Walmart Facts Sheet Business Research Buss4 Aqa

———————– – Walmart was constructed into a 3 product divisional structure. The successful world retailers business categories include Wal-Mart Stores (U. S. ), Sam's Club (U. S. ), and International stores. –> Works well as each division is open to focus its efforts on specific goals such as product, service or customers – Walmart as an organisation have their own display of ‘Culture' (also featured on the company website in detail), claiming 3 basic beliefs and integrity in order to deliver a favourable workplace for employees and service to customers; 1.Service to customers, 2. Respect for the individual, 3. Striving for excellence – 2000 saw a big change for Walmart; introduction of new CEO H. Lee Scott saw massive development and growth for the company, where revenue rocketed to $165bn, an indication that changes implemented by the new CEO were beneficial for the company.These included altera tions to the culture of the business, including: †¢ Open Door Policy  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Managers' doors are open to employees at all levels †¢ Sundown Rule  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Answering employee, customer, and supplier questions on the same day the questions are received †¢ 10-Foot Rule  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Making eye contact, greeting, and offering help to customers who come within 10 feet – Their mission statement, â€Å"We save people money so they can live better†, and logo/symbol/slogan all coincide in order to connotate better living & associate this, with Walmart themselves Name: Walmart, previously known as ‘Walton’s Five and Dime store’ – 1945-1962 – Sam Walton, a former department store employee, purchased a branch of the Ben Franklin stores – aiming to sell products at lower prices for a higher sales volume, despite a lower profit margin – 1962 – expanded to 24 stores across Arkansas (US), reaching $12. m in sale s, business continued to grow in US – 2000 – H. Lee Scott became CEO & President of Walmart, saw sales increase to $165bn – 2005, $312. 4  bn in sales, more than 6,200 facilities around the world  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ including 3,800 stores in the United States and 2,800 elsewhere – Walmart have now become an international business, making $446bn revenue in 2012, with the aid of 2. 2million employees.

Disillusionment in the Stranger

In Albert Camus' The Stranger the Meursault is clearly disillusioned of life and two examples of this disillusionment occurred in the instances of his mother's death and an offer to be transferred to another work environment. The novel The Stranger by Albert Camus portrays how Meursault is disillusioned about things that seem to be the most normal basic human concepts of understanding such as his mothers death. With his mother's death, he seemed indifferent at the loss of her life in every way possible. He was so uninterested in her funeral that he remarked the following: â€Å"†¦I can be there for the vigil and come back tomorrow night† (Camus 3). His mother appeared to slow him down. As if he felt he had better things to do. He claimed he never went to visit her in the nursing home because she enjoyed it too much. Nonetheless, he admitted, that the visit â€Å"took up my Sunday — not to mention the trouble of getting to the bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling† (Camus 5). This shows the true lack of care in his mothers death. To further define his insensitivity, Meursault shed not even one tear in this part of the novel; moreover, he expressed no form of sorrow whatsoever.Secondly, Meursault's attitude and reaction toward an offer to be relocated to a Parisian location was a monumental indicator of his insensitivity. One would expect him to accept or decline the offer graciously and respectfully. Meursault proved, again, to be unpredictable when he states, in regard to his then current life in Paris: â€Å"†¦ it was all the same to me† (Camus 41). Caught off-guard by his response, Meursault's boss asked yet another question: was Meursault interested in a change of life? Unmoved, Meursault further retorted that one life was as good as another, and, furthermore, he wasn't unhappy with his current life in any way.Meursault's boss screamed at him, crying that Meursault never gave him a straight answer and had no ambition; his boss sad both of which were â€Å"disastrous† qualities in business (Camus 41). Both scenarios are synonymous in that they are prime examples of Meursault's stolidity and relentless un-appreciation of life. In both cases he was unexpressive, unmoved in either direction: happiness or sorrow. The funeral director and Meursault's boss were indeed taken aback at Meursault's attitude. Neither, however, was successful in swaying Meursault and drawing him away from his uncaring way of thinking.

The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations

The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations JOHN H HANNAH III UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX The Effect of Outsourcing on Public Sector Organizations This paper will examine the particular issues associated with the impact of outsourcing on public sector organization’s performance and employee commitment. As the move to outsourcing is part of a wider phenonom for flexibility in the organizational, structure, development and change paradigms of public sector organizations.This paper begins by examining the problems associated with an outsourcing strategy in public sector organization. Many counties within the US, have chosen to outsource the investment and operation of non-competitive public services, such as water and waste management, public transports, mail services, information and communication technology services, facilities management and road infrastructures. Outsourcing today has become an essential revenue and growth strategy for almost every existing corporation. It creates flexibility in the company, ensuring the maximum utilization of available resources within the company. It also offers corporations cost advantages and help free up their management resources. Orange county government-anywhere USA, requested the services of a Home Land Security Specialist to assist in the collaborative, assessment, development and strategic enhancement of it municipality’s Information Technology (IT) and Critical Facilities’ (CF) upgrades and security.Upon the completion of plan, expectations and deliverables, a series of introductions with Directors, Managers and Supervisors, it was apparent the federal dollars associated with the project was indeed the motive for the invitation. In my initial general assessment and development of a strategy, the organization handbook was the first critical reading which uncovered a mission statement, values, ethical guidelines and the organizational cultural premise. â€Å"The Mayor’s outline the v ision, values and mission as simple – to serve. You have an important job to do as we work to meet the needs of our citizens.We ensure that roads are built and maintained; we protect environmental resources; we respond to crisis and emergency situations; we staff facilities that care for people; and we ensure that the quality of life of our citizens is protected our challenge is to build on the strengths of our diverse community so that everyone can enjoy the very best Orange County has to offer. We are committed to maintaining an organization where citizens are engaged in civic affairs, take ownership in their government and have input in the decision making process†.The following core values serve as our foundation: 1. FAIRNESS, 2. WORK ETHIC 3. INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER 4. EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION: 5. PROFESSIONALISM AND ACCOUNTABILITY (Orange County Government, 2012) . The role of the Security Specialist in this public sector organization is to examine the particular issues associated with the impact of outsourcing on public sector organization’s performance and employee commitment and develop a strategy to move this organization toward outsourcing initially in the areas of IT and CF.Provide an assessment and evaluation of the organizational readiness for change in the area of outsourcing. This paper begins by examining the problems associated with an outsourcing strategy in public sector organization in the form of an assessment. As public sector moves to outsourcing as part of a wider strategy to increase flexibility in the organizational, structure, development and change paradigms of public sector organization. Outsourcing helps organizations to be focused.Since the most valuable resource within management is time, once a process is successfully outsourced, the management gets more and effective time to explore new revenue streams, time to accelerate other projects and time to focus on customers. Traditionally executives spend 80 per cent of their time managing details, and only 20 percent on planning and customer relations, in other words, a successful outsourcing process can help reverse this ratio.Outsourcing can also help companies to have access to new technologies that might not be used in their company. This is mainly because the outsourcers use the latest state-of-the art technologies to serve their private sector clients. And this might also increase the change paradigm shift and rapid migration of these companies to new technology. Outsourcing also helps multi functional areas and department of a public sector providing the benefit of 24-hour operational cycles and providing necessary services to their customer.The ever- growing pressure for increased productivity and profitability of city, county and state governments thus, the pressures to reduce costs and improve productivity are the main factors that influenced the beginning of offshore outsourcing. For example, the main advantages to move producti on to private contracting of products and services to reduce in-house human resources management cost. Hence, today outsourcing has become an attractive and powerful strategy for companies to reduce cost and improve performance.These models provide theoretical guidelines upon which valid and reliable organizational assessments should be based. All of these models provide value to management and human resource organizational leaders performing organizational assessments based on a internal aspects or a system theory evaluation approach (Erwin & Garman, 2010). The McKinsey 7S Framework model is used as a tool to assess and monitor changes in the internal situation of an organization closed system assessment. The model is based on the theory that, for an organization to perform well, these seven elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing.So, the model can be used to help identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance, or to maintain alignment (and performance) dur ing other types of change. The basic premise of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful evaluation and assessment tool. The Seven Interdependent Elements of the 7s model are Hard elements (strategy, structure and systems) and the Soft Elements (shared values, skills, style and staff) (Waterman, Peters, & Phillips, 1980)Burke & Litwin Model (The Casual Model of Organizational Performance & Change) – The Burke & Litwin Model, suggests linkages that hypothesize how performance is affected by internal and external factors. It provides a framework to assess organizational and environmental dimensions that are keys to successful change and it demonstrates how these dimensions should be linked causally to achieve a change in performance. According to Burke-Litwin’s model, an organization may conduct a change intervention in stages as they relate to a specific focus in two stages â€Å"First order and Second order† changes.If an OD intervention is directed toward structure, systems, and management practice result, it can be considered a first order change, if interventions are directed toward mission, strategy, leadership, and organizational culture then result in second order change (Burke & Litwin, 1992). The Marvin Weisbord-Six-Box Model (Weisbord’s Model) is designed to assess the functioning of organizations based mainly on the techniques and assumptions of the field of organizational development. The model represents a particular way of looking at organizational structure and design.It gives attention to issues such as planning, incentives and rewards, the role of support functions such as personnel, internal competitions among organizational units, standards for remuneration, partnerships, hierarchies and the delegation of authority, organizational control, accountability and performance assessment. The model also follows the basic ‘systems' approac h to organizational functioning including the well-known inputs and ‘outputs' categories. The six-box model is comprised of the following components (boxes): (1). Purposes, (2). Structure, (3) relationships; (4). Rewards, (5). Leadership, (6).Coordinating technologies. The only disadvantage to this model is it s design to only address internal environments (Weisbord, 1978). An open system organizational development theory and (Burke & Litwin) model will be utilized to conduct a diagnosis analysis planned change assessment to the organization. These changes are usually designed to address an organization problem or to help an organization prepare for future. It is the one method of quickly bringing change, which focus on human and social aspects of the organization as a way to improve organization’s ability to adapt and solve problems.The best theory is developed from practice; the best practice should be grounded in theory (Seeger, 2006; Brown, 2011). The Burke & Litwin Model hypothesizes’ how performance is affected by internal and external factors. Public sector management occurs within a complex, dynamic system involving stakeholders, coupled with informational and resource material flows and behaviour that is characterized by interactions related to internal and external environments. According to Burke-Litwin’s model, an organization may conduct a change intervention in stages as they relate to a specific focus in two stages â€Å"First order and Second order† changes.If an OD intervention is directed toward structure, systems, and management practice result, it can be considered a first order change, if interventions are directed toward mission, strategy, leadership, and organizational culture then result in second order change (Burke & Litwin, 1992). The theory of Organizational readiness for change is considered a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. From and organization-level construct, readiness for change refers t o organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment) and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy).Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational member’s value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability: task demands, resource availability, and situational factors. When organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behavior (Weiner, 2009). References Bateman, T. S. , & Snell, S. A. (2007). Management: Leading & collaboratiing in a competitive world (7th ed. . New York, NY: McGraw Hill – Irwin. Boland, T. , & Fowler, A. (2000). A systems perspective of performance management in public sector management. The International Journal of Public Sector organizations, 13(5), 417-446. doi:10. 110 8/09513550010350832 Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization development (8th ed. ). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Burke, W. W. , & Litwin, G. H. (1992). Causal model of organization performance and change’. Journal Management, 18(3), 523-545. doi:10. 1177/014920639201800306 Erwin, D. G. , & Garman, A. N. (2010).Resistance to organizational change: Linking research and practice,. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 31(1), 39-56. doi:10. 1108/01437731011010371 Harrison, M. I. , & Shirom, A. (1999). Organizational diagnosis and assessment: Bridging theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Kotter, J. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 59-67. Retrieved from http://89. 248. 0. 102/upload/Topplederprogrammet/Kotter. pdf Lewin, K. (1951). Field Theory in Social Science. London, England: Harper Row. Orange County Government. 2012, April). Employee Handbook. Fl. Retrieved from http://www. ocfl. net/Portal s/0/resourcelibrary/employment-employehandbook. pdf Waterman, R. , Peters, T. J. , & Phillips, J. R. (1980). Structure is not organization. Mckinsey Quarterly, 2-20. Retrieved from http://www. tompeters. com/docs/Structure_Is_Not_Organization. pdf Weisbord, M. (1978). Organizational Diagnosis: A Workbook of Theory and Practice. Addison-wesley. Wiener, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4, 67. doi:10. 1186/1748-5908-4-67

