Billy Mitchell: A Critical Analysis of His Leadership Essay

Billy Mitchell was a visionary airpower pioneer who demonstrated very effective leadership in field operations, but his inability to develop a guiding coalition limited his effectiveness in leading the major organizational change he so desperately desired. General Mitchell was a famous, some would say infamous, airpower thinker who some regard as the father of the United States Air Force.1 Born into a wealthy family and the son of a Wisconsin Senator, Mitchell could have chosen a life of luxury. But Billy sought great adventure and chose the military life instead. He joined the Army at the age of eighteen, six years before the Wright brothers made their first historic flight at Kitty Hawk. Once powered flight was proven, it wouldn’t take long for men to make it a weapon of war. For the U.S. Army, Mitchell found himself leading this effort in World War I and, by all accounts, he did so superbly. In this experience, he gained a vision for airpower so firmly embraced that he beca me America’s most outspoken supporter of air forces and the need for an independent Air Service. See more: how to write an analysis As he pursued this challenge, Mitchell’s leadership was both stirring and divisive – leading to heroic displays of airpower technology and also to courts martial for insubordination. Despite his efforts, General Mitchell was not able to drive the Army and the nation to the strategic change he desired for airpower. In the years, however, following his downfall, many of his concepts eventually won the day. Denied his dream in life, his contributions were rewarded six years after his death when he was posthumously promoted to Major General and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. How could a man succeed so greatly in one phase of his life, but fail to achieve the same level of success in another, given the fact that history has proven his airpower tenants correct? To answer this, one must examine Mitchell’s leadership and explore how it affected his successes and failures. The Air War College leadership curriculum provides an environment to examine the underpinning s of leadership and how it may be defined and improved. As a core analytical framework, it utilizes the Right to Lead (RTL) Model. 2 This model allows one, given certain authority, obligations, and requirements, to assess leadership against the factors of competence, character, personality, and relevance. I use these factors to assess Mitchell’s field leadership and provide rationale for his operational successes. Mitchell possessed high levels of leadership competence, especially with regard to his knowledge and skills. He was very intelligent and dedicated himself to mastering the technical aspects of every military duty, which crossed a wide gamut from reading Morse code to flying aircraft. His assignments, from the jungles of the Philippines to the barren tundra of Alaska, provided him with great breadth of experience from which he polished the personal skills needed to lead his men. He leveraged this talent in the first world war, when he brought the power of his knowledge and experience to combat the ignorance of those who failed to understand how to employ airpower in the fight. 3 The one limiting factor in Mitchell’s competence related to his behavior, specifically in the wear of the uniform, where he was known to take â€Å"free reign in everything that adds a touch of picturesque to his personality.4 He would have been wise to remedy his behavior in this regard, as some of his actions drew outrage from his men, including the wear of more gold chevrons on his sleeve than he was authorized.5 Luckily for Mitchell, due to his strength of character, his men were mostly willing to overlook his behavioral faults. He was known as a man of integrity and was fiercely devoted to the well being of his men. Given that an honest effort was put forward, he was surprisingly tolerant of mistakes. Most importantly in the eyes of his troops, before ordering a subordinate to undertake a tough assignment, Mitchell would experiment with the task himself.6 Consider the following: Mitchell enlisted into the Army at eighteen despite his option of an easier life; he was th e first airmen to volunteer for assignment to France in World War I; and he was the first American officer to fly over the German front lines. 7 I argue that these examples all support the fine character of General Mitchell. Mitchell’s personality was well suited for leadership in a field environment. He was able to effectively utilize the coercive, authoritative, and pacesetting leadership styles that, according to leadership research, were well suited for executing his vision in stressful environments with highly motivated men.8 He engendered high levels of trust from those who worked under him and gained the respect of those who worked by his side, including the British, French, and Italian allied leadership.9 Relevance, the apex of the RTL model, is a direct result of a leader’s influence and occurs at the organizational, environmental, and personal levels.10 Mitchell showed relevance in all of these areas. First, from an environmental perspective, he brought together multiple organizations, air forces from Britain, Italy, and the United States, and integrated their personnel and equipment into a viable fi ghting force, which culminated in â€Å"the greatest concentration of air power that had ever taken place.† 11 He had high organizational relevance, changing the persona of his combined force from one solely focused on strategic attack, to one comfortable executing the additional tactics and techniques of air superiority, close air support, and interdiction.12 Finally, General Mitchell had tremendous personal relevance to the airmen fighting under his command. As America rushed to get into the European air fight, they suffered from long delays in producing aircraft and training pilots, so much so that the vast majority of Army airmen shipped to Mitchell had never seen an airplane.13 He took this force and trained them to fly, fight, and win – culminating in a decisive victory at the Battle of St. Mihiel. The RTL model proves a valuable tool to help understand why Mitchell was an effective leader in field operations, which culminated in his effective planning and execution of the European air campaign of World War I. His experiences there convinced him that airpower would be the domi nate force in future warfare and to effectively organize, train, equip, and employ it required the creation of an independent Air Service Department. 14 Enacting such a vision required strategic organizational change, which Mitchell attempted to lead. He proved less successful in this regard and I’ll look to experts on leading change in an effort to understand why. In his book Leading Change, John Kotter spells out the eight steps to create major change within an organization.15 The change process can be summarized in three phases: break the status quo; introduce many new practices; and ground the changes into the organizational culture.16 To break the status quo, post-war budget cutbacks provided the required sense of urgency to produce military change and Mitchell had a clear and articulate vision, but he failed to create a sufficiently powerful guiding coalition to support the change. Though he was able to create a large cadre of airpower advocates in the military, the congress, and in the public, Mitchell was never able to get Army and Navy leadership to buy into his vision. When the head of an organization is not an active supporter, major change can be impossible.17 Unable to break the status quo, Mitchell targeted the second phase of the change process by introducing new practices and empowering those under his command to take broad action in the development of new aircraft and more capable munitions. Mitchell hoped public demonstrations of these capabilities would force his leadership to buy into his vision. In an attempt to make this happen, he turned to dissent. Mitchell utilized the national press to campaign for support, publicly denouncing the policies and positions of his leadership.18 In more recent times, other famous leaders, including Generals Douglas McArthur and Stanley McChrystal, have been relieved for publicly espousing opinion in conflict with national leadership. But I believe Mitchell felt national security was at stake and that, as the Army’s top airpower strategist, his expertise was being overlooked. When these conditions are met, some argue that dissent is appropriate.19 Right or wrong, Mitchell’s public campaign won him a very public showing of airpower capabilities, where his men famously sunk the battleship Ostfriesland.20 His public success did garner support for aviation – Navy aviation. The public nature of his dissent offended leadership and made it impossible for him to build the guiding coalition required for his vision. Without this key ingredient, he was unable to drive the organizational change desired. General Richard Myers argues that successful strategic leaders must manage cognitive dissonance.21 Thus, successful management means maintaining relationships despite disagreement. Mitchell failed here when he went public. Remarkably, he wasn’t fired, probably because his views aligned with the public mood of the day. 22 However, he again enacted this approach three years later with even stronger criticism of national policy and leadership. This time, he’d experience the impacts of dissent as he was tried and convicted at court martial. Although this ended his military career, Mitchell regarded his trial as a necessary cog in the wheel of progress.23 Billy Mitchell was an extremely effective leader in field operations. He was also a visionary airpower pioneer who attempted, but failed, to lead organizational change due to his inability to build the requisite coalition. His ideas were valid and later implemented after his death. It took men with different leadership competencies, however, to eventually enact the changes Mitchell so deeply advocated. 1. Lt Col William Ott, â€Å"Maj Gen William â€Å"Billy† Mitchell: A Pyrrhic Promotion,† Air and Space Power Journal, Winter 2006, 27. 2. Gene Kamena, Col Mark Danigole, and CAPT Scott Askins, â€Å"The Right to Lead,† (working paper, Air War College, Maxwell, AL, 2012), 1. 3. Roger Burlingame, General Billy Mitchell (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1978), 78. 4. Ibid., 103. 5. Ibid., 79. 6. Ibid., 78-79. 7. Dr. Michael L. Grumelli, â€Å"Billy Mitchell’s Air War: Practice, Promise, and Controversy,† (lecture, National Museum of the United States Air Force Lecture Series, Dayton, OH, 16 Jan 2000), NPN. 8. Daniel Goleman, â€Å"Leadership That Gets Results,† On Point: Harvard Business Review, March-April, 2002, 11. 9. Burlingame, General Billy Mitchell, 103. 10. Kamena, Danigole, and Askins, â€Å"The Right to Lead,† 1-5. 11. Burlingame, General Billy Mitchell, 94. 12. Grumelli, â€Å"Billy Mitchell’s Air War,† NPN. 13. Burlingame, General Billy Mitchell, 73-74. 14. Alfred F. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1975), 40. 15. John P. Kotter, Leading Change (Boston MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996), 20-22. 16. Ibid., 23. 17. Ibid., 6. 18. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, 62. 19. Don M. Snyder, Dissent and Strategic Leadership in the Military Professions, ASSI Publication 849 (Carlisle, PA: Army Strategic Studies Institute, February 2008), 6-7. 20. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, 64-69. 21. GEN Richard B. Myers, Ret. and Albert C. Pierce, â€Å"On Strategic Leadership,† Joint Force Quarterly, No. 54, 3rd quarter 2009, 13. 22. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, 90. 23. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, 105. Bibliography 1. Roger Burlingame, General Billy Mitchell (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, Inc., 1978), 1-94. 2. Daniel Goleman, â€Å"Leadership That Gets Results,† On Point: Harvard Business Review, March-April, 2002,1-15. 3. Dr. Michael L. Grumelli, â€Å"Billy Mitchell’s Air War: Practice, Promise, and Controversy,† (lecture, National Museum of the United States Air Force Lecture Series, Dayton, OH, 16 Jan 2000) 4. Alfred F. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1975), 1-105. 5. Gene Kamena, Col Mark Danigole, and CAPT Scott Askins, â€Å"The Right to Lead,† (working paper, Air War College, Maxwell, AL, 2012), 1-14. 6. John P. Kotter, Leading Change (Boston MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996), 3-31. 7. GEN Richard B. Myers, Ret. and Albert C. Pierce, â€Å"On Strategic Leadership,† Joint Force Quarterly, No. 54, 3rd quarter 2009, 12-13. 8. Lt Col William Ott, â€Å"Maj Gen William â€Å"Billy† M itchell: A Pyrrhic Promotion,† Air and Space Power Journal, Winter 2006, 27-33. 9. Don M. Snyder, Dissent and Strategic Leadership in the Military Professions, ASSI Publication 849 (Carlisle, PA: Army Strategic Studies Institute, February 2008), 1-46. 10. Marybeth P. Ulrich, â€Å"The General Stanley McChrystal Affair: A Case Study in Civil-Military Relations,† Parameters, US Army War College Quarterly, Vol. XLI No. 1, Spring 2011, pp. 86-100.

