Thursday, August 27, 2020

Research paper on Obseity Essay Example

Exploration paper on Obseity Essay The condition significantly expands the hazard for a not insignificant rundown which incorporates sicknesses, including coronary illness, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, malignancy and substantially more. In any case, paying little heed to the purposes behind the ascent in heftiness, keeping up solid weight comes down to adjusting the quantity of calories individuals eat and drink with the quantity of calories everybody consumes practice and ordinary exercises. Consistently individuals can settle on decisions to eat in an unexpected way, practice more and appreciate a more beneficial life in the event that they keep up a sound eating regimen. In conversations of corpulence, one disputable issue has been wholesome data on cheap food. From one viewpoint, David Convince contends that food ventures are to blame for not providing simple to peruse calorie graphs and peril names. One the other hand, Raddled Balk battles that everybody needs to assume liability for what they expend. David Convince claims that food enterprises are to blame for not providing simple to peruse calorie outlines and risk marks by concentrating on corpulence. Anyway its difficult to concur with his announcement since some cheap food places do show what number of calories are in their food things and guardians are the ones that are paying for this nourishment for their families to eat. We will compose a custom exposition test on Research paper on Obseity explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom exposition test on Research paper on Obseity explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom exposition test on Research paper on Obseity explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer Greatness contends that stoutness falls In the possession of cheap food mogul. He at that point proceeds to contend that even sound Items on the menu for drive-through joints are unfortunate. Drawing on his own encounters as a sasss kid, he portrays how simple it is for youngsters to gain weight with a consistent eating regimen of inexpensive food dinners. Some portion of the difficult he contends, is that healthful data about inexpensive food is frequently either inaccessible or difficult to decipher. For example, when individuals go to cafés and perceive what number of calories they are taking in, it stuns them when they see that even the of late Items may expend numerous calories also. Anyway should food organizations truly be the ones to be accused? Persuade states that the pervasiveness of inexpensive food and the absence of more beneficial food choices is causing a pestilence of young corpulence in present day America(392). He contends this in view of the ramifications for society of expanded paces of Type 2 diabetes, which can be related with stoutness. By satiating this, he needs to accuse the food Industries for not making large enough marks of calorie outlines. Fault since individuals ought to be simply the ones to fault due paying to eat sat food. Indeed a few spots might not have outlines saying what number of calories are in their things, however now and then on the off chance that somebody where to take a gander at the menu, they do state what number of calories individuals are expending. Rather than purchasing the destining nourishments, there are some more advantageous things that individuals can purchase. Inexpensive food organizations shouldnt be the ones to fault because of the reality of individuals being enticed to need to eat fat food and not beneficial nourishments. Towards the start of David Cozinesss article he states one of his own background saying by the age of 15, he stuffed 212 pounds of lethargic young fat n his lean 5-foot-10 frame(392). At the point when he expresses this he is applying how there are quick cutoff points to the weight that someone in particular can just convey securely. Be that as it may, does he ever acknowledge who are the ones deciding to purchase the unfortunate nourishments? Everybody realizes that cheap food is awful, yet they will in general be sluggish and not have any desire to eat a wellbeing supper to their benefit. Individuals should come to perceive what is best for their own wellbeing to have the option to not put on so much weight. David Convince needs to accuse cheap food organizations for people groups weight, because of them not having danger marks and large enough calorie outlines to peruse. In any case, cheap food organizations shouldnt be the ones to fault for people groups stoutness because of the reality of individuals being the ones who are paying for the food they need to eat. Persuade may have made a valid statement, yet his point isnt sufficient in light of the fact that he doesnt consider the genuine results of people groups wellbeing and how individuals are picking what they expend. Then again, its simple to concur that what individuals eat is their obligation as Balk states since everybody ought to know about the food they devour. Individuals picked what to eat, however as opposed to eating terrible food they can picked eat well nourishments. Recoil asserts the administration needs to make a move and quit going through cash for against corpulence since it is the incorrect method to forestall it. He tells his perusers that it is undesirable for kids to eat terrible food however its their decision to eat what they need. Shy away says, at the end of the day, bringing the legislature among you and your waste-line, saying that the administration shouldnt be in your business of what you are eating or climate you are hefty or not. He expresses that he doesnt like how the legislature has such a great amount of power over what individuals are eating and that they are battling corpulence the incorrect way. Rather he needs the legislature to show obligation. Shy away accepts that everybody has their own decision of eating nourishments that are undesirable and on the off chance that they get corpulent or have medical issues they should pay for the results not the entire country. Shy away expresses that our administration should be attempting to encourage an awareness of other's expectations and responsibility for own wellbeing and well-being'(39). Len different words, Balk is stating that if individuals are eating unfortunate and are having medical issues everybody shouldnt need to pay for their medical issues. By expressing this he accepts cap the administration ought to be attempting to encourage an awareness of other's expectations in responsibility for own wellbeing and prosperity. He needs individuals to take need for themselves since it is their own shortcoming of what the expend. I concur with Balbos articulation of how individuals should assume liability for what they ought to acknowledge what value they are paying by winding up getting stout. A few guardians can just bear to purchase modest food and what springs up in their psyche is McDonalds, taco ringer, and numerous different spots. Anyway when they consider this they can generally picked the best sound thing on the menu to expend a superior supper or themselves and their family, for example, eating a serving of mixed greens. Everybody should perceive how their wellbeing isnt directly by devouring the correct nourishments. On the off chance that somebody where to put on the weight, they can decided to have an eating regimen at long last which will cause them to have the option to live more. Towards the end up Balbos article he states, Well all settle on better decisions about eating routine, exercise, and individual wellbeing when another person isnt paying dearly of those decisions (398). I accept this is valid. Individuals that arent secured under their folks protection ensure that stay wellbeing by getting a lot of activity to not put on he weight. In any case, when individuals are as yet living under their folks, they will in general eat what ever they need and become apathetic, which makes them put on weight. So for individuals to remain wellbeing they should know about the entirety of their activities of what they decided all in all, at that point as I proposed before, safeguards of cheap food organizations cannot have it the two different ways. Individuals can picked what they need to eat and it ought to be their duty and not about the organizations who make the nourishment for individuals. Their affirmation that they should assume liability is negated by their case that what hello expend is their decision yet they ought to know about what can befall them in the event that they continue eating undesirable. Expanding uneasiness over the topic of how to appropriately sustain ourselves has produced some genuine reactions. Michael Pollen has contended the requirement for a reasonable looked at center around an exact marvel to get us to past our distraction with logical hypotheses of nutritionists. For Pollen, the difficult that isn't itself in question is the western eating routine. As Michael Pollen puts it the western eating regimen is the thing that individuals are eating right now that live in the western side of the equator, for example, cheap food, chicken, pizza, natural product and so on. Individuals eat by this sort of diet since its simple: its simpler to purchase a previously caused supper and Just warmth it to up rather then preparing that feast from the stuff individuals have at home. Dust recommends that we ought to just maintain a strategic distance from any food that has been handled to such a degree, that it is more the result of industry than of nature (438). He states how individuals eating a western eating routine are inclined to a complex of interminable maladies that only from time to time strike individuals eating a progressively customary eating regimen. With these interminable illnesses individuals dont know where their food is coming from and who makes it (Fresh). The animals that organizations use to make food,can be perilous because of how ranchers put a specific substance in the fields, and that can make the animal bite the dust or wind up having some sort of infection. Dust states in a meeting, individuals who cook their own food are increasingly sound motivation they dont utilize prepared nourishments (How cooking can transform you). Everybody should perceive how to keep up a sound eating regimen by not eating destining nourishments. Dusts remedy is essentially for individuals to quit eating a western eating routine. To separate his particular solutions from those of nutritionists, Pollen propose the beers eat food, not to much, for the most part plants. By encouraging us to by and by eat food, he challenges the overall supplement by-supplement approach, what he calls nutritionist and proposes an elective method of eating that is educated by the conventions and environment of genuine, all around developed, natural food. Our own wellbeing, he contends, can't be separated from the strength of the natural pecking orders which we are part. At the point when Michael Pollen says Eat Food, what he implies is, eat genuine food, as in food that is natural and doesnt originate from a factory(Adamson). With this being said our downpours think why we have to

