The growth of small scale businesses free essay sample

The dynamic role of small scale business in developing countries has long been recognized (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). These small scale businesses can serve as engines through which the economic growth and employment objectives of developing countries can be achieved. However, for many years these rural enterprises have failed to grow beyond their micro enterprise nature and sometimes at best their small or medium size (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). It is believed that private small scale businesses have significant and positive contribution to the growth and development of business sectors in the Ghanaian economy. Small scale businesses sometimes called small enterprises, a small scale enterprise is a business that employs a small number of workers and does not have a high volume of sales. Such enterprises are generally privately owned and operated sole proprietorships, corporations or partnerships. The legal definition of a small-scale enterprise varies by industry and country. This policy paper is based on a study carried out to determine the growth of small scale enterprises, which plays a critical role in entrepreneurship development. We will write a custom essay sample on The growth of small scale businesses or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page While large enterprises employ many individuals, small-scale enterprises employ few or no employee, in Ghana small scale businesses account for nearly half of the gross domestic product. Small-scale enterprises help stimulate local economies by providing local individuals with jobs, as well as products and services to community members. Moreover, such enterprises help diversify and grow their respective industries, as many women and minorities make significant contributions to the small business world. When there is a rise in small scale enterprises, countries may see reforms in basic rights. Small scale enterprises exist in almost every industry. They can range from mom and pop convenience stores to small manufacturing plants. Additional types of small-scale enterprises can include privately owned restaurants, law firms, inns, bakeries, architectural and engineering firms, dry cleaners and construction contractors. Despite the large contribution of small scale businesses in countries development and economic growth, their growth and development in developing countries were mainly inhibited by access of finance, poor managerial skills, and lack of training opportunities and high cost of inputs ‘Cook and Nixson, 2 (2000)’. Further studies conducted suggest that finance is the most important constraint for the small scale businesses (Green, kimuyu, Manus and Murinde, 2002). The small scale businesses have very limited access to financial services from formal financial institutions to meet their working and investment needs However, the generation of self-employment in the small enterprises requires investment in working capital, at low levels of income, the accumulation of such capital may be difficult. Under such circumstances, loans can help the poor to accumulate capital and investment in employment generating activities â€Å"Hossain (1988)†. According to Grade (1984), loans enable the individual’s member or enterprises to enjoy the benefit of economies of scale and new technology. Availability of credit to small business and low income households could greatly enhance their economic strength and eventually break the vicious circle of low income, low saving, low investment and low income. Most Small scale businesses provide subsistence living and they keep in the vicious circle of not being able to grow because the small profits they make are easily wiped out by family needs like school fees, sickness, introduction and wedding ceremonies. There is, therefore, the need to transform micro enterprises activities into small and medium enterprises so that they can grow and provide jobs for others. Technology has an important role to play in transforming small scale business activities. In order to acquire technology, the small scale businesses usually need to get credit. However, their access to this from banks is limited because of lack of collateral. Their main source would therefore be from micro finance institution (MFI) schemes which have flexible collateral policies. The main objective of this study is to assess the contributions of small scale businesses by micro finance institutions and the indicators used to measure growth, considering their management skills such as a. planning b. communication c. human resource management, d. their entrepreneurial innovations, e. the business strategic plans and issues of trust and challenges needs to  be examined. This topic seems very interesting in divers’ ways which provides various alternatives in transacting business such as; first, the study will contribute to the body of knowledge on the contributions towards the growth of small scale businesses, taking into consideration the true cost incurred, apart from interest cost. Second, this study is intended to shed light on the relationship between microfinance services and the growth of small scale businesses, particularly with the focus on their livelihoods for both planners and policy makers in government, agencies and NGOs. This will help them to come out with substantive possible alternative policy interventions which might help to address problems and challenges which small scale businesses face. Third, this study will reveal the impact of microfinance services on the growth of small scale businesses for use in short term and long term interventions especially in the fight against poverty. In order to better understand the conditions that indicate when a small scale business is growing or ready to grow additional indicators concerning the business plans, communication, human resources management and issues of trust needs to be examined. A study of this nature is equally very important because it is going to enlighten the government and the public on the role of micro finance and its contributions towards the growth of small scale business sector. Definitions The SSB nomenclature is used to mean small scale business. It is sometimes referred to as small and micro enterprises (SMEs). The SSBs cover non-farm economic activities mainly manufacturing, commerce and services such as the small scale mining URT (2003). According to kessy and Urio (2006), SSBs can be defined as a productive activity either to produce or distribute goods and or services, mostly undertaken in the informal sector. The Tanzanian government defines SMEs according to sector, employment size, and capital investment in machinery. A micro enterprise is one with fewer than five employees, a small enterprise with 5-49 employees, a medium enterprise with 50-99 employees and a large enterprise with more than 100 employees. As Storey (1994) stated, there are three key distinguishing features between large and small businesses. Firstly, the greater external uncertainty of the environment in which the small business operates and the greater internal consistency of its motivations and actions. Secondly, they have a different role in innovation, small businesses are able to produce something marginally different, in terms of product or service; this differs from the standardized product or service provided by large businesses. A third area of distinction between small and large business is the greater likelihood of evolution and change in the smaller firm, small firms which become large undergo a number of stage changes. Small scale rural and urban businesses have been one of the major areas of concern to many policy makers in an attempt to accelerate the rate of growth in low income countries. These enterprises have been recognized as the engines through which the growth objectives of developing countries can be achieved. They are potential sources of employment and income breeders in many developing countries. It is argued that increases in employment Small and Medium Business is not always associated with increases in productivity. Nevertheless, the important role performed by these enterprises cannot be overlooked. Small firms have advantages over their large scale competitors. They are able to adapt more easily to market conditions given their broadly skilled technologies. However, narrowing the analysis down to developing countries raises the following puzzle: Do small