What Is a Rhetorical Question Definition and Examples

â€Å"It’s 107 degrees outside. Can you believe it?† a friend asks you on a sweltering summer day. Do you feel the need to answer the question? Probably not. Thats because your friend asked you a rhetorical question: a question asked for effect or emphasis that requires no answer. In this instance, your friends question simply served to emphasize the intensity of the heat. A rhetorical question is a question that requires no reply, either because the answer is obvious or because the asker already knows how the answer. Rhetorical questions are generally used to draw a contrast, persuade the audience, make the listener think, or direct the reader’s attention to an important topic. We use rhetorical questions in conversation every day: Who knows? and Why not? are two common examples. Rhetorical questions are also used in literature, usually to emphasize a particular idea or persuade the audience of a point. Types of Rhetorical Questions Rhetorical questions are used everywhere from casual conversation to formal works of literature. While their content is wide-ranging, there are three primary types of rhetorical questions that everyone should know. Anthypophora/Hypophora.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Anthypophora is a literary device in which the speaker asks a rhetorical question and then answers it herself. Though sometimes the terms â€Å"anthypophora† and â€Å"hypophora† are used interchangeably, they have a subtle difference. Hypophora refers to the rhetorical question itself, while anthypophora refers to the response to the question (generally provided by the original questioner).Example: After all, whats a life, anyway? Were born, we live a little while, we die. —E.B. White,  Charlotte’s WebEpiplexis. Epiplexis is an interrogative figure of speech, and a persuasive tactic, in which the speaker uses a series of rhetorical questions to expose the flaws in the opponent’s argument or position. In this case, the questions being asked don’t require answers because they are not being used to secure a response, but rather as a mode of argument-via-questioning. Epiplexis is confrontational and r eproachful in tone.Example: â€Å"When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now?† —Marcus Tullius Cicero, â€Å"Against Catiline†Erotesis. Erotesis, also known as erotema, is a rhetorical question to which the answer is profoundly obvious, and to which there is a strongly negative or affirmative reply.Example:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Another thing that disturbs me about the American church is that you have a white church and a Negro church. How can segregation exist in the true Body of Christ?—Martin Luther King, Jr., Pauls Letter to American Christians† Literary Examples of Rhetorical Questions In literature, political speech, and drama, rhetorical questions are used for stylistic purposes or to demonstrate a point for the sake of emphasis or persuasion. Consider the following  examples of how rhetorical questions are used effectively in literature and rhetoric. Sojourner Truth’s â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman?† Speech Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And aint I a woman?I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And aint I a woman?I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mothers grief, none but Jesus heard me! And aint I a woman? Rhetorical questions are often used in the context of public speaking or persuasive arguments in order to confront the audience or get them thinking. Sojourner Truth, a former slave who later became a renowned abolitionist speaker and courageous human rights activist, delivered this iconic speech in 1851 at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. What’s the answer to Truth’s question? Of course, it’s a resounding yes. â€Å"Obviously, she’s a woman,† we think—yet, as she demonstrates, she isn’t afforded the rights and dignity offered to other women. Truth uses a recurring rhetorical question here in order to drive home her point and strike a stark contrast between the status she is given as an African-American woman and the status enjoyed by other women during her time. Shylock in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice If you prick us, do we not bleed?If you tickle us, do we not laugh?If you poison us, do we not die?And if you wrong us, shall we notrevenge? (3.1.58-68) Characters in Shakespeare’s plays frequently use rhetorical questions in soliloquies, or monologues delivered straight to the audience, as well as in persuasive speeches to one another. Here, Shylock, a Jewish character, is speaking to two anti-Semitic Christians who have mocked  his religion. As in Truth’s speech, the answers to the rhetorical questions Shylock asks are obvious. Certainly, Jews, like everyone else, bleed, laugh, die, and avenge their wrongs. Shylock points out the other characters’ hypocrisy, as well as how he’s being dehumanized, by humanizing himself—here, with the help of a series of rhetorical questions. â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry uplike a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore—And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?Or crust and sugar over—like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sagslike a heavy load.Or does it explode? Langston Hughes’ short, sharp poem â€Å"Harlem† also serves as the prologue for Lorraine Hansberry’s famous play, A Raisin in the Sun, setting the scene for the disappointments and heartbreak to follow onstage. The series of rhetorical questions in Hughes’ poem are poignant and persuasive. The narrator asks  the reader to pause and reflect on the aftermath of a lost dream and a broken heart. Posing these reflections as rhetorical questions, rather than statements, requires the audience to provide their own internal â€Å"answers† about their personal losses and evokes a nostalgic pang of soul-deep pain.

