Communication in Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication in Management - Case Study Example In my opinion there are three vital non-verbal categories which if applied properly will fully complete all the functions of the non-verbal communication and will not hinder the verbal one - eye contact, paralanguage and adornment. Modern business culture values eye contact, because it maintains the balance of the interpersonal relation between the seniors and the workers. Looking away might be read as avoiding the importance of the message conveyed. Thus, keeping eye contact with the employees when talking is of crucial importance. Scheflen (1972) explains that paralanguage involves non-lexical vocal communication. Paralanguage uses the broadest emotional nuances, consequently, if applied properly can replace excessive gestures or facial expressions. This category includes inflection, tone, pitch (high, low), pauses (hesitant, organized, meaningful), pacing (rapid, measured, slow) (Scheflen 1972). Paralanguage is a powerful tool, because it plays with associations and on unconscious level. Knapp and Hall (2002) note that adornment - clothes, make-up, accessories are also important communication tools, which besides appearance transmit emotional and psychological signs. Managers need to be extra careful when choosing adornments, because they play a powerfully suggestive action. Moreover, the room where the meetings are held has the capacity to affect the interaction. The amount of light, the color of the walls, the seat arrangement, the temperature and smells have to the correctly applied by the manager who is trying to make his point and his ideas to be understood and followed. 2. Discuss in detail the relationship between emotional intelligence and effective listening. The most common mistake made in management is not listening. Active listening is the other term used to identify undivided attention and empathic attitude. Rock (2007) outlines four basic rules that active listening involves: Seek to understand before you seek to be understood; Be non judgmental; Give your undivided attention to the speaker; Use silence effectively. All these require a high emotional intelligence, because they operate on mental, emotional and subconscious levels. When we try to understand rather than to be understood, this strains our listening abilities. Furthermore, through collecting the information while listening takes place, we process the details first we our intelligence and then exchange it emotionally to see what we have understood. Empathic listening proves that emotional intelligence is necessary to accomplish this. An example of being non judgmental is when we are acquainting with a new person. We avoid addressing arguable issues, until we learn the disposition or judgment criteria of the individual about the problem. This empathic behavior is excellent indicator for the emotional intelligence involved is active listening and communication techniques. The undivided attention is also dependent on the emotional intelligence, because the listener intentionally directs his senses towards the speaker. The listener can al so consciously send messages to the speaker to demonstrate that he is actively listening through body language, applauses or asking questions. The final concept for

Evaluating Capital Investment Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Capital Investment Project - Essay Example If the firm is usually not attentive while making the capital expenditure resolution, the time taken by the project and the invested money are wasted. The main focus of the capital investment taken by the organization should largely depend on the selection of the right choices and procedures for its expansion (Rachlin, 1987).   During the evaluation and selection of metrics in a capital budgeting plan, for example, in a healthcare organization, it is vital for executives to be able to compare all the options using an objective yard stick, in spite of the cash flow mode that result with each objective. The Net Present Value (NPV) is usually termed as the effective model for capital project evaluation. In the health care organization, while focusing on the cash flow strategies, there are lessons examining the unconventional performances, for example, accounting rate of return and the discounted payback methodology (Harrison & Mason, 1996). There is a formalized procedure that is followed while determining the type of metric program to be used. This is usually to impact changes on several model compositions on the model outputs. The project that an organization chooses affects the business evolution, this is usually a result of several shortcomings encountered in the marketing of the organizations, for exampl e, increased competition, change of client’s predilections and the aging capacity of the organizational property. Sensitivity scrutiny is the most significant component of the replication experimentation, and it usually manipulates the models of formulations (Friedlob & Plewa, 1996). It is mostly used in the examination of the model behavior, through a general procedure that defines the model production variables represented in a vital aspect of model change. The value of several contributions of the models, are usually varied, and the consequential change in production is scrutinized (Goetze &

