Religion in the Old Testament :: essays research papers

The Exodus of the Israelites is the proportionate to our current day Fourth of July or Bastille Day to the French. Israelite essayists examine the Exodus the most out of some other occasion ever. The tale of the Exodus is one of the most well known accounts of the Old Testament. Three of the most huge parts of the account of Exodus are the call of Moses, the utilization of maladies as supernatural occurrences, and the Passover. Moses was a Hebrew who was raised with Egyptian childhood and training. As he developed he either realized that he was an Israelite or just identified with Israelites in subjugation. We know this by the move he made when he saw an Egyptian watchman beating on a Hebrew slave. Moses meddled, slaughtered the gatekeeper, and covered him. So Moses fled Egypt to Mount Sinai out of dread. This is the area wherein God uncovered his own name to Moses and called upon him to lead his kin out of the place that is known for Egypt. Marvels are fore-realities of things to come done taking things down a notch. There had been no appearance of God to anybody for in excess of 400 years, so individuals presumably thought the period of marvels was a distant memory. The individuals would not have acknowledged Moses as God’s representative without a proof. The wonder plagues were only that. They are critical on account of the quantity of them that were delivered. There were ten. The number ten is huge to culmination. God said that he would execute judgment against the entirety of the bogus divine forces of Egypt, and each plague was supposed to be coordinated toward a specific glorious god. So the ten infections uncover the full anger of God’s judgment on Egypt. The initial nine Plagues were simply God demonstrating that he was more remarkable than the Egyptian divine beings. They were basically deceives in contrast with the last one. The tenth plague, the passing of the firstborn, was the most remarkable of all. This last plague carried demise to every single Egyptian home, even the home of the cherished pharaoh, and guaranteed Israel’s discharge from subjugation. After this disaster, pharaoh had no way out however award Israel their requests and he even argued for endowments from them. This plague obliterated excessive admiration and demonstrated that life and demise are in the hands of God. The principal Passover was a memorable night. In anticipation of the tenth and last plague, Moses educated the individuals to watch the main Passover.

Nazism Essays (2206 words) - Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany,

Nazism NAZISM The National Socialist German Workers' Party nearly passed on one morning in 1919. It numbered just a couple dozen complainers' it had no association furthermore, no political thoughts. Yet, numerous among the working class appreciated the Nazis' solid resistance to the Social Democrats. Furthermore, the Nazis subjects of energy and militarism drew exceptionally passionate reactions from individuals who proved unable disregard Germany's prewar royal greatness. In the national appointment of September 1930, the Nazis earned about 6.5 million votes and turned out to be second just to the Social Democrats as the most mainstream party in Germany. In Northeim, where in 1928 Nazi competitors had gotten 123 votes, they presently surveyed 1,742, a decent 28 percent of the aggregate. The across the country achievement drew much quicker... in only three years, party participation would ascend from around 100,000 to right around a million, and the quantity of neighborhood offices would increment ten times. The new individuals included average workers individuals, ranchers, and white collar class experts. They were both better instructed and more youthful at that point the Old Fighters, who hosted been the foundation of the gathering during its first decade. The Nazis currently introduced themselves as the gathering of the youthful, the solid, and the unadulterated, contrary to a foundation populated by the older, the feeble, and the debauched. Hitler was conceived in a modest community in Austria in 1889. As a little fellow, he indicated little aspiration. In the wake of dropping out of secondary school, he moved to Vienna to consider craftsmanship, yet he was denied the opportunity to join Vienna foundation of expressive arts. When WWI broke out, Hitler joined Kaiser Wilhelmer's military as a Corporal. He was not an individual critical. He was an animal of a Germany made by WWI, and his conduct was molded by that war and its results. He had risen up out of Austria with numerous partialities, counting a ground-breaking partiality against Jews. Once more, he was a result of his occasions... for some Austrians and Germans were preferential against the Jews. For Hitler's situation the partiality had become deranged it was a predominant power in his private and political characters. Hostile to Semitism was most certainly not a strategy for Adolf Hitler- - it was religion. What's more, in the Germany of the 1920s, staggered by rout, and the attacks of the Versailles bargain, it was not difficult for a pioneer to persuade millions that one component of the country's general public was liable for the greater part of the disasters stored upon it. The truth of the matter is that Hitler's enemy of Semitism was self-dispensed impediment to his political achievement. The Jews, as different Germans, were stunned by the revelation that the war had not been battled to a stop, as they were persuaded in November 1918, yet that Germany had , truth be told, been crushed and was to be treated as a vanquished nation. Had Hitler not set out on his strategy of disestablishing the Jews as Germans, and later of eliminating them in Europe, he could have relied on their devotion. There is no motivation to think whatever else. On the night of November 8, 1923, Wyuke Vavaruab State Cinnussuiber Gustav Rutter von Kahr was delivering a political discourse in Munich's rambling B?rgerbr?ukeller, around 600 Nazis and conservative supporters encircled the brew corridor. Hitler burst into the structure and jumped onto a table, wielding a pistol and shooting a shot into the roof. ?The National