The New Angle On Online Wreting Paper Services Just Released

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B Midterm Free Essays

Consumers Perspective From a consumers perspective, we are always looking for ways to present ourselves favorably to the public -? whether we do it consciously or unconsciously. Some consumers want to be perceived as the â€Å"Geeky Gadget’, always on the rise to own the top notch smartness (need for uniqueness, P. 161). We will write a custom essay sample on B Midterm or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is also a good example of how this consumer engages in impression management, P. 122, to positively maintain his or her public Image. The way a person seeks to pursue their ideal self may play an important role n driving this change. For example, a person who dollies Steve Job’s innovative and creative character may want to become innovative by associating him/herself with Apple products (ideal self, P. 122). A different example in how an individual’s perception about owning the latest or newest phone is through their extended self. For example, an interesting study conducted by Google indicated how â€Å"people are using mobile to change all aspects of their life† (Michael Oliver, 2013). Furthermore, most smartened users cherish their phones so much that it comes their identity (extended self, P. 28). Company’s Perspective In contrast, from a company’s perspective, an organization’s culture can shape their approach based on their core values and beliefs. For instance, a company that emphasizes the values of innovation, learning, and creativity can influence their employees’ behaviors to become innovative and creative in making new products (values, P. 174). 2. Tem porary Situation on Consumer Behavior People’s decisions to live frugally depend on a variety of factors including their motivation, lifestyle, and timing. Motivation Conflict One reason people may be cutting back on spending is due to motivational conflict. For example, I purchased a Samsung Galaxy SO because believe it satisfied all my needs. On the other hand, however, I had to suffer the consequences of paying an expensive fee (approach-avoidance conflict, P. 99). Since I have invested in something expensive that I believe will last me a long time, I am not willing to spend money or time looking for another smartened. Hierarchy of Needs People can also be cutting back depending on where they currently stand on the levels of their needs. Consumers who have satisfied their lower-level needs and want to fulfill their upper needs may be willing to consume more to get there. On the other hand, if consumers feel that their lower level needs haven’t been met, they will remain in that level until they no longer feel dissatisfied. For example, a student who is struggling to pay rent may not be likely to spend money for a smartened to feel connected with her peers. Once she has earned enough money from her part-time job to pay off all her rent and has fulfilled her need of safety, she may move on to satisfy her need for belongingness. Lifestyle Another reason why consumers are not willing to spend is because of their lifestyle. A person’s social class should be understood as it plays a huge role in influencing what type and quantity consumers buy (Boundless, n. D. ). Consumers in the upper class have a higher level of disposable income, and therefore, are willing to spend more on luxury good items than those with less disposable income. 3. Multi-attribute Model: Smartened Decisions Attribute (I) Importance (l) Beliefs (B) phone 6 as unsung Galaxy AS BlackBerry Passport Fast Processor 5 4 Large Built-in Storage High Camera Quality 3 Eng Battery Life Easy Navigation Attitude Score 65 72 69 53 The five attributes that are most important for me in terms of deciding what smartened to purchase encompasses the processor speed, large built-in storage, high quality camera, long battery life, and finally, the ease of navigation. L When assessing a phone’s attributes, did some research and read over some product reviews and recommendations based on consumption communities, p. . I also took into consideration my positive and negative experiences In using a smartened. For example, the fast receptors and long battery life attributes display the highest weight of importance because value the performance of a phone in terms of its speed and ability to last a long time. Having to charge a phone two to three times a day was painf ully inconvenient, and therefore developed a negative attitude towards the performance of that phone (utilitarian function, P. 187). Regarding the table above, Samsung Galaxy SO ranked the highest with an overall attitude score of 72. As I did more internal and external research on each smartened (cognition), I valued a lot of the attributes Samsung Galaxy ad offered (affect) causing me to purchase the product (high involvement hierarchy, P. 189). In addition, my attitude object towards Samsung products has developed over time, establishing a strong brand loyalty (internalizing, level of commitment, p. 293). Also hold a strong favoritism towards the Samsung brand, which enforces me to buy their products regardless of what price it is (brand equity, P. 163). 4. Improving the image of the BlackBerry Passport to University-aged Students The lowest ranked phone under the multi-attribute model is the BlackBerry Passport with an overall attitude score of 53. But how can marketers improve the image of this phone to attract university-aged students? Capitalizing on Relevant Advantage Blackberry’s Passport smartened ranked relatively high with a score of 4 on both fast processor and large built-in storage. Since the attribute built-in Storage perceives low importance, marketers can emphasize the convenience of having enough storage as if you were to bring a mini-laptop. Laptops have huge storage, and if consumers perceive that the BlackBerry phone holds a sufficiently large storage component, it can reinforce the presence of the hone. Strengthen Perceived Product-attribute Link Although BlackBerry’s ease of navigation ranked low importance, marketers can alter a consumers attitude towards this attribute so that they are appropriately educated on how to navigate the device. For example, doing tutorial videos allow for better understanding on how to use the smartened. Add a New Attribute Since many university students value the element of convenience, Blackberry can add a feature where instead of paying for a purchase through a credit or debit card, users can pay through their phone. Furthermore, BlackBerry can also capitalize on is their physical keyboard. This can be a huge factor in leveraging consumer preferences on being able to physically touch buttons. Influence Competitors’ Ratings It is really crucial for marketers to consider maintaining an ongoing bond or relationship with their consumers as this is one of the factors of keeping them motivated to stay loyal. This is mostly the hardest thing to do as it is very complicated to persuade loyal consumers of a competitor to switch to BlackBerry. Keeping this in mind, BlackBerry can establish a reputation for being the most organized smartened. For example, they can advertise how they sponsor many student clubs and companies to keep teams organized and connected. 