Creative Writing Essay

The car sped off and all I could think was, â€Å"Who are these people and what they do they want from me? † Blindfolded and made mute by a piece of cloth that was tied amid my upper and lower jaw, I knew that what lay ahead was not for my benefit and my struggle to free myself would be futile. As tears rolled down my chin, I succumbed to the prison life that I had been entitled to and the next thing I recall was waking up in an isolated warehouse. It then hit me that I had been kidnapped. This sent chills down my spine making it hard for me to strategize a way out. I searched frantically for my phone which as I recalled was in my pocket. As I felt the phone in my pocket, my heart started pounding as anticipation and anxiety took the better part of me since I knew this could be my rescue weapon and my way out. I took out the phone and switched it on once, twice, and thrice and that is when I realized that my phone battery was missing. Tears of fear crowded my face as I knew my efforts of trying to escape were futile and doom was all that awaited me. As I gained composure, I heard a voice saying, â€Å"Ha hahahahahaha†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.so how many people have you called to the rescue†. Looking at the direction leading to the door, I saw a large stout man looking at me while smiling. This even made me more scared since I knew there was no way I would fight this guys unless there was divine intervention. He started walking towards me and with each step he took; my heart would pound twice as my knee joints became weak to the point where my legs were unable to support my body weight (Ibach 2009). And with this I fell to the ground. He stood beside me, started stroking my hair and said, â€Å"State house is your life whereas ghetto is our life. With this phone you are going to tell your father who apparently is our president to quit running for presidency or else I will blow your head off, do similar act to your siblings before I get to your father. I will be back, we make the phone call. † Uttering no other word, he stood and left. His words left me flabbergasted as I knew I was in a dilemma. One that involved risking the lives of my family or letting my father’s dream to run for presidency the second time be just a dream and not a reality. Reference Ibach, H. (2009). How to Write an Inspired Creative Brief. Michigan: iUniverse Publishers.

In the Eye of the Storm Critque Essay

In The Eye of the Storm filmed by ABC News in 1970, Jane Elliot, a teacher at Riceville Community Elementary School, puts her third grade students through an experiment to show them how horrible colored people were treated. Since 1968, Jane Elliot always has something planned for National Brotherhood Week. On Tuesday, Elliot segregates her class by the color of the students’ eyes. The brown-eyed kids were to wear special collars around their neck so they could be seen from afar. In this situation the blue-eyed kids were all around better than the brown-eyed. They got to sit in the front of the classroom, five extra minutes of recess, and went to lunch first. At recess, the brown-eyed kids were being teased by blue-eyed kids that were their best friends just a few hours before. After lunch and recess, Elliot discussed what was happening. She asked why and what was going on between friends because of the segregation. She watched her students change into discriminating little monsters in as short as one day. The next day, the brown-eyed are treated with respect instead of the blue-eyed. The blue-eyed realized that it wasn’t very fair, and apologized to the brown-eyed for the day before. Jane Elliot got her point across and asked one more favor from her students; simply respect the colored. Jane Elliot accomplished exactly what she wanted; to show her students the under treated side of segregation. One strategy that Elliot used is figurative language. She argues the idea of segregation and teaches her students how people felt and how they will always feel if the color of their skin differs. Elliot’s lesson was strongly supported by cause and effect. In the classroom situation, having brown eyes lead to being treated poorly. The blue-eyed changed into completely different kids once they were declared the â€Å"better† party. Classification is the major strategy used. Jane Elliot classified or grouped her students according to the characteristic of eye color. One group, the blue-eyed, was considered superior. The other group, the brown-eyed, were under treated and had very few privileges. By using these example strategies, and more, Jane Elliot taught her students the many disadvantages of having colored skin and she leaves her students wanting to respect all people, disregarding their physical features. Teaching me how quickly people can be judged, I enjoyed watching this film. Even though the problem of segregation by skin color isn’t as strong in our period of time, I would still recommend this short movie to teenagers. Teens tend to immediately judge people by appearance rather than personality and it’s just not fair. For example, in the movie, the children were judged in a matter of seconds because of the collar around their neck. In our world today, people are judged by the style of their hair, the price of their clothes, and more accessories that really shouldn’t matter to others. Before the lesson, blue-eyed kids all had brown-eyed friends. During the lesson the two parties were fighting like nobody’s business. This shows how quickly you can lose yourself and people that you care about. This also happens in the typical high school world. Friends go off and try new things and they stop caring about people they were once close with because two different paths of life were taken. I just think that people should do what they want, but never lose the touch of true friends no matter their appearance and judgments made by others. The true friends will never fail to have your back as long as you have theirs.

Irving Fisher

BIOGRAPHY 20. 1  Irving Fisher  (1867 -1947) Irving Fisher was born at Saugerties, New York, the son of a Congregational minister. As did his father, Fisher studied at Yale. Mathematics was his favorite subject. He won first prize in a math contest even as a freshman; his doctoral dissertation,Mathematical Investigations in the Theory of Value and Prices  (1892), was a landmark in the development of mathematical economics. This dissertation won immediate praise from no lesser figures than Francis Y.Edgeworth and Vilfredo Pareto, two renowned economists. Some 55 years later, Ragnar Frisch (eventual winner of the 1969 Nobel Prize in Economic Science) would say about Fisher: â€Å"He has been anywhere from a decade to two generations ahead of his time †¦. it will be hard to find any single work that has been more influential than Fisher's dissertation. † It is no wonder that Fisher was a full professor of political economy at Yale within seven years of graduation. He s tayed there during his entire career.Fisher's main contributions lie in the theory of utility and consumer choice, the theory of interest and capital, and the theory of statistics (index numbers, distributed lags). These contributions are reflected in such works as  The Nature of Capital and Income  (1906),  The Theory of Interest  (1907),  The Purchasing Power of Money  (1911) -a great pioneering venture in econometrics – and  The Making of Index Numbers  (1922). In the  Making of Index Numbers, Fisher tested many of the formulas introduced in this chapter by the criteria also discussed here.The few formulas that got superlative ratings (such as the  Edgeworth index  and Fisher's own  ideal index) include quantity (or price) weights from  both  of the time periods or geographic areas involved in the price (or quantity) comparison that is being made. However, the inclusion of two sets of weights tends to make the construction of such indexes costly , which is the major reason why these highly rated indexes are rarely used. (One exception: The Bureau of Foreign Commerce of the U. S.Department of Commerce calculates monthly quantity indexes of exports and imports using Fisher's formula. ) The works cited above established Fisher's reputation as the country's greatest scientific economist. As such, he served as president of the American Economic Association and was a founder and the first president of the Econometric Society. He also played a major role in the establishment of the Cowles Foundation (now at Yale) as a means to nurture mathematical and quantitative research in economics.

Cultural Dimensions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Dimensions - Assignment Example Students from both Japan and Austria were interviewed and data taken. The findings were made accordingly. Therefore, this section will explain the method used to collect relevant data. 2.1 A group of thirty students were selected for interview from Austria and Japan. These countries were chosen because they are situated in different continents: Japan in eastern Asia and Austria in central Europe. Thus, it was important to determine whether their cultures also differed due to their different geographical locations. Students were asked a number of questions using structured questions to provide an opportunity for wider answers. The reason for this is that the questionnaires had definite and very concrete questions, and were well prepared in advance to ensure that nothing was left out in terms of the cultural differences. A mixture of both open and close ended questions were used to ensure that every aspect of the emerging cultural difference between the two countries. The purpose of this research is to establish whether there exists a cultural difference between Austria and Japan countries. Students from both countries were interviewed using structured questionnaires to come up with the required data. 3.1 The data shows that Austria and Japan have differing cultural beliefs. Austria has the family as the basic unit. Their families are quite small due to the fact that they do not migrate. They devote weekends to family activities including various outdoor activities. They only believe in inviting only the close people to their groups meaning that they conduct informal communications here. Japanese also has the family as their basic society unit. They have high respect for their elders with the group being more important than the individual. This indicates that Japan is a collectivist culture since they believe in

Customer Loyalty in Airline Industry Dissertation

Customer Loyalty in Airline Industry - Dissertation Example The paper also looks for elucidating the factors that could eclipse the level and scope of loyalty towards the airline industry. In addition to this, the paper is determined to suggest solutions, which may enhance the customer satisfaction and dedication to the industry to a great extent. The current study was carried out by focusing on two different populations sharing and differing the traits and characteristics. The first study has been carried out on the individuals that were directly or indirectly associated with the airline, traveling and tourism industries, and hence will include the corporate class and community rendering services in the airline industry. Similarly, the second study has been conducted on the customers and end-users that were frequent in setting out to the journeys through airplanes, where they certainly travel through planes at least once in two months. The study demonstrated a strong association between the provision of superior services at the competitive p rice on the one side and customer dedication and loyalty on the other. Hence, the study endorsed the proposition that it was the high quality and low price of the products that played a central role in respect of obtaining customer satisfaction. The research findings endorse the price factor enquired in the research question, though it does not ratify the great significance of the brand name as an imperative factor for buying the airline services. However, the place of international brands cannot be negated altogether due to the very fact that nearly half of the population viewed brand name as an important thing in respect of retaining their loyalty and commitment. In the same way, the attitude and behavior of the crew and ground staff also matter, along with the condition, overhauling, and cleanliness of the aircraft. Besides, the customers also seek the strict observing of punctuality and regularity from their favorite airline industry. In addition to this, traditionalism is also looked for by the noteworthy proportion of the respondents in the airline industry of their choice, though innovation and modernity are always welcomed alongside conventional ways of presentations.

