My Personal and Professional Development Plan Essay

It is a journey of the self to contemplate all the happenings going on around. I can say that I have reached the middle of the road with regard to my journey in life. I am now entering a new phase of my life. My graduation is almost near. I have to face the new world in order for me to continue my journey on this earth. I remember when I first entered this university. I do not have friends before; I also remember the times when I am longing for my parents. I miss them so much but because of my determination to study here, I managed to cope up with my new environment. I remember how I felt whenever I’m alone. I also remember the hard times during my first day here. The way of life, the attitudes of the students and of course, the expectations from my instructors and professors gave me some intense feeling of being new to this university. But as days passed I learned how to mingle with them and cope with my new environment. Now, the time is near to end my journey in this stage of my life. My journey in college is coming to an end. I am so excited to face a new period in my life. As I move on to my journey, I want to spend time with my family and catch up with my friends. I want to go out on a vacation where I can loosen up a bit. I am planning to go to a place where I can relax and think of nothing but myself. By the time I graduate, I will visit my family back in Brazil and I will visit all the places that I’ve been. This will give me time to think about my future; on what path would I take. I will also visit my old friends to reconnect with them, and try to enjoy my vacation there. By the time I go back to work, I will see to it that I will be promoted after five months. I will instill in mind that I need to be promoted, this is my way in motivating myself to achieve what I have planned. I will also enroll in a university to get a Master’s degree. I plan to get a management degree because I want to have a managerial position in my workplace. We know for a fact that having a greater education gives you a chance to compete in the market that is, having a higher position in a company. I believe that the adult tasks, unique to each period and era of the adult life are intertwined with the issues and problems inherited from our childhood, and are mediated by dynamic pressure from socioeconomic and historical aspects of life from within the cultures and societies where we live. Helping put our adult lives back in balance with our inner resources, and understanding the contradictions and conflicts built into our life patterns — between who we are and who we want to be, between what we love and what we must do, between our often clashing commitments — this is often the task that underlies the resolution of psychological symptoms and suffering. With these challenges in life, an individual learn to know himself/herself better and try to do something about it. Each and every one of us has experienced this kind of situation and we try to solve it as soon as the problem arises. Going back to my previous papers I mentioned that I have been into sorrow but I think of positive thoughts to divert my attention and see to it that these challenges in my life will help me grow. I am grateful for the incidents in my life that I have experienced. It made me who I am— a stronger woman. Forgetting and learning from your experiences, makes you more knowledgeable about realities of life. As human being, we have differences and similarities. Thus, according to Levinson, â€Å"human life cycle is universal, yet each life is different†; that both sexes have developmental histories to some extent unique to their own gender, but the overall pattern in the adult development. This follows the same structure of eras and alternating periods. Adult Development Theory helps us see more of our connectedness to the rest of life, primarily through our experience of living within the limits of a relatively invariant, species-specific life cycle, containing nevertheless within it, the creative potential of individual variability (Kitrrell, 1998). My plan in achieving my goals: personal and professional I mentioned earlier that I first planned to graduate for me to get a decent job. In order for me to get a high grades I would have to keep in mind that nothing is more important than finishing all the requirements needed for me to graduate. One of my mottos this school year was to graduate and find a job that will help me enhance my knowledge about my course. And time is near for me to accomplish my goal with regard to my education. One of my personal goals is to develop my profession and apply the knowledge that I have learned during my stay here at the University. I want to help others in building their own dreams. I want to have smooth relationships with my co-workers. I want them to know me better. In helping them with their tasks, they will also help me with mine. thus, my growth with regard to personal and professional life go hand in hand, that is, i can develop my relationship with others by making them my friends and at the same time, they help me enhance my professional growth—making good at my job. Doing your job is not good enough to say that you are growing professionally. An individual needs a harmonious relationship with people surrounding him/her to understand and do his/her work better. In it, the individual will not have any conflicts with his/her co-workers. S/he will be happy and enjoys his/her tasks in the office. Adjustment is the key in making a harmonious relationship with others. It is very important in work and also with personal life, rather than likability, meaning it is more important to interact within your co-workers than to impress them. If a person wants to impress others, s/he must communicate will with others s/he must mingle with them. In this way, s/he will be understood by them and they may help him/her in his/her endeavor in work. Being friends with your co-workers makes your work load more fun and you will not feel the pressure in doing your assigned tasks. So, I must adjust to the people in my workplace and in the society that I belong. I will see to it that I will not have any conflict with them. I will befriend them to help me cope with the new environment that I enter. I will share my thoughts to them for them to understand me better and try to use it as an instrument in accepting me as part of their company. I also want promotion, so I am planning to have a higher education, I will enroll for masteral and at the same time do good in my work. I will attend conferences if necessary to help me gain more credentials for the promotion that I want. I just want to achieve this in my first two years of work. After attending masterals, I plan to have my PhD to have a higher position in my recent workplace or maybe I can have a career move where I can improve my ability and skills with regard to what I have studied. But before I achieve these goals, I will develop a clear and highly specific career goals and objectives for myself. I believe in the goodness and attainability of my goals— I being accountable for the consequences that may occur. I will strive towards reaching my goals and dreams one day at a time. I see my career as a vehicle that will help me take my goals. I will commit myself emotionally and psychologically to turn my dreams into reality. But first, I need to focus on what I want to do, that is, to have a vacation for myself. I will plan my goals base on its attainability—short- and long-term goals. Second, I need to eliminate excuses for not moving forward toward my goals. I will put my career plan that maps out specific moves I can make toward my goals on a daily basis. From what I have found on my assessments, I now develop an awareness of what I want to do. Two years from now, I want to finish my Master’s degree. Five years from now, I want to have a child and have a beautiful family of my own. And ten years from now I want to have a top position in a company and make a name in the business industry. My ideal job would enable me to grow personally and professionally. This job will help me enhance my ability and skills in communicating with others. As I graduate from this university, I will step-up for more formal education in order for me to attain my goal. We all know that having a higher education will give you a chance to compete on the job market. This way, I can improve my personality. Having a good job is not enough. I want to get more than what I have. At my recent job, I will try my best to do my job for me to be promoted. Being a CSR, I won’t try arguing with unhappy customers. If I can’t handle them, I better call my manager. I also want to receive feedback about my performance at work once a week. I will use these feedbacks to improve my work, and to be more efficient employee. I will use my resources to my advantage. Performance is a very important factor for every individual. It is created to assess individual action with regard to how s/he conducted his/her own acts. Interacting with others help someone assess his/her action on how and what should s/he do to act accordingly, that is, behaving in a manner where s/he is supposed to act. Each and every one of us is expected to act in every situation we encounter. An individual could maintain an ideal role within the situation. As a student, I must study hard and do all my assignments to conform to the rules and regulations of the school. I must act as a student in order for me to perform my role as a student. By doing this, I learned how to assess my work according to the standards of the University. The road to success Happiness is connected to personal effectiveness wherein you feel contentment within yourself. For me, personal effectiveness is doing what you want, getting yourself from where you are to where you want to be, that is, achieving what you want in life. Thus, it takes a lot of effort to say that an individual is successful in doing the things that s/he wants. Defining personal effectiveness is the same as how we define success. We individuals seek success being intertwined with happiness. We can say that success is having the things that you want—earning money for yourself and your family, getting the highest paying job in town, having all the things that the world offers, and the likes. We define success with regard to tangible and intangible factors— the materials that we use in determining success and the feeling that we feel inside in getting that success. As I mentioned in my previous paper, I defined happiness as a pleasurable satisfaction, a state of well-being and contentment—being happy of what you have. Regret is a way of depressing yourself of not getting what you want or doing what you should have done. Seeing my mistakes and my weaknesses enables me to improve my worth as an individual. This made me more effective citizen, student, daughter, friend and a partner. And I try to live one day at a time in order for me to achieve my goals in life. In this way, I can avoid myself of feeling too overwhelmed with my limits and emotions. I will be entering a new page in my life, as I go on with this great transition, I realized that my experiences and the people around me have a great impact of who I am today and what will I be tomorrow. My future depends on how I plan to go on with my life—my future! I can say that I am contented of what I have right now but I am not satisfied of where I am today. I want to explore more of my world. I want to excel from my job and I plan to have a very good life, that is, being successful and all the people around me are happy with what they have, especially my family. Prior to graduation, I plan to have good, if not better grades. I want to make it better for me to land a job that will help me earn enough money that is salary that will enhance my way of living. I don’t want to have a failing mark. This will reflect my personality as individual. Failing mark means I didn’t do my best to pass my course. In order for me to achieve this, I will read all my reading assignments and complete all the requirements that are needed to be submitted. I will see to it that I will pass my entire exam. I will love and enjoy my course and look at every single test as a challenge in making me more responsible individual. Taking responsibility in all your actions make an individual is more assertive of what s/he wants to achieve. My family is very important to my life, I want them to be happy with their own life and be successful with their chosen field. I want my mother to be more understanding and I will see to it that she is happy right now. I want her to feel that we, her children love her very much. I want my family to be complete and witness my graduation. I want to share my achievement with them. They are my strength and joy. Without them, I cannot overcome all the obstacles that came my way. They are the one whom I run to whenever I have a problem. They gave me good advices on how to handle my problems. Even though they are not with me, they are always here in my heart. Daniel Levinson’s theory of adult development Adult development theory presents a vivid understanding of life cycle. Daniel Levinson worked out his theories of adult development in two landmark studies, Seasons of a Man’s Life and Seasons of a Woman’s Life. He argues essentially that the adult portion of the human life span is divided into three eras: early, middle, and late adulthood. Each of these broad eras are themselves divided between entry or initial stages and ending or more-or-less stable stages. Think of the difference and quality of the life structure and goals of a 24 year old as compared with a 34 year old, and you will get a sense of the internal changes that occur within otherwise specific eras, i. e. , both a 24 year old and a 34 year old would be considered young adults within the Levinsonian perspective. The divisions between the life eras are marked by significant transitional periods that can last for some years. Life during these shifts can be seen as rocky or smooth, noisy or quiet, but the quality and significance of one’s life commitments often change between the beginning and end of such periods. I chose this theory to plan my future because it enables me to think of the differences and similarities of characteristics between the two sexes and also to compare the experience of the adulthood with the late-adulthood stage and the other stages of life as discussed by Levinson. This theory reflects essential changes that adults undergo. Thus, it provides a clearer view of what reality is. This theory can be applied in planning on with your life. It will make you aware of the things that you don’t bother to know. This will help you analyze your work and performances as part of the society. This will enhance your knowledge about your role in the society. This will enable you to view things in a broader way, i. e. , having a positive outlook in life in entering the new phase of your life. This theory also presents a good foundation for understanding goal setting of individuals entering into particular adult stages (Minter & Samuel, 1998). If you know your goals, probably you will know where you are heading to. This perspective on adult development is important for us, adults to understand. This will enable us to resolve important transitional issues during the vital periods in our lives. Thus, each transitional period is needed so that changes in individuation and relationships are attained by concerned individuals (Wheeler-Scruggs, 2008). This model is created to promote individuation and build relationships among individuals that they may use in getting what they want in life. These changes bring greater sense of autonomy and give a greater expression and achievement of one’s self-potential (Wheeler-Scruggs, 2008). Thus, individuals go through the various stages and transitions in order for them to become more self-reliant. Its nature is focused on building characteristics that would help the individual attain his/her personal and professional goals. It is also used to create rapport with each and every individual concerned. This would help the individuals reach their goals. Building rapport is very important in making your goals attainable. If you communicate well with other, they will help you achieve your goals by giving you information that you need. For instance, as a CSR I need to build rapport to the customers for them to give a positive feedback in which they will be nice to me thus, making my work easy. And with regard to my co-workers, I need to build rapport for them to help me in my job, giving some advices if I experience some difficulties in my job. Thus, this will help each and every one to improve their work and at the same time develop personal relationships. As I have mentioned earlier, we need each other in order for us to grow. With the help of others, we will achieve the set goals we planned for ourselves. As I assess my performance, I see my potentials to be growing. These potentials include my leadership ability and interpersonal skills which I can use in communicating at work. I will try to develop my weaknesses into strengths for me to improve myself, personally and professionally. This will also be of help to us in communicating with each other. Every student must know that they need their teachers for them to gain knowledge and improve their way of thinking. The teachers may help their students in developing their potentials and skills which they will use in communicating with others, most especially with regard to their work. Conclusion After planning all my walks in life, I would like to slowly acquire my goal. I will stick to my plan. As I have said earlier, I want to achieve my goal one step at a time. I believe that all my plans are reachable. I divided my plans into two: long-term goal and short-term goal. I would focus first on short-term goal: to be promoted in my work, to have a vacation with my family in Brazil, to visit my friends, to extend my family by having a new French bulldog in my house, and to graduate; and then work on to my long-term goals: having a good life with my own family and for my mom to be happy with what we, her children have achieved in life, and be one of the best Psychologist in town. This assignment enables me to reflect on how I manage my life after graduation. I have learned that in order to succeed in life, an individual must look at all the aspects of life before planning his/her future, that is, reflecting on the experiences s/he had and planning the future. Thus, development means assessing your own life and making all the necessary steps to achieve my goals. I learned that in order to achieve your dreams, you must decide to for Utopia, which means going beyond the reach of the society until we overcome the obstacles that stand in our way. These obstacles include negativism, fear, depression, and the problems they create— discouragement, economic stagnation, crime, drug dependency, family distrust, etc. At this moment in my life, I can say that I have achieved something for myself—overcoming the obstacles that came my way. This helped me have a positive outlook in life. Thus, I will prioritize myself, of what I want to do and where I want to go. Through this process I will know that I will be a successful psychologist someday. References Kitrrell, D. (1998). A Comparison of the Evolution of Men’s and Women’s Dreams in Daniel Levinson’s Theory of Adult Development. Journal of Adult Development, 5(2), 105-115. Minter, L. E. & Samuel, C. A. (1998). The Impact of ‘the Dream’ on Women’s Experience of the Midlife Transition. Journal of Adult Development, 5(1), 31-43. Wheeler-Scruggs, K. S. (2008). Do Lesbians Differ from Heterosexual Men and Women in Levinsonian Phases of Adult Development? Journal of Counseling & Development, 86(1), 39-46.