Revolution,? he cried, ?has started!? By then, educated that battling had broken out in another piece of the city, Hitler raced to that scene. His detainees were permitted to leave, and they discussed arranging safeguards against the Nazi overthrow. Hitler was obviously enraged. What's more, he was a long way from wrapped up. At about 11 o'clock on the morning of November 9- - the commemoration of the establishing of the German Republic in 1919- - 3,000 Hitler partisans again accumulated outside the B?rgerbr?ukeller. Right up 'til today, nobody realizes who discharged the principal shot. Yet, a shot rang out, and it was trailed by fusillades from the two sides. Hermann G?ring fell injured in the thigh and the two legs. Hitler smoothed himself against the asphalt; he was safe. General Ludenorff proceeded to walk apathetically toward the police line, which separated to allow him to pass through (he was later captured, attempted and absolved). Behind him, 16 Nazis and three police officers lay spread dead among the many injured. The following year, R?hm and his band united with the juvenile National Socialist Party in Adolf Hitler's Munich Beer Hall Putsch. Himmler partook in that uprising, however he assumed such a minor job, that he got away from capture. The R?hm-Hitler coalition endure the Putsch, and ?hm's 1,500-man band developed into the

Current Full-Time Duke Fuqua MBA Student

Accepted.com is continuing a blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at selected MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application. Here are some excerpts from an interview with a current full-time Duke Fuqua MBA student who is a career switcher –- from case study writing to investment banking. How did you manage this career transition?   It’s been a tough couple of years on the job market.   My goal was New York.   Recruiters really want to get to know you and the beauty of Fuqua is that it’s only an hour-long flight from New York.   I would fly up every Thursday night for a semester and spend Fridays going to women’s events sponsored by the banks. Other people who couldn’t go up as often as I did would take off a week from school and schedule back-to-back informational interviews.   Now, you would think that people that were closer, like Columbia or Wharton, would have a bit of an advantage.   But I found out that because they were so close, recruiters expected them to be around all the time. Senior level bankers would cancel interviews on them frequently because they were so close.   We may have been there less often, but because we came from farther away, our time was more respected.   Wow. You put in a huge effort to get your face out there.   Did you get any support from the school in your job hunt? Yes – the alums were amazing.   Fuqua is a 30-year-old business school, so we don’t have decades and decades worth of alums out there yet.   But they really want to build the brand so they are amazingly supportive. The career development office – they’re ok – but it’s really the alums who are very supportive. Team Fuqua does transcend the two years. What stood out for you about Fuqua as you were doing your MBA research? A lot of schools are â€Å"pigeonholed† as strong in one particular area, like marketing or finance. I wanted a well-rounded program because I was interested in finance, but I wasn’t quite sure.   If I ended up doing something like consulting, recruiters might wonder why I chose Wharton.   In my opinion, Fuqua is strong in every area, not just one area. What was the ‘x’ factor that made you say yes to Fuqua? There’s a phrase you hear all the time –- Team Fuqua. People really look out for each other here. For example, during internship recruiting season, people who wanted investment banking jobs came back before second semester started and we spent a week prepping each other for interviews.   We were going to compete against each other for the same jobs – but that sense of teamwork is so strong that there was no question we’d help each other out so that we could all perform our best. What was your best day at Fuqua? I’d gotten the â€Å"rep† as someone who was really involved in Duke’s entrepreneurial push. I was asked by the provost to address the board of trustees and implore them for direct funding toward entrepreneurship.  The board included some pretty remarkable people. I found out they were really inspired by my story and it sounds like they are really onboard. Worst day? It was during first term –- finals week. I had forgotten what it was like to be a student and I was completely overwhelmed. I was flying up to New York every weekend, getting about 3 to 4 hours of sleep during the week. I was just exhausted.   I didn’t know how I was going to handle all the work I had to do.   But I met a 2nd year in the hallway who said, ‘This is literally the worst it will be.’ So I’m a glutton for punishment.   B-school is going to be intense, but I still want to go! Any tips on Fuqua’s application process? The interview is huge.   Current students conduct them. As teamwork is so important here, you should have a good story about how you motivated a group, how you held them accountable, and how you dealt with any conflict that came up.   This is CLUTCH.   Also, Fuqua, for both good and bad, is largely student run. They’ll want to know you’re going to make a positive impact –- but don’t overreach.   Have a couple of really solid ideas that you’re super passionate about, rather than a laundry list. They know the workload, and they’ll know the difference between sincerity and bluster. Who were your favorite professors? Bill Mayhew – Accounting Shane Dikoli – Managerial accounting David Robinson – Entrepreneurial finance John Graham – Corporate restructuring Across the board the teaching style is mostly case study – except for certain classes, like statistics. Are there any innovative programs starting up right now? There is a major push for entrepreneurship across the entire Duke campus. One of its new goals is to become a center for entrepreneurship much like MIT and Stanford. P4E (Program for Entrepreneurs)  is a second year program that allows you to bring your idea to school, find teammates, and earn up to 25 percent of your credit focusing on a start up. There’s also the Health Sector Management program –- it’s the top health-related business program in the country.   