Triathlon Essay Example

Triathlon Essay Exercise: 23 min swimming (continuous) 15 min cycle machine (continuous) When I was swimming, I was in the sea and in a wetsuit. I believe that this is a good way to train for the south islands triathlon because I am able to get more comfortable to the conditions and adjust to them. The swimming was mostly continuous for the 23 minutes, and I was using my aerobic energy system with the work being continuous.From this exercise I have learnt not to swim too far out because then when trying to swim back in after doing work for a long period it was quite hard due to the rip, and pull of the waves. For the cycling I was on my cycle machine at home. For the time period I spent on the cycle machine, I was just going at a comfortable pace. The exercise was not too intensive because I treated it more like a warm down exercise. For the 15 minutes I spent on it, in ever stopped. REST PERIOD BETWEEN: from the sea to my house, approximately 600-700 metres away and I walked in betweenExercise: Dua thlon. (Running, Cycling) For my Wednesday training, instead of following my trainer program, I completed a Duathlon in Oamaru. For the Duathlon, it was approximately 14 km cycle and approximately 4 km run. This exercise was all constant while pushing myself to find my limits to get a general idea of what things i will have to train on more than others, e. g. going from cycling to running in one motion. Although I am training for a triathlon, due to weather conditions and advise from my P. E. eacher, it would be too hard for me to complete a triathlon with the water being choppy and having a strong wind. Some things I learnt from doing the Duathlon were to control how much energy I am putting out at the start. There is no point wasting all your energy getting out front, then not being able to finish strong because you ran out of energy. Some strengths that I got out of doing the Duathlon is that I was able to get the feel of the motion from going from cycling to running. You can tra in for this but nothing beats doing the actual thing.In doing this I found that it was a weak point so I would be able to train around that in the near future. CONCLUTION: For the rest of my training program, i followed the days as closely as i could and the days i couldn’t complete my training, i would make up for it the next day or that same day in sport trainings and games. Things i would change if i were to do this again would be to train more around my swimming because when i completed the triathlon on the set date that is what let me down and that was the cause of losing some positions

Grants and Artist-in-Residences are Awesome Opportunities

Grants and Artist-in-Residences are Awesome Opportunities Philanthropy is on the rise. Grants are plentiful, offering funding for publishing, research, workshops, writing, travel, individual/community projects, seminars and more. Grants often require an extensive application process. When applying, youll need a finely-honed mission and letters of recommendation from respected peers. When awarded a grant, youll be required to submit a final report detailing how you spent the funds. Sometimes a sample donation of your work will be requested. Grants are not simply free money. They involve many hours of work, but it is time well-spent. Grants have themes. Grant providers offer grants for specific purposes. Make sure that your project is a good match with the grantors parameters before you begin the application process. Some grants offer funding within specific geographic boundaries; is your geographical location a match? Clearly articulate how you will use the grant money. Include a detailed budget. And explain how this project matches the grants mission. Demonstrate that your requests match the funding guidelines. Explain how this grant will serve your professional career, help others (now and in the future) and expand the grantors mission. Â  If you can communicate these three components, youll be a strong candidate. You need to create a verifiable connection between their goals and your dreams. Grants are about you, the grant funder and the impact the project will have on others. Ive received grants to attend writers conferences because improved writing skills helped at work. Once I applied for and received a little-known $4,000 governors grant for teaching excellence to complete graduate level writing courses. The local state educators association awarded me two $10,000 grants to produce a book with a companion CD about Native American music. The Quaker Lyman Fund funded two grants totaling $5,000 to produce a CD and to support writing and teaching about the importance of spiritual connections in retirement communities. A local bank offered a grant for a writing project for children. The Alex Tanous Foundation funded two summer projects to assist with projects which brought women to my home for 10-week classes. The Puffin Foundation offers grants to save something endangered. My grant project proposal was about saving authentic Native American music, which is also endangered. Two grants, assisting me in completing two music books, arrived. Grant funds can ma ke such a positive impact in bringing creative projects to completion! Artist-in-Residencies (AIRs) have also been welcome gifts during the past 10 years. When I accepted AIR positions at Sleeping Bear Dunes (MI), Acadia (ME), Crater Lake (OR) and Great North Cascades (WA) U.S. National Parks, it became obvious that those without an artistic bent were a bit confused about what I would be doing. Writing and offering one public presentation about my work, was my response. Is that all? some questioned. Yes, that was all. What gifts of time and inspiration! A month of time to create is a present that is difficult to describe. In preparation to apply, one needs to have a vision-a project plan. Make sure your calendar is clear, craft an AIR project on paper, gather references and complete the application. Each park offers a unique experience: Sleeping Bear Dunes reflects Native American legends of the Great Lakes, Acadias rockbound coast/islands strengthen the soul, Great North Cascades offers majestic mountains, wild rivers, mammoth trees and Crater Lakes mystical quality is magnetic! My fifth AIR on Marthas Vineyard at Turkeyland Cove for 17 days of solitude in a magnificent island house resulted in several publications. Hundreds of such opportunities are available all over the world. (Visit www.cafe.org .) Im a writer with a passion to bring written projects to completion. Letters are my tools and words are my medium. Inspirational opportunities abound, but one has to search for a good match and write a convincing pitch. Grants offer money and AIR programs offer inspirational opportunities to connect with beauty and serenity. These gifts will continue to enrich your work for many years.