Should U.S. Military keep staying in South Korea Essay

Should U.S. Military keep staying in South Korea - Essay Example Contrary to the claims of the Bush Administration, they did not perceive of the U.S. military as a force of liberation and a symbol of freedom but as an aggressor who violated international laws through uninvited entry into a sovereign nation. While the Iraqi scenario is, arguably, typical of attitudes towards foreign military presence in a sovereign nation, the case of South Korea is somewhat different. South Korea is a sovereign nation whose sovereignty is not threatened by the U.S, military but ensured and protected through its continued presence. Despite the fact that some within South Korea are arguing in favour of the departure of the American military, the historical contribution of the U.S. military to South Korea and the role that it plays in the securitization of the nation support its continued presence. The majority of South Koreans, including President Roh and his government, are in favour of a U.S, military withdrawal from South Korea. The United States, according to Richard Halloran (2006), the military correspondent for the New York Times, is complying with the South Korean demand for withdrawal and has already begun phasing out its military forces in the country. The United States argues that its decision is based on a number of considerations. These include the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the resultant pressure they have placed on US military forces; the United States' belief that South Korea is finally in a position to assume responsibility for its own national defence; and South Korean public opinion (Halloran, 2006). Indeed, a recent public opinion poll has indicated that the majority of South Koreans are strongly in favour of U.S. military withdrawal and both the President and the government have repeatedly expressed the imperatives of U.S. military withdrawal from the country (Holloran, 2006). It is for these reasons that the United States has commenced military withdrawal from South Korea. A review of the historical contribution which the United States military has made to South Korea's stability, national security and evolution into a democratic nation supports arguments against withdrawal. The history of the US military presence in South Korea stretches back to 1945 when, at the conclusion of World War II, the American forces liberated the Korean Peninsula. As Yang, a Korean political scientist and author of North and South Korean Political Systems: A Comparative Analysis explains, prior to the American military liberation of Korea, the Peninsula had suffered 35 years of brutal Japanese military occupation. During those thirty-five years, the Japanese attempted to obliterate the Korean identity, exploited the nation and abused its population and, more importantly, completely undermined and annihilated the very notion of Korean sovereignty. While conceding to the fact that the United States hardly attempted to intervene in this situation prior to World War II, the fac t is that its eventual comprehension of the Japanese military threat motivated intervention in favour of the Korean Peninsula. Indeed, were it not for the United States' military, the Korean Peninsula is quite unlikely to have regained its sovereignty and independence as early as 1945 (Yang, 2004). In other words, US military intervention has played a profoundly constructive role in the country's history. Apart from its

Archaeology Think-Piece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Archaeology Think-Piece - Essay Example main objective of archaeology is to study the human past and finding out how it affects and connects with the present and the feature of human being. As indicated above, archaeologists seek to learn and understand more about societies in the past and how human race developed from the earliest simple form of life. In doing this they employ various methodologies in order to ensure that their findings are very accurate, reliable and applicable in the present and future life of human being. Remote sensing is a method used to locate an archaeological site where artifacts could be excavated. This approach is used mostly when archaeological site is located in a small area within a huge area. Remote sensing may be applied together with field survey. An archaeologist may choose to begin with field survey, which involves systematically locating an unknown site in an area, or continue with the project from the remote sensing method. Features such as stone patterns resembling a house are located for study and analysis. Field survey method is the most preferred to others since it is expeditious and relatively cheap. It is detailed and hence m ore reliable (Down, David, 47). Once the archaeologist identifies and artifact or a piece of ancient architecture, it is excavated for the study. Analysis methodology, which entails proper and detailed study, is applied. Though it is time and resources consuming, it is important to obtain fine details which could shape the future of human race. During analysis, a cleaned artifact is dated, catalogued and a comparison is made with other, if any, published collection. It is then classified and its features taken in present day context. The final step in archaeology involves publishing of the new findings and making them available as historical facts (Down, David,

