3 Categories of Organisms Free Essays

Week 2: Week Two – Class Discussion Class Discussion Graded Activity: Class Discussion (25 points) Instructional Objectives for this activity: Identify the three ecosystem trophic categories of organisms. In Chapter 5, the different trophic categories in an ecosystem are discussed and the importance of each of the trophic categories is described in detail. For this week’s class discussion, please review the materials assigned in chapter 5, and answer all the prompts below. We will write a custom essay sample on 3 Categories of Organisms or any similar topic only for you Order Now What are the three ecosystem trophic categories? Give 2 examples of each trophic category that can be found in your town, city or county. What trophic category do you think is the most important in the ecosystem and why? What is biodiversity? Is it important? Relate biodiversity to the trophic categories. What would happen to the rest of the trophic categories if one them was wiped out? The minimum expectation for class discussions is to respond directly to each part of the discussion prompt and to respond to at least two other posts, either by a student or instructor, by the end of the week: Submit one main post responding directly to each part of the discussion prompt. This should be a substantive response to the topic(s) in your own words, referencing what you have discovered in your required reading and other learning activities. You may use resources in addition to your textbook that support your post(s); however, you must mention the source(s) that you used in your post(s). Reply to at least two posts. Responses can be made to students or to your instructor. Responses to other individuals’ posts should: Expand on their ideas Discuss the differences between your thoughts and theirs Explain why you agree or disagree. For citation guidelines, please refer to the table in the APA Style section of the syllabus. How to cite 3 Categories of Organisms, Papers

Technical Plan and Implementation New Charter Housing Trust Group

Question: Case study of New Charter organization. Answer: Introduction The task includes primary requirements on designing Virtual Private Network over a case study of New Charter organization. At first, the assignment addressees the essential design of the VPN network along with security and business objectives ("Social Housing Program Protects Network Inside and Out", 2016). The business and security objectives are included as with showing the new network design configuration. The assumptions are attached for depicting entire security scope inclusion. The description is attached in this study for showing the network specifications and design components. The justification is assigned for showing the entire objectives based design of the network as well (Liao, WU Dai, 2016). The components are shown for further addressing of the network procedures; the implementation of the planned network is depicted to show the entire scenario of the design. Network Diagram for the Case Study Figure 1: VPN Network Design Security and Business Objectives in Case Study The security and business objectives are included as per the case study consideration. The organization New Charter Housing Trust Group required incorporating a low-cost yet scalable network connection architecture connecting more people in one grid (Liu et al., 2015). Their primary goal of business is to connect more people from lower income background with serving 20,000 citizens in UK. Their business initiatives are included as following: To provide low cost implementation of Virtual Private Network with serving more residents and corporate staffs To integrate the management units into the existing IT network with mitigating the difficulties To implement the network with legacy hardware and software without any discrepancies in interconnection To implement the network with including access controlling for proper policy and maintenance planning The security considerations are included as following in form of techniques for mitigating the risks and discrepancies. To include potential policies in the organization practices with including deployment of technology To recommend several security and privacy considerations under the network for mitigating the risk of packet transmission without exploit To incorporate the suitable security guidelines under the network connection for privacy maintenance To minimize the security and maintenance cost with increasing the performance later on with connecting the components in network architecture as well Assumptions in Network Design and Security Primary and essential consideration is that the users and personnel should consider entire process with care and sincerity. The organizations personnel and their staff should be included with suitable level of maintaining the secure and private network (Gharam, Salhi Boudriga, 2015). The assumptions in network design and security are included as following. These assumptions are attached for showing which parts are to be considered as the security concerns. The assumptions are important for determining whether the considerations are in the project scope or not. The assumptions are included herewith: The network will be incorporated with access controlling for the users under blocking access to unidentified users The network will be under some users, those who are identified in the grid The network is to be implemented with suitable structuring and configuration The IP addressing is necessary for setting the architecture at a certain packet passing rate Staff and users will be accounted with primary and essential knowledge of interconnection within the grid The staff and personnel will be aware about the network security policies and they would not be violating the rules of the security policy The security and privacy policy will be activated at the time of VPN implementation Description of Network Diagram The system is depicted with including the crucial prerequisites of segments associated in the network. The configuration is made do with considering effortlessness in design with stressing the availability procedure. The switches have RIP routing convention