The Distinctive Features Of Jesus' Image In Matthew And Luke Essay

The Distinctive Features Of Jesus' Image In Matthew And Luke - Essay Example Christ is able to lead people by giving each of them the opportunity to find personal salvation as well as to continue His good work in Israel by teaching others the truth of God: â€Å"But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel† (Matthew 10:6). Jesus warns the Israelites that they will have the difficult task of discovering the truth of God to ordinary people. He tells them that they can be rejected, however, nothing and no one should break their faith in God and God's truth: â€Å"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell†. Christ explains that the Jewish people can find spiritual salvation only if their souls become a fertile ground for the grain of God's truth. Otherwise, the human soul cannot find a way to God. People should be prepared for various trials and temptations on the way of their spiritual enlightenment. Christ warns people that the way to God involves the spiritual struggle with their vices and sins. This manifestation of the Jewish wisdom of Christ is inseparable from his missionary teaching. Christ focuses on the fact that only adherence to his ethical teaching can give the possibility of salvation, and thus can open a road to eternal life. In general, the essence of the Jewish wisdom of Jesus Christ implies that all people should perceive each other as if they are brothers and sisters. Integrity, honesty and mutual assistance should be the criteria of the life of Jews.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Economics - Essay Example For this giant, coffee is not the main product but only a component of it. Starbucks is not just all about coffee but being able to relax and socialize at its warm and comfy ambiance. However as the article emphasizes, the performance of the specialty coffee shop in the market is adversely affected by the economic slowdown in the United States. As consumers try to squeeze their disposable income to cover all their expenditures, they also turn to industry players which offer coffee for a fraction of a cost of what Starbucks charge. Thus, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are eating up into the company’s shares with their cheaper alternatives. In response to this, Starbucks is test marketing $1 bottomless coffee in order to curb competition. Analysts have commented that Starbucks will lose big time with this strategy because it lowers revenue. Yet this paper argue that economically speaking, this new strategy will not erode profitability in consideration of the company’s market . The specialty coffee sector can be referred to as a monopolistic competitive market. This type of competitive environment is a middle ground between two maxims namely perfect competition and monopoly and shares characteristics of both. In monopolistic competition, the market has many buyers and sellers just like in a perfectly competitive one (Samuelson & Nordhaus 116). In the specialty coffee sector, buyers are diverse ranging from ordinary students to corporate executives while sellers like Starbucks and Gloria Jeans compete for market share. As opposed to monopolistic and perfectly competitive markets, sellers differentiate their products to appeal to customers. As discussed above, Starbucks use marketing techniques like advertising and brand name in order to set itself apart from other competitors like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts. This is very important to all companies wanting to

Research Method SPSS Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Method SPSS Report - Essay Example Consequently, the employed people are able to visit the gymnasium more than those who are unemployed. This means that the hypothesis was not true. The hypothesis here is that the average customer satisfaction increases with the increase in age groups. We therefore run the linear correlation analysis using Q2 and Q7. The results are as shown below: The coefficient of linear relationship between Q2 and Q7 is - 0.149 by Kendall’s tau_b and -0.172 by Spearman’s Correlation. This means that there is a negative linear correlation between the two variables. It implies that the increase in age groups reduces the level of customer satisfaction. Consequently, the people in the low age group are more satisfied compared to people in the older groups. The hypothesis is not true. The linear regression gives a linear regression value of 0.042. It shows that the willingness to pay increases with the increase in the weekly income in the ratio of 0.042. For a person earning a net income of  £300, he or she falls is willing to pay between 70 and 75 from the reading on the plotted output. The multiple regressions shows that the significance of the weekly income to the willingness to pay is 0.671while the bivariate linear regression shows a lower coefficient of value of 0.042. There is a wide variance between the two

Depression Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Depression Paper - Essay Example In the United States of America alone, 60% of suicide cases sprang out of clinical depression. Alarmingly, statistics show that 3.4% of people suffering from unipolar disorder do commit suicide. A person suffering from unipolar disorder loses appetite and subsequently weight; takes no interest in anything whatsoever; feelings of worthlessness and regret are prevalent; insomnia develops; and the person may display poor memory, lack of focus and introverted behavior. Unipolar order is diagnosed by the patient’s own experiences as well as behavioral changes and disorders observed and reported by family. There are no tests as such but behavioral analysis techniques are employed in diagnosis. If not treated at an early age, it may worsen the condition subsequently affecting the patient’s physical and mental health. Bipolar disorder is also known by its common name as manic-depressive disorder or in short as manic depression. Sufferers of manic disorder experience weird burst s of energy resulting in hyper moods. On the other hand, they may also experience bouts of depression. In rare cases, an individual may be the target of both types of symptoms. These moods may be buffered by what is termed normal behavior. However, in some individuals, one type of mood is followed by the opposite resulting in continuous ups and downs. This is clinically termed rapid cycling, the alternating between two â€Å"poles†, hence the name. In extreme cases, bouts of manic depression may cause delusional behavior as well as hallucinatory experiences. There are further categories of this disorder to better help diagnose cases. The diagnosis for bipolar disorder is similar to the former kind: self-reported symptoms or symptoms and behavioral abnormalities reported by friends or family are analyzed. Clinical analysis entails sessions with a psychologist. The difference between the two is thus obvious: unipolar disorder causes patients to lose all taste for life; and bipo lar disorder causes its patients to have mood swings, sometimes causing unpleasant experiences. There are two main theories concerning what causes unipolar disorder. The first theory, the biopsychsocial model, states that clinical depression may be caused by biological, psychological and social causes, as the name hints. The other theory, diathesis stress model argues that a pre-existing anomaly (or diathesis) is triggered by distressing stimulus resulting in unipolar disorder. This anomaly can be either hereditary or generic, or acquired through experience. Very similarly, the roots of bipolar disorder in a patient may be genetic though outside stimulus is also a major cause. A patient’s environment plays a large part in the ailment taking hold. A person’s environment or repetitive exposure to disturbing situations may act as catalyst in the ailment fully taking hold. Physiological abnormalities or deficiencies, particularly the size and shape of the brain may also ca use bipolar disorder. Medication is largely used for treating both types of disorder. For unipolar disorder, antidepressants are prescribed to patients as well as psychotherapy. In some cases, electric shocks (electroconvulsive therapy or ECT) as also administered under a general anesthetic. The type of psychotherapy also varies depending upon the severity of the case as well as the age bracket of the patient. Children and young people are normally given CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. According to

Why Price Momentum Is Contrary to the Efficient Markets Hypothesis Assignment

Why Price Momentum Is Contrary to the Efficient Markets Hypothesis - Assignment Example The cash flow shocks, if embedded within the pricing, the price momentum can be observed. Or in a generalized manner, embedding any shock in the stock pricing implies the presence of price momentum.Shivakumar (2006) agrees that this phenomenon does seem contrary to the efficient market hypothesis, whereby, the hypothesis state that information is readily and equally available to all investors to ensure that the decision making of each is the differential amongst their strategy because the strategy is derived from information on which a decision is made. This concept is also agreed upon by Subrahmanyam (1998), Fama (1998) and Martin (2003) during their analytics on this model. Along similar lines, if information available to everyone is the same, then there is a consistency of information available in the market. Thus, a competitive environment shall prevail. However, this phenomenon exists in idealistic situations only, and on a general note, factors such as insider-trading, using pr ivileged information and so on do exist in markets globally. Subsequently, there are shockers – shocking news in the market – that prevail and the price of a stock fluctuates according to these shocks that can either be negative or positive; the former slides stock prices down, and the later carries it up, and the force that takes it up or down is known as the ‘price momentum’.Additionally, if the assumption of efficient market hypothesis would prevail, then equal information shall be available to all, and there would be presence of ‘shock absorbers’, because since an information would not just be available for certain individuals but for everyone, therefore, there would be not much of a shock for people to know about the case.

