Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Since my escape attempt, I can't get the angel to leave the room at all. Not even for his beloved Soap Opera Digest. (And yes, when he left to obtain the first one, it would have been a good time to make my escape, but I wasn't thinking that way then, so back off.) Today I tried to get him to bring me a map. â€Å"Because no one is going to know the places I'm writing about, that's why,† I told him. â€Å"You want me to write in this idiom so people will understand what I'm saying, then why use the names of places that have been gone for thousands of years? I need a map.† â€Å"No,† said the angel. â€Å"When I say the journey was two months by camel, what will that mean to these people who can cross an ocean in hours? I need to know modern distances.† â€Å"No,† said the angel. (Did you know that in a hotel they bolt the bedside lamp to the table, thereby making it an ineffective instrument of persuasion when trying to bring an obdurate angel around to your way of thinking? Thought you should know that. Pity too, it's such a substantial lamp.) â€Å"But how will I recount the heroic acts of the archangel Raziel if I can't tell the locations of his deeds? What, you want me to write, ‘Oh, then somewhere generally to the left of the Great Wall that rat-bastard Raziel showed up looking like hell considering he may have traveled a long distance or not?' Is that what you want? Or should it read, ‘Then, only a mile out of the port of Ptolemais, we were once again graced with the shining magnificence of the archangel Raziel? Huh, which way do you want it?† (I know what you're thinking, that the angel saved my life when Titus threw me off the ship and that I should be more forgiving toward him, right? That I shouldn't try to manipulate a poor creature who was given an ego but no free will or capacity for creative thought, right? Okay, good point. But do please remember that the angel only intervened on my behalf because Joshua was praying for my rescue. And do please remember that he could have saved us a lot of difficulty over the years if he had helped us out more often. And please don't forget that – despite the fact that he is perhaps the most handsome creature I've ever laid eyes on – Raziel is a stone doofus. Nevertheless, the ego stroke worked.) â€Å"I'll get you a map.† And he did. Unfortunately the concierge was only able to find a map of the world provided by an airline that partners with the hotel. So who knows how accurate it is. On this map the next leg of our journey is six inches long and would cost thirty thousand Friendly Flyer Miles. I hope that clears things up. The trader's name was Ahmad Mahadd Ubaidullaganji, but he said we could call him Master. We called him Ahmad. He led us through the city to a hillside where his caravan was camped. He owned a hundred camels which he drove along the Silk Road, along with a dozen men, two goats, three horses, and an astonishingly homely woman named Kanuni. He took us to his tent, which was larger than both the houses Joshua and I had grown up in. We sat on rich carpets and Kanuni served us stuffed dates and wine from a pitcher shaped like a dragon. â€Å"So, what does the Son of God want with my friend Balthasar?† Ahmad asked. Before we could answer he snorted and laughed until his shoulders shook and he almost spilled his wine. He had a round face with high cheekbones and narrow black eyes that crinkled at the corners from too much laughter and desert wind. â€Å"I'm sorry, my friends, but I've never been in the presence of the son of a god before. Which god is your father, by the way?† â€Å"Well, the God,† I said. â€Å"Yep,† said Joshua. â€Å"That's the one.† â€Å"And what is your God's name?† â€Å"Dad,† said Josh. â€Å"We're not supposed to say his name.† â€Å"Dad!† said Ahmad. â€Å"I love it.† He started giggling again. â€Å"I knew you were Hebrews and weren't allowed to say your God's name, I just wanted to see if you would. Dad. That's rich.† â€Å"I don't mean to be rude,† I said, â€Å"and we are certainly enjoying the refreshments, but it's getting late and you said you would take us to see Balthasar.† â€Å"And indeed I will. We leave in the morning.† â€Å"Leave for where?† Josh asked. â€Å"Kabul, the city where Balthasar lives now.† I had never heard of Kabul, and I sensed that was not a good thing. â€Å"And how far is Kabul?† â€Å"We should be there in less than two months by camel,† Ahmad said. If I knew then what I know now, I might have stood and exclaimed, â€Å"Tarnation, man, that's over six inches and thirty thousand Friendly Flyer Miles!† But since I didn't know that then, what I said was â€Å"Shit.† â€Å"I will take you to Kabul,† said Ahmad, â€Å"but what can you do to help pay your way?† â€Å"I know carpentry,† Joshua said. â€Å"My stepfather taught me how to fix a camel saddle.† â€Å"And you?† He looked at me. â€Å"What can you do?† I thought about my experience as a stonecutter, and immediately rejected it. And my training as a village idiot, which I thought I could always fall back on, wasn't going to help either. I did have my newfound skill as a sex educator, but somehow I didn't think there'd be call for that on a two-month trip with fourteen men and one homely woman. So what could I do, what skill had I to gentle the road to Kabul? â€Å"If someone in the caravan croaks I'm a great mourner,† I said. â€Å"Want to hear a dirge?† Ahmad laughed until he shook, then called for Kanuni to bring him his satchel. Once he had it in hand, he dug inside and pulled out the dried newts he'd bought from the old hag. â€Å"Here, you'll be needing these,† he said. Camels bite. A camel will, for no reason, spit on you, stomp you, kick you, bellow, burp, and fart at you. They are stubborn at their best, and cranky beyond all belief at their worst. If you provoke them, they will bite. If you insert a dehydrated amphibian elbow-deep in a camel's bum, he considers himself provoked, doubly so if the procedure was performed while he was sleeping. Camels are wise to stealth. They bite. â€Å"I can heal that,† Joshua said, looking at the huge tooth marks on my forehead. We were following Ahmad's caravan along the Silk Road, which was neither a road nor made of silk. It was, in fact, a narrow path through the rocky inhospitable highland desert of what is now Syria into the low, inhospitable desert of what is now Iraq. â€Å"He said sixty days by camel. Doesn't that mean that we should be riding, not walking?† â€Å"You're missing your camel pals, aren't you?† Josh grinned, that snotty, Son-o'-God grin of his. Maybe it was just a regular grin. â€Å"I'm just tired. I was up half the night sneaking up on these guys.† â€Å"I know,† said Joshua. â€Å"I had to get up at dawn to fix one of the saddles before we left. Ahmad's tools leave something to be desired.† â€Å"You go ahead and be the martyr, Josh, just forget about what I was doing all night. I'm just saying that we should get to ride instead of walking.† â€Å"We will,† Josh said. â€Å"Just not now.† The men in the caravan were all riding, although several of them, as well as Kanuni, were on horses. The camels were loaded down with great packs of iron tools, powdered dyes, and sandalwood bound for the Orient. At the first highland oasis we crossed, Ahmad traded the horses for four more camels, and Joshua and I were allowed to ride. At night we ate with the rest of the men, sharing boiled grain or bread with sesame paste, the odd bit of cheese, mashed chickpeas and garlic, occasionally goat meat, and sometimes the dark hot drink we had discovered in Antioch (mixed with date sugar and topped with foaming goat's milk and cinnamon at my suggestion). Ahmad dined alone in his tent, while the rest of us would dine under the open awning that we constructed to shelter us from the hottest part of the day. In the desert, the day gets warmer as it gets later, so the hottest part of the day will be in the late afternoon, just before sundown brings the hot winds to leach the last moisture from your skin. None of Ahmad's men spoke Aramaic or Hebrew, but they had enough functional Latin and Greek to tease Joshua and me about any number of subjects, their favorite, of course, being my job as chief camel deconstipator. The men hailed from a half-dozen different lands, many we had never heard of. Some were as black as Ethiopians, with high foreheads and long, graceful limbs, while others were squat and bowlegged, with powerful shoulders, high cheekbones, and long wispy mustaches like Ahmad's. Not one of them was fat or weak or slow. Before we were a week out of Antioch we figured out that it only took a couple of men to care for and guide a caravan of camels, so we were perplexed at why someone as shrewd as Ahmad would bring along so many superfluous employees. â€Å"Bandits,† Ahmad said, adjusting his bulk to find a more comfortable position atop his camel. â€Å"I'd need no more than a couple of dolts like you two if it was just the animals that needed tending. They're guards. Why did you think they were all carrying bows and lances?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, giving Joshua a dirty look, â€Å"didn't you see the lances? They're guards. Uh, Ahmad, shouldn't Josh and I have lances – I mean, when we get to the bandit area?† â€Å"We've been followed by bandits for five days now,† Ahmad said. â€Å"We don't need lances,† Joshua said. â€Å"I will not make a man sin by committing an act of thievery. If a man would have something of mine, he need only ask and I will give it to him.† â€Å"Give me the rest of your money,† I said. â€Å"Forget it,† said Joshua. â€Å"But you just said – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but not to you.† Most nights Joshua and I slept in the open, outside Ahmad's tent, or if the night was especially cold, among the camels, where we would endure their grunting and snorting to get out of the wind. The guards slept in two-man tents, except for two who stood guard all night. Many nights, long after the camp was quiet, Joshua and I would lie looking up at the stars and pondering the great questions of life. â€Å"Josh, do you think the bandits will rob us and kill us, or just rob us?† â€Å"Rob us, then kill us, I would think,† said Josh. â€Å"Just in case they missed something that we had hidden, they could torture its whereabouts out of us.† â€Å"Good point,† I said. â€Å"Do you think Ahmad has sex with Kanuni?† Joshua asked. â€Å"I know he does. He told me he does.† â€Å"What do you think it's like? With them I mean? Him so fat and her so, you know?† â€Å"Frankly, Joshua, I'd rather not think about it. But thanks for putting that picture in my head.† â€Å"You mean you can imagine them together?† â€Å"Stop it, Joshua. I can't tell you what sin is like. You're going to have to do it yourself. What's next? I'll have to murder someone so I can explain what it's like to kill?† â€Å"No, I don't want to kill.† â€Å"Well, that might be one you have to do, Josh. I don't think the Romans are going to go away because you ask them to.† â€Å"I'll find a way. I just don't know it yet.† â€Å"Wouldn't it be funny if you weren't the Messiah? I mean if you abstained from knowing a woman your whole life, only to find out that you were just a minor prophet?† â€Å"Yeah, that would be funny,† said Josh. He wasn't smiling. â€Å"Kind of funny?† The journey seemed to go surprisingly fast once we knew we were being followed by bandits. It gave us something to talk about and our backs stayed limber, as we were always twisting in our saddles and checking the horizon. I was almost sad when they finally, after ten days on our trail, decided to attack. Ahmad, who was usually at the front of the caravan, fell back and rode beside us. â€Å"The bandits will ambush us inside that pass just ahead,† he said. The road snaked into a canyon with steep slopes on either side topped by rows of huge boulders and wind-eroded towers. â€Å"They're hiding in those boulders on top of either ridge,† Ahmad said. â€Å"Don't stare, you'll give us away.† Joshua said, â€Å"If you know that they're going to attack, why not pull up and defend ourselves?† â€Å"They will attack one way or another anyway. Better an ambush we know about than one we don't. And they don't know we know.† I noticed the squat guards with the mustaches take short bows from pouches behind their saddles, and as subtly as a man might brush a cobweb from his eyelash, they strung the bows. If you'd been watching them from a distance you'd have hardly seen them move. â€Å"What do you want us to do?† I asked Ahmad. â€Å"Try not to get killed. Especially you, Joshua. Balthasar will be very angry indeed if I show up with you dead.† â€Å"Wait,† said Joshua, â€Å"Balthasar knows we are coming?† â€Å"Why, yes,† laughed Ahmad. â€Å"He told me to look for you. What, you think I help every pair of runts that wander into the market at Antioch?† â€Å"Runts?† I had momentarily forgotten about the ambush. â€Å"How long ago did he tell you to look for us?† â€Å"I don't know, right after he first left Antioch for Kabul, maybe ten years ago. It doesn't matter now, I have to get back to Kanuni, bandits scare her.† â€Å"Let them get a good look at her,† I said. â€Å"We'll see who scares who.