scale business have a dynamic economic role? Due to their flexible nature, SSBs are able to withstand adverse economic conditions. They are more labour intensive than larger firms and therefore, have lower capital costs associated with job creation. SSEs perform useful roles in ensuring income stability, growth and employment. Since SSBs are labour intensive, they are more likely to succeed in smaller urban centers and rural areas, where they can contribute to the more even distribution of economic activity in a society and can help to slow the flow of migration to large cities. Because of their regional dispersion and their labour intensity, the argument goes; small scale production units can promote a more equitable distribution of income than large firms. They also improve the efficiency of domestic markets and make productive use of scarce resources, thus, facilitating long term economic growth. Constraints: Despite the wide ranging economic reforms instituted, SMEs face a variety of constraints owing to the difficulty of absorbing large fixed costs, the absence of economies of scale and scope in key factors of production and the higher unit costs of providing services to other firms. Most of these SMEs do not survive their second birthday because of certain constraints. These constraints include lack of capital, human resource challenges, market-based challenges, unfavorable legal, regulatory conditions and weak institutional regimes (Kayanula and Quartey, 2000). However, the URT MSEs policy recognizes that SSBs are confronted with unique problems including heavy costs of compliance resulting from their size. Other constraints include insufficient working premises and limited access to finance, Business Development Services, namely services related to entrepreneurship, business training, marketing, technology development and information are undeveloped and not readily available. SMEs lack information as well as appreciation from such services and can hardly afford to pay the services. As the result, operators of the sector have rather low skills. Institutions and associations supporting SMEs are weak, fragmented and uncoordinated partly due to lack of clear guidance and policy for the development of the sector (URT, 2003). Access to finance remained a dominant constraint to small scale enterprises in developing countries. (Aryeetey, Baah, Duggleby. 1994) reported that 38% of the SSBs surveyed mention credit as a constraint, in the case at Malawi. This stems from the fact that SMEs have limited access to capital markets, locally and internationally, in part because of the perception of higher risk, informational barriers, and the higher costs of intermediation for smaller firms. As a result, SMEs often cannot obtain long-term finance in the form of debt and equity. Financial problem of most MSEs arise due to poor financial management; existence of information irregularity and bank credit rationing. Ogawa and Suzuki (2000) pointed out that bank do not want to offer loans to MSEs because the nature of loans required is too small and those banks find it more expensive to offer such loans. Commercials banks, which were traditionally looked upon as powerful catalyst of economic development through mobilization and the provision of credit to profitable ventures do not offer credit to the rural poor or small business. Stringent lending policies and collateral requirements, cumbersome procedures and their perception of small business and the rural poor as risky, often leads to exclusion Indicators and contributions of growth: There is different range of indicators of growth of SMEs. This study will use income of the SSBs, Accumulation of business assets, revenue and employment through MFI as indicator of growth for the enterprises and also indicators such as innovation, communication, planning, human resource management and business trust. Therefore in recognizing the contribution of SSBs in countries, the Microfinance Policy which aims at enabling low income earners to access financial services was developed. Microfinance institutions (MFI’s) provide a broad range of services including deposits, loans, payment services, money transfer and insurance to the poor or low-income households and their enterprises. The introduction of MFI’s is seen as the best alternative source of financial services for low income earners and their MSEs as a means to raise their income, hence reducing their poverty level and contributing in country economy (Kessy and Urio, 2006). Along this line the service of microfinance institution to majority who are low income earners have given them a number of possibilities including managing scarce household and enterprises resources more efficiently, protection against financial risks by taking advantages of investment opportunities and gaining economic returns. Micro finance enables clients to keep, expand and increase their incomes, as well as to accrue assets, reducing their weakness to income and expenditure shocks. By definition micro finance is described as the provision of appropriate financial services to significant numbers of low income, economically active people with an end objective to alleviate poverty. Micro Finance is recognized as an effective tool to fight poverty by providing financial services to those who do not have access to or are neglected by the commercial banks and financial institutions. Financial services provided by the Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) may include one or any combination of savings, credit, insurance, pension or retirement and payment services. Microfinance is also frequently combined with the provision of social and business development services, such as literacy training, education on health issues, management or accounting. The main features of a microfinance institution which differentiate it from other commercial institutions, are such that, it is a substitute for formal credit, generally requires no collateral, have simple procedures and less documentation, easy and flexible repayment schemes, financial assistance of members of group in case of emergency, most deprived segments of population are efficiently targeted and last but not least, is groups interaction. According to Mosley (1999), microfinance makes a considerable contribution to the reduction of poverty through its impact on income and also has a positive impact on asset level. But the mechanism through which poverty reduction works varies between institutions. Generally, institutions that give, on average, smaller loans reduce poverty much more by lifting borrowers above the poverty line, whilst institutions giving larger loans reduce it much more by expanding the demand for labour amongst poor people. MFI services have impact not only on the SMEs growth but also on the owners and community at large, therefore the conceptual framework developed reflect the outcome of SSBs growth at household level this is due to the assumption that increase on growth of result into an increase of SSBs owner’s wealth and overall standard of living since the profit obtain from SMEs activities enable the SMEs owners to meet his/her living expenditure, hence create a possibility of trickledown effect. Nichols (2004) used a case study approach to investigate the impact of microfinance upon the lives of the poor in the rural China and found that the participation of poor in MFI program had led to positive impact in their life. Their income have increased, spending on educational and health have increased hence improved their standard of living and also women have benefited out of this program. There were visible sign of higher wealth level within the village. Also to assess the direct and indirect cost that SMEs incur when accessing the microfinance service, Chijoriga and Cassimon (1999) poited out that transaction costs comprises cost involved in finding a lender, mismatch costs and risk premium, all these transactions increase the gross cost of credit for the borrower. High transaction cost limit SSBs effective utilization of the services received, hence limit SSBs and household growth. Transaction cost approach to the theory of the firm was created by Ronald Coase (1937) in his article The Problem of Social Cost In order to carry out a market transaction it is necessary to discover who it is that one wishes to deal with, to conduct negotiations leading up to a bargain, to draw up the contract, to undertake the inspection needed to make sure that the terms of the contract are being observed. More succinctly transaction costs are search and information costs, bargaining and decision costs, and policing and enforcement costs The growing rate of unemployment poses a challenge not only to individuals but also to the government. At the individual level, the establishment of business enterprises particularly SMEs has been a resort to gainful employment. In order for SSBs to overcome the several constraints that they face and grow into large corporate entities; they must also be very innovative. Innovation is referred to as the use of improved products, processes, services, technologies or ideas accepted by markets, governments, and society (Christensen, 2002). Innovation is not the same as invention. Innovation refers to the use of a new ideas or methods, whereas invention refers more directly to the creation of the idea or method itself (Davila, Epstein and Shelton. 