Finance Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Principles - Essay Example An investor will thus, take care of the rate of return to expect and the risk level exposed in the capital market in making a decision on stock and bond allocation. Equity and bond portfolio investment in U.S capital market: Equity investment; An equity investment is supposed to provide long term value growth and the possibility of dividend income. The value of shares can at some time become volatile by being either declining or a rising trend in the overall market period. The stock market index in U.S has being declining in the recent past due to the financial wrangles being witnessed in Europe. The future economic growth of the country is promising to be positive which is a clear picture that in future the prices of the stock will raise. Thus, as a fund manager the current stock prices are in the best lowest prices when I should consider buying for future profit making from sale of the shares in the future. Also, with an economic growth prospects the shares are likely to generate d ividends which will be of benefit to the investor’s economic potential. Bond investment; A bond investment represents a fixed income investment because it attracts a fixed rate of interest and a known maturity time4. The value of a bond investment is determined by the movement of the market interest rates. If the interest rates are high, the price of the bond is low and at the time when the rates of interest are low, the bond price will be high. The interest level of a bond represents the risk level of a bond. The bond market in U.S assessment shows a challenge to fixed income investors because of the way it is associated to the European market which is facing a debt crisis5. This is because the performance of the bond in U.S capital market in the time to approach is likely to be determined by how the events will unfold in Europe6. There has being development of discouraging news from the European market of possible government default in paying back loans, bank crisis and the possibility of euro break up. This has lead to investors demanding a flight to quality on U.S treasury bonds and a poor performance on high yield bonds and emerging debt markets. The flight to quality response by the investors has resulted to the fall of 10- year note to record lows of 2011 with its price rising. This mean of seeking safety has outweighed prospects of earning meaningful long term returns7. Investing in U.S treasury is thus, pegged on a deteriorating of the European market. The expected economic growth in 2012 poses a risk to treasury bonds due to the inflation uptick that may rise which has a negative effect on bond prices. Investing in high yield bonds currently has an unknown future interest earning due to the debt crisis in Europe which can only get better if the crisis are solved to the fullest. Asset allocation; As an investor deciding to invest in the equity and bond market in the American market, the return level and risks associated with two assets due to t he global economic events needs to be allocated with care. From the assessment of the two assets investment opportunities, investing in the stock market is more favorable to an investor than in the bond market for future returns of the investment8. Market performance of any asset has usually being uncertain towards how in future the returns from the assets investment will perform9. This means that an investor has to come up with a portfolio arrangement that will try to caution massive losses from investing in only one asset that seem to have positive future returns. The portfolio investment need to allocate much percentage to an asset that has

Re-Branding Sunsilk Back Into the UK Hair Market Essay Example for Free

Re-Branding Sunsilk Back Into the UK Hair Market Essay Originally launched in the Netherlands in 1956, Sunsilk provides haircare solutions in 80 countries around the globe. No matter the hair type or problem, we have the products and the know how to make your hair feel and look beautiful. Our passion in life is to help women celebrate looking beautiful everyday, anywhere. Bad hair days are history Take on life with confidence and consign bad hair days to the bin with Sunsilk. Our range of products incorporates various natural ingredients and extracts with their own specific properties; chamomile for cleansing without limpness, ginseng extract for strength and more for any and all requirements. Get great advice and tips on hair care from us too. Key facts * Number 1 in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East * Sales of more than â‚ ¬1 billion a year * Sells in 80 countries * Also sold as Elidor, Hazeline, Seda and Sedal * Recent awards: Holds the Guinness world record for the most heads of hair washed and styled in one day Sunsilk is a hair care brand, primarily aimed at women, produced by the Unilever group, which is now considered the worlds leading company in hair conditioning and the second largest in shampoo[1]. Sunsilk is Unilever’s leading hair care brand, and ranks as one of the Anglo-Dutch conglomerates â€Å"billion dollar brands. Sunsilk shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products are sold in 69 countries worldwide. Sunsilk is sold under a variety of different names in markets around the world including Elidor, Seda and Sedal. The brand is strongest in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and is the number one hair care brand in India, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. * 1954 – Sunsilk first launched in the UK.  * 1955 – First advertisement of Sunsilk appeared on TV. * 1964 – Launch of Sunsilk hair spray. * 1968 – Sunsilk shampoo re-packaged in PVC bottles. * 1971 – Launch of Sunsilk conditioner. * 1975 – Sunsilk became the biggest name in hair care. * 2003 – Sunsilk glossy magazine launched in Argentina. * 2008 – Social networking site Gang of Girls was introduced in India. First advertising Sunsilk began advertising in 1955 with a campaign that focused on specific hair issues. In the UK, the campaign focused on shiny hair. During the 1960s, a television commercial of Sunsilk featured a tune composed by John Barry, â€Å"The girl with the sun in her hair†, which proved so popular that it was subsequently released as a pop single. Sunsilk radio commercials were aired in 1969 featuring Derek Nimmo to support the new Sunsilk Herb shampoo for problem hair called â€Å"Hairy Tales†. In the early 1970s, Sunsilk was advertised with the slogan â€Å"All you need is Sunsilk†. Celebrity associations Madonna, Shakira, Marilyn Monroe, and Marian Rivera all featured in Sunsilks 2008 advertising campaign â€Å"Life Can’t Wait†[3] which launched with a Super Bowl XLII spot. The philosophy behind the campaign was about girls taking positive steps to gain better control of their lives â€Å"Hair On = Life On†. Actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is the brand ambassador for Sunsilk in India. [4] In 2009, singer Delta Goodrem was announced as the face of Sunsilk in Australia. The singer and her music have since featured in several Sunsilk adverts.[5] In 2007, British girlband Girls Aloud launched a campaign for Sunsilk after securing a sponsorship deal worth over  £1,000,000.[6] Members Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Walsh and Sarah Harding all represented the brand, which included shooting a television commercial. Sunsilk also sponsored their following tour. Magazine In 2003, Sunsilk (Sedal) launched the first hair only glossy magazine in Argentina aiming to communicate to the professional hair industry. More than 800,000 copies are published each month. The magazine focuses on hair, fashion and beauty issues as well as showcasing hairdressers’ work. It is sold locally on news stands and distributed to hair salons. Gang of Girls In 2008, Sunsilk India launched a social networking site called Gang of Girls [7], which offered its users access to a variety of local and global experts to address various hair care needs through its content, blogs and live chat room. The site includes rich content of hair care and fashion, and users can also take part in interactive games and quizzes.In 2011, Sunsilk was listed in The Brand Trust Report published by Trust Research Advisory. Co-Creation collaboration From 2009 Sunsilk started working with a number of professional hair experts to develop new and improved products. Each hair â€Å"issue variant links to an expert† with the relevant specialist hair knowledge. For example, Dr Francesca Fusco, a New York dermatologist, co-created a â€Å"hairfall† variant for the brand. The line up also includes: Jamal Hammadi for Black Shine, Rita Hazan for Vibrant Colour, Teddy Charles for Plumped Up Volume, Thomas Taw for Damage Reconstruction, Ouidad for Defined Curls and Yuko Yamashita inventor of Japanese hair straightening process YUKO for Perfect Straight. Availability Sunsilk is available in over 60 countries worldwide. However Sunsilk products seem to be no longer available in the United States. The Sunsilk website has a list of countries where their products are sold, the USA is not one of them.

