Forces of Nature Mic Heal Porter

In dealing with strategic planning, I think that this would deal with the way an organization try’s to incorporate strategy in their decision making process. The correct strategy will allow the organization to plan a set of goals and also be able to achieve these goals. Strategic planning is how the organization tries to evolve their current status into where they feel they should be in the future. In routine planning this is the type of planning that is by the book. Routine meaning by the book and following all the procedures with no actual goals and no mention of the future. The differences between the two planning systems is that one only follows the rules and the other thinks outside the box by thinking about the future of the organization. An example of strategic planning, is when an organization starts with having a mission by coming up with the organizations strengths and weaknesses. The plan has to have an outcome that leads the organization into the future (my strategic plan. com). An example of a routine plan would be a book list of instructions and it is mapped out and the first thing they will do is try to find certain goals to move the company forward to the next level but is not worried about the future of the organization. When an organization does not use strategic planning than the organization will not be able to control their futures and be stuck following a routine approach. If an organization does not have a strategic plan they will only be able to address the immediate problems and this is a form of crisis management. When an organization has a strategic plan, the organization becomes more proactive in achieving their goals instead of reactive. When an organization is reactive they are following the set of guidelines of a routine. When an organization has a strategic plan but it is poor it is really like not having one at all. The organization that has a poor strategic planning system is not on a good track and when the plan was implemented it was done incorrectly. When the people of the organization implemented the plan not everyone bought into this plan this is one of the reasons why it is broken and it is poor. The only way to un-break or fix what is broken is to re-implement the plan to make sure that every person in the organization will buy into for the sake of the organizations future (Iowa State University, 1995-2013). The organization that does not have a strategic plan will not be able to make a future for their organization. When an organization thinks outside the box they usual are the organization will flourish in the long-run. The only problem with having a failing strategic plan is the fact that it could have been a good plan if all the members of the organization bought into it. Fixing a strategic plan is sometimes more difficult than actually rolling one out to your organization. References My Strategic Plan (2103). Researched the difference between routine planning and strategic plan. Found an article on what is the difference between a strategic plan and a business plan. Retrieved from website http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/what-is-the-difference-between-a-business-plan-and-a-strategic-plan/ Iowa State University (1995-2013). Researched what happens when an organization has a poor strategic plan. Retrieved from website http://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-strategic-planning-shortterm-operational-planning-24227.html

Whether Or Not Armed Security Guards Should Be In Schools?