What about international exposure? Duke is extremely focused on becoming an international school. Fuqua has opened satellite schools in Shanghai and Dubai to really make Fuqua a global brand. There’s also the GATE (Global Academic Travel Experience) program.  You take a class on the region you’re going to and then you travel there at the end of the term.   You spend half the time doing cultural activities and then you meet with high-level business executives.   I went to Istanbul and Dubai – two Muslim cities that are incredibly different and provided amazing perspective. Finally, the class itself is extremely diverse – 36% of the students are international.   There’s a strong Indian presence as well as a strong South American presence. Any last words of advice? Go where you feel comfortable – the interview process clinched the decision for me.   The Team Fuqua spirit is real – people really do watch out for each other here. Interview conducted by  Michelle Stockman, who worked in the Columbia Business School admissions office, has a Masters in Journalism from Columbia, and has assisted Accepted.com clients applying to top business schools since 2007.  Ã‚  She is happy to help you with your application. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Aes-Telasi Power Trip or Power Play - 1131 Words

AES- Telasi: Power Trip or Power Play? The state of Georgia’s geographic location provides resources, in particular hydroelectric power sources advantageous to their economic well-being. For this reason this post- communist state attracted the attention of AES, a multinational U.S. energy firm. More specifically, it caught the eye of Michael Scholey, a prospective investor and manager for AES. However, Georgia’s impoverished state and rampant corruption throughout the nation made the restructuring of Telasi difficult for Scholey. AES’s western laissez-faire management style and organizational structure did not work due to Georgia’s past sour relationships with suppliers that were fueled by unpaid debts, theft and corruption. AES’s,†¦show more content†¦Although Scholey’s attempt to incur profits through the AEG-Telasi operation was highly aggressive and in many ways courageous and revered, the risks in this operation were too high. Unfortunately, both the political and economic risks in this operation surfaced towards the first four years of the 21st century for this company. The consistent political battles that Scholey initiated with events such as shutting down power to the Ministry of State Security, national televeision, and even President Shevardnadze’s bodyguards certainly drew significant consequences. (Wharton, 14) This leads us to another political risk, dissatisfaction from the domestic government. Since corruption has become an integral part of income for government officials, the attempted halt of such embezzlement within such a large electricity company drew further political opponents, which put company employees in constant attention and danger. AES’s attempt to lace Telasi into its larger goal of globalizing its multi-national enterprise and revenues was too ambitious. The risks came from all angles, and politically it was obvious. In its first two years of operation, its costs already exceeded its ten-year proposed

The Iran Iraq War free essay sample

World History: Mr. Ricky Waldon| Iran – Iraq War | Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) The Iran-Iraq War permanently altered the course of Iraqi history. It strained Iraqi political and social life, and led to severe economic dislocations. Viewed from a historical perspective, the outbreak of hostilities in 1980 was, in part, just another phase of the ancient Persian-Arab conflict that had been fueled by twentieth-century border disputes. Many observers, however, believe that Saddam Husseins decision to invade Iran was a personal miscalculation based on ambition and a sense of vulnerability. Saddam Hussein, despite having made significant strides in forging an Iraqi nation-state, feared that Irans new revolutionary leadership would threaten Iraqs delicate SunniShia balance and would exploit Iraqs geostrategic vulnerabilitiesIraqs minimal access to the Persian Gulf, for example. In this respect, Saddam Husseins decision to invade Iran has historical precedent; the ancient rulers of Mesopotamia, fearing internal strife and foreign conquest, also engaged in frequent battles with the peoples of the highlands. The Iran-Iraq War was multifaceted and included religious schisms, border disputes, and political differences. Conflicts contributing to the outbreak of hostilities ranged from centuries-old Sunni-versus-Shia and Arab-versus-Persian religious and ethnic disputes, to a personal animosity between Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Khomeini. Above all, Iraq launched the war in an effort to consolidate its rising power in the Arab world and to replace Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. Phebe Marr, a noted analyst of Iraqi affairs, stated that the war was more immediately the result of poor political judgement and miscalculation on the part of Saddam Hussein, and the decision to invade, taken at a moment of Iranian weakness, was Saddams. Iraq claimed territories inhabited by Arabs (the Southwestern oil-producing province of Iran called Khouzestan), as well as Iraqs right over Shatt el-Arab (Arvandroud). Iraq and Iran had engaged in border clashes for many years and had revived the dormant Shatt al Arab waterway dispute in 1979. Iraq claimed the 200-kilometer channel up to the Iranian shore as its territory, while Iran insisted that the thalwega line running down the middle of the waterwaynegotiated last in 1975, was the official border. The Iraqis, especially the Baath leadership, regarded the 1975 treaty as merely a truce, not a definitive settlement. The Iraqis also perceived revolutionary Irans Islamic agenda as threatening to their pan-Arabism. Khomeini, bitter over his expulsion from Iraq in 1977 after fifteen years in An Najaf, vowed to avenge Shia victims of Baathist repression. Baghdad