Vector by Robin Cook Essay Example for Free

Vector by Robin Cook Essay The novel Vector is basically about the concept of bioterrorism and the extent by which it can be utilized as a weapon of mass destruction. Allowing such weapon to fall into the wrong hands can be equated with devastation of unknown proportions, especially with the increasing discontent, poverty, limited resources and other problems plaguing the world today. Dr. Jack Stapleton is the Medical Examiner assigned to investigate the death of Jason Papparis, a rug dealer who died because of anthrax powder inhalation. The cause behind Jason’s death was not easily diagnosed, and primarily, it was seen as influenza aggravated by pneumonia. Upon autopsy however, Dr. Stapleton was able to determine that it was not just a simple case of flu and pneumonia, which somehow led to some presumptions that the anthrax virus may have come from the rugs Mr. Papparis sold. Conducting his own private investigation on this case allowed Dr. Stapleton to collect further evidence that the virus did not come from the rugs but from a mysterious source. As the story unfolds, it relates the story of Yuri Davydov, a Russian immigrant to the US. Yuri used to work in a biochemical lab in Russia, and he was quite knowledgeable in creating bio-weapons. The accidental death of his mother and the loss of his brother lured him to try his luck in the land of milk and honey. He married an African-American woman to get his green card, but his alcoholism and inability to rise above his poverty were starting to depress him and making him hate what used to be the country of his dreams. He was able to meet two underground terrorists who created the People’s Aryan Army, Curt Rogers and Steve Henderson, and together, they devised a plan which they called Operation Wolverine. With this plan, they intended to spread a biochemical weapon through the airconditioning system of the Jacob Javits Building by faking a fire incident, and then spraying another batch of the virus in Central Park. Yuri is responsible for the anthrax virus which was sent to Mr. Papparis supposedly as a test of its potency, and was later found to be of good quality. Yuri gets to meet Dr. Stapleton initially during the latter’s investigation of Jason Papparis’ office. Dr. Stapleton and Yuri’s paths meet again as Yuri’s wife, Connie, dies allegedly because of asthma and some respiratory illness. In actuality, Yuri poisoned her with Botulism toxin as part of their plan to secure Operation Wolverine, a finding which Dr. Stapleton eventually came to find out but did not really expect Yuri to have been responsible for. Dr. Stapleton only wanted to forewarn Yuri about the possibility of the poison still being in their house and Yuri is caught red-handed so he locks up Jack and Laurie Montgomery in the basement but he made them his witnesses by telling them everything about the PAA’s plans. This is due to the fact that Yuri senses Curt’s personal bias and he anticipated being just another pawn in their game, and eventually being eliminated. Curt ultimately shoots Yuri in the head, and the original plans proceed but are foiled because Yuri creates a fake mixture which Curt and Steve believe to be the anthrax virus, hence, the city is saved. Meanwhile, as Curt, Steve and their comrades are celebrating while escaping the supposedly successful operation, they excitedly opened the envelope from Yuri which contained the instructions for making the anthrax mixture. The envelope contained the anthrax powder which was sent with a puff into the air inside the vehicle, and was Yuri’s way of getting back at the group which double-crossed him. 1) The importance of Jason Papparis owner of the Corinthian Rug Company with the anthrax virus is that he is the first victim in the story which became the precedent for the interest and deeper investigation by Dr. Jack Stapleton into the concept of biochemicals and bioterrorism. If not for his case, and the natural inquisitiveness of Dr. Stapleton, things would have gone differently, especially since the initial investigation yielded a very common case of influenza and pneumonia. Influenza and pneumonia are two very common illnesses which can be remedied with rest, fluids and sufficient antibiotics. But since Jason Papparis’ case was different specifically because of the swift progression of the illness which took only more or less 24 hours, Dr. Stapleton suspected something fishy going on. It was just fortunate that an autopsy was conducted and the extent of damage and bleeding to the victim’s upper respiratory system was discovered at the outset. The absence of pneumonia on the lungs further confirmed Dr. Stapleton’s original suspicions that this was not just an ordinary case. And then again, later on, when the brain was examined and found to be bleeding as well, Dr. Stapleton was able to arrive at a better diagnosis for the illness which afflicted Mr. Papparis, brought about by anthrax inhalation as related to a similar case which he was fortunate to have handled previously. 2) Curt and Steve thought that Yuri was a loose cannon because his thoughts and ideas were very different from theirs. They found Yuri a mysterious person because someone with his capabilities should not be driving a cab in New York. In addition, Yuri also defended Stalin, a renowned Russian leader who caused the killing of millions, as not being that bad – an idea which Curt and Steve found unacceptable, due to the great number of deaths associated with this leader. Not having any knowledge about Yuri’s bio-weapons background further added to this weird notion, especially since they had to supply Yuri with â€Å"crazy stuff† like dirt from a cattleyard in Oklahoma and fermenters from a microbrewery in New Jersey. Curt and Steve somehow wanted to get some proof that Yuri’s claims were legitimate and that he really knew something about bio-weapons. And then again, when Yuri tried to contact them at the Fire Department, Yuri was regarded as jeopardizing the security of the operation because he was Russian and both Curt and Steve did not want anybody to know about their possible involvement with a foreigner, which could possibly implicate them with terrorist activities and ruin their plans altogether. 