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it (2005, p. 67). Keller must fully layout his business plan to Brodsky. Keller must include Brodsky’s team in this exercise. If Brodsky had one success in the study it was the impressive work completed working on the budget process. Keller acknowledged this only internally, missing an opportunity to build self-confidence and acknowledge Brodsky’s ability to be successful. Finally, Brodsky must make the decision that he is willing to apply himself to all the same rigorous changes Keller faces as well. To date, in all fairness to Keller, Dmitri Brodsky has not brought any solutions to the table. In the end both Keller and Brodsky must exhibit emotional intelligence that will allow complete success. References Lencioni, P. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (2002), San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass Publishers Welch, J. and Welch, S. Winning (2005), New York, NY: HarpersCollins Publishers Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak Essay Example Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak Essay Individual Case Analysis Assignment II: â€Å"Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-TAK† MGT 400- Monday 6-8:45 Chelsea Glovis a. What is your assessment of Brodsky’s performance? Please be specific. In my opinion, I believe that Brodsky is one of those individuals who is so intelligent his personality and social interactions suffer. Keller and Brodsky have very different approaches to problems, in addition to being different nationalities, this creates many of the problems that they face. Keller looks at problems and goes above and beyond to try and solve them, whereas Brodsky attacks problems with the textbook methodology (analytical) that is not always the best approach, and isn’t sure how to do anything else. For instance, half of their distributers were not attending the annual distributors’ meeting. Brodsky was already gone for the weekend and unreachable at home. Keller and his staff spent the majority of their weekend personally inviting the distributors, jumping through hoops to ensure they felt appreciated by meeting them at airports or railroad stations. After all of their hard work, the attendance was more than doubled, which was critical for the businesses success. Lastly, Brodsky was dealing with a distributor who he had written off as bad debt of 87,000 euro. Keller was encouraging him to meet with the customer and demand the money. Brodsky resisted at first, then finally called the customer and concluded that nothing could be done. Meanwhile Keller took matters into his own hands and drove to meet with the distributor in person and was able to get a check for the whole amount. We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wolfgang Keller at Konigsbrau-Tak specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It seems to me that Brodsky is making the least effort in regards to personal relations, while at the same time thoroughly completing the tasks he was assigned for sales and marketing purposes. Brodsky is failing to see the larger picture and taking into consideration how relationships directly affect business cohesiveness. I think that he may feel threatened by Keller seeing his recent success and feels that since he is older he knows what is best for the company, although that is clearly not the case. Seeing that Brodsky is so analytical by nature, it provided reasoning behind the way he looked at the tasks at hand. I think that Brodsky could have made a much greater effort in resolving problems with distributors/customers, implementing his sales plan, developing a decent relationship with others, and acting as a manager not just an employee. It is crucial for employees below managers to feel comfortable discussing their thoughts and ideas, not scared and nervous. Brodsky does the least amount of work that meets minimum expectations on most areas of work and tasks that are assigned to him. For example, there was a very serious distributors lawsuit filed by one of the firm’s largest distributors that Brodsky was in charge of handling. In dealing with this issue, Brodsky sent a sales representative to work out the problem. Only after the sales representative failed did Brodsky make an effort to personally contact the distributor. Following their discussion, Brodsky determined that the distributors position was unchangeable. Keller knew this would be a huge deficit to the company if they lost this customer and arranged to have a seat next to them on the plane to work things out. After the plane ride the distributor agreed to drop the suit completely, if Brodsky had made more of an effort initially he could have been much more successful. While he does come up with new innovative methods for increasing sales and completing very thorough analysis, he doesn’t work within a realistic deadline. It is imperative to the success of the company to work in a timely manner so that sales can have a quick turnaround and begin to grow. Managers should be motivating to their employees to work hard and do their best, whereas Brodsky hardly communicates with his subordinates and coworkers thus diminishing any chance whatsoever for good, working relationships to be formed. In order to grow as an individual Brodsky needs to use this constructive criticism and feedback to heart instead of arguing each critique, making excuses and blaming others. b. How effective has Keller been as a coach