Sales promotion campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sales promotion campaign - Essay Example The main target demographic is comprised primarily of upwardly mobile middle class white collar workers interested in maintaining a certain status of success who typically already have well-defined ideas of what types of drinks are appropriate for their position in life. According to Hugh Archibald, chairman of the National Association of Cider Makers, â€Å"drinkers in England have a deep-rooted perception of cider as a rustic ‘alternative’ drink† (cited in C&C, n.d.). Recognizing value in a product is a quality most Britons pride themselves on, particularly in the larger cities among the prime demographic group. Among these consumers, image is important in helping to develop this perception of quality. â€Å"UK consumers know about quality, they have an expert knowledge of organic products and what is good for them. They understand that quality is important† (Vyse, 2005). If Magners can position itself as a product that offers higher quality and therefore greater value for the money spent, it can repeat its Ireland success throughout Great Britain as well. It will be the objective of this campaign to boost sales of Magners Cider in Great Britain to reflect a closer relationship to the 24% market share currently enjoyed i n Scotland. To bring attention to the organic nature of Magners Cider while still emphasizing a modern appeal, a sales campaign that focuses on addressing modern issues and technologies should be utilized. To bring the focus of the consumer onto the apples used in the production process, Magners can print up specialized packaging that includes a special apple icon denoting a percentage of the sales price will be donated to a children’s charity group. For those consumers who purchase their cider primarily at the pubs, specialized apple promotional materials can be created that can identify those pubs

Answer Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Answer Questions - Essay Example Thirdly, servant leadership is a way of improving loyalty, diversity, and all-inclusive decision-making process. The workers feel indebted to hardworking leaders, which will lead to loyalty and hard work. Similarly, the workers will feel appreciated especially when they are engaged in decision-making. It is noted that there are two sets of servant leadership. In the first set, the employees are rewarded when they accomplish the set goals in the organization. This is a recurrent process, which enhances the productivity of the workers. This requires constant participation of both leaders and employees to evaluate the progress and performance (Nahavandi, 2006). This has been proven to record immense improvement at the work place. The constant communication and interaction enhances employee-leader relations. With such a relation, there will be positive changes at all the times. Secondly, there is the leadership style where leaders are obliged to intervene when there is a problem. In such times, the leaders involve the workers in looking for a prudent solution to the incumbent problem. With such processes, the workers feel engaged in the running of the organization. Personally, this leadership style should be appreciated in ensuring immense performance. In conclusion, servant-leadership style has been in use around the world with proven success. One of the fundamental benefits of this type of leadership is long-term outcomes, which are positive. It is an opinion that this can be used in enhancing organizational culture, which will improve the organization’s

The Impact of Social Awareness in Reducing Energy Consumption Term Paper

The Impact of Social Awareness in Reducing Energy Consumption - Term Paper Example In this case, it is for the sake of future`s time. The methodology used in this study is internet research in which the writer browses information and pictures that are needed to complete the study. As a result, it can be concluded that building social awareness through many ways like television advertisements to social networks usage can be maximum campaign to achieve the purpose. In this case, how to make a better future by reducing the use of energy consumption. Table of Contents Acknowledgement .....................................................................................................................2 Abstract......................................................................................................................................3 Table of Contents....................................................................................................................4-5 Introduction.................................................................................. ..............................................6 1.The Continuous Growth of Energy Consumption in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia....................7 1.1.Background: Problems of Energy Sustainability........................................................7-8 1.2.The Continuous Growth of Population..........................................................................9 1.3. Dependence to Light Bulbs on Decoration..............................................................9-10 1.4. The Unnecessary Over Use of Electricity...................................................................10 1.5. Lack of People Awareness..........................................................................................11 2. Developing Social... This study aims at analysing the facts happen in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about its use of energy consumption. It has been found that the trend of the use has increased as time goes by. The energy that has become main concerns are oil, gas and electricity. According to the paper findings as there are matters occur after the trend of using energy increases, the writer decides to enlighten the readers with solutions of building social awareness to reduce the energy consumption. The purpose of this study is to remind people that it is crucial to minimize the consumption of energy. In this case, it is for the sake of future`s time. The methodology used in this study is internet research in which the writer browses information and pictures that are needed to complete the study. As a result, it can be concluded that building social awareness through many ways like television advertisements to social networks usage can be maximum campaign to achieve the purpose. In this case, how to make a better future by reducing the use of energy consumption. Energy is one of the factors of the movements in this life. Many aspects need energy in order to survive; a life without energy could be terrible situation especially to our modern society. Can you im agine several conditions such as; offices and houses without electricity, daily activities without transportation facilities, There are no planes or ships to reach other cities and countries, cellular phones without battery, or even no energy to support internet connection.