Effect of Psychological Contract Violation on Organizational Essay

Effect of Psychological Contract Violation on Organizational Commitment, Trust and Turnover Intention in Private and Public Sector Indian Organizations - Essay Example Shahnawaz and Goswami (2011) basically outline the negative outcomes of psychological contract breaches on employers and employees in an organization. Epitropaki (2013: 67) describes an employment contract as a document which can control the activities of employees in an organization, and help them to realize the business goals. Such a contract details what employees are expected of by their employer and the gains that they are entitled to as payment for their effort. On the other hand, Wei and Si (2013: 544) concurs with Shahnawaz and Goswami on the definition of the less formal psychological contract as the beliefs of an individual employee as influenced by the business conditions guiding the interaction between employees and the employer. Alternatively, psychological contract can be construed to mean the perception of individual employees of their duty to their employer and their entitlements (Chiang et al 2012:81). Although, many people view the formal contract as more important to the success of an organization, Shahnawaz and Goswami’s assertion that psychological contract is a mutual commitment which plays an equally pivotal role in forging organizational commitment and the greater productivity is based on scientific evidence (Kraft & Kwantes 2013: 139; (Randmann 2013: 134). But Shahnawaz and Goswami’s argument that it is obvious for either party to fulfill their duty such contracts fails the implementation test. Notably, Zribi and Souaà ¯ (2013: 11) say the understanding of the psychological contract terms between an employee and the organization may be different because both parties have diverse interests and the practice is massively perceptual. Liang and Liu (2014: 56) also note these conflicting understandings of the mutual duties may create an understanding that the other party has reneged on the contractual terms. In addition, employees’ beliefs about of the duti es set up at the

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN CONTEMPORARY NURSING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN CONTEMPORARY NURSING - Essay Example In spite of this, relevant studies indicate that the nursing profession has inconsistently continued to define social justice (Browne 2008, p. 83-85; Judy et al. 2010, p. E3-4), a critical concept that has introduced discrepancies between professional expectations and competence within practice. This paper will critically analyze the concept of social justice within the nursing profession by analyzing related literature and debate on policy concerns and forces that affect social justice within the practice. Also, the paper will analyse the application of nursing professional values in relation to social justice. As identified in the introductory section, the concept of social justice within the nursing practice is surrounded by inconsistencies that cut across nursing expectations and practice. A study conducted by Pfitzinger (2013, p.1) involving the review of literature published on PubMed and CINAHL databases revealed that a majority of currently published articles related to social justice within nursing lacked a defined action plan and had inconsistencies within the definition of the notion of ‘social justice’. Additionally, those that have action plans were unable to guide clearly nurses on how to engage in acts related to social justice. The education system is challenged with inadequate instructional methods that prepare the engagement and integration of concepts of social justice in nursing due to the uncertainty of the topic within practice (Browne & Tarlier 2008, p.85; Judy et al. 2010, p.E1-9). With the existence of such confusion, nurses are not expected to deal accurately with the vice of social injustice within the practice. Interestingly, pressure is mounting on instructors regarding the introduction of social justice concepts within the classroom setting with the looming confusion of defining the concept (Boutain 2005, p.405). Pfitzinger (2013, p.1) clearly explains the

Should smartphones be bsnned in classrooms Research Paper

Should smartphones be bsnned in classrooms - Research Paper Example 1). In addition, the same discourse has identified that the smartphone owners by age group revealed that 23.8% are owned by young people, specifically within the 13 to 24 years range (Alexander, 2012), or those who are considered within the school-age bracket. In this regard, the current study aims to determine the effects of smartphone use in academic performance. Despite the academic benefits that have been published associated with smartphone use; apparently, there are more costs or disadvantages linked to its usage within the classroom setting. As such, one argues that smartphones should be banned in classrooms due to the greater disadvantages associated to its use and its negative impact on academic performance. Impact of Smartphone Use in the Classroom Setting One of the more prominent reasons for arguing that smartphones should be banned is its being used to promote maladjusted behavior, including cheating and posting inappropriate information about teachers (Gutnicki, 2010; ( Barkham & Moss, 2012). As emphasized by Gutnicki (2010), â€Å"smart phones are being utilized to cheat in the classroom and to record/post inappropriate information about teachers. ... Concurrently, smartphones should be banned in classrooms for being a distraction and taking crucial time from focusing on the instructions. From among the schools that have confirmed the distractive effect of smartphones, instituting banning or prohibitive policies of their use within the classroom setting were noted to have gained benefits in terms of improvements of academic behavior. As noted from a