Synthesis of Salicylic Acid and Potentiometric Determination of Its Purity and Dissociation Constant

Synthesis of Salicylic Acid and Potentiometric Determination of its Purity and Dissociation Constant ————————————————- Abstract The purpose of the study is to synthesize salicylic acid from the ester, methyl salicylate, and determine the acid’s dissociation constant and purity. The ester was converted to salicylic acid by base hydrolysis. The products were refluxed and recrystallized, to ensure maximum purity, and filtered, dried, and weighed. The melting point of the product was determined using a Fischer-Johns melting point apparatus. The acid then dissolved in separate beakers with 95% ethanol and water and titrated with 0. 050 M NaOH, previously standardized with potassium hydrogen phthalate, through potentiometric titration. The pH after addition of base was measured and plotted against the volume of titrant added using three different plots. Results show a 61. 0% yield and the melting point differed from the theoretical by a range of 3. 11-6. 83%. The pKa calculated was 2. 865, differing from the literature value of 2. 98, by 3. 86%. The theoretical purity of the sample was 100. 0%, which differed with the experimental one by 1. %; the experimental purity is 101. 7%. Potentiometric titration proves to be adequate in the determination of the acid dissociation constant and purity of a sample. Aside from that, the synthesis proved adequate given the high purity of the product. ————————————————- Keywords : acid dissociation constant purity melting point ester INTRODUCTION Potentiometric methods of analysis are based on measuring the potential of electrochemical cells without drawing much, appreciable current. For centuries, potentiometry has been used to locate the endpoint in most titration set-ups. Skoog, et al. , 2004). Potentiometric methods offer a myriad of advantages, its main advantage being its low operational costs. Voltmeters and electrodes are, generally, far cheaper than most modern scientific instruments. Models suitable for direct potentiometry in field work, away from the laboratory, are inexpensive, compact, and easy to use. Essentially nondestructive of the sample, i. e. , insertion of the electrode does not drastically change the composition of the test solution (except for the slight leakage of electrolytes from the reference electrode), electrodes are relatively free from interferences. Stable potential readings are attained fairly rapidly and voltages are easily recorded as functions of time. Finally, the wide range of analyte activities, over which some of the available indicator electrodes exhibit stable, nearly Nernstian responses, represents an important advantage (Day and Underwood, 1991). Potentiometric titrations involve measurement of the potential of a suitable indicator electrode as a function of titrant volume. This indicator electrode is speecific to the hydronium ion, H3O+. It offers adavantages over direct potentiometry in that it is not dependent on measuring absolute values of Ecell. This is due to having the measurement based on the titrant volume that causes a rapid change in potential near the equivalence point. This makes the process relatively free from the juction potential uncertainties as this potential remains approximately constant during the titration process. Instead, the titration results depend heavily on having a titrant with accurately known concentration. The instrument merely signals the endpoint and behaves like a regular chemical indicator. Aside from that, the reference electrode potential need not be known. Most importantly, ionic strength effects are not important in the titration procedure because the result is analyte concentration, even if the electrode responds to activities. The dissociation of a weak monoprotic acid is given by the equation HA – H+ + A– (1) [H+][A–] [HA] where HA is the monoprotic acid, and A– is its conjugate base. The corresponding equilibrium constant for this acid dissociation is defined as Ka = (2) Ka[HA] [A–] which, when seeking to find [H+], rearranges to [H+] = (3) Prior to the equivalence point, before any titrant was added and the analyte is the only species present in solution, the pH of the system is calculated from the concentration of that analyte and its dissociation constant. In the case where a weak monoprotic acid is being titrated with a strong base, subsequent addition of the titrant will cause a reaction to occur between the acid and the base. HA + OH– > H2O + A– (4) The presence of the acid and its conjugate base in solution will cause the formation of a buffer solution, which are solutions that resist a drastic change in pH, should a strong acid or base be added to the system. At these points, the slope of a constructed titration curve is at its minimum. This is the pre-equivalence point. There is a point during the pre-equivalence point region wherein both the acid and its conjugate base are present in equal amounts. This occurs when half of the acid has been neutralized, or when the titration is at the half-equivalence point. At this point, the buffering capacity of the system is at its maximum. Aside from that, simplifying Eq. 3 at this point by inspection, the [H+] is equal to that of the Ka. Taking the negative of the logarithm of both sides, one will be able to get the relation pH = pKa (Skoog, et al. , 2004). Thus, the dissociation constant may be computed through determining the pH at half-equivalence point. This experiment will use salicylic acid as the analyte. Salicylic acid, Fig. 1. Salicylic acid is a weak monoprotic acid, capable of releasing the acidic hydrogen connected to the –COOH group. The hydrogen of the phenol group is hard to release because the oxygen is stabilized by resonance. Salicylic acid is a naturally occuring substance, usually produced by plants. It is found mainly in the willow's leaves and bark. The pure acid possesses several useful medicinal properties. It is an antipyretic (fever reducer), analgesic (pain reliever) and anti-inflammatory (swelling reducer). However, pure salicylic acid makes for an extremely unpleasant medicine. Salicylic acid contains two acidic functional groups, the phenolic (C6H5OH) and the carboxylic acid (RCOOH) groups. These groups cause the acid to be an irritating substance that burns the delicate lining of the mouth, throat, and stomach, hence its esterification to acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin, before ingestion as analgesic (Reed College, 2009). Esterificaton is the process by which a carboxylic acid is transformed to an ester. Esters are organic compounds that are derived usually by reacting a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The general formula for esters is with the RC=O group derived from the parent carboxylic acid, and the –OR’ group from the parent alcohol. The mechanism for the reaction of the alcohol and carboxylic acid to form the ester is as follows: Fig. 2. Mechanism of Esterification from a Carboxylic acid RCOOH and alcohol R’OH Esters may also be synthesized by reacting the carboxylic acid with other reagents such as SOCl2 to form the acyl chloride, which will then be treated with an alcohol in pyridine, to esterify it. Esters are among the most widespread of all naturally occuring compounds. Many esters are pleasant-smelling liquids that are responsible for the fragrant odor of fruits and flowers. For example, methyl butanoate is found n pineapple oil and isopentyl acetate is a constituent of banana oil. The ester linkage is also present in animal fats and other biologically important molecules. The chemical industry also uses esters for a variety of purposes. Ethyl acetate, for example, is commonly used as a solvent while many dialkyl phthalates are used as plasticizers to keep polymers from being brittle (McMurry, 2004) . Methyl salicylate is produced by many plants. It was first isolated from wintergreen leaves, Gaulthea procumbens, and is commonly known as oil of wintergreen. Fig. 3. Methyl salicylate An ester of salicylic acid and methanol, it masks one of the acidic hydrogens in salicylic acid by replacing it with a methyl (CH3–) group. Hence, it is a relatively unreactive compound that does not release salicylic acid efficiently into the body. It is, therefore, not an effective analgesic, or pain-killer. However, it is added to many products, notably for its fragrance, especially root beer and liniments. In order for it to be activated, methyl salicylate must be converted to salicylic acid by organic synthesis, specifically through saponification, a process not unlike that undergone by animal fats to become soaps (McMurry, 2004). In this experiment, salicylic acid will be synthesized from methyl salicylate by base hydrolysis. Its dissociation constant will also be measured through potentiometric titration. Likewise, the percentage of purity the salicylic acid used in the reaction will be likewise determined. METHODOLOGY In synthesizing salicylic acid, 1. 2 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were dissolved in 7 mL water in a round bottom flask.. Half of a milliliter (0. 5 mL) of methyl salicylate was added to this mixture. The mixture was then efluxed for 15 minutes and cooled to room temperature. One-milliliter increments of 3 M sulfuric acid (H2SO4) were added until the formation of a white precipitate, salicylic acid. Half of a milliliter (0. 5 mL) of the acid was added to ensure complete precipitation of the product. The mixture was then cooled in an ice water bath with a temperature of at most 5 °C for the reaction to subside. The product was then filtered and rinsed with cold water, and recrystallized in wat er. The solids were then filtered on a pre-weighed filter paper and air-dried in the locker. When dried, the solids, along with the filter paper, were weighed and the melting point determined. Two hundred and fifty milliliters (250 mL) of 0. 50 M stock sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution was then prepared. From this solution, 250 mL of 0. 050 M standard solution was prepared for the titration. This solution was then standardized with 0. 2000 g 99. 95% potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) and phenolphthalein as indicator to the pale pink endpoint. Two more trials were done. Three samples of pure salicylic acid were weighed at approximately 0. 000 g and placed in three separate 250-mL beakers. A minimum amount of 95% ethanol was then added to dissolve the acid, and was diluted with 50. 00 mL distilled water. The electrode was first calibrated such that it would relate the developed potential to the pH. At this point, the potential would be measured as pH when increments of the titrant are successively added. The base burette, pH meter, and magnetic stirrer were set up according to Fig. 6. Fig. 6. Potentiometric titration set-up A spin bar was place inside the beaker with the sample solution. The electrode was also positioned such that it would not get hit with the spin bar. The pH of the set-up was first measured prior to addition of base. For the first trial, 1. 00 mL of the titrant was added to the analyte and the pH recorded. This was done until the pH was 11. 50. From there, the equivalence point was approximated based on the volume of the titrant that caused a large change in pH. For the two succeeding trials, 1. 00 mL of the titrant was added to the analyte. At  ±5. 00 mL of the equivalence point, the volume of titrant added was reduced to 0. 0 mL increments. At  ±3. 00 mL and  ±2. 00 mL of the equivalence point, it was further reduced to 0. 20 mL and 0. 10 mL, respectively. The titration contnued beyond 5. 00 mL of the equivalence point using 0. 50 mL of titrant until the pH registered was 11. 00. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Methyl salicylate reacts with a strong base in the following manner: Fig. 4. Base hydrolysis of methyl salicylate The methoxy group of the e ster is substituted by the hydroxide ion through nucleophilic acyl substitution. The hydroxide attaches itself to the carboxylic carbon. A fast proton transfer from the hydroxide to the methoxy group occurs such that the methoxy gets protonated and leaves the substrate. The sodium ions stabilize the negative charge of the salicylate ion predominantly found near the two oxygens of the ion. The solution was then refluxed to prevent loss of material and to prevent the inclusion of impurities in the product. After cooling to room temperature, 1. 00 mL of 3M sulfuric acid (H2SO4) until salicylic acid starts precipitating as a white solid. To complete the precipitation, 0. 