† â€Å"Don't look at the ridges,† Ahmad said as he rode away. The bandits came down the sides of the canyon like a synchronized avalanche, driving their camels to the edge of balance, pushing a river of rocks and sand before them. There were twenty-five, maybe thirty of them, all dressed in black, half of them on camels waving swords or clubs, the other half on foot with long spears for gutting a camel rider. When they were committed to the charge, all of them sliding down the hillsides, the guards broke our caravan in the middle, leaving an empty spot in the road where the bandits' charge would culminate. Their momentum was so great that the bandits were unable to change direction. Three of their camels went down trying to pull back. Our guards moved into two groups, three in the front with the long lances, the bowmen just behind them. When the bowmen were set they let arrows fly into the bandits, and as each fell he took two or three of his cohorts down with him, until in seconds the charge had turned into an actual avalanche of rolling stones and men and camels. The camels bellowed and we could hear bones snapping and men screaming as they rolled into a bloody mass on the Silk Road. As each man rose and tried to charge our guards an arrow would drop him in his tracks. One bandit came up mounted on a camel and rode toward the back of the caravan, where the three lancers drove him from his mount in a spray of blood. Every movement in the canyon was met with an arrow. One bandit with a broken leg tried to crawl back up the canyon wall, and an arrow in the back of his skull cut him down. I heard a wailing behind me and before I could turn Joshua rode by me at full gallop, passing the bowmen and the lancers at our side of the caravan, bound for the mass of dead and dying bandits. He slung himself off his camel's back and was running around the bodies like a madman, waving his arms and screaming until I could hear the rasp as his throat went raw. â€Å"Stop this! Stop this!† One bandit moved, trying to get to his feet, and our bowmen drew back to cut him down. Joshua threw his body on top of the bandit and pushed him back to the ground. I heard Ahmad give the command to hold. A cloud of dust floated out of the canyon on the gentle desert breeze. A camel with a broken leg bellowed and an arrow in the eye put the animal to rest. Ahmad snatched a lance out of one of the guard's hands and rode to where Joshua was shielding the wounded bandit. â€Å"Move, Joshua,† Ahmad said, holding the lance at ready. â€Å"This must be finished.† Joshua looked around him. All of the bandits and all of their animals were dead. Blood ran in rivulets in the dust. Already flies were collecting to feast. Joshua walked through the field of dead bandits until his chest was pressed against the bronze point of Ahmad's lance. Tears streamed down Joshua's face. â€Å"This was wrong!† he screeched. â€Å"They were bandits. They would have killed us and stolen everything we had if we had not killed them. Does your own God, your father, not destroy those who sin? Now move aside, Joshua. Let this be finished.† â€Å"I am not my father, and neither are you. You will not kill this man.† Ahmad lowered the lance and shook his head balefully. â€Å"He will only die anyway, Joshua.† I could sense the guards fidgeting, not knowing what to do. â€Å"Give me your water skin,† Joshua said. Ahmad threw the water skin down to Joshua, then turned his camel and rode back to where the guards waited for him. Joshua took the water to the wounded bandit and held his head as he drank. An arrow protruded from the bandit's stomach and his black tunic was shiny with blood. Joshua put his hand gently over the bandit's eyes, as if he were telling him to go to sleep, then he yanked out the arrow and tossed it aside. The bandit didn't even flinch. Joshua put his hand over the wound. From the time that Ahmad had ordered them to hold fire, none of the guards had moved. They watched. After a few minutes the bandit sat up and Joshua stepped away from him and smiled. In that instant an arrow sprouted from the bandit's forehead and he fell back, dead. â€Å"No!† Joshua wheeled around to face Ahmad's side of the caravan. The guard who had shot still held the bow, as if he might have to let fly another arrow to finish the job. Howling with rage, Joshua made a gesture as if he were striking the air with his open hand and the guard was lifted back off his camel and slammed into the ground. â€Å"No more!† Joshua screamed. When the guard sat up in the dirt his eyes were like silver moons in their sockets. He was blind. Later, when neither of us had spoken for two days, and Joshua and I were relegated to riding far behind the caravan because the guards were afraid of us, I took a drink from my water skin, then handed it to Joshua. He took a drink and handed it back. â€Å"Thank you,† Josh said. He smiled and I knew he'd be all right. â€Å"Hey Joshua, do me a favor.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Remind me not to piss you off, okay?† The city of Kabul was built on five rugged hillsides, with the streets laid out in terraces and the buildings built partly into the hills. There was no evidence of Roman or Greek influence in the architecture, but instead the larger buildings had tile roofs that turned up at the corners, a style that Joshua and I would see all over Asia before our journey was finished. The people were mostly rugged, wiry people who looked like Arabs without the glow in their skin that came from a diet rich in olive oil. Instead their faces seemed leaner, drawn by the cold, dry wind of the high desert. In the market there were merchants and traders from China, and more men who looked like Ahmad and his bowmen guards, a race whom the Chinese referred to simply as barbarians. â€Å"The Chinese are so afraid of my people that they have built a wall, as high as any palace, as wide as the widest boulevard in Rome, and stretching as far as the eye can see ten times over,† Ahmad said. â€Å"Uh-huh,† I said, thinking, you lying bag-o'-guts. Joshua hadn't spoken to Ahmad since the bandit attack, but he smirked at Ahmad's story of the great wall. â€Å"Just so,† said Ahmad. â€Å"We will stay at an inn tonight. Tomorrow I will take you to Balthasar. If we leave early we can be there by noon, then you'll be the magician's problem, not mine. Meet me in front at dawn.† That night the innkeeper and his wife served us a dinner of spiced lamb and rice, with some sort of beer made from rice, which washed two months of desert grit from our throats and put a pleasant haze over our minds. To save money, we paid for pallets under the wide curving eaves of the inn, and although it was some comfort to have a roof over my head for the first time in months, I found that I missed looking at the stars as I fell asleep. I lay awake, half drunk, for a long time. Joshua slept the sleep of the innocent. The next day Ahmad met us in front of the inn with two of his African guards and two extra camels in tow. â€Å"Come on, now. This may be the end of your journey, but it is merely a detour for me,† Ahmad said. He threw us each a crust of bread and a hunk of cheese, which I took to mean we were to eat our breakfast on the way. We rode out of Kabul and into the hills until we entered a labyrinth of canyons, which meandered through rugged mountains that looked as if they might have been shaped by God out of clay, then left to bake in the sun until the clay had turned to a deep golden color that reflected light in a spray that ate up shadows and destroyed shade. By noon I had no sense whatsoever of what direction we were traveling, nor could I have sworn that we weren't retracing our path through the same canyons over and over, but Ahmad's black guards seemed to know their way. Eventually they led us around a bend to a sheer canyon wall, two hundred feet tall, that stood out from the other canyon walls in that there were windows and balconies carved into it. It was a palace hewn out of solid rock. At the base stood an ironclad door that looked as if it would take twenty men to move. â€Å"Balthasar's house,† Ahmad said, prodding his camel to kneel down so he might dismount. Joshua nudged me with his riding stick. â€Å"Hey, is this what you expected?† I shook my head. â€Å"I don't know what I expected. Maybe something a little – I don't know – smaller.† â€Å"Could you find your way back out of these canyons if you had to?† Joshua asked. â€Å"Nope. You?† â€Å"Not a chance.† Ahmad waddled over to the great door and pulled a cord that hung down from a hole in the wall. Somewhere inside we heard the ringing of some great bell. (Only later would we learn that it was the sound of a gong.) A smaller door within the door opened and a girl stuck her head out. â€Å"What?† She had the round face and high cheekbones of an Oriental, and there were great blue wings painted on her face above her eyes. â€Å"It's Ahmad. Ahmad Mahadd Ubaidullaganji. I've brought Balthasar the boy he has been waiting for.† Ahmad gestured in our direction. The girl looked skeptical. â€Å"Scrawny. You sure that's the one?† â€Å"That's the one. Tell Balthasar he owes me.† â€Å"Who's that with him?† â€Å"That's his stupid friend. No extra charge for him.† â€Å"You bring the monkey's paws?† the girl asked. â€Å"Yes, and the other herbs and minerals Balthasar asked for.† â€Å"Okay, wait here.† She closed the door, was gone only a second, then returned. â€Å"Send just the two of them in, alone. Balthasar must examine them, then he will deal with you.† â€Å"There's no need to be mysterious, woman, I've been in Balthasar's house a hundred times. Now quit dilly-dallying and open the door.† â€Å"Silence!† the girl shouted. â€Å"The great Balthasar will not be mocked. Send in the boys, alone.† Then she slammed the little door and we could hear her cackling echo out the windows above. Ahmad shook his head in disgust and waved us over to the door. â€Å"Just go. I don't know what he's up to, but just go.† Joshua and I dismounted, took our packs off the camels, and edged over to the huge door. Joshua looked at me as if wondering what to do, then reached for the cord to ring the bell, but as he did, the door creaked open just wide enough for one of us to enter if we turned sideways. It was pitch black inside except for a narrow stripe of light, which told us nothing. Joshua again looked at me and raised his eyebrows. â€Å"I'm just the stupid no-extra-charge friend,† I said, bowing. â€Å"After you.† Joshua moved though the door and I followed. When we were inside only a few feet, the huge door slammed with a sound like thunder and we stood there in complete darkness. I'm sure I could feel things scurrying around my feet in the dark. There was a bright flash and a great column of red smoke rose in front of us, illuminated by a light coming from the ceiling somewhere. It smelled of brimstone and stung my nose. Joshua coughed and we both backed against the door as a figure stepped out of the smoke. He – it – stood as tall as any two men, although he was thin. He wore a long purple robe, embroidered with strange symbols in gold and silver, hooded, so we saw no face, only glowing red eyes set back in a field of black. He held a bright lamp out as if to examine us by the light. â€Å"Satan,† I said under my breath to Joshua, pressing my back against the great iron door so hard that I could feel rust flakes imbedding in my skin through my tunic. â€Å"It's not Satan,† Joshua said. â€Å"Who would disturb the sanctity of my fortress?† boomed the figure. I nearly wet myself at hearing his voice. â€Å"I'm Joshua of Nazareth,† Joshua said, trying to be casual, but his voice broke on Nazareth. â€Å"And this is Biff, also of Nazareth. We're looking for Balthasar. He came to Bethlehem, where I was born, many years ago looking for me. I have to ask him some questions.† â€Å"Balthasar is no more of this world.† The dark figure reached into his robe and pulled out a glowing dagger, which he held high, then plunged into his own chest. There was an explosion, a flash, and an anguished roar, as if someone had killed a lion. Joshua and I turned and frantically scratched at the iron door, looking for a latch. We were both making an incoherent terrorized sound that I can only describe as the verbal version of running, sort of an extended rhythmic howl that paused only when the last of each lungful of air squeaked out of us. Then I heard the laughing and Joshua grabbed my arm. The laughing got louder. Joshua swung me around to face death in purple. As I turned the dark figure threw back his hood and I saw the grinning black face and shaved head of a man – a very tall man, but a man nonetheless. He threw open the robe and I could see that it was, indeed, a man. A man who had been standing on the shoulders of two young Asian women who had been hiding beneath the very long robe. â€Å"Just fuckin' with you,† he said. Then he giggled. He leapt off of the women's shoulders and took a deep breath before doubling over and hugging himself with laughter. Tears streamed out of his big chestnut eyes. â€Å"You should have seen the look on your faces. Girls, did you see that?† The women, who wore simple linen robes, didn't seem as amused as the man. They looked embarrassed and a little impatient, as if they'd rather be anywhere else, doing anything but this. â€Å"Balthasar?† Joshua asked. â€Å"Yeah,† said Balthasar, who stood up now and was only a little taller than I was. â€Å"Sorry, I don't get many visitors. So you're Joshua?† â€Å"Yes,† Joshua said, an edge in his voice. â€Å"I didn't recognize you without the swaddling clothes. And this is your servant?† â€Å"My friend, Biff.† â€Å"Same thing. Bring your friend. Come in. The girls will attend to Ahmad for the time being.† He stalked off down a corridor into the mountain, his long purple robe trailing behind him like the tail of a dragon. We stood there by the door, not moving, until we realized that once Balthasar turned a corner with his lamp we'd be in darkness again, so we took off after him. As we ran down the corridor, I thought of how far we had traveled, and what we had left behind, and I felt as if I was going to be sick to my stomach any second. â€Å"Wise man?† I said to Joshua. â€Å"My mother has never lied to me,† said Josh. â€Å"That you know of,† I said.