3) Yuri’s disillusionment at the extensively-hyped American dream was the deep-seated bias against foreigners which is predominantly shared by the pure white Americans. It was also wrongly perceived by the people in communist Russia, where the situation is not really that bad, since there is lesser social conflict compared to the situation in the US. After all the hardships that Yuri had gone through just to make it to America, his expectations of freedom, riches and a good life were all shattered because in the US, he had to work for 12-14 hours daily just to survive. What’s more, he even had to become a victim to either the criminals in Washington, or the tax collectors in the government. Yuri had already come to a point where he already wanted to give up on his life in the US and go back to Russia, hence his cynicism directed at the Americans, and his resolve to use his knowledge to exact his revenge. On the other hand, Curt and Steve had their own share of negative experiences with the US government having both been part of the military. Curt became the leader of an elite Marine reconnaissance team wherein a recruit died, and upon inquiry, Curt was held responsible for the blame, thereby precluding any further opportunities for advancement in his career. Thus, Curt opted out. Similarly, Steve’s application as part of the Green Beret was lengthy and frustrating but he finally landed the post. However, within the 21-day assessment process, Steve came down with the flu and had to give up his training. Upon returning, Steve was informed that he had to go through the same grueling procedure from the beginning, leading to Steve’s disgust and final decision to give up his military career. Curt and Steve felt that they were shortchanged for their efforts since they merely wanted to serve their country, and yet they were rejected and not given the credence they thought they deserved. 4) Yuri was important to Curt and Steve because Yuri was knowledgeable in bio-weapons, having been a former laboratory technician working in biochemical labs in Russia and Siberia. Yuri is instrumental to creating the weapons that they were planning to use in bringing to fruition their plans of actualizing Operation Wolverine. Yuri worked for two years at the Sverdlovsk pharmaceutical plant, and Yuri knew that it was not really a factory for medicines but a KGB cover for the massive Soviet bio-weapons program. The factory where Yuri worked was called Compound 19, and he was tasked to do cleaning jobs of the inner biocontainment core. This was where Yuri was working when the accident occurred where Yuri unintentionally released anthrax spores into the atmosphere and killed hundreds of people, including his own mother Nadya. Yuri was pointed to as the scapegoat for this disastrous occurrence and Yuri suffered much, but had to be held in military stockade for a while. After that, he was sent to Siberia, and Yuri had the opportunity to work in another biochemical facility called Vector, where he specialized in improving Botulinum toxin and weaponized Anthrax. His brother Yegor was not affected by the anthrax, but he was not allowed to visit Yuri either in the military stockade or in Siberia. Later on, after he graduated, Yegor signed up for the military and became one of the first casualties in Afghanistan. 5) The People’s Aryan Army or PAA is a group which was spearheaded by Curt Rogers. It is a group which is based in New York, and its members are mostly skinheads, who do the dirty work for the group leaders. The group head/s capitalize on the hatred and violent nature of their recruits and were bound by a common denominator of hatred for the Americans. The PAA provided the manpower for the accomplishment of the group’s mission, while Yuri provided the biochemical weapons. Basically, the group’s dedicated mission was to destabilize the government and get back at the system which somehow worked against them and hurt their chances at establishing a better future for themselves. Curt recruited members with the same inclinations and leanings a trait which Yuri also demonstrated hence, they used each other for their mutual benefit and advancement of interests. 6) The first casualty is of course Jason Papparis, the owner of the Corinthian Rug Company who is significant being the novel’s first anthrax victim. He is important because his case triggered interest in bio-weapons and its use in the US. Another casualty is Connie, the wife of Yuri, whose case added color to the otherwise drab and monotonous routine of the medical examiners. Hers was initially called a case of asthma and respiratory illness, but later on was discovered to be a case of poisoning through botulism toxin, another bio-weapon. Nadya, the mother of Yuri, was also a casualty in this novel, when she also became an anthrax victim because of the unintentional spread of the toxin when the factory’s filters were opened, causing the spread of the anthrax spores to the environment. Yegor, Yuri’s brother was also another casualty after having gone to war without his mother, and his brother detained without any visiting rights. His role is significant because he adds to the melodrama in the life of Yuri, after losing his job, his mother, his freedom, and then his brother. Lastly, the policeman who was run down by Curt while they were taking the sprayer truck which Yuri requested is also another casualty in this novel, who is also significant since his appearance on the scene and how he was quickly eliminated illustrates how inhuman the PAA group can be. 7) Operation Wolverine is the PAA’s plan of calling the attention of the world to their cause. This operation was meant to create panic, chaos and death to a large segment of the US population. With the use of the anthrax virus which Yuri was tasked to create in his basement laboratory, the plan was to put the anthrax powder into the airconditioning system of the Jacob Javitz Federal Building which is a government agency, thereby poisoning its occupants as well as its immediate neighborhood. There was also a plan to spray the anthrax powder by means of a sprayer truck at the Central Park so that a greater number of the masses will be affected and not merely the government employees. By resorting to these plans of action, each member would somehow be able to get a dose of his revenge at the negative manner by which the US has maltreated them as individuals. Ideally, this is the scenario which Curt and his group wanted to happen but the circumstances changed especially when Curt decided to shoot Yuri on his forehead which only set off what Yuri had already forethought. 8) Curt and Steve conducted a fake inspection of the Jacob Javits Federal Building because they wanted to check the access points and the manner by which they could carry out the plan they outlined for Operation Wolverine. Curt managed to come up with an alibi based on an violation which happened during the last fire inspection of the same building. Upon seeing that the violation was already corrected, Curt manipulated the situation further so that the building’s electrician would allow them to check the HVAC system, the main control console and the main air induction mechanisms in the building. Everything was shown to them with the building assistant not having a slightest idea that he was already being an accessory to setting up the final stages of a terrorist plot. HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning System and its main purpose is â€Å"to help maintain good indoor air quality through adequate ventilation with filtration and provide thermal comfort† (US Environmental Protection Agency). The HVAC sucks in fresh outdoor air into the building, and also disposes the stale air outside so that a good quality and supply of air circulates throughout the building. Without it, working or staying in a building for a long time will not be possible because of lack of air.