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Print Ad Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Print Ad - Case Study Example Being a high-style, tip top brand, the print promotion's objective market inclines toward moderately youngsters and ladies having a place with a privileged social segment. Those in its objective market have better than expected salaries, are brand-cognizant, and are for the most part in contact with the predominant design patterns of the day. The brand is about youth, hotness, and the recklessness that accompanies it. The individuals who wish to depict this kind of picture through their design style are those focused by the print promotion, and this certainly was unquestionably delineated in the restless, though wrong topic introduced. In building up another print promotion for Dolce and Gabbana, a few components will be altered as the product offering will be repositioned totally. From being a top of the line, generally youthful design brand, it is suggested that the new line be bundled as an easygoing line speaking to a more seasoned, increasingly advanced segment included moderately aged, effective experts . The common subject would be Sunday Best, and would be introduced so that the brand would be their top-of-mind decision for laid-back nation club end of the week wear. The recently repositioned line would be speaking to an intended interest group that intently reflects those of Ralph Lauren and Lacoste. The new idea of the revamped print promotion will be characteristically not the same as the first. The promotion is determined to what has all the earmarks of being a nation club green, and will highlight a wonderful, coolly dressed lady around her mid-30's as the focal character. She seems, by all accounts, to be a newcomer to the greens, and is being instructed how to swing by a grinning, laid back male, apparently late 30's to mid 40's. The man radiates the feeling that he is a persevering proficient during the week, state a stockbroker, and he is getting a charge out of the his rewards for so much hard work toward the end of the week with his wonderful spouse. Out of sight, another princely looking couple (probably companions of the focal couple) look on, grinning and evidently entertained at the lady's first-time imprudences at the tee. The tone and temperament of the advertisement is exceptionally perky and positive, passing on an implicit vibe of class and modernity. The Dolce and Gabbana logo will at present be superimposed over the print as in the first advertisement. Purchasers will utilize the item preferably as their essential decision for end of the week wear, for light social capacities and end of the week club gatherings. It is a way to relate to the casual luxuriousness that is average of high-pay neighborhoods in New York and California. The objective market was picked most importantly to mitigate the discussion produced by the past print advertisement. By picking a more established, increasingly prosperous objective included high total assets experts which venture significantly more preservationist esteems, it is trusted that the negative undertone related with the brand would be backed out of the open's eye. Additionally, the new objective market was likewise picked on the grounds that the organization can be certain that there is as of now a current market to tap, and that their costs would in any case appear to be satisfactory inside the picked segment. On the off chance that the repositioning effort is rendered appropriately, Dolce and

Friday, August 21, 2020

Divided National Credit Union Board Votes in Favor of New Payday Loan Alternative - OppLoans

Divided National Credit Union Board Votes in Favor of New Payday Loan Alternative - OppLoans Divided National Credit Union Board Votes in Favor of New Payday Loan Alternative Divided National Credit Union Board Votes in Favor of New Payday Loan AlternativeInside Subprime: October 21, 2019By Jessica EastoThe National Credit Union Association (NCUA) voted last month in favor of a new rule that would allow federal credit unions to offer a short-term loan product designed to be an alternative to predatory payday loans.The loan, called a Payday Alternative Loan or PAL II, is capped at $2,000 and must have repayment terms of one to 12 months. Application fees are maxed out at $20, and interest rates are capped at 28 percent, much lower than the average 400 percent interest rate of payday loans.Borrowers can apply for a PAL II as soon as they become members of the credit union. They can only take one such loan out at a time, and they can only take out three PALs max per six months.The vote was divided 2-1.The chairman of the board, Rodney Hood, said that the PAL II was an alternative to payday lenders, saying that a small-dollar loan program “must strike the b alance between flexibility and consumer protection.”Payday loans, which are usually only for a few hundred dollars, typically have repayment terms of 14 days and high annual percentage rates (APRs). Because it can be difficult for borrowers to repay the loan so quickly, they are often given the option to “roll over” the debt, which racks up fees and interest and tends to lead to a cycle of debt.  NCUA officials say that the higher loan limit meets the demand for such loans and could also help borrowers consolidate what may have ended up being multiple payday loans into a single loan. According to the NCUA, when comments were filed on the loan program, some said the limit was too high and others said it was too low.Learn more about payday loans, scams, and cash advances by checking out our city and state financial guides, including Chicago, Illinois, Florida, Texas, and more.Visit OppLoans on YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Monday, May 25, 2020

Reasons Behind the Fall of Rome, Nazi Germany, and The...

Have you ever thought that your world was perfect, with everything the way it should be, and nothing that could ever make it fall? Well, is your government corrupted, do you lack needed resources, or do you have a failing security? Great societies fall because of political corruption, the lack of resources, and a failed security system. These are a few reasons why Rome, Nazi Germany, The Indus Valley people, and The Maze Runner societies are nothing but stories now. One reason why great societies fall is because of corrupt leaders. In Maze Runner, a book written by James Dashner, two of the leaders in this society go completely crazy. This influences the opinions of the other members of the area and causes conflict and confusion among them. This caused a large gap to form in the peoples’ trust. It also lead to the downfall of their political system. Political corruption does not just happen in dystopian literature. It happened during the time of Nazi Germany. Hitler took power in the society and used that power against other races and religions living in that area. People then took action against the Hitler and the Nazis. This began World War ll, which the Nazis lost, causing the society to fall. In both the world of Maze Runner and Nazi Germany, political corruption played a large part in their downfall. A society doesn’t just fall because of political corruption, it can also fall because the society lacks necessary resources. In Maze Runner, they were not supplied withShow MoreRelatedEssay about What is World History?4758 Words   |  20 Pageshuman beings acquired mastery of their environment, vastly increased their material wealth, and produced the globalized economy and civilization of the 21st Century. The chief ideological underpinnings of Gray global history are Enlightenment faith in reason and science and liberal political economy. Elsewhere I have dubbed this world-view technoliberalism.[4] As of the year 2001, this is the reigning ideology throughout the so-called developed world, and its power in the so-called less developed worldRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescenturies are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the surge of globalization from the mid-1990s) and afterward (9/11, or the global recession of 2008) when one could quite plausibly argue that a new era had begun. A compelling case can be made for viewing the decades of the global scramble forRead MoreManagement Challenges for the 21st Century.Pdf60639 Words   |  243 Pages Introduction: Tomorrow’s â€Å"Hot† Issues Where, readers may ask, is the discussion of COMPETITIVE STRATEGY, of LEADERSHIP, of CREATIVITY, of TEAMWORK, of TECHNOLOGY in a book on MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES? Where are the â€Å"HOT† ISSUES OF TODAY? But this is the very reason why they are not in this book. It deals exclusively with TOMORROW’S â€Å"Hot† Issues—the crucial, central, life-and-death issues that are certain to be the major challenges of tomorrow. CERTAIN? Yes. For this is not a book of PREDICTIONS, not a book about

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Using “Lo” With Plural or Feminine Adjectives in Spanish

Sometimes even pop music lyrics can raise complex questions about grammar, as this letter from a reader about the use of lo indicates. I have been studying Spanish since I was 5 years old beginning in kindergarten. Ever since then Ive been hooked to the language and have done really well mastering it by using it everyday for the past 14 years. I even remember using your Spanish guides to help along the way. But, there is just one thing that has bothered me for the longest, and that is a lyric from Colombian singer Shakiras song Estoy aquà ­. In the song she sings, No puedo entender lo tonta que fui, which translates to I cant understand how foolish/dumb/stupid I was. I wanted to know why it would be lo and not la. Ive never seen lo used in front of anything feminine. I know tonta is an adjective and also a noun. Could you please help me out? One reason this use of lo confused the reader is probably because it isnt very common. Using Lo as an Neuter Article In the sentence from Shakiras song, the lo is fulfilling the same function as the neuter article lo (sometimes called a definite determiner). The neuter article is placed before the singular masculine form of an adjective to turn it into a noun. In such cases lo adjective is typically translated to English as the adjective one or the adjective thing. So lo importante is the important thing. When lo adjective is followed by the relative pronoun que, the sentence structure puts a bit of extra emphasis on the adjective, so many people translate such a phrase to English by using the word how: La pelà ­cula demuestra lo bello que es la vida. (The film shows how beautiful life is.)Yo pensaba en lo triste que es a veces la vida. (I was thinking about how sad life is sometimes.) Note how in the first sentence, the masculine adjective is used even though what is being referred to is feminine. That makes sense if you remember that in this sentence construction, a phrase such as lo bello can be thought of as the beautiful thing, a phrase that has no gender. The sentence from the Shakira song could have also been said the same way and be grammatically correct, even if said by a female: No puedo entender lo tonto que fui. (One could translate that literally as I cant understand the foolish one that I was, although a more natural translation would be I cant understand how foolish I was.) However, and heres the answer to the question, it also is common in Spanish to make the adjective agree with whats being referred to, even though the lo is retained. It may not seem logical to follow lo with a feminine adjective, but that is what often happens in real life. The use of the feminine adjective seems to be more common after certain verbs, such as ver or entender, that indicate how someone or something is perceived. Also, plural adjectives can be used in the same way after lo if they refer to a plural noun. Examples of Using Lo Here are some real-life examples of the use of a feminine or plural after lo:  ¿Recuerdas lo felices que fuimos entonces? (Do your remember how happy we were then?)Nadie puede creer lo fea que es Patricia cuando à ©sta llega a una entrevista de trabajo. (Nobody can believe how ugly Patricia is when she arrives at a job interview.)No saben lo importantes que son los libros. (They dont know how important the books are.)No necesita un telescopio para ver lo roja que es la montaà ±a. (You dont need a telescope to see how red the mountain is.)Para que esta ley sea lo extensa que se requiere, deberà ­a establecer con claridad que toda informacià ³n es pà ºblica. (In order for this law to be as far-reaching as is required, it should be clearly established that all information is public.)El otro dà ­a he hablado con Minerva, que insiste en ser todo lo obtusa que puede. (The other day I spoke with Minerva, who insists on being every bit as dimwitted as she can be.) You may sometimes hear lo followed by a feminine or plural adjective without being followed by que, but this is unusual. Key Takeaways When lo is used as a neuter article, it typically is followed by a singular masculine noun.However, an uncommon exception to this rule occurs when the noun is followed by the relative pronoun que.The construction lo adjective que can usually be translated to English as how adjective.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Analysis Of The Poem Cousin Nancy And Morning At The...

