A Leaders Framework for Decision Making Essay Example

A Leaders Framework for Decision Making Essay The leader response for different situations adds to his experiences and background, shaping his framework for carrying plans and making decisions. But first we have to know that situations varies in its complexity and surrounding circumstances; based on these situations characteristics the leader is able to take decisions and maintain stability and safety for surrounding team. I like the statement stated by the writer â€Å"GOOD LEADERSHIP IS NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS- ALL PROPOSITION†. Each leader has a framework matches with his own style; we could agree that there must be a wide range of common characteristics with minimum level of acquisition like Pro-activity, Flexibility, Exceptional Communication Skills, Self Managed, Analytic, and so on. In the following article we get introduced to a new framework for understanding complexity, broaden the traditional approach to leadership and decision making and form a new perspective based on â€Å"Complexity Science†. This framework evolved through previous applications, helping in many industries like Pharmaceutical, Governmental, Industrial, and many else. This frame work sorts the issues facing the leaders into five contexts defined by the nature of the relationship between cause and effect. First, Simple Context â€Å"The Domain of Best Practice† the only advantage for this context type In my point of view – Is that the right answer is self-evident and undisputed; decisions are unquestioned because all parties share an understanding. While there is many disadvantages for such context; issues may be incorrectly classified within this domain because they have been oversimplified. We will write a custom essay sample on A Leaders Framework for Decision Making specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Leaders Framework for Decision Making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Leaders Framework for Decision Making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Also people may get blinded to new ways of thinking as a result of their perspective of thinking they acquired through past experience, training, and success. Another disadvantage of the Simple Context is that when things appear to be going smoothly, leaders often become complacent, reacting too late for context changes. As a remedy for such disadvantages leaders need to avoid micromanaging and stay connected to what is happening in order to spot any change in context. Since hindsight is no longer leads to foresight after a shift in context, a corresponding change in management style may be called for. Complicated Context† the next ordered context in Cynefin Framework, unlike simple ones it may contain multiple right answers. In complicated context we must sense, analyze, and respond. Complicated Context encounters some disadvantages like entrained thinking leads to â€Å"analysis paralysis†, also it takes a lot of time for reaching decisions, there is always trade-offs between finding the right answer and simply making a decision. Leaders during this type of context must listen to the experts, welcoming novel thoughts and solutions from others. Complex Context† is different from the complicated one in that right answers can’t be ferreted out, other than having at least one right answer already exists in the Complicated Context. It is the domain to which much of contemporary business has shifted. Leaders who try to impose orders in a complex context will fail, but those who set the stage, step back a bit, allow patterns to emerge, and determine which ones are desirable will succeed. â€Å"Chaotic Context† is completely different from my perspective, belongs to Do-Think-Do style, an example of an extroverted person. In Chaotic Context, searching for right answers would be pointless, the relationships between cause and effect are impossible to determine because they shift constantly and no manageable patterns exist. The Chaotic domain is nearly always the best place for leaders to impel innovation. There is no a best context or domain to use for the whole of your life situations. Truly adept leaders know not only how to identify the context they are working in, but also how to change their behavior to match. I believe in this as a role of a pro-active. Flexible leader needed nowadays facing the variety of situations stress, importance levels. You can use chaotic domain but u have to manage chaos and innovation in parallel. You can use complex domain but don’t forget using the tools of managing in such context; open discussions, set barriers, stimulate attractors, encourage dissent and diversity, manage starting conditions, and monitor for emergence. Finally you have to customize your preferable domain according to the facing situation, going in and out between them without losing your own framework style, maintaining your profile as an effective leader.

5 top jobs in human resources guaranteed to pay big bucks

5 top jobs in human resources guaranteed to pay big bucks Jobs at the top in the HR department often require master’s degrees, years of experience, and more specialized knowledge – but they also come with higher salaries. If you’re in the human resources field (or are looking to enter it and climb the ranks), possess strong interpersonal skills, and want to set your sights higher, cultivating another area of expertise within the field may help. Here are 5 jobs to aspire to on your career journey.Human Resources ManagerOf course, one of the top jobs has to be the top spot in a human resources department. This requires years of experience and most often an MBA, as well as interpersonal skills and the talent and experience to be a manager. The human resources manager oversees the hiring process of new employees from recruitment to interviews to offers; they also are involved with strategic planning and connect upper management to employees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top-grossing industry for Hu man Resources Managers is Monetary Authorities and Banking Industries, with an annual mean salary of $182,800. The annual median salary for the position is $110,120.Compensation and Benefits ManagerAlso in a key managerial role, the compensation and benefits manager oversees your salary- and comes with its own nice salary too. Oftentimes this role is about reducing costs while ensuring employees receive appropriate benefits, so this type of manager evaluates new strategies like â€Å"pay-for-performance.† Hiring trends for this type of position look good, as organizations will always need this job type to assess benefits policies and design compensation packages. On the other hand, some duties of this role may increasingly be outsourced to human resources consulting firms. Even so, it is likely to remain a competitive job in the field. The annual median pay for this job is $119,120, according to BLS.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Executive RecruiterPeople in this position, also known as â€Å"head hunters,† are responsible for finding top talent and matching talent to organizational needs. The recruiter is the prime â€Å"people person† position in HR, and the executive recruiter fills the top positions for a company- like the CEO. This role requires the expertise to network and find the top talent for the very top of a company. It’s hard to pin down a median salary for this job- it often gets paid on retainer because it is so lucrative.Human Resources SpecialistAccording to the BLS, the annual median pay for this job is $60,350. However this figure can be deceptive because â€Å"human resources specialist† is such a broad category. Let’s look at two types of specialists that are likely to be paid higher and be in high demand.HR Analytics SpecialistBy developing and implementing HR analytics, these specialists perform statistical analysis of data and create and communicate reports, identifying trends to improve the overall hiring process. In this role, you help identify areas of strength and weakness to help keep a company competitive. This position generally requires a background in statistics, but the outlook for this job depends on the changing technology for this area of specialization. Anyone with a statistical background in HR should also keep up with changing tech trends, as data analytic tools may soon become the domain of machine learning and AI- but so long as we need a person to communicate the data, this role will likely still be a vital part of HR strategy.HR IT SpecialistThis position will be in high demand as HR departments adapt to changing technology. For those in human resources who are extremely tech-savvy and also have a background in IT, this can be a lucrative and in-demand role. Expertise in the latest software will be vital. Tech can already aid recruitment, candidate engagement, targeted marketing, and management of job campaigns- expe rts in this position will help HR departments stay competitive and make them vital to an organization.HR StrategistWhile the HR manager might be the big fish in a small pond, the HR strategist is in a much bigger pond. It’s tough to nail down a median salary for this position, as it varies from industry to industry, but it’s high up in the chain. This position is usually involved in very large organizations or government positions, where strategic planning for hiring requires a strategy team rather than an individual HR manager or top-level executive. The HR strategist is a problem-solver, a planner, and a communicator who coordinates people across departments and all levels of an organization, helping to design and implement long-term HR strategic plans.

