Swot analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Swot analyze - Essay Example This paper defines the meaning letter in the acronym SWOT and its application to the Vancouver Island University Academic plan. Vancouver Island University has an  academic  plan, which  was created  with an  aim  of focusing the University academic goals to the continued progression of the institution.  This  academic  plan  was drafted  by  a selected  committee to serve as a directive to the development of the institutional academics.  Consequently, internal and the external contexts of the university and the views of members and other stake holders had to be put in to consideration during the making of the plan. The  document  is made  to  act  as a blue print to the  institution  on  certain  priorities and provides recommendations. The strengths of a  plan  are it strong points that  give  the  institution  a competitive  edge  over others and make the  plan  appropriate for the foundation (Hosseini-Nasab, Hosseini-Nasab & Milani, 2011). The Vancouver Island University academic plan  has enjoyed the support of the community since  launching to  current, enabling the  institutional  development  through different stages. The program is directed towards the development of the community, which helps address educational, social and cultural needs of the community. In addition, the plan supports scholarships for students and is focused on the ever changing  need  for  education, therefore  making it suitable for future planning. The academic  plan  like other organizational programs has its weaknesses, which are the short comings of a plan, disadvantages or limitations that reduce the chances of  effective  performance (Ronen & Coman, 2009). Most of the planed goals  require  money  to implement and  hence  the  institution  budgets have to be stretched. It is a lot of job to maintain the operation of the academic plan and at

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example The study of organizational behavior is extremely important as it plays a major role in determining the efficiency and effectiveness level of employees. Interpersonal skills for managers For managers in organizations, it is extremely vital that they develop strong interpersonal skills. Good interpersonal skills of managers may allow them to lead their employees in a better way and also effectively deal with the organizational related matters. Managers are to make decisions effectively and also have to assign the right task to the right employee. The work to be handled properly in an organization is the responsibility of the manager (Robbins and Judge, 2009). Managers need to develop good communication skills so that they can clearly get their message across the entire organization and all the subordinates that are working under the organization. Management Functions The management functions in an organization are planning, controlling, leading and organizing. The managers have to pla n the work activities and set goals for each task so that the employees perform the work accordingly. While planning, managers have to ensure all activities are coordinated. The planning stage of the organization is one of the most critical stages as managers need to understand the entire situation and then plan the schedule of the work processes accordingly. In the leading function, managers have to direct the employees towards the right path of performing work and also work on resolving conflicts for the employees. The leading stage for managers is highly important as well as employees need to be guided towards the right direction at all times without any problems so that they perform their work accordingly. The controlling function focuses on comparing the set goals with those that have been achieved and monitor constantly that all tasks are being completed on time (Robbins and Judge, 2009). Controlling of employees is needed by managers at all times. s Henry Mintzberg’s M anagerial Roles There are many theorists that have suggested theories related to organizational behavior. Henry Mintzberg has defined the managerial roles in an organization that is categorized under three headings. They are the interpersonal roles, the informational roles and the decisional roles. Under the Interpersonal roles category, the managers have to possess the figurehead, leader and liaison characteristics to successfully perform this role. Managers need to possess all the skills to deal with unexpected situations and also with difficult employees (Robbins and Judge, 2009). In the informational roles category, the manager performs the activities of monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson. Managers need to ensure that they are in total control of the activities that are under their supervision. They need to have complete knowledge about the work and be in a strong position to guide their employees accordingly as and when required. In the decisional roles category, the manag er has to perform the roles of entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator. Managers need to possess conflict handling abilities as conflicts and stress related situations tend to be a common issue in all organizations. Employees may lose their patience at times and may spoil the work processes. Managers need to be good negotiators and strong leaders to handle all types of behavior and attitudes of employees (Robbins and Judge, 2009). Katz’s Essential Management Skills Katz essential management skills state that managers should have the technical skills, the human skills and the conceptual skills. In technical skills,