Television Public Service Broadcasting In India

Television Public Service Broadcasting In India Despite having global presence through two international channels from its bouquet, Doordarshan still lacks critical acclaim and popularity. After 50 years of its existence, it is far away from being a responsible public broadcaster producing quality programmes considering the technological up-gradations. This article tries to review the long 50 years of television public broadcasting in India, beginning with exploring its origin in 1959, travelling through the mile stones in broadcasting, and concluding at analyzing the pitfalls and challenges ahead, as against other PBS in the world. This is purely a qualitative study based on textual analysis. Key Words Public Service Broadcasting, Doordarshan, AIR, Prasar Bharati, SITE, Propaganda, BBC, CNN, LPG Policy, Satellite Television, Carnegie document Introduction For many in India, television still means Doordarshan, the only visual Public Service Broadcasting in India. The emergence of television in India in 1959 kindled several prospects of making the medium a facilitator of public education and social service since, in a country like India, a public broadcasting can play a very crucial role in eradicating illiteracy and social superstitions considering the multi-religious and multi-cultural population it holds. The idea of a public service broadcaster, as against the dominant American model of market-driven commercial broadcaster, is of utmost importance for a fast developing country like India, where it has to cater diverse audience, culture and language. Having accessible to 92% of population, the expectations of Doordarsshan as an active social commentator and guide is quite obvious. Public service broadcasting in its ideal form is driven by a sincere vision of providing accessible, diverse, independent and high-quality content to citiz ens. But this concept is losing ground, as 24 hour satellite channels altering the entertainment and educational need and perceptions of public to a greater extend which result in the tapering demarcation between commercial and public service broadcasting in India. However, when comparing with the other public service broadcasters in the world like BBC, ABC, and CBS, Indian public service broadcasting rarely get mentioned in International discourses. A service that could have made revolutions in social upliftment and every sectors of social life is struggling to get audience and their attention. Television in India, which celebrated its 50th year of existence in India, pose several concerns for Prasar Bharathi, the autonomous body ruling the public service media- AIR and Doordarshan, to rethink their strategies and programme quality. The proliferation of satellite commercial broadcasters made the road even punitive for the public broadcasters whose major source of financial income i s mainly the government fund. However recently, Doordarshan is again giving a ray of hope that it could make changes as a public broadcaster, but the revolution is very much gradual. This is evident in some of its liaison and joint venture with private channels in broadcasting programmes like Satyameva Jayate. The rationale for the failure of public broadcasting ranges from political patronage, bottlenecks to financial system and lethargic attitude towards broadcasting. Television as a social educator- an initial undertaking Even though experiments in television broadcasting were initiated during the 1920s in US and Europe, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was reluctant to accept the demand from the educational institutions, politicians, industrialists and the middle-class in urban areas for the introduction of television in India (Kumar, 2000). The government felt that television is only a luxury that is not affordable for a nation like India, which is only in its genesis to reach economically stable. However, in 1958, Philips demonstrated the television usages in an exhibition at New Delhi, the capital of India, who also put forward an offer to provide Indian government with low cost transmitters. UNESCOs grant of $20,000 for the purchase of community receivers together with United States offer of some equipment was least unacceptable for the Ministry, which gave a green signal to it on an experimental basis. But the sole purpose was to inspect what a system like television can do to develo pmental programmes and formal education in India. On September 1959, under the department of AIR (All India Radio), a Television Centre was established in New Delhi, having low power transmitter, the range of which was only 40 Kilometers around Delhi. Unlike today, television was not a part of every household, but it was provided at about 180 teleclubs, situated around New Delhi. Social education programmes began to be telecasted twice a week each of 20 minutes duration. The programmes were modest, advising public about some hygienic activities. The Federal Republic of Germany helped in setting up a movable studio at New Delhi and, on 1965 august, apart from these social education programmes, entertainment and information programmes were introduced. By 1967, the duration of the service was increased to 3 hrs and the range of transmitter too was extended to 60 Kilometers encompassing more areas reaching to neighboring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The most significant progra mme was Krishi Darshan (1967) with the help of Department of Atomic Energy, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the Delhi Administration and the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The great man and visionary behind the broadcasting development in India is Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the brain behind the Indian Space exploration, who believed that satellite television system could bring in further reach to social and economical developments and make the communication system in India more potential(Singhal Rogers, 2001). As per his vision, a National Satellite Communication Group (NASCOM) was established in 1968. It recommended a broadcasting system in which communication satellites and ground based microwave relay transmitters will be used. Accordingly, in 1969, Department of Atomic Energy signed an agreement with NASA for the loan of a satellite free of cost for a year for a pilot experiment project called SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment) which took off on August 1975. The service used NASAs ATS- 6 satellite to broadcast programmes directly through the satellite to the receivers or community sets installed at schools (through earth transmitters) at 2400 villages, spread over six states- Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The programmes on education, agriculture, health and family planning, were broadcasted four hours a day from earth stations at Delhi and Ahmedabad. Programs were planned and produced by AIR with the help of government representatives, academicians and social workers at productions in Delhi, Hyderabad and Cuttack. To add with it, ISRO too set up its own Audio- Visual instruction Division to plan and produce programmes according to schedule. Of these four hours, one and a half period was aimed at children of primary and pre-primary schools. Since the satellite had only one video channel and two Audio channels, programmes could be transmitted only to two synchronized languages with same picture (Kumar, K.J; 2000) hence 22 minutes each day in Telugu, Kannada, Oriya and Hindi languages. Even though programmes relating to agriculture, family planning, health and education had some effect on the public, it didnt made a deep mark in the societal and educational development in India. A SITE evaluation Studies was instituted by the Planning Commission and Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad who concluded that there were no appreciable gains in the adoption of agricultural practices or family planning methods. Technologically too, SITE encountered many problems. By the first month itself, half of the TV receivers were out of order giving valuable learning experience for software and hardware people of the media. But despite its failure, SITE was the most ambitious step taken by the country in the television broadcasting. Nuances with Other Public Broadcasters John Reith, the first Director General of BBC opined that broadcasting should not be driven by market considerations, but should be reflecting high cultural standards. As such a license payment system was introduced so as to make fund for the financial activities of BBC and to increase their responsibility towards the public. Until the emergence of other private and satellite channels, commercials were unknown to BBC. But even when the competition enhanced among the broadcasters upon commercials, BBC almost relied on license payment as their main revenue source. Because of the fear of public protest, care is always given to adhere to their policies and accountability to their viewers. Today BBC has branched into different channel catering to al sections of the socity like BBC News, BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge CBeebies etc. BBC Learning, an online forum for all age groups spans a wide range of activities from programmes and resources for Schools and the Open University to educat ional interactive programmes like language learning, specific subject classes etc. It provides high quality learning resources on television, radio and online. In America, Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), a non-profit institution created in 1967, funding Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), is vested with the responsibility of public service broadcasting. Even though considered as a market driven broadcasting, the quality and the role played by a non-profit broadcasting corporation is worth conferring. It is engaged primarily in the production, acquisition, distribution or dissemination of educational and cultural television or radio programmes and it meets the needs of the public. It is written in their Broadcasting Congressional Declaration Policy that the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities (http://www.cpb.org/aboutpb/act/). Even though institutional setup is quite similar to Prasar Bharathi, program quality and diversity is incomparable. In Japan too, like India, broadcasting began as a public operation by Nippon Hoso Kokkai (NHK) in 1926, but the social responsibilities are defined in the broadcasting law. The concept of self-regulation, social responsibilities and public interest requirement of media are as key concepts to achieve the harmony between freedom of speech and expression and social order under the liberal and democratic system (Kishore, 2003). The earnestness and sincerity of public broadcasting is evident in the NHK Business Report which says, We aim at Broadcasting that is trustworthy and approachable. We will always be aware of the audience, make full use of new media such as the Internet, and establish two way communications by absorbing many opinions, and reflecting them in the contents. In view of the new age of multiple media in the 21st century, we will endeavor to strengthen the basis of public broadcasting by enhancing the connection with the audience. (NHK Official Website) Even though public service broadcasting of radio in India started in the BBC model of transmission, television didnt maintain this status quo. Doordarshan, since its inception, relied on government fund and later on in commercials, even though license was in currency until 1985. As said earlier, the control of broadcasting was completely vested upon government and hence left no chance of public commitment. By 1985, in the great television boom, advertising revenues allowed the abolition of license fees on television enabling the expansion of Doordarshan services. Committees appointed at different period, had diverse views on the control of PBS in India. Ashok Chanda Committee (1966) recommended for an institutional change to liberate the rigid financial and administrative procedures of the government because according to them it is not possible for a creative medium like broadcasting to flourish under a regime of departmental rules and regulations. Like BBC, it urged for a corporatio n set up by an Act of Parliament. But B.G Varghese Committee recommended an autonomous Trust called Akash Bharati which should be independent, impartial and autonomous, also under an Act of Parliament. In the wake of LPG Policy itself, there were uprisings from the part of administrators and officials to free the public broadcaster from the clutches of political administration. The demand for autonomy for the broadcast media was gaining increasing support. Even though the National Front Government introduced the Prasar Bharati Bill in the first Parliamentary session in January 1990 to grant autonomy to broadcast media, the Bill was kept quiescent until 1997. Witnessing the proliferation of satellite channels, thinking that privatization will be the refreshing factor, government waved green signal to the Act on September 1997. Thus the Prasar Bharathi Board came into existence under whose supervision and guidance public service broadcasting survive till date. The major drawback was the inability to put the Prasar Bharati Bill into force when it was passed in 1990, which was the pertinent time, and when it was passed, it became too late, as the media scene became crowded with private satellite broadcasters, where Doordarshan became a mere cacophony. By analyzing the history of other public broadcasters of the world, it is evident that India probably may be the only broadcaster that delayed the recognition and formation of independent public service broadcaster, even though the facility and service began decades before. It took almost four decades to make Public Broadcasting freed from the clutches of Government regime, but as it is formed as an act of Parliament, it still prevails under government consent and mercy. At the initial stage, programmes were only in English and Hindi. Later, upon Varghese Committee recommendations a three- tier system of broadcasting was introduced- National, regional and local- catering to diverse culture and language. At present Doordarshan operated through a network of 1400 terrestrial transmitter that cover almost 91% of population having 10 National Channels, 41 Regional and State Networks and two International Channel (DD Bharati, DD India). Even though AIR too come under the same governance of Prasar Bharati, they absolutely lack political coordination between them, making both work like separate entity. Amidst the Satellite Boom! The introduction of colour television prior to the Asian games was an appreciating step taken by the broadcasting ministry. Nevertheless the sale of TV sets too soared as the people wish to watch the games form their drawing rooms itself. But the Indian economy was still dwindling because of its policy of self reliance, closing doors to the rest of the world in fear of cultural imperialism. This was in fact the best time for Doordarshan to stamp its presence as a responsible public broadcaster by telecasting everlasting developmental stories. However, as a result of LPG (Liberalization, Privitization and Globalization) Policy in 1991, CNN was the first private channel to operate in India through the live coverage of Gulf war in 1991.Subsequently, Star TV owned by the media mogul Murdoch went on air with its four channels. It was a thunder hit for the public broadcaster Doordarshan since the newly came channels concentrated more on entertainment and refreshing programmes, whether Door darshan was still dwindling on defining its role. While Doordarshan as a mass medium had succeeded enormously with development support communication initially and reached out to marginalize sections with local content in far-flung areas of the country, it had failed desperately in its agenda of social development and communication, when the sudden inflow