Project Appraisal & Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project Appraisal & Finance - Essay Example We have to clarify the two sets of key questions we are dealing with. The first answers the questions "what" investments are and "why" they are important for a business, whilst the second answers the question of "how" investments decisions are made. The second part of our paper elaborates and expands on some of the key concepts that we cover in the first part. In the process, we hope to acquire a deeper understanding of the principles, methods, and issues that have to be considered in investment decision-making. This paper will closely simulate the complex world of top management decision-making faced by any business on a daily basis, and where no single discipline - finance, production, corporate social responsibility, or general management - dominates. As we look at all the conceivable angles that any normal business looks at prior to the making of an investment decision, we can realise that just like in the real world, we need to make choices. Hopefully, our discussion will show that management decision-making is a complex task, that every decision made today can have far-reaching consequences, and that any professional manager who wants to be a worthy practitioner of the art and science of management must take his or her educational preparation, and eventually his or her responsibility as a manager very, very seriously. The ABC Mining plc Case For purposes of clarity in our understanding of the assumptions used in our discussions and the consequent calculations to arrive at our decisions, we summarise the key facts of the case. ABC Mining plc is investigating the possibility of purchasing an open-cast coal mine at a cost of 2.5 million which the government is selling as part of its privatisation programme. It would invest in and operate the mine for four years, after which it would clean it up and sell the assets. The Finance Director prepared the projected profit and loss accounts shown in Table 1, and in his report to the Board of Directors recommended that the company should not proceed as the profitability of the proposal is poor. The following are the questions that need to be answered: First, what could be considered as the most appropriate investment appraisal methods which would help the company to decide whether or not to proceed with the project Second, explain why we consider the investment appraisal methods just discussed to be the most appropriate for evaluating investment projects. Third, we would discuss briefly whether the project should go ahead. Table 1: ABC Mining plc Profit and Loss Statement (in millions) Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Comments Investments Purchase (2.5) Paid to government Equipment (12.5) Financed 10m debt at 12% Sale of Equipment 2.5 Year 5 sale of vehicles/eqpt Working capital (0.5) One-time investment Sunk costs (0.2) Included in Year 1 write-off Survey costs (0.4) Counted in Year 1 Clean-up (0.4) Net vehicle sales 2.1 Sales 9.4 9.8 8.5 6.3 Less: Direct Exp Wages (2.3) (2.5) (2.6) (1.8) Incl.

Progressive Era Through the Great Depression Essay

Progressive Era Through the Great Depression - Essay Example During the above period, some historical turning points were felt by the Americans. Progressivism came about in the early 20th century as a varied inclination, different in various parts of the State and including all members from political parties. The period became the country’s first leading mindset to support state intervention in free market and in individual liberty in every sphere and at all levels (Perry & Manners, 2006). Moreover, the period made a history in a quick expansion for American capitalism, while at the same time the ruling class soared confidence. Leading economists declared that the era of slumps and booms was a past, and it was time for the US economy to experience permanent prosperity. All these proclamations were made during the 1920s, but before the progressive era was over, the worst depression had hit the US economy. The 1929 stock market collapse which manifested the start of the great depression brought in a period of submersion for almost the ent ire working class. As a result of government intervention in free market, major businesses made more profits while wages continued to be low and workers failed to buy the goods they contributed in production. The banking and financial systems were not regulated and some banks had crashed during the 1920s. Automotive and construction industries, whose business had boomed during the progressive era slowed down at the great depression (Hofstadter, 2011). By the year 1919, when the United States’ congress approved the 19th amendment to grant full voting rights to women, 13 out of 16 states in the west had already granted full suffrage to women. Wyoming was the first state to grant suffrage to women in 1869. In contrast, Eastern and southern states, suffragists had the ability to win the voting right before the federal amendment only in two states that is in Michigan in 1918 and New York in 1917. One of the key reasons for the women’s right was the idiosyncratic circumstanc es in all the suffrage states. The fact that the West was the forerunner in granting the rights suggests a number of common social conditions at work in the Western region, contrary to the other regions (Perry & Manners, 2006). Presidents Roosevelt, Wilson, and Taft all adopted the progressive reform spirit in the legislation that they campaigned for, and in their view of the federal regime’s role in the life of the state. Despite attempting to continue with Roosevelt’s basic directions and policies, Taft’s presidency was not smooth, and a sour rift developed between them and within their party, paving way for Democrat Woodrow Wilson. One of the legislation was the spirit of progressivism. Regardless of divergent concerns and philosophical differences, progressives held to many basic doctrines. They were hopeful about human nature as they tried to humanize and adjust to big politics and businesses. They believed in the significance of direct intervention in citi zens’ lives and wanted the government by all means to actively participate in manifesting reform. All these presidents were driven by their protestant ethics to reform the state using science techniques (Hofstadter, 2011). The Underwood tariff reduced the levy charged on imports and included a new income tax. Thus, the lost revenue was replaced by the tax, authorized by the 16th constitutional amendment. On the other hand, Wilson reforms were not just targeted at Wall Street, but he

