Analysis of Education in Bushwick, Brooklyn Essay

Analysis of Education in Bushwick, Brooklyn - Essay Example ool and New Utrecht High School with each other has been attempted to measure the result and search the reason behind the differences in available data on the usage of ICT in education. Education in Bushwick has been a cause of concern. The issue of communication rights has been raised in the context of digital divide. The term ‘digital divide’ is used on a number of parameters; haves and have-nots being one of them comprising those who have access to information technology and those who don’t have access (Matwyshyn, 2003). Students learn the information and communication technologies fast. In that context, it is significant that the benefits of ICT reach the students through the class rooms. Bolt and Crawford have rightly remarked, â€Å"This is not a question of newer school texts or better school uniforms, it is literally a social fulcrum point that we†¦ have come to which will determine the face of our society well into the next century†(Digital Divide, 2000: 32). While there is evidence that access to computers in schools has increased, the question remains to be answered whether low socio-economic status (SES) schools provide students with justifiable backing to attain information communication technology (ICT) literacy (Hohlfeld et al., 2008). Education technology should be used as a tool to better students’ proficiency in English language, arts, mathematics, and science. The New York State Education department sanctions funds to meet the federal goals of computer literacy in students by the finish of eighth grade (NYSED.gov 2008-09) To what extent the computers and related technologies integration should happen in the classroom is a big issue in itself. Burniske and Monke, former high school teachers, suggest being cautious in their book Breaking down the Digital Walls. Students don’t necessarily become a part of their community to serve after attaining proficiency to the extreme. They utilize the technological expertise to find a job of their

System Evaluation Essay Example for Free

System Evaluation Essay One of the most prevalent and effective systems used within the Marine Corps is the human resources system known as Marine Online (MOL). MOL was created to track Marines annual training, allow special requests such as leave, liberty, temporary duty assignments, personal time away from duty. MOL also gives Marines the ability to track carrier progression through annual reporting and rewards that are posted. The system includes promotion tracking and allows one to calculate physical training scores such as physical fitness training scores and combat fitness-training scores. The system allows Marines to track pay and leave in incremental amounts allowing one to view pay 15 days prior to being paid. The need for the system has been ever present and before its implementation everything was stored on paper and word of mouth. The system has helped the Corps as a whole because it creates a platform for many different types of data to be stored and calculates data automatically allowing data to be requested at a moment notice. The requirements of the Marine Corps that drove the system development of MOL are many in number but the need that drove the creation of it the most was how large the organization is. The Marine Corps size can vary from 200k to 400k including reserves. Commanders needed a system that would allow them to view leave and performance reports at a moments notice. In the process of creating the system they found there were many other facets of records they could include in the system. By digitizing these records they would be viewable by every Marine. This in turn allowed the Marine Corps to save hundreds of millions of dollars because they could reduce the number of departments. The Marine Corps had the ability to centralize all of the departments and reduce the amount of paper waste along with wasted man hours. In the past Marines would have to go to several separate departments to view the same information. The original system was only created to track only two areas of information. When the Marine Corps did their assessment of the system they found it to be so helpful they asked commanders if there was anything else they could add to the system to make it easier to track Marines carrier and allow individuals the ability to do the same. Allowing the individual Marines the ability to view these reports at a moments notice has allowed the organization as a whole to appeal to a much higher standard and expectation of the Marines. An example of a new tool that has been implemented in the system MOL is in the Marine Times â€Å"Use of the new communications tool, accessible through Marine Online, or MOL, will be mandatory for nearly the entire Corps by the end of February. † (Sanborn, 2011, para. 2). The use of this new communication tool has allowed family’s to stay in contact with loved ones while deployed over seas. The new system has improved almost every facet of the organization the basic use of the Marine Online System is to allow tracking of Marines to the commanders in the Marines Corps with the simple click of a mouse. The system has grown to so much more than it was originally created for allowing the growth of the Marine Corps in many other areas. Some likely future developments of the system will be the incorporation of medical and dental records. The system will probably be updated to include service record books to allow Marines individual records to be recorded electronically. The information system will eventually grow to allow every Marine to track every portion of their carrier to include new functions that were never though possible or never thought were needed. Something that has not been incorporated into the system is a mobile aspect but in the near future there will be. â€Å"In 2011, the Department of Defense announced it was creating a special online app store for members of the military so that they could download mobile apps that had been vetted for security issues† (Turban, Volonino, Wood, 2013, p. 88). Security has always been an issue for the Department of Defense (DOD) when creating mobile portions of their information systems. This is something that has repressed their ability to expand into the mobile business as of late the security of mobile system has become ever stronger and allowed the DOD to expand its information systems. Conclusion The MOL system has transformed how the Marine Corps functions in many different ways. The IS has allowed the organization as a whole to reduce aste and streamline the data it collects to a central location. Requirements of the system have always been present within the organization until recently has not been reasonably attainable with the amount of employees within the organization. The ultimate drive of the system is unit readiness and the unit readiness is easily quantifiable within the system because the commanders within the Marine Corps have instant access to the information required to gauge it. Unit readiness is the ability to leave at a moments notice when called upon by the president or congress to deploy to a war zone. The type and basic uses of the system are some of the most essential parts of the IS. Without the basic use of this system the Marine Corps as a whole would be at a loss without the use of it. In essence the application of this system has changed the business processes of the Marine Corps as a whole.

Psychoanalytical Criticism Essay -- Psychology, Freud, Lacan

Psychoanalytical criticism is a form of literary critique, which uses some of the techniques of psychoanalysis in the interpretation of literature. Lacanian critics examine psychoanalytic phases such as the Symbolic and apply this phase while interpreting literary texts. Lacanian critics also associate the literary work’s content to broader Lacanian concepts, such as the Phallic and the Other. The focus of this essay is to apply these psychoanalytical techniques while interpreting Lady Macbeth’s character in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. However, before I begin my argument, I feel that Lacan’s concepts of psychoanalytical theory need some introduction. One of the more prevalent psychoanalytical theorists since Freud was Jacques Lacan and I will use Lacan’s â€Å"The Agency of the Letter in the Unconscious or Reason since Freud† as a starting point to explain some of his concepts of psychoanalytical thought. First of all, Lacan created three different categories to explain the subject’s transformation from infant to adulthood, namely need, demand, and desire and labeled these three psychoanalytic orders, as the Imaginary, the Symbolic and the Real. Lacan claims that during the Symbolic stage the child is initiated to language, and the unconscious and repression appear in the psyche. The child now learns that words symbolize objects, and he must use language and not images in order to acquire what he desires (Richter1021). Within the Symbolic, there is metonymy which is a mode of symbolization in which one word or phrase is signified by another that is associated with the overall meaning (Richter 1046). A secondary element in Symbolic is â€Å"the discourse Other† (with a capital O). The concept of Other is not clear or simple sinc... ...ole. Because Lady Macbeth must adhere to the Lacanian concept of â€Å"having† the Phallus, her dialogue and actions are based on her abandoning her own desires to ensure that Macbeth’s desires are fulfilled. In this light, Shakespeare exposes the complex dynamics of gender and power through representation of a ruthless female character who reproduces the violent practices of masculinist order through the Other. Therefore, Lady Macbeth’s encouragement of Macbeth to commit regicide corresponds to the violent structure of the period. Although critics have labeled Lady Macbeth’s character as a source of evil within the play, I have shown that Lady Macbeth’s dialogue and actions find their brutal source in both the monarchical and gender construction of power already in place rather than in the primitive and naturalized axiom of female good versus evil.

Propaganda Essay -- essays research papers

Distorted Mirror of Reality â€Å"All propaganda must be popular and its intellectual level must be adjusted to the most limited intelligence among those it is addressed to, consequently, the greater the mass it is intended to reach, the lower its purely intellectual level will have to be.† ~Adolf Hitler Mein Kampf â€Å"Psychology of Propaganda† Fascism is a form of counter-revolutionary politics that first arose in the early part of the twentieth-century in Europe. It was a response to the rapid social upheaval, the devastation of World War I, and unstable economy. Fascism is a philosophy or a system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of aggressive nationalism. It promotes celebrating the nation or the race as a pure community surpassing all other loyalties. This right-wing political philosophy will even advocate violent action to maintain this loyalty which is held in such high regards. The most recognized name that goes along with Fascism is Germany’s Adolf Hitler, a founder of the Nazi party who rose to power in 1933. Some of the central mythic goals of National Socialist movement in 1930’s Germany were to: activate â€Å"the people† as a whole against perceived oppressors or enemies, to create a pure nation of unity, and to establish ultimate control of one supreme leader, Hitler, from whom all power proceeds downward. Nationalism thus became a central component of the Third Reich. As a result, art of propaganda was considered to be the most crucial element in establishing the new Reich as envisioned by Hitler. Politics and aesthetics seemingly united in this context. Art became a cultural and political mission in Germany and it led to an increase in ethnic propaganda. This essay, therefore, will analytically discuss the mythic context of Hitler’s Race and Nation and Leni Riefenstahl’s film, Triumph of the Will by examining its significance within Nazi conceptions of Aryanism and art. Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf (My Struggle) dwells on his views on the significance of race in culture and social systems, and particularly on his perception of the role of Aryans and Jews in culture creation and destruction. In order to bring together and gain support from the majority of the nation Hitler praises the mythical importance of Aryan race,... ...ent. Riefenstahl's shooting of the film brings out not only the spoken content of the Nazi mythology, but also expresses their ideals through heavy visual imagery. Clearly in the beginning of the movie we observe the birth of a myth when a serious and gloomy atmosphere surrounds the mythic message with the titles, â€Å"16 years after the German woe began...† then changes to an uplifting mood when the titles say, â€Å"19 months after the beginning of Germany's rebirth...† We sense almost unbearable tension of anticipation as represented through the music and the lighting, later the tone of the music gets somewhat subdued and turns into something dreamy, mystical while we see the billowing clouds. When the silhouette of Nuremberg appears through the clouds the music turns into the Nazi anthem, which continues while we see the shadow of the plane over the marching columns of storm troopers. This demonstrates the significance of the music for creating the desired emot ional impression among the viewers. Also, one must not underestimate the importance of the national anthem in the attempts of a party to ascertain that they are the â€Å"only† party that â€Å"truly† represents the people and the nation.