incorporated into the design for appropriate bulk of packet passing through the connected network architecture. The RIP convention is appended for particular bundle going in the system. The switch to switch passage is recognized as 10.0.0.0 and the change to switch portal is distinguished as 192.168.10.0 and 192.168.20.0 individually. The switch is incorporated into the system chart with passing the parcels all through two doors of 192.168.10.1 and 192.168.20.1 too. The switches are interconnected in the middle of the PCs and switches. The switch is possessed with quick Ethernet ports as fro 0/1 to 0/24; there are 24 quick Ethernet ports. The IP locations are in space of 192.168.10.0 and 192.168.20.0 individually. The association is kept up with adaptability as far as segmenting the two areas with two separate doors as 192.168.10.1 and 192.168.20.1 individually. The security encryption as "AES" is incorporated into the outline also. The verification is put as pre-offer mode. The verification is put through with sharing the key however the switch design alongside some IP address ranges. The key is pre-shared as to setting up the privacy in the middle of the frameworks for preparatory SA development. The system outline is dynamic with "isakmp" convention in the 10.0.0.0 entryways through the interfaces fa0/0 and fa0/1. The convention is incorporated into the outline for securing the encryption under the PCs in IP address scope of 192.168.10.2 to 192.168.10.255 and 192.168.20.2 to 192.168.20.255 separately. The computers are communicating with suitable packet passing as shown in the following figure. Figure 2: Ping test in between first and second PC The AES encryption is actualized with hash code "SHA" under the system engineering for fortifying the security and bundle passing component. The figure key is relegated as "toor" in the configuration, and the key is pre-shared under the IP ranges. The sharing imparts in the PCs without interpreting the message physically. As secure 'SHA 256' calculation is utilized alongside AES encryption for irregular hash-code era under a reasonable key task. The calculation is compelling inside Virtual Private Network, as it has no issues in decoding messages without a moment's delay. The security approach 10 is incorporated into the usage, as it is good with VPN arrangement with all parts of protection in bundle passing. The strategy is helpful inside the system for making the NAT conceivable under VPN setup too. Justification of Network Design The network design is justified as it is aligned with security and design initiatives as well. The necessary alignment with objectives is included along with suitable and essential design requirements. To provide low cost implementation of Virtual Private Network with serving more residents and corporate staffs; the VPN is implemented. It is feasible with low cost yet higher performance network architecture. To integrate the management units into the existing IT network with mitigating the difficulties; is implemented with dynamic IP configuration under the architecture as well. To implement the network with legacy hardware and software without any discrepancies in interconnection; as the VPN configuration does not require more important components in this aspect. To implement the network with including access controlling for proper policy and maintenance planning; the network is considered with access control lists in the process. The security considerations are included as followin g in form of techniques for mitigating the risks and discrepancies. To include potential policies in the organization practices with including deployment of technology; the security policy is included as isakmp. To recommend several security and privacy considerations under the network for mitigating the risk of packet transmission without exploit. To incorporate the suitable security guidelines under the network connection for privacy maintenance; the policy documents need to be distributed to the users and staff. To minimize the security and maintenance cost with increasing the performance later on with connecting the components in network architecture as well. Description of Major and Required Equipment The requirements of hardware and components are included as following with specifications in the network diagram. The design is managed with considering simplicity in architecture with emphasizing the connectivity process. The required hardware components are quite popular in market within limited cost as well. 2811 Router: The routers are general with two fast-Ethernet interfaces as 0/1 and 0/0. The routers have RIP routing protocol included in the configuration for suitable packet passing regardless of gateway. The RIP protocol is attached for specific packet passing in the network. The router to router gateway is identified as 10.0.0.0 and the switch to router gateway is identified as 192.168.10.0 and 192.168.20.0 respectively. 2950-24 Switch: The switch is included in the network diagram with passing the packets throughout two gateways of 192.168.10.1 and 192.168.20.1 as well. The switches are interconnected in between the computers and routers. The switch is occupied with fast-Ethernet ports as fro 0/1 to 0/24; there are 24 fast-Ethernet ports. General PC: The personal computers are generic with no extra requirements regarding the network connection. The IP addresses are in domain of 192.168.10.0 and 192.168.20.0 respectively. The connection is maintained with scalability in terms of sectioning the two domains with two separate gateways as 192.168.10.1 and 192.168.20.1 respectively. VPN Tunnelling and Encapsulation Requirements The VPN tunnelling and encapsulation requirements are included with including the security policy in the process. The security encryption as AES is included in the design as well. The authentication is placed as pre-share mode. The authentication is put through with sharing the key though the router configuration along with some IP address ranges. The encapsulation requirements are included as following: isakmp protocol: The protocol is assigned with mentioning a key as toor in the network architecture. The key is pre-shared as to establishing