Management accounting and healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management accounting and healthcare - Essay Example This paper talks about the interaction of research in management accounting and the healthcare sector. With the availability of a rich body of literature from various journal articles the paper focuses on a number of complex and important aspects of the topic in terms of accounting management risks, costs, regulations as well as existing opportunities in the dynamic environment of the healthcare sector. Furthermore the potential the health sector holds as far as management accounting research hold is discussed and facilitated with the description of the current developments in healthcare.Research in the management accounting of the health care sector primarily comprises of investigating the accounting and the control systems that are used by decision makers within the organization. A key component of the research in the accounting and healthcare sector is that which revolves around the cost associated with the everyday operations that are undertaken by these organizations. The rich b ody of literature available in this area has focused on a number of complex and important problems that arise in budgeting, contracting, cost accounting, management and reporting (Luft and Shields, 2003). Extant literature in the field of accounting published primarily approach the issue using an economics based theoretical framework, and focus on the study for-profit organizations. This paper discusses the distinct advantages and research opportunities offered by the healthcare industry that can be used by management accounting researchers. We look at the scope as well as the role played by the accounting practices mainly centered on cost management and risks in the healthcare sectors. Then we look at the implications of cost shifting and revenue constraints by hospitals operating in a changing regulatory environment and the impact that competition has on the need for accounting information. Next we view the advantages of using healthcare data for management accounting research. In the last section we look at the current development in the health care industry. Opportunities for Managerial Accounting Research in Health Care A setting that comprises of organizations with a large number of attributes as well as diversity provides researchers with considerable potential to study complex issues. The health care sector which consists of a multitude of hospitals in every country in the world has prevalent attributes such as multi dimensional objective functions, complex production functions and a huge number of diverse stakeholders. Furthermore major shifts in the regulation of this sector can be observed in the way it has moved from cost plus to fixed price reimbursement in many countries namely UK, Germany and Taiwan. Most notable is the move of the focus of competition from non price factors like quality to price-and-cost based competition, showing a major alteration to not only the revenue functions but also financial risk. Due to these changes the various aspe cts of hospital accounting, reporting and control systems are all impacted. This can simply be seen when you view the dilemma that surrounds health care contributing to both regulatory and normative pressures. It is required that hospitals provide patients with the best quality care regardless of their ability to pay while on the other hand it is imperative that they remain financially viable. This dilemma adds complexity to other aspects such as motivation, compensation, and evaluation of performance by hospital managers. If we view the aspect of compensation in isolation we will notice another critical element contributing to its complexity. This being ownership types such as non profit, for profit or public providing the same service and competing for the same customer base (Dranove, 1988; Hoerger, 1991; Pauly and Redisch, 1973). There are three distinct aspects of the healthcare sector which have a great influence on behavior as well as outcomes. These are regulation and competi tion, contracting and

Barging Power of Buyer in Apple Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Barging Power of Buyer in Apple Inc - Essay Example It thus becomes vital for the company to change the prices of the commodities to accommodate the financial condition of the consumers. When they lower these prices, the consumers continue shopping steadily in the company. Purchases product volume is another critical aspect to consider regarding the bargaining power of the consumer. When Apple produces a commodity and it does not have many purchases, it has no option but to follow the prices that the consumers are willing to offer for it (Hill 143). When the company changes or rather adjusts the prices to suit the consumer, it definitely experiences an increase in purchases product volume. Customer loyalty is another integral concept. For Apple to continue sustaining the consumers that it has, it is appropriate and advisable for the company to set appropriate prices. Failure to set appropriate prices would see the customers failing to purchase commodities from the company. This leads to the company obliging to the bargaining power of the customers and lowering the prices. Companies have always worked effectively to see to it that they achieve large profit margins. However, consumers through their bargaining power have countered this

Critique on The Speakers Corner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique on The Speakers Corner - Essay Example However, the police have endeavored to be very tolerant to the speakers and only respond in cases where they have received complaints from member of the public. At times they are forced to intervene on the grounds of profanity which involves the use of offensive language. The speaker’s corner in Britain was established as a result of the increased struggles for civil liberties and a quest for a more democratic society. The speakers’ corner has provided great opportunity for people to express themselves and have their views heard by many listeners across the global. The minority groups, who do not have any other platform to address their concerns, have benefited from the speakers’ corner since it has granted them a chance to be heard. However, the popularity and strength of the speakers’ corner has been eroded by the rapidly emerging trend of blogging and the use of other social media platforms in communicating personal views and opinions. In the current set-up, speakers’ corner is set loose its meaning and will soon become a thing of the past if the current trend is to

History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay â€Å"Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed for a lifetime. † This adage is completely true in its meaning and substance. It means that if you educate a person, you are showing him the way to the future. You are giving the necessary training that helps him earn his bread and lead a better life for himself and his children in future. Education is the only way which distinguish human from the animal. According to Aristotle, the distinguishing feature of man is his moral sense. Man can learn from his experiences and from his experiences of others; he knows what is good and what is bad. He is capable of revising his judgements whenever he doesn’t agree with the circumstances of life. It is because of this reason that education became a part of the training of man. We are the superior because we contain the knowledge and the education which has only bought us in this condition. Education is described as the training and instructions given to the human. It also gives a person ability to develop character and mental power. It is compared to light that light up the darkness. In other words, it means that people become more aware of things in life and they see things from different perspectives. It also leads a person from mental bankruptcy to enlightenment. Education can be obtained formally and informally. The education we get at schools and colleges is termed formal education and the education ewe get at homes regarding family values and social relationships is called informal education. A Chinese proverb says, â€Å"If you are planning for a year, sow rice, if you are planning of ten years plant trees nut if you are planning of hundred years, educate people. † Education is the backbone of a society. It holds the foundations of civilizations and development. If the system of educating people is good in a country, the country makes rapid progress. This is the reason why millions of dollars are earmarked for education in the developed countries. The real purpose of education lies in disciplining our reasoning and emotion. If our emotions are not properly channelised, we are reduced to the status of animals. If our reasoning is not properly controlled, it my go wrong. Similarly, emotion and reason should have their due share in determining the personality of a person; otherwise man becomes a lopsided creature. At last, education is the important thing which we should not discourage. The real purpose of education can be achieved if it is not tagged with any other motion expect education. We all have the right to study and gave as much information as we can so let gather the knowledge and be educated.