Whether or not armed security guards should be in schools has been a debate for years but has really been brought into the limelight since the most recent tragedies of Columbine, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook. The supporters of having armed security in our school districts believe that it is a needed layer of security and helps to diminish response time if necessary while keeping children, parents and teachers feeling safer to be in school. The ones against having guns in the schools believe that we have had armed guards in schools and it did nothing to stop it.They also believe that the cost is too high while also worrying about their children’s psyche from being around loaded weapons every day. No matter which side you are on, there are great arguments for both sides that are logical as well as emotional and it is everyone’s job to listen to all of the information that is available and make their decision based on what they feel is the best choice. That choice could be one of the most important decisions that they ever make because it could mean the difference between life and death.Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and the University of Texas at Austin were some of the most televised and the deadliest school shootings that have ever occurred in the United States. Since 1992, there have been over 387 school shootings which are way too many for the United States which poses the question, why did these tragedies happen in the first place? If we had armed security guards or a military/police presence at our institutions of development and higher learning would these tragedies have been prevented or could there have been less loss of life?The answer is that having an armed guard would not have prevented these attacks from individuals whose entire intention was to commit murder. Look at Columbine and Virginia Tech, both of these facilities had armed guards on their campus and it did nothing to stop the attack. The att ackers observed the guards behaviors and learned their routines for patrolling and made their moves when they could get past the guards without detection.This also raises the question is if the school is liable for the deaths of these students since they had trained professionals on site and they did nothing to stop the attack could the school be charged with negligence? So with the evidence of having two of the most brutal school shootings of all time happen while armed security was present, what makes you think that they could stop an incident somewhere else? Deciding whether or not armed security would actually stop an attack is important but so is figuring out how to pay such high costs to have these armed personnel on site to protect our children.Most schools are struggling as it is to keep viable programs such as the arts running while also trying to keep their schools staffed with teachers and other personnel. How could they even fathom paying more money for security when the y cannot even keep an art class going? The average salary for armed security guards across the country is around $55,000 per year then you have to factor in training, equipment, uniforms, and benefits so, on average a school would have to pay $100,000 per year for one security guard for their school.Now some school districts only have a few schools but others have a lot more and they would have a hard time paying for that. Of course, a lot of people would argue that you should not put a price tag on our children’s safety but in many cases the price of their educations would diminish because less money would be spent there to be able to pay for security. Could a school district along with the parents choose to take education away from the students in order to add armed guards in the chance that something goes wrong?Education is a key component in raising a smart, self-sufficient adult. The other factor that becomes a part of cost is having the money to pay for the lawyers and incidentals in the chance that the security guard acted inappropriately. What if there is an accidental shooting or a guard becomes over zealous in what they feel that their responsibilities are? These factors could lead to major lawsuits that the school would be responsible for by either having to represent that officer or in paying settlement and court costs for a lawsuit.These are added costs that the majority of the schools across the United States cannot afford to take on. The safety of schools have been tested more in the recent years with news coverage of the most recent incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty children and six staff members lost their lives. With the recent rise of school shootings it is no wonder parents are concerned for their children’s safety in schools.Where drugs and peer pressure were once major concerns, in today’s society, we worry about our children dying in the hands of armed shooters. While ther e is much controversy over how to protect the future of America’s children, lawmakers are supporting a bill to allow armed guards to stand and protect our children in the school systems by creating laws to allow armed security in the schools. â€Å"The Indiana amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jim Lucas (R), said he believes mass shootings like the one in Newtown could be prevented by more firearms. † (Resmovits, 2013).In support of armed guards, the National Rifle Association has paid for research and found among the study’s central conclusions is that ‘‘the presence of armed security personnel adds a layer of security and diminishes response time’’ in a shooting, (Asa) Hutchinson said. (Asa Hutchinson) cited a 1997 Mississippi incident in which an assistant principal ran to his truck to retrieve a . 45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and subdued a gunman who had already shot two students (Stolberg). † New legislation would allow armed teac hers, staff members, or on-duty patrols to respond if a situation were to occur.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The (National Rifle Association's) model legislation would lift restrictions on guns in schools and require specific training for school employees who choose to carry guns. † (Resmovits, 2013). In this time of uncertainty, President Barack Obama, is trying to pass stricter gun laws. â€Å"As President Obama tries to persuade a reluctant Congress to pass new gun laws, the poll found that a majority of Americans -54 percent- think gun control laws should be tightened, up markedly from a CBS News poll last April that found that only 39 percent backed stricter laws.† (Cooper and Sussman, 2013).There is much speculation this increase could be as a result of the Newtown shooting. Meaning people are seeking security, parents are worried for their children, and there is widespread fear of a situation like Newtown ever happening again. Which brings us back to our controversial view, why is having an armed guard important? Having an armed guard might also dissuade any possible shooters from attempting to attack the school, avoiding the situation altogether. The armed guard would be a figure of authority and possible intimidation of any gunmen.As the saying goes ‘you can’t bring a knife to a gun fight’ therefore it would be hasty to think schools can stop armed intruders with anything other than a gun itself. Usually these gunmen are suicidal and seeking attention, where they understand their outcome is death, therefore restraining is not enough. A gunman at this level would not hesitate to shoot first, regardless of who is in their way, which is why having someone on site ready to respond and taken the gunman down is an ideal solution. As a parent there is nothing more important than keeping your kids safe and the same goes for a teacher and their students.Many parents feel that whatever a school needs to do to keep their children safe they are more than willing to agree with. Teachers feel more relaxed that they have someone there to help them in an emergency situation that can help protect the children and children feel safer knowing that they have someone to turn to when their parents are not around to protect them. Some people might argue that having a loaded gun in the school might mess with a child’s mental state because it makes them feel that guns are the only form of protection so they would prefer them not to be there.The reality of the situation is that we live in a world that can be tragic and devastating at times and a lot of kids are forced to see things that are way beyond their years and they are circumstances that no child should have to deal with. But, the great thing about kids is that they are resilient and very smart and with the proper education could be taught about right and wrong and why they need to have armed security guards at school. It is just like explaining to your kids how to dial 91 1 or where in the house the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are.You also make your kids wear seatbelts and bike helmets to protect them so that they do not get hurt in case of an accident. Parents do these things not to scare their kids but to prepare them in case of emergencies. Children are not equipped to handle an active shooter in school nor should they ever be expected to just like you would not teach a child how to fight a fire but teaching them that this person(s) on campus are there to protect them in that small chance that someone comes into their classroom wishing to do them harm.Parents and teachers would love nothing more than to let their children believe that the world is filled with rainbows and teddy bears but the reality is that it is not and no matter how much people try to protect children from evil you are doing them a disservice by not telling them the truth. It would be morally wrong to lie to children and to make them feel safe when there is a potentia l for danger. Ethically it is the responsibility as parents and teachers to teach children that there may be evil in the world but there is also a lot of good and that there are always people here to protect us.Making a child feel safe and secure while also making the parents and teachers that are responsible for these kids is clearly more important than what it might cost or the possibility that having proper security might possibly fail. There have been too many shooting incidents in the United States but who knows the number of shootings that were prevented because a school chose to have security on campus. Proper knowledge and training is key to making sure that these security guards can do there jobs to protect the innocent.Another option for a school that may not have the financial resources is to hire off-duty police officers to work details on there days off because this would cost a lot less and you are guaranteed to have highly trained and dedicated people willing to put t heir life on the line for your children. As a society why are we more willing to pay for name brand clothes for our kids then add security that can save their lives?During a situation as horrific as an active shooter in a school is a serious issue that unfortunately is our reality today and we have to prepare that it could happen and having armed and trained security personnel on site could mean the matter between life and death and is this something we really want to chance because of money or the possibility that it is for nothing? We do not get into car accidents every day but we always make sure that are children are buckled up so why should adding security measures to schools be any different?