Fashion and Rebellion In The 1960s

Fashion and Rebellion In The 1960s What are the main differences between subculture and counterculture and what do they tell us about fashion and the rebellion in the 1960s? I shall be studying about the difference between subculture and counterculture and what they tell us about fashion and rebellion in the 1960s. I shall do this by looking at the way how the 1960s influenced the generation of the hippies era in relation to fashion, music, media and photography. I am going start by exploring the definition of subculture and counterculture. Culture is the way, the forms, in which groups handle the raw material of their social and material existence. (Clarke et al, 1975: 10) Subcultures are sub-sets smaller, more localised and differentiated structures, within one or other of the larger cultural networks. (Clarke et al, 1975: 13) both references from (Populism, Jim McGuigan, Chapter 3, Youth Culture and Consumption, pg95) The 1960s were an immense time to be young. Youth culture and youth fashion, had begun to take shape in the fifties, blossomed as never before. Hippies culture became very popular in the 60s after the Beatniks.Hippie culture, with the new interest in vegetarianism, the environment and peace, proved ready not just for revival but for a permanent place in this endless youth culture. (Post Modernism and Popular Culture, Angela Mcrobbie, pg.159) As of Stuart Hall, he saw the hippy movement as an identification towards poverty. It was also politically informed in the sense of being determined to create an alternative society. This subculture was therefore able to develop an extensive semi-entrepreneurial network which came to be known as the counter-culture. (Post Modernism and Popular Culture, Angela Mcrobbie, pg.143, Subcultural Entreprenuers) Hippies popularised kaftans, Macrame bags and Afghan coats. the flares of the late 1960s widened out to bell-bottom proportions before high-waisted straight trousers and platform soles stepped into view. (Speak the Culture, Britain, Be Fluent In British Life and Culture, Neil Thomas, ThoroGood, Pg.253) The distinct style of hippie are mainly colourful and floral wear, a lot of accessories such as headbands, rings, necklaces and earrings, usual would wear flip flops for footwear. Carnaby street was where they would all shop, Hippie Land that is what I would call it. Summer of Love was associated with the hippies, known as the Swingin 60s Carnaby Street in 1966. During the 60s, Lord John was the hippest store. (Fashion of a Decade, The 1960s pg.41) This is where Twiggy comes in, famous model, with her long lashes, big eyes and bob, she became the British style icon of the 60s. Made it big for wearing the mini-skirt. And to this day she has brought a new life to fashion for the older person as they relate to her and connect her to Marks and Spencer, which has made profit to them. A new style then came into sight, by a new group of teenagers which they called Mods. The Mod style were inspired by the beatniks and from American fashion. The well known designers at that time were Mary Quant, Zandra Rhodes and Barbara Hulanicki. Mary Quant introduced Britain to mini-skirts, and that made a huge impact in fashion in the 60s. The mini-skirt was mainly worn by the young, most of the audience were shocked, others saw this as free will. Zandra Rhodes influenced by pop art, with her unconventional clothes and pink hair. Rhodes sold some of her first textiles work to Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin. Associated with pop art during this decade were artists such as Andy Warhol, the fact that this movement was unrealistic, the audience were interested from the use of expression and abstract, which made people feel free, this is how the hippies were seen as. Pop art became the parcel of fashion, which made clothing more fun and colourful. Barbara Hulanicki opened a clothing store with her husband in the early 60s, she later became known for the garments she had designed for Cathy McGowan, the TV presenter for the music show Ready, Steady, Go. Till this day these three designers are the icons of modern fashion. Retro fashion is always coming back with new and fresh looks. Many contemporary designers now such as Anna Sui, Diane von Furstenburg, Erdem are influenced by the hippie culture. Music in the 1960s has made a big impression in the lives of youth culture. They still have an appeal to old and young, they were the ones mainly responsible for the change in music and social change from the war and 50s onwards. For example, the Beatles, which created Beatlemania their style was a start of a new era, having long hair with long beards, Lennon known for wearing the granny glasses, this is where the Beatniks were introduced, which then led to the hippy movement. Elvis Presley known as the King Rock and Roll. Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The Glastonbury Festival, would have varieties of artists, in an open field, which lasts up to 3-4 days, usually visited by hippies during the 70s when it was first held, the festival was an excuse for sex, drugs, socialising with others. And to this day The Glastonbury Festival is still a successful event. This is where technology comes in, it is rapidly progressing from records to cassettes, to cassette tape walkman, to cds, to cd walkmans, to mp3 players such as Ipods,mobile phones. Also being able to download music from the internet illegally, this is causing music stores, such as HMV to close down shops, due to not enough sales to keep the business afloat. During the 60s, youths from under 25 years of age regularly visited the cinema as entertainment before TV became more popular. Also it was another excuse to socialise with others when they take a visit to the movies. The theatre was also popular for the upper age group as a form of entertainment. Photography plays a big role in fashion advertisement in a form of magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair, which introduces the upper working-class to upcoming fashion trends, which is currently still happening today with many more magazine options to choose from such as Dazed and Confused, ID etc. Fashions and faces: Beaton, Bailey and Rankin As Britain pursued its passion for photojournalism in the mid 20th century a more affected genre of photography also evolved, set to explode in the 1960s. It embraced fashion, advertising and high society (in short, beautiful people) and found its outlet in magazines like Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue. Cecil Beaton bore the torch with staged, glamorous images of Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn and the Royals from the 1920s through to the 60s. (Speak the Culture Britain Be Fluent in British Life and Culture, Neil Thomas, ThoroGood, pg.245) To conclude, I have discovered that the subculture of hippies in the 1960s, were free spirited, peace loving, rebellions against war, and also introduced a fashionable trend that are still current in some societies. What I think about the difference between subculture and counterculture is that subculture is the identity of an individual. You can show your personality through clothing, the music you listen to, where you get together in the environment, the region of a culture. E.g. When you think of Camden, you automatically think of punks and rockers. Notting Hill Gate, the Notting Hill carnival comes to your mind. Where as counterculture, as seen as the political part of the culture i.e hippies. A subculture is the way of defining and honouring the particular specification and demarcation of special or different interests of a group of people within a larger collectivity. (Culture, Chris Jenks, pg.10)

Effective Professional Managers and Management Model