Managerial Skills Essay

In order for managers to be effective, they must have a clear understanding of whether different skills are important in their managerial role. In addition, managers must have a mutual understanding of the skills and responsibilities necessary for other managers across similar and different organizational levels and functions ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). If these skills and responsibilities are not clearly understood, managers will neither be able to coordinate work effectively, communicate expectations, deliver feedback, nor be prepared for job transitions or other training and career development activities ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). In short, understanding whether certain managerial skills are important to a manager’s job is essential. A number of researchers have investigated the roles, tasks, or activities of managers (e.g. [18] Mintzberg, 1973; [13] Luthans, 1988; [10] Kraut et al. , 1989). However, these studies are over a decade old, some more than two or three decades, and have not specifically examined skills. The world of work has changed since these studies, most notably due to organizational downsizing, technology, and the globalization of the workplace. Skills important to managers in the late 1980s and early 1990s may not be as important today. As times change, researchers should update important findings to determine if those findings are still applicable ([4] Cronbach, 1975), especially when considering that the skills and roles of managers need to be clearly defined and understood to effectively teach, select, develop, and promote these individuals in the workplace. Based on results of a study of more than 14,000 managers over two distinct time periods, this paper will highlight whether the importance of certain managerial skills changed over a 15-year time period, and determine which skills are needed at different organizational levels and across organizational functions from the opinions of managers themselves. Our main research question is, to what extent has the importance of certain managerial skills changed, or remained constant, over time, and whether certain skills are important based on organizational level and function. Studies of managers [18] Mintzberg (1973) provided one of the most influential works on managerial roles. Prior to his research, the roles of managers were understood to be embedded in a rigid functional approach of planning jobs, organizing staff, and leading personnel ([20] Pearson and Chatterjee, 2003). However, Mintzberg observed that managers worked at a much faster pace during which they were required to address a range of issues. The job of the manager required an ability to handle more complex roles than those described by classical management theory. Using a descriptive diary method to observe managers at work, Mintzberg identified ten roles of managerial work, which were divided into three categories: interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. Expanding on [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) work, [10] Kraut et al. (1989) investigated the differences between managerial levels in the perception of role importance. They identified seven major factors of management tasks including: managing individual performance; instructing subordinates; planning and allocating resources; coordinating interdependent groups; managing group performance; monitoring the business environment; and representing one’s staff. Their findings also revealed distinct differences in role importance based on the level of the manager. For instance, first-level managers reported that managing individual performance and instructing subordinates were the most important set of activities in their job. However, as managers moved up the management hierarchy to the level of middle manager, the importance of these activities dropped and more focus was placed on tasks related to linking groups. The act of linking groups included planning and resource allocation, managing group performance, and coordinating interdependent groups. Executive managers took an even broader view of their job as evidenced by their high importance ratings related to monitoring the environment including business, economic, and social trends. The only commonality among the different managerial levels was the importance they placed on representing their staff; over 50 per cent of managers at each level rated representing staff of â€Å"utmost† or â€Å"considerable importance.† [13] Luthans’ (1988) research also examined differences between top and middle managers. However the focus was more on the distinction between the activities of an effective manager versus a successful manager. Effective managers were identified by a high level of performance in the unit they are responsible for, whereas successful managers were recognized by their rapid promotions within an organization. The activities that characterize effective managers included spending time on communication and human resource management, which can lead to long-term results. In contrast, successful managers spent more time on networking and aimed for short-term results. In addition to differences between levels, [10] Kraut et al. (1989) also compared managerial activities across the different organizational functions of marketing, manufacturing, and administration. For example, a greater percentage of marketing managers rated monitoring the outside environment more important when compared to other managers. Alternately, fewer marketing managers rated instructing subordinates as important when compared to managers in manufacturing and administration. Managers from all three organizational functions indicated that activities involving coordinating interdependent groups were important. The present study will attempt to expand on similar research such as those previously mentioned. First, this research examines managerial skills, which are much different than managerial roles, activities, or tasks. While past research has determined what roles or activities are important for managers and what tasks managers tend to spend much of their time on, this research attempts to determine what skills are important for managerial jobs. Second, this research will use opinions from practicing managers totaling more than 14,000 from two distinct time periods (1988-1992, and 2004-2006) to capture what skills have been important in the past, and determine whether those skills have changed in importance over time. In addition, this research will examine whether managerial skills are important across different organizational levels and organizational functions in the context of today’s work environment. The changing world of work The aforementioned research regarding the importance of managerial tasks, roles, and activities was conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. There is reason to believe that skills once deemed important for managers may have adjusted in relative importance since much has changed in the world of work since these studies. One can assume that the changes in the world of work may coincide with possible changes in the importance of different managerial skills. Organizations have become flatter and less hierarchical with fewer levels and more responsibilities ([2] Allen et al. , 2001; [16] McKinley et al. , 2000; [17] Miller, 1990). Also, organizational downsizing is commonplace due to the increasing need to reduce costs, to eliminate unnecessary levels of management, and to streamline operations ([5] DeMeuse et al. , 2004). As organizations become less hierarchical, there is reason to believe that the skills managers thought were important in the past may have changed in scope. Organizations also exist in a different environmental context than 15 years ago. Due to improved technology such as e-mail and the internet, changes have occurred in the way managers and co-workers interact. We have seen the emergence of the Internet as a major form of communication and e-commerce as a new source of business. Flexible work patterns and the ability to work in geographically dispersed teams is now a common reality in the workplace ([27] Wallace, 2004). These changes have cultivated the need for better communication, coordination, improved performance, team monitoring, and more interdependence and trust ([22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004). Teams and organizations are increasingly becoming more global or virtual in nature. As a result, an awareness of different cultures and attention to multiculturalism and globalization is vital for the success of many managers. As organizations become more fast-paced and global, there is also speculation that the importance of different skills managers need may have shifted in scope. [7] Kanter (1989) argued that these rapid changes, spurred by technology and competitive pressures, have made traditional forms of organizing work obsolete. Managers may believe certain skills are important in order to be a partner with and empower employees to address business problems on their own and to work in cross-functional teams, which could be different than the skills believed to be important 15 years ago. Managers must fully understand their roles and responsibilities and become adept at a variety of skills to perform their job effectively ([1] Ahearn et al. , 2004; [6] Halbesleben et al. , 2003; [25] Stockdale and Crosby, 2004; [27] Wallace, 2004; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004). As previously mentioned, understanding the skills of managers is essential to coordinate work effectively, communicate expectations, deliver feedback, and for training and career development ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). It is unknown whether the changes over the past 15 years that have occurred in an organizational and global context have also coincided with possible changes in importance of managerial skills over time. A recent case study reexamined [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) work 30 years after the original research by studying the pattern of behavior among four executives in Sweden ([26] Tengblad, 2006). The findings revealed that modern executives are more oriented towards working with subordinates in group-settings and focus more time on giving information rather than performing administrative duties. However, Tengblad noted significant similarities with Mintzberg’s original study, indicating that claims of the emergence of radically different managerial work may be exaggerated. However, due to the small sample size and lack of empirical data in that study, it is important that further work specifically examine the modern skills of managers with a wide range of managers and ample sample size. In other words, are the skills thought to be important to managers 15 years ago still important to managers in today’s work context? The present research will attempt to answer this question and provide relevant present-day information for managers and those who work with, train and develop them, by re-examining the importance of managerial skills across two distinct time periods and across both organizational level and function in the context of today’s work environment. Method Participants This research used data from two waves of managers engaged in a leadership development program from a leadership development provider in order to compare differences in managerial skills over time. The first wave consisted of 7,389 managers from the USA involved in a leadership development process between 1988 and 1992. The second wave consisted of 7,410 managers from the USA who were involved in a leadership development process between 2004 and 2006. Because of data housing and management issues, demographic data could not be given for the first wave of participants. However, aggregate biographical data from the leadership development provider from the time period of 1988 to 1992 revealed that leadership development participants in general were similar in terms of age, gender, race, education, and job status to those of 2004 to 2006. Demographic data in aggregate could be given for the 7,410 participants of the second wave. The average age of the managers in the second wave was 41.73 years old, 59 per cent were male, 86 per cent were white, 69 per cent worked in the private sector and 77 per cent had a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Managers came from over 60 organizational types (e.g. aerospace and defense, finance, communications, government, education) and over 1,300 companies. In addition, 999 managers (13.5 per cent) were first-level managers (forepersons, crew chiefs, section supervisors), 3,136 (42.3 per cent) were middle-level managers (office managers, professional staff, mid-level administrators), 2,197 (29.6 per cent) were upper-middle managers (department executives, plant managers, senior professional staff), and 1,078 (14.6 per cent) were top or executive level managers (chief executives or operating officers, presidents, vice presidents, directors). Measure Managerial skills . Data determining the importance of managerial skills was collected from SKILLSCOPE ®[1] a 360-degree instrument that assesses job related strengths and weaknesses. The instrument has 98 items that are organized into 15 skill clusters. These clusters represent 15 skills and roles managers need in order to be effective in their job which are part of Mintzberg’s three categories (interpersonal, informational, and decisional) and two other categories (personal resources and effective use of self). The conceptual basis for SKILLSCOPE ® is research which focused on managerial skills, roles and tasks (e.g. [3] Beggs and Doolittle, 1988; [8] Kaplan, 1987; [9] Kotter, 1982; [14] McCall and Kaplan, 1984; [15] McCall et al. , 1979; [18], [19] Mintzberg, 1973, 1990; [23] Sayles, 1979; [24] Stewart, 1976). As part of their leadership development process, managers chose which five of the 15 skill clusters were the most important for their current job. Table I [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] describes each skill cluster. Results A frequency count of the data revealed the skills that are most important for managers in their current job. Result show that both â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† (60.1 per cent of the managers in 1988-1992 and 63 per cent of the managers in 2004-2006) and â€Å"Taking actions, making decisions, following through† (59.7 per cent of the managers in 1988-1992 and 62.9 per cent of the managers in 2004-2006) were the most important skills across all managers. On the other hand, â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† and â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility† were the least important for managers in 1988 through 1992 (8.