Audit Notes

Practitioners give the Users a written conclusion Accountable party must have an accountability relationship with the Users Auditors in an engagement must be independent because they would be perceived as unbiased Definitions:Accounting 0 Recording, classifying, and summarizing economic events in a logical manner for the purpose of providing financial information to have a proper decision making process Assurance 0 An engagement where a practitioner is engaged to issue a written communication expressing a conclusion concerning a subject matter for which the accountable party is responsible Auditing 0 Accumulation and evaluation of evidence about information to determine and report on the degree of correspondence between the information and established criteria Auditing should be done by a competent, independent person.Audit of FIS (Triangle diagram based on the conformity of the FIS with IFRS, GAAS, ASPE) Auditor 0 Shareholder's 0Management Auditor gives their written opinion to the Shareholders Management gives a stewardship relationship (to manage and look after the company for the S/H) with the shareholders Audit Objectives To gain reasonable assurance of FIS To ensure FIS are free from material misstatements For the auditor to express an opinion about the FIS being prepared with respects to the tlnancial reporting trameworks (IFRS Chapter 2 – The Public Accounting Profession Quality Control for Firms (Table 2. 2. 9) Leadership for Quality Control Should be present for all audits Quality control procedures should be implemented and communicated to everyone Firms should ensure all personnel are qualified Establish a formal code of conduct Ethical Principles are Required Principles include: Integrity Objectivity Professional Confidence