Effective Professional Managers and Management Model The reflection on and critical analysis of effective professional managers in relation to an effective management model. (Wilber, 2015) In this report, we look at the UN Model (profile of an effective manager). I choose to use the UN Model as my base for this assignment because I find it easy to understand with the way that its broken down levels of managerial experience and because of the values it holds. I also interview 2 experienced managers and asked them about their roles, their success and how they improved as a manager. I reflected and rated myself on the UN Model to get a feeling for how well I would do in a managerial role.       Values the driver of managerial effectiveness The values of a professional manager according to the UN Model includes Integrity, Professionalism, and Respect for diversity. To sum up the middle managers role per the UN Model they must be a role model to staff, be decisive and understand cultures differences. As a Senior Manager, the UN Model expects resilience in the face of external pressures (S.A.R.L, ND), continuous improvement and to intentionally build a diverse workforce (S.A.R.L, ND). To the UN Model being an Organisational leader means building a culture of integrity. Emotional competence To the UN Model having emotional competence means to be Self-aware, have self-confidence, emotional self-control, to be conscientious, optimistic, achievement oriented, to have empathy and discretion. As named by the UN Model; Detailers are managers that dont follow these guidelines. Being a manager doesnt mean only managing employees work but also means managing how they feel in the workplace. Conceptual competence To the UN Model having conceptual competence means always having an eye on their environment and the world beyond it (S.A.R.L, ND). These managers practice talking to people around them keep a clear understanding of the work and organisational environment. Effective managers apply their knowledge of concepts, system thinking and pattern recognition. Technical/substantive competence The UN Model tells us that middle managers must be able to apply and share their knowledge (S.A.R.L, ND). Senior managers should create knowledge sharing and learning mechanisms (S.A.R.L, ND). Organisational leaders should be able to develop a knowledge sharing and learning culture (S.A.R.L, ND). The fundamentals of technical/substantive competence per the UN Model are Knowledge and information management, knowledge networks, knowledge sharing, coaching and developing others and continuous learning and development. Managing people In the UN Model, being able to manage people means having great communication, teamwork, motivation, and means being able to manage individuals performance. A middle manager should be able to effectively manage people. The expectation of senior managers is for them to create an enabling environment. At an organisational level, managers should be able to create a high performance culture (S.A.R.L, ND). Managing action and change To the UN Model; managers should have strong and reliable action and change management, decision-making, creativity and innovation, they should also be client and result oriented. At the middle manager level; managers should be able to make things happen and support change. At the senior manager level; managers should be able to anticipate and lead change. Organisational leaders should drive for excellence and create a culture around searching for positive change. Managing across organisational boundaries Effective managers have a finely tuned understanding of the departments surface and deeper structures (S.A.R.L, ND). The UN Model pushes for strong organisational awareness, building networks and alliances, and positively influencing in the work environment. Section Rating (1 = bad, 10 = great) Explanation/critical analysis Values Integrity 8/10 I do what I say Im going to do when Im going to do it. I say what I think is ethical even if its not the popular opinion. Professionalism 5/10 I make myself at home and sometimes assume people are fine with me being so comfortable at work. Respect for diversity 7/10 I like meeting knew cultures and working with them. I have a bit of a lack of knowledge when it comes to understanding sensitive topics and cultural differences. Emotional Competence Self-awareness 8/10 Interested in learning more about myself and how I am during work. Am aware of my emotions and understand what I can do to make myself feel better. Self confidence 6/10 Am decisive. Can sometimes be unsure about where I fit in and can be easily effected by something someone says. Emotional self-control 7/10 Can deal with someone difficult without raising my voice. I can be tactful. Conscientiousness 10/10 Keep promises. Careful in work. Accept responsibility for mistakes. Optimism 6/10 Try to constantly look at both sides. Can sometimes be lost in disadvantages of doing something. Achievement orientation 5/10 Dont always push for the absolute best. Can sometimes lack motivation. When there is something I need to do, I work at it until it is fully done. Empathy 8/10 Am tactful. Could take body language on board more. Discretion 7/10 Respects privacy. I can keep things confidential if needed. Conceptual Competence Use of concepts 7/10 I can apply concepts to many different things. Systems thinking 5/10 Cant always predict consequences of quick fix solutions. Pattern recognition 7.5/10 Can apply concepts to a new situation. Can identify patterns quite easily. Technical/substantive competence Knowledge and information management 7/10 I can identify trends and best practice. Knowledge networks 8/10 Can make formal and informal connections. Knowledge sharing 9/10 Try to share my knowledge as much as possible and in many ways. Coaching and developing others 8/10 Am interested in helping others learn Continuous learning and development 8/10 Interested in new developments. Keen to learn. Managing people Communication 9/10 I can communicate clearly with many different cultures. Teamwork 8/10 Work well with others. Try to include everyone. Motivation 6/10 Can sometimes leave things that dont feel as necessary behind. Managing individual performance 7.5/10 I use praise accordingly. Find it easy to address poor performance. Managing action and change Action and change management 7.5/10 I like making sure things get done. Decision-making 8/10 I am very decisive. I can say no when it is needed. Creativity and innovation 7/10 I try to think of new ways of doing things all the time. Client orientation 8/10 I can anticipate clients needs before they decide they need it. Results orientation 6.5/10 I am interested in rewarding good results and try to keep the focus on the result and how we get there. Managing across organizational boundaries Organizational awareness 4/10 Need work on understanding the legalities and limits of organisations Building networks and alliances 8/10 I am interested in building strong and positive alliances inside and outside of the company. Influencing 6.5/10 I try to positively influence people to do the right thing by example. In this investigation we asked questions about the interviewees management rolls. In both interviews, we asked the same questions: What business are/where you in? How long have you been working in this field? How successful was/is the business? How did you help the success of the business? What do you do when people start a job? What do you think makes a good manager? How do you improve yourself as a manager? Do you have any advice for someone going into management? In the first interview, we talked to a man named Arwyn. His answers to our questions were as follows: He was the head of department at a university for 16 years, also a senior lecturer. He has been working in the education field for 25 years. He was in the business from 15 students all the way to 