became more confident, however, as it watched the once invincible Imperial Iranian Army disintegrate, as most of its highest ranking officers were executed. In Khuzestan (Arabistan to the Iraqis), Iraqi intelligence officers incited riots over labor disputes, and in the Kurdish region, a new rebellion caused the Khomeini government severe troubles. As the Baathists planned their military campaign, they had every reason to be confident. Not only did the Iranians lack cohesive leadership, but the Iranian armed forces, according to Iraqi intelligence estimates, also lacked spare parts for their American-made equipment. Baghdad, on the other hand, possessed fully equipped and trained forces. Morale was running high. Against Irans armed forces, including the Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guard) troops, led by religious mullahs with little or no military experience, the Iraqis could muster twelve complete mechanized divisions, equipped with the latest Soviet materiel. With the Iraqi military buildup in the late 1970s, Saddam Hussein had assembled an army of 190,000 men, augmented by 2,200 tanks and 450 aircraft. In addition, the area across the Shatt al Arab posed no major obstacles, particularly for an army equipped with Soviet river-crossing equipment. Iraqi commanders correctly assumed that crossing sites on the Khardeh and Karun rivers were lightly defended against their mechanized armor divisions; moreover, Iraqi intelligence sources reported that Iranian forces in Khuzestan, which had formerly included two divisions distributed among Ahvaz, Dezful, and Abadan, now consisted of only a number of ill-equipped battalion-sized formations. Tehran was further disadvantaged because the area was controlled by the Regional 1st Corps headquartered at Bakhtaran (formerly Kermanshah), whereas operational control was directed from the capital. In the year following the shahs overthrow, only a handful of company-sized tank units had been operative, and the rest of the armored equipment had been poorly maintained. For Iraqi planners, the only uncertainty was the fighting ability of the Iranian air force, equipped with some of the most sophisticated American-made aircraft. Despite the execution of key air force commanders and pilots, the Iranian air force had displayed its might during local riots and demonstrations. The air force was also active in the wake of the failed United States attempt to rescue American hostages in April 1980. This show of force had impressed Iraqi decision makers to such an extent that they decided to launch a massive preemptive air strike on Iranian air bases in an effort similar to the one that Israel employed during the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Iraqi Offensives, 1980-82 Despite the Iraqi governments concern, the eruption of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran did not immediately destroy the Iraqi-Iranian rapprochement that had prevailed since the 1975 Algiers Agreement. As a sign of Iraqs desire to maintain good relations with the new government in Tehran, President Bakr sent a personal message to Khomeini offering his best wishes for the friendly Iranian people on the occasion of the establishment of the Islamic Republic. In addition, as late as the end of August 1979, Iraqi authorities extended an invitation to Mehdi Bazargan, the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to visit Iraq with the aim of improving bilateral relations. The fall of the moderate Bazargan government in late 1979, however, and the rise of Islamic militants preaching an expansionist foreign policy soured Iraqi-Iranian relations. The principal events that touched off the rapid deterioration in relations occurred during the spring of 1980. In April the Iranian-supported Ad Dawah attempted to assassinate Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz. Shortly after the failed grenade attack on Tariq Aziz, Ad Dawah was suspected of attempting to assassinate another Iraqi leader, Minister of Culture and Information Latif Nayyif Jasim. In response, the Iraqis immediately rounded up members and supporters of Ad Dawah and deported to Iran thousands of Shias of Iranian origin. In the summer of 1980, Saddam Hussein ordered the executions of presumed Ad Dawah leader Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqr as Sadr and his sister. In September 1980, border skirmishes erupted in the central sector near Qasr-e Shirin, with an exchange of artillery fire by both sides. A few weeks later, Saddam Hussein officially abrogated the 1975 treaty between Iraq and Iran and announced that the Shatt al Arab was returning to Iraqi sovereignty. Iran rejected this action and hostilities escalated as the two sides exchanged bombing raids deep into each others territory, beginning what was to be a protracted and extremely costly war. Baghdad originally planned a quick victory over Tehran. Saddam expected the invasion of the in the Arabic-speaking, oil-rich area of Khuzistan to result in an Arab uprising against Khomeinis fundamentalist Islamic regime. This revolt did not materialize, however, and the Arab minority remained loyal to Tehran. On September 22, 1980, formations of Iraqi MiG-23s and MiG21s attacked Irans air bases at Mehrabad and Doshen-Tappen (both near Tehran), as well as Tabriz, Bakhtaran, Ahvaz, Dezful, Urmia (sometimes cited as Urumiyeh), Hamadan, Sanandaj, and Abadan. Their aim was to destroy the Iranian air force on the grounda lesson learned from the Arab-Israeli June 1967 War. They succeeded in destroying runways and fuel and ammunition depots, but much of Irans aircraft inventory was left intact. Iranian defenses were caught by surprise, but the Iraqi raids failed because Iranian jets were protected in specially strengthened hangars and because bombs designed to destroy runways did not totally incapacitate Irans very large airfields. Within hours, Iranian F-4 Phantoms took off from the same bases, successfully attacked strategically important targets close to major Iraqi cities, and returned home with very few losses. Simultaneously, six Iraqi army divisions entered Iran on three fronts in an initially successful surprise attack, where they drove as far as eight