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential The Parliamentary system vs. Presidential system is a frequently debated topic, and often the debate is based on which system brings about the most success. Unarguably, the success rate of a system is an adequate way of measuring its right to be implemented. However, success is broken down into many components, and one of the most vital elements of success is stability. The question here is: what makes a stable system? Stability consists of political security, how well public demand is met, the difficulty level of being overthrown, the economic state of the country, and as a source simply put it a stable political system is one that survives through crises without internal destruction  [1]  . These are just a few of the criteria points from a vast array of fundamentals which construct the definition of stable. In the case of the UK and the US governmental systems, comparing both democracies, it becomes obvious that they share the same values and virtues to a certain extent. Perhaps one of the most stand-out similarities shared amongst the two systems is the responsibility they have for the people. Similarly the citizens ruled under these two different democracies are provided with the same, laws, rules and rights. However, there are several crucial differences between these two liberal democracies which make them so distinct. The election process of the two diverse governmental systems is one of the key differences which make them incomparable to each other. While within a presidential system the voters vote directly for the president, within the parliamentary system such as in Britain, the prime minister is elected indirectly; constituents essentially vote for a representative, a member of parliament to represent them in parliament; the leader of the majority party which wins becomes the prime minister. This is seen to be undemocratic in comparison to the election process of presidential systems which is seen to be more direct as it is directly voicing the voters opinions on who they want to lead the country. However, there are many advantages to a parliamentary system in comparison to the presidential system. For example, with the parliamentary system of government, it is fairly easy and more rapid to pass legislation through. However, there are other factors which can play a role in the power of these systems, for example if a party has a majority in parliament it will become easier to pass legislation through. In the case of the UK, this was the situation with Labour in 1997 under Tony Blair, Tony Blairs New Labour had gained a staggering 179-seat overall majority in the Commons as the Conservatives were tossed aside by the voters.  [2]  The Sweet and Maxwell research shows that In total Tony Blairs administration was the most prolific, introducing a total of 26,849 new laws over his entire premiership. This argues that, majority leadership within parliament is a factor which leads to legislation passed through much faster. So, A government with a secure majority can ensure its leg islation passesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [3]  this supports the claim that there are other factors which play a role into guaranteeing that legislation passes through, such as the majority in parliament or other elements which include an emergency or unseen events such as an economic crisis. An example of this is the Northern Ireland Act 1972, which took only seven hours and eleven minutes to reverse the effects of a court decision that undermined the powers of the armed forces in Northern Ireland.  [4]  Additionally, within a parliamentary system, the public is being represented while passing laws; as the House of Commons is a body which consists of representatives elected by constituents. If it is the case that, the House of Commons defy their constituents and try to pass a law through which is not in the interest of their constituents, they will get hassled by the media and pressure groups that have an immense influence on parliament. This is another factor and a very important on e as it verifies that the parliamentary system is stable as it is a struggle to pass legislation through if it is not in the interest of their constituents. RSPA is an example of a pressure group which influenced legislation; The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came about as a result of campaigning by animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA  [5]  . Conversely, within a presidential system which has been adopted by countries such as USA, the elaborate system of checks and balances within the presidential system makes it very challenging to pass legislation through as it often leads to gridlock. This is due to different parties controlling different branches within the presidential system, as it could be the case that legislation is controlled by one party and the presidency is controlled by the other. The paper, Divided government and the Legislative productivity of Congress states that, Divided government is thought to lead to gridlock, paralysis, and legislative slumps.  [6]  This supports the claim that the presidential system is unstable as it leads to negative outcomes such as gridlock and paralysis where nothing gets solved making it an unstable system due to the fact that it is a struggle to pass legislation even if it is in the benefit of the people. On the other hand, the checks and balances within a presidential system also have its gains as, Each branch of the government can check, or control, some parts of what the other branches do. This creates a balance of power in which no one person or group can become too powerful.  [7]  However in the case of a parliamentary system, the easiness of passing legislation through can also mean that a government is unstable as, legislation made in haste can result in problems. For example, terrorists were able to avoid having their photographs and DNA taken because of faulty (hasty) drafting of legislation  [8]   Nevertheless, even though a presidential system proves to be stable as it prevents a single branch becoming excessively powerful, this can also have negative impacts as it is considered as a flaw, separation of power helps restrain the centralization and abuse of power, but with the loss of efficiency and the fragmentation of responsibility.  [9]  Going back to the initial question, this expresses that the presidential system is unreliable and unstable as there would be confusion to who would be held liable if anything does occur. Furthermore, within a parliamentary system it is very easy to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister as this can be easily done through a vote of no confidence. This argues that a parliamentary democracy is fairer and stable for the reason that it is very easy to get rid of a prime minister who is corrupt and does not rule a country as he or she promised to do. This is the case with the Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as according to the Telegraph Newspaper, The no-confidence vote, due on Wednesday, has been called by the opposition Democrat Party. They accuse Ms Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party of ongoing corruption and are questioning her links to her brother, exiled former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra.  [10]  So within the parliamentary system you can stop the ruling of an unsuitable prime minister, whereas with the presidential system it is very difficult to get rid of the president as he or she has a fixed term of office and the only way to get rid of him/ her is through impeachment however In almost all countries presidential impeachment is difficult  [11]  its a very tough process and it is much more difficult to get rid of an unsuitable president than it is to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister. Perhaps it is safe to say that semi-presidentialism is a more stable governmental system rather than the two discussed throughout this essay as it is a combination of both systems. Also, Semià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ presidentialism is an increasingly popular form of constitutional government.  [12]  If more and more countries are adjusting themselves to this particular system, it is fair to say that this might be a more stable system than the presidential or parliamentary systems. Though, in the book, Parliamentary versus Presidential Government the author quotes, Parliamentarism is the most widely adopted system of government  [13]  This supports the claim that, Parliamentarism must be very popular if it is the most widely adopted system of government, if it is that widespread it must have good features to it which make it so popular. So, when reaching a conclusion regarding which system is more stable, taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages, I believe it is justifiable to say that the parliamentary system can be considered as more stable than the presidential system. However, it all depends on what the country considers as a stable government. As some may argue that both of these systems have become unstable as sovereignty is lost. In the case with Britain and its parliamentary system, the European system overlaps the parliamentary system and can enforce its own laws onto Britain. However, in theory Britain could always withdraw from th e EU. Nonetheless, the UN and the power it has, undermines both systems. Therefore, it really depends on a country itself, and what it considers as a stable system.