400 students. He had many long-standing staff and says teamwork and collective responsibility were ways he contributed to making the business successful. When somebody starts working under his management he conducts training, he observes their ability, he assigns a mentor and monitors their progress. He said that good managers are loyal to the organisation, honest, teamwork oriented, they have integrity, they understand the organisation and they think about what they can do for the organisation; not what the organisation can do for them. He says that managing is always a learning process and involves sharing experiences with others. His advice for someone going into management was to be humble and patient. Relation to un model It seems Arwyn put great value on empathy, knowledge sharing, coaching and developing others, teamwork and influencing staff positively. He took the interview very seriously and presented himself professionally. This shows that he has great values as a manager. In the second interview, we talked to a woman named Parvinder. Her answers to our questions were as follows: She worked in a Cafà © 7 days a week as a manager. She has been working in management for 15 years. The business was very successful for a number of years but the recession hit the business hard. She feels she helped the success of the business by keeping with the times. When people start the job, she goes through an introduction, an orientation and training. She said a good manager should motivate, inspire and lead. As a manager, she improved herself by learning from her mistakes and by looking for new ways to innovate. Her advice for people going into management was that it isnt easy, you need people skills and a passion to lead. Relation to un model I believe Parvinder has strong conceptual competence and organisational awareness by the way she looks for ways to improve, I think she tries to provide a place for teamwork to thrive. How I felt In both interviews, I felt confident in the questions I was asking, I feel that I could have asked more conversational questions to make both me and the interviewee feel more comfortable. What I saw When Arwyn came into the room he asked if he could sit down and he also put on a tie. Both interviewees where slightly reserved at the start but near the end they both felt more comfortable. What I thought I thought both interviewees where very knowledgeable about management, I noticed they hardly gave closed answers and that they held strong values around professionalism. What I learnt I learnt the value of working as a team, being professional and having integrity. I also learnt that being a manager or working in general is more about what you can do for the organisation more than what the organisation can do for you. What I would do differently in an interview setting I would try and make more small talk at the start to try and make the interviewees more comfortable, I would also try tailoring my questions to suit the interviewees better by implying certain answers. What I could/would do better in management If I were a manager I would try to hold strong value on presenting myself professionally, managing with teamwork and clear communication. I would make sure empathy was one of my main goals to make sure my team was in a positive mindset and happy. I think that both interviewees where very knowledgeable about management. They both put great value on teamwork and developing a communication culture. I feel Arwyns management style was much more collective and team oriented while Parvinders style was more about leading and resembled a more classic idea of management. In this report, we looked briefly at the Kotter Model and more in depth into the UN Model. We looked at my personal reflection on the UN Model and applied the model to two interviews with managers with a lot of experience. References       S.A.R.L, M. (ND, ND ND). ProfileManager_v4. Retrieved from HR Portal: https://hr.un.org/sites/hr.un.org/files/Profile%20of%20an%20Effective%20Manager_0.pdf Wilber, K. (2015, December 15). A Brief Look At Management Practices. Retrieved from Linkdin: http://staffingstream.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/supplier-management.jpg

Citigroup Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction The Name of the company which I choose, is Citigroup. I’ve been interested in the company for a very long time. Since the day I first met my brother in-law eight years ago, I’ve been at awe in regards to the sophisticated manor in which employees carry themselves and the company name as a badge of pride and accomplishment. When I first entered High School, I instantly became an honors student and attained the honor of being directly involved with the community based activities of Soloman Smith Barney, because of my direct involvement with many employees of the company, I learned that Citigroup would be the best place for me to build a career upon matriculation from college. Last Summer when I graduated from High School, I was given an internship in the company, continuing my networking exposure. All summer interns were given a complementary breakfast with Sanford I. Weill, but myself and a few other Seniors from my former High School were treated to a private lunch with Mr. Weill, I would say it was as a direct result of that lunch my appetite for knowledge of the company grew. Framework Of the Business Citigroup did not begin as one single entity, but rather as many smaller companies, which would later become part of larger, more efficient corporation, through mergers and acquisitions. The main symbol of the company, the red umbrella, represents a company by the name of travelers, which was founded in 1864, â€Å"when a group of Hartford businessmen each contributed $200,000 as capital stock in order to establish this new insurance enterprise.† As a symbol of insurance protection, the umbrella became associated with The Travelers in 1960, as protection against â€Å"a rainy day.† Once Travelers Group merged with Citicorp in 1998 to form Citigroup Inc., the new company retained the red umbrella as its logo. In the investments and securities market, Citigroup holds the names of two legendary brokerage firms, Soloman Brothers and Smith Barney. Smith Barney dates back to nineteenth century Philadelphia, where a young broker, Charles Barney, founded his firm in 1873 and a young investment banker, Edward B. Smith, started his in 1892. These pioneers of the American securities industry helped make Wall Street the world's financial capital. In 1938 Charles D. Barney & Co. and Edward B. Smith & Co. merge, forming Smith Barney & Co. In 1910 Arthur, ... ...s the company’s CEO of Asset Management. Human Resources Key skills needed to accomplish the firms many missions, include, the ability to reason and think progressively. After a few encounters with various staff members within the same department but all who graduated college with contrasting majors, I began to wonder how it was that such different individuals could possibly work in the same department, then I realized that they all shared the same common ability of thinking progressively and reasoning but, the manor in which they reasoned would differ from individual to individual. From the managers which I spoke to at the company, their subordinates appear to be more than just instruments by which to accomplish a desired task, but rather possessing a symbiotic relationship between manager and subordinate. Each manager came to realization that the company’s goals could not be met without the workers, and the workers realized that both their financial and professional needs could not be met without devotion to the company. When speaking to a manager or low leveled worker, one would believe that you were speaking to the Chairman based on the level of conviction within their words.