5. Changing Consumer Behavior through Instrumental Conditioning Apple can change consumer behavior towards illegal music downloads through instrumental conditioning in many ways using positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Variable-interval Reinforcement Variable-interval reinforcement is a great way to counteract illegal downloading of music. For every music download a consumer purchases, Apple can reward them with a PIP exclusive pass to a concert of their top unload music artist. For example, if a consumer consistently downloaded One Republic’s music, tunes can notify them that One Republic is having an upcoming concert in their nearby location and reward them with the exclusive PIP tickets along with a friend. This is also a good example of frequency marketing, P. 2. A Combination of Positive and Negative Reinforcement Another possible alternative Apple can do is use negative reinforcement as a way to reduce the behavior of downloading illegal music. Apple can create a built-in program within tunes that allows them to analyses which source the USIA came from and guilt the consumer by publicizing it on their tunes library (guilt, P. 114). In addition, they can also limit the storage of songs a consumer can input in their library based on the number Of different sources the music came from. How to cite B Midterm, Papers

KTG Strategic Leadership

Introduction Strategic leadership in organizations is one of the most profound models needed to accelerate positive organizational change and growth. Strategic leadership is also capable of moderating operations within an organization by boosting the morale of employees through motivation and a conducive working environment. As such, organizational behavior may not be ignored at all when exploring the aspect of strategic leadership.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on KTG Strategic Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a terminology used to describe the management of manpower within an organization and how it can also be used to facilitate the regular process of production according to the set goals and objectives. It is also vital to note that strategic leadership entails the application of specific stream of knowledge by the appointed leadership structure and employees with the aim of generating a holistic perspective towards positive growth (Griffin Moorhead 2012, p. 4). On the same note, organizational behavior often seeks to underscore the relationship between an organization and employees with the aim of attaining the necessary objectives and goals. This paper analyses a case study of the KTG Company in terms of how the current leadership structure can be improved in one of its regional operation centers. Background challenge at KTG According to the recent operational review conducted by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, it was found out that there was a gross mismatch between growth capability in the region and the available expertise or knowledge base. Besides, it was evident that the existing operational plan was out of date bearing in mind that the leadership of the region had not put in place any strategic plan. The members of staff were also found to be poorly motivated. They had no personal drive to work or even improve their performance at work. This si tuation was mainly occasioned by lack of clarity regarding their future. In addition, it was discovered that the emerging business opportunities within the affected region could not be harnessed properly since the knowledge stream leader in place was not the best personality suited for the task at hand (Keefe-Perry 2010, p. 190).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other factors that were found to be detrimental to the operations of the company in the affected region included unclear policies, values and the business goals of KTG to members of staff and also lack of proper engagement or cooperation between the regional government and the immediate members of the community. It is against these challenges that there is urgent need to put in place an effective knowledge stream leader who will be able to foster rapid growth of the company in the region using the available resou rces especially in the renewable energy sector. Leadership concepts and theories The efficiency of a given leadership within an organization largely determines the level of accomplishing goals as well as the set objectives. From the KTG’s regional case study, it is evident that the objectives and goals of the company are still not clear to employees. Therefore, it is prudent to make the objectives as vivid as possible. Moreover, suitable strategies should be put in place in order to accomplish the set goals. The leader who will be appointed in this regional office ought to ascertain that the existing teams understand their priorities, have measurable objectives and are adequately coordinated in order to achieve the goals of the company (Pollak 2010, p.1408). The aspect of size is also critical when harnessing the potential of any team dynamics. It plays a vital role in determining the effectiveness of various operational aspects within an organization. For instance, the size of a team depicts how tasks are carried out, determines cooperation among the team members and also facilitates the entire process of communication (Pot, Koningsveld Erg 2009, p.424). There are quite a number of teams that prefer small sizes bearing in mind that teams that are relatively small in size can be easily coordinated. As such, they can perform tasks faster, prevents loss of process in team maintenance and also lower the likelihood of social loafing. It is necessary for the new knowledge stream leader at the KTG’s regional offices to make sure that the size of individual teams are made lean and more effective in readiness to perform their roles. Even though large teams may be effective in providing the much needed team diversity and psychological support, they can only be accommodated when the regional operation of the company have become stable.