of satellite channels and foreign programmes conquered the small screens. Doordarshan responded to the proliferation of satellite channels through two veneer- increasing the number of channels and restructuring the contents. Hence, its four second channels operating in Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Lucknow operating their regional services, were merged into a single national channel named DD2 or DD Metro, which turned to be a pure entertainment channel with soap operas, film based programmes, sit-coms, game shows etc. Later on in the subsequent months, the coverage of this new channel was extended to include 18 more cities which now reach at almost everywhere in India. The DD 1 remained under the banner of development programming, along with the news bulletins, for which it was introduced in 1959. In order to compete with the growing popularity of STAR TV and Zee TV, Doordarshan started a 24 hr satellite movie channel through INSAT 2B, dubbed Movie Club, showing Hindi and English hit movies. However the channel was abolished four years later since its viewersh ip declined because of its regular broadcasting of flop movies and its repeated telecasts. DD 3, a channel launched for current affairs and arts, also died off with political interruptions. Amidst all this odd, Doordarshan now maintains 10 National channels, about 40 regional channels and two international broadcasting. Nevertheless, despite the introduction of new channels and programs, Doordarshan still is not able to reclaim the legacy that it enjoyed few years before the introduction of satellite channels. By 1996, there were almost 20 satellite and cable channels vying up for commercials for their survival apart from state broadcaster, which only increased by 2001 to occupy almost 250 channels, there by splitting the advertising revenue radically, affecting the state broadcaster depending upon commercials as well. The remarkable shift in the content orientation of Public broadcaster began when Doordarshan being unable to find programs to run 24 hour long in DD 2, leased time to private channels. As such MTV, the icon of western culture, conquered that opportunity, swiftly moving from STAR TV to DD 2 in 1994. As Sinha (1996) opined, this decision resulted in a mockery of the public broadcasting as a whole as Information and Broadcasting Minister K.P Singh Deos retorting in 1993 that cultural invasion by satellite television will be met with Doordarshans indigenous programming strategy. A shift from state- domination to market dominated system, was both unwelcoming for a public broadcasting like Doordarshan in a developing country and inevitable as the source of income is otherwise limited to government fund. Shakthiman and Surabhi initially collected many commercials but later on its audience began to be swept away by the private channels because of the formers diminishing programme quality and repetitive themes, which led to the proliferation of the private channels which put forward attractive and novel concepts of programming. Moreover, as said earlier, since Doordarshan drastically failed in its definition of development communication, amidst the satellite channel revolution, it failed to position itself as either a responsible public broadcaster or a commercial broadcaster. In the social responsibility theory, the media has certain obligations to society to serve its needs rather than the market. It expects journalists to answer societys need for truth, requires an open and diverse debate on public issues, and honest updates of current events. In this model, media ethics is automatic because the press is free to serve its purpose for the public, as opposed to special interest groups or advertisers (Coleman, B; 2009). Constraints by the organizational setup of Prasar Bharatu, public broadcasting in India took an entirely distinct meaning that of a low production quality broadcasting (Vasanti, 2009) Political Broadcasting or Propaganda Machine Realizing the potential of public service broadcasting, BBC model of radio broadcasting was adopted in India on 1930s. Since its inception and mainly after independence, it had been under the prejudices of Congress Party, who were ruling India for decades after independence. As Jeffrey (2006) pointed, after independence the legacy of broadcasting came under the control of Congress party, who put their own experiences, ideas and prejudices into media policy and most of the policy makers were hostile and ignorant towards media. In the case of television, perhaps, Indira Gandhi is the first Minister who recognized the potentiality of television for political propaganda. By 1970, the number of television sets drastically increased as the popularity of both the television sets and Indira Government soared. It was during the emergency period (June 26, 1975- January 1977) that great developments occurred as far as broadcasting is considered, even though it is considered as the darkest period for print media and for the society at large. By 1976, seven more transistors began to be operated in different parts of India- Bombay, Srinagar, Amritsar, Pune, Calcutta (Kolkatta), Madras (Chennai) and Lucknow. As per the Chanda Commission report, television and Air was separated in haste making television broadcasting a separate department, realizing the wide acceptability of this new medium among the public. It did almost nothing for the sake of society and was moving away from its social responsibilities for which it wa s introduced, but making itself as a propaganda machine for the Congress Government. DD 3 was initially planned as a channel dedicated to arts, dance, drama and current affairs, but was scrapped days before its expected launch in 1994 by then Congress Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao. Doordarshan planned to revamp its current affairs programme through this new channel making use of its monopoly of live broadcasting. This would have brought credibility and authenticity to its news service. However, Doordarshan being politically dominated, the survival of it was hardly possible amidst the strict invigilation of Ministry. The Congress government thought that the failure of their party in the by- election in some southern states is due to the activism of Doordarshan in current affairs, and that they felt this new channel could act against them in the coming elections also. By this termination, Doordarshan lost its opportunity to capture audience credibility as well as the market through its live coverage. It the next year, however, DD3 was re-launched with only to peter out within a few days due to financial burden as per the government. It was only in 2003 that Doordarshn again came out with a 24 hour news channel, replacing DD2. Hence Doordarshan always was expected to be politically committed to the government that decided its fate as well as failure. For instance in the post- emergency election campaign, Indira Gandhi ordered the Delhi Station to screen Bobby'(1974), a blockbuster film, in order to minimize the crowd at the oppositions partys rally. As Jeffrey (2006) pointed out amidst the envious tradition of media freedom, English speaking journalists and expanding electronic industry, the AIR and Doordarshan could not mold itself into a flexible and fast moving organization mainly because of its government clutches. Since its inception, public broadcasting continuous to face two major concerns the amount government control and the public broadcasters stand in political discussion. Even after forming Prasar Bharathi Board, this apprehension con tinuous as Prasar Bharati is still answerable to government because the source of funding is from government. Despite the rich and highly experienced human resources they possess, sincerity towards the duty as a social broadcaster was never performed by the officials. They are only answerable to the Parliament, not to the public, unlike BBC. Red tapism, beurocracy and bottle necks are rampant over the corridors. Lack of transparency, both in the managerial and financial take away the credibility of Doordarshan among the audience. The news bulletins broadcasted in DD1 AND DD News is premeditated in such a way that no opposition parties will get ample positive representations. This makes the programmes partial, unbalanced, discriminatory and subjective, in a country where there is absolute freedom of expression. Failures within! Public Broadcaster must be a powerful instrument of social, cultural and political development rather than just an alternative consumer service. There are some general consensuses about a Public Service Broadcaster despite its place of origin- i) the signals must be available to all devoid of any discrimination of caste, creed or religion, ii) the programmes should be of good quality for the public good and social enlightment taking into consideration the diverse audience and needs, and iii) it should be independent, autonomous and free from political and religious pressure. As far the public broadcasting of India is concerned, first criteria mentioned is well implemented, but back dropped in the other two. Even before the onslaught of satellite channels, Doordarshan was falling into the trap of overt entertainment by concentrating on soaps like Buniyaad and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, film musical shows like Chitrahar, Rangoli, the ideal period which could have been wisely used to make quality programmes. The opportunity was massive as it can be considered as a golden period of Doordarshan since it had the strong support from the part of audience whose only visual experience was through this channel. As a public broadcaster Doordarshan miserably failed in utilizing this period to build a strong stand of development communication and nature of programming. The invasion of mediasphere by the satellite channels wouldnt have made much impact on the public broadcaster if they would have made use of the monopoly they were enjoying. After the satellite channel boost, the road was unclear and tough as satellite channels backed with incisive financial support and quality maintiaing human resource began to conquer the households. Since it is not a profit and loss enterprise like commercial channels, it does not have the requisite push for better programming. Another major reason for their failure is their inefficiency or laggardness in considering the different notions of development. Till this period, development communication is only limited to agriculture (e.g. Karishi Darshan) and agro-related programmes, though India is basically an agrarian society. Human development, social and cultural development and development in science and technology, industry, small scale industry etc are almost neglected. Except for only a countable programmes like Surabhi, Programme by Prof .Yaspal, World this week by Prannoy Roy, Ankom Deki by Nalini Singh etc, it is not taking the don of an agent of social change in the Indian Public sphere. Minorities, ethnics and aboriginals are not given enough representations, space, and time by the public broadcaster, making them underrepresented. If Doordarshan has actively intervened in these areas of tribes, aboriginals, minorities etc it would have been a good opportunity for Doordarshan in the social reconstru ctions and society rebuilding. In the area of news as well, Doordarshan has failed dejectedly as often editorial decision is vested upon political patronage. The scrapped DD3 is a satisfactory example. It is not able to mould effective and powerful public opinion, plat form for discussion and debate and participations. For instance, News Bulletins are the trade mark of Doordarshan, which they boast as the perfect way of presenting current affairs to the society. The embargo imposed upon DD3 when it was introduced in 1985, created a cleft in its journey to attain incomparable position as a current affairs channel. As a reprisal, Doordarshan still follows the very old traditional method of news processing and dissemination, that seems to be mechanical and peripheral with no depth or investigative which often looks like government declarations and gazette. It often fails to get ample international news and footages because it lacks cooperations, sharing, and give and take from international news agencies and media gr oups. To add with the anguish, Doordarshan broadcasted programmes according to their national mandate not taking into consideration the diverse culture and linguistics of the nation. When channels are becoming more and more localized and niche-casted, as Agrawal, Raghaviah (2006) opined, one short coming Doordarshan faced was its Delhi-centric view of India especially in news coverage. Even though having innumerable regional channels, their authority is always vested with the centre. Though Doordarshan has the largest number of channels in its bouquet (see appendix 1), due to the lack of innovation, novelty and quality, it left itself to be the medium of villagers and low-income people, who have no other choice, but to content with the contents of the free broadcasting. 65% of population has access to satellite channels either through cable connection or DTH, thanks to the technological growth, but Doordarshan is viewed gravely by the remaining few. Doordarshan has not taken any strategy to take into considerations these minority viewers by effectively activating them through informative developmental programmes as media plays a vital role in nation building as a viable channel of development communication. It was in this concept that Rogers interpreted Diffusion of Innovation theory. Mass media channels are more effective in creating knowledge of innovations among the society where it will diffuse and spread through interpersonal communication. But this is not m ade use by Doordarshan even though has amble space for proper development communication. Even though Doordarshan entered into the media race by increasing the channels number and altering its contents, it was never considered as a strong competitor by other commercial channels due to its clichà ©d and outdated contents and poor telecast and presentation quality. The management structure and political pressure were the two main factors for the technological backwardness of public service broadcasting in India. In spite of the formation of Prasar Bharathi Corporation, it was not able to maintain autonomy as the management was always at the mercy of the ruling party. Doordarshan have the number one geographical coverage on Indian Population of 92% but it miserable fails to cater these populations with the use of modern technologies like online broadcast, internet protocol television formats and OB van broadcasts which is quite commonly utilized by commercial channels. For any television industry whether commercial or public broadcaster, the threat is evident in the proliferation of new media technologies like online content delivery, social networking sites, blogs etc, where contents are updated every seconds. When many of the commercial channels have taken the new online platform as a complimentary step rather than adversary by making the new technologies for catering interactive relationship with audience (through their effective websites, audience forum, enquiry board etc), Doordarshans online presence is just synonymous to a mere programme chart. The reason for the technological backwardness lies at the point that the focus of Indian broadcasting since 1970s had been largely on hardware expansion, not the quality maintenance. For instance after 1982, the agenda was each transmitter a day which has now become 1400 terrestrial transmitters altogether. Even though it made possible for the proliferation of television in rural areas, it didnt do much to improve the software techniques or quality aspects. In 1982, P.C Joshi committee was appointed to prepare the software plan for Doordarshan- An Indian Personality for Television. The report had ambitiously discovered the pitfalls of Public broadcasting in India and had come up with viab