Adversity and Its Effects in a Man for All Seasons

A Man for all Seasons is a play that was written by prolific English writer, Robert Bolt. Born in 1924, he worked as an insurance agent before joining the World War II as a Royal Air Force officer. He worked as a school teacher, after his time at the force, before embarking on writing this particular play. The same year he wrote it; it featured as a play in London and New York. It is crucial to understand the background of the play to understand it with more power. According to Kincaid, it is useful to understand that for many years in England there had been hostility to the clergy, because the Church had great worldly powers, property, and wealth, while many members of the clergy were corrupt and self-seeking. (11) With this play, Bolt wanted to bring out the strong characteristic steadiness of standing on one’s feet and owns ground in what one believes irrespective of what others think or say. The main character, Sir Thomas More, is a judge who is steadfast and firm in his beliefs. He is not easily swayed by people’s opinions, influence, threats, and intimidation. He objects to endorsing King Henry VIII’s plan of divorcing his wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn. The King having promoted Sir Thomas to the position of Lord Chancellor of England, and Thomas being his long standing friend, will automatically guarantee Sir Thomas agreeing to support him. He wants Thomas to publicly endorse his divorce plan, but Thomas More feels Henry’s actions are not justified, and the divorce is not appropriate. This is backed by Greene when he affirms that even as Nobles, universities and the Clergy fell into line behind the King, More’s silence on the matter resounded thunderously. Despite the king’s unhappiness with More’s decision to remain silent, he stands firm and refuse to do what everybody else did even though the pressure on his family grew stronger and stronger (7). This shows his autonomy and independence in making his own informed decisions unlike the likes of Cromwell and Richard Rich who act as the King’s â€Å"yes men† doing all his bidding. Cromwell, the king’s intimate, works for the king to have More falsely persecuted and beheaded. We will develop here three main kind of adversities that More had to face: authoritarian, Family, himself. Sir Thomas More’s strong character and moral integrity are alluded to by the title of the play, A Man for all Seasons. The title is a reference to More’s never changing character and direction in life. According to Miller, More was a character with extraordinary blending of gaiety and gravity and for his flexible adaptation to company of all sorts. However, he knew how to compromise and not go out of his way; he did not bend rules, adopt or change for the sake of anyone, even King Henry VIII apart from his own God (26-27). This statement concisely puts down his beliefs and what kind of person he was. Thomas works within the boundaries of his own principles and in the end, dies for what he believes in. Lee compares Sir Thomas More with Roper. At the beginning of the play when the two of them are talking, Roper seems really devoted to his principles but as the play continues on, we learn that Roper is in fact not as true to his values as Sir Thomas More is. Lee talks about the â€Å"Romanticized† vision of a prison that Roper has compare to the reality of what More is living. When Roper visited More in prison he even encouraged More to give up when he saw the â€Å"awfulness of prison†. (319). His obstinate sense of self -righteous and defense for justice sees him earn many foes and adversaries. Just like Roper, many people pretending to be More’s friends turned out to become his enemies plotting behind his back for his downfall. His family, friends, and colleagues turn their back on him, and the adversaries from both his seniors and juniors continue swelling. The following are some of the most significant and outstanding adversaries Judge Sir Thomas More earns himself and faces off with. His many adversaries rise from his strong stands and refusal to bow down to the social order. His main and most prominent adversaries are the authorities and technocrats in the country. Upon meeting with Cardinal Wosley, then the Lord Chancellor of England; Thomas More reviews the decision by King Henry to divorce his wife Catherine and marry Anne and the subsequent decisions. He states his disapproval and says he doubts the Pope will give his assent on this divorce as it is confirmed by Greene when he describes the King’s feeling about the decision of Rome as ‘Frustrated’. The king was very disappointed with the decision of the Clergy and Henry vainly sought to increase the pressure on Rome. When that failed, Henry began to target the English Clergy. (7) It is from this particular point that Wosley declares a witch hunt on the judge, having him investigated and falsely accused of receiving bribes, and insult towards the King. These represent the authoritarian adversary, the adversaries that Sir Thomas More has to face that hold the keys of the government and have power and authority to hurt him according to the law. Although they are not following the law when they persecute him, they pretend to do so. The other adversary in the authority level that Sir Thomas encounters is King Henry VIII’s closest confidant, the recently promoted cardinal secretary, Cromwell. He is used by King Henry as a tool to fight and suppress Sir Thomas due to his stand against the King’s planned divorce. Here we are going to see the kind of adversity that was apply to More by his so-called friends in their thirst for power, they did not hesitate to step over him on their ascension to power. Cromwell plans for Thomas’ downfall by collaborating with the corruptible Richard Rich who is a low ranking functional authority. Cromwell offers Richard an opportunity to advance his career and climb the social ladder in exchange for information about Thomas and testifying falsely against him. Cromwell goes ahead and come up with a false case of how Sir Thomas received a bribe and brings to evidence: the silver cup that Sir Thomas gave Rich. At this point as readers we are already amazingly disgusted by the machinery these two people are putting together to get Sir Thomas More down. Eventually, this leads to the conviction and beheading of Thomas. On this matter, Abraham Lincoln said: â€Å"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power†. Rich was a good men, probably able to stand adversity with a good self-esteem, but when power was proposed to him, he gave up his conviction. The trut however, is that Thomas received the silver cup oblivious that it was a bribe. Yet, on realizing, he gave the cup to Richard as he did not want anything to do with it. Cromwell, goes ahead to meet with the Duke of Norfolk, another supposed friend, to get him to fix More in a bad light concerning the bribery scheme. The duke, however, proves to him that silver cup, in fact, was passed on by the judge as soon as he realized it was a bribe. Cromwell insists that the duke cooperates and participates in the grand scheme to bring Thomas down. This is because King Henry expects the duke of Norfolk to fully participate in the persecution of Thomas. Thomas woes continue pilling up when Signor Chapuys turns against him and joins the witch hunt. Signor Chapuys’ adversary towards Thomas arises from the breaking of the illusion that Chapuys was under concerning Thomas’ friendship towards the Spanish. Cengage Learning explains the relationship on Sir Thomas More with Chapuys as follow: In speaking with More, Chapuys tries to hide his true motives which are political, with flattery and references to religion. Because he is devious himself, he hears hidden meanings in what More says which leads to misunderstanding. 14) This quote explains why Chapuys did not understand More. He was trying to prove that More aleegiance to spain was no longer and so Chapuys thought that he had found an ally in Thomas to protect the interest of Catherine of whom he was cautious and concerned that she is embarrassed or insulted by King Henry as she is the aunt of the king of Spain. The Spanish ambassador states that he was unsuccessful in per suading More to support Spain saying, as it is affirmed by the sentence Chapuys uses in the play when he says, â€Å"Goodness can be difficulty† (Bolt, 62). Thomas’ refusal to accept the letter of appreciation that is sent by the King of Spain is also a possible source of the aggravated hostility from the Spanish diplomat, Signor Chapuys. All of these men are complotting against someone they knew, someone they worked with, and for some of them someone they had a close relationship with. Adversity can come from authority, friends and sometimes both. The other adversary of Thomas is King Henry VIII who is Thomas’ friend and King.. The king desires to get a son as the heir that his wife Catherine has not borne. He, therefore, plans to get a second wife to fulfill this, and it is here he seeks the support of the lord chancellor of England, Sir Thomas More. More is a devout Christian, and of strong moral standing; hence, he does not approve of this. Although he does not publicly or openly voice his displeasure, he is silently opposed to this. Johnson explains that it is probably to protect his family the best he can that he acts like that, â€Å"He is well aware of dangers on the horizon but does not want to cause them to worry by addressing the dangers directly. 7) At first, More enjoys a somewhat ‘safe zone; by remaining silent about the King’s plans. This comfort zone is trespassed when the King demands the vocal support of the wise, respect public figure. When the King visits him at Chelsea home, in London, More tells the king he will not agree to his plan. The King storms out in anger telling More that he will only leave him alone if he does not openly voice his disagreemen t for his planned divorce of Catherine and marriage to Anne Boleyn. This aggravates and worsens their relationship, which had been set on the rocks earlier. This was when Thomas More had declared he was going to resign if the Church of England Bishops were going to go along with the Parliament’s Act of Supremacy. This Notorious act puts the King as the absolute head of the Church of England, as well as the overall ruler of England State: the genesis of their conflict. This hostility towards the Judge comes to a boiling point where he flatly refuses to take an oath of allegiance in the King’s name, another creation of the King’s puppet parliament. Boughey posits that, â€Å"Henry VIII Wanted to look powerful and strong. [†¦] Henry VIII was a powerful king who was completely in charge of England. Nobody was stronger than Henry VIII, not even Parliament. (1). This is how the king was perceived in real life, probably it was the reason why he was described like that in the play and Sir Thomas More was described then stronger than the parliament and stronger than the King. This is the proof that Thomas More stood strong against the adversity even when it was his King and friend. This adversity can represent a symbol between the King and More with the king symbolically representing the monarchial absolute power and More representing civil law. Thomas’ refuses to have the King rule even his conscience. As a result, he is ready and willing to keep his honesty at all costs, even if it means losing his life. Kincaid expresses Thomas More’s willingness to die for his principles in this little paragraph: When More’s wife was sent to prison to visit him in the hope that she would persuade him to sign the Oath, she told him that he might, if he signit, have another twenty years of life. More answered with his usual wit that if she had offered him a thousand years, he might have been tempted, but twenty years in exchange for an eternity of damnation was a very poor bargain. (9). The kings tries to give More a chance but he refuses and choses to remain faithful to his principles. Thus, coming back to our symbolism, the civil law win over the absolute power meaning that absolute power in one’s hand can be lethal. Thomas’ ethics and integrity is based on a strong base. In the play, other characters appear to be good people but do not have as strong a base as the Judge. The duke of Norfolk for example seem to be a good guy. However, he does not understand More’s motivation. As Lee puts it, â€Å" The behavior of the duke of Norfolk are dictated by yet another good, the benefit of friends. The constant for Norfolk is the preservation of friendship with the people of the here and now, and thus, he cannot comprehend more’s insistence on risking those friendships for his love of a heavenly God. (313).

Eliminating Speed Limits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eliminating Speed Limits - Essay Example They claim that the only purpose served by the imposition of speed limits is in terms of revenue generated for the state in terms of fines collected for traffic violations. At the other end of the spectrum, it is argued that speeding is the major cause of road fatalities. "Speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while a driver reacts to a dangerous situation." (NHTSA1). Apart from the reduction in fatalities, environmental concerns are also to be considered while reviewing the need for speed limits. The Slower Speed Initiative (SSI), a UK based program, says, "reducing speed limits is the only single most effective measure to reduce carbon emissionsreduced speed would mean, increased road safety, reduced road danger, fuel consumption, noise and encouragement for walking, cycling and public transport" (SSI). Germany is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have a speed limit for its motorists on its famed Autobahns. However, stricter laws and stringent enforcement of rules accompany this.

Consumer Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Behaviour - Assignment Example 87) the market situation analysis of Nestle shows: Sales- It holds the first position in selling foods. It makes major profits from the sales of food products alone, this year sales rose to 67.6 billion swiss francs which were only 60.9 billion francs last year. Also it’s the world leader in manufacturing coffee. The first three months of 2013 shows that the company’s sales rose to 21.9 billion Swiss francs from the last year but it failed to meet the expected sales which are 22.5 billion Swiss francs. Competitors-Nestle give good competition to most of the fmcg brands like Kraft Foods Inc., Unilever plc. , P & G, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Heinz etc. Its huge range of diversified products makes it a strong contender in the fmcg & food sector (Express, 2012). Market Share- It’s the market leader in the coffee & mineral water segment. The table below displays the sales & market shares in the year 1992, of different companies- (Source: Pagell and Halperin 1999, p. 195) Pr oduct Range- The product range includes bottled waters, chocolates, cereals, dairy, coffee, drinks, food, ice-creams purina pet care etc. It puts more emphasis on the taste & nutrition content of the product & therefore it ends up fixing slightly higher prices than its competitors. Creating pet foods makes it a unique brand which not only cares for humans but also it shows significant care to the pets. Its delicious range of hot chocolate & sausage makes it the number one brand in the food & drink sector. Also the beverage systems offered by the company is used widely throughout the world. (Gilbert, 2013) Markets- It has its presence in the continents of Africa, America, Asia, Australia & Europe, in almost over 80 countries. It customizes its product according to the place where it’s being sold. More or less every household contains a product of this brand. 2. Target Market Customer base of Nestle ranges from middle income groups to higher income groups, from kids to adults, from the health conscious to the junk food eaters because Nestle’s products serve various day to day needs of a person. 3. Social Influences on Buying Behaviour PERSONAL FACTORS Age serves as an important factor for the products and services of the firm. Nestle’s consumer range includes adults, aged people, teenagers as well as kids below 12 years. Due to the brands all over presence across the world, its customer base includes people from various race, religion and ethnicity. These things affect the consumer’s food habit to a great extent. The climate, food habits, language, religion, dressing style, income status, etc. falls basically within the wide gamut of geography. For example let’s think about the approach adapted by McDonalds. The well-known fast food chain has got diverse menu for diverse sites across the world. When the firm was asked to state the cause behind the broad range of menus, the firm replied, â€Å"We try to adapt our menu to reflec t different tastes and local traditions for every country in which we have restaurants. We're keen to respect cultural differences and so every country has its own policy of developing menu items†. Moreover consumer behavior depends to a large extent on the education and knowledge of the people, for instance people who are well educated are more concerned about the adverse effects of calorie consumption and thus they would prefer to choose the sugar free chocolate prepared by

Modern Economical Landscape of Philippines Essay

Modern Economical Landscape of Philippines - Essay Example It is marred with corruption, political dynasties, red tape, and nepotism. Investors shy away from the country due to the difficulty of doing business there. As a result, the local economy suffered where unemployment is high subjecting many of its population to abject poverty. Also, many of its best brightest minds left the country to work and migrated overseas (Rappler.com). At present, this flaw in the political and economic infrastructure of the Philippines is not yet corrected as the remittances of its Overseas Foreign Workers are still the biggest contributor to its economy. The second issue why the economy of the Philippines is not strong is because it does not have its own industrial and technological backbone. Its economic base consists merely of business processing units and assembly plants which are primarily owned by the foreign enterprise. These enterprises can leave anytime exposing the vulnerability of the Philippine economy. My two recommendations for the Philippines for the Philippine economy to become prosperous 50 years from now are to reform its political system and build its own industrial and technological base. It can reform its political system by prosecuting corrupt officials and passing into laws that will democratize its political systems such as banning political dynasties and nepotism. Its recent prosecution of corrupt officials under the former President Macapagal Arroyo supports this recommendation as investor’s confidence increased. Investment flourished amid a global crisis. During the period 2011-13 when the global economy is slowing down, the Philippines registered a GNP of 7.2% which is considered as one of the highest in the world (NCSB).  