to Brodsky? Why? Could you have done better? Why and How? I feel the Keller has done almost everything he can think of to try and alleviate the current situation with Brodsky. I think that the two men have such differing approaches in solving problems; a lot of tension is created in the office as well as one on one. The majority of the time, Keller takes problems into his own hands and tries to solve them, I would like to have seen him ask Brodsky to go above and beyond. Such as, arranging seats next to a distributor to discuss the lawsuit, personally invite distributors to the convention, and make a home visit to demand payment from a client. While Keller did allow Brodsky to make an effort, I feel that he could have been more successful if he provided Brodsky with ideas to solve these problems. Because Brodsky is so analytical, it is hard for him to think outside of the box. He is so used to strictly going by the rules and regulations he thinks once he has done those methods there is nothing else he can do. Keller needs to take into consideration Brodsky’s personality, problem solving skills, and relationships with others and in the end he will realize why Brodsky is the way he is. He continues to feel like he is never good enough because of the constant negative feedback that he is given. In my opinion critical feedback should be backed with the same amount of positive feedback as to ensure employees don’t feel inadequate and not valued. In some aspects, Keller and Brodsky share similar personality traits. It is a challenge for both of them to see others perspectives and personalities differences. They are both problem solvers; however attack their problems differently. In my opinion Keller has done all he can think of to help motivate Brodsky and for that I think he has been mostly effective. On the other hand, I wish he would understand their differences and realize why Brodsky does things the way he does. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I could do a better job; I would just approach the situation much differently. I have a way of providing critical feedback intermixed with positive feedback, as well as a course of action to fix the problem all in the same sentence. On top of the feedback, I would also include peer feedback as well as voice the concerns that other employees have expressed. I feel it is necessary to break down the feedback and explain why it is important and beneficial to fix these problems and how it will affect the business as a whole. I feel that this would be beneficial to Brodsky so he can take these specific steps to get better and learn from his shortcomings. Also, I would be more understanding of the way Brodsky operates as a whole and determine the best way to help him start to think outside the box to solve problems. I would also provide definite deadlines for tasks that he is assigned to in order to avoid missing deadlines, taking too long, and falling even more behind. I would give him words of advice and encouragement to make him feel appreciated and determined. Instead of immediately taking matters into my own hands as Keller did, I would allow Brodsky the opportunity to use my methods of completing tasks that were tough situations (i. . telling him to make a house call to discuss getting a payment check from a soon to be bankrupt company). Lastly, I would outline specific goals to accomplish for the next few months or until the next review to motivate him, as well as discuss company procedures that must be followed. These procedures would include mannerisms at work (open communication, proper etiquette, a minimum number of social outings that must be attended, etc. ) With clearly established rules, goals and courses of action, there is little room for him to argue his side. c. What are the underlying causes of Brodsky’s performance problems? What actions should Keller take upon returning to Kiev? Be specific. The majority of Brodsky’s performance problems have to do with two different personalities, traits, management styles, ethnicity, and outlook. Keller is a very hands-on, action-oriented guy who takes matters into his own hands when they are not completed exactly as he would have done it. Although he is very personable and loves to share a lot of his personal life with co-workers he has a difficult time putting himself in others’ shoes. Brodsky on the other hand is a very analytical introvert who completes tasks by the tried and true textbook approaches. He has a hard time thinking outside of the box when it comes to personal interactions and relating with others, in addition he doesn’t like to spend a lot of time bonding with co-workers and keeps the vast majority of his personal life to himself. These two completely different, night and day personalities are bound to clash and create bumps in the road that cause discrepancies. On top of all of that, I think that Keller is so concerned with making sure Brodsky understands where he needs improvement that he forgets to provide positive feedback with a plan of action that Brodsky can follow. In addition, their differences in age and methods to solving problems are completely contradicting as well, especially when Brodsky has shared little information about the way he operates. Brodsky has a hard time taking Keller’s feedback because he doesn’t understand what he did wrong and what he was supposed to do instead. Brodsky is very thorough and will take his time to ensure a task is completed to the best of his