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent respectively as one of the most important skills needed) and managers in 2004 through 2006 (10.9 per cent and 7.2 per cent selected respectively as one of the most important skills needed). Table II [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] shows a comparison between managers from 1988-1992 and managers from 2004-2006. Many of the skills were similar in importance for both waves of managers. However, there were three skill clusters with differences of more than 10 percentage points that should be noted. First, 39.9 per cent of 2004-2006 managers rated â€Å"Relationships† as one of five important skill clusters which was an increase from 29.4 per cent of managers in 1988-1992. Second, 33 per cent of 2004-2006 managers rated â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† as one of five important skill clusters, a decrease from the 45 per cent of managers was from 1988-1992. Finally, 31.7 per cent of managers from 2004-2006 rated â€Å"Time management† as one of five important skill clusters which was an increase from the 19.7 per cent of managers in 1988-1992. The next set of analyses focused only on the 2004-2006 managers. Examining the results as a whole may mask important findings based on managerial levels. Consequently, we analyzed the importance of managerial skills across the four managerial levels for the present study, similar to [10] Kraut et al. (1989). Figure 1 [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] displays the importance rankings for each skill sorted by managerial level. â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† and â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† were the two most important skills for all managerial levels with the exception of first-level managers. While â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† ranked as the most important for first-level managers, â€Å"Knowledge of job, business† ranked as second-most important, followed by â€Å"Communicating information, ideas†. On the other hand, â€Å"Openness to influence, flexibility† was the least important to managers at each level, again with the exception of first-level managers who believed â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† was the least important, followed by â€Å"Openness to influence, flexibility†. In general, the importance rankings were similar across managerial levels, though there are some notable exceptions. First, â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† was less important for top/executive-level managers (48 per cent) than for other managerial levels (each over 55 per cent). Second, as managerial level increased, so did the importance of â€Å"Influencing, leadership, and power†, (from 21 per cent of first-level managers to 45 per cent of top/executive level managers), and of â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† (from 7 per cent of first-level managers to 22 per cent of top/executive level managers). Last, as managerial level increased, the importance of two managerial skills decreased, namely â€Å"Knowledge of job, business† (from 63 per cent of first-level managers to 45 per cent of top/executive-level managers) and â€Å"Time management† (from 42 per cent of first-level managers to 19 per cent of top/executive-level managers). In addition, viewing the results from all managers in aggregate may also conceal important findings based specifically on job function, as managers in different functions may have different managerial challenges ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). In order to account for this, the present study mirrored the data analysis of the [10] Kraut et al. (1989) study in that the levels of management were equally weighted in each function so that no one managerial level would have statistical influence over the other managerial levels, and managers from marketing (n =282), manufacturing (n =253), and administration (n =489) would be selected. Due to the functional diversity of the sample of the second wave, managers from engineering (n =413), human resources/training (n =345), operations (n =916) and sales (n =518) were also examined. Figure 2 [Figure omitted. See Article Image.] provides the rankings for the skills of managers across job function. It is interesting to note that the pattern of skill importance is similar across functions. For instance, â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† was most important for marketing, human resource, and sales managers, while â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through† was the most important managerial skill for manufacturing, administration, engineering, and operations. In fact, across the seven managerial functions studied, these two managerial skills were among the top three in importance for each managerial function. On the other hand, â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility† was the least important to managers across all functions except for managers in human resources, who believed â€Å"Energy, drive, and ambition† was the least important. Some managerial skills were rated similarly in importance across managerial functions. For instance, between 22 per cent and 27 per cent of managers across different functions believed â€Å"Coping with pressure, adversity; integrity† was important. Also, between 8 per cent and 13 per cent of managers thought â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† was an important skill to have. There was variability among the importance of some skills across managerial function. For example, â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† was important for less than 25 per cent of managers in marketing, manufacturing, and sales, but was important for 58 per cent of managers in administration. â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† was less important for sales managers (39 per cent) than it was for engineering managers (65 per cent). Regarding â€Å"Managing conflict; negotiation† it is interesting to note that most managers rated it the same in importance (between 27 per cent and 31 per cent) except managers from marketing, where only 17 per cent of managers thought it was important. Managers in manufacturing (25 per cent) and engineering (26 per cent) ranked â€Å"Relationships† less important than human resources (51 per cent) and sales (52 per cent) managers. â€Å"Selecting, developing, accepting people† was important to some managers in manufacturing and sales (both 35 per cent), but was not as important to marketing managers (12 per cent). Discussion In total, 30 years after [18] Mintzberg’s (1973) original study, [26] Tengblad (2006) found that while some things have changed, managerial work has remained the same, despite changes in the world of work. In a similar fashion, the present research attempted to determine whether the importance of skills managers need in their job have shifted over a 15-year time period. Though many have commented on how the world of work has changed over the past 15 years (e.g. [2] Allen et al. , 2001; [5] DeMeuse et al. , 2004; [7] Kanter, 1989; [16] McKinley et al. , 2000; [17] Miller, 1990; [22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [27] Wallace, 2004; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004), the data of the present research suggests that despite the changes in the work environment, the importance of certain managerial skills is somewhat similar. For instance, what was believed to be important in 1988-1992 (i.e. â€Å"Communicating information, ideas† and â€Å"Taking action, making decisions, following through†) is still considered important for managers today. In addition, skills that were not thought of as important in 1988-1992 (i.e. â€Å"Self-management, self-insight, self-development† and â€Å"Openness to influence; flexibility†) are still not thought of as important for managers in today’s work context. Despite these apparent similarities, there are some noteworthy differences between what managers thought was important 15 years ago and what managers think is important today. First, â€Å"Relationships† seem to be more important now than for managers 15 years ago. [26] Tengblad (2006) hinted at this with the finding that executives are concentrating more today (than 30 years ago) on working with others in a group setting. The increased importance of this skill cluster coincided with the changes in the organizational context that managers today must face. The use of communication technology, such as e-mail, and the existence of geographically dispersed teams require managers to be more deliberate in the effort they devote towards forming and maintaining relationships. The nonverbal cues that aid in face-to-face communication cannot be relied on in virtual relationships. By acknowledging and facing the challenges presented by these new forms of communication, managers can successfully execute their job requirements. In addition, the flattening of organizational hierarchies has forced a higher level of coordination and collaboration between peers. As more and more people work in an environment structured around the work team, the more likely a focus on building relationships will be encouraged. For instance, more time is devoted to interdependence and trust in a team setting ([22], [21] Salas et al. , 2004, 2005; [28] Zaccaro et al. , 2004), where ultimately, building relationships is necessary. [26] Tengblad (2006) found that executives are indeed focusing less time on administrative duties, and [7] Kanter (1989) also revealed that organizing work was becoming obsolete with changes in the environment. In a similar fashion, the present study found that â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† seems to be less important today than it was 15 years ago. One of the reasons could correspond with the recent trend of the flattening of organizations. Organizations have become more streamlined, and responsibility has become more spread out in the organization. In effect, managers do not have a hierarchical structure to manage. The administrative tasks that were needed in more hierarchical structures 15 years ago are not needed as much in the present work context. The advent of technology has also facilitated many organizational processes that were once paper-based. More and more companies have converted to computer-based processes (i.e. online recruiting and staffing) that have minimized the necessity to focus one’s skill on administrative or organizational duties. â€Å"Time management† appears more important now than it was 15 years ago. The reasons why could coincide with changes in the work context. Technology now enables people from around the world to work in real-time, to contact people instantly, and work more quickly. E-mail has replaced mail and fax. The use of cell phones and electronic devices such as â€Å"blackberries† has also increased. At the same time, employees are focusing on creating balance between their professional lives and their personal lives, attempting to get work out of the way faster. Employees and their managers therefore must focus on time management now more than ever. The differences in importance rankings of managerial skills we observed between managers at different organizational levels confirm previous findings in the literature. [10] Kraut et al. (1989) found that some managerial roles are considered important at each level, but the degree of importance may be contingent on a particular level. In the present study, â€Å"Influencing, leadership, and power† and â€Å"Risk-taking and innovation† showed an increase in importance ranking as managerial level increased. Both of these skills are indicative of senior levels of leadership. As a manager takes on more responsibility, it is critical to the manager’s success that the manager’s focus shifts to meet the new demands of the job. Also important to note, some managerial skills differ in importance depending on