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on KTG Strategic Leadership specifically for you for o nly $16.05 $11/page Learn More At present, the most critical area that ought to be given more emphasis is performance improvement so that the affected regional branch of the organization can experience positive growth and profitability as other regions. While the new leader should root for lean and effective teams, it is important to note that the size of the team will also depend on the leadership structure that will be put in place. In any given workplace environment, top leaders are not supposed to have direct authority to determine the size of a group (Ashley 2006, p.650). The region has also been affected by lack of clearly defined norms and organizational values. Each of the groups and teams should be guided on the type of routines to follow and what they are expected to understand while at workplace. In other words, the values and routines of the company should be communicated to all members of groups or teams. The latter are critical in making sure that desira ble behaviors are cultivated alongside effective performance of tasks. It is vital to point out that values are developed spontaneously when teams interact as they carry out daily routines. In a workplace environment, effective leaders should be familiar with the norms and value of an organization so that they can pass the same to other members. In case of negative values and routines, it is the role of leaders to confront the teams and consequently correct the anomalies. The new teams and groups that will be formed in this region will also be expected to be cohesive. Cohesiveness will forge unity among team members. It will also bring them in a uniform working platform. Cohesiveness also enhances high levels of performance. Teams which remain together are highly likely to be cohesive. Cohesiveness can be affected by factors such as the desire for attaining success, the need to boost the level of competition and also overall willingness to meet the goals and objectives of an organiz ation (Griffin Moorhead 2012, p.67). Team members who are cohesive are more friendly and trustworthy among each other.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In a workplace, effective leaders should take part in enhancing cohesiveness among team and individual members. The new knowledge stream leader who will take up the leadership of the region will have to make sure that employees are cohesive and work in line with the set goals and objectives of the company. The new knowledge stream leader will have to embrace quite a number of strategies in order to harness the potential that exists in this dormant region. Perhaps, it would be necessary for the leader to put into consideration various leadership opportunities and challenges prevalent in this regional office. Griffin and Moorhead (2012, p. 518) note that leaders in organizations have continually be aware of the importance of creating change by being active participant in the process of transforming the regional operations of KTG. As already noted, lack of an effective team work may pose a real threat towards the realization of the goals. This has been the worst form of threat that has affected KTG’s operations in the aforementioned region. Al-Rawi (2008, p.93) observes that teamwork is a vital element in any successful operation of a business entity. According to contingent theory of leadership, the emerging issues usually affect the performance and overall delivery of a leader. KTG has been in a position to carry out successful operations in all the other regions. In fact, the company has managed to record significant profitability for a considerably long period. According to the contingency theory of leadership, the new knowledge stream leader in the affected region of the company will have to address the functional conflicts that affect the success of various teams. This will be achieved by creating and improving awareness and boosting interaction skills among employees. The leader will also have to make sure that staff members cooperate with each other fully towards attaining specific goals and objectives. Strategy KTG has a formal matrix structure. T his type of a structure can work well especially if the knowledge stream leader understands its complexities and functioning modalities (Brown et al 2008, p.170). Even though the same structure has been used in the affected region for a long time, it is apparent that the outcomes are not impressive at all. It will be crucial for the incoming leader to take full charge and review how the structure has been working in the affected region. Perhaps, it will be necessary to decentralize some of the functions of the top leadership in the region so that the junior employees also get a sense of belonging when they take part in vital decision making processes (Smith, Blandford Back 2009, p.282). When employees are made to feel that they are part and parcel of the processes taking part in an organization, they are highly likely to work smart and eventually improve the performance of an organization. KTG will immensely benefit from the active participation of all employees especially if the p rocess of decentralization will be implemented fully. One way of attaining decentralization in the affected region of the company is by creating a short form of hierarchy that will enable junior employees to contact the top leadership within the shortest time possible. As a matter of fact, long term planning will only be possible if employees take part in vital decision making processes. The regional operations of the KTG Company will also be improved by creating multidivisional structures. The latter will permit rapid integration of local operations with regional cultures. In addition, it will lower the time taken to respond to staff members. Clients will also be in a position to express their needs within the shortest time possible. Such an approach will eventually expedite service delivery and productivity of the regional operations of KTG as a business entity (Marques 2011, p.21). Motivation Members of staff and other employees are apparently not motivated to work. This can be e xplained by the fact that they are not interested with both the immediate and future progress of the company. Therefore, it will be inevitable paramount to develop a leadership system that motivates employees to give their best services while at the place of work. According to McClelland’s theory of