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Beech, Anthony R, Leam A Craig and Kevin D Brown. 2009. ‘’A Community Residential Treatment Approach for Sexual Abusers’’, Assessment and Treatment of Sex Offenders: A Handbook. Eldridge, Hilary and Donald Findlater. 349-364. West Sussex, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This chapter focuses on the Wolvercote Clinic, a positive treatment facility for high risk sex offenders to gain skills to assist them in their rehabilitation process and prepare them for life in the community. The authors acknowledge that it is essential for offenders to be taught skills in recognising and dealing with emotional and physical risk factors, managing feelings, developing social and positive thinking skills as well as sexual fantasy management. The authors argue that without the teaching of these skills in the facility, sexual offenders will find it challenging to reintegrate into the community which could lead to offence relapse. This chapter was useful in identifying key skills that sex offenders must obtain before being released into the community to heighten the chances of success and for that reason it could assist me in my role as a probation and parole officer in my scenario (nine). Brown, Kevin, Jon Spencer, Jo Deakin, 2007, ‘’The Reintegration of Sex Offenders: Barriers and Opportunities for Employment’’, The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 46 (1) 32-42, accessed 10 March 2014, DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2311.2007.00452.x This article focuses on the barriers faced by sex offenders, regarding employment, and the anxieties that employers experience when employing sex offenders. The authors address the main barriers of employment, including poor levels of education and skills, employer discrimination, drug and alcohol addiction, lack of family support, an... ...306624X11426132 This article reports on research conducted regarding convicted child sex offender’s expectations and experiences of reintegration into the community both prior and post release. It is noted that the majority of sex offenders interviewed feared their release and struggled to live in society once released. The authors argue that this is a result of simplistic reintegration planning that aimed to manage risk factors rather than promote rehabilitation. The authors acknowledge the need for reintegration processes to consider the requirements of offenders, victims and the community in order to be effective. This article was useful for showing the importance of comprehensive reintegration plans to make the outcome satisfying to the offender and the community and for that reason could assist me in my role as a probation and parole officer in scenario nine.