50 mL of the strong acid was added to the mixture. At this point, the salicylate ion is protonated and the final product, salicylic acid, forms through the reaction: Fig. 5. Protonation of the phenolate and carboxylate groups of the salicylate ion The flask containing the precipitate was then doused in cold water to stop the reaction. Cold water was used in rinsing the solid after filtration to wash out impurities that were insoluble in the solvent. The solid was recrystallized in hot water. Dissolving the solids in hot water generally increases the solubility of the substances, hence the solids dissolve along with the soluble impurities. The mixture was then allowed to cool slowly. As the solution cools, the solubility of the compound (and of the soluble impurities) decreases, the solution becomes saturated with the desired compound, and the compound begins to crystallize. Because formation of crystals is a highly selective process that usually excludes foreign molecules, only crystals of the desired compound form. Because the soluble impurities are present in smaller amounts, the solution never becomes saturated with the impurities, so the impurities remain in solution even after the solution has cooled. Removing the solution from the crystals thus removes the solvent and the soluble impurities from the desired crystals. A final rinse of minimum ice water ensures the displacement of the impurities still clinging on the surface of the product (â€Å"Recrystallization,† accessed 6 Sept 2010). After it was recystallized, the solid was filtered again in a pre-weighed filter paper. The filter paper used in filtering the solid weighed 1. 0349  ± 0. 0002 g. The mass of the dried product and the filter paper was 1. 3610  ± 0. 0002 g; this means that 0. 3261  ± 0. 0003 g was synthesized. Theoretically, with methyl salicylate as the limiting reagent, the mass of salicylic acid should be 0. 5400 g. Computing for the %yield, would give 61. 0%. In the determination of the melting point, the observed range of the melting point was 150-156 °C. Comparing with the theoretical value, 161 °C, the relative error lies within the range 3. 11-6. 83%. Therefore, the synthesized salicylic acid has a high purity as exhibited by the magnitude of the relative error. This could justify the %yield given that recrystallization might have caused a loss of material due to the increase of the number of steps involved. It should be noted that in organic synthesis, steps leading to the target molecule do not give 100% yield, hence, increasing the number of steps would decrease the %yield. Aside from that, the low yield could be attributed to the accidental rapid cooling that occurred during the recrystallization process. In a titration curve, there are three important regions: pre-equivalence point, equivalence point, and post-equivalence point. For the titration of salicylic acid with NaOH, the pre-equivalence point is characterized by the dependence of pH on the concentration of salicylic acid. Let salicylic acid be HA; prior to addition of the base, the pH can be calculated by the concentration of HA and its acid dissociation constant, Ka. When the base is added, HA reacts with the hydroxide ion (OH– ) according to the Eq. 4 stated above. Therefore, one has a buffer solution comprised of salicylic acid and salicylate. At equivalence point, all of the acid has been converted into its conjugate base. This base will hydrolyze with water through the reaction A– + H2O > HA + OH– (6) reforming a small portion of the acid. At the equivalence point, the slope of the titration curve is at its steepest. The pH at this point is dependent upon the conjugate base formed and its base dissociation constant, Kb. Beyond the equivalence point, the post-equivalence point, the pH is dependent on the concentration of the excess titrant added. This is because the contribution of the conjugate base is very small and, therefore, negligible compared to that of sodium hydroxide. However, salicylate is still the dominant species of salicylic acid present in solution. A distinction between equivalence point and endpoint should be established when titrating. Skoog, (2004), states that the equivalence point is the point in titration where the amount of titrant added is chemically equivalent to that of the analyte in solution. The endpoint is a point during titration wherein an observable change signals that the amount of titrant added is chemically equivalent with that of the analyte. The endpoint may not necessarily coincide with the equivalence point, especially in neutralization titrations. It may come earlier or later than the equivalence point, depending on the indicator used. This difference pf volume at equivalent and endpoint is known as titration error. In potentiometric titration, no chemical indicator is required. Instead, the endpoint is characterized by the drastic change in pX, measured by the electrode. X may be H3O+, OH–, a cation or anion, or any substance participating in the titrimetric reaction (Day and Underwood, 1991). In this case, the volume of titrant that contributes to the greatest change in pH is the volume required to completely titrate the salicylic acid in solution. Thus, the increments of addition of titrant are narrowed down as the equivalence point is reached because that way, the equivalence point will not be missed. Aside from that, the exact volume of titrant required for complete reaction of the analyte would be detected. Prior to titration and dilution with water, the salicylic acid was dissolved with a minimal amount of 95% ethanol. Salicylic acid is sparingly soluble in water, a polar solvent that can hydrogen-bond with solutes that can hydrogen-bond with its molecules. This is due to the acid having more than 6 carbons increasing its non-polarity, although it has oxygen that can form hydrogen bonds with water (McMurry, 2004). Adding ethanol reduces the polarity of the solvent, facilitating dissolution of the acid. It was noted that some of the acid reprecipitated upon addition of water. Thus, a minimum amount of 95% ethanol was again added to dissolve the acid. In the experiment, the electrode was also not lowered while the bar was spinning as air bubbles would adhere on its surface causing an error in the measurement of pH. Constant stirring is important in potentiometric titrations, as in other types of titrimetric analyses. Stirring is done because it will cause the titrant to react not just with the surface of the analyte where it dropped but with the entirety of the analyte solution. This way, the reaction will go to completion and minimal error will be observed. The volumes used for standardization of NaOH with KHP as primary standard are tabulated in Table 2 in the Appendix. Standardization of sodium hydroxide gave 0. 04633 M NaOH. This value was used in the determination of the percentage of purity (%purity) of the salicylic acid sample. For the determination of the equivalence point volume, three plots were done for each trial. The first plot is the graph between pH vs. volume of titrant. The second is the first derivative plot with which ? pH/? V was plotted against V’, where ? pH and ? V are the change in pH and the volume added between two consecutive readings, respectively, and V’ is the average volume between two consecutive readings. The third plot is the second derivative plot between ? 2pH/? V2 and V†. The ordinate of the graph, ? 2pH/? V2, was obtained by taking the quotient of the difference between two consecutive readings of ? pH/? V, and ? V, whereas V† is the average of the two consecutive readings of V’. Only two trials were done because of the inadequacy of the time. The graphs for the first trial are: a) (b) (c) Fig. 7. Titration Curves for the First Trial. (a) pH vs Vtitrant; (b) ? pH/? V vs V’; (c) ? 2pH/? V2 vs V† MNaOHVNaOH at eq ptFWsalicylic acid Gsample The graph for the second trial may be found at the Appendix. Either of the three graphs of Figs. 7 and 8 may be used in the determination of %purity for each trial. The equation used for determining the %pu rity, specifically for this experiment is %purity = x 100 (7) Thus, the volume of titrant used at equivalence point is required for the calculation. The interpolated values of the volume at equivalence point are tabulated in Table 3 in the Appendix. Calculation of the mean %purity is 101. 7%, having an error of 1. 7%, as the theoretical value is 100. 0%. The pKa is based on the pH at half-equivalence point by virtue of the derivation of Eq. 3. Onle Figs. 7a and 8a may be used for the determination of pKa as the other four do not directly give the pH at each point. The interpolated values for the pH at half-equivalence point is tabulated at Table 3 in the Appendix. The experimental pKa is 2. 865. Therefore, the Ka of the acid, given Ka = –log[Ka] (7) or Ka = 10–pKa (8) is 1. 3646 x 10–3. The theoretical pKa is equal to 2. 98. Thus, the pKa value gave rise to a 3. 86% error. Statistical analysis of the results shows the following results: Table 1. Statistical Analysis of the Results | Range| Standard Deviation| %purity| 15. 7%| 11. 1%| pKa| 0. 21| 0. 148| | Relative Standard Deviation (RSD), ppt| Confidence Int ervals (95% confidence)| %purity| 109. 1| 101. 7  ± 99. 7 %| pKa| 51. 8| 2. 865  ± 1. 334| The RSD of %purity is relatively large such that the values have low precision. Aside from that, the confidence intervals for the mean is also large such that it almost has the same order of magnitude as that of the mean. This means that the mean exhibits very low accuracy. With regards to the pKa, the RSD showed a low value, only 51. 8 ppt, implying high precision amongst the values. On the other hand, the mean value shows low accuracy because of the magnitude of the confidence intervals. These errors could be attributed to the number of trials. Due to inadequate time, the group was only able to do 2 trials, one less than the prescribed number of trials. CONCLUSIONS The experiment aimed at synthesizing salicylic acid from methyl salicylate and determining the acid dissociation constant Ka of the acid along with its purity. Organic synthesis provided a 61% yield of the acid, a relatively low yield. However, the purity of the acid can be classified as high due to the observed melting point range’s precision with the theoretical one; the %differenceis only 3. 11-6. 38%. The results of the potentiometric titration show that the salicylic acid used was 101. 7% pure, a value greater than the purity, which is 100%. The Ka, expressed as pKa, obtained was 2. 865, 0. 035 units less than the theoretical value, which is 2. 98. Though the %differences are low, the accuracy of the computed values is questionable given that the confidence intervals for the %purity and pKa are  ± 99. 7 and  ± 1. 334, respectively. These errors can be attributed to the number of trials done, which is two, due to the slow stabilization of the pH meter readings that resulted in a long period of titration. Thus, it can be concluded that potentiometric titration is an effective way of determining the acid dissociation constant of a sample. It is recommended that a better pH meter be used in the measurement of the pH and that solutions used be titrated immediately. REFERENCES [1] Day, R. A. and A. L. Underwood. (1991). Quantitative Analysis. Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall, Inc. , USA. [2] â€Å"Experiment 3: Synthesis of Salicylic Acid from Oil of Wintergreen (Methyl Salicylate). † Laboratory Reference Manual Chemistry 201/202. Reed College. Accessed 6 September 2010 ;http://academic. reed. edu/chemistry/alan/ 201_202/lab_manual/Expt_salicylic_acid/background. html; [3] McMurry, J. (2004). Organic Chemistry. Sixth Edition. Brooks/Cole – Thomson Learning, CA, USA. [4] †Recrystallization. † University of Massachussetts. Accessed 6 September 2010 ;http:// www. chem. umass. edu/~samal/269/ cryst1. pdf; [5] Skoog, D. A. , D. M. West, F. J. Holler, S. R. Crouch. (2004). Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry. Eighth Edition. Brooks/Cole – Thomson Learning, CA, USA. APPENDIX Gfilter paper = 1. 0349  ± 0. 0002 g Gfilter paper and dried product = 1. 3610  ± 0. 0002 g Gdried product = 0. 3261  ± 0. 0003 g %yield = 61. 0% Observed melting point range: 150-156 °C %difference = 3. 11-6. 83% 1 ° standard used;: potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) purity = 99. 95% Table 2. Standardization of NaOH Trial| Mass of KHP, g| Vtitrant, mL| Molarity, M| 1| 0. 2030| 21. 30| 0. 04664| 2| 0. 2175| 23. 00| 0. 04628| 3| 0. 2043| 21. 70| 0. 04608| Average Molarity, M| 0. 04633| Table 3. Sample Analysis Trial| Gsalicylic acid, g| Vtitrant at eq. pt. , mL| % purity| pH at half-eq. pt. (pKa)| 1| 0. 11 25| 16. 50| 93. 86| 2. 76| 2| 0. 1031| 17. 65| 109. 6| 2. 97| 3| -| -| -| -| Average pKa = 2. 865 Average %purity = 101. 7% Plot of the Second Trial: (a) (b) (c) Fig. 8. Titration Curves for the Second Trial. (a) pH vs Vtitrant; (b) ? pH/? V vs V’; (c) ? 2pH/? V2 vs V†