Leadership Theories From Mahatma Gandhi To Winston Management Essay

Leadership Theories From Mahatma Gandhi To Winston Management Essay From Mahatma Gandhi to Winston Churchill to Martin Luther King, there are as many leadership styles as there are leaders. Fortunately, businesspeople and psychologists have developed useful and simple ways to describe the main styles of leadership, and these can help aspiring leaders understand which styles they should use. So, whether you manage a team at work, captain a sports team, or lead a major corporation, which approach is best? Consciously, or subconsciously, youll probably use some of the leadership styles in this article at some point. Understanding these styles and their impact can help you develop your own, personal leadership style and help you become a more effective leader. With this in mind, there are many different frameworks that have shaped our current understanding of leadership, and many of these have their place, just as long as theyre used appropriately. This article looks at some of the most common frameworks, and then looks at popular styles of leadership. Leadership Theories Researchers have developed a number of leadership theories over the years. These fall into four main groups: 1. Behavioral theories What does a good leader do? Behavioral theories focus on how leaders behave. Do they dictate what needs to be done and expect cooperation? Or do they involve the team in decisions to encourage acceptance and support? In the 1930s, Kurt Lewin developed a leadership framework based on a leaders decision-making behavior. Lewin argued that there are three types of leaders: Autocratic leaders make decisions without consulting their teams. This is considered appropriate when decisions genuinely need to be taken quickly, when theres no need for input, and when team agreement isnt necessary for a successful outcome. Democratic leaders allow the team to provide input before making a decision, although the degree of input can vary from leader to leader. This type of style is important when team agreement matters, but it can be quite difficult to manage when there are lots of different perspectives and ideas. Laissez-faire leaders dont interfere; they allow people within the team to make many of the decisions. This works well when the team is highly capable and motivated, and when it doesnt need close monitoring or supervision. However, this style can arise because the leader is lazy or distracted, and, here, this approach can fail. Similar to Lewins model, the Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid helps you decide how best to lead, depending on your concern for people versus your concern for production. The model describes five different leadership styles: impoverished, country club, team leader, produce or perish, or middle of the road. The descriptions of these will help you understand your own leadership habits and adapt them to meet your teams needs. Clearly, then, how leaders behave impacts on their effectiveness. Researchers have realized, though, that many of these leadership behaviors are appropriate at different times. So, the best leaders are those who can use many different behavioral styles and use the right style for each situation. 2. Contingency theories How does the situation influence good leadership? The realization that there isnt one correct type of leader led to theories that the best leadership style is contingent on, or depends on, the situation. These theories try to predict which leadership style is best in which circumstance. When a decision is needed fast, which style is preferred? When the leader needs the full support of the team, is there a better way to lead? Should a leader be more people oriented or task oriented? These are all examples of questions that contingency leadership theories try to address. A popular contingency-based framework is the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory, which links leadership style with the maturity of individual members of the leaders team. 3. Trait theories What type of person makes a good leader? Trait theories argue that leaders share a number of common personality traits and characteristics, and that leadership emerges from these traits. Early trait theories promoted the idea that leadership is an innate, instinctive quality that you either have or dont have. Thankfully, weve moved on from this approach, and were learning more about what we can do as individuals to develop leadership qualities within ourselves and others. Whats more, traits are external behaviors that emerge from things going on within the leaders mind and its these internal beliefs and processes that are important for effective leadership. Trait theory does, however, help us identify some qualities that are helpful when leading others and, together, these emerge as a generalized leadership style. Examples include empathy, assertiveness, good decision-making, and likability. In our article Building TomorrowHYPERLINK http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_62.htmHYPERLINK http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_62.htms Leaders, we discuss a series of attributes that are important for all types of leaders to develop. However, none of these traits, nor any combination of them, will guarantee success as a leader. You need more than that. 4. Power and influence theories What is the source of the leaders power? Power and influence theories of leadership take an entirely different approach. Theyre based on the different ways in which leaders use power and influence to get things done, and the leadership styles that emerge as a result. Perhaps the most well known of these theories is French and RavenHYPERLINK http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_56.htmHYPERLINK http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_56.htms Five Forms of Power. This model distinguishes between using your position to exert power, and using your personal attributes to be powerful. French and Raven identified three types of positional power legitimate, reward, and coercive and two sources of personal power expert and referent (your personal appeal and charm). The model suggests that using personal power is the better alternative and, because Expert Power (the power that comes with being a real expert in the job) is the most legitimate of these, that you should actively work on building this. Similarly, leading by example is another highly effective way to establish and sustain a positive influence with your team. Another valid leadership style thats supported by power and influence theories is Transactional Leadership. This approach assumes that work is done only because it is rewarded, and for no other reason, and it therefore focuses on designing tasks and reward structures. While it may not be the most appealing leadership strategy in terms of building relationships and developing a long-term motivating work environment, it does work, and its used in most organizations on a daily basis to get things done. An Up-to-Date Understanding of Leadership Within all of these theories, frameworks, and approaches to leadership, theres an underlying message that leaders need to have a variety of factors working in their favor. Effective leadership is not simply based on a set of attributes, behaviors, or influences. You must have a wide range of abilities and approaches that you can draw upon. Having said this, however, theres one leadership style that is appropriate in very many corporate situations that of Transformational Leadership. A leader using this style: Has integrity. Sets clear goals. Clearly communicates a vision. Sets a good example. Expects the best from the team. Encourages. Supports. Recognizes good work and people. Provides stimulating work. Helps people see beyond their self-interests and focus more on team interests and needs. Inspires. In short, transformational leaders are exceptionally motivating, and theyre trusted. When your team trusts you, and is really fired up by the way you lead, you can achieve great things! The transformational leadership style is the dominant leadership style taught in our How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You program, although we do recommend that other styles are brought in as the situation demands. Having said that Transformational Leadership suits very many circumstances in business, we need to remember that there may be situations where its not the best style. This is why its worth knowing about the other styles shown below so that you have a greater chance of finding the right combination for the situation you find yourself in. Popular Leadership Styles A Glossary The leadership theories and styles discussed so far fit within formal theoretical frameworks. However, many more terms are used to describe leadership styles, even if these dont fit within a particular system. Its worth understanding these! 1. Autocratic leadership Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leaders have absolute power over their workers or team. Staff and team members have little opportunity to make suggestions, even if these would be in the teams or the organizations best interest. Most people tend to resent being treated like this. Therefore, autocratic leadership often leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. However, for some routine and unskilled jobs, the style can remain effective because the advantages of control may outweigh the disadvantages. 2. Bureaucratic leadership Bureaucratic leaders work by the book. They follow rules rigorously, and ensure that their staff follows procedures precisely. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances, or at dangerous heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as handling cash). 3. Charismatic leadership A charismatic leadership style can seem similar to transformational leadership, because these leaders inspire lots of enthusiasm in their teams and are very energetic in driving others forward. However, charismatic leaders can tend to believe more in themselves than in their teams, and this creates a risk that a project, or even an entire organization, might collapse if the leader leaves. In the eyes of the followers, success is directly connected to the presence of the charismatic leader. As such, charismatic leadership carries great responsibility, and it needs a long-term commitment from the leader. 4. Democratic leadership or participative leadership Although democratic leaders make the final decisions, they invite other members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving team members, but it also helps to develop peoples skills. Team members feel in control of their own destiny, so theyre motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. Because participation takes time, this approach can take longer, but often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable when working as a team is essential, and when quality is more important than speed to market, or productivity. 5. Laissez-faire leadership This French phrase means leave it be, and its used to describe leaders who leave their team members to work on their own. It can be effective if the leader monitors whats being achieved and communicates this back to the team regularly. Most often, laissez-faire leadership is effective when individual team members are very experienced and skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, this type of leadership can also occur when managers dont apply sufficient control. 6. People-oriented leadership or relations-oriented leadership This is the opposite of task-oriented leadership. With people-oriented leadership, leaders are totally focused on organizing, supporting, and developing the people in their teams. Its a participative style, and it tends to encourage good teamwork and creative collaboration. In practice, most leaders use both task-oriented and people-oriented styles of leadership. 7. Servant leadership This term, created by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, describes a leader who is often not formally recognized as such. When someone, at any level within an organization, leads simply by meeting the needs of the team, he or she is described as a servant leader. In many ways, servant leadership is a form of democratic leadership, because the whole team tends to be involved in decision making. Supporters of the servant leadership model suggest that its an important way to move ahead in a world where values are increasingly important, and where servant leaders achieve power on the basis of their values and ideals. Others believe that in competitive leadership situations, people who practice servant leadership can find themselves left behind by leaders using other leadership styles. 8. Task-Oriented leadership Highly task-oriented leaders focus only on getting the job done, and they can be quite autocratic. They actively define the work and the roles required, put structures in place, plan, organize, and monitor. However, because task-oriented leaders dont tend to think much about the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff. 9. Transactional leadership This style of leadership starts with the idea that team members agree to obey their leader totally when they accept a job. The transaction is usually the organization paying the team members in return for their effort and compliance. The leader has a right to punish team members if their work doesnt meet the pre-determined standard. Team members can do little to improve their job satisfaction under transactional leadership. The leader could give team members some control of their income/reward by using incentives that encourage even higher standards or greater productivity. Alternatively, a transactional leader could practice management by exception rather than rewarding better work, the leader could take corrective action if the required standards are not met. Transactional leadership is really a type of management, not a true leadership style, because the focus is on short-term tasks. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work, however it can be effective in other situations. 10. Transformational leadership As we discussed earlier, people with this leadership style are true leaders who inspire their teams constantly with a shared vision of the future. While this leaders enthusiasm is often passed onto the team, he or she can need to be supported by detail people. Thats why, in many organizations, both transactional and transformational leadership are needed. The transactional leaders (or managers) ensure that routine work is done reliably, while the transformational leaders look after initiatives that add new value. Key Points While the transformational leadership approach is often highly effective, theres no one right way to lead or manage that fits all situations. To choose the most effective approach for yourself, consider the following: The skill levels and experience of your team. The work involved (routine, or new and creative). The organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous). You own preferred or natural style. Good leaders often switch instinctively between styles, according to the people they lead and the work that needs to be done. Establish trust thats key to this process and remember to balance the needs of the organization against the needs of your team.

Mildred Pierce Summary, Character Analysis, and Opinion :: essays research papers

Summary: Mildred Pierce, by James M. Cain, begins in pre-Depression California, and ends during World War II times, also in California. The main character, Mildred Pierce, is a very attractive housewife of 29, raising two daughters, Ray and Veda. Although Mildred loves both her daughters, Veda is a particular obsession with Mildred. She constantly slaves away throughout the novel to do whatever she can to make Veda happy, despite the constant abuse and deception Veda inflicts upon Mildred. After a divorce from her first husband, Bert, in the opening pages of the novel, Mildred is forced to sacrifice her pride and become a waitress in order to support her family. If Veda were ever to find out, she would be appalled; a constantly recurring theme throughout this story is Veda’s pride and arrogance, and her condemnation of jobs she deems to be menial. Mildred’s main goal is to nurture Veda’s musical talents, and manages to pay for expensive music lessons from her meager salar ies as a waitress and pie baker. However, Mildred’s luck is soon to change, as she takes up with an attorney and former partner of Bert, Wally. Mildred is able to use Wally’s business and real estate savvy to build a restaurant out of a deserted model home, and from there create a thriving chain of three food businesses. After becoming bored with Wally, however, Mildred craves a relationship with another man, a prestigious local man named Monty. Veda highly approves of her mother’s choice, as this makes her feel as if she too were more prestigious and affluent, despite having misgivings about her mother still being so low as to have an average, pedestrian job. All seems to be going well; even through Veda’s constant demands and tantrums, she still gets everything she wants, and Mildred and Monty are happy. Monty, however, falls on hard times with the coming of the Great Depression, and he constantly mooches off of Mildred’s affluence, making it a s truggle for Mildred to cater to Veda’s every whim. Mildred soon dumps Monty to focus on making Veda a musical prodigy; this fails, however, when Veda is told that her piano is not up to par from a local famous music teacher. After Veda recovers from this shock, she explores the opportunities offered by an acting career, and begins to spin more webs of deception and selfishness. After Veda forces money out of a local rich family, lying and claiming their son got her pregnant, Mildred and Veda have a major argument, and Veda disowns her mother.

Optics :: essays research papers

Aim: To examine characteristics of a converging lens and the images they create. Also to examine the focal length and how the focus point may be found and developing rules for locating an image via ray drawings and the intersection of rays. Chromatic aberration will also be explored and why it happens. Theory: Both lenses and mirrors have a principle axis, yet a lens has two focal points as opposed to a mirror that has only one. When considering converging lenses, the primary focal point (PF) can be found on the opposite side of the lens in regards to the light. The secondary focal point (SF) being on the same side as the light source. Focus points on thin double convex lenses are located at either side of the lens, measured from the middle of the lens itself (see below). Chromatic aberration is a problem of converging lenses that will also be explored in this experiment. A description of each image produced will also be given (attitude, type, magnification and location). Apparatus: The main tools (apparatus) used in the experiment consist of a ray box containing cards which allow one, two, three or four rays onto a sheet of paper at a time so that rays path from the box to the mirror will be able to be traced. Also two (2) different types of converging lenses, one being cylindrical while the other being spherical, the difference being that the spherical one is used for viewing, the cylindrical one for use with the ray box. These lenses are one of many different sorts of lenses in the "lens box". The use of a ruler would also be helpful so that accurate measurements may be taken. Method: 1. A cylindrical lens was placed on paper and traced around, a principal axis was drawn making sure that it's at rights angles to the lens. The ray box was switched on (exposing only one ray) and lined up parallel to the principle axis, a mark where the ray leaves the box was made as well as where it hits the lens (on both sides) and where the ray bisects the principle axis. After this, the ray box was removed and using a ruler, rays were accurately drawn. The focus point (f) was measured to be of length 7.3cm (7.25). 2. The lens was replaced back on a sheet of paper with ray box emitting three rays, the middle ray lined up on the principle axis, marks were made where the ray's intersected at on the principle axis and this was measured to be the primary focus point.