â€Å"Cousin Nancy† and â€Å"Morning at the Window† Poem Analysis and Exploration Cousin Nancy By T. S. Eliot Miss Nancy Ellicott Strode across the hills and broke them, Rode across the hills and broke them — The barren New England hills — Riding to hounds Over the cow-pasture. Miss Nancy Ellicott smoked And danced all the modern dances; And her aunts were not quite sure how they felt about it, But they knew that it was modern. Upon the glazen shelves kept watch Matthew and Waldo, guardians of the faith, The army of unalterable law. Morning at the Window T. S. Eliot, 1888 - 1965 They are rattling breakfast plates in basement kitchens, And along the trampled edges of the street I am aware of the damp souls of housemaids Sprouting despondently at area gates. The brown waves of fog toss up to me Twisted faces from the bottom of the street, And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts An aimless smile that hovers in the air And vanishes along the level of the roofs. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be told you can’t do something, because it’s not ladylike? It seems time and time again women in history were once told to be seen and not heard. T. S. Eliot’s poem â€Å"Cousin Nancy† broke barriers during its time with its writing about the modern woman. â€Å"Cousin Nancy† may only be three stanzas, but Eliot’s writing broke down barriers about the stereotypical ideas of a poised,Show MoreRelatedMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 PagesPhenomenology of the Narrative, 16 II Problems of Film Semiotics Chapter 3. Chapter 4. Chapter 5. The Cinema: Language or Language System? 31 Some Points in the Semiotics of the Cinema, 92 Problems of Denotation in the Fiction Film, 108 III Syntagmatic Analysis of the Image Track Chapter 6. Outline of the Autonomous Segments in Jacques Rozier s film Adieu Philippine, 149 Chapter 7. Syntagmatic Study of Jacques Rozier s Film Adieu Philippine, 177 vii viii CONTENTS IV The Modern Cinema: Some TheoreticalRead Morepreschool Essay46149 Words   |  185 PagesPerforming Arts Liane Brouillette, University of California, Irvine Victoria Brown, Lucy School Lisa Catterall, Imagination Group Joyce Jordan, University of Miami Gwen Morgan-Beazell, Santa Ana College Linda Neelly, University of Connecticut Nancy Ng, Luna Kids Dance Physical Development David Gallahue, Indiana University Clersida Garcia, Northern Illinois University Patricia Kimbrell, San Diego State University Rebecca Lytle, California State University, Chico Robyn Wu, Samuel Merritt

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Investment Analysis & Portfolio Management †Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management. Answer: Introduction The assignment considers and takes into account the utilization of the satisfactory financial derivatives. The derivatives are utilized by the managers of the portfolio for enhancing the returns and gains from the investments. The derivatives help in the increase of the amount of exposure faced by the investors and helps them in hedging the entire exposure of the capital market. They are the options that help the managers of the portfolio and the investments in applying the theories of investment that are relevant for the application. The derivative options help the investors in making exponential gains. The assignment also considers the evaluation of the derivatives under imaginary and theoretical situations. There are four categories of instruments of derivatives and the assignment has considered the analysis and the evaluation of the four instruments of derivatives. The analysis also consists of the recommendations given on to the managers of the portfolios. The analysis also help s in the attaining the capability of an investor to enhance the earnings by the usage of a variety of instruments of derivatives. Types of financial derivatives in the portfolio management As stated above, there are four categories of the instruments of derivatives that can be used for the management of the portfolio. The categories are as under: Future contract derivative The contracts that are conducted through the use of exchange and provide allowance to the investors for making sufficient decisions of investments are referred to as the Future contracts. They have a variety of similarities with the forward contracts that are discussed in the next part. It is similar on the basis that the sale of specific commodities is carried on a date that is in future. The commodity prices are fixed as per the present date and the same helps in the reduction of the volatility in the prices that the investors forecast for the date in future (Berezhnoy et al. 2014). They are contracts that use the exchanges. They are conducted with the help of a medium that puts an obligation on the various parties for the fulfilment of the bargaining part. They have a functioning and conducting on a format that is pre designed in nature. It is required to be proceeded by the investors in the process of the conduction of the transactions and the investments. In addition, such contracts for the most part follow the settlement of the contract on a daily basis. It considers the realisation of all the amounts of profits and losses on the period subsequent to the day of trading. In such contracts the buyers and sellers do not form any agreements and they basically carry out the transactions with the exchange (Bodie 2013). Illustration of a future contract Particulars Value Value Buying Gold 100 ounce Current Gold price 1250 = 125,000 (1250 * 100) Future contract 1285 = 128,500 (1285 * 100) Expected Price 1360 = 136,000 (1360 * 100) Reduction in losses 7500 Table 1: Forward contract (Source: Created by author) It can be understood from the above example of future contract that with the adaptation of the Future contract, there was a reduction in the losses of the transaction. There was a decline in the value of Gold i.e. the amount worth $8,500.The decline in losses was because of the lockage of the prices of gold that allowed the investors in reducing the losses towards attaining the commodity. Thus, this helps in effective investments of the money of investors (Brent 2013). Forward contract derivative They are the oldest and the simplest form of the instruments and have applicability till a limited time i.e. for that day only. They are taken into action by the investors for controlling or hedging the losses for the future period. It is an agreement for a later date made today and is made between the two parties that have regards with the sale of the instrument or the product. It had been in use until the invention of the derivative instrument named future contracts and as discussed in the above section. A number of investors have been using the contracts in an effective manner for conducting the tolerable exposure within the market (Frino et al. 2014). It was stated that the forward contracts have to be conducted and is generally conducted among the two counterparties or the parties. The contract does not consider the possibility of the exchange being accountable for the transaction done. While, on the other hand, there was an argument that by using the future contracts, there may not be any allowance or obligation on the part of the other parties that may commit towards the fulfilling of the contract terms. The particulars and the details related to the forward contracts are kept in a secret and confidential manner. It is hidden from the public and there is no condition of providing the pertinent information concerning the contract. The instrument of Forward contract is helpful in allowing an effective control towards the investors in terms of the rising prices. It also helps in the reduction of the losses that possibly can occur within the capital market as it has a volatile condition (Khumawala et al. 2016). The contracts are used by the bank to manage the exchange in currency. Illustration of a forward contract: Particulars Value Value AUD payment 1,000,000 Current AUD/USD Rate 0.76 760,000 (1,000,000 * 0.76) Expected AUD/USD Rate 0.73 730,000 (1,000,000 * 0.73) Forward Contract Rate 0.74 740,000 (1,000,000 * 0.74) Reduction in losses 10,000 (740,000-730,000) Table 2: Forward contract (Source: Created by author) The firm that uses the rate of AUD $ must be converted to $ as the conversion will lead to the reduction of the volatile nature of the payment to be made under the contract. The entire usage of such contract aids in the reduction of the amount of loss by about $10,000 as calculated in the table above. The same became possible by the application of the forward contract that reduced the fluctuation of the rate of exchange and thus reduced the risk faced by person at the time of exchange (Johnson 2015). Option contract derivative The Option contract of the instruments of derivative is used by the investors for the effective Hedging or getting secured from the exposure faced by the investors within the capital market. The contract provides allowance towards the investors for the effectiveness in the hedging process for getting secured against the categories ofthe volatility in future that are expected by the investors (Hou 2017). The two categories of options comprise of the call and the put options. The call option provides a right to the investors to buy a product or commodity at a specific price and at the later date. On the other hand, the put option provides a right to the investors to sell a product or commodity at a specific price and at the later date. In addition, such contract helps in providing the choice of an effective nature towards the traders. It provides a choice that will assist in the effective speculation of the market and by reduction of the expected and expanded losses that will form part of the investment period (Pinzur 2016). The contract requires adequate measures to be undertaken at the time of conduction of the trades related to the options. Thus, the exchange measures can be applied for the same. With the provision of the smaller amounts of premium, the trades of option majorly allow the investors in increasing the exposures related to the market. The premium costs can be ignored and it allows in the reduction of the risks with the increase in the capacity of investments. The future gains from the investment are gained by these contracts as it has a basis on the volatility of the future prices. The option contractors incur the major expenditure that is the amount of premium charged on the conduct of the trades and the use of premiums are done to allow towards the reduction of the overall blockage of the capital (Salazar 2014). Illustration of an option contract: Particulars Value Value Selling shares of Samsung 1000 Buying Put Option Current price 152 152,000 (1,000 * 152) Strike price 150 150,000 (1,000 * 150) Premium 5 5,000 (1,000 * 5) Expected Price 140 140,000 (1,000 * 140) Actual Price 149 149,000 (1,000 * 149) Reduction in losses 4000 (149000-140000) Table 3: Forward contract (Source: Created by author) The above example depict that the option prices of the Samsung had not followed the speculation of $140 and the same resulted in the loss of the investor as $4000. The strike price was $150 and premium $5. The prices of Samsung resulted in loss of $4000 by the investor and premium of $5,000 was paid. If the investor does not trade, he will be responsible to pay a premium amount higher than the incurred losses. Swaps derivative The Swaps derivative is one of the most complex and complicated category of derivatives. It involves the speculation and research done before the initiation of the trade. They are conducted on various numbers of participants that include the adoption of fixed and floating rates of interest. The adoption of fixed and floating rates of interest increases the entire gains from the trades and investments. The swap derivatives permit the investors to swap the rates of interests and the currency of underlying nature towards the enhancement of the financial income. The companies can easily avoid the obstructions faced by the means of the rates of foreign exchange towards the overall return from investment (Takino 2016). The swaps are conducted for the process of negotiation among two or more parties for obtaining relevant benefits. It helps in the reduction of a variety of risks occurring from investment. Amount to be invested 100,000 Interest rate 1st country Interest rate 2nd country Exchange rate 4 0.25 Savings 8% 3% Loan 9% 4% Invested amount $400,000 Interest received $32,000 Converted to 2nd country $8,000 Invested amount $100,000 Invested paid $3,000 Total income $5,000 It can be evaluated that there can be a gain of $32000 that has been converted to $8000. Investigation of the appeal of using derivatives in imaginary situations The above categories of the derivative instruments are practicable in nature but, the most effective one is the futures contract. Such contracts provide allowance to the investors for conducting trades devoid of any risks attached. The theoretical scenarios discussed above reflect the assistance provided by the trading done by the options and futures. These options help the investors to form effective decisions with regard to the investments and also effective conducting of the trades in the entire market. The forward contracts must be avoided in the construction of the portfolio by the investors and the managers of the Portfolio (Schwager and Etzkorn 2017). Additionally, the swap trades should be avoided by the managers of portfolio. The swap trades comprise of interest rates of swap that is complex job carried out by the companies. Consequently, there must be employment of the contracts like future and options that will assist a manager of portfolio to perform and convey the required rate of return obtained from the investment (Chance and Brooks 2015). Conclusions and Recommendations The overall assessment of the assignment shows that the contracts of derivatives provides allowance to the investors in suffice investment in the market place. The investors use the instruments of derivatives like future, options, forward and the contracts of swaps. On the other hand, the most effective one is the futures contract. Such contracts provide allowance to the investors for conducting trades devoid of any risks attached. It also provides effective profitability. Thus, the use of options will help in the adequate investment instrument for conducting the trades at high ends. The managers of the portfolio must effectively use the contracts for preparing the portfolio and gaining returns and productivity. References Berezhnoy, V.I., Berezhnaya, E.V., Berezhnaya, O.V., Telnova, N.N., Ostapenko, E.A. and Shatalova, O.I., 2014. Methodology of application of the systematic and derivative analysis of the conditions of the local raw materials market development.Life Sci. J,11(8), pp.600-602. Bingham, N.H. and Kiesel, R., 2013.Risk-neutral valuation: Pricing and hedging of financial derivatives. Springer Science Business Media. Bodie, Z., 2013.Investments. McGraw-Hill. Brent, R.P., 2013.Algorithms for minimization without derivatives. Courier Corporation. Chance, D.M. and Brooks, R., 2015.Introduction to derivatives and risk management. Cengage Learning. Frino, A., Mollica, V. and Webb, R.I., 2014. The Impact of Co?Location of Securities Exchanges' and Traders' Computer Servers on Market Liquidity.Journal of Futures Markets,34(1), pp.20-33. Hirsa, A. and Neftci, S.N., 2013.An introduction to the mathematics of financial derivatives. Academic Press. Hou, Q., 2017. Research on the Development of Derivative Products of Comic and Animation Advertising Video of Local Characteristic Culture.DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science, (icsste). Johnson, C.A., 2015. Moving from Soft Law to Hard Law in the Derivative Area: A Case Study.The Changing Landscape of Global Financial Governance and the Role of Soft Law, p.258. Khumawala, S., Ranasinghe, T. and Yan, C.J., 2016. Why hedge? Extent, nature, and determinants of derivative usage in US municipalities.Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,35(3), pp.303-325. Lievenbrck, M. and Schmid, T., 2014. Why do firms (not) hedge?Novel evidence on cultural influence.Journal of Corporate Finance,25, pp.92-106. Norden, L., Buston, C.S. and Wagner, W., 2014. Financial innovation and bank behavior: Evidence from credit markets.Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control,43, pp.130-145. Pinzur, D., 2016. Making the grade: infrastructural semiotics and derivative market outcomes on the Chicago Board of Trade and New Orleans Cotton Exchange, 18561909.Economy and Society, pp.1-23. Rauterberg, G.V. and Verstein, A., 2014. Assessing transnational private regulation of the OTC derivatives market: ISDA, the BBA, and the future of financial reform. Rifai, N., Syaukat, Y., Siregar, H. and Gumbira-Sa-id, E., 2015. Factors affecting increased export of Indonesian palm oil and its derivative products to the United States of America market.Journal of ISSAAS (International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences),21(1), pp.137-146. Roukny, T. and Battiston, S., 2014. A network analysis of the evolution of the German interbank market. Salazar, M., 2014. Swapping More than Regulations: Reexamining the Goals of the Dodd-Frank Act and the European Market Infrastructure Regulation on Over-the-Counter Derivative Markets.Sw. J. Int'l L.,21, p.217. Schwager, J.D. and Etzkorn, M., 2017. An Introduction to Options on Futures.A Complete Guide to the Futures Market: Technical Analysis and Trading Systems, Fundamental Analysis, Options, Spreads, and Trading Principles, pp.477-485. Sharma, P., Lee, S., Guo, T., Irwin, D. and Shenoy, P., 2015, April. Spotcheck: Designing a derivative iaas cloud on the spot market. InProceedings of the Tenth European Conference on Computer Systems(p. 16). ACM. Takino, K., 2016. An Equilibrium Model for an OTC Derivative Market under a Counterparty Risk Constraint.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Hedda Gabler By Ibsen Essays (590 words) - Hedda Gabler, Hedda