UK-An Investors Haven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

UK-An Investors Haven - Essay Example Similarly, countries that export such goods can then look at importing goods that they feel are more attractive and efficient from third countries. Such 'gains from trade' will help all countries benefit and lead to all-round development and prosperity. Global production and consumption will increase (Bruce E. Moon, Ideas and Policies, 1999)2. This law of comparative advantage was expressed by renowned economist David Ricardo, who concluded that such practices of 'gains from trade' benefited nations economically. The UK has enough coal deposits for consumption; however, it depends on China and Australia for its consumption. Despite the cost of transportation, coal is still cheap when imported from these countries, compared to high-cost production costs here. This way of imports not only helps the local economy, but increases revenue for those countries as well (Sherlock and Reuvid, The handbook of International Trade, 2004)3. Britain, one of the most open economies in the world, is the fifth largest international trading nation, and the second largest exporter of services. She exported 187 billion in goods and sold 67 billion worth of services overseas in 2000. Trade relations with countries other than the EU members fall within the Common Commercial Policy (CCP) of the European Union. Thus, the European Commission negotiates with third countries on the basis of mandates agreed by the Member States (European Communities Act 1972 5.2(1)). This arrangement gives the UK greater clout in global trade negotiations4. 2.0 Executive Summary Because of its open economic policy, UK has benefited both from inward and outward investment. It receives the most in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) than any other country in the European Union (EU), creating new jobs, finance projects, and providing access to new technologies. Interestingly, UK is the world's second largest supplier of FDI to third countries. The returns earned through interest and capital investment helps run the exchequer in disbursing pensions and other savings. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as defined by IMF is 'a direct investment that is made to acquire a 'lasting interest' in a business operating in a country other than that of the investor, and his sole purpose being to have an effective voice in the management of that company'. 'Lasting interest' being debatable, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommended that 10% or greater ownership should satisfy this requirement.5 The United Kingdom imports cars, coal, oil, electronics and electrical consumer goods, and more, from foreign countries. Most of these products can be produced by the country itself. However, there are genuine reasons for such imports. Three prominent points that come to mind are6: 1. Cheaper priced than those made locally 2. More varieties available for selection due to imports 3. Better quality and features. Liberalisation has helped Trade push the economy and the government's exchequer. There are however several moves by the government that has cast a shadow with the local population.

India Caste System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

India Caste System - Essay Example The Viashyas were merchants, farmers, carpenters while the Shudras were the tenant farmers, laborious. Towards the edge of the hierarchy were the untouchables’. The untouchables considered outcasts practiced activities such as scavenging and animal skinning. The untouchable activities were considered unclean and polluting. They were to be far away from other castes. For instance, if their shadows were within the visibility of the Brahmans then the Brahmans would be polluted. The Hindu laws insisted on only four castes excluding the untouchables and they would face criminal charges by their polluting presence. The Brahmans were allowed to give their food to people of other castes but would not be given food from other castes. This would be considered pollution. These barriers limited interactions (Singh 35). The caste systems shared some commonalities. For instant the castes were hereditary. Individual born in a particular caste belonged to that very caste and it was impossible to shift to other castes. Another commonality was that the systems were endogamous. Marriage was only acceptable between those of the same caste (Singh 34). Below the Varnas was the sub castes referred to as Jatis. Each Jati comprised of people of the same occupation. A person born from a particular Jati is a member of that Jati by the virtue of birth (Singh 35). The elements of the castes are hierarchical, hereditary and repulsion. The hierarchical element discourages and does not accommodate the rise of status of a group and mixture of occupation. There are rule that India caste system impose that if not adhered to may result into one status being lowered form one caste system to another. The most vital characteristic is endogamy and occupation restriction. Violation of the above rules results in excommunication from the family as well as caste. Another restriction is on diet and food habits of the members. According to castes only certain foods would be