needs, motivation is a critical component of improving performance. This theory stipulates the importance of meeting the needs of employees in any given workplace environment (Dunn, Dastoor Sims 2012, p.53). When the needs of employees are fairly met, they will be in a position to dedicate their time fully in working according to the goals of the organization. A thematic aptitude test (TAT) has been employed in this theory in order to examine how various categories of people can boost their achievements when they are motivated (Kemper Brandes 2007, p.426). Another strategy that will be used to motivate workers will be through verbal appreciation of their personal contributions t owards the success of the company. Verbal appreciation will create a sense of acceptance and cordial relationship between the top leadership and junior employees. For employees who perform well in specific tasks, it will be necessary to publicly recognize their achievements. In particular, employees who accomplish tasks that are difficult in nature will have to be fully appreciated as a way of motivating them. Appreciation may come in different forms such as promotion into higher job ranks, salary increments as well as additional bonuses and fringe benefits. On the same note, the ERG theory also affirms why employees ought to be motivated. This theory embarks on the importance of various tastes and preference of employees in regards to motivation. The theory asserts that both the existence and basic needs of employees should be given the top priority. For instance, all the psychological needs of employees are considered to be basic. Such needs should be given great concern. In pursu it to this theory, the incoming leadership at the affected KTG’s regional branch will initiate a rigorous counseling and support program for employees at this branch. This will go hand in hand with the provision of a safe working environment. Security and a sense of being safe are crucial elements that the leadership will use to motivate members of staff attached to various departments (Vanaerschot 2007, p.315). In the Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, management staffs in most contemporary business organizations often find it quite challenging to lower the level of dissatisfaction among employees especially when the operations of a company are widespread. According to the motivation-hygiene theory by Herzberg, hygiene standards within a workplace environment may determine the level of satisfaction of employees. For instance, it is obvious an unhygienic working environment may pose serious health risks to workers. As a result, incidents of poor health and infection s are highly likely to dominate such environments. As a result, workers who are unhealthy will not be motivated to work. The new leadership will put in place high standards of hygiene at the place of work. This will also go hand in hand with improving the overall working conditions of employees. Communication Communication is an integral aspect within an organization. Lack of effective communication between the leadership and subordinate members of an organization may grossly jeopardize the operations of a business enterprise. Communication may be both directive and evaluative. The new knowledge stream leader will have to exercise both of these two modes of communication. In terms of directive communication, it will be necessary for the new leadership to understand how various team and group members often react to changes proposed with this regional branch of the organization. The ability to understand workplace reactions is a vital component of leadership. For instance, organizatio nal psychology and training can only be comprehended and articulated properly only if directive communication is undertaken properly. Needless to say, directive communication will have to be one of the changes to be injected in the affected regional operations of KTG. It is crucial to note that effective team dynamics can only be influenced through directive communication. Collaborative work cultures and the level of performance will also be improved in the presence of effective directive communication. Additionally, communication will have to be improved by making sure that all the responses are conveyed promptly, clearly and also in the most transparent manner (Geraghty 2010, p.1146). In other words, members of staff will have to be trained on how to communicate effectively both among them and also with the top leadership of the organization. As such, training programs will be initiated among all the employees of the company in this region. The training program on effective commun ication will have to capture elements of effective communication such as the ability to understand and interpret information conveyed across the board, being articulate when conveying information and also the importance of courtesy in the entire process of communication. Team dynamics and leadership Effective leadership within various teams is a vital feature that can hardly be ignored if the KTG’s operations in this region will be profitable. As already highlighted above, participatory leadership among various members of teams and groups is crucial towards positive growth and development of a business entity. In a workplace, certain aspects demand inputs and options from various teams in order to formulate appropriate decision. This implies that decision making processes should not be left entirely on the hands of top leaders. Members within a group should be in a position to offer their individual opinions and perspectives especially regarding new changes that are introduce d at workplace. In regards to decision making, the new knowledge stream leader will be expected to formulate ways of integrating all team members in decision making processes. As a matter of fact, this will serve as one vital way of motivating members of staff since they will significantly gain a sense of belonging at the place of work. In summing up, team dynamics and leadership will also focus on the significance of organizational change and culture (Bititci et al 2006, p.1330). It is inevitable that the new strategic leader will have to inject several changes at the poorly performing region of the KTG Company. While such changes are expected to yield positive outcomes, some members of staff may find it cumbersome to accommodate the same changes largely due to threat of comfort and challenges posed by job security. Therefore, the new leader will have to demonstrate high level of leadership skills by making sure that the current employees take active part in the entire process of c hange. References Al-Rawi, K 2008, â€Å"Cohesiveness within teamwork: The relationship to performance effectiveness – case study†. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, vol. 1 no. 2, pp. 92-106. Ashley, S 2006, â€Å"Heritage institutions, resistance and praxis†. Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 31 no. 3, pp. 639-658. Bititci, U. S., Mendibil, K., Nudurupati, S., Garengo, P., Turner, T 2006, â€Å"Dynamics of performance measurement and organizational culture†. International Journal of Operations Production Management, vol. 26 no. 12, pp.1325-1350. Brown, L. D., Shepherd, M. D., Merkle, E. C., Wituk, S. A., Meissen, G 2008, â€Å"Understanding how participation in a consumer-run organization relates to recovery†. American Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 42 no.1, pp. 167-178. Dunn, M. W., Dastoor, B., Sims, R. L 2012, â€Å"Transformational leadership and organizational commitment: A cross-cultural p erspective†. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 45-60. Geraghty, L 2010, â€Å"Sustainability reporting— measure to manage, manage to change, keeping good companies†, vol. 4 no.3, pp. 141-147. Griffin, R. W. Moorhead, G 2012, Organizational behavior: Managing people and organizations, Cengage learning, Mason, OH. Keefe-Perry, L 2010, â€Å"Divine exploration and invitation†. Cross Currents, vol. 60 no. 1, pp. 89-137. Kemper, R. V., Brandes, S 2007, â€Å"Obituaries: George McClelland foster jr. (1913-2006)†. American Anthropologist, vol. 109 no. 2, pp. 425-428. Marques, J 2011, â€Å"Turning inward to connect outward: Interbeing as motivational path in today’s workplace†. Interbeing, vol. 5 no.1, pp. 19-29. Pollak, K 2010, â€Å"Do patient attributes predict oncologist empathic responses and patient perceptions of empathy†? Supportive Care in Cancer, vol. 18 no.11, pp. 1405-1411. Pot, F. D., Koningsveld, E. Erg, E 2009, â€Å"Quality of working life and organizational performance – two sides of the same coin†? Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment Health, vol. 35 no. 6, pp. 421-428. Smith, P., Blandford, A., Back, J 2009, â€Å"Questioning, exploring, narrating and playing in the control room to maintain system safety†. Cognition, Technology Work, vol. 11 no. 4, pp. 279-291. Vanaerschot, G 2007, â€Å"Empathic resonance and differential experiential processing: An experiential process-directive approach†. American Journal of Psychotherapy, vol. 61 no. 3, pp. 313-331. This case study on KTG Strategic Leadership was written and submitted by user T0adMen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Computer History

The Computer Only once in a lifetime will a new invention come about to touch every aspect of our lives. Such a device that changes the way we work, live, and play is a special one, indeed. A machine that has done all this and more now exists in nearly every business in the U.S. and one out of every two households (Hall, 156). This incredible invention is the computer. The electronic computer has been around for over a half-century, but its ancestors have been around for 2000 years. However, only in the last 40 years has it changed the American society. From the first wooden abacus to the latest high-speed microprocessor, the computer has changed nearly every aspect of people's lives for the better. The very earliest existence of the modern day computer's ancestor is the abacus. These date back to almost 2000 years ago. It is simply a wooden rack holding parallel wires on which beads are strung. When these beads are moved along the wire according to "programming" rules that the user must memorize, all ordinary arithmetic operations can be performed (Soma, 14). The next innovation in computers took place in 1694 when Blaise Pascal invented the first "digital calculating machine". It could only add numbers and they had to be entered by turning dials. It was designed to help Pascal's father who was a tax collector (Soma, 32). In the early 1800's, a mathematics professor named Charles Babbage designed an automatic calculation machine. It was steam powered and could store up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Built in to his machine were operations that included everything a modern general-purpose computer would need. It was programmed by-and stored data on-cards with holes punched in them, appropriately called ÒpunchcardsÓ. His inventions were failures for the most part because of the lack of precision machining techniques used at the time and the lack of demand for such a device (Soma, 46). After Babbage, people began to lose interest in com... Free Essays on Computer History Free Essays on Computer History The Computer Only once in a lifetime will a new invention come about to touch every aspect of our lives. Such a device that changes the way we work, live, and play is a special one, indeed. A machine that has done all this and more now exists in nearly every business in the U.S. and one out of every two households (Hall, 156). This incredible invention is the computer. The electronic computer has been around for over a half-century, but its ancestors have been around for 2000 years. However, only in the last 40 years has it changed the American society. From the first wooden abacus to the latest high-speed microprocessor, the computer has changed nearly every aspect of people's lives for the better. The very earliest existence of the modern day computer's ancestor is the abacus. These date back to almost 2000 years ago. It is simply a wooden rack holding parallel wires on which beads are strung. When these beads are moved along the wire according to "programming" rules that the user must memorize, all ordinary arithmetic operations can be performed (Soma, 14). The next innovation in computers took place in 1694 when Blaise Pascal invented the first "digital calculating machine". It could only add numbers and they had to be entered by turning dials. It was designed to help Pascal's father who was a tax collector (Soma, 32). In the early 1800's, a mathematics professor named Charles Babbage designed an automatic calculation machine. It was steam powered and could store up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Built in to his machine were operations that included everything a modern general-purpose computer would need. It was programmed by-and stored data on-cards with holes punched in them, appropriately called ÒpunchcardsÓ. His inventions were failures for the most part because of the lack of precision machining techniques used at the time and the lack of demand for such a device (Soma, 46). After Babbage, people began to lose interest in com...