the confidentiality in between the systems for preliminary SA formation. The network design is active with isakmp protocol in the 10.0.0.0 gateways through the interfaces fa0/0 and fa0/1. ipsec protocol: The protocol is included in the design for securing the encryption under the computers in IP address range of 192.168.10.2 to 192.168.10.255 and 192.168.20.2 to 192.168.20.255 respectively. AES encryption: The AES encryption is implemented with hash code SHA under the network architecture for strengthening the security and packet passing mechanism. The cipher key is assigned as toor in the design, and the key is pre-shared under the IP ranges. The sharing helps to communicate in the PCs without deciphering the message manually. SHA 256 algorithm: As secure SHA 256 algorithm is used along with AES encryption for random hash-code generation under a suitable key assignment. The algorithm is effective within Virtual Private Network as it has no issues in decrypting messages at once. Security Policy: The security policy 10 is included in the implementation, as it is compatible with VPN configuration with all aspects of privacy in packet passing. The policy is beneficial within the network for making the NAT possible under VPN configuration as well. Implementation of Planned Network The implementation of the planned network is quite simple in this aspect. The routers are connected though the cross-over cables within the gateways as 10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2 within them. The switches are connected with computers and routers with straight cable wiring. The PC gateway is identified to be 192.168.10.1 and 192.168.20.1 as well. The computers are configured with 192.168.10.2 to 192.168.10.255 and 192.168.20.2 to 192.168.20.255 IP addressing. The routers are included with RIP packet routing procedures. The cryptography is assigned with security policy 10, along with pre-shared authentication of key. The encryption is implemented with AES security over packet passing. The hash code SHA is attached for showing the random key generation with mapping the access-list 101 in IP range of 192.168.10.0 to 0.0.0.255 and 192.168.20.0 to 0.0.0.255. Again, the second router is incorporated with access-list of 101 within similar ranges of IP addressing. The mapping is supported with CMA P and TSET compatibility for key matching of toor. Figure 3: isakmp Cryptography active in first router Figure 4: ipsec Encryption Shown in red outline Conclusion The assumptions in network design and security are included for managing the in-scope requirements only. The network design is justified as it is aligned with security and design initiatives as well. It is feasible with low cost yet higher performance network architecture. To implement the network with including access controlling for proper policy and maintenance planning; the network is considered with access control lists in the process. The RIP protocol is attached for specific packet passing in the network. The protocol is assigned with mentioning a key as toor in the network architecture. The cryptography is assigned with security policy 10, along with pre-shared authentication of key. The encryption is implemented with AES security over packet passing. Bibliography Ahmed, B. A., Saleem, Y., Waseem, S. (2015). AN IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTIPROTOCOL LABEL SWITCHING VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS AND INTERNET PROTOCOL SECURITY USING GRAPHICAL NETWORK SIMULATOR 3 AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.Science International,27(3). Burke, C. (2015). Implementation and Evaluation of Virtual Network Functions Performance in the Home Environment. Chen, Y. L., Chen, P. W., Wang, C. H. (2015, October). Performance improvement for CMT-SCTP via load-balancing virtual connections. InComputing and Communication (IEMCON), 2015 International Conference and Workshop on(pp. 1-7). IEEE. Dumka, A., Mandoria, H. L., Dumka, K., Anand, A. (2015, March). MPLS VPN using IPv4 and IPv6 protocol. InComputing for Sustainable Global Development (INDIACom), 2015 2nd International Conference on(pp. 1051-1055). IEEE. Gharam, M., Salhi, M., Boudriga, N. (2015). An LTE-Based VPN for Enhancing QoS and Authentication in Smallcell Enterprise Networks. InCryptology and Network Security(pp. 248-256). Springer International Publishing. Ghilen, A., Azizi, M., Bouallegue, R. (2015). Q-OpenVPN: A New Extension of OpenVPN Based on a Quantum Scheme for Authentication and Key Distribution. InCryptology and Network Security(pp. 238-247). Springer International Publishing. Gladstone, P. J. S., McGrew, D. A. (2015).U.S. Patent No. 9,178,697. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Han, S. B., Phan, T. (2015).U.S. Patent No. 9,178,761. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kim, B., Oh, S. (2016). Implementation of Data Visualization of Harmful Information Filtering System.International Information Institute (Tokyo). Information,19(3), 987. Liao, T., WU, B., Dai, X. (2016).U.S. Patent No. 20,160,134,591. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Liu, V., Tesfamicael, A. D., Caelli, W., Sahama, T. R. (2015). Network security and performance testing for health information system management. Lospoto, G., Rimondini, M., Vignoli, B. G., Di Battista, G. (2015, May). Making MPLS VPNs manageable through the adoption of SDN. InIntegrated Network Management (IM), 2015 IFIP/IEEE International Symposium on(pp. 1155-1156). IEEE. Priyanka, B. H., Prakash, R. (2015). A Critical Survey Of Privacy Infrastructures.arXiv preprint arXiv:1512.07207. Social Housing Program Protects Network Inside and Out. (2016). www.cisco.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016, from https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/security/new-charter-housing.pdf Zhou, L. (2015, January). Implementation of Linux VPN Gateway based on Netlink communication. InControl Engineering and Information Systems: Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Control Engineering and Information Systems (ICCEIS 2014, Yueyang, Hunan, China, 20-22 June 2014).(p. 399). CRC Press. Zhuang, S., Li, Z., Baohua, S. O. N. G. (2015).U.S. Pate.