2006). SSBs need not create a new method but adopting the new methods to make it beneficial to their specific operations. Innovation has been identified as a driver of organizations and nations (Schumpeter, 1911) as it leads to entrepreneurship and hence economic prosperity. Essentially, innovation is holistic. It covers a range of issues necessary to provide value to customers and a good return to the organization. Buckler (1997) defines innovation as â€Å"an environment, a culture, almost spiritual force, that exists in a company† that drives value creation. Innovation cannot be touched, heard, tasted or seen but it can be felt within an organization. It is possibly best described as an all surrounding attitude that allows businesses to see beyond the present and create the future. During professionalization, management systems focusing on planning organization, development and control are developed (Flamholtz, 1990). The formation place an emphasis on organizational planning which may include the number of employees in the business. Planning is one of the most important functions of managers or sole proprietors. Instead of hopping for the best and making corrective changes each time difficulties are experienced, all aspect of production, selling and other activities of small scale businesses are determined ahead so that unforeseen circumstances are reduced to minimum. Planning in this context involves determining the direction of the business by establishing objectives and by designing and implementing strategies necessary to achieve the objectives of small scale businesses. While formal planning may not be  prevalent in small scale businesses, evidence was found that in order to successfully expand the workforce of small scale businesses, planning for growth must be carefully done. Also another indicator of interest as small scale businesses grows or expand their workforce is the importance of communication. Communication with customers, suppliers, competitors and the workforce should be focused at ensuring their understanding towards the alignment of the goals of the business. Effective communication is an intrinsic form of motivation. A clear, simple and timely transmission of information secures and maintains the interest of both internal and external factors of the business. Consistent with these findings, (Howard 2001) found that communication of the business plans through meetings demonstrated a positive, significant correlation with growth of business profit. Trust is an issue that has not been widely studied in relation to growth in small scale businesses. However, trust has been found to have a significant, positive correlation with business profits (Howard, 2001). Small scale business owners and managers in small businesses need to be able to trust their suppliers, customers and employees. If they do not develop some level of trust in their employees they may find themselves attempting to complete task jobs themselves. This can lead to an underutilization of employees, as well as contributing to the burnout of small scale business owners and managers. While not widely studied, since trust has demonstrated a significant relationship with organizational profit, it should be more closely examined to determine it relationship on the growth of small scale business. Lastly, as small scale businesses expand its workforce, it is reasonable to expect that the organization will experience some problems of a human resource management nature. This could be the reason that small scale businesses formalize their human resource policies and record keeping as they grow, since many small scale businesses do not have an employee dedicated to human resource management issues, as their owners may be addressing human resource management issues’ on their own as needed. In an exploratory study by Howard (2001), a wide variety of human resource problems were identified by owners and employees of small scale businesses. Most notably, staffing problems and appropriate salaries were noted. While many other problems were identified, staffing and compensation are functional areas of human resource management that will influence successful growth of small scale businesses. In conclusion, Based on a critical analysis and discussion by the group, it was evidence that, SSBs play an important role in the social economic development of the country. The sector contributes towards economic growth, employment creation, poverty reduction and development of an industrial base. They are important for raising efficiency of a country owing to their flexibility and low production costs. They act as breeding grounds for entrepreneurship innovation and invention hence a pool for employment. MSEs must therefore be nurtured to grow beyond social level. Based on the analysis of this paper, it was found that MFIs play a major role in credit provision to the MSEs, and this credit has contributed a major part in the growth of the business in terms of asset base, level of stocks, services and the number of employees the business can sustain. It also indicated that the credit services in businesses which do not show increased profitability, changes in stock levels and services are used to sustain the business and avoid possible collapse. Some suggestions and recommendations from this study is that the policy makers should address the main problems that medium and small enterprises encounter in accessing credit, by creating an enabling policy environment through simplifying and harmonizing licensing requirements, reduction of taxes and enhance access to relevant information through seminars and workshops. The government through the central bank should develop appropriate standards which recognize the special nature of micro finance institutions and strengthen them through integrating their operations in the main stream banking sector. The central bank should also make it a requirement for banks to have a separate micro finance credit line of service to take care of the needs of the SSBs. Empirical evidence shows that dynamic and growing small scale businesses can contribute to the achievement of a wide range of development objectives, including: the attainment of income distribution and poverty reduction, creation of employment, savings mobilization and production of goods and services that meet the basic needs of the poor. A major barrier to rapid development of the small scale enterprises is a shortage to both debt and equity financing. Accessing finance has been identified as a key element for small scale enterprises to succeed in their drive to build productive  capacity, to compete, to create jobs and contribute to poverty alleviation in developing countries. Small scale enterprises as a risk because of poor guarantees and lack of information about their ability to repay loans without finance, small scale enterprises cannot acquire or absorb new technologies. Although the banking sector is the largest and most important source of external financing for small scale enterprises, by and large, it is believed to be under serving the needs of this sector. Small scale enterprises alternatively draw financing from a variety of sources. Small firms rely proportionally more on MFIs and the informal sector (money lender) as a result of their inability to produce the collateral needed by the commercial banks. The various challenges faced by small scale enterprises can be solved through the effective utilization of the terms and policies of the MFIs. Also planning as the best indicator for small scale businesses to direct and forecast their activities successfully.