managerial function and relevance. For instance, â€Å"Administrative/organizational ability† is more important to managers in administration than it is for any of the other functions because administrative ability is inherent in the administrative function. â€Å"Getting information, making sense of it; problem identification† is more important for engineering managers than it is for any of the other functions because working with information and problem identification is particularly relevant for engineers. â€Å"Communicating information and ideas† and â€Å"Risk-taking, innovation† are more important for managers in marketing than any of the other functions because those with a marketing background must be able to communicate and be innovative. Finally, â€Å"Relationships† is more important for managers in sales and HR than any of the other functions because sales and HR functions are dependent on forming and building good relationships. In effect, some skills are important to different managerial functions because of relevance of the specific organizational function. Practical applications Determining what is important for managers at each level and each function is crucial to coordinating work effectively, communicating expectations, and facilitating training and career development activities ([10] Kraut et al. , 1989). Relying on past (or outdated) information about the importance of certain managerial skills, roles, tasks, or activities could hinder effective work coordination, communication, and effective training and career development. Hence, â€Å"updating† this type of information may help managers in their work and development, even if it is to simply validate or reinforce previous findings. Imagine the challenges managers face if relevant information about the importance of certain skills in their jobs were not correct or outdated. If information from previous research from the 1970s or 1980s is still used for coordinating work activities and it has not been updated, managers may be concentrating on different or unnecessary skills that are no longer relevant. This could greatly impede their work, their advancement, and ultimately, their success. Moreover, managers may not be taught the appropriate skills for the present-day work environment that is needed to succeed if training and development relies on outdated information. For instance, [11] Lipshitz and Nevo (1992) detailed research of the competencies of effective and ineffective managers whose activities and practices aided the design of training and development programs. Knowing which managerial skills are important for different managerial levels and functions would definitely bring knowledge to improve training and development programs. Because of their rated importance, the data suggests that managerial training and development in today’s world of work may need to keep focus on communication and decision-making, decrease focus on administration and organization ability, and increase focus on enhancing relationships and the concept of time management. In addition, these findings may help those in selection and in succession planning; knowing that certain skills are important at different levels and functions can help determine what type of manager is needed at each level or each function. For instance, time management may be a skill set that is necessary particularly for first-level managers and not top-level executives, and hence, first level managers should have that appropriate skill for the job. Administrative/organizational ability may be important for managers in the administration function, and those in succession planning or selection for managers in that particular function should keep in mind that information, along with relevant information from any job analysis or competency model. Limitations and future directions There are some limitations to this study. First, asking managers to choose five of 15 skill clusters that are important to their current job does not provide the level of detail that could be obtained by evaluating the importance of each cluster using other methodologies. In the present study, a skill cluster is either among a manager’s top five most important or it is not. Therefore, the data does not permit an assessment of how much more important the top five skill clusters were than the ten skill clusters not selected. In addition, the data did not allow us to assess any relative ranking among the top five skills. As a result, it would be useful to assess the importance of clusters, competencies, roles, skills, or abilities using a Likert-type scale in the future. In this manner, researchers could examine to what extent each cluster is important to managers. Also, examining what managers believe are the most important skills for their job may not yield the same findings as asking what their direct reports or supervisors consider important. Future research should investigate what direct reports and supervisors of managers think are important skills for managers to acquire a more global perspective of managerial competencies, similar to those acquired through competency modeling (e.g. [12] Lucia and Lepsinger, 1999). Also, asking similar questions to managers outside the United States would bring more information about the importance of managerial skills across cultures. Combining the quantitative approach of evaluating to what extent a variety of skills are important for managers along with more qualitative methodologies of on-the-job observation and interviewing to assess competencies should create a more comprehensive picture of â€Å"today’s manager†. Finally, any future research should capture the demographic data for the sample across successive waves. Without knowing more about the sample composition for the first wave of data, it is not possible to ascertain whether changes over time are due to differences in organizational structure or function, differences in individual jobs represented by the sample, or differences in workforce composition. Therefore, explanations of changes cited in our findings may be due to structure changes and changes in technology or they may be due to changes in workforce demographics (i.e. aging baby-boomers). The best this research can conclude is that shifts in the importance of certain managerial skills have coincided with changes in the context of the world of work. However, with the present research data set, having a large sample of more than 7,000 managers with similar aggregate demographic data for each time period may tend to lead to more generalizable results than would a sample of a lesser number of participants. The world of work has changed over the past 15 years. Results of this study revealed that managers today feel the need to concentrate more on building relationships and time management skills and focus less on administrative and organizational ability. However, many of the skills managers thought were important to their job in the late 1980s and early 1990s are somewhat similar in importance from the opinions of managers in the first decade of the 2000s, particularly skills concerning communication and decision making. To answer the original research question, much like [26] Tengblad (2006) found, despite noticeable changes in the world of work, while some managerial skills shifted in importance, some managerial skills remain as important today as 15 years ago. The importance of these managerial skills not only coincided with the changes in the work environment, but also are context dependent based on managerial level and function. For instance, though time management has increased in importance over the years, managers at lower levels (i.e. first-level managers) seem to believe time management is more important to their job than those at higher levels (i.e. top- or executive-level managers). In essence, one should take note not only of how the importance of certain skills change over time, but also, that certain skills believed to be important for managers at one particular level or function may be more or less important for managers at other levels or other functions. In the end, knowing this information is essential to effectively teach, select, develop, train, and promote managers in the workplace. Portions of this paper are based on a poster that was presented at the 2007 Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Conference, New York City, New York. Footnote 1. SKILLSCOPE is a registered trademark of the Center for Creative Leadership. References 1. Ahearn, K.K., Ferris, G.R., Hochwarter, W.A., Douglas, C. and Ammeter, A.P. (2004), â€Å"Leader political skill and team performance†, Journal of Management, Vol. 30, pp. 309-27. 2. Allen, T.D., Freeman, D.M., Russell, J.E.A., Reizenstein, R.C. and Rentz, J.O. (2001), â€Å"Survivor reactions to organizational downsizing: does time ease the pain?†, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 74, pp. 145-64. 3. Beggs, J.M. and Doolittle, D.C. (1988), â€Å"Mintzberg revisited: a study of chief executive officers†, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 17-21. 4. Cronbach, L.J. (1975), â€Å"Beyond the two disciplines of scientific psychology†, American Psychologist, Vol. 30, pp. 116-27. 5. DeMeuse, K.P., Bergmann, T.J., Vanderheide, P.A. and Roraaf, C.E. (2004), â€Å"New evidence regarding organizational downsizing and a firm’s financial performance: a long-term analysis†, Journal of Managerial Issues, Vol. 16, pp. 155-77. 6. Halbesleben, J.R.B., Novicevic, M.M., Harvey, M.G. and Buckley, M.R. (2003), â€Å"Awareness of temporal complexity in leadership of creativity and innovation: a competency-based model†, The Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 14, pp. 433-54. 7. Kanter, R.M. (1989), â€Å"The new managerial work†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 67, pp. 85-92. 8. Kaplan, R.E. (1987), The Warp and Woof of the General Manager’s Job, Tech. Rep. (27), Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. 9. Kotter, J.P. (1982), The General Managers, The Free Press, New York, NY. 10. Kraut, A.I., Pedigo, P.R., McKenna, D.D. and Dunnette, M.D. (1989), â€Å"The role of the manager: what’s really important in different management jobs†, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 3, pp. 286-93. 11. Lipshitz, R. and Nevo, B. (1992), â€Å"Who is a ‘good manager’?†, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 13 No. 6, pp. 3-7. 12. Lucia, A.D. and Lepsinger, R. (1999), The Art and Science of Competency Modeling: Pinpointing Critical Success Factors in Organizations, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, San Francisco, CA. 13. Luthans, F. (1988), â€Å"Successful versus effective real managers†, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 2, pp. 127-32. 14. McCall, M.W. Jr and Kaplan, R.E. (1984), Whatever It Takes: Decision Makers at Work, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 15. McCall, M.W. Jr, Lombardo, M.M. and Devries, D.L. (1979), The Looking Glass Inc. ® Simulation, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. 16. McKinley, W., Zhao, J. and Rust, K.G. (2000), â€Å"Sociocognitive interpretation of organizational downsizing†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 25, pp. 227-43. 17. Miller, D.B. (1990), â€Å"Organizational, environmental, and work design strategies that foster competence†, in Willis, S.L. and Dubin, S.S. (Eds), Maintaining Professional Competence: Approaches to Career Enhancement Vitality, and Success throughout a Work Life, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 233-48. 18. Mintzberg, H. (1973), The Nature of Managerial Work, Harper & Row, New York, NY. 19. Mintzberg, H. (1990), â€Å"The manager’s job: folklore and fact†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 68, pp. 163-76. 20. Pearson, C. and Chatterjee, S. (2003), â€Å"Managerial roles in Asia: an empirical study of Mintzberg’s role formulation in four Asian countries†, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 22, pp. 694-707. 21. Salas, E., Sims, D.E. and Burke, C.S. (2005), â€Å"Is there a ‘Big five’ in teamwork?†, Small Group Research, Vol. 36, pp. 555-99. 22. Salas, E., Kosarzycki, M.P., Tannenbaum, S.I. and Carnegie, D. (2004), â€Å"Principles and advice for understanding and promoting effective teamwork in organizations†, in Burke, R.J. and Cooper, C. (Eds), Leading in Turbulent Times, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, pp. 95-120. 23. Sayles, L.R. (1979), Leadership: What Effective Managers Really Do†¦ and How They Do It, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 24. Stewart, R. (1976), Contracts in Management, McGraw-Hill, London. 25. Stockdale, M.S. and Crosby, F.J. (2004), The Psychology and Management of Workplace Diversity, Blackwell Publishers, Malden, MA. 26. Tengblad, S. (2006), â€Å"Is there a ‘new managerial work’? A comparison with Henry Mintzberg’s classic study 30 years later†, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 43, pp. 1437-61. 27. Wallace, P. (2004), The Internet in the Workplace: How New Technology Is Transforming Work, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 28. Zaccaro, S.J., Ardison, S.D. and Orvis, K.A. (2004), â€Å"Leadership in virtual teams†, in Day, D.V. and Zaccaro, S.J. (Eds), Leader Development for Transforming Organizations: Growing Leaders for Tomorrow, Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp. 267-92.