Characteristics of the leadership process

Characteristics of the leadership process Stogdills definition has three key components. First, it defines leadership as an interpersonal process in which one individual seeks to shape and direct the behaviour of others. Second, it sets leadership in a social context. In which the members of a group to be influenced are subordinates or followers. Third, it establishes a criterion for effective leadership in goal achievement, which is one practical objective of leadership theory and research. Most definitions share these processual, contextual and evaluative components. Some key charachteristics of the leadership process Leadership is a process of influencing others primarily through the use of noncorecive influence techniques. This charachteristics distinguishes a leader from a dictator. Leadership influence is goal directed to attain defined group or organisational goals There are five approaches to the study of leadership: Trait spotting: attempts to identify the personality trait and other related attributes of the effective leader in order to facilitate the selection of leaders. Style counselling :attempts to characterize different leadership behaviour patterns to identify effective and ineffective leadership styles. In order to improve the training and development of leaders. Context fitting: contingency theories which argue that the effectiveness of particular leadership behaviours is dependent on the organisational and cultural setting, which can also facilitate leadership awareness and training. New leadership perspective approaches: which identify new leaders, superleaders and transformational leaders as heroic and inspirational visionaries who give purpose and direction to others, with an emphasis on senior executives and politicians whose motivational role is said to be central to organisational strategy and effectiveness. Dispersing the role: a recent perspective which notes that leadership behaviour is not confined to those with formal leadership roles but can be observed across the organisation hierarchy, and thus one aspect of the new superleadership role is to develop self -leadership skills in others. Any study of leadership would be incomplete without an understanding of the debate between leaders Vs managers Leadership versus management We first have to deal with one crucial question: what is the difference between leadership and management? Some commentators argue that these terms are synonymous, as leadership is simply one facet of the management role. Other commentators argue that this distinction is significant. Leaders and managers play different contributions: leaders have followers, managers have subordinates. Those who make a clear distinction portray the leader as someone who develops visions and drives new initiatives, and portray the manager as someone who monitors progress towards objectives to achieve order and reliability. The leader is prophet, catalyst and mover-shaker, focused on strategy. The manager is operator, technician and problem solver, concerned with the here -and- now of goal attainment. The key distinguishing feature here is orientation to change . As Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus (1985, p.21) observe, managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing. Leadership versus Management Creating an agenda Establishes direction: Plans and budgets vision of the future, develops strategies decides actions and timetables, for change to achieve goals allocates recourses E Leadership functions Management functions Developing people Aligning people: Organizing and staffing: communicates vision and strategy, decides structure and allocates staff, influences creation of terms which develops policies, procedures and accept validity of goals Monitoring Execution Motivating and inspiring: Controlling, problem solving: energizes people to overcome obstacle, monitors results against plan and satisfies human needs takes corrective actions Outcomes Produces positive and sometimes produces orders, consistency and dramatic changes Predictability Tutorial question Discuss: Modern day organisations need leaders or managers Please discuss and give relevant examples to justify your answer. Power: what is it, and how can I get more? Leadership is about influencing the behaviour of others. One cannot be a leader without followers. One key attribute of followers is that they must be willing to obey. Leadership is a property of the relationship between leader and follower. We need to know why people are willing to let themselves be influenced by some individuals and not by others. We thus need to understand the nature of compliance. Leadership and power Power is a useful concept with which to explain the social process of interpersonal influence. Power is a critical dimension of leadership, and the two terms are often used with the same or similar meanings: a leader is someone with power, powerful individuals are leaders. We can thus define power in much the same way that we have defined leadership-as the ability of an individual to control or influence others, or to get some-one else to do something that they would perhaps not do. There are different sources of power to name a few information power, affiliation power expert power, all these power bases are interrelated. The exercise of one power base may affect a leaders ability to use another. The leader who resorts to coercive power may for example lose referent power. The leader may be able to use legitimate power to enhance both referent and expert power. A leader can operate from multiple sources of power and few leaders may be able to rely on a single power base. Please see table: Sources of power p+ are positive sources of power p- are negative sources of power POWER BASE EXPLANATION PERCEIVED AS Reward remuneration, award, compliment, symbolic p+ gestures of praise Coercion physical or psychological injury, symbolic gestures of disdain, demotion, unwanted transfer, withholding resources p- Authority Management right to control, obligation of others p- to obey, playing the boss and abusing authority exercise of leadership in times of crisis or need p+ Referent identification based on personal characteristics, sometimes on perception of charisma; or reciprocal identification based on friendship, association, sharing information, common interests, values and preferences p+ Expert Possession of specialized knowledge valued by Others, used to help others, given freely when solicited. p+ Unsolicited expertise creates barriers; expertise Offered condescendingly is coercive; withholding expertise in times of need p- Information access to information that is not public knowledge, because of position or connections; can exist at all organizational levels; secretaries and personal assistants to executives often have information power, and can control information flows p- Affiliation borrowed from an authority source-executive Secretaries and assistants act as surrogates for their Superiors p+ acting on their own self-interest; using negative affiliation power by applying accounting and personal policies rigidly p- Group collective problem solving, conflict resolution, creative brainstorming; group resolution greater Than the individual contribution. p+ a few individual dominating the proceedings, groupthink p- Tutorial question Discuss : Which power base or which combination of power bases would you expect to be most effective for an organisation leader in current times? Five approaches to Leadership Research on leadership shows five main approaches in the study of leadership and that leadership theories have evolved gradually starting from the Trait spotting approach to New Leadership theories Trait spotting: the research for personality markers For the first four decades of the twentieth century, researches assumed that they could identify the personality traits of leaders It would then be possible to select individuals who possessed those traits and to promote them into leadership position. This search for the qualities of good leaders was influenced by great man theory, which claims that (predominantly male) leaders are born as such, and emerge to take power, regardless of the social, organisational or historical context. Great man theory is a historical perspective based on the premises that the fate of societies, and organizations, is in the hands of key, powerful, idiosyncratic (male) individuals who by force of personality reach positions of influence from which they can direct and dominate the lives of others. Typical list of qualities: Strong drive for responsibility; Focus on completing the task; Vigour and persistence in pursuit of goals; Venturesomeness and originality in problem solving; Drive to exercise initiative in social settings; Self-confidence; Sense of personal identity; Willingness to accept consequences of decisions and actions; Readiness to absorb interpersonal stress; Willingness to tolerate frustration and delay; Ability to influence the behaviour of others; Capacity to structure social systems to the purpose in hand. Rosemay Stewart (1963) cites a study in which American executives were asked to identify indispensable leadership qualities. They came up with the following fifteen traits: judgement initiative integrity foresight energy drive Human relations skill decisiveness Dependability emotional stability fairness ambition dedication objectivity Co-operation Limitations of the trait spotting theory It is difficult to challenge the list of qualities cited by either Stogdill or Stewart. Can we say that effective leaders should lack judgement, be low in energy, be undependable, lack drive, ambition, creativity and integrity and have little foresight? What happens when we compare Stewart with Stogdill? Both identify drive as a key trait. However, Stogdill lists venturesomeness, self-confidence, stress tolerance and system structuring as traits which Stewarts omits. Stewart identifies foresight, fairness, integrity, fairness and co-operation, which are missing from Stogdills list. Traits spotting presents several difficulties. First, there are more attributes here than personality traits. Second, these attributes are vague. Third, many of the items on these lists describe skills and behaviour patterns which have to be observed, rather than personality traits that can be assessed by questionnaires or interview: persistence in pursuit of goals, ability to influence others. It is difficult to see how trait spotting can be used effectively in leadership selection context, as originally intended. A further problem lies with the observation that one list of good leadership qualities is as good as another. Stogdills review revealed some overlap between research findings, but it is also revealed disagreement and inconsistency. This line of research has been unable to establish a consistent set of leadership traits of attributes. Leadership is about power and influence, the chemistry of which it is difficult to analyse in terms of personality traits. Style counselling: the search for effective behaviour patterns Disillusionment with the traits approach meant that leadership, management and supervisory style became a major focus for research. Attention switched from selecting leaders on personality traits to training and developing leaders in appropriate behaviour patterns. This research tradition argues that a considerate, participative, democratic and involving leadership style is more effective than an impersonal, autocratic and directive style. Two research projects, the Michigan and Ohio studies, in the 1940s and 1950s underpinned Employee- centred behaviour: focusing on relationships and employee needs; employee-centred behaviour: focusing on relationships and employee needs job-centred behaviour : focusing Consideration is a pattern of leadership behavior that demonstrates sensitivity to relationships and to the social needs of employees. Initiating structure is a pattern of leadership behavior that emphasizes performance of the work in hand and the achievement of product and service goals. Consistent with the Michigan studies, the Ohio results identified two categories of leadership behaviour, consideration and initiating structure. The considerate leader is needs- and the relationship- oriented. The leader who structures work for subordinates is task-oriented. The considerate leader is interested in and listens to subordinates, allows participation in decision making, is friendly and approachable, helps subordinates with personal problems and is prepared to support them if necessary. The leaders behaviour indicates genuine trust, respect, warmth and rapport. This enhances subordinates feeling of self-esteem and encourages the development of communications and relationships in a work group. The researches first called this leadership dimension social sensitivity. The leader initiating structure plans ahead, decides how thing are going to get done, structures tasks and assigns work, makes expectation clear, emphasizes deadlines and achievement, and expects subordinates to follow instructions. The leaders behaviour stresses production and the achievement of organisational goals. This type of behaviour can stimulate enthusiasm to achieve objectives as well as encouraging and helping subordinates to get the work done. This is the kind of emphasis that the scientific management school encouraged, except that here it is recognised that task orientation can have a positive motivating aspect. The researches first called this leadership dimension production emphasis. Consideration and structure are independent behaviour patterns and do not represent the extremes of a continuum. A leader can emphasize one or both. Job satisfaction is likely to be higher and grievances and labour turnover lower where the leader emphasizes consideration. Task performances, on the other hand, is likely to be higher where the leader emphasizes the initiation of structure. Inconsiderate leaders typically have subordinates who complain and who are more likely to leave the organisation, but can have comparatively productive work groups if they are high on initiating structure. Initiating structure High low High performance low performance High few grievances few