The Yoruba Rites of Passage Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Yoruba Rites of Passage - Term Paper Example The Yoruba is considered as one of the largest ethnic communities in Africa having a population of approximately 30 million people (Johnson 16). The community is mostly found in countries such as Nigeria, Benin and Togo, though it is possible to find that there are some who have migrated to other countries such as the US and other destinations for immigrants. These subgroups are 20 in number and are as a result of the fact that the community had 20 kingdoms, each led by an independent king and when the kingdoms were dissolved, the communities continued to recognize themselves in that scope. Much of the economic activities conducted by this community mainly involve farming (Akintoye 29). However, due to industrialization and subsequent rapid urbanization, some of the members have migrated to urban areas in search of formal employment, but it is observed that even in these areas, the Yoruba people still engage in crop production though in a minimal scale. As with any other community in Africa and the world in general, the Yoruba’s have their own unique culture which is greatly respected and strictly followed by the members. This is despite the fact that the community is surrounded by diversity, especially in religious dimension, which has the capacity to influence and assimilate these people thereby resulting to abandonment of traditional practices (Ambibola 22). This paper will examine the Yoruba’s culture in the context of rites of passage, i.e. traditional practices conducted in defining moments such as birth, marriage and eventually, death. Birth The birth of a child is an event that is received with great joy and happiness as it involves the introduction of a new life to the world. It facilitates the continuation of a family lineage and the existence of a community, which may otherwise become extinct in the absence of new births to compensate lost lives. The Yoruba people are no different from other communities in recognizing the importance of new births. This may be the reason why every newborn child must undergo two major processes that include welcoming and naming which are celebrated in two different occasions. In these occasions, tradition demands that parties be held and in this case, Iko Omo and Isomo Loruko are the two words that are used to refer to the welcoming and the naming parties respectively (Akintoye 41). In both Iko Omo and Isomo Loruko, the family must ensure that proper planning is done as these are considered to be the most important and probably defining moments for the child’s future. Depending on the financial capability of the family, it is a requirement that food be in plenty and to achieve this, most of the people opt to slaughter a cow or a goat. Buying of new clothes is also a component of these celebrations as family members must look smart and presentable in an effort to signify their status and also to symbolize their joy for the arrival of the new born (Lawal and Sadiku 22). It may be observable that buying of new clothes during important occasions such as Christmas. It is a common practice in most of the societies and this may be interpreted to signify their celebratory mood. It is also common for parents and the family of the newborn to hire celebrities such as musicians to entertain the crowd with music. Also, when these celebrations are in progress, traffic along the streets near the venue of the celebrations may be disrupted as a result of people blocking the roads while singing and dancing such that anyone familiar with the Yoruba culture would definitely tell what is

Sports Agents Role in Succeeding as a professional sportsperson

Sports Agents Role in Succeeding as a professional sportsperson ESSAY These days, turning into a great player relies on upon having a great agent in the greater part of the professional sports. A sports agent is an individual who acquires and arranges job and underwriting contracts for a player. In exchange, they get between four and ten percent of the playing contract and ten to twenty percent of the underwriting contract in spite of the fact that this figure shifts dependent upon their arrangements with the sports figures. That implies that sports agents, profit. A sports agent is an individual who helps market competitors or items connected with that player to advertise a competitors vocation. Agents are answerable for all correspondences with group holders, directors, mentors and different people to help advertise a competitors vocation. Fundamentally, agents are utilized to dealer and arrange contracts for their customers. Likewise, they are answerable for making proposals as to their choices. Notwithstanding discovering approaching sources, agent s frequently handle advertising matters for their customers. In some vast sports org, for example, IMG, Creative Artists Agency and Octagon, agents bargain with all parts of a customers accounts, from venture to recording duties. Sports agents may be depended upon by their customers for direction in all business parts of life, and frequently considerably all the more extensively. The amount of customers a singular agent can deal with and what number of his or her utilizing office can deal with in aggregate are associated variables. The marked contract is such that the player will get the full contract sum and the specialist organizations then take their wage from the ads specifically speaking to the player. Sports Agents have not been around for quite a while. Until the 1970s, not many competitors had agents in light of the fact that groups might not manage agents (Masteralexis, 244) Proficient competitors depend on sports agents to speak to them in the business parts of their calling. Agents assume a basic part in the players lives by overseeing business undertakings off the field, so that the competitors can concentrate on their execution on the field. Most expert competitors depend on agents as trusted consultants for a lot of people off-the-field parts of their professions: to arrange contracts, participate in promoting exercises, create players brands, secure their budgetary fates, and equip them for life after their playing vocations. In assuming such a key part in the competitors life, extraordinary trust is placed put in the agent. Violation of that trust by him, which achieves dispensing with a competitors physical qualification, demolishing a players money related future, hurting a university sports program, and meddling with expert contracts ought to be tended to by Congress. Around the first sports agents were theater advancer (Money and Carry) Pyle, who in 1925 arranged an arrangement with the Chicago Bears for Red Grange to procure $3,000 for every amusement and an extra $300,000 in motion picture rights, and sports visual artist Christy Walsh, who furnished Babe Ruth with fiscal counsel throughout the Great Depression. In 1960, Mark H. McCormack’s noteworthy handshake bargain with Arnold Palmer propelled the full administration sports organization business. 6 Athletes progressively depended on sports agents in the late 1960s and the 1970s as expert sports developed exponentially. The development, nonetheless, processed an oversupply of agents for a limited number of customers. At present, there are 4,300 expert players in the four significant groups in United States and between 1,600 and 1,800 agents ensured by their separate player’s affiliations. Because of the substantial rivalry for customers, agents regularly act in an excessively f orceful way when enlisting and holding customers. LATE CASES: Cecil Newton, father of Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton who played school football at Auburn, professedly attempted to offer his childs school playing administrations to Mississippi State for $180,000 while Cam was being selected out of The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) suspended fourteen football players for some piece of a season, and eight for the whole season, from the University of North Carolinas group for getting shameful profits from an agent and scholastic offense. Marcell Dareus, a protective handle on the University of Alabamas football group, was suspended for two amusements by the NCAA for tolerating about $2,000 in inappropriate profits from an agent. The NCAA suspended A.j. Green, and University of Georgia beneficiary, for four diversions for offering a football shirt for $1,000 to an agent in Nior College. The NCAA decided that Cecil Newton did endeavor to offer his childs administrations yet that Cam did not think about the plan and, hence, there were no suspensions. Congress ought to rethink the inclusion of agents with learner players, as it gives the idea that enactment to date has been incapable. There have been numerous aggregations occupied with endeavoring to control agents. Around them are players acquaintanceship, colleges, physical meetings, national administering bodies, the NCAA, state and central governments, a now-dead proficient companionship called the Association of Representatives of Professional Athletes (ARPA), and another affiliation, the National Association of Sports Agents Athlete Representatives (NASAAR). Regardless of the presentation of regulations by these aggregations, none have been positively compelling at tending to the full extent of issues that have happened since the late 1970s when previous sportswriter Richard Sorkin, agent too many NHL and NBA players, wasted an expected $1.2 million of his customers cash, much of it on his own betting and poor ventures. As a rising administration industry, sport organization might profit from professionalization. Regulation toward oneself and administrative regulations are frequently instituted because of a negative picture. Set up of the negative picture, regulation toward oneself shows issue distinguishment and a proactive methodology to making results. Instead of various agents working under varying principles, regulation changes the dynamic to one where people are playing by the same tenets. This proposal uses the structures made by expert administration firms to get to the learning of industry specialists to impact practices, while using the force of government regulation to authorize the standards with a specific end goal to restore open trust in the sport industry. REFERENCES 1) Shropshire K.L., Agents of Opportunity: Sports Agents and Corruption in Collegiate Sports, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990. 2) Sobel L. S, the regulation of sports agents: an analytical primer, Baylor Law Review, vol. 39, 1987, pp. 702-786. 3) Verow R., à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ª Sports agents à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ « in Verow R., Lawrence C. and McCormick P., Sport, Business and the Law, Jordans Ltd, Bristol, 1999, pp. 289-324. 4) Baggott R (1989), Regulatory Reform in Britain, The Changing Face of Self-Regulation, Public Administration, 67:4, pp435-454. 5) Baldwin R and Cave M (1999), Understanding Regulation, Theory, Strategy and Practice, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 6) Hood, C James O and Scott C (2000), Regulation of Government, Has It Increased, Is It Increasing, Should It Be Diminished? Public Administration, 78:2.