Ethical obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical obligations - Essay Example Hence there is a great amount of responsibility that goes within their working basis. They know that if they falter, there is someone else to take their seat and the public would never approve of them in the first place. It is this accountability factor that asks of them to give in their best time and time again. What is most significant is the fact that public administrators have an ethical obligation to perform, mostly on all of the occasions where they get in touch with the public. It goes to suggest without much exclamation that public administrators face ethical responsibilities because it is the public that they have to hold fast on to. They know that if the public does not get the benefits from their undertakings, it would be a futile exercise to work their way through different tasks and actions. The public administration implications in taking good care of the public health sector, housing, education and others is centered on the premise of the peculiar reinforcement strateg ies. These are followed in a very proactive fashion and that too on a consistent rate. The reinforcement phenomenon gets implemented when there are situations which ask of the public administrators to give in their very best on a constant basis. ... he domains of the public administrators, the people resourcing discussion is based on the tangent of giving more significance to the people who are more skilled and who get the most work done in an efficient capacity. However these elements must come with an ethical obligation attached with the same (Bertucci 2006). This means that the public administration implication is made stronger with each passing day and the reinforcement strategies with the help of the motivational reward hierarchies working towards the eventual benefit of the public at large. Administering people with an ethical responsibility thus becomes precisely an easy task as it manifests sound objectives in a quick manner. Thus the public administration implication of administering people through the assistance of the reinforcement strategies is a difficult proposition if the public administrator does not carry out his homework in a well-cohesive fashion. He must know what he is propagating and that too at the right l evels, on a consistent basis. There are a few instances when the public trusts the administration that has been given the right to serve them, and this is indeed an aspect which could be seen in the positive aspects under the relationship between the two – the public and the public administrators. The recent trends in privatizing government functions has a dilemma attached to it, especially when one considers the case related with the attainment of public interest and the like. What this does is to make sure that privatization remains the key within the understanding of the public that it exists to bring harmony within their ranks and not to make them feel indifferent to privatization or even experience numbness towards it. Privatization within the public administration regimes is

Struggle of the Spanish Armada Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Struggle of the Spanish Armada - Assignment Example We have no choice but to turn to back Spain; we have no fresh water, we’re out of food, and our ammunition is limited. Some of my comrades have resorted to eating rope! The English fleet has routed us and we are forced to fight our way around Scotland. From there we will return to Spain, hopefully alive. I have been counting the days and nights but I have lost track of time. The English have stopped their attacks for some reason but now we have a new foe. The treacherous waters rock our armada to its will and the harsh rains beat into ships like stones. The moral of my comrades is beckoned into the depths of the ocean by this raging storm. I pray to our Lord that we will make our way safely back into our homeland. The storm has ceased its attack upon our Armada. I could have sworn that we had about twice as many ships at the launch of the invasion. Our captain and our crew are growing weary from fatigue and empty bellies. Many of the ships of the Armada, including our own, are splitting up and sailing into Ireland. I’m sure our Catholic brethren will be most hospitable. There we can fill our bellies and rest before returning to Spain. As we pulled up into the harbor, we were not met with friendly eyes. Our ships were being sunk and men were washing up ashore, dead and alive. I watched in horror as our own ship was struck by the enemy.  

E-crime investigation. Security breach on a Linux Operation System Assignment

E-crime investigation. Security breach on a Linux Operation System - Assignment Example If we elaborate these further, the first time stamp named as ‘modify’ or the ‘mtime’ is updated when there is some change or modification. Likewise, in case of a directory, the time stamp is updated when there are changes / modifications or deletion occurs within the file in that particular directory. The second time stamp known as the ‘atime’ is updated for a file when it is executed or accessed. The third time stamp Change that is called as ‘ctime’ is updated when the data structure enclosing metadata of a file is accessed by the file system to define information of a file including owner, group name, access rights etc. are modified. However, during a forensic investigation, MAC times can provide a comprehensive clues if remains unchanged. Likewise, it illustrates the changes that occurred on the file system. Andy will use the TCT mactime program that is a part of the TCT tool kit for printing the MACtimes for a series of files to get an in depth view of what actually happened and how the hacker has compromised the system. Likewise, the mactime program develops a database of time stamps linked with the files of the system (Nemeth, Snyder et al. 2007). It was detected that on September 20 i.e. few days after the initial compromise of the system, the hacker entered in the system via a telnet command and started manipulating file system and server. The command below demonstrates evidence: Sep 20 00 15:46:05 31376 .a. -rwxr-xr-x root root/mount/usr/sbin/in.telnetd Sep 20 00 15:46:39 20452 .c -rwxr-xr-x root root/mount/bin/login ... -rwxr-xr-x root root/mount/usr/sbin/in.telnetd Sep 20 00 15:46:39 20452 .c -rwxr-xr-x root root/mount/bin/login After one hour of the system being compromised, a directory was established named as /dev/ttypq/ on the file system and soon a distrustful and unknown file starts appearing and modified on the file system. The most suspicious files were named as ipv6.0, rpc.status and rc.local. Sep 20 00 16:49:47 949 ..c -rwxr-xr-x root root /mount/etc/rc.d/rc.local 209 ..c -rwx------ root root /mount/usr/sbin/initd Sep 20 00 16:50:11 4096 .a. drwxr-xr-x operator 11 /mount/dev/ttypq/... Sep 20 00 16:52:12 7704 .a. -rw-r--r-- root root /mount/lib/modules/2.2.16-3/net/ipv6.o 209 .a. -rwx------ root root /mount/usr/sbin/initd 222068 .a. -rwxr-xr-x root root /mount/usr/sbin/rpc.status Andy’s investigation addressed the ipv6.0 file that was a modular visible string related to the suspected sockets of the network i.e. TCP port 32411 and TCP port 3457, more than one user account names, ille gitimate use of the Ethernet interface to relay all the traffic visible on the network. prover# strings ipv6.o check_logfilter kernel_version=2.2.16-3 my_atoi :32411 my_find_task :3457 is_invisible :6667 is_secret :6664 iget :6663 iput :6662 hide_process :6661 hide_file :irc __mark_inode_dirty :6660 unhide_file :6668 n_getdents nobody o_getdents telnet n_fork operator o_fork Proxy n_clone proxy o_clone undernet.org n_kill Undernet.org o_kill netstat n_ioctl syslogd dev_get klogd boot_cpu_data promiscuous mode __verify_write . . . o_ioctl adore.c n_write gcc2_compiled. o_write __module_kernel_version n_setuid we_did_promisc cleanup_module netfilter_table o_setuid check_netfilter init_module strstr __this_module logfilter_table sys_call_table In the above strings, a string named as adore.c