Ann from “The Painted Door” by Sinclair Ross Essay

Because of John’s lack of communication skills, Ann feels isolated psychologically and emotionally, and as a result, she is seen by the reader as a woman in despair seeking companionship during the Great Depression. Ann is dutiful and submissive, so typical of the women of the 30’s, as it is shown when she claimed, â€Å"Plenty to eat – plenty of wood to keep me warm – what more could a woman ask for?†(p.48) even though it is clearly the opposite of what she really wants. She says to John â€Å"I know. It’s just that sometimes when you’re away I get lonely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the hesitation in this particular sentence explains her powerful desire to have someone to talk to, yet is afraid of John’s response. But we think Ann is more than just what she appears to be. There are moments where her rebellious personality is shown, such as when she went out of the house during the blizzard to feed the animals when John had plainly stated to her, â€Å"Everything’s fed and watered, and I’ll see that there’s plenty of wood in.† This depicts Ann’s willingness to go so far as to distract herself from her loneliness. Also, the way she beseeches John to stay and the way she reacted, â€Å"She glanced up sharply, then busied herself clearing the table†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg49) at the mention of a visit by Steven shows that she presents some good intuition and intellect as to what may happen. One can argue that Ann is unconsciously selfish and even ungrateful, for John is constantly trying to please her by working continuous hours without aids of others. She also has a roof over her head and food in her tummy that so many lacked during that era, and yet, she gives hints that she is highly unsatisfied of her current situation and commits adultery. However, the lack of companionship, increased by the barrenness of the surroundings in which the character lives in, makes Ann desperate for anything that would get her out of her miserable existence. As we know, humans are extreme social creatures, and when Steven arrived on her doorsteps with his, quote, â€Å"still-boyish face† (pg57) and â€Å"his lips drawn in a little smile that was too insolent, but at the same time companionable†(pg57) , Ann forgets all  rules and drops her mental barrier, giving into what she desires the most: companionship. So in conclusion, we feel that Ann is a woman with an extremely good heart, but is misguided into doing wrong actions by the isolation and loneliness in which her husband had ultimately caused.

The Female Role in a Male Dominated Society

Women are sometimes undermined by the culture in which they live in. Only recently have they begun to be looked at as near equals to men and given a voice. Still, in some countries women may be pushed aside and left without a say in important decision-making. In the momentous novel The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende, the wife of each generation is a matriarch in her family. Individually they rise above cultural trends, and their husbands or lovers, to exercise the fact that women are important. Women can be as powerful as men, even in a male-dominated society. This is why Nivea, Clara, Blanca, and Alba make their voices and actions heard during difficult times in a developing country. American women were willing to go to extreme lengths to make their voice heard and receive the right to vote. Their efforts did not go unnoticed. News articles stated that â€Å"Their issues are legitimate and cut across socioeconomic and party lines,† (Brenner,1-2) and that the Suffragist’s would be willing to hold an all night vigile to make sure their right to vote was no longer delayed(New York Times, 1). The House of the Spirits takes place in Chile during the 1900’s. The story begins in the Del Valle household. Nivea is the current matriarch. She is a firm believer in women’s suffrage and equality. Nivea was the first woman of the novel to display her affection towards the underprivileged. She stood on crates and boxes to preach to the hard-working women wearing rags and working in factories that paid next to nothing. She brings Clara along with her after discovering that her family does everything they can to avoid Clara’s clairvoyant powers. Nivea and her suffragette friend inspire Clara at a young age to understand and grasp the absurdity of the issue. Her trends are absorbed by the following generations of women in her family. Esteban Trueba is Clara’s husband, an angry man who is violent to his many workers and doesn’t take rule from anyone. His success and authority of Tres Marias, his father’s old hacienda, turned him into a tough skinned man that not many people had control over. His mother’s death causes him to, one day, look for a wife. Esteban decides to go to the Del Valle house and inquire about a daughter able to marry him. Nivea offers him Clara, her last available daughter (88-89). Clara instantly has a power over Esteban. Her laugh and her smile are astonishing to Esteban Trueba, her beauty takes over him and he decides to marry her (90-91). Though Esteban is a dominating character he finds that he is unable to control Clara. I wanted to possess her absolutely, down to her last thought, but that diaphanous woman would float by me like a breath of fresh air, and even if I held her down with my hands and embraced her with all my strength, I could never make her mine. Her spirit wasn’t with me. (Allende, 177) Clara’s place as Esteban’s wife, and only love, capture him completely. She was the only person that could influence him and the only person that he would listen to. At one point he even changes the currency used on Tres Marias, a territory forbidden strictly to Esteban Trueba’s rule, because Clara feels that it would be nicer for the tenant’s to have a form of paper money. Esteban indeed stops handing the tenant’s pink slips and begins paying them with real money (178). Blanca and Alba are mother and daughter, both who have lovers involved in a revolution against the Conservative Government.