Overcomes Hard Times in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay

Granny Weatherall Overcomes Hard Times in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall In the short story, 'The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,' an older woman is having flashbacks of her life, while she is slowly dying. Throughout her life, this woman, Granny Weatherall, has had many life altering experiences. With these experiences, she has become the strong woman that we have become to know. With a name like 'Weatherall,' one can only imagine what she has been though. Forty years earlier, Granny Weatherall became ill from not only milk leg but also double pneumonia, which she recuperated from. Granny Weatherall also had a tough time when her youngest and most favorable child died. Her daughter, Hapsy, passed away while giving birth to her child. Another tough time in Granny Weatherall's life was when her first love, George, left her on her wedding day. After getting married, having kids, and keeping the farm on a stable basis, Granny?s husband, John, passed away. With him gone Granny Weatherall had to raise their kids by herself, and she also had to keep the farm going, such a...

Unit 12 Btec P1 – Task P1A

P1 – Describe the role internet marketing has in a modern marketing context using selected organisations as examples Internet marketing has played an important role as a means of advertising. All types of businesses have benefited from internet marketing when it comes to cost, relationship building and sales. Instantly millions of people can have access to a company, its products or services, and this can be done at any time anywhere in the world. Usually communication is done via e-mail reducing costs in telephone calls as well. And this benefits not only businesses which do not need to spend large sums of money on traditional ways of advertising but also benefits consumers who do not need to make telephone calls to know more about a company and its products or services; it is possible to find out everything with a few clicks. Internet marketing is also used to close deals which make the process easier and cheaper for the business and the customer. Even a mobile phone contract deal can be done via internet nowadays. Internet marketing also helps targeting overseas clients as products or services easily reach customers anywhere in the world through internet marketing. Relationship building is also one of the reasons why businesses use internet marketing; this can be done through e-mails received to update customers with latest products, services or news; another way to build good relationship with customers is by offering them services that can be done online without the hassle of going out to resolve an issue. One example is online banking where banks offer customers the facility of cancelling direct debits, make payments or transfers within minutes.