spokesperson for Cockshut Hill Technology College in Yardley, Birmingham, â€Å"we introduced a complete ban on mobile phones two years ago because of the disruption they were causing†¦and it has improved behaviour† (Barkham & Moss, 2012, par. 14). If the collective time spent of viewing and attending to applications in the smartphones are removed, these time would completely be focused on academic endeavors and instructors would enhance students’ awareness of subject matters that would benefit them most. Thus, the banning of smartphones has evidently proven that stu dents’ behavior and academic performance significantly improved. Finally, smartphone use were clearly linked to cyberbullying. Banning smartphones within the classroom setting and within the campus would therefore minimize time spent to send distructive messages that aim to ridicule, discriminate, or victimize unsuspecting students. As emphasized, â€Å"a recent survey conducted by the National Crime Prevention Council reported that 43% of middle school students: received an e-mail or an instant message that made them upset had something posted on a social networking site that made them upset had been made fun of in a chat room; had something posted on a Web site that made them upset; had something posted online that they did not want others to see; and were afraid to go on the computer†

European Model Of Corporate Governance

European Model Of Corporate Governance Corporate governance comes into play in cases where the management of the organization has to be carried out by a manager or a group of managers who are not the owners of the organization. In essence, corporate governance is implemented by a business financers in order to monitor and regulate the organizations utilization of their investments (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). In this case, the individuals hired to manage the business are paid employees and are responsible for the effective execution of the organizations processes. As a result of this arrangement, it is only natural for a separation to exist between the ownership of the organization and the management of the organization (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). While this may appear to be a simple concept, modern day business models have allowed corporate governance models to develop rapidly over the last few years and this has led to the development of differing corporate governance models. The implementation of these cor porate governance models generally varies in accordance with the region in which the organization is functioning and the nature of business of the organization. This paper will attempt to compare and contrast the Anglo-American model and the European Model of Corporate Governance. The paper will attempt to perform this comparison in order to ascertain which of the two models more accurately reflect emerging corporate trends. Furthermore, the discussion will make international comparisons based on a variety of different economies. Before moving on with the discussion, it is essential to come to terms with the role of the board of directors of the organization. The board of directors play a pivotal role in corporate governance models. This is because of the fact that they serve as the bridge between the stakeholders of the organization and the management team responsible for the organizations processes (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). The sensitivity of the role of the board of directors can be judged through the fact that an extensive degree of research has been performed on the functions and composition of the board of directors. Regardless of the corporate culture in the organization, the board of directors remains present as a critical connection between the organizations human capital and the organizations stakeholders. Another reason because of which the board of directors are given extensive relevance is the fact that almost all corporate governance models look towards the board of directors when it com es to the implementation of the corporate governance models (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The characteristics of the board of directors tend to vary with regard to the size of the organization, the region/regions in which the organization is functioning, the existence of the company as a listed or unlisted company and the industry/industries in which the organization is operating. A practical example of the implementation of the European model of corporate governance and the Anglo-American model of corporate governance can be observed in the case of the US and Europe respectively (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). In Europe, a small number of investors are capable of making pivotal investment decisions and these decisions are generally aligned with the interests of the selected investors responsible for the decisions. In comparison, the system generally followed and proffered in the US calls for the inclusion of multiple opinions and perspectives (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The corporate strategy that is developed and eventually implemented is not finalized until all the investors are and shareholders are in unanimous agreement. Managements role In the case of the Anglo-American countries, it is often considered that the Anglo-American system of corporate governance gives unquestioning support to the management (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). This creates a scenario in which the management appears to have a role that is limited to the short run and does not encompass the long run. It can therefore be surmised that the management, in the case of the Anglo-American system of corporate governance, frequently communicates with the stakeholders. As a result, managers in the Anglo-American system of corporate governance try to implement strategies that will show outcomes within the span of a year or two (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). In comparison, when the management implements the European model of corporate governance, decisions are taken with outcomes expected around five years. In such cases, the shareholders generally hold more decision making authority than that which is given to the managers. Furthermore, controllin g and holding structures are significantly common in organizations making use of the European model of corporate governance. In such cases, the European model of corporate governance is also often referred to as the concentrated shareholder model because of the extensive authority that it gives to the shareholders. This concentration of ownership can often lead to the development of complications in cases where financial resources have to play their part (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The number of equity suppliers is generally deficient in the European model of corporate governance because of the concentration of ownership. Another characteristic of the European model of corporate governance that merits highlighting at this point is that which pertains to the role of the capital market. The capital market holds importance for corporate governance on account of the fact that the developments in the capital market have a direct influence on the corporate controls of the organization (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). While the Anglo-American model of corporate governance relies heavily on the capital market and seeks to takeover threats in the capital market, the European model of corporate governance gives primary relevance to the stakeholders. Internal Differences Labour motivation is a critically important factor when it comes to the organizations performance. Since labour in the European model of corporate governance is always a part of the decision making process, it is generally more motivated than the labour force in the Anglo-American model of corporate governance. Since the labour is relatively highly motivated, they choose to contribute to the organizations development aggressively (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). This active participation on the labours part tends to place a limitation on the degree to which the supervisory board can exercise authority (Hanson Song, 2000). Influences of the labours active participation can generally be seen in the development of the organizations human resource management policies. The realist theory of codetermination understands co-determination as labour representation. Labour as the most important stakeholder group besides the shareholders should be represented and have a right to participate in the decision making on the level of the second board, i.e. the advisory board in the two-tier-board system (Hanson Song, 2000). Co-determination as representation does not aim at consent about all matters of corporate governance. It is rather geared towards the right to participate and to be included and heard in corporate governance for the sake of workers recognition as well as for the sake of other stakeholders of the firm because workers participation in decision-making enhances the quality of board decisions. If the shareholders prevent the shirking of the employees of the firm according to the theory of the firm introduced by Alchian and Demsetz (1996), codetermination by labour results analogously in the prevention of shirking by shareholders and managers th at causes damage to labour as shirking by employees causes damage to the shareholders. If the shareholders and/or managers do not perform optimally labour will prevent them from shirking, from not making their contractual contributions to the firm. Industrial relations are traditionally better in continental Europe than in the USA which leads to higher work place satisfaction and higher identification with the firm (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). These, in turn, cause higher productivity rates. In the last two decades since 1988, the process of the globalization of capital markets seemed to support the shareholder principle, not the participation principle. In the context of globalization As globalization continues to influence the development of the global economy, corporate governance also becomes subjected to standardization based on the successful implementation of strategies by management teams around the world (Hanson Song, 2000). The case of General Motors and Ford presents an excellent example in this regard. General Motors and Ford have produced in Germany in huge production sites for over seventy years and did not find it unprofitable to adjust to codetermination legislation which is about 35 years old in 2008. In the European institutional setting, there is a greater complexity on the second board level that causes certain additional costs. There is, however, also the gain of additional information about the firm and of greater labour alignment with the aims of the firm as a result of labour representation in corporate governance on the level of the second board level. The participation or co-determination principle can increase corporate performance if it is understood as a principle of representation and not as a consensus principle and if it is instituted together with the control principle of hostile takeovers (Hanson Song, 2000). Codetermination as representation of the employees on the board increases the learning capacity of the organization and also fulfils a pacification function in conflict situations within the enterprise as long as the majority vote of the shareholders or owners is safeguarded. The synthesis between the Anglo-American principle of the capital market as the market for corporate control and the German principle of co-determination as employee representation in corporate governance on the second board level is possible, even under conditions of globalization (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The point to which the two systems of corporate governance, the USA and the Continental European, converge to is the strengthening of capital market control of management in Europe and the strengthening of labour repr esentation in corporate governance in the USA. The purpose of the firm Another difference between the Anglo-American and the Continental European theories of corporate governance concerns the idea of the purpose of the firm (Lipton Lorsch, 1992). The purpose of an institutional part or subsystem of a society is the major resource from which ethical analysis and decision-making draws from since the purpose of action is the most important and defining feature of an action. The purpose of any human action is the major criterion for the ethical assessment of an action or institution (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The reason is that the purpose or aim of an action or institution is the central cause of an action or institution and, therefore, the central criterion for its success and value in economic, cultural and ethical respect. Ethics gives the conditions under which value creation must take place as constraining and as enabling conditions (Hanson Song, 2000). Value creation can take place under the neglect of the personal right of the person or of human dignity if the market conditions cause such groups of individuals to have a weak competitive position. If there is an over-supply of labour its competitive position is weak. The law might have to protect human dignity against exploitation and abuse when competition in the market does not preserve the human rights of the market participants (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). Situations of prisoners dilemma in which it is advantageous for the individual to behave opportunistically require the affirmation of ethical and legal rules independent of the utility calculus of the acting individual. Loyalty to contracts e.g. is a principle that cannot be derived from individual utility maximization for each act but must be asserted by the individual on its own meri t for ethical reasons (Thompson Wright, 1995). It can only be justified by rule utilitarianism for the general rule and not by act utilitarianism for each single act. This implies that one has the duty to be loyal to a contract even if a more advantageous contract is available instead. The non-conditional hyper-norm of the economy must be distinguished from the second order positive norms of the institutional setting of business. Some of these positive norms are sometimes suggested to be ethical or normal rules of the first order although they are in fact norms or virtues of economic organization that imply some degree of freedom of specification although their organization touches on ethical virtues, or norms of the second order. The European model of the firm emphasizes that the firm is a multi-purpose institution in which shareholder value plays the central but not the only role (Becht RÃ ¶ell, 1999). The Anglo-American model of the firm emphasizes shareholder value as the onl y or last purpose of the firm to which the other (stakeholder) purposes are instrumental or, at least, functional. At this point, the development will go in the direction of the European model since it is more inclusive and interprets the stakeholders to be of more then instrumental value to the firm. The recent global recession has led to the development of a scenario in which it has become imperative for organizations to exercise corporate governance. It therefore comes as no surprise that the last few years have seen a significant increase in the volume of literature on corporate governance. Furthermore, the increasing trends in globalization and the rapid developments in international businesses have placed organizations in a position where it has become crucial for them to revisit their corporate governance methodologies (Becht RÃ ¶ell, 1999). These recent changes in corporate governance, and the processes of globalization that have induced them, are obviously of historic proportion, radically altering as they have economic, political and social structures. The stakes in these reforms are high and they may be literally life and death for the most vulnerable organizations. Conclusion In the literature of corporate governance, there has been an on-going debate about whether financial or banking models are more effective. As noted above, it is currently being argued that the key to effectiveness does not depend upon whether a country adopts one or the other model, but whether it has a well-functioning legal system which allows for the timely enforcement of contracts. If this position is correct, then the ability of developing countries to enforce a model of corporate governance may be ultimately tied to larger questions of democratic political reform a prospect which many critics feel is being undermined by the very forces of globalization promoting an Anglo American model of governance. An important question that the experience of developing countries raises but one which it was not possible to systematically investigate in this issue is whether individual countries acting alone will be able to effectively enforce an Anglo-American model of governance in a globa l economy. The above discussion attempted to present an in depth insight into the differences between the Anglo-American model of corporate governance and the European model of corporate governance. The discussion made it clear that the fundamental distinction between the two models lies in the fact that they are present in differing business contexts (Warner, Watts Wruck, 1988). These contexts are dictated by the shareholder identity, shareholder concentration, stock liquidity and interlocking ownership. It can be observed here that there is a difference between the two approaches in how they address the two issues of ownership and