Laser Scanning Microscopy The WritePass Journal

Laser Scanning Microscopy 1. Objective Laser Scanning Microscopy 1. Objective2. Introduction 3. Materials and Devices5. Principle of Imaging in 3 Dimensions  DataAnalysisRelated 1. Objective   To image a sample of rhodamine-doped polystyrene etched with various shapes, using a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope and to analyse the sample topography by 2D and 3D reconstruction of the sample image. 2. Introduction This CLSM design combined the laser scanning method with the 3D detection of biological objects labeled with  fluorescent markers  for the first time..laser   scanning   microscopy, the   object   or   specimen   surface is scanned point by   point by a focused   laser   beam. The   image   or   other   characteristic   of   the   object   is then   generated   by   an electronic   system.   In a scanning laser microscope detecting   fluorescent light from the specimen, the depth-discriminating property of   confocal   scanning   has   been   used   to   carry   out   optical   slicing   of   a thick   specimen.   The   recorded   digital   images constitute   a   three-dimensional   raster   covering   a   volume   of   the   specimen.   The   specimen   has   been   visualized   in stereo and   rotation   by making look-through projections of the   digital data   in different directions. 3. Materials and Devices A rhodamine-doped polystyrene sample etched with different shapes mounted onto a glass slide has already been prepared. A Zeiss LSM 510 META Axiovert 200M confocal microscope is used for imaging the sample. Fig. 1 A Zeiss LSM 510 META laser scanning confocal microscope []. 4. CLSM-principles,working of the technique, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy is a novel optical imaging technique that merges the technology of a Laser Scanning Microscope and a Confocal Microscope resulting in high resolution images CLSM enables to form images from selected depths from within the sample (z stacks) and generate a 3D image of a specimen by stacking 2D images from successive depths []. In this technique, a laser beam is passed through an aperture and focused by an objective lens onto a small area of the specimen. The reflected light (laser light and fluorescent light from illumination of the sample) is collected by the objective lens, and passed through a pinhole which removes ‘out of focus‘light and only allows light from the plane of focus to reach the detector which is a photo multiplier tube enabled with a filter that blocks the original laser light thus allowing the detection of the excited fluorescent wavelengths alone []. The laser beam scans the specimen point by point thus resulting in the formation of the images pixel by pixel, which can be viewed on a screen [][]. Since the scanning process in a CLSM is in a point wise fashion, in order to obtain data from, the entire sample, the specimen is moved relative to the laser beam or the laser beam is guided across the sample and CLSMs are as such also referred to as point-probing scanners [][]. The advantages of this imaging technique over other techniques are numerous such as obtaining high-resolution  optical images with depth selectivity, higher level of sensitivity, less invasive form of imaging, ability to acquire in-focus images from selected depths ( a process known as  optical sectioning) and thereby reconstructed with a computer to obtain three-dimensional reconstructions of  samples. For the study of the rhodamine-doped polystyrene sample, a 40x C-Apochromat water-based lens was used and the CLSM imaging specifications were set to a frame size of 512512 pixels, the depth was set to 8 bit, scan direction was set to a single direction. By varying the pinhole diameter, the degree of confocality can be varied and here the pinhole was set to 1 Airy unit. Thus only the first order of the diffraction pattern reaches the detector while the higher orders are blocked, thus improves the resolution but also results in a slight decrease in brightness. Also the laser wavelength required to successfully image the rhodamine doped polystyrene sample is xxxxx []. 5. Principle of Imaging in 3 Dimensions   Plan how to experimentally characterise the surface topography (height of the geometric structures) 5. Preparation of sample and Imaging and Characterisation of Surface Topography with astd errors Imaging in 3 DimensionsThis is carried out by altering the level at which the sample is observed ie by altering the plane of focus. Thus by changing this, a series of images at different positions can be produced that spans through the through the sample thickness. Thus resulting in a series of X-Y images at different Z axis positions. Therefore by optical sectioning a series of images are obtained which are then digitally reconstructed by computer softwares to give 3D representations of the sample. In this experiment, the surface topography f the rhodamine doped polystyrene sample is carried out by performing a z- stack [][]. The boundaries of the scan are set by using the focus control and marking the top and bottom of the sample. Thus between these boundaries a series of images are taken at different z- axis and a projection of the images are performed. The parameters taken for the projection are- Initial Angle of 0 °, number of projections is 64 and a Difference Angle of 6 degr ees. Data 2 D and 3 D images of a rhodamine doped polystyrene sample etched with various shapes were taken. The images show that the surface of the polystyrene sample consists of circular, triangular and square micropillars with varying heights. With the help of 3D reconstruction of the ample topography, the heights of the micropillars were calculated. A series of three z stacks were performed for each kind of micropillar (circular, square and triangular respectively) and their heights were determined. Analysis The errors associated with the measurement of the height of each micropillar has been calculated by using standard deviation method and the following bar graphs have been plotted with the error bars denoting the standard deviation. The images obtained from the of rhodamine-doped polystyrene The consequences of quenching and photobleaching are suffered in practically all forms of fluorescence   microscopy, The two phenomena are   distinct in that quenching is often reversible whereas photobleaching is not . Most quenching processes act to reduce the excited   state lifetime and the quantum yield of the affected   fluorophore. photobleaching (also   termed fading) occurs when a fluorophore permanently   loses the ability to fluoresce due to photon-induced   chemical damage and covalent modification   An important class of photobleaching events   is represented by events that are   photodynamic,   meaning they involve the interaction of the fluorophore   with a combination of light and oxygen (158-161).  Ã‚   Reactions between fluorophores and molecular oxygen   permanently destroy fluorescence and yield a free radical   singlet oxygen species that can chemically modify other   molecules in living cell Comparison of LSM with atomic force microscopy (AFM) in view of application to biology Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has found   tremendous application in the field of   biology ranging from  cell biology  and  genetics  to  microbiology  and  developmental biology. It allows imaging thin optical sections in living and fixed specimens ranging in thickness up to 100 micrometers. advantages, including the ability to control depth of field, 3D reconstrucyion of images, non-invasive nature, enables study of both   living and fixed specimens with enhanced clarity.. Additional advantages of scanning confocal   microscopy include the ability to adjust magnification   electronically by varying the area scanned by the laser   without having to change objectives (zoom factor). CLSM has the advantage of not requiring a probe to be suspended nanometers from the surface, as in an  AFM   for example, where the image is obtained by scanning with a fine tip over a surface. tomic Force Microscopy  (AFM)  is a powerful form of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) that performs its imaging function by measuring a local property of the surface being inspected, such as its height, optical absorption, or magnetic properties.   AFM employs a probe or tip thats positioned very close to surface to get these measurements The ability to monitor this deflection allows the AFM to create an image of the sample non-destructively even if the tip is continuously in contact with the sample. To prevent the cantilever tip from damaging the surface of the sample, it is maintained at a constant angular deflection so that the force applied by the tip on the surface is also kept constant.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contact mode imaging  employs a soft cantilevered beam that has a sharp tip at its end, which is brought in contact with the surface of the sample.  Ã‚  The force between the tip and the sample causes the cantilever to deflect in accordance with Hookes Law, exhibiting a spring constant th The  advantages  of AFM include the following: 1) it generates true, 3-dimensional surface images; 2) it does not require special sample treatments that can result in the samples destruction or alteration; and 3) it does not require a vacuum environment in order to operate (it can operate in both air and liquid).   On the other hand, itsdisadvantages  include the following: it is slow in scanning an image A stand-alone atomic force microscope (AFM) has been developed, which features a large scan area and which allows operation under liquid. This system was combined with a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Information about cell structures, obtained by CLSM, can be complemented with images of the cell surface obtained with the AFM. References [1]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Claxton N S, Fellers T J, Davidson M W. Laser scanning confocal microscopy.  olympusconfocal.com/theory/LSCMIntro.pdf [2]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   S. Wilhelm, B. Grà ¶bler, M. Gluch, and Hartmut Heinz, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy: Optical Image Formation and Electronic Signal Processing, Jena, Germany: Carl Zeiss Advanced Imaging Microscopy, 2003. [3]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     C. J. R. Sheppard and D. M. Shotton, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, Oxford, United Kingdom: BIOS Scientific Publishers, 1997. [4]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   T. Wilson (ed.), Confocal Microscopy, New York: Academic Press, 1990. [5]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   J. W. Lichtmann, Confocal Microscopy, Scientific American, 40-45, August, 1994. [6]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. R. Hibbs, Confocal Microscopy for Biologists, New York: Kluwer Academic, 2004. [7]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   W. B. Amos and J. G. White, How the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope entered Biological Research, Biology of the Cell, 95: 335-342, 2003. [8]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   J. B. Pawley (ed.), Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy, New York: Plenum Press, 1995. [9]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adhesion Enhancement through Micropatterning at Polydimethylsiloxane−Acrylic Adhesive Interface M. Lamblet,†¡Ã‚  E. Verneuil,† Ã‚ §Ã‚  T. Vilmin,†¡Ã‚  A. Buguin,† P. Silberzan,† Ã‚  and L. Là ©ger*†¡ ..Langmuir,  2007,  23  (13), pp 6966–6974 DOI:  10.1021/la063104h.Publication Date (Web): May 19, 2007 [10]   T. Kodama, et al., Development of Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope/Atomic Force Microscope System for Force Curve Measurement, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 43, issue 7B, pp. 4580-4583, 2004. [11]   C. A. J. Putman, et al.,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœAtomic force microscopy combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy: A new look at cells’, Bioimaging, vol. 1,  issue 2, pp. 63–70,  June 1993.[12]   13]   [14]   E. Meyer, ‘Atomic force microscopy’, Progress in Surface Science vol. 41, issue 1, pp. 3-49, 1992.