Hedda Gabler By Ibsen Brack strikes as a very immoral man from the very beginning, due to the aplenty advances he made towards Hedda. He had always subtlety hinted that he thought that Hedda might like "a new responsibility" and most importantly, that he will "fight for the end, for the "triangle" to be "fortified and defended by mutual consent." To flirt with an unwed lady is one thing. But to be thoroughly suggestive of certain immoral acts to a legally wed lady would seem to be a moral crime. A crime, which would deem Brack as an immoral judge, which is juxtaposition in the phrase itself. The depraved misdeed was too much to expect from a judge, much less to say the way that he had insinuated himself into the household of a married couple. Brack's manipulative nature can perhaps be considered the most powerful tool that he has, to be able to control people at his beck and call. The way he withholds his information, only to disseminate it at an ?appropriate' time, when it will hit the victim the hardest, shows how well he can play the psychological game. He was apparently so good at calculating his steps that he was able to have Hedda exclaim with pain that she is "in your powers, Mr Brack. From now on, I'm at your mercy." He played his last hand of the pack very well, henceforth gaining control over Hedda almost at once, after we have seen her authoritative throughout the plot. The unexpected twist of events, definitely illustrates an element of surprise for the reader. Nothing much can be mentioned or commented about Brack, except that he seems to be a guru at the game at which both he and Hedda seemed to be indulged in. His callous ways together with his tricky language have caused the one all mighty Hedda to fall prey to him, exposing the extent of his scheming nature to the reader. It certainly allows the reader to realize his true nature and to confirm the suspicions of Brack's ulterior motives. The presence of Brack alone is enough to allow Tesman appear trivial and ridiculous. His language as compared to Tesman seemed to have many underlying meanings, while Tesman's, for an academic, seems rather superficial. Tesman, being a worrywart, starts to fret like a young lady when informed that his appointment might not come. He "clasps his hands together" and "flings his arms about" asking his "dearest Hedda, how can you (she) take it all so calmly." Brack on the other hand, being the surely and confident self tries to comfort him by telling him that he will "most probably get it" but "only after a bit of competition". Brack's calm composure and surely words certainly outweigh Tesman's unnecessary gestures and fretful language. The vulnerability of Tesman and Hedda's marriage has also clearly been brought out by the intrusion of Brack. The fact that Hedda would "clasp her hand at the back of her neck, lean back in the chair and look at him" indicates how comfortable she feels with Brack. The stichomythia in their speeches also brings out the level of intimacy the both of them share as seen by the quote " Brack: A trusted and sympathetic friend... Hedda: ...who can converse on all manners of lively topics... Brack:... and who's not in the least academic" It shows how well they complement each other, finishing each other's thoughts as though they were in a relationship themselves. As Hedda could easily pour out her woes to a man other than her husband gives an indication of how sterile her marriage with Tesman was. So unfruitful that they had absolutely no proper communications between husband and wife that Hedda was glad to have a friend who could converse with her.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Critical Analysis of the Role of Leadership in Improving Performance in Public Sector Organisations