The Power of Mission and Vision … What’s Yours

The Power of Mission and Vision †¦ What’s Yours Why Have a Mission and Vision Anyway? And What Does It All Mean? Creating a mission and vision statement can be a formidable task. Large companies spend weeks and months on the process. When used to full advantage, a mission and vision truly underlie a company’s business model and become what employees and clients/customers align to. If someone is not excited about the company’s mission and vision, that person is not a good fit for the organization. ActionCOACH, my business coaching company, defines vision as strategic intent- why the entity exists; it is a statement against which all decisions can be measured. Mission, by comparison, is a practical description of how the ultimate vision will be achieved. Of course you can have a mission and vision whether you are a job seeker or a business owner. As you read the story of The Essay Expert’s mission and vision, I invite you to consider what your mission and vision would be. If you create one you like, please share it in the comments. The Essay Expert’s Mission and Vision Journey The Essay Expert did not have a mission statement for probably its first year. When I created one, it sounded right and it stuck (it also was a relatively easy process given that I was the only person who had to approve of it!). Here it is: The Essay Expert works intensively and personally with job seekers, college applicants and companies, to create powerfully written job search and marketing content. Our clients achieve unprecedented success in moving their careers, education and businesses to the next level. That mission statement does state how my company will achieve its ultimate goal. But without a vision statement, that ultimate goal was not defined. Then, last year in a business coaching meeting, Susan Thomson encouraged me to craft a vision statement to complement the mission. The vision I created was this: To empower people and companies to be confident and unstoppable in reaching their goals. This seemed like a statement with a higher purpose and goal that I believe in. And I have been using it. Each time I have considered bringing in a new writer, I have read this mission to them and ask for their thoughts on it, introducing them to the culture of my company. Inevitably, the writers I have chosen for my team have been very committed to contributing to the success of The Essay Expert’s clients. They have been truly aligned with my mission and vision, and I have never had a problem with a writer not being fully committed to The Essay Expert’s clients. Be Careful What You Vision For†¦ However, I have also encountered some issues when I have demanded more time and corrections from my writers than some other resume writing companies they have worked with. Why was this happening? Why were my writers feeling frustrated with my commitment to excellence? Two weeks ago, I discovered through a brief coaching session with Dr. Bob Wright that my company’s mission and vision were part of the problem. They were all about our company’s clients, and not about our team! This was a blind spot for me up until Bob pointed it out, and it was quite a revelation. I now realize that my company’s mission and vision must be not just about the work we do, but about who we are as a company and as human beings working together. To that end, my new vision and mission are â€Å"in progress† and will include something like this: We bring out the best in our clients and each other as a team of writers. We are committed to excellence. We strive to write more effectively, communicate more effectively, and showcase the brilliance in ourselves and in everyone we touch. Can you imagine a company where everyone is aligned with this philosophy? Where we are all working together toward excellence, becoming our best selves while supporting our clients to do the same? That’s a company I would want to work for! What is your mission and vision for yourself or your company? Please share below.

Chinese Birthdays and Customs for Newborn Babies

Chinese Birthdays and Customs for Newborn Babies Chinese people put their family in a very important position as they regard it as a means to continue the family bloodline. The continuation of the family bloodline maintains the life of the whole nation. That is why reproduction and family planning in China truly becomes a focus of all members of families it is, in essence, an essential moral duty. There is a Chinese saying that of all who lack filial piety, the worst is who has no children. Traditions Surrounding Pregnancy and Childbirth The fact that Chinese people pay great attention to beginning and growing a family can be supported by many customary practices. Many traditional customs about the reproduction of children are all based on the idea of protecting the child. When a wife is found to be pregnant, people will say she has happiness, and all her family members will be overjoyed. Throughout the whole period of pregnancy, both she and the fetus are well attended, so that the new generation is born both physically and mentally healthy. To keep the fetus healthy, the expectant mother is offered sufficient nutritious foods and  traditional Chinese medicines believed to be beneficial to the fetus. When the baby is born, the mother is required to zuoyuezi or stay in bed for a month in order to recover from childbirth. In this month, she is advised to not even go outdoors. Cold, wind, pollution and tiredness are all said to exert a bad effect on her health and thus her later life. Choosing the Right Name A good name for a child is considered equally important. The Chinese think a name will somehow determine the future of the child. Therefore, all possible factors must be taken into account when naming a newborn. Traditionally, two parts of a name are essential the family name or last name, and a character showing the generation order of the family. Another character in the first name is chosen as the namer pleases. The generation signing characters in the names are usually given by the forefathers, who chose them from a line of a poem or found their own and put them in the genealogy for their descendants to use. For this reason, it is possible to know the relationships between the family relatives by just looking at their names. Eight Characters Another custom is to find the newborn babys Eight Characters (in four pairs, indicating the year, month, day and hour of a persons birth, each pair consisting of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch, formerly used in fortune-telling) and the element in the Eight Characters. It is traditionally believed in China that the world is made up of five principal elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. A persons name is to include an element that he lacks in his Eight Characters. If he lacks water, for example, then his name is supposed to contain a word like river, lake, tide, sea, stream, rain, or any word associating with water. If he lacks metal, then he is to be given a word like gold, silver, iron, or steel. The Number of Strokes of a Name Some people even believe that the number of strokes of a name has a lot to do with the owners fate. So when they name a child, the number of strokes of the name is taken into account. Some parents prefer to use a character from an eminent persons name, hoping that their child inherits that persons nobility and greatness. Characters with noble and encouraging connotations are also among the first choices. Some parents inject their own wishes into their childrens names. When they want to have a boy, they may name their girl Zhaodi meaning expecting a brother. The One-Month Celebration The first important event for the newborn baby is the  one-month celebration. In Buddhist or Taoist families, on the morning of the babys 30th day of life, sacrifices are offered to the gods so that the gods will protect the baby in his subsequent life. Ancestors are also virtually informed of the arrival of the new member in the family. According to the customs, relatives and friends receive gifts from the childs parents. Types of gifts vary from place to place, but eggs dyed red are usually a must both in town and the countryside. Red eggs are chosen as gifts probably because they are the symbol of the changing process of life and their round shape is the symbol of a harmonious and happy life. They are made red because red color is a sign of happiness in Chinese culture. Besides eggs, food like cakes, chickens, and hams are often used as gifts. As people do in the Spring Festival, gifts given are always in an even number. During the celebration, relatives and friends of the family will also return some presents. The presents include those which the child may use, like foods, daily materials, gold or silver wares. But the most common  is money wrapped in a piece of red paper. Grandparents usually give their grandchild a gold or silver gift to show their deep love for the child. In the evening, the childs parents give a rich feast at home or a restaurant to the guests at the celebration.