Constructing a Questionnaire

Constructing a Questionnaire The general format of the questionnaire is easy to overlook, yet it is something that is just as important as the wording of the questions asked. A questionnaire that is poorly formatted can lead respondents to miss questions, confuse respondents, or even cause them to throw the questionnaire away. First, the questionnaire should be spread out and uncluttered. Oftentimes researchers fear that their questionnaire looks too long and therefore they try to fit too much onto each page. Instead, each question should be given it’s own line. Researchers should not try to fit more than one question on a line because that could cause the respondent to miss the second question or get confused. Second, words should never be abbreviated in an attempt to save space or make a questionnaire shorter. Abbreviating words can be confusing to the respondent and not all abbreviations will be interpreted correctly. This could cause the respondent to answer the question a different way or skip it entirely. Lastly, ample space should be left between questions on each page. Questions should not be too close together on the page or the respondent might be confused as to when one question ends and another begins. Leaving a double space between each question is ideal. Formatting Individual Questions In many questionnaires, respondents are expected to check one response from a series of responses. There may be a square or circle next to each response for the respondent to check or fill in, or the respondent might be instructed to circle their response. Whatever method is used, instructions should be made clear and displayed prominently next to the question. If a respondent indicates their response in a way that is not intended, this could hold up data entry or cause data to be miss-entered. Response choices also need to be equally spaced. For example, if you’re response categories are yes, no, and maybe, all three words should be equally spaced from each other on the page. You do not want yes and no to be right next to each other while â€Å"maybe† is three inches away. This could mislead respondents and cause them to choose a different answer than intended. It could also be confusing to the respondent. Question-Wording The wording of questions and response options in a questionnaire is very important. Asking a question with the slightest difference in wording could result in a different answer or could cause the respondent to misinterpret the question. Oftentimes researchers make the mistake of making questions unclear and ambiguous. Making each question clear and unambiguous seems like an obvious guideline for constructing a questionnaire, however, it is commonly overlooked. Often researchers are so deeply involved in the topic being studied and have been studying it for so long that opinions and perspectives seem clear to them when they might not be to an outsider. Conversely, it might be a new topic and one that the researcher has only a superficial understanding of, so the question might not be specific enough. Questionnaire items (both the question and the response categories) should be so precise that the respondent knows exactly what the researcher is asking. Researchers should be cautious about asking respondents for a single answer to a question that actually has multiple parts. This is called a double-barreled question. For example, let’s say you ask respondents whether they agree or disagree with this statement: The United States should abandon its space program and spend the money on health care reform. While many people might agree or disagree with this statement, many would not be able to provide an answer. Some might think the U.S. should abandon its space program, but spend the money elsewhere (not on health care reform). Others might want the U.S. to continue the space program, but also put more money into the health care reform. Therefore, if either of these respondents answered the question, they would be misleading the researcher. As a general rule, whenever the word and appears in a question or response category, the researcher is likely asking a double-barreled question and measures should be taken to correct it and ask multiple questions instead. Ordering Items In A Questionnaire The order in which questions are asked can affect responses. First, the appearance of one question can affect the answers given to later questions. For instance, if there are several questions at the beginning of a survey that asks about the respondents’ views on terrorism in the United States and then following those questions is an open-ended question asking the respondent what they believe to be dangers to the United States, terrorism is likely to be cited more than it otherwise would be. It would be better to ask the open-ended question first before the topic of terrorism is put into the respondents’ head. Efforts should be made to order the questions in the questionnaire so they do not affect subsequent questions. This can be hard and nearly impossible to do with each question, however, the researcher can try to estimate what the various effects of different question orders would be and choose the ordering with the smallest effect. Questionnaire Instructions Every questionnaire, no matter how it is administered, should contain very clear instructions as well as introductory comments when appropriate. Short instructions help the respondent make sense of the questionnaire and make the questionnaire seem less chaotic. They also help put the respondent in the proper frame of mind for answering the questions. At the very beginning of the survey, basic instructions for completing it should be provided. The respondent should be told exactly what is wanted: that they are to indicate their answers to each question by placing a checkmark or X in the box beside the appropriate answer or by writing their answer in the space provided when asked to do so. If there is one section on the questionnaire with closed-ended questions and another section with open-ended questions, for example, instructions should be included at the beginning of each section. That is, leave instructions for the closed-ended questions just above those questions and leave the instructions for the open-ended questions just above those questions rather than writing them all at the beginning of the questionnaire. References Babbie, E. (2001). The Practice of Social Research: 9th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Factors that Influence the Occurrence of Crimes Essay

Factors that Influence the Occurrence of Crimes - Essay Example It is rare for people to drink intoxicating liquor. It is uncommon to see several teachers drink intoxicating liquor inside the classroom. Likewise, it is uncommon to see people drinking intoxicating liquor during church services. It is also rare to find people drinking intoxicating liquor during cooking class. Crimes occur in places where gangs control. Crimes occur in places where there are more guns or deadly weapons. There are more murders and rape crimes committed outside school buildings compared to murder and rape crimes committed inside school buildings. The presence of security guards inspecting the presence of deadly weapons prevents or reduces the occurrences of students or other persons carrying deadly weapons or guns inside the school premises. Sacco and Kennedy reiterated (2008) some crimes occur within guardianship environment. Often crimes occur between family members. Husbands may kill wives for cheating or having an affair. Parents may violate the rights of their ch ildren. Stealing small coins of things from family members is a normal part of growing up in many families. Some fathers rape their daughters inside their home. Sacco and Kennedy reiterated (2008) insist some street crimes are due to gangs. This category also falls under victims and offenders intersecting in time and space. Gangs often fight each other for control of territory. The street gang victims people passing through their territory. Some gangs do not think twice when they plan to inflict damage on the persons passing through their territory. In addition, many gangs also prey on stores and other establishments within their community. Compared to streets having no gangs, the crime incidence is generally lower. Logic dictates that eliminating the gangs will reduce the gang-related crimes. In terms of income, Sacco and Kennedy  reiterated (2008) proposed there are more crimes in communities classified as poor when compared to communities composed of people having above average income or salary.  

Managament. Social Technology and Why Most Changes Fail Article

Managament. Social Technology and Why Most Changes Fail - Article Example Social media is use of sites such as face book, twitter and you tube to upload videos, photos and documents and then sharing them with the world. It can thus be used by companies to sell their products and services by uploading graphical images of their products or describe a wide range of product that they offer. Using the social media to advertise goods and services is cheap because a company needs to create one website and then post its content in it. It then links this site with the social media sites such as Facebook and twitter (Maidment, 2012). The advertisement appears in the social media and the company is guaranteed that many social media users will view them. In this manner, the company is able to do quick, cheap and wide coverage of marketing its products. The owners of these social media have recently seen the growth in the number of advertisements, for example, in January 2013 the advertisements on You Tube got four billion views per day. This is a kind of business marketing that organisations cannot ignore. This is because they are often not affected by traffic of advertisers and raise the reputation of a company faster. In addition, this kind of marketing has a parameter for measuring performance because the social media platform records the number of people who have viewed that advertisement (Maidment, 2012). Therefore, organisations that do not take advantage of this cheap advertising will be lagging behind in competing for clients. The power of social media marketing lies in being creative in the way the content of the website is designed. Depending on the company, attractive content should be used and that makes users come back to the same site. For example, in case of a financial services company, it can use a PowerPoint that displays step by step financial literacy to young people (Maidment, 2012). CRITIQUE The well-known social sites are Facebook, twitter and YouTube. Face book alone has over four billion users in the world. This social site was designed in such a manner that it can accommodate both social and commercial services (Maidment, 2012). The social services are sharing photos, videos and documents with the people one wishes. These sites also allow users to make online friends with no limitation of the number of friends. This means that one friend connects with another and in so doing; Facebook connects all its users through one platform. The art of marketing depends on making both formal and informal networks through which information about products and services is shared. Informal networks of marketing involve using close relatives to spread the marketing information about a product or service. It is often not very effective because of the few people who are reached. Formal networks of marke ting involves use of exhibitions, corporate marketing and other professional related networks to market a product (Maidment, 2012). The effectiveness of any marketing strategy depends on how it is cheap, accessible, and easy to use or convince customers to buy the product being offered (Maidment, 2012). A marketing strategy is also economical to the company if it can be sustained by the economic resources of that company for a long time and shows signs of giving back good returns. In addition, it has to reach a large number of people and be effective in convincing clients to buy the products or services offered. The strategy should also aim to target the right customers in terms of their needs, age and their economic wellbeing. Social media is an example of a tool that meets the requirements of a cheap, effective, and easily accessible advertising and marketing strategy. This is because of the large and diverse number of users that are currently using the social media. It is