Church Reform :: European Europe History

Church Reform The Reformation of European religion in the 16th century cannot be generally attributed to the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance. Although the peasants saw bishops and abbots as part of a wealthy and oppressive ruling class and rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church for reasons primarily pertaining to the lavish adornments used by those aforementioned, their power was not great enough, nor did their reasons carry enough clout to start a reformation movement throughout Europe: that job was accomplished by those already having some, however small, social or religious power, such as the monk Martin Luther, the accomplished priest and lawyer Jean Cauvin, and King Henry VIII of England. The Lutheran and Calvinist Reformations were very similar in principle, although the Lutheran Reformation was less widespread. Luther and Calvin held that not mere abuses of the Roman Catholic Church needed correcting, but that the Catholic Church itself was wrong in principle. Luther's cause for reformation of 16th century European religion came from his unnatural paranoia that he was damned. He had problems convincing himself that his spirit was pure and that he would go to heaven; internal distress raged within him about the awful omnipotence of God, his own insignificant existence in comparison, and his apprehensiveness of the devil. His personal problems would not yield to the existing manners of assuring oneself that he/she was headed for heaven such as sacraments, alms, prayer attendance at Mass, and assorted "good works." Luther solved the problem, however, by believing that good works were the consequence and external evidence of an inner grace, but in no way the cause of th is grace. He felt that if one had faith in themselves, the religion, and God, then good works would manifest themselves because of it. This was Luther's doctrine of justification by faith. Luther was then involved in various events that provided for the spreading of Lutheranism, albeit sometimes indirectly. The agitation that Lutheranism was creating throughout Europe had revolutionary side effects where the reforming religious spirit was mistaken for that of a social and economic one, especially in Germany in the 1520s. A league of imperial knights, adopting Lutheranism, attacked their neighbors, the church-states of the Rhineland, hoping by annexations to enlarge their own meager territories. In 1524, the peasants of a large part of Germany revolted due to thoughts stirred up by preachers that took Luther's ideas a little too far: anyone could see for himself what was right.

Why We Don’t Listen Better

Practical Book Review One: James C. Petersen, D. Min. _________________ Presented to Rev. Mario Garcia, Jr. , Ph. D. , J. D. Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Lynchburg, VA __________________ In Partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the course PACO 500 Introduction to Pastoral Counseling ________________________ By Odell Joiner November, 2011 Hey Petersen, James C. 2007. Why don’t we listen better? Communicating and connecting in relationships. Tigard, OR: Petersen Publications. â€Å"I observed that while other avoided grumpy people, all I had to do to reduce their grump-factor was to ask questions and let them tell me their stories. .. I also found that after I paid enough attention to their personal and political tirades, they became receptive to me too. † (5) The above excerpt from Dr. Peterson's book, Why don’t we listen better? could be consider as the premise or purpose for his writing. Learning how to listen, digest what the other person is artic ulating, â€Å"putting yourself in their shoes† (understanding), and providing valuable input is his primary objective. At the very onset of Dr. Peterson's book, he use an illustration that gains the attention of the perspective reader. He recall an early experience, perhaps one of his first encounters as a young pastor counseling a couple. As he explained, he had little to know experience in this arena but he did have success. Dr. Peterson attributes his success to being able to listen, understand, and offer valuable insight. The perspective reader can identify his contentment toward this book by his claims of occasionally revisiting his book as source of knowledge, and that he wants the perspective reader to utilize the book as a guide (handbook) instead of a regular book on subject matter relating to communication. Dr. Peterson sets the foundations (according to his beliefs) for effective communication and interaction with others at the beginning of the book and uses these foundations as a sort of skeletal framework for the remaining of his work: Part One : The Introduction of Dr. Peterson's â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory† (8) Part Two: The use of the Talker-Listener Card (8) Part Three: Basic Listening Techniques (8) Part Four and Five: Extended Examples using the Talker-Listening Process (8) Flat-Brain Theory: The Flat- Brain Theory (according to Dr. Peterson) takes into consideration the human body as contributing factors in the communication process: the stomach, the heart and the head. The stomach is attributed as the location of feelings. â€Å"Healthy heart functions give and receive concerns†¦ † (12) The heart â€Å"put† everything together and the â€Å"options and possibilities†. (12) And finally, the head functions as the source for rationalization of information. Talker-Listening Process: The Talker-Listening Process establishes the roles in the communication process. The â€Å"talker† is attributed as the â€Å"owner of the problem† and the â€Å"listener† role is understand and allow the â€Å"talker† to share their feelings and thoughts. Additionally, Dr. Peterson provides â€Å"Talker-Listener Cards† (TLC) which outlines and reminds each other (talker and listener) of their responsibilities within the communication process. After the foundations of â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory† and the Talker- Listener Process is established and thoroughly explained, Dr. Peterson â€Å"shifts gears† into a more practical communication methods. Dr. Peterson provides insightful guides and suggestions for the reader to employ in their effective communication practices. The perspective reader evaluate and use the methods outline in his book to develop their own effective communication strategies and concepts regarding counseling others. You After reading Dr. Peterson's work, I was amazed and drawn to his work. I was able to enjoy his work not just as an assignment for this course, but a useful tool for future study and a teaching premise. Reading his work brought an understanding that in communication and interaction that if discovered early (in my opinion) could benefit many marriages, and other relationships. As I reflect on my personal experience, I think about the earlier years of my marriage. I could identify with Dr. Peterson's example in Chapter 3 regarding â€Å"Jack and Jill†. The only difference was that I thought if my wife would just listen to me first then I would undoubtedly solve any problem should would ever face. â€Å"After all I'm smart; I'm a good judge of character; I know how to interact and handle people; and if need be I can be very assertive. A few â€Å"short† years ago, my wife and I were visiting some of her relatives. Before we arrived, I made her agree that we would â€Å"head† back from her relative a certain time. However, I really did not consider her feelings regarding my â€Å"strict† timeline. During the visit, I would rehearse to my wife about â€Å"ou r† agreed itinerary. It did not dawn on me that I had â€Å"bullied† her into this agreement. After a week after the visit, my wife explained her feelings concerning â€Å"our† agreement and how I did not take into account her feelings. She claimed that I was using â€Å"double-standards†. At the time, I thought that my wife was just complaining and not being realistic. But reflecting upon this book, and reflecting on previous episodes regarding my communication with my wife, I could have use this book. I failed to put myself in my wife position and could have seriously damage our relationship. Look The work of Dr. Peterson highlights the importance of effective communication. Early in my life I thought that â€Å"getting† point across was the most important principle concerning communication. In using the concepts outlined in this book, I would evaluate myself as fallen prey to the â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory†. The relevance of Dr. Peterson work is that it correlates Kollar's and Hawkins' work. Each illuminates the importance of the perspective counselor first understanding themselves such as knowing their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. Before a perspective counselor can assist others, he/she must address their own personal egocentricities. A valid question that could accompany Dr. Peterson's work would be: Based upon your understanding of the â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory†, do you find yourself in this particular category? If so, what are some practical approaches you could take to remedy the â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory†? Understanding each component of the â€Å"Flat-Brain Theory assist in my understanding of in identifying potential prohibiting factors of communication. If I can identify the condition of my stomach (feels/emotions), my heart (processing of information) and my head (logical) , I can readily identify the condition of others that I may assist. The most impressi ve aspect of Dr. Peterson's work is that he claims that he often times refers to it. Based upon this, one is lead to believe that counseling is not an exhausted field. The pastoral counselor must take it upon himself to constantly be in a state of learning. If the counselor allows complacency set in then he loses his effectiveness. Do After reading Dr. Peterson's book, I feel encouraged and inspired to examine my own feelings and logic. I quickly realize that I must treat every potential counseling occasion as fresh and unique. I cannot enter in to any counseling session with preconceived ideas or emotions. Each person is unique so their circumstance must be unique. In my own relationship, I learned from Dr. Peterson's work is that I should not think for others. Allowing others to communicate and I listen without trying to talk for them will assist in strengthening my personal relationships. Only by being a â€Å"good† listener can I become more understanding. The 7Gift/DISC profiler identified several characteristics that I believe to be true about my personality. Such characteristics as determined and detail oriented. Although this can be good in certain aspects but it can leave those that I interact with a sense that I can be very demanding or intimidating. Understanding how I portray myself to others is critical to being a counselor. As I reflect upon my † Relational Style Action Plan†, Dr. Peterson's â€Å"Talker-Lister Process† applies. The TLC provide simple but valuable guidelines to facilitate the communication process. One of my struggles in the communication process has been that I would look for indicators in the process. I would sometime assume incorrectly what they were trying to portray. The TLC will assist in articulating correctly the point that the â€Å"talker† is communicating. One significant point that Dr. Peterson communicates in his work is that from time to time he refers to the book. If had a fellow counselor, that was experiencing challenges in communication, I would reference first Dr. Peterson acknowledgement that he is life-long learner, encourage them to try new techniques and methods, and possibly do some self assessment tools to assess himself. With that in mind, my outlook is that the counselor must be available to learn and perfect their craft. Openness is necessary not only for the counselee but also for the counselor.