Online School vs. Public School Essay

Sloan Consortium stated that, â€Å"More than one million students attended classes via the Internet in 2008. Of those million, around 200,000 were enrolled in full-time virtual schools, meaning they attend all of their classes online.† I have been doing Online Schooling for two years but before that I went to public school. Online schooling is a better choice than public schooling because you have more control, there is no drama, and you have more free time. I prefer online homeschooling because I can control my pace. I get to decide when I want to work and I don’t have to study all day, everyday like I normally would. The course schedule is also up to me; courses can be done one at a time or in groups. During my first year at an online school I did five courses at one time. It’s now my second year and I am doing one course at a time, which I definitely prefer. At Public schools, course schedules are picked for me and I would have no control. You also can’t control what is going on in your school environment. One of the best things about online school is that there is never any drama. I really hate gossiping, which is a big problem at public schools. Because I only interact with other kids from my school by way of the internet there is no pettiness between us. Kids my age fight over friends and boyfriends or girlfriends. There’s nothing to fight about when you live as far away from each other as we do. At normal schools though, you see everyone everyday. When your constantly with the same group of people, someone’s feelings are always getting hurt and there is constant arguments. Many of situations involve your â€Å"friends†. If your friends with someone you can’t be friends with anyone they don’t like, which can get very complicated. 3 When doing school online, you have much more free time. If I stay caught up, I’m able to do things after school and on the weekends. When I was in public school, I had far too much homework to do anything. Now I’m able to take a few days off for vacation or because I’m sick and not have to worry about falling far behind. While at public school all of my time was filled by homework, but now I’m able to spend hours after school with my horse or just relaxing. Some of my family has expressed concern about me not  interacting with children my age because I don’t go to public school. Because of online schooling, I’m able to hang out with my friends at our barn. Before I switched I never saw any of my friends outside of school because I never had the time. Online schooling is a much better choice than public schooling. The benefits of online school far outweigh those of public schooling. With Online schooling you have so many more choices, everything is up to you! There are many different schooling choices but online schooling has made my life easier and stress free. I definitely suggest that you look into online schooling as an alternative to public school. It may not be right for everyone, but it might be right for you.

Analysis of ICT market in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis of ICT market in UK - Essay Example The Vodafone and Telefonica-O2 were newly licensed in the same Conservative government. It produced the far-reaching variations in ICT sector of UK. It stimulated the competition and enabled the mobile manufacturing companies to make the innovative products. During the same time, Asian and Eastern Europe countries had become capable to compete in manufacturing the electronic products in market. In reply to this electronic growth, ICT sector of UK concentrated on the software services. ICT sector was much focused to develop the new software instead of making the new hardware. ICT industry in UK is concentrated with most famous fifty companies of the world. On other hands, there are 95000 small level firms. The smaller firms are micro-business with fewer than ten employees. Software design, IT management, IT consultancy, IT reselling and distribution are key activities of ICT market in UK. This paper is focused upon the market analysis of ICT market in United Kingdom. ICT market analysis in the perspective of sub-sectors particularly education and why small medium enterprises (SMEs) are slower in full adoption of ICT in UK? Along with this impacts of ICT on education sector of UK has been also analyzed. Literature review is aimed to summarize ICT market analysis in UK. Market analysis allows seeing the technology impacts on different sectors varying from education to SMEs for their businesses. Review will help to identify the areas, where ICT has impacted positively and investigate the areas which are less or negatively impacted. The ICT market as a whole in UK is most attractive for foreign companies to invest in ICT goods and services. UK’s legal framework is supportive for business in ICT sector. Increased appetite of consumers in UK for technology supports the build up and growth of UK’s marketplace (UK Trade & Investment, 2009). In a report   Middleton (2014) identified that a strong link existed

How is the conflict between good and evil portrayed in beowulf Essay

How is the conflict between good and evil portrayed in beowulf - Essay Example Beowulf, the mythical epic hero, symbolizes the good and the righteous in the society. He is depicted as a selfless being that is willing to fight a monster and help the other members of the society overcome the forces of darkness. This is clearly seen when Beowulf travel miles to Danes, another country in order to help the King of the country and his subjects to fight against a monster known as Grendel who is ambushing and mauling the people. However, Beowulf died while fighting the monster dragon in an attempt to save the people from its evil and vengeance. By risking his own life, to protect humans from the evil monster, Beowulf symbolizes the Biblical Jesus, ‘the prince of goodness’, who died to save the oppressed (Hieatt 34). On the other hand, Grendel and his mother are the two main monsters representing evil in the society. The two monsters are depicted as the descendants of the biblical Cain who was cursed by God after he killed his brother Abel (line 121). Grendel was described vividly as a vicious monster that was an offspring of everything evil. He is the villain who ambushes and kills innocent people for fun. Grendel was on a daily basis struggle to destroy everything around him while Beowulf tried to do good all the time. Beowulf therefore is portrayed as God (good) and Grendel was Cain (evil). The poet actually based his work from the biblical creation story. Grendel symbolizes evil just like the biblical Cain who was shunned by God after he killed brother. Beowulf had the same feeling of hatred for Grendel. God totally refused to grant Grendel forgiveness but favored Beowulf pride at the expense of Grendel’s sins. In the battle, God granted Beowulf overwhelming victory. The ruler of heaven and earth thus brought about a right issue when once more he stood up victorious and with ease. Throughout this poem the Christian symbolizes the element of good and evil as well as heaven and

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference - Essay Example It is however, important to understand that homosexuals often face difficulties which are difficult to overcome and put them in socially disadvantageous position. Not only they face strong psychological issues but they are also being discriminated based upon their sexual orientation and are often considered as odd man out in the society. The overall societal response to homosexuals therefore varies according to cultures and historical periods and is still considered as unfavorable in many societies. Though some States have allowed the Gay Marriages however, still there are some States where it is not legal. Such situation may suggest a split opinion about the homosexuals within the country. Similarly, Military has relaxed its rules to allow same sex marriages however; it has still not been accepted by the Military personnel and has hard time dealing with it. Gay parents are still not accepted by many people and their children suffer significant childhood trauma to actually deal with this situation. Not only they are being bullied growing up but they are being put in a situation which may be entirely out of their control and still they may face the consequences of the same. This paper will argue and discuss and prove that homosexuality is not a sexual preference. Though the term homosexuality has been coined in late 19th century however, its history dates back to Greek era and often reference is made to the Plato’s Symposium to the recent Queer theory. It is suggested that the largest amount of data which is available regarding the history of homosexuality comes from Greece. Right from the work of Plato and other Greek authors to the artwork, homosexuality has been comprehensively discussed and depicted in different sources in Greek literature. (Ekwo,15) It is also believed that homosexuality has been present in Greek culture more than any ancient culture and therefore most of the references regarding the historical origins of the homosexuality. It is also important to understand that despite such tendencies, there were some regional variations even across the whole Greece therefore it is important to keep this factor distinguished. Some notable persons such as Alexander the Great has also been considered to have interest in boys and other men. However, the overall number of such persons is relatively low. (Crompton) In ancient Greece, having particular interest in any same sex individuals was not considered as a moral issue but it was seen from the perspective of the individual preferences and choices. To ancient Greeks, Gender was irrelevant and more preferences were given to beauty and character found in either sex. Exercise of moderation as well as the social and economic status of the persons were taken into consideration too w hile anyone was actually attracted to any particular sex. There were also distinctions based upon having relationships with the slaves as well as freemen. Sex with freemen were considered as problematic in nature however, with slaves it was relatively easy. Besides, there were clear distinctions based upon the role being played by the partners during the overall relationship. The active and passive role, inserative and penetrative role played by partners’