control. The strengthening of labour representation in the American firm can improve the firms ability to discover chances and weaknesses within the organization and to use this knowledge for increased performance. The strengthening of the market for corporate control through a more active capital market in Europe will improve the performance of management. Furthermore, globalization will move corporate governance in the direction of such a synthesis. It is likely that this model will radiate to the global market. The question of whether economies will converge towards a common corporate Anglo-American governance system, or sustain the present diversity of institutions is one of the key issues facing countries in Europe, the Asia Pacific and throughout the rest of the world (Malette Hogler, 1995). Lower economic growth and higher unemployment in Europe compared to the Anglo-American countries since the mid-1990s, undermined some of the confidence in Europes social model (though by 2005 Germany had returned to its former position as the worlds largest exporter). Despite the pressures towards adopting Anglo-Saxon modes of corporate governance, the divergences in both the policy and practice of corporate governance in Europe have thus far resisted any move towards European standards. However with greater market integration and the developing influence of Anglo-American institutional investors, it is possible the market will play a greater role. Yet debates on company law harmonization in the Eur opean Union have been held up by countries not wishing to see elements of their own systems of corporate governance disappear in the process. One explanation for this impasse is the institutional complementarily thesis which justifies the continuing diversity of systems, rejecting the one-best-way strategy adopted by the convergence thesis. Instead a plurality of models is assumed, each corresponding to local circumstances, supported by a cluster of social norms and regulation, enabling balanced economic development. It can also be argued that the Anglo-American models can serve as an effective method for breaking unhealthy state business relationships and imposing more discipline on domestic corporations (Yermack, 1996). The diversity of corporate models is valuable and is rooted in societal characteristics that together shape the competitiveness of the different models. Though shareholder value may be gaining ground due to the influence of Anglo-Saxon institutional investors, a stakeholder approach is closer to the reality of European social democracies, and the outcome of the confrontation between the two competing philosophies is highly uncertain. It is unlikely that imported Anglo-Saxon capital market related features of corporate governance will work well with Continental labor-related aspects of corporate governance as represented in supervisory boards. It is likely any such European compromise would be more unstable than existing systems. The attractiveness of the Anglo-American finance and governance institutions permeated with inequality and subject to recurrent severe market cycles and financial crisis is open to question as a model for universal applicability. Indeed the damaging consequen ces of the 2008 financial crisis will impact severely upon the world economy, and could well dislodge the faith that the market based governance system is the only rational and efficient one for the future. It is more likely that solutions will be found to pressing problems of equity, sustainability and innovation in a diversity of finance and governance systems, responsive to deeper and wider concerns than the self-interest of the executives who control corporations, financial institutions and hedge funds. The paper served to clarify that while the Anglo-American model of corporate governance seeks to implement external discipline methodologies. This entails the concentration of the organizations resources and attention towards elements such as proxy fights in the competitive landscape, handling liability management claims and the sustenance of management reputation. The Anglo-American model of corporate governance is somewhat aggressive and appears to be a model that continuously demands the organization to function as a challenger in the competitive landscape. In comparison, the European model of corporate governance seeks to make use of extensive alignment between the organizations stakeholders. The external methodologies brought into use by the European model of corporate governance tend to increase coordination and communication across the organization in an attempt to streamline the organizations functions in accordance with the organizations objectives. In addition, the European model of corporate governance also seeks to ensure that the organizations objectives are understood and that the management, stakeholders and board of directors are in mutual agreement on the objectives of the organization. The comparison of the two corporate governance models has served to reveal that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance is an aggressive corporate governance model and in order to exercise the Anglo-American model of corporate governance the organization needs to have a strong foundation (Wolfenzon, 1998). This is because of the fact that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance often requires the managers to make decisions that are in favour of their own perspectives and require over-investment. In this case, the managers do not seek the approval of external stakeholders and proceed with the implementation of their decisions. In this regard, the European model of corporate governance comes forth as the preferred corporate governance model. This is because of the fact that the European model of corporate governance gives the organization the margin of deciding on an orientation that is best suited for the competitive landscape in which the