All the College Ranking Lists You Should Read

All the College Ranking Lists You Should Read SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips People love ranking lists. It seems that the majority of articles posted on social media and television shows on basic cable are ranking something, from the prettiest celebrities to the best songs of the 1980's. The fascination with college ranking lists has been around for over 30 years since the U.S. News World Report debuted its list in 1983. There are quite a few college ranking lists out there, but which ones are the best ones? Which ones should you look at? Honestly, all overall college ranking lists are flawed, and you should spend more time researching and visiting colleges than obsessing over college rankings to determine which college you should attend. However, in this article I will detail the pros and cons of different college ranking lists and of college ranking lists in general. You can obtain some worthwhile information from these lists, so you shouldn't completely dismiss them. The Benefits of Using College Ranking Lists From looking at college ranking lists, you can discover colleges you may not have been familiar with that could be a good fit for you. By looking at these lists, you may find a school that matches what you're looking for in a college. College ranking lists provide extensive data in one place for you to compare schools. In one list, you can see statistics for different colleges like average class size, high school GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and cost. Also, these lists give you a rough idea of the reputations of different colleges. While these lists are subjective, they do tend to reflect how colleges are regarded in the academic and professional worlds. There is probably little difference between a #1 and a #5 school in terms of reputation, but the #1 school in a list is going to have a better reputation than #100. Finally, these lists can give you an idea of what you need to do to make yourself competitive for admission to a specific college. These ranking lists often give you the average GPA, standardized test scores, and the percentage of students who graduate in the top 10% and 25% in their high school classes. From these numbers, you can determine what you should accomplish to make yourself a qualified applicant. Your numbers should compare favorably to those of the average student at a particular collegeif you want to give yourself a realistic shot at gaining admission. Why You Should Avoid Basing Your College Decisions on the Rankings Some of the criteria these lists use to compile their rankings are highly subjective and are based on survey responses. "Quality of life" and "academics" can be major factors for rankings and both are often based on opinions from surveys. The primary problem with these survey results is that they don't seem to be representative; they suffer from voluntary response bias and nonresponse bias. For example, Princeton Review ranks colleges in 62 categories. Often, a college alerts the student body that the Princeton Review surveys are available online and then students choose to complete the surveys. Those students who volunteer to take the surveys are likely to not be representative of the student population as a whole. Typically, those who would volunteer have stronger opinions than those of the average student. Similarly, U.S. News World Report determines the academic quality of an institution based on survey responses from top academics and administrators from other colleges and from high school counselors. Are those who choose to respond to the surveys necessarily representative of all college representatives and high school counselors? Some top academics and knowledgeable high school counselors who are sent surveys choose not to submit responses. Additionally, some colleges, like Reed College, may have their rankings affected because they choose not to submit information because they do not want to participate in college ranking lists. Students can get too focused on the rankings instead of figuring out which school is the best fit for them. There's probably not much difference in the quality of education at a #5 school vs. a #10 school. The #10 school may be a much better fit for a student who could excel academically at both. Furthermore, colleges are motivated and influenced by the rankings. Colleges understand that these rankings are popular and influential. They'll spend money on things the lists consider important or aggressively recruit students who have little chance of gaining admission just to raise their selectivity rating to increase their rank. Finally, and perhaps most disturbingly, schools cheat to improve their rankings. Colleges have lied (and probably do lie) when reporting their numbers to college ranking lists to get a better rank. Colleges have cheated to improve their rank. How Should Reputation Factor Into Your College Decision? As much as some of us like to discount the importance of reputation, it can play a significant role. Colleges that are ranked more highly often have more motivated and academically gifted students, and colleges that do well in the rankings tend to have influential alumni and professional connections that can have a positive impact on your future. Similarly, graduates from well-ranked schools are often favored when they apply to professional or graduate schools. Keep in mind that your work ethic and aptitude will have a far greater influence on your future success than the college you attend. You can be highly successful regardless of the college you go to; however, going to a highly ranked school will offer you undeniable advantages. Now, let's take a look at some of the better and more well-known lists. U.S. News World Report The U.S. News college rankings are viewed as the gold standard of college ranking lists. Its list is the most well-known and referenced. Here is a basic overview of how U.S. News determines its rankings: A total weight of 30% is given to factors related to student retention and graduation rates. It gives a 22.5% weight to a school's academic reputation based on survey responses from peer institutions and high school counselors. The remaining 47.5% is devoted to objective statistics about the school including measures of selectivity, faculty information, financial resources, and alumni giving. Pros U.S. News separates colleges into four categories for its rankings: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. The categories allow for more direct comparisons and prevent ranking a large public college with 40,000 undergraduate students against a small liberal arts college with less than 1,000. Because U.S. News surveys top academics and college administrators to determine academic reputation, the rankings do provide a general idea of how well regarded a school is in academia. U.S. News rankings heavily emphasize student retention rates and graduation rates. Both are important factors to consider when choosing a college. They provide some clues about the quality of the support services and the student satisfaction level at different colleges Finally, because the U.S. News rankings are the most prestigious of all the ranking lists, they are the most influential and help shape public opinion. The top-ranked schools in U.S. News are generally considered to be the best schools by employers, academics, and admissions committees. Graduation rate is an important factor in the rankings. Cons Not all colleges are ranked in the U.S. News rankings. For the latest rankings, 148 colleges are listed as "unranked" within the four categories of schools. Schools are unranked because they lack regional accreditation, fewer than 200 students are enrolled, they don't use the SAT or ACT in admissions decisions, or they didn't get enough responses on the U.S. News peer assessment survey. Therefore, if you're interested in a very small school or a college that doesn't use standardized tests in admissions decisions, this rankings list won't be very helpful for you. Also, in the U.S. News rankings, there is little emphasis on quality of life. The most important criteria for the U.S. News rankings are the surveys regarding academic quality and the rates for student retention and graduation. This rankings list is less helpful than others in indicating how much students enjoy their experience at a particular college. While I previously mentioned some of the problems with relying on survey responses in U.S. News to determine academic reputation, there is an additional major problem. Many of those who respond to the surveys may not even be qualified to assess the academics at different colleges. The typical respondent grades about half of the colleges in his or her category. There are 262 National Universities. Are respondents knowledgeable enough to evaluate the academic programs of over 100 colleges, or are they simply relying on reputations generated from earlier rankings? Prominent writer Malcolm Gladwell addresses this point in a New Yorker article: (W)henU.S. Newsasks a university president to perform the impossible task of assessing the relative merits of dozens of institutions he knows nothing about, he relies on the only source of detailed information at his disposal that assesses the relative merits of dozens of institutions he knows nothing about:U.S. News...The U.S. News ratings are a self-fulfilling prophecy. Furthermore, the criteria used in U.S. News rankings seem to favor private colleges almost by default while disadvantaging public schools. Private schools often score higher in selectivity because public schools are more focused on being accessible to qualified in-state applicants. Similarly, because private colleges tend to have significantly lower student populations, they can offer smaller classes and their student-faculty ratio is lower. However, public colleges can offer advantages that are not measured nor reflected in the rankings. Public colleges can have larger and more diverse student bodies, more academic programs and majors, and more extracurricular activities. Finally, U.S. News rankings don't directly consider the salaries of graduates nor the likelihood of getting the job you want after graduating. Many people go to college specifically to prepare for a certain career or to get a well-paying job after they graduate. U.S. News rankings may not be as beneficial in helping you to decide which college is most likely to help you reach your professional goals. U.S. News doesn't consider the salaries of graduates. Forbes The Forbes college rankings list is newer and less prestigious than the U.S. News list, but the Forbes list is still very popular and Forbes is considered to be a reputable publication. Forbes emphasizes student outcomes from colleges to determine its rankings. Rankings are heavily dependent on post-graduation success, freshman retention rates, and graduation rates. Here is a general breakdown of the factors that determine the Forbes rankings: A weight of 25% is given to Student Satisfaction, which is determined from student evaluations from RateMyProfessors.com (7.5%), freshman retention rates (12.5%), predicted