Critique of a Political Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Critique of a Political Speech - Essay Example As I analyzed his delivery, I noticed a disconnect between the words that were on the page and the way he was delivering them. Although a gifted orator, he lack the emotional connection that would make one believe that he not only wrote his own speech, which he probably did not, but that he actually believed in what he was asking the people and congress to believe in. President Obama came to the White House with very little known about his work experience by the public. He was only a fresh senator with only 2 years of legislative work under his belt at the time he began his presidential campaign. Even with all his political shortcomings in terms of work experience and the like, those who covered him during the campaign were all wowed by his most remarkable asset. They all agreed that he was a gifted orator who knew how to truly engage his audience and sway them towards his beliefs by the time that he came to the end of his speech. Sadly, serving as our president did not seem to culti vate that aspect of his oratorical talent. His previous American Job Act speech left many wanting, for his speech was full of words but short in substance. He began his speech with what I believe to be the most self serving opening in the history of speeches: Tonight we meet at an urgent time for our country. We continue to face an economic crisis that has left millions of our neighbors jobless, and a political crisis that has made things worse. This past week, reporters have been asking "What will this speech mean for the President? What will it mean for Congress? How will it affect their polls, and the next election?" His ethos in the previous paragraph was supposed to show us his authority over Congress and make us believe that he is in the best position to help the public interests because he understands the social situation and knows how to solve it. He is after all, the president of the country. Its penultimate leader and father to all those residing in this great land. Instea d, his opening paragraph shows us that he was thinking more about political survival more than anything else. The ethos of his speech veers more on the intrinsic side as we all know that he is not, and will never be one of those common-folk who shall be extremely affected by high gas prices, mortgage problems, or even, loss of jobs, he won't even have a dwindling 401k portfolio. He is obviously conscious of that fact as he never mentions those pressing problems faced by normal people. He chose to open his speech talking about his re-election instead. An opening which, in my honest opinion, weakened the ethos of his whole speech. His speech however, offers a strong argument in terms of pathos that the listeners and others affected by our current socio-political climate can get behind and support. He presented the following argument in support of his American Job Act Bill towards the middle part of his speech: The next election is fourteen months away. And the people who sent us here – the people who hired us to work for them – they don't have the luxury of waiting fourteen months. Some of them are living week to week; paycheck to paycheck; even day to day. They need help, and they need it now. The people who helped draft Pres. Obama's speech were very conscious of the fact that the American public is now very restless and clamoring for change and action from the government. From those who are in power right now. The speech, at

Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Music - Essay Example The attractiveness of the melodies and careful incorporation of romantic sounds largely and continuously changes the mood of the listener to a more passionate frame of mind. Capriccio is definitely a song that I would love to continuously play when I want to relax my mind. The music, which is played by trumpet, piano and baritones, is expressively turned with great performance straight from the vocal part. The music literally raises tremendous memories of the autumn season regardless of how far the season could be through its expressive simultaneous performance of the musical instruments and the vocal part, which remains, breathtaking and propulsive throughout the song. The song remains one of the greatest arrangements of the first brass quintet that is deliberate and harmonious that describes the romantic melancholy of the autumn season. Autumn is a song that one can repeatedly listen to just to remind the listener of the great and beautiful memories of the autumn season. This song is plainly a beautiful performance that is incorporated with much intimacy and erotic smouldering that worth the occasional listening. The artistical blend of tenor and trombone and strings and the vocal part confirms the sweet musical combination that originates from the song. The variations of the strings and the tenor trombones arouses the listeners feelings and emotions thus compelling the listener to listen more and more with a thrilling feeling and emotions. Concerto is a song that will continue ringing into the ears and head of the listener even if it is not playing due to its melodious tunes. This is a song that I would heartily recommend to be one of the greatest jazz ever since because of the way it is wonderfully expressed with powerful movements of the artists. It undoubtedly stirs up the listener with its classical combination of guitars and the trombone which turns it to be a pacesetter in the innovative standard of jazz. Naked as a Jaybird

Why did you choose Management as your course in college Essay

Why did you choose Management as your course in college - Essay Example This interest because well, I would like to be a boss someday! Who would not want to be a boss anyway? I believe I can be a boss because I know I have a good leadership skill which is required to become a boss. But of course I have to learn the science as well which the course Management will provide. The article succinctly explained what the Management course is all about. That it is â€Å"the coordination of human, material, and financial resources to accomplish organizational goals.† A major in business administration/management will provide that goal†. It was impressed to me that a Management major is about leadership and providing direction which I am really good at. Managers coordinate the resources of an organization from its human resource to its materials to achieve a certain objective of which I am very keen on doing in the future. I also checked on the skill sets required and I particularly liked Management because it encourages one to be a generalist than to be a specialist in order to be effective. It meant, knowing a little of something about a lot of things. The course, as the article explained, is a â€Å"thorough grounding in the theories and principles of accounting, finance, marketing, economics, statistics, human resources functions, and decision-making. You’ll come away a whiz on how to budget, organize, plan, hire, direct, control, and otherwise manage various organizations†.   I am very comfortable with this because it allows me to see the bigger picture of an organization and understand the various functions and relationships of various functions on how it relates to the objective of an organization. Being a generalist, Management majors I believe are easily employable. It is because their knowledge and skill sets are applicable to a lot of areas in an organization. The course involves understanding finance, human resources, leadership and including systems which I could easily fit in when I will be joining a n organization. This adaptability or easy employability is important especially today when jobs are getting rarer. This is course will give me an edge of being easily employed after I graduate college. In addition, Management course is also a good preparation to become a boss in an organization or even run my own business someday. It is because the training and education involved the various aspects of a company which is very applicable in real business. It is unlike other courses that we study which disinterests me because I do not find its use in the real world. The course Management is grounded on business reality and I am sure it will interest me when I am taking the course. The course will also teach me how to become smart in making and handling money which I believe is very important today. It is not enough just to have a job or business but it is also equally important to know how to handle one’s money and finances. I believe this practical skill and knowledge is part of the course Management which would teach me not only how to budget my money but also on how to reinvest them to make more money. Also, the need for Management is everywhere not only in the office or business setting. It can be used in daily life such as planning an event or a project. For example, Management can also be used in organizing parties. I believe there is one aspect in Management called Project Management which teaches students how to organize events and projects and this is very helpful not only in the work setting. The course will not only educate me on how to do a certain job in the

Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Certainly, when great service and quality is the focus, the supply chain becomes the center of attention of the company. When it comes to dealing with issues like rising energy and materials prices and the growing challenges of global supply chains, GSK is focused on factors like countering market dynamics, Global Pack Management, speeding up packaging, efficient communication, and other production and operational challenges of the supply chain. According to sources, when energy and material prices rose, GSK turned to the late pack customization program in which production runs were labeled as 30,000numbers for cost effectiveness with 100-5packs at one point in time. In order to match the packaging speed, GSK also introduced online printing that reduced the costs of online printing. Other than that, the company has also initiated coordination efforts through electronic CAD package. The package manages to communicate minor details regarding packaging as well as reviews so that regulat ions are kept under strict check with its suppliers. In future, the aim of this company is to maintain similar tooling and machines among its suppliers. In order to meet the global supply chain challenges, GSK has very efficiently introduced several implementation programs for standardized changes in packaging, pack catalogue for optimization in packaging, and standard Apple Macintosh computers and software for uniform output as well as input (SCM, n.d.). As far as the corporate response to environmental degradation is concerned, GlaxoSmithKline has encouraged a responsible use of most of the dangerous and harmful chemicals in the production.Inculcating this concept in its supply chain, GSK has managed to apply strict and steady standards in its manufacturing operations. GSK makes sure that its suppliers operate according to requirements that arelegal (Schatsky,2012). It has also managed to establish standardized global EHS requirements for both, the suppliers as well as the manufac turers. In this process, it is made sure that the potential suppliers undergo strict pre-contract EHS evaluations. GSK also manages to perform audits where it is made sure that the concerned parties are provided with the needed encouragement and assistance. The parties in this context are referred to as manufacturers and key suppliers. The GSK thus maintains a sound EHS performance metrics that makes it to the Corporate Social Responsibility Report of the GSK, mentioning the performance of suppliers and manufacturers. The chemicals of priority are hence communicated to the suppliers and contract manufacturers that encourage responsible care programs (Global Public Policy Issues, 2011). Organization no. 2: InterfaceFLOR After its inception in the year of 1995, InterfaceFLOR evolved from a square idea in a broadloom to shaping the future on its industry. Over the years of its operations, the company has always focused on reducing the deadly toxins from the facilities as well as the pr oducts it provides to ensure greater sustainability as it has become one of the biggest requirements for today’s organizations (Appendix).InterfaceFLORalso aims at erasing wastes, and thus uses new and creative manufacturing processes to deal with the global challenges. According to the company’s mission, InterfaceFLOR aims to get rid of any bad impact its operations have on the environment by the year of