Using the information from Albl, define both faith and reason

Many people best understand faith as a religious concept, particularly, the belief in things not seen but that are true (Lewis 56). By contrast, the conventional definition of reason is far from religious; it has to do with the natural sciences deductive thinking and dialectical theories. However, this paper seeks to correct these narrow-minded views and establish a comprehensive position that clearly explains the relationship between faith and reason, since these two qualities are not mutually exclusive.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Using the information from Albl, define both faith and reason specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Faith, as per Thomas Aquinas, refers to the alignment of a person’s being, including his or her mental faculties to â€Å"divine truth† (Aquinas 67). To achieve this state, one has to subject himself / herself to the â€Å"grace of God†. It refers to a state of total surrender to God’s will that almost requires mental or intellectual blindness. One has to forfeit a bit of logic for faith to work. Albl gives several descriptions of faith that can better explain this concept. For instance, he says faith triggers a person to wonder (Albl 32). It is not enough for instance to appreciate the enchanting nature of the blue sky, faith asks who made it blue and why. Another description of faith pertains the view that all that exists because of the creation is a gift to humanity and that all should be grateful for it (Albl 33). It is also the foundation of a person’s trust in anything or anybody else, including self-confidence (Descartes 76). Trusting in what is intangible increases a person’s capacity to believe in what he or she can see or touch. Aquinas imparts that faith requires a portion of the grace of God for it to be fully fledged (Albl 34). This will is what pushes one’s will to defy their logic and succumb to pure b elief. The result is conversion of the whole person, not just their thoughts. Acquiring it is a continuous process that requires a person to train or discipline their minds constantly before it can become a â€Å"habit of the mind† (Albl 37). Reason on the other hand has to do with man’s intellectual faculties. The cause of questioning things in a bid to understand them better, or assessing various options to come up with a sensible decision over what makes sense and what does not. Consequently, Albl posits that faith and reason are actually inclusive of each other and one requires the other to achieve its maximum potential. He puts it succinctly in the statement, â€Å"balanced Christianity needs a body of reason animated by the fire of faith† (Albl 38). This makes clear the jeopardy of being an extremist. Feudists are scholars who restrict the understanding of divine attributes to pure faith and they include theologians such as Tertullian and Soren Kiekegard a mong others. This school of thought is of the opinion that logic muddles up a person’s understanding of God (Hart and Fischer 87).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Their critics are quick to assert that the same God created man a rational being, and expects him be rational about everything, including religion. On the other extreme end are rationalists who believe in cold reasoning at the exclusion of faith. They include philosophy scholars like Rene Descartes and Immanuel Kant among others. However, a modernist view that most people embrace nowadays posits that faith and reason interrelate, with each complementing the other for a fuller understanding of spiritual matters. Albl captures this as â€Å"faith seeking understanding† (33). Thomas Aquinas proposed that anyone seeking to strengthen his or her faith should find an authority upon which to base this faith. For Christians, he proposed the scriptures and by extension the Quran for Muslims. Reason is a necessary ingredient in theology as it enables scholars to apply mental processes while interpreting scriptures and other religious teachings. Employment of rational thinking of logic further strengthens a person’s conviction that whatever they are studying is true (Hart and Fischer 99). This is because people tend to trust what they have deduced for themselves better than what they do not understand. The connection of reason with faith makes it an even more important tool. It takes faith in the rationality of the world to accept the results one obtains from employing reason to deduce truth. Faith and reason are supplementary qualities whose development needs to be at par. When one exceeds the other, one risks acquiring dangerous perspectives that are extremist and close-minded in nature. Theology as a study of religion requires both in equal measure. Reason will enable a scholar to pass judgment on the accuracy of various points of view, whereas faith will turn him or her into believer. Works Cited Albl, Martin. Reason, Faith and Tradition: An Exploration in Catholic Theology. New York: Saint Mary’s Press, 2009. Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica. Fathers of the English Dominican Province,  Christian Classics. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1981.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Using the information from Albl, define both faith and reason specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Descartes, Rene. Rules for the Direction of the Mind. Descartes, Rene. Philosophical  Essays: Discourse on Method; Mediation; Rules for the Direction of the Mind.  Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merill, 1964. 192. Hart, Thomas and Fischer, Kathleen. Christian Foundations: an Introduction to Faith in  our Times. New York: Paulist Press, 1995. Lewis, Carl. Surprised by Joy:The Shape of My Early Life. New York: Harcout Brac e, 1955. This essay on Using the information from Albl, define both faith and reason was written and submitted by user Dem0g0bl1n to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

7 Ways To Stay Positive While Job Searching