freshman retention rates compared to actual rates (2.5%), and a school satisfaction survey conducted by Forbes via Facebook (2.5%). A full 32.5% of the rankings is based on post-graduate success, which is determined from alumni salary statistics gathered from Payscale.com (10%) and rewarding the alma maters of those who are on the Center for College Affordability and Productivity's America's Leaders List (22.5%). America's Leaders List is composed of people who are at the top of their fields, including Nobel and Pulitzer winners, Guggenheim and MacArthur fellows, those elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and winners of an Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, or Grammy. A weight of 25% is given to student debt, which is determined by average federal student loan debt (10%), student loan default rates (12.5%), and predicted vs. actual federal student loan debt (2.5%). Graduation rate counts for 7.5% of the rankings. Graduation rate is divided into the four-year graduation rate (5%) and the predicted vs. actual four-year graduation rate (2.5%). Finally, academic success makes up the final 10% of the rankings. Academic success is based on students who receive prestigious academic awards like the Rhodes Scholarship (7.5%) and alumni who get PhDs (2.5%). Pros "Student Satisfaction" is an important component of the rankings.The Forbes listmay be more beneficial than the U.S. News list in determining the quality of life at different colleges. Because you'll probably be spending at least four years at the college you attend, you want to not only choose a school that will educate you well and prepare you for your future, but also you want to be happy during those years. You want to enjoy your living environment, your peers, and the time you spend outside of class. By emphasizing post-graduate success, the Forbes list may give you a better indication of the impact of a specific college on your attaining your future professional goals. Finally, the emphasis on student debt in the Forbes rankings separates it from most of the other college ranking lists. By measuring the average federal student loan debt and the student loan default rate, the Forbes list may give you an idea of the affordability of a school, the generosity of a school's financial aid, and whether students are capable of paying back their loans after they graduate. Cons Unlike U.S. News, Forbes does not separate colleges into categories. There is no distinction between the different types of colleges in the Forbes rankings. It's extremely difficult to effectively compare schools that vary tremendously in size, degree options, and research capabilities. Because some of these colleges are so different from one another, it's impossible to determine which school is "better" for everyone. For example, how can you rank Penn State University, which has over 40,000 undergraduates and more than 160 majors against Wesleyan College, which has fewer than 700 undergraduate students and only 31 majors? Additionally, the Forbes list can favor schools that have wealthy student bodies. A college's student debt grade may not reflect the generosity of the school's financial aid or whether students get high-paying jobs after they graduate. Students from affluent families are less likely to have to take out loans and are more likely to be able to pay back loans. Therefore, schools that have more wealthy students are likely to do well in the "student debt" component of the rankings. There is still only a small emphasis paid to the actual student experience. The student satisfaction survey given to students is only a very small component of the rankings. Additionally, information from Rank My Professors is hardly a reliable source to determine how happy students are with their classes at a particular school. Teacher evaluations from Rank My Professors are not representative because they suffer from nonresponse bias. Most students don't use that website. Furthermore,Forbes rankings provide little information about what life is like on campus. Finally, Forbes has a very narrow definition of success. "Student Success" is based on the salary of alumni and whether students obtain prestigious positions and awards. Schools with pre-professional programs in potentially high-paying fields like accounting and business may get a bump in the rankings. That doesn't mean much to you if you're not interested in pursuing accounting or business. Similarly, colleges who have more alumni who go into less lucrative fields like teaching or non-profit work may score poorly in "Student Success." However, that is no indication that a college isn't good or that its alumni aren't successful. Niche Niche is a website that has been around since 2002. It provides rankings and reviews for neighborhoods, cities, and schools. The Niche college rankings are less well-known than those of U.S. News and Forbes. However, the Niche college rankings list does provide some information and advantages that the other ranking lists don't have. Niche rankings are based on the overall experience at traditional 4-year colleges and universities. How does Niche determine the "overall experience" at a school? The academics grade counts for 35% of a school's ranking. The academics grade is based on objective statistics like acceptance rate, SAT/ACT scores, research expenditures, 6-year graduation rate, professor salary index, admissions yield, freshman retention rate, freshman National Merit Scholars, and faculty awards. Additionally, Niche incorporates survey responses from students regarding the quality of academics at their college and statistics and survey responses about diversity on campus to determine the academics grade. Then, 12% of the rankings are based on student survey responses about the overall experience at the college they currently or recently attended. Additional factors that influence the rankings are statistics and student survey responses based on campus quality (8%), loan default rate (6%), athletics (5%), average net price (5%), diversity (5%), local area (5%), endowment per full-time student (4%), "guys and girls" (4%), health and safety (4%), party scene (4%), and private gifts/grants per full-time student (3%). Niche grades colleges' party scenes. Pros Niche relies on many more factors to determine its rankings. The rankings are based on more than 50 statistics and survey responses on 20 topics from almost 300,000 current students and alumni. Niche tries to incorporate every factor that could possibly influence the college experience, from the acceptance rate to the attractiveness of guys and girls on campus. It seems to be a more well-rounded ranking list instead of just using factors that it deems important. Also, the Niche rankings place a much higher emphasis on factors that are related to quality of life. Student survey responses about the quality of the overall experience at the college count for 12% of the rankings. Additionally, Niche gives scores for "campus quality," "athletics," and "party scene." Besides overall college rankings, Niche also provides college rankings in 54 different categories. Some of those ranking lists include "best campus food," "best academics," "best party schools," and "safest campus." You can focus on the ranking lists in categories that are important to you instead of just looking at the overall rankings that may utilize criteria that don't matter to you. Another positive of the Niche rankings is that they incorporate average net price. Net price is the average cost of a school after financial aid for students receiving grants or scholarship aid. Unlike metrics such as average amount of federal loans and loan default rate, net price doesn't favor schools with more wealthy students. Finally, Niche is one of the few ranking lists that factors in diversity in its rankings. Diversity doesn't just refer to the ethnic and racial breakdown of the student body. Niche uses "diversity" to mean that a school "fosters a community that accepts and promotes a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses." Also, a diverse school has a significant percentage of international students and students that represent every geographic region of the United States, and the faculty is diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity. Cons Niche is not as well-known asU.S. News or Forbes. Because its rankings are not as prestigious or referenced, they have much less of an impact on the reputations of different colleges. Additionally, because Niche uses many more factors in its rankings, it's likely to use criteria that don't matter to you in a college. You may not be very concerned about a school's party scene, the athletics, or how the girls rank. Those are all factors in the Niche rankings. Final Thoughts Use college ranking lists to determine the reputations of different colleges. The ranking lists do tend to reflect and shape public opinion. While the exact ranking of a school will vary from list to list, the colleges that are consistently ranked highly do offer advantages while you're in college and after you graduate. Browse college ranking lists to discover new colleges that may be a good fit for you. You may not be familiar with Amherst College, Bowdoin College, or Pomona College, but Forbes ranks all three of them within their top 20 colleges. There are literally thousands of colleges, and ranking lists can introduce you to excellent schools that may match what you're looking for in a college. Instead of just looking at overall college ranking lists, pay attention to lists that focus on criteria that matter to you. You can look at lists from Niche that rank schools based on "best technology" or "best food" if you care about those things. Overall college rankings vary from list to list because there are so many factors that go into the college experience, and there is no exact science to determine if one school is better than another. U.S. News ranks the University of Chicago as the #3 National University while Forbes ranks it as the #18 college. Don't get too caught up in the specific ranking of a school. Each list focuses on the criteria that it deems important. When you're looking at a college rankings list, you should also be familiar with how the rankings are determined. Finally, college rankings should only be one small tool you use to help determine your college decision. More important than a college's ranking is figuring out whether or not the school is a good fit for you. Does it have the extracurricular activities you want to pursue? Does the school excel in the academic areas that most interest you? Are there appropriate support services that will allow you to be successful? How's the social climate? Make sure you know how to choose a college. What's Next? Instead of solely relying on ranking lists, use the best college search websites to help you find the right college for you. Also, learn more about the differences between public and private colleges. If you need to improve your grades to help get into the college of your choice, check out this post on how to raise your GPA in high school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