ability, while Keller is action oriented and wants to see fast results. Brodsky addresses co-workers in a formal demeanor with a distant management style and minimal personal life sharing, which damaged his overall management style. All in all, their overall management styles were to blame for clashing so drastically. I believe if Keller and Brodsky shared the same viewpoints on management styles and approaching tasks Brodsky’s performance report would have very high reviews. Keller should have clearly established due dates for tasks so as to avoid problems with Brodsky taking too long to complete them, explain what business etiquette the company promotes, provide well-defined expectations, goals, and methods to accomplish, and try to see the world from a different light. He must understand that not every individual functions on the same level, manages and accomplishes tasks in the same manner, and remember how different each person is in this world. Developing a friendlier relationship with Brodsky would make it easier for Keller to share how he feels and hopefully he will be able to provide feedback more than just during a performance review. d. What are the implications for Keller’s own development as a leader? Although Keller has had great success at such a young age thus far in his life, he still has a lot of room to grow as a leader. A great leader needs to be sympathetic with their employees and co-workers and do whatever they can to help them grow as individuals and flourish in the world of business. He must remember that each individual is different and not everyone manages with the same style. These differences are what creates diversity in teams and allows for innovative ideas and thorough discussions. Having faith in your employees is a huge part in being a successful manager. When at first they don’t succeed, provide insight, thoughts, ideas, solutions, etc. to continue to show them how to think outside the box. Keller is so concerned with fast results and finishing tasks on his own that he doesn’t give his employees the chance to learn from his methods. In his mind he is being the best leader he can be, meanwhile Brodsky is under the impression that he is being the best employee he can be. Both of them need to reevaluate their situations and how to work more cohesively together with such differing styles and traits. It is imperative that Keller works on giving positive as well as critical feedback, a defined set of goals and deadlines, an action plan to fix areas where his subordinates aren’t performing up to par, and provide constant feedback so his employees don’t go sixth months thinking they are doing an incredible job when in reality he thinks they are slacking.

The History and Invention of the Jet Engine

The History and Invention of the Jet Engine Although the invention of the jet engine can be traced back to the aeolipile made around 150 B.C., Dr. Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are both recognized as being the co-inventors of the jet engine as we know it today, even though each worked separately and knew nothing of the others work. Jet propulsion is defined simply as any forward movement caused by the backward ejection of a high-speed jet of gas or liquid. In the case of air travel and engines, jet propulsion means that the machine itself is powered by jet fuel. While Von Ohain is considered the designer of the first operational turbojet engine, Whittle was first to register a patent for his schematics of a prototype, in 1930. Von Ohain obtained a patent for his prototype in 1936, and his jet was the first to fly in 1939. Whittles took off for the first time in 1941. While von Ohain and Whittle may be the acknowledged fathers of modern jet engines, many grandfathers came before them, guiding them as they paved the way for the jet engines of today. Early Jet Propulsion Concepts The aeolipile  of 150 BCE was created as a curiosity and never used for any practical mechanical purpose. In fact, it wouldnt be until the invention of the fireworks rocket in the 13th century by Chinese artists that a practical use for jet propulsion was first implemented. In 1633, Ottoman Lagari Hasan Çelebi used a cone-shaped rocket powered by jet propulsion to fly up into the air and a set of wings to glide it back to a successful landing. However, because rockets are inefficient at low speeds for general aviation, this use of jet propulsion was essentially a one-time stunt. In any event, his effort was rewarded with a position in the Ottoman Army. Between the 1600s and World War II, many scientists experimented with hybrid engines to propel aircraft. Many used one of the piston engines forms- including air-cooled and liquid-cooled inline and rotary and static radial engines- as the power source for aircraft. Sir Frank Whittles Turbojet Concept Sir Frank Whittle was an English aviation engineer and pilot who joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice, later becoming a test pilot in 1931. Whittle was only 22 when he first thought to use a gas turbine engine to power an airplane. The young officer tried unsuccessfully to obtain official support for the study and development of his ideas but was ultimately forced to pursue his research on his own initiative. He received his first patent on turbojet propulsion in January 1930. Armed with this patent, Whittle again sought funding to develop a prototype; this time successfully. He began construction of his first engine in 1935 a