7 Ways To Stay Positive While Job Searching It’s so easy to succumb to frustration while looking for employment. There’s always that moment of despair as  the form rejections to our applications keep on pouring in  when we think there’s no way we’ll ever find our dream job. But it’s always better to be proactive than to remain passive- there’s no sense wallowing in doubt. When you feel the negativity start to creep in, try one of these instead.1. Tap into your strengthsEven if you don’t feel like you have any†¦you do. Sit yourself down for five minutes and list 5-10 things you do really well. These can be relevant to your career or just relevant to your capacity for success. This to-do acts as  a good reminder of your worth and can be repeated frequently!2. Rest on your laurelsSame strategy. Sit down and make a list of a few major accomplishments in your life thus far- milestones you’ve achieved. Then think about whether you ever doubted your ability to make th em happen. Probably, you did. This next milestone is no different.3. Let it goYou don’t have to be religious to take a step back and gain a little perspective. Try mindfulness meditation, or just contemplate for a moment the idea that there is something bigger, much bigger, at work in the world than you and whether or not you get this job. Taking that deep breath can really reset your sense of scale.4. Phone a friendRather than holing up in isolation, ask for help. Tap into your network of friends, or even colleagues, for solace. Tell them you’re feeling down about yourself and the job hunt process. Chances are, they’ll give you the pep talk you need.5. Keep movingDon’t just sit there staring at your empty inbox and feeling sorry for yourself. Get out of the house and do something- preferably something that isn’t all about you. Check out some local volunteering options. You’ll feel better having helped someone.6. ExerciseIt’s good for you. It will increase your quality of life, decrease your stress, and release a cascade of endorphins that can’t help but make you feel a little better.7. RelaxStarting to feel totally overwhelmed? Make sure to check in with yourself frequently and acknowledge your fears and emotions. If it’s all getting to be a bit too much, take a break for a day- or even a couple of weeks. The recharge time won’t cost you much, and might just give you the boost you need to get back out there.

The adventure of sherlock holmes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The adventure of sherlock holmes - Essay Example Components such as plot, character and narrator make understanding of the stories quite easy. While a number of publications do not have all the components, others employ all for the purpose of drawing meaning. Doyle uses plot, narrative and character to help simplify the stories and ensure clear understanding of the stories (Doyle, 3). In the ‘Adventure of Red Headed League’, Doyle uses plot, narrator and character to help open up the story to the reader for a better consumption (Doyle, 45). With respect to plot, the sequence of events from one issue to another helps the reader to connect the dots and relate the content of the story. This is what brings an understanding to the reader. For instance, Holmes and Watson are vastly mentioned in the adventure. In the plot, the lines reveal multiple sides of Holmes while being silent on Watson. The plot of the story is choreographed in such a way that Holmes is portrayed as all knowing and tries to jargon through a number of issues. Through this, Doyle makes the story to be understood through the interactions between Watson and Holmes. Holmes as in the story has a character that is questionable (Doyle, 65). Throughout the story, the reader is left pondering on how Holmes is to behave in the next coming lines. Flipping over the pages is eminent as the readerà ¢â‚¬â„¢s attention is drawn to the events. The plot of the story makes it possible to understand the wellbeing of the individuals in the adventure to the extent that it becomes easy to understand the essence of everyone’s role and background. Consequently, in the Red-Headed League, there are events that are characteristics of the use of a plot (Doyle, 80). Mr. Holmes in the story is met by a man disturbed man whose descriptions in the definition of a joke. His concern is to get to the bottom of the messages going about claiming that he is a joker. From this point, his search for the truth makes him to move from one step to the other with Holmes being

Learning and talent management in an organisation Research Paper

Learning and talent management in an organisation - Research Paper Example Learning and talent management are two of them. They incorporate high importance into the organizations and their performance depends on these areas notably. With advancements of all sorts, and organizations moving into international groups and chains, the field of talent and learning management has held more ground than ever before since these two areas impact the performance in a direct manner. Organization as a whole consists of unit of members, activities, functions, hierarchy, tools and techniques and machinery(Cannon & McGee 2010). However the proper functioning of the abovementioned factors and entities is largely subject to management and their proper working which is usually ensured with the help of human resource organization and department. The importance of Human Resource Management: Human resources have played a vital role in every era, however in modern times, they have become the backbone of effective working and performance of an organization, the umbrella of human re source management is quite scattered and entails many entities that are directly impacting the performance of organization( Sims, 2002). The two of these are the learning management and the talent management. These modern trends are fast adopted and even the small scale organization that operate in different parts of the world, aim at ensuring and incorporating the factors and elements of human resource management. Their implication falls upon the other departments of organization as well and with so much global operations and functional departments, the effectiveness can be enhanced multiple times with the usage of talent and learning management(Collings & Scullion 2011). In such situations no organization can imagine surviving and excelling amongst the competitors who have employed these means as well as others for effectiveness and productivity. The supply chain mechanism, the introduction of technology and various other advancements overall have made it