James Oglethorpe and the Georgia Colony

James Oglethorpe and the Georgia Colony James Oglethorpe was one of the founders of the Georgia Colony. Born on December 22, 1696, he became well known as a soldier, politician, and social reformer.   Driven to the Soldier's Life Oglethorpe started his military career as a teenager when he joined in the fight against the Turks with the Holy Roman Empire. In 1717, he was aide-de-camp to Prince Eugene of Savoy and fought in the successful siege of Belgrade.   Years afterward when he helped found and colonize Georgia, he would serve as the general of its forces. In 1739, he was involved in the War of Jenkins Ear. He unsuccessfully attempted to take St. Augustine from the Spanish twice, though he was able to defeat a large counterattack by the Spanish. Back in England, Oglethorpe fought in the Jacobite rebellion in 1745 for which he was almost court-martialed due to his units lack of success. He tried to fight in the Seven Years War but was denied a commission by the British. Not to be left out, he took on a different name and fought with the Prussians in the war.   Long Political Career In 1722, Oglethorpe left his first military commission to join Parliament. He would serve in the House of Commons for the next 30 years. He was a fascinating social reformer, helping impressed sailors and investigating the terrible condition of debtors prisons. This last cause was especially important to him as a good friend died in such a prison.   He became a staunch opponent of slavery early in his career, a stance he would hold the rest of his life. Even though he was an elected member of parliament, he chose to accompany the first settlers to Georgia in 1732. While he traveled back some to England, he did not permanently return to England until 1743. It was only after the attempted court martial mentioned earlier that he lost his seat in Parliament in 1754.   Founding the Georgia Colony The idea for the founding of Georgia was to create a haven for Englands poor along with creating a buffer between the French and Spanish and the other English colonies. Thus in 1732, Georgia was founded. Oglethorpe was not only a member of its Board of Trustees but was also among its first settlers. He personally chose and founded Savannah as the first town. He took an unofficial role of the colonys governor and directed most decisions about the new colonys local administration and defense. The new settlers took to calling Oglethorpe Father. However, eventually, the colonists grew upset against his stern rule but also his stance against slavery which they felt put them at an economic disadvantage compared to the rest of the colonies. In addition, the costs associated with the new colony were questioned by the other trustees back in England.   By 1738, Oglethorpes duties were curtailed, and he was left with being the general of the combined Georgia and South Carolina forces. As previously discovered, he was deeply involved in the War of Jenkins Ear leading campaigns against the Spanish. When he failed to take St. Augustine, he went back to England never to return to the New World.   Elder Statesman and Champion of the Colonies Oglethorpe never wavered in his support for the rights of American colonists. He befriended many in England who also espoused their cause such as Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke.  After the American Revolution when John Adams was sent to England as an ambassador, Oglethorpe met with him despite his advanced years. He died soon after this meeting at the age of 88.