Readings in Jazz History Essay

Jazz, the music which was born and blossomed in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century, later traveled all over the country acquiring new features and forms. The New Orleans jazz style included polyphonic music in which different musical instruments simultaneously play different variations on a particular piece of music and which includes freer rhythmic improvisation. Usually the musical instruments included trumpet, clarinet, and trombone all playing different melody at the same time. Starting from New Orleans jazz traveled to Chicago, Kansas City, New York and others and made them its centers for a certain period. Kansas City jazz flourished in the 1930s, when the town was an entertainment capital during the Depression. The city’s unique sound was largely defined by the reliance of its bands on blues, fast tempos, and simple riff structures. Local bands developed to a high degree in relative isolation from outside influences. The top quality of African-American origin of jazz mattered to many other cities, but did not reach Texas until the middle 1920s. And the impact of the representatives of New Orleans style, so decisive in other parts of the country, was less strongly felt in this region. In contrast, the sound of the blues was pervasive in Texas. Kansas style, distinguished by the rise of larger dance bands, was characterized the inclination for the blues. The Kansas City style as it evolved in the 1920s and 1930s incorporated an informal â€Å"head chart† style relying on simple memorized parts. Among the pioneers of Kansas City jazz were Count Basie band (featuring Lester Young) and Jay McShann band (featuring Charlie Parker). One of the most influential of the Kansas City players from the 1930s was Lester Young. Among his achievements was the change of melodic improvisation in jazz, where he offered an alternative to the hot, syncopated style. Jazz style became distinguished by flowering of cool jazz, a supple manner of phrasing across bar lines, a greater sensitivity to intervals that underlay harmonies, and emotional elevation. Lester elaborated the techniques of jazz improvisation and broadened the music’s emotionality. Among other prominent players was Count Basie whose band worked on refining swing style, music which largely derived from the blues, relied on formal, syncopated arrangements to support soaring, improvised solos. It was propulsive music, infectious and irresistible. Murray’s thesis on the return of Kansas City jazz to its roots in New Orleans seems to be more like nostalgic view. If to look at jazz of the 1930ies more attentively, it will become obvious that it was rather the reconsideration of the true nature of jazz than a throwback. Kansas City jazz again returned to improvisation, to free performance, but improvisation now was intentional, the true jazz musician was that who could play without scores, who could improvise with melody and create off hand. However, if to return to New Orleans’ improvisation, it was predetermined by the lack of education. The musicians of that time were not professionals and many of them just reproduced on the stage the music the way they felt it. So the difference in the grounds for improvisation is the key factor that does not allow the assertion that Kansas style is the throwback to the initial form of jazz to be feasible. â€Å"I can’t stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years. if you can, then it ain’t music, it’s close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or something, not music. † (96) – these words of Billy Holiday convey the general attitude towards the jazz that existed among prominent musicians and jazz critics in the 1930s. The survey of the ideas on jazz music and its nature expressed by such musician as Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday and Duke Ellington as well as jazz critics Robert Goffin and John Hammond leads to the conclusion that all of them meet in the view on the nature of jazz. Though with different approaches and interpretation both musicians and critics stand up for the idea that real jazz is the music which is not written down and played all times in the same way. In other words all of them uphold the opinion that improvisation is the only key feature of true jazz what makes it easy music. However, as it was mentioned there are still some variances in approaches. Thus, Goffin for example, uses the term â€Å"hot jazz† to define improvised form and claims that â€Å"hot jazz, [is] otherwise known as improvised jazz, a type of music that was in existence long before it was formally tabulated. The epithet â€Å"hot† is applied to any passage â€Å"in which the executant or executants abandon the melodic theme and develop an imaginative structure on the basis of that theme and incorporated with it. † (83) At the same time he points to the problems related to the setting jazz tunes within fixed scores that result in nothing but poor resemblance of real music. He contrasts melodic jazz to hot jazz in favour of latter: â€Å"Melodic jazz has contributed nothing to music and will only be remembered for its unspeakable insipidness; whereas hot jazz is a creative principle which can scarcely fail to affect the music of the future in the most original and unexpected directions†. (84) Special attention Goffin pays to Louis Armstrong, whom he considers â€Å"the supreme genius of jazz† (85). Speaking about Louis Armstrong, he also defends the idea of improvisation to be the true music. He, actually, differentiates between swing and jazz, attributing latter to the contemporary commercialized music. Swing for Armstrong is exactly that type of free music based on improvisation which was practiced in New Orleans thirty years before his time. The same as Goffin does Armstrong rebukes the practice of writing down music, and explains that tendency by the quest for profit of record companies. At the same time, John Hammond distinguishes African-American musical traditions from the popular commercial phenomenon which he refers to as swing that is played predominantly at this time by white bands. He accuses people involved in music business of commercialization of jazz and deprivation it of any value: â€Å"Not the least of the despoilers are the commercial gentlemen, who produce all kinds of ridiculous recorded jazz under the caption â€Å"Swing,† and who are directly responsible for the stunt music that great men like Armstrong play these days. In this society there are always Breakfast Food people to sell their wares by tying them up with something popular†. (103) Hammond stands out in this team by the most fervent wish to surmount racial conflicts in jazz realm. He constantly points out to the fact that Black musicians suffer from being prejudiced by audience and record companies, despite the fact that the jazz is originally black music. Therefore, considering these ideas, we can arrive to the conclusion that all of mentioned participants of jazz world have common understanding of improvised nature of real jazz, and all of them acknowledge that with putting music in the frames of scores the musicians deprive it of its emotional load, feeling and originality. While, the tendency to written scores existed and evolved there must have been an explanation to it. The professionals discussed above agree in view that the main threat to the jazz was the commerce, practiced by record companies that tried to gain maximum profit from popular music of those days. And, as it usually occurs, such practice contributed to the simplification of music. However, looking back, this tendency did not have lethal effect for jazz, while today we can see that jazz did not stumbled in its progress and continues its development appearing in such modern forms as acid jazz, nu jazz etc. Works cited list Walser, Robert. Keeping Time: Readings in Jazz History. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999

Teamwork in Action

TEAMWORK IN ACTION Retail store that sells music CDs 1. In retail store that sell music CDs, the single measure best reflects the overall level of activity is Number of CDs sold. – In respect to changes in the measure of CDs sold, a variable cost is a cost that varies, in total, in direct proportion while a fixed cost remains unchanged, in total, regardless of any change. ->Examples of fixed and variable costs in respect to small changes in the measure of selling CDs: Cost| Cost behavior| | Variable| Fixed| The cost of advertising new store| | X|Number of CDs supplied| X| | The cost of renting space for store| | X| The electrical cost in store| | X| The direct labor cost| | X| The cost of delivering CDs | X| | Variable Cost Number of CDs supplied| Cost of CD| Total variable Cost – CDs| 1| 35. 000| 35. 000| 50| 35. 000| 1. 750. 000| 100| 35. 000| 3. 500. 000| Fixed Cost Monthly Labor cost| Number of CDs sold| Average cost per CD| 5. 000. 000| 20| 250. 000| 5. 000. 000| 7 0| 71. 428,6| 5. 000. 000| 150| 33. 333,3| 2. Relationship between the number of CDs sold and others: Cost| Behavior of the cost| In Total| Per Unit| Fixed cost| Total fixed cost is not affected by changed in the number of CDs sold. | Fixed cost per unit decreases as the number of CDs sold rises and increases as this number falls. | Variable cost| Total variable cost increases and decreases in proportion to changes in the number of CDs sold. | Variable cost per unit remains constant. | | | | Total cost| Increases and decreases in proportion to changes in the number of CDs sold| Average total cost per unit| Increases and decreases in proportion to changes in the number of CDs sold|

Similarities in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Siddhartha as Portrayed by an Unknown Author and Herman Hesse