Critical Analysis of the Role of Leadership in Improving Performance in Public Sector Organisations Introduction Distributed leadership is a post-heroic understanding of leadership that advocates the liberation from bureaucracy and strengthening of stakeholder involvement (Jackson 2000, p. 70). It has traits that make it relevant for public firms that are in need of a turnaround in performance (Harris, 2005, p. 82).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Critical Analysis of the Role of Leadership in Improving Performance in Public Sector Organisations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Integrity or openness to criticism, delegation of duties and networking are some of the qualities that reflect distributed leadership. Ciulla (2004) Currie Locket (2007) and Gronn (2002) are among the advocates of distributed leadership, and their support stems from the shortcomings that are found in transformational leadership. Moreover, Alimo-Metcalfe, Alban-Metcalfe, Heck, Hallinger and Harris are some of the key theorists in distri buted leadership. They expound on the centrality of cooperation, expert input and openness of leadership boundaries within this form of leadership. This paper will focus on characteristics of the leadership model, particularly how it relates to performance management, change management and organisational structure. Performance management can lead to effective performance by facilitating goal definition, proper development of performance management systems, as well as role clarification. Distributed leadership can streamline these aspects. Change management is necessary in turnaround situations, and organisational structure alters decision-making and control issues, thus affecting how a company accomplishes impressive performance. The report will examine how distributed leadership may translate these processes into high performance.Advertising Looking for case study on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It will then apply these aforementioned theories to a case study about a police force called Blackshire (Walshe et. al., 2009, p. 12).1 This institution was experiencing problems as a result of poor leadership. The report will focus on how distributed leadership could have prevented some of these problems, as well as providing some suggestions on how the institution can improve its current leadership approach on the basis of the theory. Distributed Leadership Theory Definition of distributed leadership and how organisations effect it A number of characteristics make distributed leadership distinct. The first quality is that it encapsulates a network of individuals interacting with one another. Unlike other theories of leadership like transactional and transformational leadership, which dwell on the individual, this approach emphasises the involvement of groups of people in leadership. The emphasis, therefore, is collaborative action not the sum of individual efforts (Harris, 2 005, p. 82). Secondly, distributed leadership has open boundaries. Organisations can expand their leadership to a wide number of people because no limits exist on how wide one can cast this leadership net. From this perspective, adherents of the distributed leadership model advocate the expansion of stakeholders and encourage their involvement as leaders (Heck and Hallinger, 2005 p.233).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Critical Analysis of the Role of Leadership in Improving Performance in Public Sector Organisations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, in the context of an educational establishment, instead of merely including the teachers in leadership, a school can expand its community of stakeholders to include students or parents. Conversely, transformational leadership would have closed boundaries as formal leaders would wield most control. Thirdly, this form of leadership involves the belief th at experts exist in different facets of the organisation. By bringing the ideas and perspectives of those experts, an organisation can strengthen its capabilities. Moreover, when an expert uses their skills to initiate a concept, then the trust and support of others will sharpen the initiative (Alimo-Metcalfe, 2000, p.42). In transactional and transformational leadership, experts lack decision-making power (Alimo-Metcalfe Alban-Metcalfe 2005, p. 53). Autonomy and control in the distributed leadership model is varied. It may emanate from members in senior authority or low-level employees. However, it is sometimes effective to let formal leaders establish certain values and goals because they are accountable to external parties for the performance of the institution. In addition, the organisational culture has a substantial influence on the effectiveness of distributed leadership. Thus, if an institution has had a long-standing culture of non-participation, the distributed leadership models could yield high levels of passivity. These choices of autonomy and control are not available to individuals in transformational and transactional leadership models (Currie Lockett, 2007, p. 353). Organisations in the public sector may have to pioneer cultural change if pre-existing cultures are incompatible with shared leadership. The source of change in distributed leadership is also diverse (Currie Lockett, 2007, p. 361).Advertising Looking for case study on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It may come from an external policy or stimulus, such as members of the community served by the public organisation. They may place pressure on the institution to change, which could potentially require a complete cultural shift. Conversely, it may emanate from within, by formal leaders or members of the network. Sometimes it may come from an external policy or stimulus, such as members of the community served by the public organisation, who may place pressure on the institution to change. This could require a cultural shift. Conversely, it may emanate from formal leaders or members of the network. One should note, that although distributed leadership emphasises the importance of a collective effort, it is still compatible with top-down leadership, wherein projects and initiatives are granted from charismatic leaders. However, the key difference between attempts at organisational change in traditional transformational leadership and distributed leadership, is the strong partnership between the leader and other members of the organisation during this change (Crosby Bryson, 2005, p. 80). Additionally, the question of whether distributed leadership can fit into pre-set structures warrants some attention. In order to foster a long-term orientation, public organisations ought to have team structures and committees as some of the forms of distributed leadership (Crosby Bryson, 2005, p. 80). However, these structures need not determine how leadership manifests itself. The fluid nature of distributed leadership places greater precedence on one’s expertise rather than one’s position. Conversely transformational leadership rests on formal leadership. Moreover, for this level of spontaneity to work, the public firm ought to have a high degree of support and trust from amongst its team members. Therefore, leader-and-follower distinctions may not be clear, which may necessitate formal accountability structures to be in place. A realisation in the limitation s of charismatic leadership has necessitated the shift towards distributed leadership within the public sector. Gronn (2002, p. 9) challenges the fact that leadership should revolve around one individual alone. He asserts that leadership is not mythically or contingent upon any special powers of an individual. In reality, Ciulla (2004, p. 67) adds that overreliance on one person may create a form of cult of these leaders. Followers may pay heavily for criticising the leadership while the seniors themselves may claim ownership over all organisational success, even when others contributed to the effort. Narcissism and self-serving leadership thrives in a charisma-oriented organisation, and this could lead to failure (Currie Lockett, 2007, p. 359). It is for these reasons that many public institutions are embracing inclusive leadership as this approach has built-in mechanisms to ensure accountability, as well as ownership of decisions. Traits in distributed leadership that lead to per formance improvement Public organisations have formal leaders who still play a crucial role in the enforcement of distributed leadership (Hartley, 2007, p. 203). Senior leaders often network among their internal and external stakeholders in order to cause change. Therefore, this attribute mirrors transformational leadership. They usually expand the number of contacts that they have and build trust among them. Moreover, sensitivity to key players’ agenda (both external and internal) is crucial in causing performance improvement (Alimo-Metcalfe Alban-Metcalfe 2005, p. 66). In the context of the UK public sector domain, this is vital as inter-agency collaboration is common and in certain cases, it is expected. Successful leadership therefore, unites differing institutions in order to facilitate a shared vision. One cannot overemphasise the significance of delegation as a means of improving performance within organisations. Public organisations must empower their staff to think strategically and to develop solutions for impending problems. This causes them to take responsibility over performance improvement. In the transformational leadership model, leaders think of delegation as a favour to their subordinates (Currie et. al., 2005, p. 266). Individuals who exercise decision-making powers do not dilute the leader’s power. However, in distributed leadership, a formal leader may have to give true discretion over issues. This implies a slight degree of disempowerment for the senior authority (Alimo-Metcalfe, 2000, p.109). Alimo-Metcalfe Alban-Metcalfe (2005, p.70) stress the importance of integrity as another essential quality to facilitate performance improvement. Such ethical and moral standards are prerequisites to the establishment of effective distributed-leadership, as leaders need to deal with their fellow members in an equitable and consistent way. In the distributed model, one ought to embrace values of humility and exhibit vulnerability; hen ce when a person is wrong, they should admit their mistakes. Alimo-Metcalfe Alban-Metcalfe (2005, p. 56) stress that transformational leadership makes it difficult to ask questions as leaders have a cult-like following. Adherents of the distributed leadership model must therefore give precedence to the good of the organisation rather than their personal ambition or needs. Openness to criticism amongst senior authorities in distributed leadership should make them alter their views after listening to others. Modification ought to occur genuinely rather than as a reactionary response to others threatening effectiveness (Hennessey, 1998, p.525). In this model, workers will pursue task objectives because of the internationalisation of their core values, if they regard their work roles as crucial elements of their identity. In line with vulnerability and transparency is the ease of accessibility. Employees in distributed leadership have open access to formal leaders, regardless of their schedules. The degree of formality ought to be minimal as this will facilitate openness and honesty. (Hartley, 2007, p.207). Performance management in the public sector and its relevance to distributed leadership Performance management is a critical aspect of the overall organisational performance because it allows public sector institutions to link results, objectives and individual objectives. It is the means with which organisations merge fundamental aspects of their function (De Bruijn, 2001, p. 15). Effective performance management occurs when performance assessment and strategies are in the hands of the concerned agencies, whereby they take ownership over their performance system (Jas Skelcher, 2005, p.199). In the public sector, an external body may have to conduct performance auditing. In this regard, it is the prerogative of the public institution to use distributed leadership in order to foster cooperation with such parties (Theil Leeuw, 2002, p. 276). The company may as certain where the majority of weaknesses lie and therefore use recommendations from the auditing body to improve this. In a situation where performance assessment occurs within the same public institution, then distributed leadership would assist them in taking ownership over such a system. It would allow members to contribute towards performance management systems, and thus allow them to understand the consequences of their actions. Nonetheless, the spirit of cooperation with other bodies would also require public firms to collaborate with agencies to operate within a strategic framework. The national auditing authority for the Parliament of Australia, ANAO (2005, p.14), identify certain factors that facilitate effective performance management, and hence improvement in public firms. One of these is alignment wherein public organisations ought to align their performance management systems with their company goals. In order for this to occur, they need to have performance measurement systems that illustrate how effective their performance