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Personal Statement Example I believe that this trait will help me later on in my career and I will have an advantage over so many others. My ability to quickly assess certain situations and then to take the appropriate actions means that I am confident enough to make any hard choices that fall my way. From when I was a young child, my father always remarked how I had leadership qualities and that I could put those to good use someday. My passion is for management and art history, and this is what I would like to pursue further. When I was a small child, I seemed to like drawings on things whenever I had the chance. Also, I was kind of an extrovert person who found fulfillment in leading others to achieve their goals. I guess it was only natural for me to choose this path because these subjects are something that I enjoy and excel at as a person. I have always been a creative person, so art is something that fits nicely with my characteristics. Also, I prefer to lead others rather than follow what someone else is doing. I have already gained considerable knowledge about both of these subjects through study during my spare time, but I would like to think that learning in a more formal setting will increase my understanding further. Management and art history are not normally two subjects that are linked or associated with each other, but I think that I can combine the two by using my strengths. This plan of mine to attend university only after two years in college was put in motion before I had even graduated from high school. The thought occurred to me that I could have gone straight to university after graduating from high school, but I did not feel that it was right for me at the time. Instead, I went to Santa Monica College for two years to try and find some good study habits that would serve me well in the future. The thinking was that I would gain valuable experience at a college where I could express myself more than would be possible at a large university. However, after these last two years at Santa Monica, I now feel that I am ready for the challenges that university will bring. As long as I stay true to my calling, then there is nothing that I will not be able to succeed at. My grades at high school and at college were some of the best in my class. I would like to think that I am a highly motivated person who is willing to face extraordinary challenges to accomplish the goals that I have set out for myself. In the last few years, I have had experience as the president of the prom committee and also as a member of the art decoration club. Outside of this, I have not really achieved too much. This is why I believe that my qualities are well-suited to management and art history. In my opinion, there is no point doing something if it is not something that you enjoy doing. This is not the case for me in either management of art history because these are subjects that fill me both as a person and as a student. Apart from my interest in management and art history , I also enjoy cooking a lot. However, this is something that I feel that I would not want to pursue as a career, and that is why I am not pursuing further education over it. I will never be one of those famous chefs on TV who earns a fortune just from showing other people how to cook. Despite this, I would like to think that my cooking skills are decent enough to help my own family someday when the time

Kants morally impermissible actions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kants morally impermissible actions - Essay Example Deontological ethical theory Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher proposed the theory of deontological ethical theory; this has the foundation on the point that only essentially good will is derived from a good thing. This implies that an action is evaluated when the motives or maxim behind it are evaluated, these can be looked at from two angles. First, evaluation of actions by taking into consideration their consequences, this is rejected, a person can control motives and purpose but lack the inability to control the consequences of his/her actions. Secondly what is ‘ought’ means ‘can’ this means that a person is held responsible morally only for a limited number of actions that are under his/her control. Logic as the Basis for Ethics: What action can be described as permissible and hence the converse implies impermissibility? An action is said to be permissible if its cause can be found to be logically consistent and an action is said to be impermissible if its cause is found to be irrational, inconsistent or contradictory (Sullivan 163). This arguments aid in avoidance of mistake and prejudice, provides tenable defense of moral motives, and implies a reply to moral skeptics. The argument can also be said to provide moral universality theory and to give the impression that immorality implies inconsistency and irrationality. For an action to be praiseworthy, the action must have foundation on a logically rational or consistent motive. A praiseworthy action is one that has foundation on a given motive that is obeying the moral law, moral laws are those that are consistent for everyone and are applicable to every other person. Permissible actions are as defined above are those that are because of a consistent motive and are done out of moral duty. The Categorical Imperative: Kant suggested that the moral duty is given to an agent by reason as a categorical imperative (McCracken 131) a person is told how to behave out of an imperative statement. Imperative statements can be considered on two occasions, hypothetical imperative is built on commands for accomplish a particular objective; categorical imperative is modeled on natural law. This becomes the focal point of Kant’s moral principle; to him the foundation of the principle cannot be anything but absolute. An attempt to rationalize morally impermissible behavior will prove self-defeating; this is known as morally impressible action (McCracken 131). An act is impermissible if and only if the action is acted upon the foundation of the maxim that a person cannot will to a universal law; therefore, the permissible action implies the converse. This implies that a person will do an action given the circumstance and because of a certain motiv e, this gives the reason for the action-the maxim. Every person will do actions given the set of circumstances and because of those motives; this means that a person’s actions is consistent with everyone’s actions. The murder example If a person is considering killing another person for egoistic reasons, because, the other person is committing adultery with his wife, consider the impermissibility of this case. The action, which is murder for egoistic reasons this gives the circumstance and finally the motive, is adultery. Every person will kill those people for egoistic reasons, because, these people have committed adultery with their wives. The first argument provides the maxim principle while the second argument provides the universal law; this cannot consistently will that people will commit all those actions this therefore means that the action is impermissible. This example above illustrate classifications of moral duties, the classifications are premised on these divisions, first, the duties to self by implication to others and perfect duties by implication imperfect duties. Perfect duties are done at every other chance whilst the imperfect duties are done at a unique chance but the agent must put thought to it. Violation of

Concidering Aristo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Concidering Aristo - Essay Example Aristotle also opined that a hero must have a tragic flaw as this is what shows that he is not only a true human but also a true tragic hero. Oedipus’ tragic flaw was seen when he experienced a change of fortune from good to bad (Meyer & Downs 1535-1537). Oedipus was a king that was destroyed after the people learnt that he killed his own father and married his own mother and this was Oedipus’ tragic flaw. These are the qualities that Oedipus possesses and makes him qualified to be called a good but flawed king. It is therefore not wrong to classify Oedipus as a true tragic hero going by Aristotle’s notion that a true tragic hero must be a good man that also has his own flaws (Meyer & Downs). Oedipus played his role as a king effectively and appropriately and proved that he was appropriate for his position. Oedipus’ pride and arrogance is something that is typical of kings as they try to show that they are in control and the fact that Oedipus had this attribute is a pointer that he was appropriate for his position in life. If there is any attribute that should be appreciated in Oedipus, it is his self-confidence (Meyer & Downs 1532-1535). Oedipus’ confidence was seen when he summoned courage to solve the puzzle of the Sphinx in spite of the Sphinx’s threat to kill anybody that failed the puzzle. The fact that Oedipus summoned enough courage to stand up to the challenge of the Sphinx showed that he was a man that played his role as the king perfectly as he led by example. Oedipus was a courageous man that had confidence in himself and this is what makes people believe that he was arrogant. It is expected that a king should be unyielding and rigid as t hese are the true hallmarks of a great leader and the fact that Oedipus possesses these great qualities is an indication that he was a great king that could take decisions on his own without regretting them. This shows that Oedipus was a true tragic hero as he

Modeling and Control of Three-Phase Gravity Separators in Oil & Gas Research Proposal

Modeling and Control of Three-Phase Gravity Separators in Oil & Gas - Research Proposal Example The oil production facility was implemented and designed with regard to mathematics models developed (Mil’Shtein, 58). Phase equilibrium type of modeling has been utilized for the past fifty years resulting to better outcomes for distillation column and flash tank equipments. The approach has basic equations utilized in material balance description, composition summation equations, enthalpy equation and equilibrium relations. Oil production facility separates oil well stream into water, oil and gas components. The facility also process the components into products that can be sold or dispose the products in a manner that is environmentally friendly. Free water is separated from the oils while the gas is flashed from the liquid by use of separators device. The steps utilized in the production process ensures that light hydrocarbons are removed with an intention of producing crude oil that is stable and having volatility that is able to meet sales criteria. A three phase separator separates liquid stream into water and crude oil components (Stewart et al, 100). The separated gas is treated and compressed for sales. Modeling of such equipments has turned out to so challenging for fault detection, controller design, process optimization, and dynamic simulation. The paper focuses on gravity separators which are three phased. The model has a positive on impact on the quality of oil produced and forms the main upstream process in the petroleum industry. Three-phase separators have complex and rich dynamics. The dynamics spans to thermodynamics from hydrodynamics with regards to conservational laws. Three-phase separators is usually made up of many approaches and modeling techniques. A computer code is currently being created to help improve the efficiency and performance of the separators. The code can be utilized in analyzing the flow of fluids and the separator performance of gas, water and oil in the three phased gravity separators. It can be utilized