Bill Clinton and leadership Essay Example for Free

Bill Clinton and leadership Essay For the purpose of this paper, I have chosen the political leader and the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton as the subject of my essay. This paper is based on two of his autobiographical books which were based on his early childhood as well as his life before, during and after his presidency. The book My Life is an autobiographical account by Bill Clinton himself. He is the sole author of the book which was published in the year 2004. The book clearly outlines the various events of his life. These events pertained to the inauguration of Clinton as the 42nd president of the United States of America. This second volume, the first being a biography by Adam by the name of Bill Clinton, puts Clintons term in the office as the epic fall and the term of redemption. This was mostly indicated like such I the book due to the disastrous failure which came bout due to the actions of Mack McLarty, the white house chief of staff, as well as the promiscuous behavior of Clinton and the relationship with Hilary Clinton which was more emphatically and influential than his specific term. The years of 1993-1994 are depicted as the time where things were falling apart for both America as well as the Clintons. However the period following that pertaining to 1995-1996 the book depicts Clinton as In terms of the leadership and presidency Bill Clinton was much favored as being the revolutionary and sensible politician who with the support of his first lady was able to make America as the greatest nation of power in the world. The book also made use of many military metaphors to describe the situation the context of the book. It was highly apparent by reading the book that it was mostly about the evolution and change in the personality of Bill Clinton following his inauguration as the President of the United States. The change in him depicted him as being an arch baby boomer to the undisputed leader of his country. The accounts covered by Clinton were very much expected as he takes into account the bogus scandal of Whitewater, the unethical dalliance with Monica Lewinsky as well as his attempts at managing and balancing the budget for the United Stated of America. Other topics covered in the book also pertain to the Middle Eastern crisis and the peace plan proposed by him. However the more illuminating topics those were discusses in the book related to his personality and his life on a much personal note. This depicted the strength he showed as a person and how ,much the person as developed, and matured over the years in terms of his decision making him an ideal president for the United States during his time at the white house. The book itself however is ill organized and quite chaotic. The reason for this which can be ascertained for the events following and surrounding the launch of the book as well as the statement given by Bill Clinton himself was that the book is basically the picture into his life and the various significant events that took place in it. It is very much like the efforts of a small school boy however the content varies in terms of several topics and themes. The period of the presidency is treated like a rush period where the events merge into each other and the timeline is haphazard skipping large time variables in some instances. However despite the lack of maturity in the book, and the ill organization of the content the book did become a best seller, its sales even surpassing the sales of the memoirs of Hilary Clinton. The book My Life by Bill Clinton suffered criticism for the former advisor of Clinton’s Dick Morris who wrote a rebuttal by the name of Because HE Could. Through this book, Dick Morris set right and pointed pout the various inaccuracies which were present in the autobiographical account by Bill Clinton. The authors view on leadership however pertains to a more peaceful and negotiation based method of employing power and making use of it. Bill Clinton is of the opinion that in order to be able to run the country, a dictatorship is not the answer, instead innovative and democratic methods pertaining to dissemination of ideas across the board is a much better way of conducting managerial tasks. The author has stated through his autobiographies as well that the bet for of leadership is when the leader takes into account the point of view of those around him, gathering the specialized intellect available and then unanimously voting on the most beneficial and cost effective solution/ decision for the specific issue or case. This is a very democratic approach to decision making. However in the form of leadership described by Bill Clinton, it is essential to have a formal figurehead as this has the effect of providing the followers and the general population with one pint of view as well as a unified direction. The decision itself may be a democratic one however the proceedings to be carried out have to be collaborative in nature dictates from one source. The aspect of democratic leadership can be applied to the leadership for schools. The reason for this is that the political landscape pertaining to the role of leadership is much institutionalized. This is the same case with schools and colleges which are institutionalized as well with a formal set of rules and ethical code of conduct. However the differences settle in relative to the size of the operation. The operations conducted by Clinton were extensive, even global in nature. The scope for the school is restricted somewhat limited inn terms of the resources available, the staff participation and the relevance and long term effect of the decision making. However the same principle of school leadership as a form of democratic leadership can be employed. School leadership can be employed using democratic leadership styles characteristic of Bill Clinton by giving autonomy as well as decision making power to the lower staff and managers for their operations as well. This is an important component of the democratic leadership as the management and staff is usually the closest entity to the students and can understand their issues and problems much better. Moreover by being close to the students in terms of proximity the staff is also able to observe them and make them provide inputs for the prospective solution to the problem and the long term strategic goals of the institution. This information can be gathered form the expert and specialized managers and staff in the school and then relayed on to the appointed leader. The chairman for the board of directors of the school can then take this information in to account as well as any other information that would be reported by the management and the staff. After performing a cost benefit analysis and the long term strategy and profitability analysis the board of directors would be able to ascertain upon the main strategy for the school and how the issues need to be addressed. The above mentioned format for leadership enables almost all the members of the organization to participle and conduct a two way communication with the leader or the leaders of the organization. The solutions and strategies formed through this method are more accepted by all those concerned an in the long run are mostly effective as well. In terms of applying the leadership techniques and theories mentioned in the book and practiced by Bill Clinton clearly depict that the leader has to be an enigmatic person who has charisma and charm to carry out the role of being a figurehead and a liaison to the elements in the external environment. These views would enable me to hold a position of leadership in the school by making the fellow students aware of the characteristics that I have for being a potential leader as well as the communication and negotiation skills that would enable me to conduct discussions with them pertaining to the solution of the issues and the problems that hand. Aside from this the enigmatic personality is good for public relations as well as gaining the confidence and support of those around me. References 1. Clinton, B. , (2004), My Life, Publisher: Knopf, ISBN-10: 0375414576