kilometers inland and occupied 1,000 square kilometers of Iranian territory. As a diversionary move on the northern front, an Iraqi mechanized mountain infantry division overwhelmed the border garrison at Qasr-e Shirin, a border town in Bakhtaran (formerly known as Kermanshahan) Province, and occupied territory thirty kilometers eastward to the base of the Zagros Mountains. This area was strategically significant because the main Baghdad-Tehran highway traversed it. On the central front, Iraqi forces captured Mehran, on the western plain of the Zagros Mountains in Ilam Province, and pushed eastward to the mountain base. Mehran occupied an important position on the major north-south road, close to the border on the Iranian side. The main thrust of the attack was in the south, where five armored and mechanized divisions invaded Khuzestan on two axes, one crossing over the Shatt al Arab near Basra, which led to the siege and eventual occupation of Khorramshahr, and the second heading for Susangerd, which had Ahvaz, the major military base in Khuzestan, as its objective. Iraqi armored units easily crossed the Shatt al Arab waterway and entered the Iranian province of Khuzestan. Dehloran and several other towns were targeted and were rapidly occupied to prevent reinforcement from Bakhtaran and from Tehran. By mid-October, a full division advanced through Khuzestan headed for Khorramshahr and Abadan and the strategic oil fields nearby. Other divisions headed toward Ahvaz, the provincial capital and site of an air base. Supported by heavy artillery fire, the troops made a rapid and significant advancealmost eighty kilometers in the first few days. In the battle for Dezful in Khuzestan, where a major air base is located, the local Iranian army commander requested air support in order to avoid a defeat. President Bani Sadr, therefore, authorized the release from jail of many pilots, some of whom were suspected of still being loyal to the shah. With the increased use of the Iranian air force, the Iraqi progress was somewhat curtailed. The last major Iraqi territorial gain took place in early November 1980. On November 3, Iraqi forces reached Abadan but were repulsed by a Pasdaran unit. Even though they surrounded Abadan on three sides and occupied a portion of the city, the Iraqis could not overcome the stiff resistance; sections of the city still under Iranian control were resupplied by boat at night. On November 10, Iraq captured Khorramshahr after a bloody house-to-house fight. The price of this victory was high for both sides, approximately 6,000 casualties for Iraq and even more for Iran. Iraqs blitz-like assaults against scattered and demoralized Iranian forces led many observers to think that Baghdad would win the war within a matter of weeks. Indeed, Iraqi troops did capture the Shatt al Arab and did seize a forty-eight-kilometer- wide strip of Iranian territory. Iran may have prevented a quick Iraqi victory by a rapid mobilization of volunteers and deployment of loyal Pasdaran forces to the front. Besides enlisting the Iranian pilots, the new revolutionary regime also recalled veterans of the old imperial army, although many experienced officers, most of whom had been trained in the United States, had been purged. Furthermore, the Pasdaran and Basij (what Khomeini called the Army of Twenty Million or Peoples Militia) recruited at least 100,000 volunteers. Approximately 200,000 soldiers were sent to the front by the end of November 1980. They were ideologically committed troops (some members even carried their own shrouds to the front in the expectation of martyrdom) that fought bravely despite inadequate armor support. For example, on November 7 commando units played a significant role, with the navy and air force, in an assault on Iraqi oil export terminals at Mina al Bakr and Al Faw. Iran hoped to diminish Iraqs financial resources by reducing its oil revenues. Iran also attacked the northern pipeline in the early days of the war and persuaded Syria to close the Iraqi pipeline that crossed its territory. Irans resistance at the outset of the Iraqi invasion was unexpectedly strong, but it was neither well organized nor equally successful on all fronts. Iraq easily advanced in the northern and central sections and crushed the Pasdarans scattered resistance there. Iraqi troops, however, faced untiring resistance in Khuzestan. President Saddam Hussein of Iraq may have thought that the approximately 3 million Arabs of Khuzestan would join the Iraqis against Tehran. Instead, many allied with Irans regular and irregular armed forces and fought in the battles at Dezful, Khorramshahr, and Abadan. Soon after capturing Khorramshahr, the Iraqi troops lost their initiative and began to dig in along their line of advance. Tehran rejected a settlement offer and held the line against the militarily superior Iraqiforce. It refused to accept defeat, and slowly began a series of counteroffensives in January 1981. Both the volunteers and the regular armed forces were eager to fight, the latter seeing an opportunity to regain prestige lost because of their association with the shahs regime. Irans first major counterattack failed, however, for political and military reasons. President Bani Sadr was engaged in a power struggle with key religious figures and eager to gain political support among the armed forces by direct involvement in military operations. Lacking military expertise, he initiated a premature attack by three regular armored regiments without the assistance of the Pasdaran units. He also failed to take into account that the ground near Susangerd, muddied by the preceding rainy season, would make resupply difficult. As a result of his tactical decision making, the Iranian forces were surrounded on three sides. In a long exchange of fire, many Iranian armored vehicles were destroyed or had to be abandoned because they were either stuck in the mud or needed minor repairs. Fortunately for Iran, however, the Iraqi forces failed to follow up with another attack. Iran stopped Iraqi forces on the Karun River and, with limited military stocks, unveiled its human wave assaults, which used thousands of Basij (Popular Mobilization Army or Peoples Army) volunteers.