Which is the true story from the life of pi Essay

Which is the true story from the life of pi - Essay Example After sometimes, only the strong animals seem to survive in the jungle. Pi watches helplessly as the spotted hyena kills the zebra. The tiger nonetheless is amused by the act of hyena. The tiger, Richard Parker, due to his friendly nature, subsequently dispatches the orang-utan before it. Secondly, the tiger is a naturally interdependent animal in habit (Baker & Margaret 85). Pi, through his book, sets about conditioning the tiger through his appealing and rewarding behaviour. He offers the tiger food and fresh water so that the two can co-exist in the boat. Tiger and Pi remain on the verge of starvation for a few months. This was not until they realized an uncharted island, which is packed with bountiful meerkat population and fresh vegetation. After a little survival on fresh vegetables, Tiger and Pi got their way out of starvation by identifying carnivore’s algae along the island (Martel 342). These algae nonetheless were acidic hence would consume them when the storm comes. Pi and tiger, therefore, took fresh vegetables and sailed away in fear of being consumed by the island’s acidity. They were in Mexican coast when their lifeboat made a landfall again. These two friends were malnourished and starved at that moment. As Pi collapses on the beach, Pe ter Parker (Bengal Tiger) ungratefully walks into the jungle without glancing back at his malnourished friend. Perhaps this was in fear of the Mexican authorities or maybe a theme portraying the ungrateful nature of human beings after being helped in the times of dire needs (Martel 53). In the human story version, two different natures of tiger’s habits emerge. These characteristics include self-preservation and revenge. In the human version of Pi’s tale, the cargo ship still sinks. In this scenario, the animalistic version changes when Pi’s mother (Gita), an injured Japanese sailor, and the ship’s overwhelming cook join him in the boat (Martel 135). After some time, survival for the

Anything to do with Microbology Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anything to do with Microbology - Article Example Disease causes by this bacteria, tuberculosis is a major public health challenge and is currently in an epidemic state in several parts of the world. According to the World Health Organisation, 139 per 100,000 population through out the world suffer from tuberculosis. The highest number of cases are seen in Asia, followed by Africa. Two important contributing factors are human immunodeficiency virus and development of resistance of the bacteria to first line drugs. The main source of infection to the community are sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Only 10 percent of individuals develop the clinical disease and the rest arrest the growth of the bacteria through adequate immune response. Some population-based studies have shown that some individuals are at increased risk of acquiring the infection when compared to others. Active transmission is mainly seen in crowded and household contacts. Acquisition is most common in young people. More than 85 percent of tuberculosis is pulmon ary tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is communicable and patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are the most important source of infection. When the tuberculosis bacillus presents in the body, it is phagocytosed by antigen presenting cells in the alveoli of human lungs. This initiates a protective immune response by the host. The genome of the bacillus helps in establishing latent or progressive infection in the host.

The incentives created by transparency in the costs of justice or the Dissertation

The incentives created by transparency in the costs of justice or the lack thereof - Dissertation Example However, transparency in this regard is superficial as ordinary members of the public rarely spend time in courts observing trials unless they are parties to a case and thus are wholly unaware of the rulings, the contents of the rulings, the rationale, ratio decidendi and how those rulings compare to previous rulings. Moreover, ordinary members of the public are also generally unaware of the court hierarchal structure and will not know whether or not a ruling by one court is binding on another court or whether or not a ruling in one court is invalid because it failed to follow a ruling by a higher court. In this regard, transparency only benefits experts and members of the public must pay for expert advice and knowledge. Complicating matters, the cost of this advice is far from transparent since it varies from one lawyer to another and changes according to the special circumstances and facts of a particular case. It is against this background that this research study applies game the ory’s coordination model and Nash equilibrium model which theoretically at least, helps to shed light on the factors that influence actors in making the decision to litigate. ... a cost-benefit analysis of the â€Å"legislative and the judicial process of lawmaking.†1 Informed by game theory, this paper uses the model created by Mattiacci and Deffains in analysing the incentives created by transparency in the cost of justice. The results of a survey conducted in Europe involving 1080 respondents are used to confirm the author’s contention that potential litigants are concerned with outcomes and the cost of litigation. In other words, transparency in the cost of justice can result in more litigation if the costs of justice in terms of legal fees and related expenses are low but can result in less litigation if the costs of justice are high or disproportionate to the award contemplated by the dispute. It is therefore concluded that transparency and its twin partner certainty/uncertainty informs the potential litigant’s decision, but only via attorneys who can understand the information generated by precedents and this information is availab le at uncertain costs. Based on information relative to outcome, the law, strategies/intentions of other actors, and the socio-economic cost involved in obtaining relevant information and the desired outcome, potential litigants will decide on one of three things: accept the consequences of the legal dispute and do nothing; settle the matter privately; or rely on formal adjudication to resolve the dispute. Table of contents Abstract 2 Introduction 3 Dari-Mattiacci and Deffains’ Model 9 Research Questions 16 Aims and Objectives 17 Statement of the Problem 17 Significance of the Study 18 Research Methodology 19 Organization of the Study 20 A Review of the Literature 21 Transparency 21 Game Theory 30 Transparency and the Incentive to Litigate or not to Litigate 41 Findings and Conclusion 55 Bibliography 64

Study of Banking Crises and Failures Dissertation

Study of Banking Crises and Failures - Dissertation Example The number of studies and research papers probing causes and types of bank failures is substantial. These research efforts have presented wide ranging evidence of bank failures from across various continents and cover the period as early as the Great Depression period of 1930s to as recent as couple of years back just prior to release of final Basle II framework in June 2004.Great Depression was a period of a downside economic shock and affected the larger economies in a major manner. While general economic outlook was highly pessimistic in these years it often precipitated in economy wide panics running through money and capital markets. Several research papers have studied the effect of the panics on the banking system and focused on enumerating the timing and geography of bank failures during panics (Wicker,1996).While some other research efforts have attempted to explain if panics were one time abnormal periods that resulted in the failure of even solvent banks by comparing banks that failed in panic periods to banks that failed outside such periods and finally tracing the survival of some such banks.The former paper arrives at the conclusion that banks failing during panic periods were weaker than banks that survived and not quite similar in financial characteristics to banks that failed during non-panic periods. Literature has identified four major panics were identified in the Great Depression period (1930-1933). Friedman and Schwartz attribute the 1930 panic to a contagion of fear"

Argument Essay Does Religion cause wars Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument Does Religion cause wars - Essay Example Religion makes significant contributions to the causes of some wars in the modern era. Witness the disputes around Jerusalem, Israels illegal occupation of Palestine and its status as a religious state, a rogue state and an aggressor state. Also, Huntingtons clash of civilizations theory places religion at the core of his warring civilizations. Jerusalem was the objective of the First Crusade, almost one millennium later it remains a focal point of religious warfare. For Jews, Jerusalem is where the Messiah will appear and the site of the original Temple of Solomon. It is also a significant site to Muslims: â€Å"Jerusalem has had a very important spiritual meaning for Muslims, not only being the first Qibla but also the mystical experience of the prophets ascendance to heaven.† (â€Å"Jerusalem in Islam†) For Christians it is where the Messiah was crucified, buried and rose again from the dead. The importance to Christianity is so great that there have been disputes within Christianity (intra-religious fighting) as to who has the privilege and responsibility of maintaining the Christian holy sites in the city. In 2008 the BBC reported, â€Å"Fighting erupted between Greek Orthodox and Armenian monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Christs crucifixion.† (â€Å"Monks brawl at religious shrine†, 2008) Violence in and around Jerusalem, and attempts by various religions to claim Jerusalem as theirs, can be attributed to religion. In a broader sense the state of Israel and the warfare that has characterized its sixty years of existence are also attributable to religious roots. Israelis often insist that their differences with their neighboring states is not religious. They insist the friction is between a democratic state (Israel) and non-democratic states (Syria, Jordan and Egypt). However, it is clearly a religious issue that transcends Jerusalem. In December 2010 CNN reported â€Å"In August, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual

Carer Term Definition Essay Example for Free

Carer Term Definition Essay By firstly understanding what the term carer means I can look at the challenges both care givers, and care receivers face. According to a government website a â€Å"carer is someone who looks after a friend, relative, or neighbour who needs support because of their sickness, age or disability.† A 2001 census report noted that â€Å"6 million people said that they provide unpaid care to a family member.† This is 12% of the adult population in the United Kingdom. This is a great amount of families providing and receiving care. For a family carer to claim financial help as a carer, the carer must be caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week, be over 16 and not a student. They must also be caring for someone formally recognised as â€Å"disabled† or someone over the age of 65. the carer must also not earn more than  £95 a week. These are the guidelines for application from a government website. Many carers may not no this and may be suffering financially from providing care within families. I will answer the essay title by looking at giving care and receiving care and the challenges both person face. I will also introduce you to the story of Ann, Angus and their family. There are many challenges in been a carer of a family member. But firstly a advantage of been a recognised carer is you can claim to qualify for a carers allowance of  £45.70 per week, also from a government website. The carers equal oppourtunities act 2004, â€Å"it gives carers the right to a assessment of their needs, with regards not just to their caring role but also to their needs for leisure, training and work.† This benefits the care giver in social terms and educationally. There are many difficulties in being a carer. It is demanding and hard work. Both physically and emotionally.