Client Centric Aproach for Brokerage Business Essay

Client Centric Aproach for Brokerage Business - Essay Example For business such as brokerage firm, it becomes more important that they should evolve and embarrass client centric approach because by building long term relationships, the firms can achieve the necessary breadth and focus on its customers to achieve strategic superiority but also gain necessary competitive advantage over their competition. It is therefore very critical that the firms involved in business which requires different and potentially sensitive relationships with the clients, a client centric approach would be a viable and effective alternative to achieve the strategic objectives. However, such approach require a collaborative approach since engaging with the client from the initial stages of registering as a client to the process of conducting business through the brokerage firm requires a very focused strategy to develop effective relationships with the clients. This paper would attempt to understand and analyze how the client centric approach would allow a brokerage firm to gain client assets/share of wallet. The focus of this paper will be two fold. First it would discuss what the client centric approach is and secondly its application on the brokerage business will be studied. A brokerage firm acts as an intermediary between the buyer and the seller, typically in a stock market. Due to peculiar nature of the stock exchange functioning, there is a greater need for the financial intermediaries who play the role of a link between the buyers and the sellers so that the exchange against some consideration can take place. A discount broker is a person who carries out the business of buying and selling at much reduced commissions and fees etc. The purpose of the stock broker therefore is to address that segment of the market which could not otherwise afford the usual high rates of the brokerage firms which provide similar services. In doing so, firm tend to attract bulk of the small investors especially who due to lack of capital. The focus of such investors therefore always remains on reducing the transaction costs so that they can maximize their profits. Firms offering such services therefore tend to be generalized in nature as they offer services which are hardly differentiated therefore such firms need to develop their specialties based on pricing as well as non-pricing factors. Since such types of firms are offering discount services therefore they are already leading in that area however, non-pricing factors include the use of different and innovate means of attracting and maintain customers. Being client centric is one such mean through which such type of firms attempt to attract clients. In order to assess the client centric approach being adopted by discount broker firm, we must also understand as to how the discount firms perform their jobs. Discount firms do not offer advice to their clients and simply sell out whatever you have therefore this reduces their spreads and offer services which are discounted. It is also argued that the discount brokers are used by the experienced investors who can do their own research and only

Minorities At Risk And Horizontal Inequality Assignment

Minorities At Risk And Horizontal Inequality - Assignment Example Multi-party politics has been introduced in many countries as a way of reforming and improving governance. The increased political competitiveness has however provoked animosity between communities. The minority group ends up being politically marginalized and a possibility of conflict is real. The situation has given rise to power-sharing arrangements in some countries after a violent confrontation prompted by multi-party elections. Addressing all the existing horizontal inequalities among the ethnic groups is important both in countries where violent conflicts have occurred and in potentially volatile regions. Three categories of approaches have been identified to address the social inequalities namely the direct, indirect and integrationist approaches. Direct approaches advocate for affirmative action where previously marginalized groups are given preferences in access to education, political representation, and employment. The approach, however, may elicit disquiet among communit ies not benefiting from such policies. To avoid a potential conflict such initiatives should be given a definite time frame within which they can be used to correct the disparity. Indirect approaches involve policies that indirectly promote inclusion of all communities in the economic, social and political systems. The may include devolution of both economic and political decision-making mechanism. Such policies are however slow in taking effects and may be inadequate in addressing all the horizontal inequalities existing.