Argumentative Essay Sample on Travel and Tourism Pros and Cons

Argumentative Essay Sample on Travel and Tourism Pros and Cons Until recently, the gigantic tourism industry has been doing well, very well. In the year 2001, a recorded 688 million people were traveling internationally. As the tourism industry’s popularity grows, the image of travel and tourism begins to evolve. With a simple click of the button, your entire nine-day itinary to India could be planned, booked and paid for. No long distance calls to New Delhi. No two-hour busy lines on the United Airlines reservation lines. Traveling is as easy as ordering a pizza. At the same time as countries start to evolve and cater to the tourism industry, authenticity is lost. A distinction must be made between what is the tourist and the traveler. The essence of traveling is to experience something completely different from what is at home. Now, tourism is molded into what is familiar to us. It is no longer the culture of a society, rather one of tourism. When a trip is organized with online tour groups or packages, it produces a view of the country that is for the consumption of the tourist. They display a faÐ ·ade to foreigners of what they see as attractive or interesting. Tourism has become too much of a service. It is geared towards what the tourist would find familiar or comfortable. It takes away from the true mission of travel. Tour groups and itineraries are structured to offer the most efficiency throughout your travel. But travel in large groups, walking from bus to bus, hotel to hotel provides a very narrow experience of the country. I searched online, to find travel agencies and tour group advertisements for travel in India. On a National Geographic site, called iExplore, I found made-to-order exclusive with gold or silver package deals. The package houses the group at a Hyatt hotel in New Delhi. The site boasts that across the ocean, tourists can enjoy the comforts of HBO and mini-fridges. American channels replace, nat ive television. Coca-cola and Sprite replace Chai tea. The importation of American hotels isn’t the only culture that has snuck in. My mother has traveled through Bombay and Calcutta and commented on the presence of McDonalds’ and KFC in city centers. Chains are known and dependable and offer a taste of home. Unfortunately the countries lose their culture as an affect. An entirely new culture is developed out of the popularity of the tourism industry. Staying at Hyatt’s and eating at KFC only removes them from the original culture. The popularity of the new factories and chain restaurants requires construction and massive consumption of natural resources. In simple places such as Calcutta and Bombay, my mother noticed mass construction of new roads from town to town. The roads will cause serious erosion problems in the future. The bustle and boom of the tourism industry blindly leads the locals to the bright lights of a market economy and instant profit. If done in a respectful and conservative manner, traveling can create a network of positive relations to nature, culture and people and therefore is an important foundation stone for peace. Traveling can draw the attention of people and governments to values of culture and nature, to necessities for conservation and education programs about other lands, their geographical characteristics and their people. We travel to learn and experience something that is completely different than home. When a trip is organized to include the comforts of home, it hinders oneself from truly experiencing the place. When my mother traveled in India by herself, she felt a sense of discovery. For her, traveling was a chance to step out of her comfort box. As a young woman, eating spicy curries, dodging speeding bicycles, watching Indians bathe in the filthy Ganges River was scary and new. But she commented that such experiences forces us to do something other than what we know. It forces us to change and grow. I also experienced this sense of freedom from an online backpacker website called Travel Times-India. The site recommended that rather than consuming the place and spitting out a production of how we see it, to preserve it as it is. When don’t have familiar places, or get lost, we are given the opportunity to eat in a street stall or take the local bus. This raw and organic experience cannot be found in book or brochure. It isn’t our place to impose our morals and culture, to make it a production of our society. It is important to remember that we are only visitors in the host country and should therefore behave appropriately. Travel is not an opportunity to consume, but rather appreciate and respect. Human curiosity is insatiable. I firmly believe that the need and want to seek out new places, experience unique environments, and encounter foreign societies is essential to our survival. The earth today, however, is different from what it used to be. Today, the world is no longer a place where getting from one region to another is a long, harsh, and enduring journey. In todays world, one can travel from one side of the earth to the other in a matter of hours. This ease of mobility, along with the rapidly improving communication technologies and the globalization of the worlds economies, has truly made our world interconnected. Although most will agree that tourism is a mind-broadening experience, few acknowledge that it can also wreak havoc on the natural environment and its inhabitants. Tourism can ruin landscapes, destroy communities, pollute air and water, trivialize cultures, bring about uniformity, and generally contribute to the continuing degradation of life on our planet. B ut I truly believe that while these conflicts do happen, the point is not to attempt to put a halt to the industry, but to better manage it. The more people who know about and respect unique places and cultures, the less likely destructive habits will continue. The less we consume, the less we produce, the more we can gain from other cultures. You can also order a custom term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation or essay on travel and tourism from our professional custom essay writing service which provides students with quality custom written papers.