series reasons :: essays research papers

These are reasons from every Evangelion episode and movie. Most of the information isn't in order. I really hae to go back and fix that, but you can deal with it for now . . . Episode I: 1) Rei appears as a mirage in the the beginning. This could have many meanings, like it tell us what kind of person Shinji is. When Shinji met Rei in front of Eva Unit 01 later in the show, he looked at her, as if he'd seen her before. De ja vu = love, and I don't think they put that there for no readon. (Borrowed from Ryan Xavier's Shinji/Rei site) 2) Shinji pilots Evangelion Unit 01 (who has rejected everyone up to now) and uses it to fight the Third Angel just so Rei won't pilot it and get destroyed. We can call Rei the damsel in distress in this scene. Episode II: 1) We only see Rei one in this episode, and that's when she's on a stretcher. She merely gazes at Shinji, and Shinji gazes back. We all know Rei is a thinking person, questioning her feelings. She could be contemplating why this boy decided to pilot Unit 01 just so she wouldn't die. Remember, she is "expendable". Episode V: 1) Shinji notices that Rei is always alone. He wonders why, and continues to think about this "girl who has no friends". 2) He gropes over her. Accident or no accident, it's undeniably intamacy. Episode VI: 1) Shinji burns his hands and leaves permenant marks on them while trying to pull Rei out of the entry plug. After he sees Rei is alright, he breaks down in tears. I don't remember him doing so for anyone else. 2) Rei smiles for Shinji. The firt time in her fourteen years of life she does so for another person. (Gendou doesn't count, he was a parent figure) Episode IX: 1) Shinji and Asuka have been living in the same apartment, yet Shinji and Rei pull off a perfect synch during the synch training. Many people have said this is because Yui Ikari's soul is within Rei. Wrong. Yui's soul is within Unit 01. The perfect synch between the two could be a sign . . . Episode XI: 1) As the Eva Pilots are going to Nerv, and when the pilots are climbing the vents, Rei's eyes go to Shinji.

Interprofessional Collaboration

Interprofessional communication and collaboration are a significant part of ensuring safe and effective patient outcomes. In the case detailed below the health care team failed to communicate and collaborate care of patient A, ultimately leading to a negative outcome. Patient A is a female white 38 year old G1P0 with Type I diabetes since the age of 9. Due to her high risk pregnancy and history of non compliance with medical therapy she had been coming in since 28 weeks gestation for twice weekly non stress tests. One Saturday as patient A was at the hospital for her non stress test she was found to have elevated blood pressure and proteinuria. Dr. A, an obstetrician (OB), who was on call for the weekend decided to send the patient home on bed rest and to follow up with her primary OB physician, Dr. B on Monday. At her follow up appointment with her primary OB, she was found to still have elevated blood pressures, blood sugars in 200's, 2+ protein in her urine and had some elevated blood work. Primary OB decided Patient A needed to be induced due to patient A’s unstable condition. Primary OB is not on call this particular Monday and asked Dr. C to induce her patient. Dr. C was not happy about inducing her because of her high risk status but agreed to do so. Dr. D, a laborist and pediatrician, wanted the patient transferred to a higher level of care facility because he felt due to patient A’s history best care for the newborn would be at another facility. Dr. D and Dr. C argued about patient A’s care and disposition at the nurses’ station which was in close proximity to patient A’s room. The nurses who were without a manager at the time were unable to control the altercation between Dr. C and Dr. D. Patient A who overheard the discussion eventually asked to be transfer to another hospital to seek care elsewhere. This paper highlights the importance of effective interprofessional collaboration that is missing in this case. As well, potential plans of action and potential outcomes are discussed. Plan to Address Conflict The major conflict in this situation was a lack of communication between providers regarding the best plan of care of the patient. In addition to the obstetrician, members of the interprofessional team should include the pediatrician, a nurse leader, and the patient. Legare et al (2011) describes a stepwise approach to interprofessional collaboration and the shared decision-making process. The members of the interprofessional team must start by exchanging information and options available related to the care of the patient. Next, the values of both the patient and the healthcare providers should be clarified and addressed. The feasibility of each option should be weighed. Often, certain options are not feasible based on resources or time. In this case, the skills and comfort of the healthcare team members needed to be considered. Once a decision is made, the information needs to be disseminated, including the plan of care and rationales for the decision made. SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation) is a useful tool in succinct and structured communication. (Boaro, Fancott, Baken, Velji, & Andreoli, 2010) To prevent future situations similar to this one, Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs, should be developed and followed. These SOPs should address staff competency, scope of practice, role clarification, and the resources and limitations of the facility. The interprofessional team should develop these SOPs together to ensure they reflect the values of the involved disciplines. (Gardner, 2010) Additionally, resources are available to aid hospitals in developing a structure for interprofessional collaboration. A national interprofessional competency framework detailed by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) provides an integrative approach to describe competencies required for the interprofessional collaboration to be effective. They are as follows: (1) interprofessional communication (2) patient/family centered care (3) role clarification (4) team functioning (5) collaborative leadership (6) interprofessional conflict resolution. (CIHC, 2010) CIHC suggests that having a competency framework because it helps the team make sense of the learning practice, it will differentiate matters by relevance, give the team members a chance to apply the learning to practical situations and then associate the learning elements by integrating them. CIHC, 2010) When this patient arrived to the unit, if the team had used the six suggested competencies providing best care for this mom and baby could have been achieved easier. Discussion of Outcomes The intent of interprofessional collaboration is one that will foster the safe practice of all health care professionals, and enables the achievement of better outcomes. Some outcomes needed for this particular situation would be as followed: 1. Shared decision making between all pr oviders involved. What is the best practice that can be provided for a safe outcome for mom and baby? Inducing the mom because it was best practice was made by the OB, but she didn't factor in safe practice for the pediatric doctor in this situation. 