Managing Food Allergies and Intolerances in the Hospitality Sector Essay Example for Free

Managing Food Allergies and Intolerances in the Hospitality Sector Essay A food allergy is the response of the body to a food or protein the body perceives as injurious and therefore produces antibodies (Eigenmann, 2009). Highly popular are allergies towards nuts, eggs or seafood. The symptoms can vary from swelling of the throat or mouth, skin reactions, noxious feeling, breathing difficulties or even collapse (Busky, 2012). Intolerance on the other hand is the reaction when the body is not able to deal or digest a kind of food because the body misses or cannot produce certain enzymes. Most commonly known are lactose and gluten intolerances which are coeliac disorders. Triggering a malabsorption of several nutritional ingredients the sufferer has to deal with indigestion, mild abdominal (stomach) pain, bloating, occasional changes in bowel habit, such as episodes of mild diarrhoea or constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss or even vomiting (National Health Services). All these symptoms give high restrictions during daily life and require careful attention. Further the term of anaphylaxis appears quite often in the context of food allergy. Anaphylaxis describes an extreme form of imunsystem reaction to a chemical contact with of a substance of the sufferer within the environment. It impinges on the whole body and can in worst cases lead to an anaphylactic shock which often causes death (National Health Services). The British Allergy Foundation stated that in 2012 up to 21 million people in the UK are affected by food allergies and that almost 10 million of them are suffering from more than one allergy. They further estimated that by the year 2015 almost 50 per cent of the Europeans will suffer from an allergy. These facts are already allowing an insight into the importance of the topic in the hospitality industry and its uprising as a contemporary issue of increasing significance. In the following section some general information and research and three food allergy organizations will be presented more in detail. The topic will be presented with a detailed view on the approach in restaurants. The key findings will be evaluated and summarized in the conclusion. Discussion General Information Allergens in food are not always labelled and indicated on product or menu items. Further as per the findings of Pratten and Towers (2003) there is high education and training for hospitality workers in terms of food hygiene and preparation but with no deeper focus on handling food allergies. Eating out therefore becomes a difficult challenge especially for families. Especially, after reviewing a study of Cathy A. Enz on behalf of the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly in 2004. Her findings show that for restaurant managers and owners the level of concerns regarding food allergies lays only with 3,3 % (out of 100%) and is ranked on the sixed position out of eight criteria (see appendix, exhibit 1). As per Allergykids. com four in ten UK school children have an allergic condition. Hence the parents have to control and watch after their children much more to ensure their well-being. The founder and CEO of Allergyeats. com, Paul Antico states â€Å"First and foremost, I’m a dad of kids who have food allergies. I understand the concerns of parents and know what it’s like to be constantly on guard. † Adding to this statement, seven out of ten sufferers say their allergy has an adverse effect on their lives (Allergykids. com, 2012). This is clearly showing the impact on the hospitality and the need for adaption in the service offer. Within the issue of Food Allergies there have been several approaches to ease and make the topic more valid and accessible on the consumer as well as on the service providers ‘point of view. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act One step was the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of the second of August of 2004 which came into effect on the first of August 2006. It obliges manufacturers to label and indicate common allergens like nuts or milk on their product on a clear and comprehensible way (Food and Drug Administration, 2004). Whereas it is questionable if the consumer can be assured by this with correct labeling. The Food and Drug Administration is randomly inspecting different food packaging for the allergen label but it is shady if some products might just slip through and give wrong indications for the consumer. Nevertheless nowadays there is a wide range of products (for example in a supermarket with an average of 50,000 products (Google Answeres)) and most of them are food items. Therefore the control of all packaging becomes a heavy challenge. However the first step is the mplementation of such a law. Regarding the fact that the Act is in effect since 2006 it can be estimated that products have been relabeled over the years and especially new products introduced the allergen label by entering the market. The Gluten Free and Allergy Free Passport The Gluten Free and Allergy Free Passport organization are â€Å"Educating the World about Food Travel since 2005† (GFPassport, 2012). The below graph is showing their approach to necessary communication between restaurant and allergy sufferer: Fig. 1 Gluten Allergy Free Passport, 2012 On both sides, on the guest perspective and the restaurant perspective there should be previous education. The Guest, in this case the allergy sufferer needs to assess his comfort level by for example talking to the wait staff. After identifying the eating options the guest conducts the pre planning and starts the interaction with the restaurant. Communication the guest? s needs and specifications are crucial and the first step in the interaction. Ordering the meal and receiving it, the guest should provide feedback about his experience. At the same time not only the guest has to be cautious, the wait staff and the cooks have to understand the guest needs and facilitate the specification ordered by fully ensuring safety for the guest. After the meal is delivered the staff should follow-up not only for the well-being of the guest but also to apply critical feedback. The Chef? s Card To ease this communication between the customer and the restaurant some organisation like the Allergy Free Table LLC company introduced a useful tool. The company is trying to educate and provide information in that area. But not only the provision of important information about allergies and intolerances, facts and figures, problems and risks is their aim but they also giving solutions to make daily life for allergy sufferers easier. One of their approaches is the Chef? s card. It is similar to a business card indicating the allergy of the consumer, the degree of the allergy and the actions to be taken in case of an allergic reaction. Example of Layout of Chef? s Card: Fig. 2: Allergy Chef? s Card (Allergy Free Table, LLC, 2012) The Allergy Free Table LLC.  Co provides sample cards and individual adjusted templates which are provided for free download and print out on their website. This approach is widely spread and having a look through the World Wide Web a lot of positive comments regarding this idea can be found. On the forum for Food Allergy Support, members are commenting â€Å"We go out eat a lot and we use the Chef? s Card [†¦]†, â€Å"[†¦] the cards are useful [†¦]† or â€Å"[†¦] Im all for chef cards! [†¦]†. Further there can be services found other online services as SelectWisely. com which is providing Chef? Card with the focus on people travelling and therefore translating them in the respective language. From the customer and the restaurants perspective the Chef? s Card is an effective approach to this serious issue. The customer receives the feeling to be taken more serious with the special demand. Further for example the wait staff have something to hold in the hands, which can be handed over to the kitchen staff and results in more security as the level of miscommunications is narrowed. Particularly while travelling the Chef? Card is relieving the customer from feeling stressed eating out as well the restaurant obtains a clear guideline to handle the guest conveniently and most important safely. To sum up the approach of the Chef? s Card is an innovative approach which eases the concern of food allergy issues in restaurant for both parties. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Despite many online communities (e. g. the Allergy Free Table LLC. Co) are providing information the most popular one might be the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) are calling themselves the â€Å"most trusted source of information† and can record over 22,000 memberships in the year 2012 (FAAN, 2012). The network is funded by the annual membership fees, donations and charity events like the yearly FAAN Walk for Food Allergy. They are committed to increase the awareness of the impact and implications of Food Allergies, the provision of education for young and old, advocate further research into the topic. The FAAN offers programs like the â€Å"[emailprotected]† program which is a package including nformation material as well as implementation and management strategies for schools (FAAN, 2012). Moreover they understood that â€Å"Eating away from home can pose a significant risk to people affected by food allergy. Research suggests that close to half of fatal food allergy reactions are triggered by food served by a restaurant or other food service establishment† (FAAN, 2012). So they are approaching restaurateurs directly and are calling up on more training for hospitality staff: â€Å"Education, cooperation, and teamwork are the keys to safely serving a guest who has food allergies. All food service staff – including restaurant managers, servers, and kitchen staff – must become familiar with the issues surrounding food allergies and the proper way to answer guests’ questions. Further, they must know what to do if an allergic reaction occurs. † The network emphasises on cooperation between the restaurants and customers to ease the barriers and to diminish the risks for allergy sufferers while eating out. The handbook for training of hospitality staff is only one of the collections of information which is provided for free on the FAAN? s homepage. Reviewing the amount of information which is available especially online restaurateurs should no longer hesitate to implement the handling of food allergies as an inherent part of their standards and policies. Much information is available for free and some managerial strategies and ,of course training sessions, will cost some money. Nevertheless this undertaking is not too difficult as food safety and hygiene procedures are already applied in gastronomic enterprises. As shown above the need for an extension to allergy concerns from the customers? side is omnipresent. Although that the adaption of this issue will cost time and money in return target markets and customer acquisition will be promoted. The Trend of Labelling Menu Items Food labelling is only mandatory for products coming from the manufacturer, so those which are e. g. bought in supermarkets and grocery shops. This labelling format has been improved by the Codex Alimentarius by the Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in 2003 also adapted by the European Parliament and one year later in the USA. It regulated that foods triggering ensitive reactions have to be labelled. Current discussions about having restaurants to label their menu items are on-going but â€Å"[†¦] the restaurant industry argued that mandatory labeling would be a significant burden on most restaurants, the majority of which are small businesses that do not have the technical ability and/or knowledge to provide and publish such data† (Pizam, 2011). Restaurants mostly object menu labeling. Small businesses only produce in small amounts and menu items change frequently which would imply additional financial expenditures on the menu design. Further restaurants are arguing that the demand for labeled menus is not high enough. Attempts with calorie and fat indications mostly failed in past years. The demand for low calorie and low fat items in comparison to the conventional products was not high enough (Din, Zahari, Otham, Abas, 2012). It is questionable if this failure of menu indications is significant in the debate about labeling menus for allergy sufferers (Pizam, 2011). The quoted arguments are comprehensible but the extreme defensive attitude should be dropped. The request for menu labeling must not be a generalized demand but a compromise could be formed. Restaurants could have some additional menus indicating a detailed description of the menu ingredients. Other than that the restaurant might be able to guarantee that the cook on shift knows all its products and ingredients. This could be done by narrowing the amount of suppliers, brands and by maintaining the supplier for basic products. Maintaining loyal to a supplier as a plus would reduce purchase costs as restaurants receive better prices with long-term contracts. Conclusion Concluding from the findings the issue of food allergies in restaurants will be of increasing concern in the following years. Therefore there is every indication to find common approaches and standards to build up a convenient interrelation between customers and restaurants. The customer, most of all, needs to develop the trust to the restaurateur of being served in a serious and safe manner. The presented concept of the Chef? s Card is a recommendable and effective way to ease the communication for the special requirements of an allergy sufferer. Further the restaurant can handle the conveyed responsibility with more secureness and assurance. As the research has shown labelling the menu to needs of allergy sufferers is still in heavy discussion. Nevertheless a common standard should be introduced in order for the restaurant to clearly follow any special requests. To conclude in the future an overall standard is required in restaurants. Procedures should be extended and the implementation of allergy handling should be a standard for all gastronomy venues. The load of information is immense and the accessibility is there. Hence restaurants have little excuse too not implement some new strategies in their procedures. Although staff turnover is very high in the hospitality sector which is complicating the demand for additional training, hygiene and food safety instructions are mandatory for all hospitality staff. So why not extend and cover the issue of food allergies at the same time. Consequently restaurants could be labelled as being trained in allergy concerns and customers can easily choose to eat out.