The Team That Wasnt Essay Example for Free

The Team That Wasnt Essay Fire Art is a family owned business in the glass making industry based out of Indiana. The company has an 80 year history of producing high quality and high priced glass merchandise. About 18 month ago, sales and earnings bottomed out which drove the need to implement a strategic realignment plan to have the business running and winning within six months. The problem in this case is building a collaborative team with various backgrounds and skills to create a strategic realignment plan in the glass industry to take on the competition, build brand loyalty, increase sales and maximize earnings. Assumptions The assumptions in the case are the employees lack of knowledge of the family business being in trouble due to flat earnings and sales, participation in a team environment now needed versus contributing individually, the Directors of each division needs help with learning how to collaboratively operate and co-exist together to achieve company objectives, the company is not technologically savvy with the necessary tools to compete, and the company is not known nationally or global in their industry. Some of the key issues in the case are Team Dynamics, Team Development, Leadership Styles, Managerial Decisions, and Industry Competition which are discussed in further detailed as follows. Team Dynamics Team Dynamics plays a key role when forming a team because it is important to ensure the team is cohesive with positive energy. The team would need to reflect not only individual ideas but be mutual and complementary as they reach the goals set for the team. Team base activities are becoming standard in todays business environments. Having a team establishes a way for businesses to collaboratively reach their objectives and hold each other accountable for the tasks at hand. Teamwork is everywhere. More than ever before organizations are recognizing the types of situations for which group work can provide a key competitive advantage (Miller, 2003 p 121). Eric, the Director of Strategy had experience working in a team environment in his previous job function, however he lacked the experience needed for team development not utilized in a family business. Team Development Various reasons, such as different objectives, priorities, personalities, perceptions, methods and styles get in the way of having effective members on a team (Adkins, 2004). Teams are very conventional in new management thinking and have become a main stay in many businesses for collaboration of ideas, goals, and strategies. However, when having a team, there may be members who are not accustomed to a team environment and cause division within the team as they try to reach their objectives. To maintain team performance, it is increasingly important to ensure each individual on the team have high emotional intelligence. The premise for linking emotional intelligence to team performance is that high emotional intelligence enables team members to manage and be aware of their own emotions and the emotions of other team members (Jordan Troth, 2004). Emotional awareness and emotional management are essential attributes for team performance because they cultivate effective relationships with fellow workers to enhance team dynamics. Leadership Style Leadership skills are integral to team dynamics and development in order for the team to perform proficiently. Leadership encompass many styles and variations based upon several factors that make up the individual leader. Forbes magazine highlights four key styles of leadership, which are Visionary, Empathetic, Humble Servitude, and Moral or Ethical (Karlgaard, 2009). These key leadership traits work together when running a major business like Fire Art. Jack, the CEO, ran the company based on his family values and lacked the vision needed to forecast changes in the glass industry. To know and understand yourself is fundamental to knowing and understanding others and motivating them to follow your vision as a leader (Youngblood, 2010). There are several leadership resources available to develop oneself not only at the CEO level but at all levels in order for the company to achieve its objective in the marketplace and within their own businesses with employees. What family businesses value and believe about people, work, and money shapes their behavior toward their business and their employees. Without shared values, it is difficult to create a sense of direction for the business. Managerial Decisions The decisions that managers make when running a business, forming teams, or creating strategies are very important for the overall health of the business. Fire Art limited itself strictly in the Mid-Western region and did not embrace expansion outside of it current market area. This decision may have worked for many years in the company but it restricted its growth which allowed competition to gain market share in their industry. It is also imperative that management from a Senior level ensure their employees are aware of the direction the company wants to take in regards to increasing market share, sales and earnings particularly if they see a downward trend in those areas. Hence, the CEO vision for their business or company becomes increasingly important along with the belief the company has a viable product or service the consumer wants. A manager with strong beliefs about the right course of action will attract subordinates with similar beliefs. This alignment of beliefs between managers and workers in the same company gives direction to the firm and affects incentives and coordination (Wen Zhou, 2009). The CEO of Fire Art believes he can turn his family business around with a comprehensive plan for strategic realignment in the glass industry. He has made a key decision by tapping into his subordinates resources and skills along with bringing in a consultant to facilitate the process. Every business has to examine its own situation and decide what constitutes the critical aspects of its own environment (Heller, 1972). The Fire Art is a family own business without any mass production or national distribution. The business did not embrace current technologies or market strategies for their current industry and therefore needs to reexamine its needs in the marketplace. The use of information technology and the Internet between small family businesses and their economic environment enables resource exchange and electronic interaction inside the company, with their client base and vendors (Niehm, Tyner, Shelly, Fitzgerald, 2010). Fire Art has to fine tune their business in the technology area to keep ahead of their competition and remain competitive in the glass industry. Industry Competition Constant changes can be expected in products, in product lines, and models of existing products in a competitive society (Cassady, 1964). With the evolution of various products, todays technology plays an intricate part in how a business competes with their competition. Design, Manufacturing, and Distribution are all key roles that are intertwined together to put out the best product to the marketplace. Its imperative that businesses stay abreast of the new technologies as it relates to their industry in order to stay ahead or compete against their competitors. Fire Art is a family owned business that has stood the test of time for about 80 years as a high end glass manufacturer. Because of this, their Brand has longevity against the competitors in regards to standing out in the industry. In modern times, brands and brand management have become a central feature of the modern economy and a staple of business theory and business practice (Desai Waller, 2010). Fire Art can utilize their brand to propel them forward as realign and restructure their business to take on the competition in glass industry. Recommendations The plan of action is for the CEO to hold a companywide meeting to address the trouble the company is facing and why strategic repositioning needs to take place now. In order for the strategic repositioning to be effective and provide impact to the earnings and revenue, the CEO needs to incorporate senior level management in the newly formed team. Because the CEO has already brought in a Strategic Director for the job, he should allow Eric to interview the potential team members before forming the team to ensure the goals and objectives can be met. Once the team is formed a monthly report should be provided to the CEO to assess the progress of the strategic realignment. The CEO has requested the strategic repositioning to be done in six months. The recommendation here is to have a comprehensive plan in place in six months and then implement the plan in next six months to give the team time to work out any issues or factors that may prevent the team from reaching the ultimate objective of repositioning the company. In order to mitigate any problems that may arise during team development, it is recommended the selected team participants undergo the Stages of Group Development Model by Bruce Tuckman. Training and development is recommended for all employees to increase and maintain their current skills so they continue to be a valuable mployee to the company efforts to reposition. The company as a whole needs to invest and implement new technologies to have their product put to market faster to keep abreast of the competition. Currently Fire Art is limited to the Mid-Western region for their glass products. It would be advisable to look at expanding nationwide in the United States and then Globally. A market analysis should be conducted in regards to new design trends, pricing, manufacturing, distribution and other factors in regards to re-branding the family business beyond the Mid-Western footprint.