How To Conjugate Beber and Other Regular -er Verbs in Spanish

How To Conjugate Beber and Other Regular -er Verbs in Spanish The conjugation of beber (to drink) is shown here as an example of how to conjugate regular verbs ending in -er. Note that the most common -er verbs - among them ser, haber, tener, and hacer - are irregular and need to be learned separately. Infinitive of Beber Beber (to drink) Gerund of Beber bebiendo (drinking) Participle of Beber bebido (drunk) Present Indicative of Beber yo bebo, tà º bebes, usted/à ©l/ella bebe, nosotros/as bebemos, vosotros/as bebà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas beben (I drink, you drink, he drinks, etc.) Preterite of Beber yo bebà ­, tà º bebiste, usted/à ©l/ella bebià ³, nosotros/as bebimos, vosotros/as bebisteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas bebieron (I drank, you drank, she drank, etc.) Imperfect Indicative of Beber yo bebà ­a, tà º bebà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella bebà ­a, nosotros/as bebà ­amos, vosotros/as bebà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas bebà ­an (I used to drink, you used to drink, he used to drink, etc.) Future Indicative of Beber yo beberà ©, tà º bebers, usted/à ©l/ella beber, nosotros/as beberemos, vosotros/as beberà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas bebern (I will drink, you will drink, he will drink, etc.) Conditional of Beber yo beberà ­a, tà º beberà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella beberà ­a, nosotros/as beberà ­amos, vosotros/as beberà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas beberà ­an (I would drink, you would drink, she would drink, etc.) Present Subjunctive of Beber que yo beba, que tà º bebas, que usted/à ©l/ella beba, que nosotros/as bebamos, que vosotros/as bebis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas beban (that I drink, that you drink, that she drink, etc.) Imperfect Subjunctive of Beber que yo bebiera (bebiese), que tà º bebieras (bebieses), que usted/à ©l/ella bebiera (bebiese), que nosotros/as bebià ©ramos (bebià ©semos), que vosotros/as bebierais (bebieseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas bebieran (that I drank, that you drank, that he drank, etc.) Imperative of Beber bebe (tà º), no bebas (tà º), beba (usted), bebamos (nosotros/as), bebed (vosotros/as), no bebis (vosotros/as), beban (ustedes) (drink, dont drink, drink, lets drink, etc.) Compound Tenses of Beber The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, bebido. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, bebiendo. Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Beber and Other Regular -er Verbs Regular -er verbs used in these sentences include beber, comer (to eat), deber (to owe or be obligated) and vender (to sell). No piensan en quà © van a comer, quà © van a beber o quà © ropa se van a poner. (They dont think about what they are going to eat, what they are going to drink or what clothes they are going to put on. Infinitive. Although poner is also an -er  verb,  it is highly irregular.) Debes tener cuidado cuando cruces calles o entradas de estacionamientos. (You should be careful when you cross streets or parking-lot entrances. Present indicative.) Bebo demasiado cuando estoy nerviosa. (I drink too much when Im nervous. Present indicative.) Hemos vendido los dos coches a nuestros hijos. (We have sold the two cars to our children. Present perfect.) Los nià ±os han comido, pero no recuerdo quà ©. (The children have eaten, but I dont remember what. Present perfect.) Tengo miedo que estemos vendiendo nuestra alma al diablo. Im afraid were selling our soul to the devil. Gerund  used for the present progressive subjunctive.) Por primera vez los estadounidenses estn bebiendo ms agua que refrescos, muestra un estudio reciente. (For the first time, U.S. residents are drinking more water than soft drinks, a recent study shows. Gerund used for the present progressive indicative) Se comparà ³ la cantidad de agua que bebieron las ratas en la fase 1 contra la que bebieron en la fase 2. (The amount of water that the rats drank in the first phase was compared with what they drank in the second phase. Preterite.) Yo debà ­a mucho a aquella mujer. (I owed a lot to that woman. Imperfect.) Con 40 pesos comà ­amos todo el dà ­a. (With 40 pesos we ate all day. Imperfect.) Creo que comerà © sushi todos los dà ­as. (I think I will eat sushi every day. Future.) Maà ±ana venderemos todos estos secretos y nos haremos ricos. (Tomorrow we will sell all these secrets and make ourselves rich. Future.) Si produjà ©ramos a mayor escala venderà ­amos ms. (If we were to produce on a larger scale we would sell more. Conditional.) Le escribià ³ un curioso mensaje a la actriz: Me beberà ­a el agua de tu baà ±era. (He wrote a strange message to the actress: I would drink your bathtub water.) No soy sexista, pero no creo que las mujeres deban hablar de fà ºtbol americano. (Im not a sexist, but I dont think that women should talk about football. Present subjunctive.) Hay muchos trucos para que los nià ±s se coman las verduras. (There are many trucks for getting kids to eat their vegetables. Present subjunctive.) Se la dio a sus amigos para que bebieran. (She gave it to her friends for them to drink. Imperfect subjunctive.) Por seguridad, no bebas hasta perder la conciencia. (To be safe, dont drink until you lose consciousness. Imperative.)

Which factor is most important to consider when thinking about Essay

Which factor is most important to consider when thinking about education and classrooms - Essay Example This paper will focus on the debate between private and public schools, their advantages and limitations, then which factor is most important to consider when thinking about education and classrooms. Public schools have their own advantages and disadvantages just like any other institution. The advantage of public school is a standardized way of education. The school provides an equal opportunity to all the students and this makes it more accommodative. Public schools are strict when it comes to discipline, as the students need to develop spiritually, psychologically, emotionally and educationally. More parents prefer to take their children to public schools because of the low economy experienced in most of the countries worldwide. The parents save for their children’s college fees and it has become comfortable for them. The school curriculum and the program managed by the state follows an equal setting of the exams. This is easier for the students to handle the exams as they are on the same level. The graduation and attendance of the students help the government to have a clear statistics of each public school and its performance. Examinations tackled determine the stude nts mean grade, leading to suggestions of the students looking for a different school if they do not perform well. Teachers must have certain qualifications for them to work in a public school. They must attain a degree in college, have teaching license and proven by the state for them to teach. This means that the teachers are well qualified in public schools. Classrooms in a public school are well structured and built with desks inside for the students (Ross, 2004). There are requirements for students before joining a public school through the help of their parents. The management is systematic in a way that the parents must ensure the location of the school and where the child lives. The disadvantages of the public schools exist as well.

Chemical Industry Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chemical Industry Safety - Essay Example After review of the availed data, safety parameters in a chemical industry was reached at as the main project goal. Analysis of these parameters was divided into four categories. These are risks the chemicals impose on human lives, measures necessary to avoid chemical risks, fire and explosion prevention and general safety within the factories. The recommendation from the study was a challenge to the Saudi government to ensure relevant industrial laws are enforced. It is important to note that Saudi Arabia has made significant growth economic wise, an important aspect which can be attributed to the firm industrial base. Saudi Arabia has emerged to be among the few countries in the region that are in full support of their industrial sector. One of the beneficiaries of this support are the chemical industries which have significantly grown throughout the years courtesy of a supportive Saudi government. In spite of all these, the chemical industries have posed to be among the most delicate industries in terms of safety due to the various hazardous chemicals dealt with. A part from this being a major concern, research has proven that accidents in industries are being caused by: human errors, working environment and poor management in terms of safety. It is conclusive to say that productivity of various industries is largely dependent on the safety of employees. Safety is therefore paramount and should be handled above any other thing.

AEGON Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

AEGON - Research Paper Example Apart from the qualitative methods of data collection named above, other quantities methods of data collection such as experiments and conducting surveys got used. Among the findings was that the organization has sought to improve personal and community development in different aspects as well as growing and developing worldwide. Some organizations, including learning and non-learning institutions, profitable and nonprofitable firm, have sought the need to expand globally in their fields of service provision. Other groups have realized the importance of developing in their service provision as well as introducing new ventures that can drive them in the realization of their set goals and objectives. Some have employed business experts to carry out researches on various available business opportunities around the world that they can venture in, with the primary goal of profit realization. In the process of exploring the different available business opportunities, some firms have sought to generate incomes and later use them for community development, personal development as well as the improving the general welfare of the society. To realize these, some organizations and other institutions have employed some strategies such as blueprint strategy, online marketing, product differentiation and improving product qualities among others (Vermaat, 1997, 11). In this research paper, I am going to look at the AEGON organization, as a global firm that is seeking to realize its goals of global expansion and international business. I am going to see the growth of the organization, its international business, as well as the marketing strategies used by the institution in meeting the needs in various international markets. This organization is one of the top global organizations in the financial industry, offering financial services such as the provision of life assurance, pensions to the retired employees and management of various