management efforts are. Additionally, they can ensure alignment by creating systems that support performance management. Distributed leadership can assist public institutions to achieve this alignment by establishing the necessary support mechanisms (Coulson, 2009). In addition, it can facilitate in the creation of performance assessment systems. Performance management is only effective when systems are credible. Credibility may come about when companies match rhetoric with reality (Theil Leeuw, 2002, p. 268). A number of public institutions exhibit gaps between what they expect in performance, as well as how they implement performance systems. ANAO (2005, p. 55) found that many employees in the public sector were sceptical about performance management because they disagreed with performance-pay criteria, deeming it as unfair. A number of them complained about favouritism and bias in the implementation of reward decisions, wh ereas others felt that reward incentives were not sufficient enough to motivate them. Certain public sector employers in the Australian survey revealed that they did not understand qualities that warranted effective performances (ANAO, 2005). Therefore, problems in role clarification were a key impediment to success. Staff members could not see the association between performances management at the organisational level and their personal contributions. If these problems exist in a public institution, then it is highly unlikely that performance management and improvement will occur. Distributed leadership has the potential to be an antidote to these problems, by directly involving the workforce in the development of the performance management system. If staff members regard each other as partners in the performance system, they are more likely to discuss and eliminate glitches in performance management. They may agree on the goals of performance management and determine how this rela tes to their individual contributions (Hodgson et. al., 2007). They would also clarify the qualities that constitute as effective performance through a coherent consensus. This system would therefore eradicate favouritism, as it would increase mutual support and trust between all parties affected by the institution. Thirdly, performance management can only lead to performance improvement if the concerned institution integrates it with other structures. Some organisations may not integrate work structures with performance management, and this could lead to complications in the provision of services. Distributed leadership models call for a holistic focus on service provision. Hence, if members work together, chances are that they will have better direction on achieving their goals, as well as performance systems that they should include (Hodgson et. al., 2007, p. 361). Change management for performance improvement through distributed leadership Change management is a mechanism that m ay need to be implemented if an organisation continually records low levels of performance. The collaborative nature of distributed leadership may seem contradictory to change management, however in times of crises or succession, the concept may be inevitable. Furthermore, it can still occur within top-down structures, but through the use of distributed leadership principles. As expressed by Pollitt (2009, p.288), leaders ought to follow a series of steps when instating change. He believes that most public companies fail as a result of communicating the need for change too formally. Alternatively, they may wait until it is too late to do so. Ritual forming can sometimes be necessary to create a new vision in a public organisation. In the distributed model, a formal leader must communicate this need early enough because the methodology already entails that regular contact between the rest of the employees and the company leader is taking place. In terms of performance, change managem ent can only lead to an improvement when a clear action plan is available (Jones, 2004). Sometimes this refers to structural change or other elements of the organisation’s functions. In other forms of leadership, the action plan would originate from senior management to a single individual. However, this is not tenable in distributed leadership. Subsequently, in the context of the public sector, a system would be implemented to collate members’ input on how to cause change effectively. Attaining internal support is a necessary part of successful change management. Leaders must foster participation and tackle internal resistance. They should allow resistors to have a relative degree of flexibility because some of their objections may be genuine (Ingraham and Van Slyke, 2006, p. 394). In distributed leadership, internal resistance ought to lead to alterations in elements of the plan because it engages people. Thus, distributed leadership would assist in building internal support and validating some of the objections raised by members. In tandem with internal cooperation, effective organisations need to also build support from external communities. Soliciting external support is rather difficult for public organisations, but since they provide services to the public, consulting with this group is imperative. Distributed leadership streamlines this process because it facilitates relationship-building between external and internal stakeholders of a public firm. Therefore, importing for support from them during a change initiative would be done effectively. As such, their chances of improving performance will be quite high (Borins, 2000, p. 501). Resource congruence is also imperative in translating change management to effective performance improvement. When organisations want to build effective ways of accomplishing change, they need substantial resources to do so. Distributed leadership would assist in garnering sufficient resources because all the key contributors to institutional budgets would be working regularly with members of the organisation (Jones, 2004, p. 52). Perhaps one of the most critical parameters for yielding performance improvement in change management is the actual implementation of the change process. Daily routines need to have change embedded in them. Thus, training, information technology use, job roles, even behaviour during meetings ought to reflect these new amendments. Distributed leadership would match perfectly with the constant-change model as it would cause individuals to identify areas that require improvement and also facilitate these transitions on a day-to-day basis (Pollitt, 2009, p. 291). Organisational structure and performance improvement through distributed leadership Organisational structure concerns itself with how companies distribute decision-making powers. Most public service firms are laden with bureaucracies, such that this aspect of power lies at the top of the organisational str ucture. However, in democracies, wherein elected officials, control agencies, line managers and other officers must work together, it becomes increasingly hard for ordinary employees to make decisions. Elected officials tend to safeguard as much of this power as possible (Borins, 2000, p. 505). Additionally, control agencies try to do the same. Thus, line managers may find it extremely difficult to make strategic decisions because of a myriad of rules and regulations that constrain them. These include procurement systems, human resource policies, budget instructions and auditing practice. The result of such an approach is the inability of government firms to respond to their external environment. However, in the case of distributed leadership, this attempts to break these constraints through the organisational structure. The model redistributes power, allowing members to respond creatively and speedily to the needs of their clientele. This would have been somewhat unattainable if al l employees had to wait for directions from the top of the hierarchy (Osborne, 2007, p. 13). One may presume that when organisations redistribute decision-making power, those who initially had it will lose it; but this is not always true. Modifying the point of control in also necessitates a reorientation of the form of control (Walker, 2001, p. 316). These institutions rely on different approaches other than commands and inspections to affect decision-making processes. They often commit to getting certain results and then allow flexibility in the accomplishment of those results. Some of the mechanisms employed in distributed leadership include performance measurement, determination of results that must be achieved and a responsibility towards the consequences of actions. Some public organisations cannot simply eliminate rules and procedures; therefore, the distributed model allows them to streamline those procedures with the aim of freeing firms from central control (Pollitt, 2009, p. 290). Employees in public institutions often feel frustrated by procurement and budget constraints from large systems. Consequently, they require trust from higher levels of management in order to get their job done, and this may imply loosening control from the central authorities. Perhaps another way in which distributed leadership affects performance is through community empowerment. In the context of public sector organisations, these institutions are willing to share power with communities so that they can determine service outcomes on the basis of what is available (Osborne, 2007, p. 9). The approach manifests itself through parental involvement, as well as community policing. It may also involve business associations if the public organisation focuses on these groups as their primary consumers. Obstacles to the realisation of performance improvement through distributed leadership It is a myth to presume that distributed leadership only involves collaboration. Conflict may arise during an attempt to share leadership with other persons, and if organisations do not acknowledge and deal with it, then only minimal performance improvements will be accomplished (Pollitt and Bouckaert, 2004, p.194). Sometimes when groups work together to cause organisational change, they may disagree on crucial points of reference. For instance, if an organisation works on redefining its goals and visions, then members of the institution may disagree on what constitutes as these elements. To further illustrate, public institutions have constrained resources, so many stakeholders may object to the allocation of finances (Jackson, 2000, p. 68). Some of them may believe that their portfolios warrant greater resource deployment than others. If leaders do not address these conflicts, then change may not occur, and organisations will maintain the status quo. However public firms that do employ distributed leadership models, have the opportunity to use conflict for their benefit b y consolidating divergent opinions and using them as a focal point of discussion and growth (Flessa, 2009). A case in point is a public school in which the principal wanted to achieve rapid results. He felt that accountability mechanisms were the way to go, and he quickly introduced it. Many of the teachers in the institution opposed the new system and even decided to spearhead a movement against the principal. Their actions eventually resulted in an investigation of the school. One can ascertain from this example that this conflict did not achieve performance improvement through better test scores; in reality the institution took a step back with regards to their usual achievement. Case Study Analysis Blackshire Police Force may have suffered from an overemphasis on individual leadership. A high degree of passivity existed in the institution, with many of its members failing to take responsibility for their actions (Ciulla, 2004, p. 93). When leadership lacked ambition after the de ath of the chief constable, the rest of the force also became unmotivated. Therefore, one could suggest that the force became a casualty of the deficiencies of its central leaders (Currie et. al., 2005, p. 266). This explains why their performance was abysmal. Conversely, when the force introduced a new chief constable, things changed for the better. He was open with his staff members, as well as the external community (Walshe et. al., 2009, p. 12). It is likely that this dispersion of attention away from the top may have led to the positive outcomes; however, since the force is yet to tackle other issues, then further entrenchment of distributed leadership may be imperative. Alimo-Metcalfe Alban-Metcalfe (2005, p. 60) affirm that networking is critical to the success of public sector leaders. They believe that this should entail establishing and strengthening contacts between the public institution and its internal and external community. In relation to the Blackshire Force, it se ems there was a significant lack of shareholder networking, which may have led to certain performance problems. The nature of their mandate stipulates that it is required for staff members to network and engagement with the Blackshire community. Thus, had authorities within Blackshire worked with vulnerable peoples or neighbourhoods with endemic violent crimes, they would have recorded excellent performance during the 2005 and 2006 HMC assessment (Martin et. al., 2009, p. 769). At present, the organisation is deliberating over future plans, such as scaling up