Revealed Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Revealed Religion - Essay Example (Gatiss2005) Judaism, Christianity and Islam are examples of revealed religions. Revelation may be direct (insertion of meaning directly into the heart of the prophet), behind a veil (as spoken to Moses), or through an agent — the angel Gabriel. In Christianity, the revelation is direct. â€Å"It is a union between the Soul of man and God to convey the mind of God to man to be revealed in the Holy Bible.† Jesus was born at the height of Roman power, when Augustus Octavian was the emperor. Judea was by then a part of the Roman Empire, which being secular, required that the Emperor be looked on as divine. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, and its followers could not accept this. Apart from this, the Rabbis were divided on the issue of interpretation of the Scripture. Some also predicted the arrival of a messiah. Not much is known of the historical figure, Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are dated around forty years after the death of Christ, and although they emphasize the events leading to Christ’s death, they also talk about the revelations by God to Christ. Christ was against the highly ritualistic practices of Judaism. He was against the accumulation of too much of wealth, stating that this came in the way of a person’s readiness to embrace the after-life. He preached the message of unconditional love — a lofty ideal indeed. After Christ, his apostles sought to spread his word.... Paul, the decline of the Roman Empire, and the abject poverty of many of its subjects was one of the factors that led to the popularity of Christianity. A religion that offered succor (everlasting life) from the daily grind, and did not subscribe to elaborate and costly practices appealed to the common man. In the latter half of the third century, Christians were persecuted, and many martyrs went willingly to their death. In 313 AD King Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which not only stopped the persecution of Christians, but encouraged the consolidation and spread of the religion, and the evolution of a distinct Christian identity. The first Ecumenical (worldwide) Council (called for by Constantine) held in Nicaea in 325 AD laid the basis for a uniform Christian dogma like the virgin birth, resurrection and the concept of the 'Trinity' (a union of the Holy Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in Godhead) By the end of the fourth century, Christianity was established as the most important religion in Rome. The Bishop of Rome gained primacy in the Catholic Church, and Latin, the local language became the language of worship. The Roman legal system also became the basis for Church canon (law). In the western part of the Empire, the Roman Catholic Church established itself, and in the eastern, the Greek Orthodox Church gained strength. By the end of the 6th Century, Christianity had established its elf as a powerful force, under the control of a powerful church. (Fiero) A monastic order evolved in Christianity. The first order was set up in Southern Italy -sometime towards the close of the fifth century - by Benedict of Nursia. The doctrines of simplicity and poverty, celibacy, and the barring of women were established. Women were barred from holding

United States of America vs Ike Brown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

United States of America vs Ike Brown - Essay Example This essay will summarize the complaints and evidence of that the Government presented against Ike Brown, his defense, as well as comment on the strangeness of this situation, that is, of the government using the voting rights act to prosecute a black man for the violation of white voter’s and candidates rights. The fundamental complaint against Ike Brown by the United States government is that he abused his position as chair of the Democratic Committee in his county to unfairly stop white voters from participating in the primary elections when they had the right to, and unfairly persecuted white candidates who were running in those elections. Some of the governments allegations simply attempted to demonstrate that Brown had a strong bias towards white candidates – this includes statements by Brown criticizing black voters who chose to vote for white candidates, and other acts of outspoken intimidation such as naming a list of white democrats who he discouraged to vote in the election. They also accused him and the committee he chaired of many procedural violations such as mis-handling the counting of absentee ballots, and allowing campaigning within and around polling stations. They also demonstrated that the elections committee violated state policy by only having about six percent of the polling officers for the Democratic primary be white, even though twenty percent of the Democratic population was white, though with a sample size as small as polling officers and a country of only about 11,000 people, it is hardly surprising this disparity could exist. A great deal of the government’s evidence thus simply tried to show that Brown had a preference for black voters, polling officers and elections officials. But the bulk of their evidence rests on absentee balloting laws, and the Government’s assertion that Brown abused absentee balloting procedure in order to both favor black candidates and prevent white voters from participating in the electoral pr ocess, as well as manipulating assisted balloting procedures to favor black candidates. Mississippi state election law has two features that are meant to make elections more accessible: absentee balloting and assisted balloting. Both have strict controls. Absentee balloting is for people who, for some reason, are not able to be present, for instance if they are in school out of state or deployed with the armed forces, but there are strict controls on what excuses allow a person to use an absentee ballot. Assisted balloting is when someone else assists the voter in filling out their ballot, which is only allowed to be done in the case of blindness, physical disability that prevents someone from being able to vote, or demonstrable illiteracy, and who have requested assistance in filling out their ballot. The US Government provided evidence that Brown violated these procedures. The Government contends that Brown accepted and actually even pursued absentee ballots from black voters who were currently living within the county and had no reason whatsoever to vote via an absentee ballot. Furthermore, they presented witness testimony that these ballots were filled by people other than the voters (assisted balloting) despite the fact that the voter was in no way disabled or illiterate and had not requested assistance in filling out their ballot. The government contended that Brown and his associates essentially filled in absentee ballots for black people who were unlikely to vote, brought the ballot in favor of a black candidate for them to authorize, and then sent it away. In some cases they