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

Beatitudes - Essay Example If they follow Jesus, men escape from the hard yoke of their own laws, and submit to the kindly yoke of Jesus Christ." (Bonhoeffer, xxxiii) Therefore, the significance of the Beatitudes in Christian life cannot be overlooked in any case and they are the real cost for discipleship in Christianity. Analyzing the significance of the Beatitudes to all the followers of Christ, it is essential to respond to the remarks by Glen Harold Stassen and David P. Gushee who claim that Christianity is a nonsensical institution apart from its central figure Jesus. They raise the problem as that of the Christian churches and ethics which "are often guilty of evading Jesus, the cornerstone and center of the Christian faith. Specifically, the teachings and practices of Jesus - especially the largest block of his teachings, the Sermon on the Mount - are routinely ignored or misinterpreted..." (Stassen and Gushee, 11) Thus, Stassen and Gushee try to reclaim Christ for Christian ethics and moral life. To them, the Christian life consists of following Jesus and his teachings and they recover the Sermon on the Mount for Christian ethics. ... that condemns us and so prepares us to receive the 'gospel' of grace, Bonhoeffer came to see that the Sermon on the Mount was a charter for life lived by grace." (Gruchy, viii) Bonhoeffer connects obedient discipleship and justification by faith in his work and he demonstrates that following Christ is related to living by faith in Jesus. Therefore, Bonhoeffer provides a very useful exposition of the Sermon on the Mount which summarizes the significance of the Beatitudes. In a reflective analysis of the Beatitudes in the lights of the various studies concerning them, one notices how significant it is to live a life in the contemporary world according to the teachings of Christ. Following Christ in the contemporary context specifically requires living a life of according to Christ's teachings and the basis of all these teachings are the Beatitudes. From the preliminary studies in relation to the Beatitudes, one may comprehend some essential factors which may be helpful in leading the modern life in the way of Christ. Thus, every Christian needs to look forward the reign of God and prepare oneself in the Christian character. The primary learning I had from this analysis is that a "Christian is (or should be) defined as one who humbles himself or herself and chooses to enter into discipleship, to follow Jesus' path, to build his or her life upon his teachings and his practices even at great cost, to pass those teachings and practices on to others, and th us to enjoy the unspeakable privilege of participating in the advance of God's reign." (Stassen and Gushee, 30)Secondly, it is important to realize that the true followers of Christ will be heavily blessed and Jesus addresses his disciples blessed. "He calls them blessed, not because of their privation, or the

What impact has the war on drugs had on women Essay

What impact has the war on drugs had on women - Essay Example This essay would further analyze the impact of the war on drugs on women in this century (Solovitch 2006 & Bloom et al 2004). Figures taken from Women’s Prison Association showed an increase of 592 percent cases of women jailed for abusing drugs from the year 1977 to 2001 (Solovitch 2006). This shows a dramatic increase in the number of women jailed and the impact of the new legislative policies regarding drugs on the women. It is noted that women are the ones who are suffering the most at the hands of the war on drugs. An example of pregnant women can be considered here as when legislations were introduced it was seen that women who were using drugs were snatched of their parenting rights and were not allowed to bear the child (Bloom et al 2004). The pregnant women are at times even referred to child welfare authorities and in some states it is noticed that these women are sentenced to death. Not only this, the whole system of rehabilitation has also largely been only made to suit the male population living in this world. The women who are affected by drug abuse are not even given proper treatment when they are caught and yet again have to suffer because of the so called war on drugs (Solovitch 2006). In conclusion it can be said that although the number of men imprisoned for drug abuse are still higher than the women imprisoned for drug abused but even then the women are suffering the most from the new legislations. It is seen that many of the rights of these women are snatched without even being provided with their basic rights. Rehabilitation centers are specially made in line with the requirements of men and not women and that is why the women are not fully able to cure themselves from this problem. But on the contrary it can also be said that because of this war many women tend to avoid getting into the drug business as they are afraid of being punished and this seems like an

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

Beatitudes - Essay Example If they follow Jesus, men escape from the hard yoke of their own laws, and submit to the kindly yoke of Jesus Christ." (Bonhoeffer, xxxiii) Therefore, the significance of the Beatitudes in Christian life cannot be overlooked in any case and they are the real cost for discipleship in Christianity. Analyzing the significance of the Beatitudes to all the followers of Christ, it is essential to respond to the remarks by Glen Harold Stassen and David P. Gushee who claim that Christianity is a nonsensical institution apart from its central figure Jesus. They raise the problem as that of the Christian churches and ethics which "are often guilty of evading Jesus, the cornerstone and center of the Christian faith. Specifically, the teachings and practices of Jesus - especially the largest block of his teachings, the Sermon on the Mount - are routinely ignored or misinterpreted..." (Stassen and Gushee, 11) Thus, Stassen and Gushee try to reclaim Christ for Christian ethics and moral life. To them, the Christian life consists of following Jesus and his teachings and they recover the Sermon on the Mount for Christian ethics. ... that condemns us and so prepares us to receive the 'gospel' of grace, Bonhoeffer came to see that the Sermon on the Mount was a charter for life lived by grace." (Gruchy, viii) Bonhoeffer connects obedient discipleship and justification by faith in his work and he demonstrates that following Christ is related to living by faith in Jesus. Therefore, Bonhoeffer provides a very useful exposition of the Sermon on the Mount which summarizes the significance of the Beatitudes. In a reflective analysis of the Beatitudes in the lights of the various studies concerning them, one notices how significant it is to live a life in the contemporary world according to the teachings of Christ. Following Christ in the contemporary context specifically requires living a life of according to Christ's teachings and the basis of all these teachings are the Beatitudes. From the preliminary studies in relation to the Beatitudes, one may comprehend some essential factors which may be helpful in leading the modern life in the way of Christ. Thus, every Christian needs to look forward the reign of God and prepare oneself in the Christian character. The primary learning I had from this analysis is that a "Christian is (or should be) defined as one who humbles himself or herself and chooses to enter into discipleship, to follow Jesus' path, to build his or her life upon his teachings and his practices even at great cost, to pass those teachings and practices on to others, and th us to enjoy the unspeakable privilege of participating in the advance of God's reign." (Stassen and Gushee, 30)Secondly, it is important to realize that the true followers of Christ will be heavily blessed and Jesus addresses his disciples blessed. "He calls them blessed, not because of their privation, or the

Organisational Context of Management Accounting Essay

Organisational Context of Management Accounting - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the governance framework of Ivy League University is decentralized where the various departments are separately administered and consolidated centrally for the purpose of financial reporting and regulatory requirements. The university receives research grant funds for which it has a fiduciary responsibility. The revenues from grants and contracts constitute 30% of the total operating budget of the University. The consolidated grant activity is reported other university funds because improper management of grant funds increases the risk position of Ivy. The grant activities are strictly assessed by the legal counsel and the internal as well as external auditor. The University’s Central leadership works towards decreasing inconsistencies in grant activities. Ivy has made an effort in business process redesign and system modernization within three functional areas i.e. financial management, administration of grants and contracts, and HR and payroll. Th erefore, in order to create an integrated administrative system, Ivy had introduced ERP that was expected to decrease audit risk and increase fiduciary control. These efforts were driven by the fact that Ivy is a highly leveraged and highest graded financial institution in US and the bond-holders have trusted it with their money. However, the introduction of ERP has also brought along problems of adjustments to a more centralised management accounting system where it was more decentralised previously and followed the legacy commitment accounting. Issues in Management Control & Accountability Major issues that were related to the management control and accountability of Ivy League University are: High Audit Risk: As Ivy was involved with decentralized governance framework in which every department was administered separately in its grant funds and its uses. There was a gap between funds actually used and those reported. The inconsistencies in spending process were quite high. Despite this disadvantage, the commitment accounting was an essential part of the management accounting system at Ivy, removing which from the ERP system presented institutional risk. Management Control: In Ivy, FSS (Faculty and Support Staff) were responsible for the actual expenditure of Principal Investigators (PIs) and the decided budget. The funds that were asked by PIs for project activities are known as commitments (commitment accounting). The negotiation between PIs and administrators to allocate the funds was a result of many subjective factors such as individual temperaments, departmental norms, available time, professional relationships, nature and stage of research. Therefore, the management control over the variations in research expenditure was very low. The ERP financial management was introduced without the feature of commitment accounting which posed problems of faculty’s control over their finances. The problem was that the new management accounting system focussed more on providing information to the Central leadership than the faculty, as expressed by the academic manager. Accountability: The University is responsible for the grants it gets every year for research work. The grant providers have a right to know that their funds are utilized in an efficient manner. The problem of accountability has been associated with the variances in

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay Example for Free

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay There were numerous factors that contributed towards the constant success of Evergreen Natural Markets. The company’s methodology towards growth and expansion is one of the integral factors. Where most companies seek to grow by re-investing their profits back into their businesses (ploughing back), Evergreen adopted a more radical approach by acquiring other competing companies or companies that show potential of growing rapidly. Evergreen designed a strategy that was twofold in nature. By bringing in rival companies under the Evergreen umbrella, the approach simply eliminated any competition, increased the resources and financial base and made it easier for Evergreen to have a wider scope and reach. Granted, acquisitions have issues with integration of management and operations. However, this approach has been steadily used by Evergreen, and this has resulted in its prosperity as an organic food distributor. As the latest addition to the Evergreen umbrella, Aragula Grocers serve to make the effect of the mother company increasingly widespread. The recent acquisition can allow the company to lower its prices and engage in aggressive marketing that will make Evergreen more successful. 2. Why do stores improve their performance after being acquired by Evergreen? The main reason for the increased performance after joining the Evergreen was the approach adopted by Evergreen. On the surface, they may seem like clear acquisitions. However, the acquired stores are allowed to maintain their functional systems and procedures. In this way, Evergreen owns the stores but allows them to continue operating in the same way. The slight modifications that at times were made on the administration and management included branding, change in sales approach, and other minor issues. Using the operational systems of the different stores, Evergreen was able to utilise their combined efforts and attain massive profits. On the other hand, the smaller stores also got to prosper under the Evergreen because of two arch factors. One was the fresh infusion of capital and administrative support provided by Evergreen. Evergreen offered increased investment opportunities by providing the capital, human resources, and other assistance. The second factor was an advantage of working under a larger company that allows one to work without much competition from the outside. 3. How well does the acquisition of Arugula Grocers align with Evergreen’s established approach to integrating new stores? What modifications, if any, should Norton make? The acquisition of Aragula Grocers is an advantageous addition to the Evergreen group as it offered new opportunities in Nevada, Las Vegas. However, several modifications would serve to improve the situation in their relations. Firstly, Mrs. Norton should introduce more effective communication measures that will ensure that the link between Evergreen and Aragula Grocers is not severed. It was discovered that the link between these two parties was weak, and this will lead to confusion and dilution of the vision of the mother company. Secondly, Norton also needed to rectify the financial status of the store before investing in it seriously. Aragula Grocers was acquired amid a series of financial issues and complications that showed signs of mismanagement. Adopting these problems will lead to failure of the store and eventually, losses for Evergreen. Mrs. Norton should also consider making modifications to the management style in Aragula Grocers. The changes should reflect the three proposals that she made concerning all acquisitions under Evergreen. These changes involved investing in improving human resources, maintaining the local setting, and caring about the welfare of the employees and customers. These three proposals would serve to change the atmosphere and approach taken by the Aragula management as they start operations under Evergreen.