or becoming part of a larger structure (Walshe et. al., 2009, p. 12). If this strategy is to sustain new performance improvement, then the organisation should consider genuine discretion of decision-making amongst its members. The force already has experts in certain areas of policing. Formal leaders will need to give up control and allow their staff members to take ownership of decisions after scaling up (Alimo-Metcalfe, 2000, p. 50). Blackshire initially had challenges with performance improvement because of a number of anomalies identified in the literature. First, the institution did not work with the external body (HMIC2) in order to improve performance (Walshe et. al., 2009, p. 12). Theoretically speaking, had a relationship with the auditing body been ensured, it would have had a better understanding of targets and performances. Distributed leadership moves beyond working with internal organisational stakeholders alone, as it also advocates for expansion of leadership to external communities (De Bruijn, 2001, p. 171). Additionally, challenges in performance management may have also arisen out a lack of the three qualities for effective systems: integration, alignment and credibility. Previously, members of the force did not understand what constitutes good performance. Therefore, credibility of the system was a challenge. They addressed this problem by clarifying their mission and values. In the fu ture, it is advisable for the force to consider input from all their members in order to boost outcomes (De Bruijn 2001). Integration of performance management with work is essential in improving performance. In the case analysis, it is not clear whether the concerned institution created an action plan for the change process. However, it is clear that most of the ideas in the turnaround came from senior management. In order to create an association between change management and performances improvement, Blackshire will need to involve more of its employees in the process of causing change (Spillane et. al., 2001, p. 28). It is likely that the organisational restructure elicited positive results due to the use of elements from distributed leadership. One of them includes building support from the Police Federation and the community members. The concept of intelligence-led policing would not have yielded any results if it occurred in isolation. Distributed leadership would cause the i nstitution to make change a strategic issue by using ideas from members on a regular basis (Muijs and Harris, 2007, p. 112). Employees in Blackshire force adhere to a traditional methodology of leadership, whereby they appear to rely heavily on central authorities to make decisions (Flessa, 2009, p. 337). Distributed leadership however, requires public firms to think about ways in which they can restructure, and hence empower their employees. The force most likely has certain experts who have specialised in different components of service provision. It will be imperative for the company to trust them with a range of decisions. In the current state, as well as in the past, the force has placed so much emphasis on central control. For greater performance improvement, the organisation should allow its employees to make decisions that directly relate to their area of expertise (Hartley Allison, 2000, p. 38). Conclusion Distributed leadership possesses certain traits that can lead to pe rformance improvement, such as, delegation, networking and openness to criticism. Delegation occurs when public organisations empower their staff to think strategically and develop solutions for impending problems. Networking occurs by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders in order to cause change. Openness to criticism occurs by genuine responses rather than as a reactionary response to others’ threatening behaviour. These qualities stem from expansion of the leadership net, empowerment of experts to make decisions throughout the organisation and valuing membership input throughout the year. Leadership is flexible and autonomous, which denotes that change management, performance management, as well as organisational structure involve everyone. The result is better communication, decision making and ownership of performance management systems. In the area of performance management, public institutions use distributed leadership to foster cooperation with exter nal bodies that conduct performance auditing. Leadership in the distributed model establishes support systems that illustrate how effective their performance management efforts are. Distributed leadership has the potential to be an antidote to problems in performance measurement, by directly involving the workforce in the development of the performance management system. It causes staff members to regard each other as partners in the performance system as they are more likely to discuss and eliminate glitches. Distributed leadership causes them to agree on goals of performance management and determine how this relates to their individual contributions. They also clarify the qualities that constitute effective performance through a coherent consensus. This leadership model, therefore, eradicates favouritism, as it increases mutual support and trust between parties. In the case of Blackshire Police Force, initially they did not network with members of the community, hence the cause of its low outcomes. Additionally, it placed too much emphasis on individual leadership. However, the implementation of distributed leadership principles led to a positive change via the cooperation of stakeholders during planning and implementation stages of performance management. Thus, Blackshire force needs to consider greater inclusiveness in managing performance. Distributed leadership may also improve performance through reorientation of organisational structure, wherein it encourages the decentralisation of decision making. Blackshire will need to enact this radically in the future. Distributed leadership leads to better handling of conflict in group collaboration. Furthermore, for future considerations, Blackshire force should embrace conflict as a learning platform. References Alimo-Metcalfe, B 2000, Effective Leadership, Local Government Management Board (now Improvement Development Agency), London. Alimo-Metcalfe, B and Alban-Metcalfe, J 2005, ‘Leadership: Time for a new direction?’, Leadership, vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 51-73. ANAO (Australian National Audit Office) 2005, ‘Performance management in the Australian Public Service’, The Auditor General Audit Report, no. 6, 1-133. Borins S 2000, ‘Loose cannons and rule breakers, or enterprising leaders? Some evidence about innovative public managers’, Public Administration Review, vol. 60 no. 6, pp. 498-507. Ciulla, J 2004, Ethics: the Heart of Leadership, Praeger, Westport. Coulson, A 2009, ‘Targets and terror: Government by performance indicators’, Local Government Studies, vol. 35 no. 2, pp. 271-281. Crosby, B Bryson, J 2005, Leadership for the common good: tackling public problems in a shared-power world, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Currie, G Lockett, A 2007, ‘A critique of transformational leadership: moral, professional and contingent dimensions of leadership within public services organizations’, Human Relations, vol. 60 no. 2, pp. 341-3 70. Currie, G, Boyett, I Suhomlinova, S 2005, ‘Transformational leadership within secondary schools in England: a panacea for organizational ills?’, Public Administration, vol. 83 no.2, pp. 265-296. De Bruijn, H 2001, Managing performance in the public sector, Routledge, London. Flessa, J 2009, ‘Educational micropolitics and distributed leadership’, Journal of Education, vol. 84 no. 6, pp. 331-349. Gronn, P 2002, ‘A Realist View of Leadership’, Paper presented at the ELO-AusAsiaon-line conference, August 6th–22nd, pp. 1-15. Harris, A 2005, Leading from the chalk-face? An overview of school leadership’, Leadership, vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 73-87. Hartley, D 2007, ‘The emergence of distributed leadership in education: why now?’, British Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 55 no. 2, pp. 202-214. Hartley, J Allison, M 2000, ‘The role of leadership in the modernization and improvement of public services’, Public M oney Management, vol. 20 no. 2, pp. 35-40. Heck, R and Hallinger, P 2005, ‘The study of educational leadership and management’, Educational Management, Administration and Leadership, vol. 33 no. 2, pp. 229-244. Hennessey, J 1998, ‘Reinventing government: does leadership make the difference?’ Public Administration Review, vol. 58 no. 6, pp. 522-532. Hodgson, L, Farrell, C and Connolly, M 2007, ‘Improving UK Public Services – A review of the evidence’, Public Administration, vol. 85 no. 20, pp. 355-382. Ingraham, P and Van Slyke, D 2006, ‘The path ahead for public service leadership’, The American Review of Public Administration, vol. 36 no.4, pp. 392-394. Jackson, D 2000, ‘The school improvement journey: Perspectives on leadership’, School Leadership and Management, vol. 20 no. 1, pp. 61-79. Jas, P Skelcher, 2005, ‘Performance decline and turnaround in public sector organisations: A theoretical and empiri cal analysis’, British Journal of Management, vol. 16 no. 3, pp. 195-210. Jones, S 2004, ‘Improving local government: One step forward not two steps back’, Public Money and Management, vol. 24 no. 1, pp. 47-55. Martin, G, Currie, G Finn, R 2009, ‘Leadership, service reform, and public-service networks: the case of cancer-genetics pilots in the English NHS’, Journal of Public Administration Research Theory, vol. 19 no. 4, pp. 769-794. Muijs, D and Harris, A 2007, ‘Teacher leadership in (in)action: three case studies of contrasting schools’, Educational Management Administration and Leadership, vol. 35 no. 1, pp. 111-134. Osborne, D 2007, ‘Reinventing government: What a difference a strategy makes’, 7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government, 26-29 June, Vienna, Austria, pp. 1-15. Pollitt, C 2009, ‘Structural change and public service performance: International lessons?’, Public Money and Management, vol. 29 no. 5, pp. 285-291. Pollitt, C and Bouckaert, G 2004, Public management reform: a comparative analysis, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Spillane, J, Halverson, R Diamond, J 2001, ‘Investigating school leadership practice: a distributed perspective’, Educational Researcher, vol. 30 no. 4, pp. 23-28. Theil, S Leeuw, F 2002, ‘The performance paradox in the public sector’, Public Performance and Management Review, vol. 25 no. 3, pp. 267-281. Walker, D 2001, ‘Great expectations: can social science evaluate New Labour’s policies?’ Evaluation, vol. 7 no. 3, pp. 305-330. Walshe, K, Harvey, G, Skelcher, C Jes, P 2009, Could do better? Knowledge, learning and performance improvement in public services. Web. Footnotes 1 Blackshire Police force was a county force that had stable leadership for decades. After the passing of its leader, the institution experienced a period of turmoil where they recorded poor performance management, as assessed throug h HMIC. Later, they got a stronger leader who involved members in organizational decisions. 2 Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Smart Phones Make People Antisocial Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Smart Phones Make People Antisocial - Term Paper Example The sole purpose of smartphones was to facilitate the people connectivity globally with ease. On the contrary, it is disconnecting those very people from others barely a touching distance away. This overdependence on smartphones on the social and economic perspective have created a lazy population who are not ready to get out of the comfort of their smartphones to physically engage in various social activities. Most commercial activities which in the past involved people venturing outdoors can now be done on the handheld devices by just a few taps on the screen such as shopping and banking services now involves just a few taps on the screen. This has limited people interaction in places such as shopping malls and banking halls, which in the past used to be blocked by hordes of people. The urge to engage in extracurricular activities in schools has been watered down by emergence of sports games that really do well on smartphones. People prefer playing their favorite game on the smartphone then go out to play physical games with the peers. A good example is a high reference in the youth on playing games like FIFA. Those games are loaded with fantasy, which is rare to get in the real world. Smartphones have brought up scenarios where one find people grouped together, but instead of chatting they are busily engaged on their devices. The devices have resulted in peers unintentionally, indirectly isolating themselves from other people, and paying little attention to their environment. Sometimes its is used as away of putting off someone whom one has little to talk about or is disinterested in engaging in talks or does not have patience for. At times smart phones are used by some people who want to look busy from other people views as a way of ignoring social responsibil ities (May & Greg 201). Most people to excuse themselves from social gathering or meetings use fake calls apps. They are usually set up such that they will indicate a fake