Leading Innovation And Change

Leading Innovation And Change New technologies, opportunities and threats force organizations to acquire adaptive capacities in order to remain relevant, competitive and survive in an increasingly complex business environment. Organizations and individuals have to embrace change initiative programmes in order to ensure organisational long-term success. In this paper, we look at the main theories of innovation and change, whilst maintaining a general view on how an organization goes about its change management decisions. We will describe one successful, one less successful change initiative and the impact of these two on the organizational culture. We also come to the conclusion that for a successful implementation of change, a company must be more transparent and listen to every employees opinions. Then, an integrated approach to the authors personal performance as a leader and what is still lagging to acquire the skills necessary to change development will be covered. Introduction Change, innovation, and even creativity are not new concepts in the framework of organizational development. The past few decades have witnessed the development of several theoretical models aiming to improve the way organizations function. Change demands both creativity and innovation. Wickoff describes creativity as the act of connecting the new into the existing and making connections that no one else has made (Wycoff, 1991). According to Pearce (Pearce, 1974), individual culture exerts a negative influence on creativity, however, were it not for creativity, culture itself would not be created. Innovation means successfully drawing on new ideas. All innovation begins with creative ideas. Thus, creativity is the starting point for innovation. Changes in innovation are necessary for the successful exploitation of new ideas. In an organizational setting, creativity is the generation of an idea, and innovation as the implementation of these creative ideas, known as creative output. (Woodman, 2008). Amabile implies that creativity requires individuals with creative characteristics, while a group of people are primarily responsible for implementing these creative ideas, so they can result in innovation (Amabile, 1983). At the core of organizational success, an employee is likely to be creative when they expect that their creativeness will lead to personal consequences that are more rewarding. (Ford, 1990) There are individual differences that may trigger employees creativity. Many theories revolve around the fact that individual creativity is a function of personality factors, creativity-relevant skills, specialized knowledge and genuine motivation. Overall, the success of an organization depends on the capacity of its staff to communicate and share knowledge (Bryans, 2001), and it is observed that the importance of specialized knowledge in an organization has been steadily increasing (Ingram, 2000) Hughes states that managing change is one of the major challenges that face not only the organizations, but also the individuals creativities that should accompany the organizations in their processes of change (Hughes 2006). Organizational change is related to organizational strategy, which will guide organizational direction and activities (Thornhill 2000). As individual change is pivotal part of organization change, change management need to be adopted at individual level in order to initiate the change and consequently obtain successful organization change (Hughes 2006). Beer and Noria explain that due to, heightened competition, globalisation, advancements in communications and information technologies, inter-alia, change initiatives have interested the majority of leading organisations. Organizational change initiatives can maximize shareholder value (i.e. economic value theory) and develop organizational capabilities (i.e. organizational capability theory) (Beer, 2000). Throughout this paper, we explore the theories behind innovation and change, evaluating one successful and one less successful innovation/change initiative related to the relevant theories. It also offers a reflection on the authors own performance as a leader of innovation and change, including the development of an action plan for further practicing the relevant skills leading innovation and change. Theories of Innovation Mulgan and Albury (Mulgan, 2003) define innovation as the creation and implementation of new processes, products, services and methods of delivery which result in significant improvements in outcomes efficiency, effectiveness or quality. They further elaborate this concept by linking the idea of creation to a source of value both for the individual consumer and companies. According to Joseph Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934), innovation is different from invention insofar as the latter covers only aspects related to technical progress while innovation relies on acceptance and marketing. In addition he highlights the importance of innovation for growth and economic development. For example, a technical discovery without a valid product or a service cannot be regarded as an innovation. Van de Ven (Van De Ven 1986) adopts a broader definition of innovation by setting it as the development and implementation of new ideas by individuals who, over time, engage with others in a defined institutional context. Through these different definitions with the common denominator in the individual, innovation could be summarized as a creation, whose application would generate business opportunities meeting existing needs or addressing new needs. Through Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934), we discover the five major types of innovations: (i) the introduction of a new product; (ii) the introduction of a new method of production, (iii) the opening of new markets; (iv) the conquest of a new source of supply of raw materials; (v) the conception of new organizations. Different from Schumpeters theory, Tidd and Bessant (Bessant, 2009) summarized four dimensions of change, which they define as the 4Ps of innovation: Product innovation changes in things (products/services) which an organization provides; (ii) Process innovation Changes in the ways these things (products/services) are created and delivered; (iii) Position innovation Changes in the context in which the products/services are introduced; (iv) Paradigm innovation Changes in the underlying mental models which frame what the organization does. At the root of innovation is creativity, which is a process and a skill that can be developed and managed throughout the organization. A process is needed together with a culture that will help maximize creative assets. This is innovation capability that triggers organizational health. Tidd (Bessant, 2009) states that the implementing phases of innovation carry a high degree of risky as companies need to invest substantial resources and the uncertainty can significantly influence the implementation process. A great deal of research has been conducted to try to identify what factors affect the rate and extent of adoption of innovation by the markets. A number of characteristics of innovation have been found to affect diffusion (Rogers 2003): Relative advantage, (ii) Compatibility, (iii) Complexity, (iv) Trialability, (v) Observability In a dynamic environment, success comes from looking for the next opportunity and having the ability to finding insights into new products or services. Innovations may also be classified by their degree of intensity. When an innovation brings an improvement to the processes, it is described as incremental innovation. Christensen (Christensen 1997) states that incremental innovation does not change the nature of the product or service but allows the company to strengthen its offer without upsetting its value chains. Conversely, when an innovation is accompanied by a major technological breakthrough that improves the product or service, it is called disruptive innovation (Christensen 1997). Another dimension of innovation may be classified by its degree of novelty. Innovation is not only a matter of major advances or radical innovations but also includes small-scale changes or incremental innovations (Tidd, 2006). Innovation was considered largely as the creation and development of new ideas. However, generating new ideas is just one step of an innovation. Thus, as Tidd states, innovation is a process, not a single event, and needs to be managed as such. The influences on the process can be manipulated to affect the outcome that is, it can be managed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One notable model describing the innovation process is the innovation pentathlon framework (Goffin, 2005). A more generic innovation process model by Tidd and Bessant (Bessant, 2009) divides the innovation process into four phases: (i) Generating new ideas how can we find opportunities for innovation? (ii) Selecting the good ones what to do and why? (iii) Implementing them how to make it happen? (iv) Capture how to get benefits from it? In his research, Shapiro argues that perpetual and pervasive innovation is the key to long -term sustainable success in the continuous search for new consumers. (Shapiro, 2002) To survive competition, organizations must rapidly and repeatedly re-invent themselves often through its best resource, the employees. The road map to reinvention starts by applying the seven Rs. 1. Rethink your underlying assumptions. 2. Reconfigure how you carry out work. 3. Resequence when work takes place 4. Relocate where work is done to cut down on handoffs and delays. 5. Reduce the frequency of carrying our specific activities. 6. Reassign who does the work by asking if anyone else could achieve the same result more effectively and efficiently. 7. Retool the technology that supports getting the work done. Could new software and automated equipment transform our ways of working? Tidd (Tidd 2006) recognizes that shocks trigger innovations and changes occur when a threshold is reached (be it opportunity or threat). Similarly, Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934) identifies the resistance to change when the resistance manifests itself in the groups threatened by the innovation, then in the difficulty finding the necessary cooperation, finally in the difficulty in winning over consumer. Change and change models An analysis of some of the works of authors considered masters of leadership explains this (Porter 1980) (Drucker 1999). The reasons for change resistance are essentially within the individuals of the organization and the environment in which they operate. Some changes occur because of the opportunities that arise, while others are planned as in mergers/acquisitions. The onus is then placed on effective change management, which allows people to reorient the organization, achieve its goals, maximize their performance and ensure the continuous improvement in an ever-changing business environment. Change occurs efficiently only if there is a complete commitment from within the organization. Change happens through people therefore, as part of the process of change it is necessary to know and stimulate their values, their beliefs, their behaviors and their emotions. Kim argues that organizations learn via their individual members (Kim 1993). Therefore, understanding individual learning theories are important for understanding organizational learning. There are different areas of change within an organization. Balogun and Hailey describe four types of changes: adaptation, reconstruction, evolution and revolution (Hailey, 2004). Scope of Change Nature of change Realignment Transformation Incremental Adaptation Evolution Big Bang Reconstruction Revolution Senior and Fleming see change as either soft change (group work change agent as catalyst, more complex) or hard change (clear objectives, achievable, less complex) (Fleming, 2006) Planned change takes conscious and attentive effort on the part of the organization. Kanter originated the concept of the change master: a person or organization skilled at the art of anticipating the need for and of leading productive change (Kanter, 1983) . Changes will not occur unless the necessity for change is significant. Employees and organizations usually resist change unless they have to. Before embarking on an organizational change initiative, a clear strategy must be planned in order to anticipate potential problems. One often criticized model for change is Lewins model of change, which consists of unfreezing, transforming, and freezing. Unfreezing refers to conditioning individuals readiness for change, and establishing ownership. It revolves around increased awareness by stakeholders of the existence of a dissonance between the organization and its environment. It fosters a desire for transformation that is then spread in the organization. This is a period of self questioning where reflections abound on the driving forces and changing patterns of perception. This stage is characterized by instability, loss of landmark and a degree of uncertainty resulting in the sense of the need to change (Lewin, 1951). During the transformation, momentum builds when stakeholders introduce change and plan its implementation and transformation with the commitment of individuals to accept the change initiatives. In the final phase, refreezing, individuals recognize the change and reestablish the equilibrium, both personally and within the organization. This last step in the process of change is the institutionalization of new practices. It is therefore the consolidation, convergence and adoption of new behaviors. In addition, during this phase, the organization assists the rooting of new standards and the emergence of a new culture. Refreezing thus prevents individuals to return to the previous step, and wide acceptance leads to progress. (Gilley 2005). Lewins Force field analysis (Lewin 1951) further considers that an issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces the positive and the negative in terms of those forces driving change and those forces restraining change. Lewin considers a number of positive forces that support this state together with a set of restrictive forces that oppose and counterbalance it. In essence, this resistance allows Lewin to conceive patterns of continuity and discontinuity within relatively stationary structures in group behavior. In this respect, behavioral change is not conceived of as naturally emergent, but rather as a planned process requiring the intervention of a change agent . Lewins model has several limitations in that it fails to address the human side of change and doesnt address the emotional state of people during the change process and relies on the change agent to act as a cohesive between states of stability while helping to diffuse resistance. Not every employee or stakeholder will agree on the new vision or let alone implement it. Another risky limitation is preventing organizations to move back to former phases where updating may be required. This can send wrong signals to employees, especially when the realization of moving too fast or too early into a new stage, triggering significant changes in the internal environment. Very similar to Lewins model, Kotters (Kotter 1996) eight steps of change is another linear model for change. Its eight steps are: establishing a sense of urgency, forming a powerful guiding