Input And Output Devices Computer Science Essay

Input And Output Devices Computer Science Essay The computer will be of no use unless it is able to communicate with the outside world. Input and Output devices are required for users to communicate with the computer. In simple terms, input devices bring information into the computer and output devices bring information out of a computer system. These input/output devices are also known as peripherals since they enclose the CPU and memory of a computer system. A hardware device that accepts inputted information and also has the capability of outputting that information. Good examples of an input and output devices are a floppy diskette drive and a hard disk drive. An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) to the outside world. In computing, input and output, refers to the communication between an information processing system (such as computer), and the outside world. Inputs are the signals or data sent to the system, and output are the signals or data sent by the system to the outside. The most common input devices used by the computer are the keyboard and mouse. The keyboard allows the entry of textual information while the mouse allows the selection of a point on the screen by moving a screen cursor to the point and pressing a mouse button. The most common outputs are monitors and speakers. Output devices Examples of output devices Any peripheral that receives and/or displays output from a computer. To the right is a picture of an inkjet printer and a good example of an output device. Below is a listing of all the different types of computer output devices found on a computer. Sound card Video card Projector Monitor Speakers Printer Features and Functions Sound Card D:MMU fileSEM 3Computer Applicationsound card.jpg A sound card (also known as an audio card) is a computer expansion card that facilitate the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. Typical uses of sound cards comprise providing the audio component for multimedia applications such as music composition, editing video or audio, presentation, education, and entertainment (games). Many computers have sound capabilities built in, while others necessitate extra expansion cards to provide for audio capability. Video CardD:MMU fileSEM 3Computer ApplicationVideo_Card.jpg A video card, video adapter, graphics-accelerator card, display adapter or graphics card is an extension card whose function is to generate and output images to a display. Many video cards offer added functions, such as accelerated rendering of 3D scenes and 2D graphics, video capture, TV-tuner adapter, MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoding, FireWire, light pen, TV output, or the ability to connect multiple monitors (multi-monitor). Other modern high performance video cards are used for more graphically demanding purposes, such as PC games. images7 Projector A video projector takes a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. All video projectors use a very bright light to project the image, and most modern ones can correct any curves, blurriness, and other inconsistencies through manual settings. Video projectors are widely used for meeting room presentations, classroom training, home theatre and live events applications. Projectors are widely used in many schools and other educational settings, connected to an interactive white board to interactively teach pupils. Monitor images5 A monitor or display (sometimes called a visual display unit) is an electronic visual display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure. The display device in modern monitors is typically a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), at the same time as older monitors use a cathode ray tube (CRT). Speakersimages8 Computer speakers, or multimedia speakers, are speakers external to a computer that disable the lower fidelity built-in speaker. They often have a low-power internal amplifier. The standard audio connection is a 3.5mm (1/8 inch) stereo jack plugs frequently colour-coded lime green (following the PC 99 standard) for computer sound cards. A plug and socket for a two-wire (signal and ground) coaxial cable that is generally used to connect analogy audio and video components. Also called a phono connector, rows of RCA sockets are found on the backs of stereo amplifier and numerous A/V products. The prong is 1/8 thick by 5/16 long. A few use an RCA connector for input. There are also USB speakers which are powered from the 5 volts at 200 milliamps provided by the USB port, allowing about half a watt of output power. Printerimages6 In computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy (permanent readable text and/or graphics) of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are first and foremost used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most new printers, a USB cable to a computer which serves as a document source. Some printers, commonly known as network printers, have built-in network interfaces (typically wireless and/or Ethernet), and can serve as a hardcopy device for any user on the network. Person printers are frequently designed to support both local and network connected users at the same time. In addition, a small number of modern printers can directly interface to electronic media such as memory sticks or memory cards, or to image capture devices such as digital cameras, scanners; some printers are combined with a scanners and/or fax machines in a single unit, and can function as photocopie rs. Printers that include non-printing features are sometimes called Multifunction printers (MFP), Multi-Function Devices (MFD), or All-In-One (AIO) printers. Most MFPs include printing, scanning, and copying in the middle of their features. Advantages and Disadvantages of Output Devices No Output devices Advantages Disadvantages 1 Monitor Comparatively cheap and reliable, can display text and graphics in a wide range of colures. They are also quiet and do not squander paper. No enduring copy to keep and unsuitable for users with visual problems. 2 Printer The purchase cost is low and the running costs are very low. They can print fairly quickly, particularly if you remember that multiple copies are being printed in one print run. They are robust and can operate in harsh environments. If several sheets of self-carbonating paper are placed into the printer then the impact will produce duplicate copies. The printing quality is low these printers produce low to medium quality black and white printing and can only print low resolution graphics. Because of the impact of the pins against the paper, these printers can be quite noisy. 3 Projector Enables a lot of people to be able to see something even from a distance Image quality may not be as good when projected. 4 Speakers Cheap and generally available.   Capable of producing very high quality sound. They are an analogue device so the digital sound signal has to be converted, usually by a sound card. Input Devices A hardware device that sends information to the computer. Without any input devices a computer would simply be a display device and not allow users to interact with it, much like a TV. To the right are a Logitech trackball mouse and an example of an input device. Below is a listing of all the different types of computer input devices found on a computer. Example of Input Devices Keyboard Gamepad Digital camera Mouse (pointing device) Microphone Webcam Joystick Scanner MIDI Keyboard Features and Functions for input devices Keyboard20071004_razer_lycosa In computing, a keyboard is an input device, partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches. A keyboard typically has characters engraved or printed on the keys and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol. However, to produce some symbols requires pressing and holding several keys at the same time or in sequence. While most keyboard keys produce letters, numbers or signs (characters), other keys or real-time key presses can produce actions or computer commands. Gamepad D:MMU fileSEM 3Computer Application350__1_full_game_pad_001.jpg.png A gamepad (also called Joypad or control pad), is a type of game controller held in the hand, where the digits (especially thumbs) are used to offer input. Gamepads generally feature a set of action buttons handled with the right thumb and a direction controller handled with the left. The direction controller has traditionally been a four-way digital cross (also named a Joypad, or alternatively a D-pad), but most modern controllers as well (or as a substitute) feature an analog stick. Digital Camera images Most digital cameras function in much the same way as a traditional camera that uses film to record images, except that in place of the film, images are captured and preserved in the cameraà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s digital memory, which may be built-in or which may be on a detachable memory card. Mouserazer_naga_1 In computing, a mouse (plural mice, mousses, or mouse devices.) is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the users hands, with one or more buttons. It sometimes features other elements, such as wheels, which allow the user to perform a variety of system-dependent operations, or extra buttons or features can additional control or dimensional input. The mouses motion typically translates into the motion of a cursor on a display, which allows for fine control of a Graphical User Interface. Microphone images1 A microphone (colloquially called a mic or mike) is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal .Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, tape recorders, karaoke systems, hearing aids, motion picture production, live and recorded audio engineering, FRS radios, megaphones, in radio and television broadcasting and in computers for recording voice, speech recognition, VoIP, and for non-acoustic purposes such as ultrasonic checking or knock sensors. Web Camimages4 A webcam is a video capture device connected to a computer or computer network, frequently using a USB port or, if connected to a network, Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The mainly popular use is for video telephony, permitting a computer to act as a videophone or video conferencing station. This can be used in messenger programs such as Windows Live Messenger, Skype and Yahoo messenger services. Other popular uses, which include the recording of video files or even still-images, are accessible via numerous software programs, applications and devices. Webcams are known for low manufacturing costs and flexibility, making them the lowest cost form of video telephony. The term webcam may also be used in its original sense of a video camera connected to the Web ceaselessly for an indefinite time, rather than for a particular session, generally supplying a view for anyone who visits its web page over the Internet. Some of these, for example those used as online traffic cameras, are expensive, rugged professional video cameras. Joystickimages A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer. A popular variation of the joystick used on modern video game consoles is the analogy stick. The joystick has been the principal flight control in the cockpit of many aircraft, chiefly military fast jets, where centre stick or side-stick location may be employed. Joysticks are also used for controlling machines such as cranes, trucks, submerged unmanned vehicles, wheelchairs, surveillance cameras and zero turning radius lawn mowers. Miniature finger-operated joysticks have been adopted as input devices for smaller electronic equipment such as mobile phones. Scannerimages3 In computing, a scanner is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop (or flatbed) scanner where the document is placed on a glass window for scanning. Hand-held scanners, where the device is moved by hand, have evolved from text scanning wands to 3D scanners used for industrial design, overturn engineering, test and measurement, orthotics, gaming and other applications. Mechanically driven scanners that move the document are typically used for large-format documents, where a flatbed design would be impractical. MIDI Keyboardimages2 A MIDI keyboard is a piano-style digital keyboard device used for sending MIDI signals or commands to other devices connected to the same interface as the keyboard. MIDI is an acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (protocol). The basic MIDI keyboard does not produce sound. In its place, MIDI information is sent to an electronic module capable of reproducing an array of digital sounds or samples that resemble traditional analog musical instruments. These samples are also referred to as voices. Advantages and Disadvantages of Input Devices No Input Devices Advantages Disadvantages 1 Digital Camera No film is needed and there are no film developing costs Unwanted images can be deleted straight away Images are already digital and can easily be transferred to a computer and edited or transferred over the Internet Special image editing software can allow a huge range of adjustments and special effects to be tried Images often have to be compressed to shun using up too much expensive memory. 2 Joystick Easy to learn to use.   Very simple design so they can be reasonably priced. Control can be a bit crude as the directions in simple joysticks are limited to forward, backwards, left and right.   Better models offer diagonal movement or better. 3 Keyboard dependable for data input of text and numbers. Usually supplied with a computer so no additional cost. Specialized keyboards are available. Users may be slow for not very accurate typists. Slow for accessing menus etc. and difficult to use if you want to move objects around the screen. Difficult for people unable to use keyboards through paralysis or muscular disorder. 4 Microphone Voice recognition software can be used to convert your voice into text or to control menu options on a phone system. Stored audio files can take up a lot of memory. Voice commands can be difficult to recognise by the software. 5 MIDI keyboard Data from a musical instrument is easily captured and edited with a computer. MIDI files are small. MIDI files can be recorded on one type of instrument and played back on another. Audio cannot be recorded directly as an audio file such as MP3. The playback depends on the instrument/computer sound card so may not sound the same as the original. Only the note and the timing are stored. 6 Mouse Ideal for use with desktop computers. more often than not supplied with a computer so no additional cost. All computer users tend to be familiar with using them. They need a flat space close to the computer. The mouse cannot easily be used with laptop, notebook or palmtop computers. (These need a tracker ball or a touch sensitive pad called a touch pad). 7 Scanner Flat-bed scanners are very accurate and can produce images with a far higher resolution than a digital camera. Can produce very large image files which need a lot of computer memory to view and edit. Types of Pointing Devices pointing stick.jpg The is a small number of examples of pointing devices are pointing stick, touch screen, touch pad, joystick. A pointing stick is a pressure sensitive small nub used like a joystick. Its more frequently than not found on laptops embedded between the G, H, and B keys. It operates by sensing the force applied by the user. The corresponding mouse buttons are commonly placed just below the spacebar. It is also found on mice and some desktop keyboards. Touch Screen images13 A touch screen is a device embedded into the screen of the TV Monitor, or System LCD monitor screens of laptop computers. Users interrelate with the device by physically pressing items shown on the screen, either with their fingers or some helping tool. Touch screens could be used in couple with stylus pointing devices, while those powered by infrared do not require physical touch, but just differentiate the movement of hand and fingers in some minimum range distance from real screen. Touchpadimages9 A touchpad or track pad is a flat surface that can detect finger contact. Its a motionless pointing device, commonly used on laptop computers. At least one physical button normally comes with the touchpad, but the user can also generate a mouse click by tapping on the pad. Advanced features include pressure sensitivity and special gestures such as scrolling by moving ones finger along an edge. Joysticksjoystick.jpg Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer. A popular variation of the joystick used on modern video game consoles is the analog stick. Joysticks are also used for controlling machines such as cranes, trucks, and underwater unmanned vehicles. Types of Keyboard What is Keyboard? Keyboard is a set of typewriter that enable to you to enter data into the computer. The key on the computer keyboard got alphanumeric keys, punctuation keys, and special keys. There are several types of keyboard. For examples, notebook keyboard, PDA stylus, Tablet PCs, Wireless keyboard, and Ergonomic keyboard. For notebook keyboard will with the screen and the CPU. Keyboards on laptops and notebook computers more often than not have a shorter travel distance for the keystroke and a reduced set of keys. They may not have a numerical keypad, and the function keys may be placed in locations that different from their placement on a standard, full-sized keyboard. The layout is based on the 104-key Windows design, except the keys are crammed into the available space. There is no numeric keypad, but you can see the labels on keys in the middle of the keyboard where it is superimposed (the letter J has the numeral 1 on it, K is 2, and so on). The Fn key in the lower left i s used to activate particular options when used in combination with the function keys at the top of the keyboard. z_011204note.jpg PDA Stylus images11 PDA stylus is a touch type keyboard. That a keyboard is needed for extensive typing, a person can use a fold up keyboard. The fold-up keyboards have all of the room of usual keyboards, yet still compact. Tablet PCs Keyboard Tablet PCs keyboard is the the majority common peoples in the world using. It use to type any data into the computer. It have a place for number keys, alphanumeric keys, punctuation keys, and special keys. Wireless Keyboard imagesCAH7GN2X.jpg Wireless Keyboard is the newest keyboard that came out this few years. The keyboard can use without wire, but the others function are same with the normal keyboard that we use. Ergonomic Keyboard images112 Ergonomic keyboard is computer keyboard designed with ergonomic considerations to minimize muscle strain and a host of related problems. An ergonomic keyboard may decrease muscle strain and reduce risk of Carpal Tunnel syndrome, but there is no clear evidence of benefit. After a user takes the time to adjust to this style of keyboard, these keyboards can make typing easier, faster and less awkward. The keys separated into two or three groups, allowing the user to type at a different angle than the typical straight keyboard. Types of Printer Printer is classified into 3 types. There are impact printer, nonimpact printer and specialty printer. The example of impact printer is Dot-matrix. Dot matrix printers are still commonly used in low-cost, low-quality applications like cash registers, or in demanding, very high volume applications like invoice printing. dot matrix printer.jpg The nonimpact printers have Inkjet and Laser. For the Inkjet, operate by propelling variably-sized droplets of liquid or molten material (ink) onto almost any sized page. They are the most ordinary type of computer printer for the universal consumer. The laser is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. But the price will more expensive than others. laser.jpgliquid inkjet.jpg Inkjet Printer Laser Printer Specialty Printersmultifunction.jpg The specialty printers have multifunction, plotters and thermal printers. A multifunction printer is an office machine which incorporates the functionality of multiple devices in one, so as to have a smaller footprint in a home or small business setting or to provide centralized document management/ distribution/ production in a large-office setting. A typical multifunction printer may act as a combination of some or all of the printer, scanner, photocopier, fax and email. Plotterplotter.jpg Plotter is a computer printing device for printing vector graphics. In the past, plotters were generally used in applications such as computer-aided design, though they have generally been replaced with wide-format conventional printers. It uses a pen that moves over a large revolving sheet of paper. Thermal Printerthermal.jpg A thermal printer produces a printed image by selectively heating coated thermo chromic paper, or thermal paper as it is generally known, when the paper passes over the thermal print head. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing an image. Two-color direct thermal printers are capable of printing both black and an supplementary color (often red), by applying heat at two different temperatures. Types of Monitor Monitor is an output device that resembles the television screen and uses a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to display information. The monitor is associated with a keyboard for guide input of characters and displays the information as it is keyed in. It also displays the program or application output. Like the television, monitors are also available in different sizes. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) LCD was introduced in the 1970s and is now applied to display terminals also. Its advantages like low energy consumption, smaller and lighter have paved its way for usage in portable computers (laptops). Devices used to get sound, video, and images into the computer Video capture is one of the most important hardware to be used for multimedia work on a personal computer. Video-capture results will depend on the performance and capacity of all of the components of your system working together. Video capture from analog devices like video camera requires a special Video capture card that converts the analog signals into digital form and compresses the data. Video-capture card use various components of the computer to pass frames to the processor and hard disk. For high-quality video, a video-capture card must be able to capture full-screen video at a high rate. For example for a full-motion video, the card must be capable of capturing about 35 frames per second at 720 by 480 pixels for digital video and 640 by 480 for analog video. To determine what settings will produce the best results for your projects, you must be careful in defining these parameters. A sound card is a device that attaches to the motherboard to enable the computer to input, process, and deliver sound. The sound card generates sounds; records sound from analog devices by converting them to digital mode and reproduce sound for a speaker by reconverting them to analog mode. Creative Labs Sound Blaster is a standard sound card, to the extent that some people use the name as a generic term. A video adapter provides extended capability to a computer in terms of video. The better the video adapter, the better is the quality of the picture you see. A high quality video adapter is a must for you while designing your multimedia project. Conclusion Described is an input and output device for inputting or outputting data of an electronic equipment. The input and output device is designed for being detachably mounted to the electronic equipment in at least two different positions. The input and output device features a first contacting arrangement which, independent of the selected position in the mounted state of the input and output device on the electronic equipment, electrically comes in connection with a second contacting arrangement present on the electronic equipment. In one embodiment, orientation of the device may be varied, thereby enabling it to be coupled to a receiver by a bayonet connection and with a set of contacting arrangement engaging the second contacting arrangement in any orientation. Furthermore, described is an operating and display module, as well as to a combination of an electronic equipment and an input and output device that can be detachably mounted thereto.