Deforestation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Deforestation - Research Paper Example â€Å"The average facade temperature of the globe has augmented more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 and the speed of warming has been almost three folds the century long average since 1970† (Global warming). Eilperin (2009) mentioned that the earth’s surface temperature has been increased around 0.750 C during the last century itself and the atmospheric temperature may even go up by 6 degrees before the end of the current century (Eilperin). Global warming and climate changes are some of the worst problems facing by the human community at present. Atmospheric temperature is rising rapidly for the last few decades and as a result of that unexpected weather calamities are occurring. Many studies have proved that the average atmospheric temperature has increased more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900. Sea level rise is another major problem created by global warming. It should be noted that atmospheric temperature rise increases the melting of huge ice blocks from P olar Regions and as a result of that sea level is increasing gradually. Unexpected floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunami, etc are other problems associated with global warming. Plenty of reasons were cited for global warming problems. Some people believe that manmade activities are causing global warming whereas others are of the view that solar activities are causing these problems. In any case, one thing is sure- atmospheric temperature is rising much rapidly at present. Greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and industrial units are often cited as the major reason for global warming; however, many people believe that deforestation is the major reason for global warming and climate change problems.... But when forests are logged or burnt, that carbon is released into the atmosphere, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and accelerating the rate of climate change. So much carbon is released that they contribute up to one-fifth of global man-made emissions, more than the world's entire transport sector (Deforestation and climate change). Human consumes oxygen from atmosphere for breathing purpose whereas plants or forests consume carbon dioxide from atmosphere for making food or photosynthesis process. It should be noted that plants are the only food manufacturers in this world and all the other living things rely heavily on plants in one way or another for their food needs. On the other hand, atmospheric carbon dioxide is essential for the food manufacturing processes of the plants. Plants have the ability of liberating oxygen to atmosphere at the time of food manufacturing. In other words, plants consume carbon dioxide and liberate oxygen to atmospher e. Forests are our own natural resources which no man can imitate. It has its own part in the biodiversity of life even if man refuses to acknowledge them. One of the most important roles our forests play is absorbing carbon dioxide from the air—tons of it, for that matter. Without them, the ever harmful carbon dioxide will just float above our heads, further increasing greenhouse gas emissions (How Deforestation Affects Climate Change). There is a balance between the volume of carbon dioxide and the volume of oxygen in the atmosphere. Plants are responsible for maintaining this oxygen-carbon dioxide ration in atmosphere. It should not be forgotten that carbon and its oxides like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc have the ability to increase

The preface reading of Seven Kinds of Smart Essay Example for Free

The preface reading of Seven Kinds of Smart Essay The preface of Seven Kinds of Smart begins with the question, â€Å"How intelligent are you?† (1) I immediately thought that the book is probably a step-by-step guide to improve my grades. I flipped to the next page, where the book quickly runs down what it isn’t. Among them: â€Å"This book won’t help you raise your IQ score† (2). What it claims to be is a â€Å"personal cognitive self-renewal kit† (2). What does that mean? Judging from the simple overview, this book intends to make the reader understand that being smart does not have to do with grades alone. Its premise is: â€Å"(Y)ou already have enough active brain cells inside you to accomplish many great things in life† (2). The next step then is to educate readers that the brain has different intelligence ‘departments,’ which they can develop and exercise simultaneously. The book does not promise to produce geniuses, but offers ways to help readers achieve their cognitive potential. It is a â€Å"self-renewal kit† in that it contains insights, exercises, assessment activities and practical tips for self-improvement, all at the reader’s disposal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I am a fresh graduate currently seeking a job. This book, I believe, would help me know myself better—the things I am good at, the things I am capable of doing, and the things I could work on.   The book discusses multiple intelligences based on well-established research—added knowledge that I will definitely learn from. Assessing myself by filling out checklist and performing the exercises would hopefully prepare me for any kind of job interview. This book of self-assessment would hopefully boost my confidence and self-assurance. These attitudes are especially important since I am an infant crawling on all fours in the world of work. Having just enough confidence prepares the brain’s alertness and the volatile ego should circumstances in the course of my job search do not work in my favor. For the long-term, I am certain this is a good resource that I can pick up time and again to guide me in developing a modest career.

Market strategy of Nokia

Market strategy of Nokia This report concentrates on the performance of Nokia in the year 2009 and the strategies which led to the same. The report begins with a brief introduction of the company and follows with PEST-G and SWOT analysis for the same. In addition to this a competitor analysis has been done to compare Nokias performance to its competitors and thereby analyzing its market share. Nokia seems to outperform its competitors due to a larger market share it enjoys. As we go further, a more detailed discussion of its marketing strategies can be seen. Nokia faces more competition today than a few years ago. The invasion of Android operating systems are more preferred than Nokias Symbian operating system. Targeting, positioning and segmentation have been analysed on the basis of a few key models. The report finally concludes with the evaluation of these strategies adopted by Nokia and how effective they have been or will be in the future. INTRODUCTION Around 1.2 billion (17%) people in the world connect through Nokia every day thereby proving their claim of, Connecting People. Nokia is a public limited company that is listed on three stock exchanges: NYSE, FWB and OMX. Nokia was founded in 1865 on the banks of the Nokianvirta River in Finland to produce a product very different from what it is commonly known for. It evolved from manufacturing paper to rubber to cables to electronics and then finally the mobile phone. The company owes its diversification and entry into mobile communications to its former President and CEO, Jorma Ollila who decided in 1992 to capitalize on the potential of this upcoming and growing sector. He decided to move out of their other businesses to focus on the development of communication products which was more profitable than their other business ventures. (Nokia online) THE MARKET ENVIRONMENT Nokia is a multinational company headquartered in Finland. It employs a total of 123,553 people worldwide and sells its products in over 160 countries. Nokia has Research Development Departments in 16 countries with 17,196 employees. Its major markets are in China, India and UK. From 2008-09, Nokias market share increased in China but decreased in India and UK. The reason for its declining market shares is possibly due to increase in competitors in India and the markets already being saturated in UK. Nokia produces technological products like mobile phones and smart phones, mobile computers and networks. PEST-G Analysis Under this section, the environmental factors affecting Nokia will be highlighted. The Competition Nokias top competitors in mobile devices are Samsung, LG, RIM and Sony Ericsson but in its smart phones, they face competition from Apple and RIM. According to the 1Q reports in 2010 (table 1.1appendix), Nokia shows declining market share. Samsungs share increased in India, one of Nokias top markets. RIMs market share also went up while LG and Sony Ericssons market shares declined in value. (Gartner online) Nokia may enjoy the larger share of the market but being complacent may have its adverse effects on the firms profitability. The operating system Symbian used by Nokia is user-friendly but has very limited applications. Whereas, the operating system Android being adopted by most of its competitors is an open system that allows its users to have access to a large number of applications. Also, the operating systems of RIM and I-Phones are quickly eating up Nokias market share. The Company Increasing competition and saturation of markets is causing Nokias sales to decline causing a major decline in its profits. Source (Annual reports) Drawn on the basis of table 1.2 appendix In 2009, Nokia predicted slight improvement in their market share in 2010 but were faced with negative outcomes. According to the 3Q report of 2010, Nokias shares have fallen to about 30%.The downward trend of profits is of great concern to the company. (Total Tele online) Nokia is the manufacturer of mobile phones but it does not sell directly to its end users. It engages in transactions between businesses (B2B), for instance it sells its products to wholesalers and retailers locally and internationally. This allows Nokia to make higher volumes of transactions. This chain of distribution is explained in greater detail under the marketing mix. SWOT Analysis Nokias internal and external factors can be summarized as below Internal Strengths: Market Dominance: Its market share is more than its top 3 competitors combined Good brand name and brand loyalty Takes into account customer preferences Nokia ranks 41st in Fortunes Worlds Most Admired Companies (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2010/snapshots/6652.html) Reliable good quality products Value for money and has good resale value Weaknesses: Playing catch up with its competitors failing to bring differentiated products with a high level of competitive advantage to the market It has failed to make a brand of their models. For example, there is Samsung Galaxy S, LG Chocolate, Apple I-phone while Nokia is still using serial numbers to name its models. Their market share is declining constantly due to lack of innovative products and failure to capture the first mover advantage Insufficient marketing as opposed to its competitors Their software Symbian is under great criticism EXTERNAL Opportunities: Emerging markets like India and China hold great potential Middle East and Northern African nations are potential markets New innovative products with high competitive advantage Secure weakening position by entering into contracts with network operators to expand market share Acquire better software systems Threats: Direct competitors and threat from companies not considered as competition Their software system is no match to the Android and I-Phone software. Recession Smart phones are not competitive enough Brand image weakening/boring image Imitation (fake) and cheap products claiming to be Nokia can damage brand Nokias Marketing Strategy Based on several similar characteristics Nokia can segment their market: Demographic Features: Age and Gender: Nokia products appeal to most age groups and are more unisex. They are now introducing mobile phones with vibrant colors that would appeal to women and also the younger generations Income: Low Eg- C-series and dual sim phones Middle to High -Eg- N-series, E-series, Communicators Very High Eg- Vertu Phones Occupation: Businessmen they need phones that look professional and have multiple features: 3G technology, web access on-the-go, support organizing functions and connecting with clients. The Nokia E-series, N-series and Communicators are targeted at satisfying certain needs of businessmen. Students social networking, gaming features, and music options are the eye-catching characteristics sought by this demographic class. The N-series and Xpress Music models are quite popular in this segment. Level of Education: The user-friendly aspect of Nokia phones makes it easy for even illiterates to operate the phones. For those who like to read and use their phones aside from their communication functions, the latest Nokia phones like the N900 and other smart phones would be of great interest to them. Behavioural and Psychographic: Benefits Sought: Most Nokia products provide its users value for money as they satisfy multiple needs. For instance the Xpress Music models not only allow you to stay connected but also keep you entertained with its walkman features. Usage: Suitable for heavy or light usage. Perception and Personality: Customers perceive Nokia as a reliable and user friendly brand. Varying models for different personalities and tastes. Targeting And Positoning After Nokia has segmented its market, they develop a differentiated strategy for different segments. They aim to increase their market share by catering to all the segments. Even though their history of past products show their suitability for all age groups, recently launched products seem to be targeting the younger generation with a high level of involvement in this field. Nokia alongside its competitors Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson offer its users a wide range of products at higher prices. They are able to charge such prices because of their brand image and benefits received by the customers in relation to the price they pay to obtain it. RIM and Apple also sell their products at high prices but they focus only on a narrow range of products. There strategy contradicts the former group as they focus on generating high revenues on the basis of the success of fewer product ranges. Nokia already enjoys a good position in relation to its competitors. Their brand is a self promoting tool. They like to market themselves as a brand that prioritizes its customers and adds value to their products. Nokia benefits by being an all-rounder in the manufacturing of mobile devices and the perception of being one of the best reliable brands in this industry. By supplying products of all ranges, low income to high income, professional to gaming, fancy to elegant, premium luxury to necessity the brand clearly displays its presence and dominance. MARKETING MIX The marketing mix consists of 4 elements (Product, Price, Place and Promotion), each of which will be discussed in detail below: Product No longer is the mobile phone a mere means to make phone calls but to perform more diverse functions like access the web, click photographs, share data, enjoy music, connect with friends through social networking sites, play games etc. Nokia manufactures a large number of differentiated handsets to cater to their wide and diverse target segments.Their products vary according to their features and serial numbers. They have successfully sold the Nokia C-series, N-series, E-series, Xpress Music models, Communicators and other mobiles with the power of their brand name. Recently they have launched the Ovi Stores which enable its users to download applications of their interest online. The most notable feature of the Ovi stores is their Ovi maps. In order to compete with their competitors, they are reducing their reliance on the Symbian operating system and developing models with the Maemo and Maego Operating Systems which are more open and allow users to develop their own games and share it with the rest of the world online. Product Life Cyle The N900 can be considered to be in its growth stage where the company has already reached its Break-Even-Point and is generating profits. Phones like the N97 and N91 have already matured and are generating constant returns and competing against its rivals. The Nokia Communicators are in the decline stages as the demand for older versions has fallen and competitors are offering better alternatives. In order to grow their market share, Nokia goes for product development i.e. launching new products in existing markets. Applying the BCG matrix (Boston Consulting Group), Nokia can be classified as the Cash Cows as they hold a greater share of the market but are not growing at the same pace as the growth of the market. As the market is growing, their share is reducing. This leads to implementing strategies to defend their position. Price Nokia adopts 2 pricing strategies. They price their products on the basis of: Market skimming technique i.e. setting high prices at the launch of the product and gradually reducing the prices when competitors enter the market. Competitors price they price their products more or less at the same price as their competitors. Place Nokia does not sell directly to its end users. It uses indirect channels through which it distributes its products to the mass population. They are engaged in Business-to-Business transactions. For example, Nokia sells their products to Sharaf DG, Axiom Mobiles, Jumbo, Jackys, etc in the UAE who then sell it to its end users. Promotion Nokia promotes itself mainly through advertising and sponsoring events. They use strong brand ambassadors like Priyanka Chopra and Shahrukh Khan in mass media advertising through Televisions. They develop effective and catchy advertisements where their brand name is the main selling point. Evaluation of Nokias Strategies Nokia has performed remarkably well in securing the position it enjoys today of being the market leader. But the real challenge they face is securing and maintaining this position. Being the dominant player, it should have been able to easily drive away the competition in the Smartphone market and grabbed the first mover advantage. Whereas it is playing catch up with RIMs BlackBerry and Apples I-Phone. Their efforts need to be more effective and their products more competitive as they have not been able to launch a product recently that can be classified as a paradigm shift. Conclusion: Nokia has performed well in the year 2009, however failure to overcome technologies of other smart phones can lead to a big damage to Nokia. Even though the brand name Nokia is sufficient to drive sales, the aggressive marketing and advertising strategies undertaken by its rivals can cause sufficient damage to their cash flows. Hence they need to focus more on not only advertising their brand but also their competitive advantages over its rivals. None the less, it is by far the most preferred brand of consumers according to a survey conducted in the UAE (Arabian business online) APPENDIX Table 1.1 Market Share of Top 5 Mobile Vendors from 2009-10 Table 1.2 Sales and Profit of Nokia for the past 5 years YEAR 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Sales 34191 41121 51058 50710 40984 Profit 3616 4306 7205 3988 891