2. Demonstrate professional conduct during inter professional collaboration. Make sure if there are any discussions with team members, disagreements with the care that is being provided that it is not done where the patient can hear it. 3. That the interprofessional team can acknowledge the various skill levels of everyone involved. The pediatric hospitalist is this situation felt that the patient’s diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, uncontrolled throughout the pregnancy put the baby at risk for having glucose controlled problems and felt that a higher level of care was needed because it was beyond his skills set. Interprofessional collaboration was necessary in this situation. No one discipline has all of the knowledge needed to provided complete patient-centered care. True interdisciplinary patient-centered care includes a partnership between health care professionals as well as the patient. This collaborative and coordinated approach improves patient outcomes and quality of care (Orchard, Curran, & Kabene, 2005). In this case, the interprofessional team failed to communicate effectively. This lack of communication and professional conduct led to a failure to recognize the skill levels of the team members, and prevented the team from making a shared decision that would benefit the patient. Conclusion In order for patient A to achieve a positive outcome several factors related to interprofessional collaboration needed to be addressed in this case. First, to improve collaboration and understanding, clear team roles of the health care providers should be defined. Scopes of practice as defined by standard operation procedures and discussions of available resources should be taken into account. In addition, distribution a consistent communication tool such as SBAR could be used. Had the healthcare providers involved with this case practiced as a team, positive outcomes such as: open communication, trust, professionalism and improved patient outcomes and experiences would have been achieved. References Boaro, N., Fancott, C., Baker, R., Velji, K., & Andreoli, A. (2010). Using SBAR to improve communication in interprofessional rehabilitation teams. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 24(1), 111-114. Gardner, D. (2010). Expanding scope of practice: Inter-professional collaboration or conflict? Nursing Economics 28(4), 264-266. Legare, F., Stacey, D., Pouliot, S., Gauvin, F. P., Desroches, S., Kryworuchko, J., †¦Graham, I. D. (2011). Interprofessionalism and shared decision-making in primary care: a stepwise approach towards a new model. Journal of Interprofessional Care 25, 18-25. Orchard, C.A., Curran, V., & Kabene, S. (2005). Creating a culture of interdisciplinary collaborative professional practice. Medical Education Online. Retrieved from http://med-ed-online.net/index.php/meo/article/viewArticle/4387. Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. ( 2010). A National Interprofessional Competency Framework. Retrieved from http://www.chic.ca/files/CIHC_IPCompetencies_Feb1210.pdf

War and Politics: Are both one in the same

His home in England was near the main gathering point for the D-Day invasion. Along with his fathers service in World War I, Keegan felt himself drawn towards the military and its workings. Unfortunately Keegan was unable to serve in the British Military due to a childhood illness. Although Keegan was unable to serve his country, he was determined to find his way into some aspect of the military. With a degree at Oxford, Keegan became a military historian. This essay will take a look into Keegans work, A History of Warfare, and his thesis that war is not a continuation of politics. This essay will refute his thesis with evidence from Clausewitz, fallacies in Keegans novel and military conflicts over the past thirty years. Keegan has dissected the workings of the military and the military soldier. In his novel A History of Warfare, Keegan disputes the Clausewitzen theory that war is the continuation of policy by other means. Keegan supports his theory by giving explanations of how Clausewitzens theory is invalid. To understand Keegans position one must first be familiar with Clausewitz. Clausewitz was a Prussian regimental officer during the Napoleonic wars. Upon retirement, he wrote the book On War. The books main thesis was war is the continuation by policy by other means. Keegan disagrees with Clausewitz by saying: Such at statement implies the existence of states, of state interests and of rational calculation about how they may be achieved. Yet war antedates the state, diplomacy and strategy by many millennia. Clausewitz, a child of Aristotle, went no further than to say that a political animal is war making animal. Neither dared confront the thought that man is a thinking animal in whom the intellect directs the urge to hunt and the ability to kill. Keegan suggests that war precedes states by many millenniums. First, Clausewitzs thesis does not imply there must be existence of states. Perhaps the political entity of the state did not exist but tribal life did. The tribe is a political entity. The bible has many accounts of tribal warfare for political gain. It varies from Moses leaving Egypt to David defeating Goliath. Keegan also states that war precedes diplomacy and strategy as well. The bible also recounts many strategies and diplomacy between tribes and states. Some historians might object to the bible being a reliable source but no one can refute that what happened in the bible was not true or accurate. We are cultural animals and it is the richness of our culture which allows us to accept our undoubted potentiality for violence but to believe nevertheless that its expression is a cultural aberration. History lessons remind us that the states in which we live, their institutions, even their laws, have come to us through conflict, often of the most bloodthirsty sort. Keegan is referring to the statement made by Aristotle in which he said, Man is a political animal. Keegan said that Clausewitz is a child of Aristotle