Similarities in The_ Epic of Gilgamesh_ and Siddhartha As portrayed by an unknown author and Herman Hesse Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh believe in themselves, they do not let others define them or make decisions for them. Siddhartha demonstrates that he has strong will from the very beginning of the novel. He is taught by the Samana even though the teachings he received up to this point in his life say that the Samana’s wayis the wrong religion. â€Å"It is not fitting for a Brahmin to speak angry and violent words/But indignation moves my heart/I do not wish to hear that request a second time from your lips†(Hesse, 9). Siddhartha wants to make his own decision to study with the Samana, therefore, he needed to go against his father’s judgment and demand leave to travel with the Samana. This clearly shows Siddhartha’s strong will by wanting to study with the Samana strongly enough to disobey his father. Siddhartha also demonstrates determination when he does not fall prey to the temptations of Sublime ones teachings. Siddhartha believes you do not need a teacher or scriptures to be taught how to achieve Nirvana. He abandons the Buddha and also his friend with hope of finding the way to Nirvana on his own. Gilgamesh on the other hand is the ruler of Uruk. In order to be able to keep his people alive he needs to be level headed and strong willed. Gilgamesh is so strong willed he seems arrogant, he believes he is one of the Gods and immortal and forgets that he is only 2/3 God. The villagers of Uruk say that â€Å"[Gilgamesh’s] arrogance has no bounds by night or day†(tablet 1, 62). Although his strong will is mistaken for arrogance on numerous occasions, Gilgamesh changes through the course of the novel. After meeting Enkidu he seems less arrogant to the people of Uruk and becomes their hero. Gilgamesh’s strong will helps him through the trials he must face to reach immortality. He faces the battle with Hambaba, the death of his friend, he passes through the mountain pass, rows across the waters of death and then return to his people. Gilgamesh did not give up during his journey because he did not want to let the people of Uruk suffer an illfate. The thought of his people gives him courage and his strong will is what allows him to continue. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are two men from different times but they still share the same quality of being strong willed. The importance of loyalty is conveyed through Siddhartha’s and Gilgamesh’sloyalty to their friends. Siddhartha is loyal to every person he meets during his journey, but his most trusted friend is Govinda. They start their journey together; Govinda is in love with Siddhartha and therefore follows all his wishes. After meeting the Sublime One Siddhartha feels as though he has wronged his friend by bringing him along on his journey, because they have not found Nirvana: Govinda, my friend, now you have taken this step, now you have chosen this path. Always, oh Govinda, you've been my friend, you've always walked one step behind me. Often I have thought: Won't Govinda for once also take a step by himself, without me, out of his own soul? Behold, now you've turned into a man and are choosing your path for yourself. I wish that you would go it up to its end, oh my friend, that you shall find salvation! Siddhartha wants only the best for his friend so he waits for Govinda to decide to leave him instead of sending him away. Siddhartha wishes Govinda well, even though he knows later on he will feel lonely without his friend. Siddhartha and Govinda meet each other after they depart on two other occasions. On each meeting they speak as though they had never left one another’s side. Friendship thus plays a key role in Siddhartha as well. Gilgamesh initially does not seem like a loyal person because of his arrogance, however, when he meets Enkidu, Gilgamesh becomes a loyal friend. At the beginning of their relationship, Gilgamesh’s loyalty seems questionable, but after the death of Enkidu the reader can see the great love he has for his friend. â€Å"[. . . ] seven days and seven nights he wept for Enkidu† (Tablet, 96). Following the death of his friend, despite Gilgamesh’s vow to walk with him in the neverlands (valley of death), he leaves on a journey to find immortality because he does not want his people to suffer the way he has. Despite his journey to find immortality Gilgamesh comes to realize that immortality will not bring his friend back from the dead. He discovers that he must live his life the way Enkidu would have wanted him to; without grief. Gilgamesh decides to stay loyal to his friend and walk in the neverlands with him after his own death. Gilgamesh and Siddhartha are loyal to their closest friends and they only wish the best for them. Through their loss they were able to achieve impossibilities. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh never truly experience grief until the death of the ones they love. Their experience with grief is similar because it helps them evolve as people and it changes their lives. After the death of Kamala, Siddhartha is enlightened and is able to experience the grief of this world as well as see the grief he inflicts on his father the day he leaves. Kamala’s death leaves Siddhartha with the responsibility of raising his son, who hates living as a ferryman. His son wants to return to the town but his father does not let him. â€Å"I hate you you’re not my father/even if you were her lover ten times over. † (Hesse,108). Siddhartha feels grief at that moment for not being loved by his son, but it is through grief that he can understand Nirvana. Gilgamesh has everything he has ever wanted and he has never had an occasion to understand or feel grief. He would have never felt grief if he did not enjoy the company of Enkidu. The death of Enkidu is the turning point in The Epic of Gilgamesh, because Gilgamesh, in order to forget his grief, sets out on his journey to find immortality, in his attempt to resurrect Enkidu, also to shelter his people from grief. For Gilgamesh and Siddhartha, grief is the turning point in their lives, because it helps them move forward. Siddhartha discovers Nirvana and Gilgamesh finds that you can’t escape reality with immortality. While writing Siddhartha and The_ Epic of _Gilgamesh the authors would have been influenced by the beliefs of the society in which they lived. Siddhartha follows the Buddhist belief that you can find Nirvana through teachings and meditation. Nirvana is a state of mind which is completely at peace and with complete clarity and lucidity without thoughts of volitional formation (Bhikkhu Bodhi). Herman Hesse wrote the novel Siddhartha during his time in India and China, where the central religion is Buddhism. It is unknown to this day who the author of The Epic of Gilgamesh really was. First the story was found on tablets years after it was written and secondly the tablets state that Gilgamesh himself had written the novel. The reason people do not believe it was Gilgamesh who wrote this novel is because it is written in the third person. But we do know that The Epic of Gilgamesh is influenced by the Babylonian’s beliefs of dream interpretation and the cosmic. Since the epic is found in Babylonian ruins, archeologists assume that the epic is written by the Babylonian’s who also believed in astrology. The novel states that it is written during the age of the Taurus, also Gilgamesh sacrifices a bull, which is a custom among the Babylonians (Tony Crisp). Both novels are influenced by the place they were written but also during the era they are written in. Siddhartha is written in 1922 by a German named Herman Hesse who studied the Buddhist religion during 1910-1922. Around the time that Hesse wrote Siddhartha, his wife was suffering from mental instabilities and his son was seriously ill. Hesse stayed positive and strived for spiritual self-realization. Hesse states that â€Å"There is no reality except the one contained within us†(Hesse, 1919), this is a concept found within the novel Siddhartha. The difficulties and trials Hesse has to face helped make his novel one that’s praised around the world. The Epic of Gilgamesh has no official author because it is written on stone tablets that were discovered in the mid nineteenth century by Austen Henry Layard. They believed the tablets to be written around 2000 BCE but the actualdate is still argued. The tablets were found in ancient Mesopotamia, where they discovered 12 incomplete tablets. More tablets with a Syrian script have been found as far away from Mesopotamia as Syria and Turkey. Richard Hines) Both novels were written as a work of fiction but in reality they are both written using the name of an actual historical figure. Siddhartha of Gautama is known as the â€Å"Awakened one† or the Buddha throughout Asia; Hesse’s story does not follow closely to that of the Buddha. The journey they follow is different but the path they take to find Nirvana is the same. They both end up finding Niravan through medi tation and self teachings. the tablets on which The Epic of Gilgamesh is written tell the true tale of the historical figure, Gilgamesh, fifth king of Uruk. Water is the sign of purity and rebirth, but in order to be reborn in water you must emerge from its’ depths. (Didier Coiffard) During Siddhartha’s attempt to escape his life as a merchant, he runs away and decides to commit suicide near a river bank. While under the water he sees the word OM in front of him and finds himself unable to commit suicide. He emerges from the water a renewed man with renewed knowledge. â€Å"The new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this flowing water and decided that he would not leave it again so quickly† (Hesse, 81). He then meets the ferryman and becomes his apprentice in order to study the water and relearn his skills as a Brahmin and Samana. Siddhartha learns to listen to the river and becomes friends with it. With the help of the ferryman and the river Siddhartha finds Nirvana. He also relearns his skills of fasting, thinking and waiting. It is with the help of the river that Siddhartha is able to become a renewed and awakened person. Gilgamesh was also fortunate enough to find rebirth near water. Gilgamesh ends his initial quest near the river of death and retrieves a magic plant. In order to reach the plant Gilgamesh needs to submerge himself in the river. Once he emerges from the water he finds new hope in the magic plant, knowing that he could help his city. On his way back to UrukGilgamesh falls asleep and a snake steals the magic plant. For whom have I labored? For whom have I journeyed? For whom have I suffered? I have gained absolutely nothing for myself, I have only profited the snake, the ground lion! Gilgamesh goes back to Uruk to be with his wife and children, he realizes that he is only human and will keep his promise with Enkidu and walk in the neverlands with him. Both Siddhartha and Gilgamesh follow higher powers during their lives. Buddhists do not believe in a high power so Siddhartha follows the idea of spiritual awakening and a spiritual leader within himself . Siddhartha hears from his spiritual being when he leaves the Buddha and meets a woman that he desires but â€Å"[. . . ] upon hearing his innermost voice, and the voice said, no† (Hesse, 47) He immediately gives up on the woman and leaves her. He hears from his guide more than once through his journey. He hears the voice at the river and sees the word OM which is what gives him emotionalstrength. Like Siddhartha, Gilgamesh also follows a spiritual guide except for Gilgamesh believes in the gods. Until having met Enkidu, Gilgamesh has given his respect to the gods by sacrificing women and animals as well as building temples and shrines. After meeting Enkidu, he takes his fate into his own hands and kills Hambaba, but Enkidu dies by the will of the gods because he was not suppose to kill Humbaba. Gilgamesh has been touched by the gods since birth as his father, Utnapishtim is a god, which would make him 2/3 God and 1/3 man. The lives of Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are touched by a spiritual presence that helps them through their journey to find the meaning of life. In the beginning Siddhartha and Gilgamesh do not understand the meaning of life because they have never experienced anything outside of their cities. Siddhartha does not understand all aspects of life and therefore cannot experience nirvana. So his spiritual voice sends him on a journey to find and experience life. Through his journey he finds that there is no such thing as time, â€Å"Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence† (Hesse, 87). Without his journey into life he would have never found this wisdom and with knowing and understanding that time is irrelevant, he would have never found Nirvana. Gilgamesh is much like Siddhartha because he has not experienced anything outside of Uruk. After the death of Enkidu he realizes that he is not immortal and will die one day. This realization scares Gilgamesh so he sets out on his journey to find immortality. After meeting his father, Gilgamesh realizes that becoming immortal is impossible, so Gilgamesh acknowledges that one day he will die because he is only human. With this knowledge he goes back to Uruk and strives to be a good king for the rest of his life. Siddhartha learns that only through life experiences can the spiritual self be understood and Gilgamesh learns that even though one day everything will die, you have to do what youcan at the present time. Herman Hesse and the Babylonian text are stories that will always be loved by many readers. They are stories that can be passed down to future generations and taught for years to come because they show the true meaning of existence. Gilgamesh learns to appreciate his life as a human being as opposed to a god, and not wish for immortality. He also finds that he is only capable of so much. Siddhartha learns that life is meant to be experienced in order to find nirvana and be at complete peace. The stories tell the reader that they do not have to be perfect or have everything to be truly happy with the life they have. Siddhartha and Gilgamesh are two fictional characters very similar in nature, despite having been written in two different times; ancient history and the twentieth century. The morals and ideas that these books hold true to this day, in order to find our spiritual selves we need to go on a journey to the depths of our souls and find the peace with us. Tomb of Gilgamesh believed found. † BBC News. 23 April 2003. Water a source of inspiration. Cite expos l’eau pour tous. 9 January 2008. â€Å"Nirvana. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 7 January 2008 â€Å"Babylonian Dream Beliefs. † Dream Hawk. Mesopotamia. 6 June 1999. World Civilizations, Richard Hines. 8 January 2008 < http://w ww. wsu. edu/~dee/MESO/GILG. HTM> â€Å"Free Siddhartha Essays: Themes in Siddhartha. † 123HelpMe. com. 04 Jan 2008 http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=10368.