The A-Team Essay Example

The A-Team Essay The science of categorising behavioural style started with the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates in 400 BC who recognised that we could be described as fitting into one of four temperament styles. This century, behavioural theory has been used to develop self-assessment tests that aim to provide an insight into our behavioural tendencies.Over the past twenty years organisations have espoused these self-assessment instruments into their human resources tool kit(De Dreu et al. 2001). Over the last two decades I have predominantly worked in a team oriented environment within the construction industry. I have had roles that required me to both lead and follow the lead of others. In my experience I have seen examples of teams working well together and teams not working well together. I feel as though good team dynamics at work are recognisable and intuitive beyond any theoretical explanation.This is the first time I have ever considered the behavioural aspects of team dynamics and how m y personality factors in. Personality cohesion is essential to the effectiveness and efficiency of a team. The purpose of this report is to better understand myself and others in a work team context, by exploring self-assessment tools and reflecting on the relevant literature I hope to discover more about my potential as a leader. 2. Self-Assessment using Self-Assessment Exercise The self-assessment tools I selected were: 1. DiSC Personal Profile SystemThe DiSC behaviour model is based on research by William Moulton Marston, in his book Emotions of Normal People. The word DiSC is an acronym of the four primary dimensions of behaviour as described by Marsden: * Dominance * Influence * Steadiness * Conscientiousness THE DiSC assessment tool is currently used in my workplace to assist management in developing effective work teams and also to help individuals improve their relationship and communication skills. I chose the DiSC test because I am interested in developing my own self-awar eness.It is important to note that I was asked to answer the question (Assessment input) within the context of my current role and to reflect on the results in terms of that role. I found the results of this test to be informative. There were three different stages to the results of the test. The first result identified that my own strength was in Steadiness, I was provided with descriptions based on how the behavioural dimension of Steadiness is characterised. The second stage to the DiSC test was the dimensional intensity index, indicating numerically the scale to which I was awarded within the context of each of the behavioural dimension.Thirdly, the last stage of the test was related to a classic profile pattern, integrating my results from the four different behavioural dimension intensity indices and placing me into one of eighteen different classic profile patterns. I think the classic profile pattern attributed to me (practitioner) is accurate for my current role as I am cur rently employed as a technical officer. For example, I value proficiency in a specialised area; I’m motivated by being good at something; I have unrealistic expectations of others at times.It came as a surprise that the test indicated my goals were personal growth and that I fear not being recognised as an expert. 2. Dutch Test for Conflict Handling I chose this test because I believe the way we handle conflict in the workplace has a significant impact on how effective we are in our role within the organisation. I was interested in finding out about how I handle conflict in the workplace so I could look to improving or better managing my weaknesses and leverage of my strengths.The Dutch Test for Conflict Handling is a self-estimate test which allows you to estimate the extent to which you prefer to use each of the five conflict handling styles: * yielding * compromising * forcing * problem solving * avoiding The evaluation scale for this test was developed from research done by CARSTEN K. W. DE DREU et al (De Dreu et al. 2001). The format for the assessment is comprised of twenty questions asking how one handles different aspects of conflict. The results are in the form of a scale for each of the five conflict handling styles.The scale estimates the extent to which you prefer each of the styles and compares you to a range of scores from a sample. The results of my test showed me that my most preferred conflict handling style is Problem Solving, as most of the conflicts in my current role are technical in nature I can see how preferring this approach would be the most beneficial. I also scored high in the yielding style which also fits the type of work I do, often after exploring the issues I can see if in this instance, another’s oint of view is a more appropriate technical solution and I will agree with them. Though these two approaches work well for technical issues I face in my current role, as I progress in my career, to higher management I n otice the nature of conflict becoming more complex. I will need to consider how I might develop skills that enhance my ability in the areas of compromising rather than yielding. 3. Overview of relevant literature According to the Wall Street Journal, the use of self-assessment tests are becoming more prevalent in today’s business world.Self- assessment tests measure intangible behavioural and emotional dimensions as leadership tools. Lopez says that emotional intelligence enables leaders to regulate their emotions so as to cope effectively with stress and adjust to organizational changes (N Lopes et al. 2006). The recognition for the future benefits of applying this theory of self-assessment is evident through the employment of these tests in business schools, now measuring and reviewing Emotional Intelligence Quotient as part of the application process for new enrolments, in an attempt to identify future stars (Korn 2013).Cangas establishes that members of organizations who participate in the process of self-assessment are likely to develop a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of continual improvement and an increased motivation to participate in subsequent improvement activities (Cangas 1996). Continual improvement is defined as an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. McKenna et al adds that there is a perception that significant benefits are achieved in organisations where managers understand the emotional intelligence