Obesity as a Social and Medical Problem Essay Example for Free

Obesity as a Social and Medical Problem Essay Obesity has become an epidemic in our over indulgent North American society. In addition to body image issues, obesity causes significant health issues. Society often views the word obesity to be a disease when it is actually a sign of a disorder; genetic or environmental. The percentage of our population that is growing overweight is increasing every year, and can become a very serious issue if it is not dealt with more urgently. Problems relating to self-confidence, self-consciousness, and isolation can occur as a result. An enduring problem in today’s society, especially with children, has to deal with sociality. Public appearance is very important to us and when we don’t look good, or have a low self-esteem, it can lead to further issues; possibly fatal. Those with the â€Å"obese† label have to deal with social problems every single day. The fact they don’t look â€Å"normal† causes them to not fit in with the â€Å"regular crowd† and can lead to isolation issues. Being isolated from the majority of the population can lead to problems such as depression and later on, suicide. Another big influence on social problems relating to obesity is the media. Every day at some time, somewhere, we are watching TV, reading the newspaper, or searching the web. The media tends to give labels and meaning to words in which we get influenced on. The view that the media portrays to us is that if you are a certain weight, you are obese; and vice-versa. Another problem with the media is the amount of time our society spends on it. Time consumed on useless media takes away from time spent doing productive activities such as exercising. However, the corruption in social patterns relating to obesity isn’t the only problem. Another big factor stands on the medical side. Obesity is a risk in a number of prolonged diseases. Maintaining a healthy weight is critical in order to reduce the risk of those diseases and additionally, improve your overall health. Many children and youth have fewer opportunities to be physically active at school as physical education classes and time spent being physically active at school have been reduced. Being overweight or obese has many risks involved. Serious conditions such as a stroke, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes, can occur as a result; just to name a few. Linked with health problems is a poor diet. Variations in our food environment have made it challenging to maintain a healthy weight. Society tends to want to eat more fast-food rather than cooking at home because it is cheaper and less time-consuming. We have become lazy when it comes to our diets. We don’t take into consideration the Food Guide and basically eat what we want, when we want. Obesity is also a major drain on the economy. The amount of money being spent on health care because of obesity-related diseases is astronomical. The Globe and Mail had an article headlined, â€Å"Obesity costs economy up to $7-billion a year†. By eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, our society can cut down economic costs drastically. All we need to have is some discipline, the proper diet, and exercise. Numerous children today are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. Even worse, some schools have banned the use of balls used at recess. An article in the Toronto Star explained why such a peculiar ban took place at Earl Beatty Public School, â€Å"The letter stated that there have been a â€Å"few serious incidents† in which staff and students have been hit, or come close to being struck, by flying balls. Not only are we lacking in exercise, the catalyst for running around at recess has now been taken away for some. This issue is going to further decrease the amount of physical activity kids partake in, and increase the possibilities of obesity. Commuting to and from work also contributes to obesity when you consider that in order to get by, mo st families need to have at least two incomes. People often have to commute long distances to jobs, and with the minimal time for meal preparation, fast foods become a number one option. Furthermore, having supermarkets, as well as other grocery stores open all night, more money is being spent on expensive, half-prepared meals. Children need to have a healthy example with their parents being physically active and eating healthy. Preventing children from becoming overweight means adapting to the way your family eats and exercises. Many believe that it is the parents fault when it comes to child obesity, and they’re correct. Children don’t have the discipline to eat â€Å"healthy† foods and aren’t capable of preparing home-made meals. It is the parent’s job to influence and lead the way for our youth. If parents set a better example health-wise for their children, it is highly doubtful that the percentage of obesity would be even remotely close to where it is now. Managing and preventing obesity can lead to many societal benefits. Having healthy, positive-minded people in our cities is always encouraging. Managing obesity can lessen the stress that occurs at work, as well as create a friendlier environment. Having a good work environment has shown to raise productivity, therefore creating better capital. Another optimistic result from obesity management in society is the discipline factor. If those that are overweight can overcome a huge default in their life, by working hard and staying focused, it will then translate into other aspects of their day-to-day lives. Our society will become that of a disciplined one, therefore work will become more productive because there is better focus on the tasks at hand; furthermore, children in school will become more confident because of how hard they worked as well as their new self-image. Overall, if our world can manage and prevent obesity, living can ultimately consist more of positive vibes and less of anxiety. In conclusion, it is clear we have a serious issue with obesity that impacts many aspects of people’s lives. It is an austere condition that doesn’t get monitored with enough concern. Possibilities such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes from being overweight. Medical, as well as social research can help people further comprehend that weight and obesity issues are vastly social, not individual. We have to start working together on fighting obesity. We are a lazy society and we tend to make things harder than they really are. If society works together to help those in need by giving them the courage and confidence needed to make a personal change, this unnecessary burden called obesity can be upheld. It all starts with the right diet as well as exercise and a strong commitment. As little as ten minutes a day on the bike can improve one’s health. The ball is in our court, and stronger action needs to be taken. We need to start now because the benefits to individuals as well as society are well worth the effort.