vital for organizations a nd institutes to establish talent management sections. These two areas can be incorporated into the boundaries of H.R (Human Resource) and hence it can be said that with the advent of these two areas, the H.R principles and departmental working has strengthened in parallel. These two can be termed as the modern era existence of human resource organization (reference). Talent management: It is the organization and managing of the talent in terms of the personnel. Its scope entails those who come fresh to the organization, those who are already recruited. The impact of talent management is multi folds; it has an impact not only on the individuals but the organization and the manner in which it operates. It brings about transparency and efficient working procedures in the organization with no favoritism and biases in decision making. Talent management serves as an independent department and discipline and has its regular members, the top management, the persons involved in conducting i nterviews, the observers, those who make decisions and those who are involved in other participatory processes (Hatum, 2010). In pasts the organizational success were largely related to resources, the policies and other variables, however in modern times if there is any variable that outweighs others, that is that of personnel and individuals involved in the organization. Winston Churchill long ago predicted and stated that in times ahead, the major decisions (Kolarevic 2003), successes in terms of organizations and overall performances in different walks of life and institutions would be largely dependent on the minds and abilities of individuals. While in past they were being ignored or their roles were

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership Effective leadership is essential in health care organisations as in other organisations. It is necessary for driving innovation, effective patient care, patient safety, improving working within clinical teams, sorting out issues within emergency context and other aspects necessary for effective and efficient running of healthcare organisations. Transformational leadership has often been prescribed as the gold standard of healthcare leadership(Gopee and Galloway 2009).This essay sets out to: briefly discuss the concept of leadership; highlight why leadership is important in healthcare; make a distinction between the closely-related concepts of leadership and management; briefly highlight how power relates to leadership; describe some leadership approaches applicable within the context of healthcare organisations; describe leadership styles visible in healthcare; present a case study set in a teaching hospital practice setting in Africa ; critically assess the leadership approaches operating within the setting and its effect on organisational performance ;and make recommendations on improving leadership practice within the specified setting. What is leadership? Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence a group of people to achieve a goal(Bryman 1992).It is also noted that leadership can have four possible meanings, namely: the activity of leading; the body of people who lead a group; the status of the leader; and the ability to lead'(Gopee and Galloway 2009). Kouzes and Posner (2007) suggest some characteristics of an effective leader namely to: be more effective in meeting job-related demands; be more successful in representing their units in upper management; create higher performing teams; foster renewed loyalty and commitment; increase motivational levels and willingness to work hard; and possess high degree of personal integrity. Why leadership in healthcare? Effective leadership and management has been found to contribute to efficiency of health care services, performance (McColl-Kennedy and Anderson 2002) and satisfaction of staff employed within them.(Bradley and Alimo-Metcalfe 2008) researched the causal relationship between leadership behaviours and the performance and productivity of staff and found that engaging leadership improved employee engagement and performance. (Morrison, Jones et al. 1997) studied the relationship between leadership style, empowerment, and job satisfaction on nursing staff at a regional medical centre. They used Basss Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to measure leadership style, items from Spreitzers Psychological Empowerment instrument to measure empowerment, and the Warr, Cook, and Walls job satisfaction questionnaire to measure job satisfaction. The authors found that both transformational and transactional leadership were positively associated with job satisfaction. Some other researchers reported that good leadership skills impacted on patient safety and quality of care (Corrigan, Lickey et al. 2000; Firth-Cozens and Mowbray 2001; Mohr, Abelson et al. 2002).Furthermore, leadership skills are essential in the world of public health policy and leadership is one of the core competencies required of public health trainees(Faculty of Public Health 2010). Leadership versus management Relevant to this discourse is making a distinction between leadership and management. They are two similar but distinct concepts. Management is seen as seeking order and maintaining stability while leadership is seen as seeking adaptive and constructive change. Leadership in the healthcare context aims to influence practitioners towards the achievement of the common goal of quality patient care. On the other hand, management as a process coordinates and directs the activities of an organisation to ensure it achieves its set objectives. Management ensures healthcare resources (human such as doctors, nurses and clerical staff and non-human resources like medical devices and consumables) are utilised in an efficient way whilst delivering effective healthcare service(Gopee and Galloway 2009). However, leadership is known to be complementary to management (Kotter 1999; Zaleznik 2004). Leadership theories and styles in healthcare A number of theoretical leadership approaches can be applied within healthcare .However, not all aspects fit in perfectly into healthcare, and thus some adaptation may be required. Transformational leadership Transformational leadership is a widely advocated approach for healthcare. Transformational leadership is one of