of their employees.They write that the benefits are better hiring; career planning; job placement; as well as enhanced collaboration and teamwork; better communication; more effective conflict resolution; increased job satisfaction and morale; improved meeting effectiveness; and overall improvement in team and organizational performance. They do, however, go on to explain that very little empirical research has been conducted to support the link between understanding emotional intelligence and the outlined benefits. McKenna, Shelton, and Darling 2002). Other research indicates that there is an important link between effective team leadership and self-awareness. Sosik et al suggests that self-awareness supports a leader’s translation of purpose and meaning, turning obstacles into invigorating challenges for employers (Sosik and Megerian 1999). Following this Mayer et al claims self-awareness may help leaders to better â€Å"hear† the emotional implications of their own thoughts and the feelings on others (Mayer and Geher 1996).In the article a meta-analytical review of the relationship between emotional intelligence and leaders’ constructive conflict management by Schlaerth et al. It is proposed that, the ability to accurately perceive and manage our own emotions enables one to develop the capabilities required for understanding the perspectives of others. In the context of organisational behaviour, it is theoretically linked to positively impacting on th e rest of the team. (Schlaerth, Ensari, and Christian 2013).Technical knowledge is all too often the deciding factor when assessing the criteria of team members in the selection process. Hiring decisions are typically based on candidates’ work experiences, skills, and knowledge, termination decisions are more often a result of individuals’ behaviours (Wagner 2000). According to McKenna et al It is widely believed that teams whose members have diverse behavioural styles – for example introverts and extroverts, thinkers and feelers, people who are highly assertive and those who are less assertive – will be more effective than teams whose members lack such diversity of styles.It is also commonly believed that work groups whose individuals are aware of and respect one another’s diverse behavioural styles tend to experience improved communication and higher morale, and that individuals whose work environments most closely align with their behavioural st yles tend to be more satisfied. However they go on to say that little research has been done that demonstrates statistically significant differences between organisations that us self-assessment instruments compared with those that do not (McKenna, Shelton, and Darling 2002).Following this we could ask, is the self-assessment test the most appropriate way to achieve this self-awareness? According to Dunning et al one of the problems with using data provided from self-assessment tools is, in general, peoples self-views hold only a tenuous to modest relationship with their actual behaviour and performance. The correlation between self-ratings of skill and actual performance in many domains is moderate to meagre indeed, at times, other peoples predictions of a persons outcomes prove more accurate than that persons self -predictions.They go on to say that peoples general evaluations of their skills and character such as whether they are good leaders or verbally skilled tend not to be tethered very tightly to objective performances in tasks that should reflect those skills and character traits and, when people offer specific predictions about how they will behave in a particular future situation, they make predictions that differ systematically from their actual behaviour when that situation arrives. (Dunning, Heath, and Suls 2004).Rather than behavioural diversity and self-assessment Hackman proposes that the keys to developing effective teams, lies in five conditions that leaders of companies and other organizations must fulfil in order to create and maintain effective teams: 1. Teams must be real. People have to know who is on the team and who is not. It’s the leader’s job to make that clear. 2. Teams need a compelling direction. Members need to know, and agree on, what they’re supposed to be doing together. Unless a leader articulates a clear direction, there is a real risk that different members will pursue different agendas. 3.Teams ne ed enabling structures. Teams that have poorly designed tasks, the wrong number or mix of members or fuzzy and unenforced norms of conduct invariably get into trouble. 4. Teams need a supportive organization. The organizational context – including the reward system, the human resource system, and the information system – must facilitate teamwork. 5. Teams need expert coaching. Most executive coaches’ focus on individual performance, which does not signi? cantly improve teamwork. Teams need coaching as a group in team processes – especially at the beginning, midpoint, and end of a team project (Hackman 2002).In an article titled â€Å"Why Teams Dont Work†, J. Richard Hackman elaborates in an interview setting ‘that people generally think that teams that work together harmoniously are better and more productive than teams that don’t but in a study we conducted on symphonies, we actually found that grumpy orchestras played together slight ly better than orchestras in which all the musicians were really quite happy’. (Coutu and Beschloss 2009). This could possibly suggest that conflict mightn’t necessarily be a bad thing in teams. 