organization is functioning (Wolfenzon, 1998). While the Anglo American model of corporate governance demands that the organization plays aggressively continuously, the European model of corporate governance gives the organization the margin it needs to adapt to changing needs. As a result, the organization can choose to function passively and steadily when it chooses; and functions aggressively when it chooses. In essence, the increased communication and coordination between the strategic, operational and tactical elements of the organization allows the organization to ensure that it does not get exposed to any high-risk scenarios. The recommendation of the European model of corporate governance is based on the pretext that recent global economic trends have proved that it is feasible for organizations to adopt an organization that minimizes their exposure to risk. Managerial reputation and status cannot be given importance over the organizations sustained growth because most organizations that have been successful in the last few decades have chosen to follow their expansion strategies with consistency; regardless of the speed at which they grew. While some organizations chose to grow rapidly by intentionally engaging in high-risk investments, others chose to implement the European model of corporate governance by reducing their risk exposure. Organizations such as these proceeded by studying internal and external scenarios closely before finalizing and implementing a strategy. It is because of this reason that such organizations were able to minimize the degree to which they were impacted by the recent global recession. It can be observed that the European model of corporate governance requires the management to engage in a level of coordination that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance does not call for. As a result, the European model of corporate governance places the management in a position where every decision that materializes into action is of a nature such that is supports the organization and is not influenced by a desire to drive up managerial reputation and status. Another key reason because of which the European model of corporate governance is recommended over the Anglo-American model of corporate governance is because the European model of corporate governance satisfies the need for the generation of shareholder profitability. The Anglo-American model of corporate governance does not give primary relevance to shareholder profitability because the authority to make investment decisions is placed and limited in the hands of a few individuals. In comparison to this, the European model of corporate governance places the organization in a position where the generation of shareholder profitability enables the organization to attract more investors. In this regard, it would be just to bring the paper to a concluding note with the statement that the European model of corporate governance accurately reflects emerging corporate trends. The examples and elaborations presented in the above discussion make it clear that the European model of corporate go vernance responds far more adequately to modern day business needs than the Anglo-American model of corporate governance.

Robert Pirsigs Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Essay

Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values Confronting crises of technological annihilation and personal madness, Robert Pirsig finds each to be a manifestation of a deeper crisis of Reason. In response) he suggests an alternative to our current paradigm of rationality, the "art of motorcycle maintenance." By showing that our understanding and performance derive from our emotional and evaluative commitments, he challenges the cultural commonplace which construes "subjective" states as distortions of "objective" reality. In so doing, he asserts that "wholeness" or sanity may be achieved only through "passionate caring," and an awareness and acceptance of how our emotions and values shape our experiences. Further, he shows that technology, a manifestation of our values, may be controlled only through emotional and moral commitment. A restorative rhetoric, on Pirsig's analysis is, then, one in which the passions and values are recognized as the very ground of being in and interpreting the world. The crisis of reason As he begins his "Chautauqua," Robert Pirsig finds himself in a twofold crisis. He characterizes the public dimension of the crisis as arising in large part from the technological fragmentation of nature and man. Having transformed nature from a field of daffodils into a field for its own potential appropriation, technology, as Marshall McLuhan has noted, now also "shapes and controls the scale of human association and action" (McLuhan 8). Seemingly indifferent to human values and developing under its own logic, technology increasingly isolates us from our natural environment, from one another, and even from ourselves. For though we may be in touch with Belgrade or Toky... ...ight give, the Sophist being "a hunter of young men of rank and distinction who works not by violence, but by persuasion." ("The Middle Speech of Plato's Phaedrus," Journal of the History of Philosophy, 9 [1971], 421). Pirsig admits that his defense of the Sophists against Plato is not original; indeed such a defense dates to the nineteenth century. Everett Lee Hunt elaborates this point in his "On the Sophists," in The Province of Rhetoric, ed. Joseph Schwartz and John A. Rycenga (New York: Ronald Press, 1965); and in "Plato and Aristotle on Rhetoric and Rhetoricians" (Historical Studies of Rhetoric and Rhetoricians, ed., Raymond F. Nowes [Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell Univ. Press, 1961], p. 20), he writes: "It is to Hegel that the Sophists owe their rehabilitation in modern times." Hunt also shows that Lewes, Grote, Sidgwick and John Stuart Mill all joined in the defense.