Rise of the Roman Empire Essay -- essays research papers fc

Rise of the Roman Empire The legend about Rome’s origins puts the founding of the city at around 735 B.C. It is said that a Vestal Virgin gave birth to twin boys, Romulus and Remus, and claimed that they were the sons of the god Mars. The Vestal Virgin was the sister of a king. The king believed that she was lying and imprisoned her. He put her two boys in a basket and threw it into the Tiber River. A she-wolf found the twins and raised them. The twins, Romulus and Remus, came back and killed the king and founded the city of Rome. Afterwards Romulus and Remus fought and Remus was killed. Romulus was Rome’s first king and after he died, he became a god and vanished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Romans were tribal people who lived in central Italy and like other Latins; they tilled small plots of land pastured cows, pigs and goats and tended flocks of sheep. Moreover, they had a council of elders who chose the Chiefs of the tribes. Around 600 B.C the Etruscans a much more advanced people from the north conquered Rome. Consequently, from that time on, Rome was ruled by kings. The Romans learned many crafts from the Etruscans such as the use of bronze. They borrowed the Etruscan twelve-month calendar, the use of first and last names and developed their alphabet from an Etruscan adaptation of Greek. The Romans adapted many agricultural practices such as the growing of grapes and olives. From the Etruscans the Romans learned military strategy including the use of the unit called the legion which fought in phalanx positions. In 509 B.C however, the Roman nobles revolted against their king, Tarquin the Proud, and established a republic. By this time, Rome’s society was already divided into two groups, the common people called the Plebeians, and the nobles called the Patricians. The Patricians were the heads of the leading families of Rome. Instead of the king, they elected two consuls. The consuls ruled the state and led the armies, but they had power only for one year. The only people that were allowed to participate in government were Patricians. They ignored the wishes of the Plebeians. Consequently, in 490 the Plebeians revolted. They elected their own leaders called Tribunes and threatened to leave and found their own city if they were not given more rights. Since the Patricians needed Plebeians to serve in their army, they had to give in. This was the... ...normous indemnity that was imposed, ten thousand talents spread over fifty years, made the Carthaginians practically tributaries to their Roman conquerors. Hannibal would later be exiled and Carthage would never regain its former power. Hopelessly, the Carthaginians tried to stand up to Rome one last time in 151. The city was destroyed and its entire population sold as slaves. Throughout its early history Rome constantly came up new innovative ideas have the upper hand over its enemies. The Romans were a determined people that believed that ruling the world was their destiny and after the defeat of its’ greatest rival Carthage, they were now masters of the Mediterranean. Rome would never again be threatened until the empire’s fall hundreds of years later. The Romans would now begin to expand their empire past Italy, and with great success, come to rule the Western world. Works Cited http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1595/Romans.html Nardo, Don. The Rise of the Roman Empire. Gale Group: 1980 http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/classroom/lesson5.html Polybuis, Obye. The Rise of the Roman Empire. Viking Penguin: 1980 http://www.hatethemainstream.com/article.php?sid=22

Financial statements Essay

David Sheridan provided statements that did not reflect Global’s current financial situation which mislead creditors and investors. Borrowing more money would have indicated that the business was in the process of losing assets which would cause stakeholders withdraw and to discontinue investing with the company. This is similar to the Enron scandal, which greatly affected stakeholders not only financially but also morally. According the American journal of business (2006), â€Å"Enron’s top managers chose stakeholder deception and short-term financial gains for themselves, which destroyed their personal and business reputations and their social standing†. After reviewing the AICPA’s Articles of Professional Conduct, I believe that David violated Article I and III. According to Edmonds, T. (2010), Article I Responsibilities- â€Å"In carrying out their responsibilities as professionals, members should exercise sensitive professional and moral judgments in all their activities†. Article III Integrity- â€Å"To maintain and broaden public confidence, members should perform all professional responsibilities with the highest sense of integrity† (p. 65). There are three features of the fraud triangle. Edmonds, T. (2010) states, â€Å"Opportunity is shown at the head to the triangle because without opportunity fraud could not exist†. David found an opportunity that he thought would benefit the company, which allowed Global to hide non-profitable assets in another company without disturbing investors and creditors. It also provided an opportunity, as Global would not need to borrow more money. Edmonds, T. (2010) explains, â€Å"The second element of the fraud triangle recognizes pressure as a key ingredient of misconduct. A manager who is told â€Å"either make the numbers or you are fired† is more likely to cheat than one who is told to â€Å"tell it like it is.† (p.67). I believe that David felt the pressure as to produce results in order to keep the business from failing. The third element of the fraud triangle is rationalization. According to Edmonds, T. (2010), â€Å"Few individuals think of themselves as evil. They develop rationalizations to justify their misconduct† (p. 67). I believe David and the others involved believed that they were not actually defrauding the people since they had planned to balance the sheets on the financial statements when the economy picks up or the business stock prices rise. References Edmonds, T. (2010). Survey of Accounting, 2nd Edition (2nd ed). McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing. Petrick, J. A., & Scherer, R. F. (2006). The Enron Scandal and the Neglect of Management Integrity Capacity. American journal of business, 18(1), 126.

Measurement and Nominal B. Ordinal

Quantitative Analysis for Business Final E Progress: (0/30) 1) The main purpose of descriptive statistics is to A. summarize data in a useful and informative manner B. make inferences about a population C. determine if the data adequately represents the population D. gather or collect data 2) The general process of gathering, organizing, summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting data is called A. statistics B. descriptive statistics C. inferential statistics D. levels of measurement 3) The performance of personal and business investments is measured as a percentage, return on investment. What type of variable is return on investment?A. Qualitative B. Continuous C. Attribute D. Discrete 4) What type of variable is the number of robberies reported in your city? A. Attribute B. Continuous C. Discrete D. Qualitative 5) What level of measurement is the number of auto accidents reported in a given month? A. Nominal B. Ordinal C. Interval D. Ratio 6) The names of the positions in a corporati on, such as chief operating officer or controller, are examples of what level of measurement? A. Nominal B. Ordinal C. Interval D. Ratio 7) Shoe sizes, such as 7B, 10D, and 12EEE, are examples of what level of measurement? A. Nominal B. Ordinal C. Interval D. Ratio ) Monthly commissions of first-year insurance brokers are $1,270, $1,310, $1,680, $1,380, $1,410, $1,570, $1,180, and $1,420. These figures are referred to as A. a histogram B. raw data C. frequency distribution D. frequency polygon 9) A small sample of computer operators shows monthly incomes of $1,950, $1,775, $2,060, $1,840, $1,795, $1,890, $1,925, and $1,810. What are these ungrouped numbers called? A. Histogram B. Class limits C. Class frequencies D. Raw data 10) The sum of the deviations of each data value from this measure of central location will always be 0. A. Mode B. Mean C. Median D. Standard deviation