The Production of Space by Lefebvre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Production of Space by Lefebvre - Essay Example Lefebvre (1994, quoted in notbored.org, n.d.) in his book The Production of Space gives an insightful and realistic expression of geography, â€Å"An existing space may outlive its original purpose and the raison d'etre which determines its forms, functions, and structures; it may thus in a sense become vacant, and susceptible of being diverted, reappropriated and put to a use quite different from its initial one.† According to Lefebvre, â€Å"space† is otherwise known as a society. Time is only measured by instruments such as clocks and is only paid attention to when we are at work and the society we created actually has no real sense of time. This quote best introduces the topic of this writing as we focus on how classic urban theory shapes the views of the nature of hyper stimulation, phantasmagoria, and alienation. We shall also discuss geographers' understanding of the modern city and the contradictions of modernity, which are characterized by a tendency to order, space, and time whilst, simultaneously, its ruination and fragmentation (Berman 1982). Continuing the modern post urban experience in shaping spaces and consumptions of modern geographies of the twentieth century is the course of geography. ... specifications to a geography of modernity in which "an organic community lives in an age where a multiplicity of international and domestic material transformations"(Mackinder 1904: 434). This transformation is so extreme that not only do we use architecture to embrace all forms of dreaming and fantasy, but we also can use our hairstyles and clothing to create the geography that we fantasize, making it into our own reality. Geographers are influenced by Lefebvre's understanding of the modern Page 3 city. He states that space and time are driven by the forces of production and by industry, proletarian and revolutionary rationality. Some geographers mimic His view of space, as quoted in Henri Lefebvre's The Production of Space, "is actually experienced, in its depths, as duplications, echoes and reverberations, redundancies and doublings-up which engender -- and are engendered by -- the strangest of contrasts." While the internal divisions (the nine sharply-defined chapters) of The Society of the Spectacle -- reminiscent somehow of wide boulevards that ensure the smooth circulation of traffic -- make sure that the book's major themes do not interfere with each other, The Production of Space (to once again quote its author out of context) is "penetrated by, and shot through with, the weaker tendencies characteristic of networks and pathways." Unlike Debord, who uses the same paths to arrive at different points, Lefebvre arrives at the same points by using different paths". Berman (1982) states that the contradictions of modernity are characterised by a tendency to order space and time while simultaneously promoting their ruination and

Impact of Brand Personality on the Purchasing Decision Research Paper

Impact of Brand Personality on the Purchasing Decision - Research Paper Example During this period there were explosion of brands. Starting from mere cigarettes and soaps to luxury cars, a number of brands appeared which led human being to witness the modern form of marketing. Understanding the manner in which those marketing concepts evolved, will help to get better idea about why branded products are omnipresent nowadays. If we move back to the time when the concept of branding was unknown to human being, the theory of business was also very simple. The only criterion for being successful in trading was to manufacture superior quality products. For instance, if a company offered high quality coffee, bear or any other products, the customers were happy to buy those products. Moreover as long as the company maintained the same quality, repeat purchase was also common. It was also a time when consumers were more focused on the quality of products rather than the brand name associated with it. The report will primarily highlight the concepts of branding and the id eas related to it. In this context brand personality, brand value etc will be emphasized. Furthermore the importance and advantages of a brand will be also portrayed. The study will also analyze one of my recent purchases of a branded product. Finally the study will conclude highlighting the key areas and answering the question whether consumers often choose and use brands that have a brand personality or not. Brand & Brand Equity Traditionally the role of a brand was just about providing a name or an identity to the product (Baehrens, 2012). However presently eminent scholars such as De Mozota defined brand as the group of perceptions which is determined by both experience and communication. It can also be referred to as the addition of the characteristics of intangible and tangible which is used to make exclusive offers (DeMozota, 2003, Brand). A brand influences the perception of the customers about the company and therefore brands should be developed for its betterment (Adebola, Talabi, & Lamidi, 2012, pp.424-428). In addition, branding is also portrayed as the way by which an organization develops and delivers the propositions to the consumers. Nevertheless the assurance can be in the context of experimental enrichment, functional satisfaction or fulfillment of the aspirations (Baker, 2012, p.376). Usually, a brand is developed on the basis of 5 factors. They are design, positioning, customer relationship, storytelling and price (Healey, 2008, p.8). Some of the illustrious branded products are Nescafe, Marlboro-Clove, Kindle, Gucci, Apple, Samsung and Turtle among many others. In the similar approach brand value has also been identified as the biggest asset of the companies. It can be defined as extra cash flow earned by relating a brand with the goods and services (Aaker & Biel, 1993, p.69). Brand Personality Brand personality in simple terms can be defined as the way by which a brand speaks or how it behaves. It is process by which a brand is assigned w ith the human characteristics or personality traits with the brand in order to achieve some kind of differentiation to the product. These characteristics in turn signify the brand behavior with the help of its representatives. The representatives of a brand are the employees of the organization and packaging & advertisements of the company.

Evaluation of L-Proline as a Catalyst for an Asymmetric Aldol Reaction Lab Report

Evaluation of L-Proline as a Catalyst for an Asymmetric Aldol Reaction - Lab Report Example The product was then extracted with 10mL of ethyl acetate. Drying was done over MgSO4 . the separation of the drying agent was done via gravity filtration, whereas that of the solvent was done through rotary evaporation. The product was further taken through purification steps, which involved the use of flash chromatography using 50% petroleum ether/ 50% ethyl acetate as the eluting solvent. The fractions were then combined and the solvent eliminated via evaporation method. The massed of the obtained products were then recorded, and verification obtained. To conduct the Mosher analysis, 15mg of the Aldol product were dissolved in 0.9mL of anhydrous CH2Cl2 in a flame dried vial. 1.5mg of 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAO) followed by 15á ´ «L pyridine and MTPA-Cl were added. The solution was then sealed and allowed to react under nitrogen. After the reaction was complete, the isolation process followed. The crude reacrion was washed with 0.1 N HCL (0.5 mL), saturated bicarbonate solution (0.5 mL) and brine (0.5mL). The ratio of diastereomers by H-NMR was determined and enantiomeric excess of the Aldol reaction computed. From the analysis of the results obtained from the experimentation, it was clear that L-proline functions as a catalyst in a reaction involving Aldol. The product was further quantified by use of the Mosher ester approach. Consequently, a conclusion was drawn that L-proline functions as a catalyst in Aldol reactions. One of the powerful methods through which carbon-carbon bonds can be formed is through nucleophilic addition of an enolate to a carbonyl group. An example of the scenarios in which this principle has been applied is in the de novo generation of carbohydrates which results from the development of aldolase enzymes, which catalyze biological Aldol reactions. The ability of aldolases to produce enantiomeric product exclusively is a notable feature, difficult for the modern synthesis