single-stage centrifugal compressor coupled to a single-stage turbine. What was meant to be only a laboratory test rig was successfully bench-tested in April 1937, effectively demonstrating the feasibility of the turbojet concept. Power Jets Ltd. the firm with which Whittle was associated received a contract for a Whittle engine known as the W1 on July 7, 1939. In February 1940, the Gloster Aircraft Company was chosen to develop the Pioneer, the small engine aircraft the W1 engine was earmarked to power; the historic first flight of the Pioneer took place on May 15, 1941. The modern turbojet engine used today in many British and American aircraft is based on the prototype invented by Whittle. Dr. Hans von Ohains Continuous Cycle Combustion Concept Hans von Ohain was a German airplane designer who obtained his doctorate in physics at the University of Gà ¶ttingen in Germany, later becoming the junior assistant to Hugo Von Pohl, director of the Physical Institute at the university. At the time, von Ohain was investigating a new type of aircraft engine that did not require a propeller. Only 22 years old when he first conceived the idea of a continuous cycle combustion engine in 1933, von Ohain patented a jet propulsion engine design in 1934 very similar in concept to that of Sir Whittle, but different in internal arrangement. Upon the mutual recommendation of Hugo von Pohl, Von Ohain joined German aircraft builder Ernst Heinkel, at the time seeking assistance in new airplane propulsion designs, in 1936. He continued development of his jet propulsion concepts, successfully bench-testing one of his engines  in September 1937. Heinkel designed and constructed a small aircraft known as the Heinkel He178, to serve as a testbed for this new propulsion system, which flew for the first time on August 27, 1939. Von Ohain went on to develop a second, improved jet engine known as  the He S.8A, which was first flown on April 2, 1941.

The Robinson-Patman Act and Its Applicability in the Modern Age Research Paper

The Robinson-Patman Act and Its Applicability in the Modern Age - Research Paper Example This unfair business practice created a price discrimination problem that threatened the survival of small companies or retailers (McElvain 35). Then the Robinson-Patman Act was implemented during the Great Depression when these large businesses that had emerged then were having competitive advantages over smaller retailers. There is no doubt that Robinson-Patman Act doused this economic problem by fighting against price discrimination. And the critics believe that the Act was most effective during this time period when price fixing posed a serious threat on competition and the economy. As a matter of fact, Robinson-Patman Act tended to reduce criminal business practices during the Great Depression. Therefore, four major requirements must occur for a claim to arise under the Robinson-Patman Act. There must be: 1. a sale of products that are of like â€Å"grade and quality† 2. from the same vendor to different purchasers in which there 3. is a discrimination in the prices of the products sold 4. that causes a restraint in competition. This necessitates that if a big company offers to sell a product of similar â€Å"grade and quality† at an expressly cheaper price, the small retailer affected by this action may seek legal recourse for redress and compensation. This action would discourage big businesses from using their economies of scales to have an advantage over the small businesses. Potentially, if the price of a good is reduced, a company can sell as many pieces of the product to several purchasers at a price that is far cheaper than the offering price by a smaller retailer. This discrimination in price kills competition, and it was discovered to be an inhibition to the economic growth during the Great Depression. The Court's opinion in FTC v. Morton Salt, 334 U.S. 37 (1948), illustrates how it was applied during the age of booming large businesses. Interestingly, the Supreme Court ruled that Morton Salt had acted illegally by selling its finest â€Å"Blue Label† salt to large chain-stores at a r elatively cheaper price instead of making the same product available for customers nationwide at the same price. The Federal Trade Commission made sure that the Robinson-Patman Act was enforced to discourage the criminal trade practice of selling goods at a discount price to large stores simply because they could afford to purchase large quantities of the products at a time. One of the possible effects of this practice is that small retailers would be pushed out of business as consumers could not afford to buy the same product or good that are offered at a competitive price by the 3 large stores. This instance of price discrimination was what Robinson-Patman Act fought against in the earliest time. The Congress then perceived the act of price fixing as an inhibitive and unhelpful to the American economy that had already been battered by the Great Depression. Critics have always pointed to the fact that the World World I contributed to the emergence of the Great Depression, and that the sharp practices by big retailers to cheat the smaller ones was caused by the need to earn higher profitability at the expense of other retailers (McElvain 48). Therefore, enacting the Robinson-Patman Act served as a salvaging force to discourage large businesses from making life unbearable for ordinary Americans who had already had enough hardship due to the effects of