How The U.S. Electoral College System Works

How The U.S. Electoral College System Works The Electoral College is not a college in the sense that the word is generally used. Instead, it is the important and often controversial process by which the United States selects the President of the United States every four years. The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College system as a compromise between having the president elected by Congress and having the president elected by the popular vote of qualified citizens. Every fourth November, after almost two years of campaign hype and fundraising, more than 100 million Americans cast their votes for the presidential candidates. Then, in the middle of December, the president and vice president of the United States are actually elected. This is when the votes of only 538 citizens- the electors of the Electoral College System- are counted.   How It Works When you vote for a presidential candidate, you are in fact voting to instruct the electors from your state to cast their votes for the same candidate. For example, if you vote for the Republican candidate in the November election, you are really just picking an elector who will be pledged to vote for the Republican candidate when the Electoral College votes in December. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state wins all the pledged votes of the states electors, in the 48 winner take all states and District of Columbia. Nebraska and Maine award electors proportionally. The National Archives explains: Maine has four Electoral votes and two Congressional districts. It awards one Electoral vote per Congressional district and two by the statewide, at-large vote. Nebraska has five Electoral College votes, three awarded to the district winners, and two awarded to the statewide popular vote-getter. Overseas territories of the United States, such as Puerto Rico, have no say in presidential elections, even though their residents are U.S. citizens. The Electoral College system was established in Article II of the Constitution and was amended by the 12th Amendment in 1804. How Electors Are Awarded Each state gets a number of electors equal to its number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives plus one for each of its two U.S. senators. The District of Columbia gets three electors. State laws determine how electors are chosen, but they are generally selected by the political party committees within the states. Each elector gets one vote. Thus, a state with eight electors would cast eight votes. There are currently 538 electors, and the votes of a majority of them- 270 votes- are required to be elected. Because Electoral College representation is based on congressional representation, states with larger populations get more Electoral College votes. Should none of the candidates win 270 electoral votes, the 12th Amendment mandates the election be decided by the House of Representatives. The combined representatives of each state get one vote and a simple majority of states is required to win. This has only happened twice: Presidents Thomas Jefferson in 1801 and John Quincy Adams in 1825 were elected by the House of Representatives. Faithless Electors While the state electors are pledged to vote for the candidate of the party that chose them, nothing in the Constitution requires them to do so. In rare instances, an elector will defect and not vote for their partys candidate. Such faithless votes rarely change the outcome of the election, and laws of some states prohibit electors from casting them. However, no state has ever prosecuted someone for not voting the way they were pledged. The 2016 election saw the most ever faithless electors, as seven were cast; the previous record was six electors who changed their votes, in 1808. When the College Meets The public casts their votes on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1, and before the sun sets in California at least one of the TV networks likely will have declared a winner. By midnight, one of the candidates will have probably claim victory and others will concede defeat. But not until the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, when the electors of the Electoral College meet in their state capitals to cast their votes, will there really be a new president- and vice president-elect. Why is there such a delay between the general election and the Electoral College meetings? In the 1800s, it took that long to count the popular votes and for all the electors to travel to the state capitals. Today, the time is more likely to be used for settling any protests due to election code violations and for vote recounts. Criticisms of the System Critics of the Electoral College system point out that the system allows the possibility of a candidate actually losing the nationwide popular vote but being elected president by the electoral vote. A look at the  electoral votes from each state  and a little math will show you how. In fact, it is possible for a candidate to not get a single persons vote in 39 states or the District of Columbia, yet be elected president by  winning  the popular vote in just 11 of these 12 states (The number of electoral votes is in parentheses): California (55)New York (29)Texas (38)Florida (29)Pennsylvania (20)Illinois (20)Ohio (18)Michigan (16)New Jersey (14)North Carolina (15)Georgia (16)Virginia (13) Because 11 of the 12 states listed above account for exactly 270 votes, a candidate could win these states, lose the other 39, and still be elected. Of course, a candidate popular enough to win California or  New York  will almost certainly win some smaller states. When It Happened Five times in Americas history presidential candidates have lost the nationwide popular vote, but been elected president  in  the Electoral College: In 1824, 261 electoral votes were available, with 131 needed to be elected president. In the election between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson- both Democratic-Republicans- neither candidate won the necessary 131 electoral votes. While Jackson won more electoral and popular votes than Adams, the House of Representatives, acting under the 12th Amendment to the Constitution, selected John Quincy Adams as the sixth President of the United States. Bitter over the process, Jackson and his supporters proclaimed the election of Adams a â€Å"corrupt bargain.†In 1876,  369 electoral votes were available, with 185 needed to win.  Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, with 4,036,298 popular votes, won 185 electoral votes. His main opponent,  Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, won the popular vote with 4,300,590  votes but won only 184 electoral votes. Hayes was elected president.In 1888, 401 electoral votes were available, with 201 needed to win. Republican Benjamin Harrison, with 5,439,8 53 popular votes, won 233 electoral votes. His main opponent,  Democrat Grover Cleveland, won the popular vote with 5,540,309  votes but won only 168 electoral votes. Harrison was elected president. In 2000,  538 electoral votes were available, with 270 needed to win.  