Thursday, February 6, 2020

The Vision Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Vision Statement - Essay Example In other words, the vision statement describes the strategic objectives of an organization that are to be accomplished in the long run. â€Å"Your vision Statement is a succinct declaration of your ideal future, usually three, five or ten years out† (Woolf, 2012). On the other hand, the mission statement describes the short-term goals of the organization. Another perspective about the difference between the vision statement and the mission statement of an organization is that the vision statement talks about the personal growth of business as wanted by the owners of an organization in the long run whereas the mission statement talks about the benefits the organization will provide the society with as it functions by delivering its goods or services to the consumers. The vision statement gives a direction to the organization. Both the vision statement and the mission statement consist of goals, but the factor that distinguishes between the two kinds of statement is the entity t hat will benefit from the achievement of those goals. Mobilink is a telecommunication company in Pakistan. The vision statement of Mobilink is, â€Å"To be the leading Telecommunication Services Provider in Pakistan by offering innovative Communication solutions for our Customers while exceeding Shareholder value & Employee Expectations† (Mobilink, 2012). ... The importance of a vision statement for an organization cannot be overemphasized. Having an appropriate vision can help an organization because the vision statement gives it direction. â€Å"Without it, it’s like setting sail in a yacht with neither a sail nor an anchor – the sail to get you there with the help of the wind, and the anchor to moor you both along the way and when you get ‘there.’† (Woolf, 2012). Once the leader of an organization knows where he/she wants to take the organization in the future, he/she decides the course of action accordingly. There are various milestones in the identified course of action leading to the attainment of the ultimate objective. For example, Mobilink’s vision statement suggests that the leader of this company needs to adopt such strategies that Mobilink is not just as good as its contemporaries in the market, but is good enough to lead them in Pakistan. Vision statement does encourage organizational change. Change is an inherent process of any organization that wants to progress. In order to be successful, the micro- and macro-culture of an organization needs to be modified so as to adapt to the changing environment and advancing technology. In case of Mobilink, if Mobilink wants to be the leading telecommunication services provider, it is imperative that it keeps advancing constantly to keep performing better than other telecommunication services providing companies in Pakistan. This requires adoption of new technology, which in turn requires constant change. Change needs to be introduced at every level. Not only the new technology is to be purchased, but also the workforce has to be provided with education and training in order to inculcate the necessary skills in them required to use the

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Water Conservation Essay Example for Free

Water Conservation Essay United States postal stamp advocating water conservation. Water conservation encompasses the policies, strategies and activities to manage fresh water as a sustainable resource, to protect the water environment, and to meet current and future human demand. Population, household size and growth and affluence all affect how much water is used. Factors such as climate change will increase pressures on natural water resources especially in manufacturing and agricultural irrigation.[1] The goals of water conservation efforts include: To ensure availability for future generations, the withdrawal of fresh water from an ecosystem should not exceed its natural replacement rate. Energy conservation. Water pumping, delivery and waste water treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy. In some regions of the world over 15% of total electricity consumption is devoted to water management. Habitat conservation. Minimizing human water use helps to preserve fresh water habitats for local wildlife and migrating waterfowl, as well as reducing the need to build newdams and other water diversion infrastructures. Contents [hide] 1 Strategies 2 Social solutions 3 Household applications 4 Commercial applications 5 Agricultural applications 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Strategies[edit] In implementing water conservation principles there are a number of key activities that may be beneficial. 1. Any beneficial reduction in water loss, use and waste of resources. 2. Avoiding any damage to water quality. 3. Improving water management practices that reduce or enhance the beneficial use of water.[2][3] Social solutions[edit] Drip irrigation system in New Mexico Water conservation programs involved in social solutions are typically initiated at the local level, by either municipal water utilities or regional governments. Common strategies include public outreach campaigns,[4] tiered water rates (charging progressively higher prices as water use increases), or restrictions on outdoor water use such as lawn watering and car washing.[5] Cities in dry climates often require or encourage the installation of xeriscaping or natural landscaping in new homes to reduce outdoor water usage.[6] One fundamental conservation goal is universal metering. The prevalence of residential water metering varies significantly worldwide. Recent studies have estimated that water supplies are metered in less than 30% of UK households,[7] and about 61% of urban Canadian homes (as of 2001).[8] Although individual water meters have often been considered impractical in homes with private wells or in multifamily buildings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that metering alone can reduce consumption by 20 to 40 percent.[9] In addition to raising consumer awareness of their water use, metering is also an important way to identify and localize water leakage. Water metering would benefit society in the long run it is proven that water metering increases the efficiency of the entire water system, as well as help unnecessary expenses for individuals for years to come. One would be unable to waste water unless they are willing to pay the extra charges, this way the water department would be able to monitor water usage by public, domestic and manufacturing services. Some researchers have suggested that water conservation efforts should be primarily directed at farmers, in light of the fact that crop irrigation accounts for 70% of the worlds fresh water use.[10] The agricultural sector of most countries is important both economically and politically, and water subsidies are common. Conservation advocates have urged removal of all subsidies to force farmers to grow more water-efficient crops and adopt less wasteful irrigation techniques. New technology poses a few new options for consumers, features such and full flush and half flush when using a toilet are trying to make a difference in  water consumption and waste. Also available in our modern world is shower heads that help reduce wasting water, old shower heads are said to use 5-10 gallons per minute. All new fixtures available are said to use 2.5 gallons per minute and offer equal water coverage. Household applications[edit] The Home Water Works website contains useful information on household water conservation.[11] Contrary to popular view, experts suggest the most efficient way is replacing toilets and retrofitting washers.[12] Water-saving technology for the home includes: 1. Low-flow shower heads sometimes called energy-efficient shower heads as they also use less energy 2. Low-flush toilets and composting toilets. These have a dramatic impact in the developed world, as conventional Western toilets use large volumes of water 3. Dual flush toilets created by C aroma includes two buttons or handles to flush different levels of water. Dual flush toilets use up to 67% less water than conventional toilets 4. Faucet aerators, which break water flow into fine droplets to maintain wetting effectiveness while using less water. An additional benefit is that they reduce splashing while washing hands and dishes 5. Raw water flushing where toilets use sea water or non-purified water 6. Waste water reuse or recycling systems, allowing: Reuse of graywater for flushing toilets or watering gardens Recycling of wastewater through purification at a water treatment plant. See also Wastewater Reuse 7. Rainwater harvesting 8. High-efficiency clothes washers 9. Weather-based irrigation controllers 10. Garden hose nozzles that shut off water when it is not being used, instead of letting a hose run. 11. Low flow taps in wash basins 12. Swimming pool covers that reduce evaporation and can warm pool water to reduce water, energy and chemical costs. 13. Automatic faucet is a water conservation faucet that eliminates water waste at the faucet. It automates the use of faucets without the use of hands. Commercial applications[edit] Many water-saving devices (such as low-flush toilets) that are useful in homes can also be useful for business water saving. Other water-saving technology for businesses includes: Waterless urinals Waterless car washes Infrared or foot-operated taps, which can save water by using short bursts of water for rinsing in a kitchen or bathroom Pressurized waterbrooms, which can be used instead of a hose to clean sidewalks X-ray film processor re-circulation systems Cooling tower conductivity controllers Water-saving steam sterilizers, for use in hospitals and health care facilities Rain water harvesting Water to Water heat exchangers. Agricultural applications[edit] Overhead irrigation, center pivotdesign For crop irrigation, optimal water efficiency means minimizing losses due to evaporation, runoff or subsurface drainage while maximizing production. An evaporation pan in combination with specific crop correction factors can be used to determine how much water is needed to satisfy plant requirements. Flood irrigation, the oldest and most common type, is often very uneven in distribution, as parts of a field may receive excess water in order to deliver sufficient quantities to other parts. Overhead irrigation, using center-pivot or lateral-moving sprinklers, has the potential for a much more equal and controlled distribution pattern. Drip irrigation is the most expensive and least-used type, but offers the ability to deliver water to plant roots with minimal losses. However, drip irrigation is increasingly affordable, especially for the home gardener and in light of rising water rates. There are also cheap effective methods similar to drip irrigation such as the use of soaking hoses that can even be submerged in the growing medium to eliminate evaporation. As changing irrigation systems can be a costly undertaking, conservation efforts often concentrate on maximizing the efficiency of the existing system. This may include chiseling compacted soils, creating furrow dikes to prevent runoff, and using soil moisture and rainfall sensors to optimize irrigation schedules.[9] Usually large gains in  efficiency are possible through measurement and more effective management of the existing irrigation system. The 2011 UNEP Green Economy Report notes that [i]mproved soil organic matter from the use of green manures, mulching, and recycling of crop residues and animal manure increases the water holding capacity of soils and their ability to absorb water during torrential rains, [13] which is a way to optimize the use of rainfall and irrigation during dry periods in the season.