grievances Low turnover low turnover Consideration Low High performance low performance Many grievances many grievances High turnover high turnover Figure 1 : The Ohio State leadership theory predictions The influential work of another University of Michigan researcher, Rensis Likert(1961), reinforced the benefits of considerate performance-oriented leadership. He found that supervisors in highly productive sections were more likely to: Receive general as opposed to close supervision from their superior; Give general as opposed to close supervision to their subordinates Enjoy their responsibility and authority; Spend more time on supervision; Be employee- rather than production-oriented Supervisors in sections where productivity was low were production-oriented and concentrated on keeping their subordinates busy on achieving targets on time. The effective supervisors were not just concerned with employee needs. They were seen as subordinates as emphasizing high performance and had a contagious enthusiasm for achieving goals. Likert and his team identified four main styles or systems of leadership: System 1: Exploitative autocratic, in which the leader Has no confidence and trust in subordinates; Imposes decisions, never delegates; Motivates by threat; Has little communication and team work. System 2: Benevolent authoritative, in which the leader Has superficial, condescending trust in subordinates; Imposes decisions, never delegates; Motivates by reward; Sometimes involves subordinates in solving problems. System 3: Participative, in which the leader Has some incomplete confidence and trust in subordinates; Listens to subordinates but controls decision making; Motivates by reward and some involvement; Uses ideas and opinions of subordinates constructively. System 4: Democratic, in which the leader Has complete confidence and trust in subordinates; Allows subordinates to make decisions for themselves; Motivates by reward for achieving goals set by participation; Shares ideas and opinion. Likerts research showed that effective supervisors were those who adopted either system 3 or system 4 leadership, what Likert called and alternative organisational lifestyle. Tutorial question: The style counselling leadership approach is extremely relevant in current times Discuss this statement. Context fitting: the development of contingency theories The Michigan and Ohio perspectives offer leaders one best way to handle followers, by adopting the high-consideration, high-structure ideal. This advice is supported by the fact that most people like their leaders to be considerate, even when they are performance- oriented as well. The main criticism of this perspective lies with the observation that one leadership style may not be effective in all circumstances. Departing from one best way, Robert Tannenbaum and Warren Schmidt (1958) presented the autocratic- democratic choice as a continuum, from boss centred leadership at one extreme to subordinate- centred leadership at the other. This is illustrated in figure 2 Subordinate-centred leadership Boss- centred leadership The contingency theory of leadership is a perspective which states that leaders to be effective must adapt their style in a manner consistent with aspects such as the work context, attributes of workers and the nature of the work to be done Use of authority by the manager Area of freedom for subordinates Manager Manager Manager Manager presents Manager presents Manager defines Manager permits makes decisions sells presents ideas tentative decision problem, gets limits; asks group subordinates to and announces it. Decisions. and invites subject to change. suggestion, makes to make decision. function within limits questions. Decision. defined bysuperior. The Tannenbaum-Schmidt continuum of leadership behavior The steps in this continuum are represented as alternatives for the leader; their article was subtitled should the manager be democratic or autocratic- or something in between? Tannenbaum and Schmidt argue that the answer depends on three sets of forces: Forces in the manager personality, values, preferences, beliefs about Employee participation, confidence in subordinates Forces in the subordinates need for independence, tolerance of ambiguity Knowledge of the problem, expectations of involvement Forces in the situation organizational norms, size and location of work Groups, effectiveness of teamworking, nature of The problem Having concentrated on forces in the manager, having challenged the notion of one best way, to lead, research now considered aspects of the context in which the leader was operating: the people being led, the nature of the work they were doing, and the wider organisational setting. This perspective suggests that leaders must be able to diagnose the context and be able to decide what behaviour will fit. As the best style is contingent on the situation, this approach is referred to as the contingency theory of leadership. Tutorial question Leadership research and theory seems to be consistent in arguing that a considerate, employee- cantered, participative and democratic style is more effective. What factors in an organisational context would make an inconsiderate, goal- centred, impersonal and autocratic leadership style more effective? Contingency theory of leadership contd Another influential contingency theory of leadership was developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard (1988). They believe that leaders can alter their style to fit the context. Hersey and Blanchard call their approach situational leadership, summarised in fig 3, which describe leader behaviour on two dimensions. The first dimension (horizontal axis) concerns task behaviour, or the amount of direction a leader gives to subordinates. This can vary from specific instructions, at one extreme, to complete delegation, at the other. Hersey and Blanchard identify two intermediate positions, where leaders either facilitate subordinates decisions or take care to explain their own. Situational leadership is an approach to determining the most effective style of influencing, taking into accounts of direction and support the leader gives, the readiness and maturity of followers to perform a particular task. The second dimension (vertical axis) concerns supportive behaviour and the amount of social backup a leader gives to subordinates. This can vary from limited communication, at one extreme, to considerable listening, facilitating and supporting at the other. The model establishes four basic leadership styles, labelled S1 to S4 S1 Telling: High amounts of task behaviour, telling subordinates what to do, when to do it and how to do it, but with little leadership behaviour. S2 Selling: High amounts of both task behaviour and relationship behaviour. S3 Participating: Lots of relationship behaviour and support, but little direction of task behaviour. S4 Delegating: Not much task behaviour or relationship behaviour. Share ideas and Explain decisions and provide Facilitate decision making. Opportunity for clarification. PARTICIPATING S3 S2 SELLING DELAGATING TELLING Turn over responsibility Provide specific instructions For decisions and and closely supervise Implementation performance. S4 S1 (Supporting Behavior/Relationship Behavior R RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIOUR Low TASK BEHAVIOUR high (GUIDANCE) High Moderate low R4 R3 R2 R1 Able and willing or confident Follower Readiness Able but unwilling Or insecure Unable and unwilling Or insecure Unable but willing Or confident Follower directed leader directed Hersey and Blanchard also argue that the readiness of followers to perform a particular task is a key factor. This is explained by the lower portion of the figure in which follower readiness is drawn on a continuum, with insecure subordinates unwilling to act at one extreme to confident followers able and willing to perform at the other. Superimpose the readiness continuum on the top half of the model and you have a basis for selecting an effective leadership style. It is compelling and consistent with other theories to suggest that insecure subordinates need telling while willing and confident groups can be left to do the job. Tutorial question; Take an organisation of your choice and discuss the relevance and significance of the Hersey and Blanchard situational leadership theory. Leadership in the twenty-first century Two related trends in leadership thinking are now evident: Recognition of the role of heroic, powerful, charismatic, visionary leader. Recognition of the role of information leadership, at all levels. These trends appear to be contradictory. We have the new leader, who is a rational figure motivating followers to superlative levels of achievement. However, we have also the super leader, who is able to lead other lead themselves .The super leader thus encourage, develops and co-exists with informal leadership dispersed throughout the organisation hierarchy. The new leader is an indispensable and inspirational visionary, a coach, a facilitator concerned with building a shared sense of purpose and mission, with creating a culture which ensures that everyone is aligned with the organisations goals and is skilled and empowered to go and achieve them. The super leader is a leader who is able to develop leadership capacity in other, developing and empowering them, reducing their dependence on formal leaders, stimulating their motivation, commitment and creativity. The new leadership theory originates from the work of McGregor Burns (1978), who distinguished between transactional and transformational leaders. The transactional leader is a leader who treats relationship with followers in terms of an exchange, giving followers what they want in return for what the leader desires, following prescribed tasks to pursue established goals. Transactional leaders see their relationship with formers in term of trade, swaps or bargains. Transformational leaders are characterised as individuals who inspire and motivates others to go beyond contract, to perform at unexpected levels. Although Burns saw these two types of leadership it was easy to see why some commentators equate transactional with management, and transformational with leadership. The transactional leader is a leader who treats relationship with followers in terms of an exchange, giving followers what they want in return for what the leader desires, following prescribed tasks to pursue established goals. The transformational leader is a leader who treats relationships with followers in terms of motivation and commitment , influencing and inspiring followers to give more than mechanical compliance and to improve organisational performance Transformational leadership occurs when leaders: Stimulates others to see what they are doing from new perspectives; Articulate the mission or vision of the organisation; Develop others to higher levels of ability; and Motivates others to put organisational interest before self-interest. They achieve this, according to Bass and Avolio, by using one or more of Idealised influence act as role models, attract admiration, respect and trust, put needs of others before personal interest, take risks and demonstrate high standards of ethical conduct Inspirational motivation motivate and inspire by providing meaning and challenge, arouse team spirit, show enthusiasm and optimism, communicate expectations, demonstrate commitment Intellectual stimulation question assumptions, reframe problems, approach old issues in new ways, encourage innovation and creativity, avoid public criticism of mistakes Individualised consideration attend to individual needs for growth and achievement, act as coach or mentor, create new learning opportunities, accept individual Differences, avoid close monitoring. The transformational leader is a leader who threats relationship with followers in terms of motivation and commitment, influencing and inspiring followers to give more than mechanical compliance and to improve organizational performance. It is tempting to regard the profusion of new terms and the shift in emphasis in leadership theory and research as a systematic development of earlier ideas. However, the identification of new, super, transformational leaders represent a simplification of the concept of leadership, returning to trait spotting (hunt the visionary) and overlooks what is known about the influences of a range of contextual factors on leadership effectiveness. Tutorial question Considering senior business and political leaders with whom you are familiar, either directly or through the media, which come closest to these definitions of new leader, super leader and transformational leader? The new, super, transformational leader looks like a one best way approach. Does this vindicate trait spotting and discredit contingency perspectives? Dispersing the leadership role In the distinction between leadership and management, orientation to change is a defining characteristic, a distinctive mark of the leader. These results suggest, therefore, that leadership is a widespread phenomenon. Leadership behaviours are dispersed rather than concentrated in the hands of formally appointed managers. Leadership functions are best carried out by people who have the interest, knowledge, skills and motivation to perform them effectively. This observation is reinforced by the development of self-managing autonomous teams, which often have no leaders, or have coach-facilitators whose role is to develop team skills. These coaching- facilitating are super leaders. Recognition of dispersed leadership does not imply a shift of focus away from formal, senior figures. It may be useful to separate notions of leadership from formal positions and prestige job titles. However, it is necessary to recognise that senior figures with prestige title continue to exercise leadership roles and functions as well. This twin-track approach, which combines recognition of visionary new leadership with the notion of a widely dispersed leadership decoupled from high office, is illustrated by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus (1985). Their model of twenty-first century leadership (in which the new role of the leader is to be (leader of leaders) is summarised in table 4.