Republican George W. Bush, with 50,456,002 popular votes, won 271 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent,  Al Gore, won the popular vote with 50,999,897  votes but won only 266 electoral votes. Bush was elected president.In 2016, a total of 538 electoral votes were again available, with 270 needed to be elected. Republican candidate Donald Trump was elected president, winning 304 electoral votes, compared to 227 won by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. However, Clinton received about 2.9 million more popular votes nationwide than Trump, a margin of 2.1 percent of the total vote. Trump’s Electoral College victory was sealed by popular vote wins in the perennial swing states of Florida, Iowa, and Ohio, as well as in the so-called â€Å"blue wall† states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all Democratic strongholds in presidential elections since the 1990s. With most media sources p redicting an easy victory for Clinton, Trump’s election brought the Electoral College system under intense public scrutiny. Trump detractors tried to protest his election and petitioned electors to cast faithless elector votes. Only two listened. Why the Electoral College? Most voters would be unhappy to see their candidate win the most votes but lose the election. Why would the  Founding Fathers  create a constitutional process that would allow this to happen? The framers of the Constitution wanted to make sure the people were given direct input in choosing their leaders and saw two ways to accomplish this: The people of the entire nation would vote for and elect the president and vice president based on popular votes alone. A direct popular election.The people of each state would elect their members of the  U.S. Congress  by direct popular election. The members of Congress would then express the wishes of the people by electing the president and vice president themselves. An election by Congress. The Founding Fathers feared the direct popular election option. There were no organized  national political parties  yet, no structure from which to choose and limit the number of candidates. Also, travel and communication were slow and difficult at that time. A very  good candidate  could be popular regionally but remain unknown to the rest of the country. A large number of regionally popular candidates would thus divide the vote and not indicate the wishes of the nation as a whole. On the other hand, election by Congress would require the members to both accurately assess the desires of the people of their states and to actually vote accordingly. This could have led to elections that better reflected the opinions and political agendas of the members of Congress than the actual will of the people. As a compromise, the Electoral College system was developed. Considering that only five times in the nations history has a candidate lost the  popular national vote  but been elected by electoral vote, the system has worked well. Yet the Founding Fathers concerns with direct popular elections have mostly vanished. The national political parties have been around for years. Travel and communication are no longer problems. The public has access to every word spoken by every candidate every day. These changes have led to calls for reforms to the system, for example, so that more states have a proportional allocation of electoral votes to more accurately reflect the popular vote.

Precautions to be taken in drafting Oil & Gas Industry Contracts Essay

Precautions to be taken in drafting Oil & Gas Industry Contracts - Essay Example This essay discusses that Oil & Gas industry is a unique industry as it involves a high risk aspect of exploitation and exploration, high capital –intensive character of the industry, geographic ambit of operations and assets, environmental issues, up-date technology needs, safeguard issues, downstream brand advertising, size and range of employee base, political predispositions,etc. Oil & Gas industry engrosses the granting many contracts like project feasibility study, construction, supplies, civil and offshore contracts, mainly through subcontracts. If the turnkey contract is implemented, then the contract has the responsibility of defining in a strict, complete and definite manner the works to be covered and risk to be borne in the contract itself. In the oil and gas sector, the definitive goal of any operator is to exploit maximum revenues by efficient and rapid discovery of petroleum and gas resources with no or minimal disruption. Contractual process in Oil and Gas (O&G ) industry is a lengthy and time-consuming process , fixing the accountability and granting damages to the affected parties is normally considered to be a hectic task given the nature of the industry which is symbolised by subcontracting. To achieve their business goal, operators in O&G industry is well aware that risks in the industry can be administered and controlled when the same has been unequivocally distributed to one or more parties. It is to be noted that risks can be covered by taking appropriate insurance policies, but this involves an additional financial burden to the operators. The easy way to shift the risk in O&G industry is to employ contractors to alter common law approach as a risk management process. (4). LOGIC of UK has published a standard contract (boilerplate contract) through its 2nd Edition, October 2004 for the oil & gas industry in UK. This is a standard contract, and the contract employs English law .However, now, all references to UK needs’ have been withdrawn, and it can be employed on a global basis. For drafting contracts for oil and gas industry , the lawyers will use boilerplate contract like the one designed by Logic .It connotes to any interchangeable ,† one size fits all† provision. While drafting the contract, more significance has to be given to the areas like the notice clauses, the choice of law clauses, the force majeure clauses, the delegation and the assignment provision. These clauses are significant as it will give a road map, informing the parties concerned their relationships and how to administer the contract. (2) Some of the main advantages of the boilerplate contracts are that it contains many clauses either override or restates the common law provisions and is being in use by the relevant companies for long time. It is having drafting efficiency and to costs fewer pounds and takes less time to input the standard clauses into the contract. By incorporating the conditions available in the bo ilerplate contracts will help to avoid errors. Further, a standard clause is well known to business and legal community, thereby minimising the costs of reassessing and negotiating the provisions, as well as fostering a analogues interpretation. (2) Some critics allege that the poorly outlined boilerplate clauses may result in issues instead of finding a solution while execution of a contract. A poorly drafted contract will no doubt will result in the litigation which is not only time-consuming and also expensive. Thus, there is a need to give more careful attention to each and every boilerplate clauses, including how it is going to be interpreted in the case of future litigation. (2) For the risk allocation, common law provision is followed in O&G contracts and, where there is no specific contract and the general law pertaining to tort, contract/delict will be applicable. With the operative word being ‘negligence†, the liability stems from the fault or infringement of d uty in such cases.