4. Applications and limitationsAs the use of self-assessment tests increase. Managers need to be aware of the limitations associated with the tests. The lack of research that supports the benefits of self-assessment tests suggests there is a danger that poorly designed assessment programs could have a negative impact on the organisation. Self-assessment tests can give us an insight into how we might be behaving in the work place; how we are perceived by others, what our strengths and weakness might be and how we fit into the organisation and its objectives.They give us an insight (if we let them) into some of the less attractive of our behavioural styles that we might normally ignore. It is important to develop strategies to increase the objectiveness of the self-assessment res ults. These may include, understanding the limitations of our ability to accurately self-assess and including controls such as peer assessment comparison and the careful selection of well-designed self-assessment tests. Tests should be effective at getting to the objective truth about ones behavioural style.Once we have categorised our behavioural styles and understand the behavioural styles of our co-workers we can begin to develop strategies that maximise opportunities and strengths and mitigate weaknesses or threats, for example if my primary dimension of behaviour has been recognised as being â€Å"dominance† I might be well placed to deal quickly to critical incidents but may lack the tact to be able to negotiate with someone who likes to avoids conflict.This point leads to how self-assessment can be useful in the development and management of effective teams. If the results of team self-assessments are used to identify team constraints early on in a team’s develo pment, managers can proactively implement strategies to manage problems caused by clashing personality and make better use of the identified group strengths. When hiring new staff for existing or new team roles we traditionally base the selection criteria on the hard skills such as qualifications and work experience.It may be beneficial to create a behavioural profile that would best suit the role. In addition to creating a position description the behavioural profile for the job would highlight how a new team member might contribute to the behavioural diversity of a team. For example a software development project team that is made up of conscientious task oriented software engineers may benefit more by employing someone who is a goal orientated communicator. Understanding the context of peoples behavioural styles can help in developing work teams.A recent team assessment done in my work place, using the DiSC Personal Profile System found that a particular department who were under performing had an overwhelming number of team members that fitted into the â€Å"steadiness† behavioural dimension. The results of the assessment were interpreted not as evidence that the team lacked ability to demonstrate behavioural diversity, but the department’s policy and procedures prevented all but a few senior staff members from making decisions or taking risks.Subsequently an intuitive to redefine some of key positions in the team to include the delegated authority over decisions has improved the performance of this team. 5. Conclusion Self-assessment is an important step towards self-enhancement and self-improvement. Organisations can benefit from self-assessment programs especially in the areas of team development and recruitment. It is important that these programs are well designed so as to overcome our tendencies to distort their results. The results of these programs can transform work teams and individuals by identifying possible limitations and potenti al opportunities.

Free Essays on Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah. In all, Josiah would father 17 children. Josiah intended for Benjamin to enter into the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year and clergymen needed years of schooling. But, as young Benjamin loved to read he had him apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type that was grueling work, 12-year-old Benjamin would sell their products in the streets. After his teenage years, Franklin ran away from home and arrived in Philadelphia where he would gain his fame for inventions and discoveries. Franklin is also known as one of the founding fathers of our country, The United States of America. He signed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and was our first Foreign Ambassador when visited King Louis XVI. Fr anklin also helped the government of France sign a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also helped secure loans and persuade the French they were doing the right thing. Franklin was on hand to sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783, after the Americans had won the Revolution. Franklin died on April 17 1790 at the age of 84. Over twenty thousand people attended his funeral services (â€Å"Quick†, 1995). When it comes to electricity, Ben Franklin is the first thing that pops up in most people’s head. Ben didn’t invent electricity but he was able to do many things that were really incredible. His first and most famous experiment with electricity was him flying a kite in a thunderstorm. â€Å"He wanted to prove that lightning is electricity† (Usel, 1996). So Ben and his son William had decided to try an electrical experiment during a thunderstorm. They both walked to the top of a hill and let the kite go up. They wanted to get electricity to h... Free Essays on Ben Franklin Free Essays on Ben Franklin Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abiah Folger, the second wife of Josiah. In all, Josiah would father 17 children. Josiah intended for Benjamin to enter into the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to school for one year and clergymen needed years of schooling. But, as young Benjamin loved to read he had him apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type that was grueling work, 12-year-old Benjamin would sell their products in the streets. After his teenage years, Franklin ran away from home and arrived in Philadelphia where he would gain his fame for inventions and discoveries. Franklin is also known as one of the founding fathers of our country, The United States of America. He signed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and was our first Foreign Ambassador when visited King Louis XVI. Fr anklin also helped the government of France sign a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also helped secure loans and persuade the French they were doing the right thing. Franklin was on hand to sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783, after the Americans had won the Revolution. Franklin died on April 17 1790 at the age of 84. Over twenty thousand people attended his funeral services (â€Å"Quick†, 1995). When it comes to electricity, Ben Franklin is the first thing that pops up in most people’s head. Ben didn’t invent electricity but he was able to do many things that were really incredible. His first and most famous experiment with electricity was him flying a kite in a thunderstorm. â€Å"He wanted to prove that lightning is electricity† (Usel, 1996). So Ben and his son William had decided to try an electrical experiment during a thunderstorm. They both walked to the top of a hill and let the kite go up. They wanted to get electricity to h...