Strychnine :: Botany

Strychnine Strychnine is a poisonous alkaloid, C21H22N2O2, obtained in colorless or white rhombic crystals. These have a bitter taste and melt at around 290( C (4 p.1). Alkaloids are any class of naturally occurring organic nitrogen containing bases, usually containing one or more of these nitrogen atoms in a ring of atoms called a cyclic system. Alkaloids are primarily found in plants and are predominant in flowering plant species. The function of alkaloids in plants is thought to be simply a waste product of the plants metabolic processes, but current research may suggest a specific biological function. This is evident in some plants as the levels of alkaloid increase just prior to seed formation and then drops off after the seed is ripe. This evidence suggests possible mechanisms of maturation and possible defense, against certain insect species (5 p.2). Strychnine, being an alkaloid, is slightly soluble in water, but is more soluble in alcohol and is released from its salts by alkalis. Many of the commercial alkaloids are found in the genus Strychnos. Strychnine was the first alkaloid to be identified in plants of the genus Strychnos, Family Loganiaceae. Strychnos, created by Linnaeus in 1753, is a genus of trees and climbing shrubs of the gentian order. From the standpoint of biological diversity, it is the most important genus of the Loganiaceae family (6 p.1). The genus contains 196 various species and is distributed throughout the warm regions of Asia (58 species), America (64) and Africa (75). The Strychnos alkaloids were originally classified based solely on their geographic origin. Asian Strychnos was thought to contain strychnine and the American Strychnos were thought to contain curarizing ammonium salts (6 p.2). Plants of the genus Strychnos have opposite leaves and bear cymes of white or yellowish flowers that have a four-lobed or five-lobed calyx, a four-parted or five-parted corolla, five stamens, a solitary pistil and bears fruit in the form of a berry. The seeds and bark of many plants in this genus contain the powerful poison (4 p.2). Strychnine is obtained commercially from the seeds of the Saint-ignatius's-bean and from the nux-vomica tree. Strychnine was first discovered by French chemist Joseph-Bienaime Caenoiu and Pierre-Joseph Pelletier in 1818 in the Saint-Ignatins'-bean (S. ignatii)(1 p.2). Strychnos ignatii is a woody climbing shrub of the Philippines. It was introduced into Cochin China and is highly esteemed there as a medicine. It got its name from the attention it attracted from the Jesuits.

The Hero Journey in Star Wars :: Film Movies Star Wars Themes Essays

The Hero Journey in Star Wars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Star Wars was a low budget science-fiction film that became a blockbuster box office success. The movie has been extremely popular with all cultures and ages for several decades. As well as being popular Star Wars also conveys many important themes. I believe one of the more prominent themes throughout the movie is the classic hero journey. The hero journey is a major part of stories and myths throughout the world. Both primitive and modern cultures use hero journeys as the basis for stories. The three main parts of a hero journey are the departure, the initiation, and the return. Luke’s departure is caused by a variety of factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke’s eventual departure is set in motion by the purchase of two androids that were previously involved in the rebellion. Luke receives a call to aid in the form of a prerecorded message stored in one of the android’s memory. Luke finds a traveling companion and a teacher in Obi-wan Kenobi. Luke is hesitant to leave his home planet until the empire kills his Aunt and Uncle, leaving him no option but to fight. Luke’s next step is initiation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke goes through many initiations during his journey. He is initiated to the loss of loved ones with the deaths of his Aunt and Uncle and eventually Obi-wan. He is initiated to the way the world really works by spending time in the Mos Eisley Cantina. He is also initiated to battle during the groups amazing escape from the Deathstar. The final step in Luke’s journey is the return.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke’s return most certainly takes place at the end of the movie. It seems all might be lost as Darth Vader has wiped out all the fighters except for Luke. Darth is moving Luke into his sights when Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon appear and remove all threats to Luke’s safety. The Hero Journey in Star Wars :: Film Movies Star Wars Themes Essays The Hero Journey in Star Wars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Star Wars was a low budget science-fiction film that became a blockbuster box office success. The movie has been extremely popular with all cultures and ages for several decades. As well as being popular Star Wars also conveys many important themes. I believe one of the more prominent themes throughout the movie is the classic hero journey. The hero journey is a major part of stories and myths throughout the world. Both primitive and modern cultures use hero journeys as the basis for stories. The three main parts of a hero journey are the departure, the initiation, and the return. Luke’s departure is caused by a variety of factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke’s eventual departure is set in motion by the purchase of two androids that were previously involved in the rebellion. Luke receives a call to aid in the form of a prerecorded message stored in one of the android’s memory. Luke finds a traveling companion and a teacher in Obi-wan Kenobi. Luke is hesitant to leave his home planet until the empire kills his Aunt and Uncle, leaving him no option but to fight. Luke’s next step is initiation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke goes through many initiations during his journey. He is initiated to the loss of loved ones with the deaths of his Aunt and Uncle and eventually Obi-wan. He is initiated to the way the world really works by spending time in the Mos Eisley Cantina. He is also initiated to battle during the groups amazing escape from the Deathstar. The final step in Luke’s journey is the return.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luke’s return most certainly takes place at the end of the movie. It seems all might be lost as Darth Vader has wiped out all the fighters except for Luke. Darth is moving Luke into his sights when Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon appear and remove all threats to Luke’s safety.

King Solomons Mines Essays -- Henry Rider Haggard

Henry Rider Haggard sets out to create an epic tale of courage, a breathtaking drama that attempts to capture, within its limits, the universal spirit of adventure. He appeals in particular to the proverbial young male that seeks an audacious inspiration in life by which to model his own. He entices his readers because his motives lie simply in his desire to entertain, to delight, and to enthrall anyone with a prolific imagination. However, this purely entertaining account of an eclectic and adventuresome trio clearly manifests its motives by the simple elimination ambiguity, leaving little or nothing to the whims of infinite interpretation. As it is, everything within the novel seems to have the intention of being taken â€Å"with a grain of salt.'; Haggard knew his audience, a pretentious and nationalistic society bent on world domination or at the very least determined to reduce the rest of the world to nothing more than a means to meet their desires. And with these precepts in m ind, Haggard creates a fantastical tale, taking heed of what is socially acceptable and what is not, all the while maintaining western superiority over the rest of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The fact of the matter is, that I thought that the best plan would be to tell the story in a plain straightforward manner†¦I cannot help thinking that simple things are always the most impressive, books are easier to understand when they are written in plain language, though I have perhaps no right to set up an opinion on such a matter.'; (Haggard 6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this introduction/disclaimer, Allan Quatermain as our narrator, comes clean with his intentions, providing a stabilizing retrospective for the ensuing epitaph. He seems well aware of the vague line between words intended for fiction and those intended for controversy. And by designating the jolly old Quatermain as narrator, Haggard vicariously endear himself to his readers by exuding a simple humility in light of his grander than grand exposà ©, all the while disposing of the pretense intrinsic to most literary works. Haggard, due to the relative sensitivity of his subject matter, has no desire to have his novel the target of unwarranted and unwanted social and literary criticism. In that, he makes certain that he reaffirms his intentions of entertainment rather than controversy. In addition, despite Haggard’s prevalent use of juxtaposition throughou... ... complexion Twala is described as â€Å"Twala the One-eyed, the Black, [and] the Terrible'; (Haggard 118), not coincidentally the only true â€Å"Black'; among them. The plot is action-packed, carried along by one dramatic scene after another in which we as readers are witness to amazing feats of strength, bravery, and guile, leaving little or no time for readers to dwell much on any aspect of the novel except the plot. Haggard even goes so far as to implement a divisive source of comic relief in the form of Good, whom we see deified by the Kukuanas, who delight in the sight of his â€Å"bare legs,'; â€Å"transparent eye,'; â€Å"half-haired face,'; and â€Å"vanishing teeth'; (118 Haggard). By the end of the novel we see all strings tied, imparting a sense of conclusive triumph without controversy. Haggard’s audience gets exactly what it wants, the black evil doers are vanquished; peace, justice, and tranquility are returned to Kukuana land; our deserving white and pseudo-white heroes are the benefactors of the plunders of Solomon’s fabled mines; and we as readers are left thoroughly entertained. Work Cited Haggard, H. Rider. "King Solomon's Mines." 1989. Oxford, New York: Oxford World Classics 1998