5 Nursing Leadership Styles You Need to Utilize as a Nurse

5 Nursing Leadership Styles You Need to Utilize as a Nurse If you work in the healthcare field, especially in nursing, your focus might (understandably) be on direct patient care and teamwork with other medical professionals to make sure that patients are getting that best care. But as a nurse, you’ve also got career goals for yourself, which likely include advancement and moving up the ranks through promotions and job changes. Whether you’re just starting out as a nurse of want to level up, it’s time to figure out what kind of nursing leadership style works for you as you get ready to take on more managerial roles throughout your career.According to the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC), there are five main leadership categories into which nurses tend to fall. Let’s look at each one.1. Autocratic LeadershipAn autocratic nurse is The Boss, full stop. A nurse who leads using this management style makes all decisions and gives specific orders and directions to subordinates, and tends to d iscourage questions or dissent. There’s also a low tolerance for mistakes and the people who make them.When this style works best: For simple or straightforward tasks, or making sure that strict legal or medical guidelines are adhered to. It can also help in emergency situations, when there needs to be a strong voice giving direction.When this style doesn’t work so well: When a nurse manager wants to build trust and teamwork among other team members, or encourage creative problem solving.2. Laissez-Faire LeadershipThe laissez-faire nurse is the opposite of the autocratic nurse. In this style, the nurse provides no specific direction for team members, and adopts more of a hands-off approach to managing.When this style works best: When the nurse’s team is already experienced and self-directed, and doesn’t necessarily need a general giving orders.When this style doesn’t work so well: When specific decisions need to be made and implemented, or team mem bers are inexperienced.3. Democratic LeadershipThe democratic nurse manager takes input from subordinates, and encourages open communication. The decisionmaking ultimately with the manager, but stakeholders and team members are asked for honest feedback, and given feedback in return.When this style works best: When the nurse wants to build relationships with staff members based on trust and accountability, or when improving systems and processes is a priority.When this style doesn’t work so well: When a concrete decision needs to be made quickly, gathering feedback and testing the waters with team members isn’t necessarily helpful or feasible.4. Transformational LeadershipThe transformational (sometimes also called visionary) nurse manager is focused on the big picture (improved patient care, better systems and processes), and how to get there.When this style works best: When the workplace (in this case, a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility) is in need of b ig changes and improvements.When this style doesn’t work so well: When day-to-day decision making is required on small or specific issues.5. Servant LeadershipThe servant nurse leader focuses on team success via individual team members. Despite the meek-sounding name, this management style has been gaining popularity over the past few years. This leader targets team members’ needs, ensuring that they have the skills, relationships, and tools to achieve individual and group goals.When this style works best: When a team has diverse members with different tasks and responsibilities.When this style doesn’t work so well: When top-down decisions need to be made, or a group needs to follow collective directions.So which type of nurse leader are you, and what kind of leadership style works best for your job and your career goals? We’d love to hear how these management styles work for you.

True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters

True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters By Mark Nichol Phrasal adjectives, the sets of words that combine to modify a noun, can be tricky. Usually, words in phrasal adjectives are hyphenated to signal their interrelationship, but there are exceptions, and confusion often arises when phrases resemble but do not constitute phrasal adjectives. In English grammar, the assumption is that two adjacent nouns constitute a description of a single entity unless the first noun is hyphenated to a preceding adjective to form a phrasal adjective. For example, in â€Å"They earned their third straight regular season victory that day,† the reference appears to be to a season victory that is regular. Attaching the adjective regular to the noun season with a hyphen clarifies that the reference is to a victory that pertains to the regular season: â€Å"They earned their third straight regular-season victory that day.† Why not hyphenate â€Å"third straight† as well? The phrase modifies â€Å"regular-season victory,† but â€Å"third straight† is not a phrasal adjective; the noun is the phrase â€Å"straight victory,† and third modifies the entire phrase (not just straight), which in turn modifies â€Å"regular-season victory.† To see why this is so, replace the entire phrase â€Å"third straight regular-season victory† with any phrase beginning with an ordinal number followed by an adjective and then a noun (a phrasal adjective in place of â€Å"regular-season† is irrelevant): â€Å"first full sentence,† â€Å"second tall man,† and so on; no hyphenation is called for. The full sentence is the first one, and the tall man is the second one. But isn’t this the same type of construction as seen in â€Å"The team achieved the third-highest score in the franchise’s history,† in which â€Å"third-highest† is correctly hyphenated because it modifies score? No. â€Å"Third highest score† refers to the third in a series of highest scores, but that’s not what this sentence is referring to; the reference is to a score that is third highest. Also, in â€Å"The win snapped their opponents’ sixteen-game home winning streak,† â€Å"sixteen-game† correctly modifies â€Å"home winning streak.† But why isn’t â€Å"home winning† itself hyphenated to indicate that it’s a phrasal adjective modifying streak? Because it’s not a phrasal adjective. The modifier in this sentence is home, modifying the noun phrase â€Å"winning streak.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

Ricardo Semiler and Semco Company and its Changes Case Study

Ricardo Semiler and Semco Company and its Changes - Case Study Example No. The older Semler, Antonio was already culturally rooted in his management ways of being too bureaucratic and autocratic. He also cannot separate his personal affairs to business and this made Semler & Company under his leadership a moribund. Moreso, he did not have the modern business perspective of the time to change his style of leadership unlike the younger Semler, Ricardo who went to Harvard business school. Yes, the transformation and change of the company would have still come even if things were going well. The external factors cannot change the trajectory of the company when Ricardo Semler assumed leadership of Semco because he really intended to change the autocratic leadership of the company. The crisis only highlighted how effective the change to the company. In a way the change was drastic. Upon assumption as the new CEO, Ricardo Semler fired two-thirds of the top management of Semler & Company and that included many close friends of his father. This would not have been possible under his father because Antonio Semler did not separate work from his personal relationships. The new set up of the company was also a total departure of the old autocratic style of leadership of the company. The young Semler felt that the old autocratic leadership thwarted people’s motivation and creativity. Thus, he decided that the authority to make decisions at Semco to be more evenly distributed. In the process, he dismantled the rigid bureaucracy and structure of the company to make it more flexible based on the new three values of the company – employee participation, profit sharing and free flow of information. To emphasize the change, even the name of the company was changed from Semler & Company to Semco. There were a lot of changes that can be considered drastic if it will be compared  to the old leadership.   Strategy wise, among them product was product diversification and the creation of Nucleus of Technological Innovation (NTI).   Leadership style also changed to democratic and participatory to the point that employees can already direct themselves- set their own budget, even their own salaries and even the hiring and firing decision of both employees and managers.