Hum final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hum final - Essay Example The conquest of Rome is undeniably one of the greatest if not the greatest conquest in human history. Their politics have taught humanity on first, respect for the laws and second, importance of the community as central in the development of the individual person in his private sphere as well as in his public sphere. Aside form that, they have taught humanity â€Å"that one may achieve peace of mind by avoiding burdensome responsibilities, gloomy companions, and excessive wealth. Stoicism offered a reasoned retreat from psychic pain and moral despair, as well as a practical set of solutions to the daily strife between the self and society† ( Fiero 135) But the greatness of Rome seems to be second only in comparison with the greatest man that ever walked the face of the earth – Jesus. The â€Å"search for the historical Jesus is complicated by many factors† (Fiero 163), but what is clear is that the story of Jesus have touched billions of lives all over the world. The greatness of Jesus is that he afforded us a new paradigm with which humanity may comprehend our relationship with God. Jesus has taken away the picture of the jealous warrior God that is one of the dominant images of God in the Old Testament. In fact, his entire human life is a living testimony to his claim that ‘God is Father’. Though scholars and exegetes may disagree what is clear is that â€Å"Jesus is the recognizable human face of God† (Wright 70). In the end, these readings are significant primarily because not solely because of the greatness of the topics that they have delved with but that the Roman heritage and Jesus story are contradictories yet real in the realm of human experience. Of the many things that we have discussed in class, I have come to realize and appreciate the fact that the Western Heritage is built on the sagacity of ancient men and women who have tried to understand how we can really understand the human condition. Their discourses open to us

Looking over the varied strands of the American Women's Movement, Essay

Looking over the varied strands of the American Women's Movement, which approaches do you believe were the most successful, an - Essay Example Such movement’s priorities vary among the feminine from one region, nation, state, and continent. Feminine movement began in the western world in the early centuries and took on various forms. The initial form involved and addressed the issues concerning political equality and suffrage; the second form, partly arising because of the civil right’s movement provided forum for addressing and combating private issues such as sexuality, role in society, childcare considerations for working mothers, power inequality, social and cultural inequalities. The third form involved the rejuvenation of women influence in politics. All the issues spearheaded involve of are focused on women’s issues, and such movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equality in terms of the issues addressed. Feminine movements are always geared towards women empowerment and liberation by breaking the ties that bind and suppress their efforts (Macpherson, p.7). Successful approache s The American women movement succeeded in addressing numerous issues that were tying down the efforts of most of the women population in the past years. There were various approaches which pioneered and addressed such issues of ethnicity, regional differences, class, gender, and the transition from radical to electoral politics. Antislavery (Abolitionism) This was the first abolition movement of the American women, which was used for the campaigns to end slavery. The slavery had been in America since the colonial times, and slaves came to America because of the transatlantic trade between the oceanic countries and both the North and South America. The slaves were subjected to hard labor and harsh treatment from their masters and the foremen chosen to supervise their work. Such conditions prompted the formation of antislavery societies whose main agenda was to abolish the existence of slavery and the entire treatment of other persons as slaves. The antislavery society encountered ha rsh conditions and treatment from the slaveholders, who owned and treated slaves unfairly. The approach of abolitionism was successful because it resulted into the freeing of slaves, slave trade was stopped, slavery abolition Act was formed, and most of the enslaved population enjoyed their freedom rights. They started schools and libraries for the free blacks. (Schomp, p.12). Lobbying This refers to influencing the decisions made by government officials by other individuals, legislators, constituents, and other advocacy groups. It is a form of advocacy that is aimed at influencing the government on certain matters that concern a group of individuals or the entire society. The civil rights movement was concerned with the fight for equality Reform movements They were organized to carry out specific reforms in certain areas by changing elements of the system for the better. These were usually organized by reformist American women. Examples include the civil rights movement, women libe ration among other approaches. The civil movement addressed issues pertaining the equality of women in terms of political rights. This resulted in majority of the women gaining political mileage and having a voice within the system that was

An HIV Symptom Management Intervention for African-American mothers Essay

An HIV Symptom Management Intervention for African-American mothers - Essay Example The main purpose of this study was to "determine the efficacy of an HIV self-care symptom management intervention in reducing emotional distress and improving health among low income African American mothers with HIV." The study was based on the Maternal HIV Self-Care Symptom Management framework. The framework was adapted from the University of California-San Francisco model for symptom management as well as the current literature and studies on African-American women with HIV. As in most studies, a control and an intervention group were formed. In both groups, the HIV infected African-American women reported low income and were mothers of at least one child under the age of 9. 17 grandmothers were also involved in this study, 8 of which were placed in the intervention group. In the intervention group, the implemented procedures regarding the Maternal HIV Self-Care Symptom Management framework were the same for all subjects. The procedures regarding data collection were also the same. Data was collected during 3 data collection points: once during the enrollment of the patients in the clinics, and twice primarily in their homes. Between data collection points, the mothers were telephoned twice, in order to help with retention.