The Motivation Behind Renewable Energy Development Environmental Sciences Essay

The Motivation Behind Renewable Energy Development Environmental Sciences Essay The demand on electrical energy has been significantly increase due to the technological and economical developments over the world. In the Past 30 years, the global economy has increased by 3.3% yearly. In the same period, the electrical energy demand grew by 3.6%. In 2007, the electrical energy production of the world was 16,429TWh. It is predicted that the world consumption will be 28,930 TWh in 2030. Thus, thousands of new power plants must be built to cope with the required electricity demand. [1] Non-renewable energy source such as; coal, natural gas, and oil is efficient energy sources due to the ability of produce large amounts of  electricity with small amounts. They have been the conventional energy source until now. However, they have many drawbacks such as; the limitation in supply and the concentration of reserves in a few countries; in this manner raising energy security concerns. Moreover, the major source of pollution is a fossil fuel. It estimated that the Power stations account for 32% of NOx and 72% of SO, emissions, which cause environmental issues such as climate change and lead to global warming [2] . In addition, according to [4], In 2005, the total of greenhouse gases emissions [EEA] was 5177 Mt CO2 equivalent comprising: 82.5% CO2,8.1% CH4, 8% N2O and 1.4% fluorinated gases. Energy related emissions continue to be dominant, representing approximately 80% of total emissions, particularly in production and transport of energy (Fig. 1.1). [4] Figure 1.1: Structure of total greenhouse gas emissions Source of image: [4] Thus, governments are considering the ample use of renewable energy sources, as a result of the security of the energy supply and the growth of the global environmental issues. For instants, the UK government goals are to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide to 20% below 1990 levels by2010 and to put the UK on path to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% compared to 2000 levels, by 2050 with real progress by 2020[3]. Such goals cannot be achieved without a deployment of alternative energy sources. Thus, many studies on electrical energy production with renewable have carried out in order to substituted the conventional energy source by renewable energy source 1.2 Renewable Energy sources: The practical definition of renewable energy is a flow of energy, that is not exhausted by being used[5]. The renewable energy sources like wind, hydroelectric, biomass, solar , tidal waves and geothermal and solar are clean and in large quantities Available in nature. Moreover, they also have the advantage of having low or no emissions of carbons and that means they are environmentally friendly. In addition, renewable resources can be categorized into two main categories: dispatchable and non-dispatchable. Wind, solar and tidal waves are classified as non-dispatchable resources. On the other hand, hydroelectric, biomass and geothermal are classified dispatchable resources. The difference between them is how electric power can be control. Generally, the dispatchable resources have the energy stored and ready at any time to produce power, whereas, the non dispatchable resources naturally uncontrolled input energy which cannot stored be used when needed later. The main drawback of usin g renewable resources such as wind and solar is their ability to produce power on demand. Moreover, these renewable resources are more variable than fossil fuel plants. Moreover, the uncontrollable input of wind and solar energy is the main causes of the changeability in power output[6]. However, among these energies, wind energy production has rapidly increased in the total electricity production in the last decade as shown in figure (1.2). Figure 1.2: global wind power capacity (GW) Source of image: REN21 Renewable 2007 Global Report, WWW.ren21.net This increasing is encouraged by Kyoto Protocol and supported by European Union (EU) Government such as Germany, Denmark and Spain[7]. According to [8], it is predict that the wind farms will contribute by 12% of total electricity generated in 2020. 1.3 Wind Energy: It has been reported that the wind power were used to pump water for irrigating crops in the seventeenth century B.C by The Babylonians. In addition a uncomplicated horizontal axis wind turbine was described in the third century B.C by Hero of Alexandria, Moreover, The earliest recorded English wind turbine is dated at 1191[9] . However, When the sun heats an earth land, the surrounding air temperature affected by this heating and as a result the wind is caused. According to freris, the world needed of electricity can be met, if 10% of raw wind utilized. Many factor has an effect on wind intensity, such as; altitude, wind speed and location. However, open area, mountain, oceans and specific hill have a good wind a viability trend. In addition, the wind energy can be converted into electrical or mechanical energy is by using wind turbines, which will be discussed next. 1.4 Wind Turbine: The most efficient way to convert wind energy into electrical or mechanical energy is offered by wind turbines that operate as a lifting-device [10] .Generally, wind turbines come in two types, which depend on the direction of their rotational axis. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT): have a parallel rotational axis to the direction of the wind and capture kinetic wind energy with a propeller type rotor. in addition, three bladed concept Danish is usually used in this type but there is two bladed design which contribute in the reduction of cost and weight of the turbine. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT): have a perpendicular rotational axis to the wind stream and use straight or curved bladed (Darrieus type) rotors in order to capture wind from any direction. Figure (1.3) shows wind turbine configration of the both types. It is clear that they are composed of a generator, a gearbox and a tower. Moreover, the both types have the same ideal efficiency, however, the (VAWT) type is more common [10]. Figure 1.3: wind turbine configration Source of image: The encyclopaedia of alternative energy and sustainable living When the wind passing throws the swept area of the blades, it turns and as a result, the shift turns. The rotational energy converted into electrical energy by the generator which produce alternative current (AC). A transformer is used to ensure that the voltage suitable for the distribution system of a grid. The size of wind turbine is the most important factor of the amount of the produced energy . The typical wind turbine size was less than 100 kW, In the early and mid-1980s. Nowadays, capacities up to 3.5 MW turbines are available[11]. Moreover, usually wind turbines is a grouped in the same location to form wind farm. 1.5 wind farms: THE FIRST application of wind power generation of electricity was by the Danes in 1890 [12]. Since that , the development in the wind technology has led to introduce a large on shore wind farm. However, a lack of the suitable onshore sites has an effect on this development and is considered as the main motivation behind the implementation of off shore wind farm. Moreover, the offshore option is based on the higher and constant of the wind speeds which is the main advantage compared to the onshore sits . Figure (1.4) shows that by 2030, the main gain of wind energy is going to be from offshore in Germany[13]. Figure (1.4): the predicted scheme of the capacity of the wind power installed in Germany until 2030 Source of image: [13] In these conditions one of the most important questions is the transmission concern, i.e. the link of the offshore wind farms to a grid. Generally, wind farm can be connected to AC grid via a high voltage alternative current (HVAC) or a high voltage direct current (HVDC) connection. However, for distance at least 50km far from the AC network[16], many technical problem such as charging current and reduction in the transmitted power make the deployment of HVDC in power transmission for long distance more efficient than HVAC [14] Furthermore, HVDC connection have two main technologies, voltage soured converter (VSC) using IGBTs and line commutated converter (LCC) [15] in addition ,New types of generators (asynchronous generators, doubly fed induction generators and fully converted synchronous generators) are going to be used and, therewith, replace the classical turbo and salient pole generators[13]. These generators are have an effect on the power system stability. Moreover , their co ntrol is different from the former generator. However, the HVDC link and the generator types and its control will be discussed in details in the next chapter. 1.6 the motivation and the plan of this project : It seems to be that a large offshore wind farm is the best solution for meeting governments renewable energy targets. However, the coordination of the HVDC link and the wind farm a has attracted a lot of attention in the last few years. The aims of this project is to design a HVDC link and a wind farm by using MATLAB simulink software . Due to the complexity of modeling the HVDC link and a wind farm by using complete models of the switching devices, a non switching model of HVDC link using a pharos solution will be considered. This will be done in five stages. In the first stage, the HVDC link with suitable control at wind farm said will be constructed and demonstrated . in the second stage, the HVDC link with suitable control at grid said will be constructed and demonstrated . the both HVDC link in pervious stages will be combining and their action will be demonstrated in the third stage. in the fourth stage, the complete HVDC link will be attached to a phasor model of wind farm in order to demonstrate the operation of the system under different circumstances . in the last stage, a CIGRE 12 bus bench mark model will be constructed in order to demonstrate the system operation under both normal and fault conditions.