the contemporary leadership approaches that are concerned with how an individual influences others in a group in other to achieve a common goal .Transformational leaders seek to accomplish greater pursuits within an organisation by inspiring other members of the group to share their vision for the organisation. Transformational leaders motivate and raise the morality of their followers and help them reach their fullest potential. Mohandas Gandhi Nelson Mandela have been cited as transformational leaders(Northouse 2007). In an organisational context, a transformational leader is one who attempts to change the organisations values in order to portray a standard of fairness and justice while in the process emerging with a better set of moral values. Transformational leadership is about the collective good of an organisation; it is expected to bring about organisational change .It aims to inspire commitment to the organisations vision and ideals .In healthcare, teams of health care professionals are inspired to achieve the highest quality of patient care irrespective of limiting situations (Gopee and Galloway 2009). The concept of transformational approach of leadership was popularised by the political sociologist, leadership expert, and presidential biographer- James Macgregor Burns in his seminal work Leadership written in 1978. In this book, he described the leadership styles of some political leaders. Bernard Bass widely cited in leadership literature built on the work of Burns and argued that leadership is an influence process which motivates followers to perform above their expected output by raising the followers level of consciousness about the importance and values of the shared goals, operating beyond their self-interests and addressing higher level needs'(Bass 1985). He also suggested that transformational and transactional leadership models where a continuum rather than mutually exclusive entities. Four qualities or behavioural have been widely cited as the leadership factors which are an integral part of transformational leadership- the 4 IS(Bass 1985; Avolio, Waldman et al. 1991) namely: idealised influence-describes the ability of the leader to act as role model s whose followers emulate. This factor is sometimes mentioned as being the same as charisma; inspirational motivation-the ability to inspire the members of the group to become integrated with the vision of the organisation while transcending their own self-interest ; intellectual stimulation-the stimulation of creativity and innovation in the followers so that they are able to discover and develop new ways of sorting out issues within the organisation as they arise; and individualised consideration-portrays the need for leaders to recognise the strength and weakness of each member of the group foster on the development of followers and help each in the achievement of goals through personal development. Transactional leadership, on the other hand, is one based on reward for performance. A transactional leader is described by (Bass 1985)as one who prefers a leader-member exchange relationship, in which the leader meets the needs of the followers in exchange for meeting basic expectations. In essence, a transactional leader has a penchant for avoiding risks and is able to build confidence in subordinates to allow them to achieve goals. The transactional leadership construct has three components: Contingent reward -clarifies what is expected from followers and what they will receive if they meet expectations. Active management by exception- focuses on monitoring tasks and arising problems and correcting these to maintain current performance. Passive -Avoidant Leadership-reacts only after problems become serious and often avoids decision-making(Avolio, Bass et al. 1999). Connective leadership is a theory based on the premise that establishing alliance with other organisations via networking is essential to the success of an organisation. Collaboration between different clinical teams within a hospital and with other health care organisations and service industry exemplifies this.(Klakovich 1994) suggests that empowering staff at all levels facilitates the collaboration and synergism needed in the reformed health care environment of the future. Distributed leadership Clinical leadership Leading change in the University College Hospital Ibadan: a failed effort in transformation? Healthcare in Nigeria is faced with enormous challenges. The University College Hospital Ibadan was established in 1948 is the foremost tertiary hospital in Nigeria. It is basically organised as a public sector organisation whose primary goal is to provide the best available healthcare service in the western region and the country as a whole. Funding is from the Federal Government and its activities are regulated by the Federal Ministry of Health which is also responsible for the implementing healthcare policies. However, a private section of the hospital was established recently modelling the prevalence of internal markets currently prevailing within healthcare. Currently, the University College Hospital produces 1 in every 5 physician in the nation. It was initially commissioned with 500 bed spaces but has now grown to a 850 bed hospital. The current average bed occupancy ranges from 60-70%. The hospital board of management comprises: the Chairman the Chief Medical Director; the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee; the Secretary of the Board; representatives of public interest; representative of the Nigerian Medical Association; representative of the State Government; representative of the University of Ibadan Senate; representative of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; and the Provost of the College of Medicine. The organisation has three principal officers but the day -to -day running of the hospital falls on the Chief Medical Director who demonstrates some attributes of transformational leadership in order to bring about change . Vision To be the flagship tertiary health care institution in the  West Africa  sub-region, offering world-class training, research and services, and the first choice for seeking specialist health care in a conducive atmosphere, renowned for a culture of continuing and compassionate care'(University College Hospital Ibadan 2009). Mission Statement