coalition, creating and communicating a vision, empowering others to act on the vision, planning for and creating short-term wins, consolidating improvements and producing still more change, and finally institutionalizing new approaches. However, knowing the required change is the critical question to ask. Those changes with wide-reaching impacts requiring significant unlearning by an individual are the ones that will generate the more resistance to change. In the following table, we combine the foundations of the two models. Kotters eight phases can essentially be reduced to three stages, similar to Lewins model. This allows us to consider an integrative model to the two different approaches. Lewins model Kotters model Phase 1 Awareness of the need to change Challenge the status quo Lack of stability created Create a sense of urgency Crete a guiding coalition Elaborate a vision for change Phase 2 Moving towards change Discussion and reflections on the inefficient existing practices Communicate the vision Empower the change agents Create short terms gains Phase 3 Institutionalize new practices Consolidate new behaviors Solidify new norms Consolidate longer-term gains Solidify new approaches into culture Similar to Lewins model, Kotters fails to address the human side of change, assuming everyone will agree, and doesnt address the emotional state of people during the change process. In practice, during the different phases, greater attention is granted to managing the change process rather than the individuals affected by the change process. Employees lack the recognition that they are treated as competent and important elements of the organization. Their worth has to be recognized respected. To avert this during the change process, the organization can, inter-alia, instill a sense of belonging, enhance management-employee relations, improve the supervisory quality and decision making process, disseminate information and foster feedback and provide access to training. Researchers estimate that 70% of change initiatives fail. (Noria). Kotters model risks failure if the sense of urgency is not created, if a strong enough coalition is not formed, with blurred vision, not allowing adjustments or the elimination of harmful practices in the change process, failing to obtain success in the short term, or quickly calling victory and not anchoring the changes in culture of the organization. Lewin (management.net 2012) describes four essential steps to managing change: Define the change you want to see by creating a diagram or table of the future desired state. Brainstorm and analyze the restraining forces those that oppose change. Evaluate the driving and restraining forces and focus on the impact of each on the change initiative. Impose a strategy that analyses the driving and restraining forces. The result should be an action plan that will achieve the greatest impact. Egan (Egan, 1988), clearly influenced by Lewins, proposes a simple model for change in three steps: Assessing the current scenario Creating a preferred scenario Designing a plan from the current into the preferred scenario. Support and momentum must be gathered for effective change, always considering the human factor in order to prevent failure. During the change planning, it is imperative to bring on-board different profiles to achieve effective change. Senior and Fleming (Fleming, 2006) argue that for effective change, an organizational leader must engage and drive the initiative forward in the organization. The importance of stakeholder, in determining the driving and restraining forces, is important throughout the process Two radically different models of change are Beer and Norias theory E and Os (Beer 2000). Theory E focuses on creating value to the shareholder, and uses structures and systems to achieve change. This approach often resorts consulting firms and economic incentives as a way to entice the organizational changes at the lower level. Opposite is theory Os goal to change a companys ways from the bottom to the top, that is from the front line employees to the CEO. Management, employees, culture and behavior are addressed through the involvement of all the employees through a transparent communication scheme. Organizations abiding by theory O create systems which make employees emotionally committed to increasing their performance within the organization. Under theory O, employees are requested to become involved in identifying and solving work-related problems whereas managers believe that creating value is the essence of this approach. As there is no one right approach, the limitation of Beer and Norias model is that they cannot be implemented as stand-alone given the economic and human risks associated. Simultaneous implementation of both theories, know as tension between E and O, together with hard and soft change approaches, extremely delicate, will provide a sustainable advantage to organizations embracing it. The principles of creativity and innovation must be formulated and discussed across the spectrum between executives, middle managers and employees. A participatory approach early on the process can lead to failures in the change initiative. Change agents and executives of the organization should be alert on providing innovative frameworks for successful change. Whether planned or unplanned, the onus should be placed on having a clear understanding of the specific situation, its complexity and the selection of an appropriate change strategy and communication plan. Change initiatives need to be designed wit h all stakeholders in perspective; only successful change is operated from a stakeholder perspective. (Holbeche, 2006) A simple stakeholder analysis, adapted from Cleland (Ireland, 2004) can sustain an effective communication plan. Leadership and Leading change The most common definition of leadership refers to the ability to get others to do what you want. According to Bolman and Deal (Bolman 1997), the word leader was introduced more than a thousand years ago. It derives from the Anglo-Saxon laedare, which has undergone a few changes. In old English it meant conducting travelers on the road. Bolman and Deal (Bolman 1997) refine the term leader into those individuals that are helpful, make us feel secure and alleviate fears; those that see possibilities and discover hidden resources. Power is key to leadership. Robbins and Coulter differentiate between a manager and a leader, in that managers are chosen by the board or by shareholders of the company based on academic and work experience while leaders emerges from a group, and are able to influence employees performances (Robbins 1996). Koontz (Koontz 1995) states that leadership as an art that influences people to work voluntarily and enthusiastically to achieve collective goals (Kotter 1996, 490) In this sense, the leader faces the challenge of developing skills that drive change and guiding direction and vision. However, before being able to exercise effective leadership, individuals must continually seek self-learning and self-advancement. That is why, as a fundamental aspect, the leader of any group or organization must be committed to the challenge of increasing the value or the importance of his own organization. This self-improvement is fundamental part of any organizations culture. Robbins and Coulter mention qualities that characterize the leader such as: intelligence, charisma, decision, enthusiasm, strength, value, integrity and confidence in it (Robbins 1996, 573). Another common view is that leaders provide organizations and individuals with a clear vision capable of generating a compelling image of the future. In this regard, Kotters works (Kotter 1996) have been oriented to establish a clear difference between management and leadership: Management is a set of processes whereby complicated systems of individuals and technology run smoothly. The most important aspects of management are planning, budgeting, organizing, human resources and problem solving. On the other hand, leadership is a set of processes that prioritize organizations and adapt them to significantly changing circumstances. The leadership defines the future by aligning people with a vision and inspires them to make it reality despite the obstacles. This assessment refers to the ability of these individuals to assist a group of people in circumstances of uncertainty through a practical, achievable vision within a certain period and whose development is both an exercise of the intellect and heart. The vision is an image of the future, with an increasingly favorable individual and collective change with respect to the present. Organization leadership should work through the change agents to gain momentum and support the change initiative. The leaders function is critical to implementing the desired change. They do not necessarily need to be directly involved. Buchanan (2003) argues that change leaders should perceive the need for change and advocate the change. However, acting alone will not be successful and functioning though a change agent, with the responsibility to implement change is a more sustainable strategy. All stakeholders should be part of the change effort and it is important to consider each stakeholder in planning strategies in order to gain support for the change effort. Leaders must advocate the change in a way that makes it appealing and less threatening to the stakeholders. Somewhat dissonant to Lewins theory, Kanter states that it is easier to implement change when it is: conducted on a small scale, can be reversible if unsuccessful and in line with the organizations current direction. (Kanter R. , 1983) Leaders must think in the longer term and look beyond the unit of work of the department towards a greater scope. Their intuition of the environment is used to exhort influence. (Higgs) They possess vision, and have the political skills to deal with the challenging and resisting changing environments and groups of followers (Bolman 1997). Senior and Fleming (Fleming, 2006) assert that another important trait in change management leadership is the will to take risks. Leaders not only must assert their creative and emotional intelligence, but they must motivate for how change is accomplished (Fleming, 2006, p. 348) Transformational leaders, willing to take risks, exerting consistent behavior with high levels of ethics and integrity are able to inspire and motivate employees by demonstrating a shared commitment to the new goals and vision of the organization. (Riggio, 2006). Successful change Robert Heller states that good change management teams are those that know what to change, have the competence to accomplish change and above all carry it out. It helps to operate change under a cultural banner. One theory that groups thinking from Lewin, Kotter and Beer and Norias models is Bolman and Deals four frames, which require creative thinking beyond the described linear model of change. We look at the experience in creating organizational learning and change relates to Bolmans and Deals (Bolman 1997) four frames of organizational structure. The case of a large United Nations (herein referred to as UN) organization will be presented. It is an interesting example of a UN organization operating in changing environments with offices in over 70 countries and a diverse multicultural cadre of staff. Unpredictability is embedded its organizational culture and resilience to change gives it a comparative advantage over other UN organizations. Staffs in the field, away from headquarters, are expected to be mobile and work in the most challenging circumstances and deliver results. The importance of a field presence close to the beneficiaries served is of vital importance. The UN organization strives to increase its expertise in finding and providing efficient and effective solutions to hunger and malnutrition. In retrospective, a stakeholder analysis identified the following stakeholders in the change process: Importance of stakeholder >>> Influence of stakeholder >>> Little or no importance Some importance Significant importance Significant influence C A Somewhat influential Little or no influence D B Group A: Executive management, Middle management, Board of directors Group B: Employees, Host government, staff unions, Project teams Group C: Donor countries, Staff counselors Media and journalists Group D: Staff families, Beneficiaries, Local communities Structural frame: The structural frame emphasizes goals, specialized role, and formal relationships, commonly depicted by organizational charts (Bolman 1997, 13) It highlights the structural aspects of organizations and assumes the following: organizations exist to achieve goals and objectives; things work best when rationality prevails over human needs; it is most effective and efficient to assign roles using specialization and division of labor; effective coordination and control is needed for individuals to work together to meet the organizations goals; problems are a result of poor structure (Bolman 1997) Given the current state of global economic, social and political affairs , combined with the organizations thirst to remain relevant, it is expected to do more with less and continue to be as innovative (and more creative in reaching results). This translated into a change on the approach starting with a rapid organizational assessment that was immediately undertaken to facilitate a process of reflection, review and analysis. The results of this assessment were reviewed by a team of change sponsors/advocates within the organization. A wide range of going-forward organizational design and operating recommendations were made to the executive director and developed into a framework for action calling for a strategy based on participation and action planning and guiding coalition. In order to be more efficient, boost creativity and innovation, it was determined that decisions had to be streamlined, eliminating redundant positions, and improving communication through a wide internal and external participation. The result was a process driven by function rather than focused on current personnel. Immediately, a new structure was designed harmonizing the executive functions, and eliminating redundant director jobs, and ultimately streamlining decision making closer to where the operations are. The result is an organization with one executive director, one deputy executive director and four assistant executive directors (effectively two functions of deputy executive director were eliminated). The assistant executive directors moved from supervising thrust areas in HQ to managing functional areas across the entire organization. Regional directors, responsible for managing vast operations areas, are given more powers to support the country directors without having to resort to HQs approval. Country directors empowered as the centre of gravity with increased decision making authority. Change advocates not only mobilized the energy to drive the process forward but also lead a process of innovation and change by inviting employees to participate in the change process (Beer, 2000). In turn this meant that all key managers position across the spectrum in HQ, regional offices and country offices had to face the reality that their jobs were evolving to meet the new longer-term goals. New skills were to be learned and a comprehensive program on capacity building was planned. A thorough review of job description woul