Factors Influencing Employer-Employee Relationship in Strategy Execution in Non-Govermental Organizations in Nairobi Kenya

FACTORS INFLUENCING EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP IN STRATEGY EXECUTION IN NON-GOVERMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN NAIROBI KENYA TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE3 1. 0 INTRODUCTION3 1. 1 Background of the Study3 1. 2 Statement of the Problem7 1. 3 Objectives of the Study8 1. 4 Research Questions8 1. 5 Importance of the Study9 1. 6 Limitations of the Study10 1. 7 Definition of Operational Terms10 1. 8 Chapter Summary10 CHAPTER TWO12 2. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW12 2. 1 Introduction12 2. 2 Approaches of Performance Appraisal12 2. 3 Effect of Performance Appraisal Accuracy on Staff Performance18 2. Effects of Employee Appraisal Feedback Management on Staff Performance24 2. 5 Effects of Appraisers’ Competence on Employee Performance26 2. 6 Conceptual Framework29 CHAPTER THREE31 3. 0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY31 3. 1 Introduction31 3. 2 Research Design31 3. 3 Population and Sampling Design32 3. 4 Data Collection Methods34 3. 5 Research Procedures34 3. 6 Data Analysis Methods35 3. 7 Chapter Summary35 REF ERENCES37 CHAPTER ONE 1. 0INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background of the Study Performance appraisals can mean different things to different people.In general, a Performance appraisal is defined as an evaluation of an employee’s job performance to measure how effectively this employee is performing at their job (Becton, Portis, & Schraeder, 2007). The traditional format of a performance appraisal is an employee meeting with their supervisor annually or twice a year to go over how well the employee is doing their job. Usually the company the employee is working for provides a form for the supervisor to fill out and go over with the employee. This form list goals and objectives of the company and how well the employee is meeting these.In modern times performance appraisal systems are increasingly being used in both public and private sector to evaluate the performance of employees. Appraisal, according to Smith, (2000), involves the identification of cause and effect relationships on whic h employment and labour policies are based or can be based and are a routine process that organizations use to evaluate their employees. It is a systematic assessment that is as objective as possible of an ongoing programme or policy, its design, implementation and results.Its aim is to appraise the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. The appraisal systems usually involves evaluating performance based on the judgements and opinions of subordinates, peers, supervisors, other managers and even workers themselves (Jackson & Schuler 2003). An employee appraisal, performance review, or career development discussion is a method by which the job performance of an employee is evaluated in terms of quality, quantity, cost and time.Performance appraisal is also part of career development. Performance appraisals are regular reviews of employee performance within organizations. Performance appraisal as a process is seen as a key contrib utor to successful human resource management, as it is strongly related to organisational performance (Erdogan, 2002). Murphy and Cleveland (1995) believe that performance appraisals can help organizations in four ways. First, they can enhance the quality of organizational decisions, ranging from promotions, layoffs, compensation and transfers.Second, they can enhance the quality of individual decisions, ranging from career choices to decisions about where to direct one's time and effort. Third, they provide a set of tools for organizational diagnosis and development. Finally, performance appraisals can affect employees' views of and attachment to their organization. Performance appraisal is a tool of management that can lead to better communication, motivation and feedback (Stivers and Joyce, 2000). A common process for managing employees is the traditional practice of annual performance reviews.While these annual reviews have their shortcomings, companies around the globe continue to use them. However, to increase accuracy and to get a comprehensive and balanced feedback about employee performance, 360-degree feedback system is becoming more popular. In this system peers, subordinates and customers also do the appraisal. This is particularly relevant in the light of research, which has empirically proved that 360-degree feedback system improves employee performance significantly (Rai & Singh 2005).Performance appraisal is centrally managed by the human resource department in National Cereals and Produce Board. The aims of a performance appraisal are to give feedback on performance of employees, identify employee training needs, allocate rewards, forms a basis for personal decisions; salary increases, promotions, disciplinary actions, provide the opportunity for organizational diagnosis and development, facilitate communication between employee and administration and validate selection techniques and human resource policies to meet equal employment opportunit y requirements.Performance appraisal is an ongoing communication process between employees and supervisors. Supervisors should set expectations, monitor performance, and provide feedback to employees. By having this information, they will direct and develop employee performance by identifying training and development needs, correcting, and determining raises and promotions (Seldon, Ingraham, & Jacobson, 2001). Performance appraisal is evaluating employee’s current and past performance relative to his or her performance standards.Therefore, if performance appraisal is successfully carried out in an organization, the employees would be able to know how well they are performing and what is expected of them in future in terms of effort and task direction through an established plan for performance improvement Dessler (2005). To appreciate the purpose of performance appraisal one has to look at it from the different viewpoints of the employee and the organization.From the employee s view point, the purpose of performance appraisal is to enable the employee be guided on what is to be done and that he or she should receive a comprehensive feedback on how he or she performed. The employee also requires that the manager should help him or her improve on areas where gaps were identified in his or her performance and finally, expect to have appropriate recognition for good performance (NCPB Human Resource Policies and Procedures Issue 2010).From the organizations view point, one of the most important reasons for having a system of performance appraisal is to establish and uphold the principle of accountability. For decades, it has been known that one of the chief causes of organizational failure is non-alignment of responsibility and accountability. Non-alignment occurs where employees are given responsibilities and duties, but are not held accountable for the way in which the responsibilities and duties are performed (NCPB Human Resource Policies and Procedures Is sue 2010).The National Cereals and Produce Board which is the organization selected for this study is a body corporate that was established in 1985 under Cap. 338 of the Laws of Kenya. However, this organization has been in existence since 1939 when it was established by the then Colonial Government. The Board previously operated under diverse names which included West Kenya Maize Marketing Board, Maize Marketing and Control Board, Maize and Produce Board. It acquired its current name after the amalgamation of the Maize and Produce Board with the defunct Wheat Board in 1980 (NCPB Act, Cap 338).The Board’s main function over time has been to provide grain farmers with a marketing outlet, while at the same time it is charged with undertaking the food supply functions of the State. The Board trades in maize, wheat, beans and other scheduled produce such as millet, sorghum and rice. It also offers services like drying, grading, cleaning, pest control and storage of grain as well as weighing. Additionally, the Board offers for sale, such items like weighing scales, gunny bags, pesticides and tarpaulins.More recently the Board had engaged in the trading in farm inputs more specifically fertilizer with the aim of reducing the cost of production for the farmer and also diversify its products range to make it more profitable (NCPB Strategic Plan, 2009-2013). The organization has a network of 110 stations spread all over Kenya; in both the high potential agricultural areas like most parts of Rift Valley, Western and Central Provinces, as well as the low potential (food deficit) areas like North Eastern and parts of Eastern Provinces.The network is divided into six administrative regions which are Nairobi/Eastern, Northern, Coast, North Rift, South Rift, South Rift and Lake/Western (NCPB Strategic Plan 2009-13). The Board has since the early 1990’s been undergoing major restructuring and rationalization of its operations under the Civil Service Reform Progr amme. This included the downsizing of work force, with the objective of reducing its bloated staff strength to retain a leaner workforce, which could deliver the required services more efficiently and effectively.In a period of ten years (1993-2003), the Board released more than 70% of its total workforce through a Staff Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme and other methods of leaving. This reduced its staff strength from approximately 4,500 it had at the beginning of the retrenchment exercise to a mere 930 at the end of the exercise. The Board currently has an establishment of about 1020 employees falling under four broad categories, namely Senior Management (Job Group M and above), Middle Level Management (Job Group K-L), Supervisory Management (Job Group G-J) and Operatives (Job Group A-F) (NCPB Staff Establishment Audit Report, 2004).The organization has a fully-fledged Human Resource Department, which uses a detailed Resource Manual that contains policies and procedures that basi cally defines the relationship of the organization. The Board recognizes that human resource constitute its most assets, because people grow and develop over time and without them all the other resources (materials, money, methods and machines) will not be effectively utilized.According to the manual, Board’s Human Resources Management function is primarily concerned with the human relationship fields. It aims at bringing together and developing the human resource cohesive and an effective unit to complement all the other functions in the Board, while regard to the well being of the individual and groups of workers enabling them to make maximum contribution towards the successful attainment and sustenance of the Board’s corporate goals and objectives (NCPB Human Resource Policies and Procedures Issue, 2010).National Cereals and Produce Board has two forms of performance appraisals with the main one being carried out annually and involves the appraiser and the appraisee sitting together to review the latter’s performance in the preceding one year. They evaluate the extent to which the employee met the targets agreed upon at the beginning of the appraisal period.The other type of performance appraisal target employees on probation and those appointed to various higher capacities on trial basis and is conducted to determine their suitability or otherwise for confirmation on their respective positions (NCPB Human Resource Policies and Procedures Issue, 2010). 1. 