Lincoln In American Memory by Merrill D. Peterson Essay -- Book Review

"O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is wonÂ… The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object wonÂ…" Walt Whitman's description of a ship weathering a powerful storm, and returning safe with its mission complete, perfectly illustrates the United States enduring the divisions of the Civil War. This poem is one of numerous commemorations to the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Merrill D. Peterson, author of Lincoln in American Memory, examines an interesting variety of sources, including statues and prints made of Lincoln over the years in addition to the numerous biographies written, and attributes three prominent images to the legacy of Abraham Lincoln: Savior of the Union, the Great Emancipator, and the Self-made Man. From the moment Lincoln died on Saturday, April 15, 1865, these images have developed in the hearts and minds of the American public, withstood the test of time, and still remain to this day (Peterson 1). The day had been Good Friday on the Christian calendar when the commander in chief had been shot, and immediately his correlation to the life of Jesus Christ as an American martyr began (Peterson 1): Both were born in forlorn hovels. Both Joseph and Thomas [their fathers] were simple carpenters. Both were humble, kind, sorrowful, and loving of their fellow man. Both spoke in parables. Both were sent to fulfill divine missions and preceded by prophets who were executed: John the Baptist and John Brown. On Palm Sunday Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, Lincoln to (or from) Richmond; one had his Last Supper, the other his last cabinet meetingÂ… (Peterson... ...: With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. (Faragher 477) The nation would eventually reunify and forever commit to memory the images of Lincoln as Savior of the Union, the Great Emancipator, and the Self-made Man. Works Cited Basler, Roy P. Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 5. Abraham Lincoln Association. 27 Feb. 2004 Faragher, John Mack, et al. Out of Many: A History of the American People. New Jersey: Prentice, 2000. Peterson, Merrill D. . Lincoln in American Memory. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

Interweaving Characters and Surroundings in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights:  Ã‚   Interweaving Characters and Surroundings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definitive criteria for judging the success or failure of a work of fiction are not easily agreed upon; individuals almost necessarily introduce bias into any such attempt.   Only those who affect an exorbitantly refined artistic taste, however, would deny the importance of poignancy in literary pieces.   To be sure, writings of dubious and fleeting merit frequently enchant the public, but there is too the occasional author who garners widespread acclaim and whose works remain deeply affecting despite the passage of time.   The continued eminence of the fiction of Emily Bronte attests to her placement into such a category of authors: it is a recognition of her propensity to create poignant and, indeed, successful literature.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a novel about lives that cross paths and are intertwined with one another. Healthcliff, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw has two children named Catherine and Hindley. Jealousy between Hindley and Healthcliff was always a problem. Catherine loves Healthcliff, but Hindley hates the stranger for stealing his fathers affection away. Catherine meets Edgar Linton, a young gentleman who lives at Thrushcross Grange. Despite being in love with Healthcliff she marries Edgar elevating her social standing. The characters in this novel are commingled in their relationships with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The setting used throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, helps to set the mood to describe the characters. We find two households separated by the cold, muddy, and barren moors, one by the name of Wuthering Heights, and the other Thrushcross Grange. Each house stands alone, in the mist of the dreary land, and the atmosphere creates a mood of isolation. These two places, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange differ greatly in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between storm and calm that Emily Bronte develops as the theme. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange both represent several opposing properties which bring about all sorts of bad happenings when they clash. For example, the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights were that of the working class, while those of Thrushcross Grange were high up on the social ladder. The people of Wuthering Heights aspired to be on the same level as the Lintons. This is evident by Heathcliff and Catherine when the peek through their window. In addition, Wuthering Heights was always in a state of storminess while Thrushcross Grange always seemed calm.

History Of Soccer :: essays research papers

Soccer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soccer is a great sport that has influenced nations. Millions gather to watch skilled athletes compete in a game of soccer. It is an international sport, so popular that physical education programs have soccer integrated into their plans. Many local communities also have soccer organizations for youths. Soccer has an interesting history going back as far as ancient Rome and Greece. Some other interesting topics that deal with soccer are my personal feelings about the sport and my opinions on the future of soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There in not much to be told about the origin of soccer. In ancient Rome and Greece, football and kicking games were played. In 1863, the London Football Association developed the first set of rules. Towards the end of the 19th century, soccer was brought to the United States. But people didn?t start to take a liking to the sport until WWI. In 1908, soccer was made an official Olympic sport. Since then, soccer?s popularity has spread like fire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To me, soccer is an outstanding sport. I love the strategic planning that occurs in the game of soccer. To play soccer, you need to be quick and agile, and your footwork must be meticulous. I like soccer because it comes natural to me. There?s nothing like waking up early on Saturdays and playing a competitive game. When I score goals, which I do often, I get the best feeling. I am contributing to my team winning. That?s why I like soccer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the future, I believe soccer will stay the weekend sport. I doubt that it will ever become as popular as basketball i.e.. NBA. It is increasing in popularity in the United Sports though. But you see, that?s in the United States. I visited Mexico last summer for a month and observed that soccer was the main sport. People would play pick-up games of soccer on basketball courts, as parks and grass space were limited. I say this only to show that soccer?s waning popularity in the US is minuscule compared to the popularity in other countries. So we never know, more people in the future may tune their TV sets to the