Examining the challenges of Clinical Leadership

Examining the challenges of Clinical Leadership A health care setting institution with advanced health technology and high calibers doesnt mean quality nursing care can be offered, unless accompanying with effective clinical leadership. This essay has a strong focus on all aspects of clinical leadership. A case will be used to find out how should effective leadership skill be. Both internal and external factors should be analysed. The latter factors can be found out by PESTEL. Change management is helpful to develop strategies for handling the issue. In recommendations, teamwork, power, communication and presentation skills, conflict management, emotional intelligence and autocratic leadership style all are crucial to solve the issue and a clinician should equip with them. Before concluding all the discussion, training myself as a reflective practitioner is helpful to develop my future practice. Clinical leadership- What is this? It has various definitions. Harper (1995, p.81) defines a clinical leader as one who possesses clinical expertise in specialty practice area and who uses interpersonal skills to enable nurses and other healthcare providers to deliver quality patient care. More elaborately, it also involves an environment where nurses are empowered and where there is a vision for the future. Clinical leadership requires leadership skills for team building, confidence and respect of others, as well as vision and empowerment. Equally important, clinical leaders must also be good communicators. Meanwhile, Stanley (2006) suggests not only the abovementioned elements clinical leaders have to demonstrate, but also the followings- approachable and role model. Approachable means a clinical leader should be friendly and openness rather than controlling and dictatorial (Stanley, 2006). Role model means clinical leader who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by other nurses (Stanley, 2006). To summ arise the above elements, clinical leadership is effective if clinical leaders are expert in their field, and because they are approachable, effective communicators and empowered, are able to become a role model, motivating other nurses by matching their values and beliefs about nursing and care to their practice (Stanley, 2006). Leadership is important in healthcare today. In Hong Kong, Hospital Authority emphasises any potential or experienced leaders should be educated and trained. Enhancing professional competencies and building up effective leadership is the top priority. In action, providing simulation skill-based training for nurses; developing new in-house specialty training programs for nurses; offering corporate scholarship for overseas training; creating full-time executive development positions; organising senior executive development program and other leadership development all are beneficial to nurture competent clinical leaders (Hospital Authority annual plan, 2010). Case scenario This short paragraph is going to describe a case I experienced at my area of practice. Having been a senior nurse at my workplace, I am mainly responsible for nursing administration, such as arranging vacation leave for my colleagues. One day, one of my subordinates requested annual leave during the Chinese Lunar New Year as she hasnt been a long vacation leave during the festival for a few years. Her request was simply rejected because of compelling reason- inadequate manpower. I think it was reasonable to reject her request. However, the colleague had seemed disappointed my decision and complained this incident to my senior. It is time for me to contemplate which aspect, for example, communication and interpersonal skills or poor decision making, which I was doing wrong in this leadership issue. In short, there might be conflict issues between the subordinate and senior. Analysis There are many external factors which affecting the leadership issue. It is important to reveal them so as to maximize the opportunities and minimize the threats to my work environment. PESTEL is an analytical tool to help decision-maker to consider what external factors are important. Political, economic, social, technological, ethical and legal factors or PESTEL factors in short should be discovered. The following grid shows the analysis: Grid 1: PESTEL analysis grid P E S T E L e.g. Any inequality legislation committed due to subordinates request being rejected A lot of alternative nursing employment may contribute staff submitted resignation Staff social life may be affected due to imbalance work and social time Outdated IT equipments impede work flow and efficiency Unfair to the subordinate or not, lack of respect as her wish is rejected Take precaution of any changes in employees holidays policy/protocol Having listed the key factor in each PESTEL area, elaboration will be given regarding to individual area. Political factor can be interpreted as what is happening politically in the environment in which a decision-maker operates (Mennen, 2007). A decision-maker should pay attention that any inequality ordinance may be committed, for subordinates request for holidays during public holidays is refused. Economic factor can be interpreted as what is happening within the economy (Mennen, 2007). A decision-maker should take notice on every decision. Careless decision may incur angry healthcare staff submitted resignation, for there are a lot of nursing vacancies offered by other clinics, hospitals and old age homes. Social factor can be interpreted as what is occurring socially in an environment in which a decision-maker operates (Mennen, 2007). Having vacation leave during special festival is a reasonable desire for all shift-based healthcare staff. A decision-maker may be in dilemma whos e staff can have vacation leave as manpower is so tight. Technological factor can be interpreted as what is happening in technology which can impact what a decision-maker does (Mennen, 2007). In this regard, outdated healthcare technology can affect the leadership issue also. Inefficacy may be caused by the outdated equipment results time-consuming in a simple procedure, such as preparing a roster for frontline staff. Ethical factor can be interpreted as what is right or wrong philosophically (Mennen, 2007). A decision-maker should underscore any decided judgment should be morally acceptable, such as frontline staffs request should be fairly arranged. Prejudice and bias should be avoided. Legal factor can be interpreted as what is happening with changes to legislation (Mennen, 2007). A decision-maker should update his/her understanding in any staff vacation leave protocol or policy in order to maintain the staff maximum benefit. To make a brief summary, PESTEL can enable an organiza tion to anticipate future threats and take action to escape from their impact. Change management The term-change management is coined by Lewin (1951).Change management model is known as unfreeze, change and refreeze (Mind Tools Ltd, 2010). Change is unavoidable of something is needed to be amended. This paragraph is going to explore how the change management model can be applied in the clinical issue. Before application, force field analysis should be performed. The analysis starts from the premise that any situation is held in a stable position by a series of equal and opposite forces. Change occurs about when the forces become out of balance. The analysis is useful when a decision-maker knows where he/she wants to go but is stuck. The following shows the analysis: Restraining forces forces Pushing forces Maintaining adequate manpower is the top priority Staff discontents the holiday during the Chinese New Year Poor mood and low work efficiency due to no holidays during the special festival Power and discipline are paramount to uphold better patient services/benefit Involved staff politicizes the issue (i.e. complaint the issue to management level) Frontline staff is an important asset in caring-demand work environment To execute change, pushing forces must be greater than restricting forces and the need for change has been recognized. In application of the Lewin (1951) model, the first step should prepare the organization to accept that change is necessary, which involves break down the existing status quo before building up a new way for the next stage (Paton McCalman, 2008). In practical step, ensuring there is strong support from management team. Compelling message should be disseminated vacation leave during special festival is possible if manpower is enough. Maintaining stable manpower is essential to provide quality nursing care. At the same time, managerial staff should remain open to subordinates concerns and address in terms of the need to change. The second stage is where people begin to resolve their uncertainty and look for new ways to do things. People start to believe and act in ways that support the new direction (Paton McCalman, 2008). In practical step, effective communication and empowerment are significant. More clearly, managerial staff should prepare every staff for what is happening if staff requests annual leave during special festival. Also, explanations exactly by the managerial staff how the changes will affect every staff. The third stage is when the change (i.e. no one is approval for vacation leave during special festival unless manpower is allowed) is taking shape and subordinates have embraced the new ways of protocol, the organization is ready to refreeze (Paton McCalman, 2008). In practical step, the organisation should anchor the changes into the culture. Establishing feedback system is helpful to sustain the change. Having vacation leave immediately after special festival is encouraged. Recommendations There are six recommendations to solve the leadership issue. The concept of teamwork should be imparted into the ward practice. Nursing care is teamwork-based. The importance of teamwork should not be ignored. Teamwork in health care can be defined as a dynamic process involving two or more health care professionals with complementary backgrounds and skills, sharing common health goals and exercising collaborated physical and mental effort in assessing, planning, or evaluating client care (Agich, 1982). I have to explain her that the importance of teamwork. All