and he believes that a political animal is a war-making animal. Keegan refutes them by saying, Neither dared confront the thought that man is a thinking animal in whom the intellect directs the urge to hunt and the ability to kill. How can he say that he disagrees with Clausewitzs theory when he himself claims that the states we live in now have come to be by conflict Doesnt that support Clausewitzs theory The point about neither Aristotle nor Clausewitz confront the fact that man is a thinking animal is a bit confusing. Yes man is a thinking animal and throughout history there has been countless rulers, dictators and emperors who have used war to gain political control. A prime example would be the conflict between Julius Caesar and Pompey. While Caesar was in Gaul waging war, he used agents to dominate politics in Rome. Caesar used politics and military strength to seize control of Rome and become the emperor. Man is a thinking animal and those in power, especially in the early years of history, were continually thinking on how to get more. Keegans big fallacy is his statement; Politics played no part in the conduct of the First World War worth mentioning. He goes on to say; The Germans, French, British and Russians found themselves apparently fighting war for wars sake. The wars political objects, difficult enough to define in the first place, were forgotten. Political restraints were overwhelmed, politicians who appealed to reason were execrated, and politics even in the liberal democracies was rapidly reduced to a mere justification of bigger battles, longer casualty lists, costlier budgets and overflowing human misery. The Encarta Encyclopedia states the following; The underlying causes of World War I were the spirit of intense nationalism that permeated Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, the political and economic rivalry among the nations, and the establishment and maintenance in Europe after 1871 of large armaments and of two hostile military alliances. The fundamental causes of he conflict were rooted deeply in the European history of the previous century, particularly in the political and economic policies that prevailed on the Continent after 1871, the year that marked the emergence of Germany as a great world power. Keegan fails to give one argument supporting his statement. How he can say that politics played no role worth mentioning is beyond me. He not only gives no arguments but goes on to say, we are nevertheless right to see Clausewitz as the ideological father of the First World War, just as we are right to perceive Marx as the ideological father of the Russian Revolution. The appalling fate that those armies brought upon themselves by their dedication to it may be Clausewitzs enduring legacy. To compare Clausewitz and Marx is stretching it a bit. To blame Clausewitz for World War I is ludicrous. Once again Keegan fails to support his theory. Keegan goes on to say that Clausewitz is the ideological father of World War I. One can concur that if Keegan states Clausewitzs is to blame for World War I then wouldnt he be supporting Clausewitzs theory If war is the continuation of politics and Clausewitz is to blame, then isnt it correct to say that war is the continuation of politics Keegan he was not the only one who had this theory. Radical military writers such as the British historian B. H. Liddell Hart had such theories as well. He accuses him of urging the largest possible offensive with the largest possible numbers as the key to victory. Later Liddells thoughts were dismissed. Keegan, adhering to Liddells theory, once again has himself in a no win situation. He has stated that man is a thinking animal so shouldnt man be intelligent enough to figure out war and conflict without going to the past Shouldnt a general wage his own war, not an officer who wrote a book in the past Keegan concludes his theory with these thoughts; Culture is a prime determinant of the nature of warfare, as the history of its development. Politics must continue; war cannot. That is not to say that the role of the warrior is over. The world community needs, more than it has ever needed, skilful and disciplined warriors who are ready to put themselves at the service of its authority. Such warriors must properly be seen as the protectors of civilization, not its enemies. There is an even greater wisdom in the denial that politics and war belong with the same continuum. Unless we insist on denying it, our future, may belong to the men with bloodied hands. It is great to say that politics must continue but war cannot, but is it realistic For centuries war and politics have gone hand and hand. What events or individuals have given us a hope for change Are recent conflicts a testament to the future The United States involment in Bosnia, Somalia and the Gulf War has proven that. Would Keegan say that politics were not involved in those conflicts Keegan fails to address a few major conflicts in history. The Vietnam War and Korean War are not mentioned at all. The current theory underlying Vietnam and Korea were political reasons for the conflict. It is true that we went to Korea to support the South Koreans who were invaded but why were they invaded Political reasons are why. We were politically obligated to support the South Koreans. Chinas involment was purely political. The United States was not going to invade China. To the Chinese, having communist North Korea on their border was better than having the United States. Saying that Vietnam was not a political conflict does not give a reasonable explanation. The Vietnam War was the United States supporting a helpless South Vietnam and the United States fighting to keep their influence in South East Asia. With Keegans failure to address these major conflicts he leaves the reader wondering why. There are some errors of interpretation and fact in his novel as well. The atomic bomb was not designed to end wars without commitment of manpower on the battlefield as the author contends. The atomic bomb was another weapon, which we potentiality we only discovered after its use. Not until a decade later did nuclear weaponry come to take its place among equals in military establishments, at least in the United States. Keegans main goal was to refute the Clausewitz theory of war and politics. Keegan failed in this task. His inability to discuss such politically orientated conflicts such as Vietnam and Korea aids in his failure. His contention that World War I was not political was refuted by a definition in an encyclopedia. Keegan tries to offer the reader a new concept in studying military history but he is unable to get the reader to follow his train of thought.