Rendering excellent, prompt, affordable, and accessible health care in an environment that promotes hope and dignity, irrespective of status, and developing high quality health personnel in an atmosphere that stimulates excellent and relevant research. (University College Hospital Ibadan 2009). The Chief Medical Director is an assigned leader-one whose leadership is based on formal position and legitimate authority .His appointment by the Federal Government in 2003 was proposed to be vital contribute to the improvement of the hospital. A trained obstetrician, he participates actively in the care of pregnant women. With increasing satisfaction of healthcare staff, patient satisfaction rates began increase. A new magnetic resonance imaging ,centre, cancer treatment and research centre.new innovationsthe bank to collect..Satellite pharmacies were established in order to reduce the time and effort spent by staff in getting patient medications. staff development through exchange programmes, establishment of day care centres.shows his entrepreneurial qualities. Despite it all, mortality rates remain high, medical errors are frequent, post operative patients developed infections frequently and physicians were verbally and physically abused by patient relatives. Private patients get more attention from the junior doctors and other specialist consultants. It has now been found wanting in serving the needs of the local population. Repeated nurses strike ,junior workers strike .. SWOT analysis of the University College Hospital Ibadan Strengths Weaknesses Fairly well-equipped operating theatres Large newly renovated and well-built hospital blocks Excellent medical microbiology services, including HIV testing Residential accommodation for house officers and other specialist trainees Strong alliance with international organisations for infectious diseases research Expensive laboratory services Relative shortage of medical staff Politicisation of board of management appointments Weak administrative set-up Expensive pharmacy services Inadequate funding Delay in staff remuneration Few opportunities for exchange programmes for students and residents Inadequate supply of electricity Opportunities Threats Federal Governments commitment to the development of tertiary care More research funding Competition from existing private and missionary hospitals Incessant industrial actions embarked upon by nursing staff, physicians and support staff Critical analysis of the leadership approach in Despite recognition that transformational leadership has some positive benefits, it is particularly difficult to act out within public services organizations Frederickson 1996 cited in (Currie 2005).Though with its own merits, the view that transformational leadership is the solution for healthcare leadership has been criticised. While there are advantages of using the transformational approach, it is not a universal panacea. Transformational leadership alone cannot account for effective outcomes in this health care organisation. Other aspects like of organisational behaviour such as management practices, knowledge management, and organisational culture are also key determinants. A US study of 370 hospitals explored the relationship between leadership, quality and knowledge management and found that transformational leadership is fully mediated by knowledge responsiveness in its effect on organisational performance (Gowen, Henagan et al. 2009). Effective knowledge management is thus strong confounder in the relationship between leadership and organisational performance. In relation to organisational culture, there is also a link between hospital and ward culture with patient outcomes. Research has shown that hospitals with a strong hand-washing policy and practice recorded fewer infections. Transformational leadership, while focusing on change, may not be in consonance with performance management needed for accountability in healthcare(Firth-Cozens and Mowbray 2001). The context in which a leadership style operates is also a key determinant on outcome irrespective of leadership style. Studies have shown the relationship physician working hours, stress, and burnout on quality of care and patient outcomes (Firth-Cozens and Cording 2004; Landrigan, Rothschild et al. 2004).Tackling job stress is thus a key avenue for improving quality of care. The Chief Medical Director needs to understand the complexity within which healthcare is delivered and translate it to his practice setting rather than trying to adopt a prescribed process. Conclusion This essay has highlighted a number of leadership theories, skills, style leadership in healthcare has been assessed. There is no perfect style or approach to leadership and healthcare organisations pose a complex setting. Several approaches may operate simultaneously. Context, political environment and social factors will affect leadership styles and approach. Clarifying the situation of a practise and flexibility is very important. Numerous challenges face healthcare organisations in Nigeria. The ability to deliver safe, effective, high quality care within organisations with the right cultures, the best systems, and the most highly skilled and motivated work forces will be the key to meeting this challenge. Conflicts still exist as to what constitutes good practice in leadership and there is no perfect set of prescriptions for effective leadership. All the existing theories merely provide a framework for which practise can be based. Healthcare organisations are a complex setting and to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, healthcare leaders need to be very flexible in their leadership .The University College Hospital should adopt an blend of different theories and styles in practice. Recommendations Leadership can be taught (Parks 2005)and improved through organising leadership development programme. It is also noted that leadership development programmes improved efficiency and quality in healthcare(McAlearney 2008). Top management and clinical staff can take these.(Kotter 1990) suggests that organisations can nurture and grow their own leaders while adapting to constant changes(Parks 2005) There appears a need for leadership approaches that are sensitive to a context in which there are significant professional and moral concerns graeme.