colleagues need to understand how important it is for them to work smoothly together if they want to provide quality care. All colleagues must be dedicated to the whole nursing team and be willing to act unselfishly. In other words, sacrifice, in a certain extent, is necessary. To build up teamwork culture, making sure that the team goals are completely clear and understood and accepted by each frontline staff. In addition, I have to be careful with interpersonal issues. Early recognising them and dealing with them in full are highly recommended. Power There is a famous proverb-nothing can be done without power (Power, 1999). The appropriate use of power is important for clinical leadership, for a healthcare setting environment depends on social relationship based on power. Power (1999) defines power in terms of control or influence over the behaviour of other with or without their consent. Power can be classified as physical, position, resources, expert and intuitive. Position rather than other power should be used in the issue. Position power equals legitimate power. It means occupancy of a role entitles one to the rights of that role in the organization (Power, 1999). As a decision-maker, I have considerable right to determine something. Not approving staff with vacant leave during the special festival during the Chinese New Year is a logical and reasonable decision. Both parties interest (i.e. patient and ward) can be preserved. Presentation and communication skills Oral communication skills consistently rank near the top of competencies valued by clinical leaders. As a clinical leader, promoting positive workplace relations through conservation is highly recommended (Burnard, 1997).. In the leadership issue, I have to offer constructive criticism pertinent to the issue rather than directly rejecting her request. Think currently about what I want to say is the first step. Next, be specific in conveying core message during face-to-face communication. Clear rather than vague assertion is preferred. I do wish there is enough manpower during the special festival so you can have holiday us better than your request is banned due to inadequate manpower. On the one hand, I have to offer help and empathy her. More clearly, holiday after the special festival should be arranged immediately and understanding that the mood of no holiday during the festival. Conflict management Since different staff will have different viewpoints, ideas and desire, conflict is unavoidable in any group. The sources of conflict are disagreement on how things should be done, personal interest as well as tension and stress (Shortell Kaluzny, 1997). The outcomes of conflict include polarization, low morale and regrettable behaviours produced. Therefore, conflict should be well encouraged In this regard, understanding how conflicts arise is important. Obviously, the above mentioned conflict can be categorized as personal interest (i.e. requesting on holidays during the special festival). To handle the conflict due to personal interest, compromise or negotiation is effective to settle down the incident. I have to talk with her gently as manpower is too tense, your compromise is critical. At the same time, I have to manage the issue intelligently, banning her request straightforwardly seems provoking her emotion. Rather, I have to refuse her request euphemistically. For example, y our request must be approved if manpower is enough. Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is recognition of our own feelings and those of others (,). A clinical leader who accurately perceives others emotions can handle change better and build stronger social networks. To achieve so, three emotional intelligence skills a clinical leader should possess. The skills include social skills, motivation and self-awareness. Social skills are the ability to influence or persuade others (Pahl, 2008). Good communication skill is a typical example. Motivation is able to enjoy challenges and be passionate about work and initiate optimism (Pahl, 2008). Motivating all frontline staff to work at the special festival is a big challenge task. Self awareness is a deep understanding of ones emotions or self-assessment in short (Pahl, 2008). Understanding my own strengths and weaknesses is helpful to deal with emotional event. Authoritarian Autocratic rather than laissez-faire and democratic styles should be considered. Autocratic style is an autocratic leader who is directive and makes decisions for a group. Being autocratic does not mean the leader is a dictator. Instead, the leader usually provides direction and makes decisions (Northhouse, 2010). Meanwhile, laisser-faire style is noninterference in the affairs of others and democratic style is subordinates have an equal say in the decision-making process (Northhouse, 2010). In the leadership issue, if a lot of subordinates requests annual leave during the special festival, inadequate manpower is guaranteed. Therefore, laissez-faire and democratic styles mustnt be adopted because it is impossible for subordinates to freely choose the period of vacation leave. To prevent any chaos in holiday arrangement, autocratic style is the best style to be adopted. Development of future practice This experience should be in my heart because the experience I engaged is helpful to my future practice. Reflective practice is highly recommended. It is associated with learning from past experience, and is regarded as an important strategy for health professionals who embrace lifelong learning (Johns, 2009). Due to the ever changing context of healthcare, there is a high level of demand on healthcare professionals expertise. Healthcare professionals could benefit from reflective practice, since the act of reflection is seen as a way of promoting the development of autonomous and qualified professionals. Engaging in reflective practice is associated with the improvement of the quality of care and stimulating professional growth. In practical step, there are several frameworks for reflection, for instance, Gibbs reflective cycle. Gibbs (1998) developed the reflective cycle in order to provide structure for reflecting on a nursing situation. The cycle involves six phases. The first ph ase is to describe what happen (i.e. the case scenario). The second phase is to think and feel about the scenario (i.e. unwisely to handle the issue). The third phase is to evaluate what was good and bad about the experience (i.e. adequate manpower can be maintained but the involved subordinate become angry). The fourth phase is to analyse what sense can I make of the issue (i.e. managing conflict of personal interest intelligently). The fifth phase is to think what else could I have done (i.e. managing conflict tactically). The final phase is to prepare contingency plan (i.e. if it arose again, what would I do). Conclusion So far, all aspects of clinical leadership have been covered. To solve the issue due to personal interest, negotiation with involved staff, wisely-used conflict management skills, fully utilizing position power and compelling presentation skills all are constructive to the issue. Before settling down the issue, both PESTEL analysis and change management should be engaged. The strengths of the above are to discover any threats as soon as possible and implement related changes immediately. Successful settling down the issue doesnt mean a clinical leader demonstrates effective clinical leadership. As clinical leadership is a persistent phenomena performed by a clinical leader, reflective skill a clinical leader should have so as to enhance clinical leadership in an advanced level. (Words: 2711)

Physician- Assisted Suicide Essay -- Essays Papers

Physician- Assisted Suicide What can be more personal than the decision to end one's life in its final, painful days? Physician-assisted suicide is a justifiable suicide; â€Å"self-deliverance† and a person's liberty should not be taken away. On September 15, 2001 my negative attitude toward physician-assisted suicide changed drastically. My mother's parents are deeply in love and unfortunately have become very sick. My grandma was just diagnosed with Lou Gherig's disease one year before her death. My grandpa was always depressed because my grandma was in so much pain and was miserable. She was such a loving person and my mom was upset. When my grandma researched her illness, Lou Gherig's disease she realized that she would eventually be like a vegetable. Crying softly she looked up at our whole family and said, "Please I want to have PAS as soon as I get to "that" point in my illness. I love you all so much and don't want you to watch me die like that or spend a lot of money for som ething that cannot be helped." My grandpa loved her more than anyone can love a person and visited her in the hospital everyday. She was to "that" point in her life now and he was scared. Physician-assisted suicide is a justifiable self-deliverance because it helps those in pain avoid dying miserably. No person wants to live in pain or die in pain and PAS gives patients the mercy of dying painlessly. According to Kim, PAS allows patients a speedy death in peace and dignity (170). The author asserts that for many patients the pain they endure is too much to bear. Forcing people to suffer is immoral (Kim 171). No person that is terminally ill should want to suffer or allow their family members to watch them suffer. ... ...ainlessly than suffer. Physician-assisted suicide is a justifiable "self deliverance" because it helps those in pain avoid dying miserably. Works Cited Hawkins, Gail N., ed. Physician- Assisted Suicide. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. 11-35. Kim, Clara S. Pros and Cons: Social Policy Debates of Our Time. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. 165- 182. Manning, Michael. Euthanasia and Physician- Assisted Suicide: Killing or Caring? New York: Paulist Press, 1998. 26-44. Sommerville, Margaret. Death Talk: The Case Against Euthanasia and Physician- Assisted Suicide. Quebec: McGill- Queen’s University Press, 2001. 205-217. Willke, J.C. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Past and Present. Cincinnati: Hayes Publishing, 1998. 1-16. Gittleman, D.K. "Euthanasia and Physician-assisted Suicide." Southern Medical Journal. Vol. 92. 1999.