2Statement of the Problem At an organizational level, the performance appraisal system impacts other HR systems as well as organizational strategy.Latham and Wexley (2001) assert that the effectiveness of an organization's performance appraisal system is a prerequisite for ensuring the success of its selection, training, and employee motivation practices. At a strategic level, the need for rapid and effective organizational change in today's dynamic social, economic, and political envi ronment requires that employees continually re-align their performance with the evolving goals and objectives of the organization (O'Donnell and Shields, 2002).The need to continually re-align performance characterizes many organizational departments which continue to struggle with getting their members to embrace the philosophy and practices that are geared at enhancing performance (Scrivner, 1995; Vinzant and Crothers, 1994). The organization since early 1990’s has been undergoing major restructuring and rationalization of its operations under the Civil Service Reform Programme. This included the downsizing of work force, with the objective of reducing its bloated staff strength to retain a leaner workforce, which could deliver the required services more efficiently and effectively.The Board has in a period of ten years (1993-2003), released more than 70% of its total workforce through a Staff Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme and other methods of leaving. This has reduced its staff strength from approximately 4,500 it had at the beginning of the retrenchment exercise to a mere 1020 at present. The organization has frozen recruitment except for professionals and replacement of essential employees which has led to the re-allocation of the duties that were earlier being performed by higher number of employees to fewer people.In order to enhance employee performance the Board introduced employee appraisal system was introduced in 2010. At National cereal and Produce board, performance appraisals have been conducted but they have faced many challenges. Instead of boosting staff performance, they have ended up frustrating staff until some have ended up leaving because of the high level of disatisfaction. NCPB has offices in several locations including Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Moisbridge, Kitale among other major town.In order to improve the effectiveness of performance appraisals, the organization has tried to apply different approaches of performance app raisals but the result has not been any different. The study seeks to investigate the effects of performance appraisal system on staff performance at National Cereals and Produce Board. 1. 3Objectives of the Study 1. 3. 1Broad Objective of the Study The broad objective of the study is to investigate the effects of performance appraisal systems on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. . Specific objectives 1. 3. 2. 1To determine the types of performance appraisal approaches used at the Kenya National Cereals and Produce Board. 1. 3. 2. 2To determine the effect of performance appraisal accuracy on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. 3. To establish the effects of employee appraisal feedback management on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. 4. To assess the effects of appraisers’ competence on employee performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. . 4 Research Questions 1. What are the types of per formance appraisal approaches used at the Kenya National Cereals and Produce Board? 2. What are the effects of performance appraisal accuracy on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board? 3. How does employee appraisal feedback management affect staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board? 4. How does appraisers’ competence affect employee performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board? Methods Population/SampleThe population in this research is all employees’ program participants, their supervisors, and management team. The sample for this research will be forty employees participants, 20 supervisors participants and 10 management participants and performance appraisal evaluators. Data Collection A survey will be used to collect all of the information for the research project. Surveys will be handed out to performance appraisal evaluators and turned in when the performance appraisal is complete to the researcher.Also, employees ’ participants and their supervisors’ participants and managers’ participants will complete surveys at semi-annual performance reviews. The surveys will be filled out at the end of the performance appraisal session and turned in to the research evaluator. Data Analysis Qualitative analysis will be used to analyze the open-ended questions on the survey. Common subjects and similarities will be examined to draw conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of the performance appraisal. 1. 5Importance of the Study 1. 5. 1National Cereals and Produce BoardThe research will be of importance to the Board as it will advocate for the importance of performance appraisal in the organization and will enable the management of NCPB to come up with a streamlined performance appraisal system and at the same time communicate to employees what they are expected to do in order to achieve the organization corporate goals. 1. 5. 2Human Resource Department The results of the resear ch will enable the Human Resource Department to examine the existing performance appraisal system, highlight the main deficiencies affecting the system and point out possible ways of improvement.The system would then transform the employees into a hardworking and highly committed workforce that will enable the organization achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively and thus create a competitive advantage. 1. 5. 3Other Organizations Parastatals within the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders in the grain sub-sector will use the research findings to improve their employee performance appraisal systems and the use of performance appraisal system as a management tool. The performance appraisal system will be a useful tool in complementing performance contracting currently used in all Government ffiliated offices. 1. 5. 4Future Researchers Future researchers will also be able to use the research findings as a benchmark to their research on performance appraisal system a nd its effects on staff performance. In addition, the findings of this study will serve as a source of reference in future research. The study will also suggest other areas where future researchers can further their knowledge. 1. 5Scope of Study The study will be carried out within the National Cereals and Produce Board Headquarters, Industrial Area, Nairobi. 1. 6Limitations of the Study 1. 6. Non response because of fear to reveal detailed information concerning the organization due to fear of exposing the weaknesses the organization is facing and the confidentiality of such information in terms of business practices. The researcher foresees a challenge in collecting the required data from the respondents. The respondents may fear giving information stating that the information requested may be used against them. To limit the effects of this limitation, the researcher will carry with her an introduction letter from the University confirming that the data requested will be used for academic purposes only. . 6. 2Lack of co-operation from some of the respondents for fear of victimization from their supervisors. 1. 6. 3 The researcher also foresees a challenge where the respondents are likely to give the ideal scenario instead of providing the situation they way it is now. This may affect research finding as it will distort the study findings. 1. 7 Definition of Operational Terms Respondents- the persons from whom information were sought in the study Public sector-the civil service and organizations operating under the State Corporations Act Appraisal-to evaluate or assess the worth of somethingPerformance -is the act of carrying out something Research-to make a detailed study or investigation of something 1. 8Chapter Summary This chapter covered introduction of the study where it discussed the key concepts in the study including performance appraisal and employee performance and how they relate to one another. It then provided statement of the problem where it d iscussed the importance of performance appraisals to organizations, what the situation is at the Kenya National Cereal and Produce Board and what the research gap for the study is.The chapter then presents the study objectives including main and specific before presenting the research questions. The chapter then presented the importance of the study, limitations of the study, definition of terms and chapter summary. REFERENCES Aswathapa, K. (2006). Human Resource Management and Personnel Management, 4th Edition, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited. Armstrong, M. (2006). A Handbook of Personnel Management Practice, 8th Edition, British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data, USA. Armstrong, M. and Stephens, T. (2005).A Handbook of Employee Reward Management and Practice, Kigan Page Limited, USA. Bannister, B. D. (1986) Performance Outcome Feedback and Attribution Feedback: Interactive Effects on Recipient Responses, Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 71. Baron, R. A. (198 8) Negative Effects of Destructive Criticism: Impact on Conflict, Self-Efficacy, and Task Performance, Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 73. Byars L. and Rue Leslie, W. (1997). Human Resource Management, 2nd Edition, Irwin/McGraw Hill Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data, USA. Byars L. Lloyd and Rue W. Leslie, (2000).Human Resource Management, 6th Edition, New York: McGraw Hill. Casio W. (2003) Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits, 6th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill. Cash M. (1993) Effective Management, CCH International Sydney. Cardy R. L. & Dobbins G. H. (1994) Performance Appraisal: Alternative Perspectives, South Western Publishing Company. Cincinnati, OH. Corbridge Marjorie and Pilbeam (1998) Employment Resourcing, London: Financial Times Management. Department of Human Resources of University, West Virginia (2004) Human Resources Policies and Administrative Procedures.Dessler, G. (2005) Human Resource Management. New Delhi: P rentice Hall. Dulewicz, V. (1989) Performance Appraisal and Counselling, John Wiley and Sons Limited, New York, USA. Erdogan B. (2002) Antecedents and consequences of Justice perceptions in performance appraisals. Human Resource Management Review, 12 (4). Flippo B. Edwin (1984). Essentials of Human Resource Management, MacGraw-Hill Company, New York. Graham H. T. (1989) Human Resource Management (sixth Edition), UK: Pitman Publishing Longman Group. Harris, D. M. & DeSimone. R. L. (1994) Human Resource Development, Dryden Press, Forth Worth.Jackson S. E. & Schuler R. S. (2003) Managing Human Resources through Strategic Partnerships (8th Edition) Manson, Ohio: Thomson –Southwestern. J. Mullins (2002) Organization Behaviour and Management, Seventh Edition, Prentice Hall; Publications, New Delhi India. Javitch David G. (2005) Appraising Employee Performance, in The Entrepreneur, March 2005. Lawrie, J. (1990) Prepare for Performance Appraisal, Personnel Journal, Volume 69. Longene cker, C. O. (1989) Truth or Consequences: Politics and Performance Appraisal, Business Horizons, Volume 32.Mugenda G. Abel and Mugenda M. Olive, (2003). Research Methods – Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, 2nd Edition, Acts Press, Kenya. Nemoroff, W. F. & Wexley, K. N. (1979) An Exploration of the Relationships Between the Performance Feedback Interview Characteristics and Interview Outcomes as Perceived by Managers and Subordinates, Journal of Occupational Psychology, Volume 52. North, Archer. (2004) Performance Appraisal: Complete Online Guide, Archer North and Associates. Oberg W (2005). Making Performance Appraisal Relevant, 2nd Edition.Penny Hackett. (1979) Success in Management: Personnel, Kingston, Surrey: Kingston Polytechnic. Rai H. & Singh M. (2005) Mediating effects in the relationship between 360-degree Feedback and Employee Performance. Working Paper No. 2005-04-06. Rao P. Subba and Rao V. S. P. (1990) Personnel/Human Resource Management, New Delhi: Konark Publishers PVT Limited. Saleemi N. A. (2005). Personnel Management, 2nd Edition, N. A. Saleemi Printers, Nairobi, Kenya. San Joaquin County, Human Resources Division. (2002) Human Resources Handbook. Tripathi P. C. 1989) Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, India: Sultan Chand and Sons. To determine the types of performance appraisal approaches used at the Kenya National Cereals and Produce Board. To determine the effect of performance appraisal accuracy on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. To establish the effects of employee appraisal feedback management on staff performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board. To assess the effects of appraisers’ competence on employee performance at the National Cereals and Produce Board.