Monday, December 30, 2019

Purpose And Plan For Meeting The Spiritual Need Of A...

Thesis: The effectiveness of communication will begin with a purpose and plan in meeting the spiritual need of a congregation. The project will serve as a purpose to enhance the congregation’s growth in a deeper knowledge of God. This project will serve as purpose to connect with sound and creative ways of communicating through an informative description of healthy communication. Synopsis The purpose of life is found in our relationship with God and others during this lifetime. Communication done properly can help someone to be inspired to live a life for Jesus Christ and become a disciple. The primary way, we initiate, develop, and maintain these relationships is through the process of communication. Whether small, medium, or large, churches are challenges in the area of communication. The vision is to bring about the awareness of ineffective communication. How communication is express verbal and nonverbal from one person to another. The primary focus consists of designing a plan to show how communication connects and disconnects with people in different levels and areas of life. In addition, how communications help with understanding, where talking may cause confusion, base on the levels of maturity and education. Therefore, effective communication requires teamwork within leadership. The goal is to strategize methods of communication to enhance spiritual growth in the life of believers. This assessment will bring about a model of unity and the role of leadership.Show MoreRelatedA Biblical Study of Spiritual Gift of Tongues Essay702 Words   |  3 PagesContinuists argue that the spiritual gift of tongues still continue today. To understand this fully, we need to remind ourselves of the primary purpose of the spiritual gifts and the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. Donald W. Burdick refutes the argument of the cessationists using I Corinthians 13:8. According to him, â€Å"we must notice, however, that this verse does not say that tongues were to cease at the end of the apostolic age.† However, he also concluded that healings, tongues, interpretationRead MoreAdministration Is Poorly Or Carelessly Done1701 Words   |  7 Pagesadministration is poorly or carelessly done (e. g., starting meetings late can discourage some of the most effective people from coming another time, vagueness about the agenda creates disorder in the peop le’s minds and often in the progress of the meetings, and failure to plan results in drifting). Therefore, it benefits the preacher in charge and all of those associated with him/her, to plan and execute the plan wisely. The end results of the planning may strengthen persons and groups in theirRead MorePaul The Apostle Was A Very Godly Man One Of Many On Long1738 Words   |  7 Pages Paul the Apostle was a very godly man one of many on long list of godly people who spent their lives serving God’s purpose. Paul was the author of several epistles, writing out the words of God to the people of the church. Have you ever wondered why Paul wrote out the epistle of Ephesians and the effects that the letter had on the congregation in which he wrote too? In the book of Ephesians, it is clearly shown that the Apostle Paul is the indeed the author of the Epistle of Ephesians. Paul’s epistlesRead MoreLeadership Role Of The Church Essay850 Words   |  4 Pagesby title or by practice, for a congregation. Neither can a congregation delegate one man to be the sole church manager, regardless of the unanimity of vote or the crises at hand†(Jackson, 2016, p. 2). The role of a pastor or leader in a Christian church for a growing ministry is to follow Jesus Christ’s example as a leader. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor. 11:11 (KJV), â€Å"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ†. The Bible tells us God the Father’s plan is for believers to be transformedRead MoreThe 5 Vs Of Discipleship Vision2081 Words   |  9 PagesThe church is in need of major renovation when it comes to making disciples. The concept of making disciples to follow the Lord Jesus Christ seems completely foreign to the church today. In order to achieve the desired goal of making disciples for Christ, training others to go out and proclaim gospel, and helping others to train people to disciple one another, one needs to go back to foundation of the Word of God. It is in God’s Word where multiple examples are found of how to make disciples to followRead MoreA Christian Home : The Bible Stories, But Not The God Of Those Amazing Accounts2 005 Words   |  9 PagesI was raised in a Christian home, and all I ever knew growing up was Church. I am thankful that God kept me from a lot of stuff that kids my age fell into. That being said, I was still in need of a Savior. Growing up in Church I knew about Christ, but didn’t know Him. I knew the Bible stories, but not the God of those amazing accounts. I was at a youth New Year’s Eve lock-in at my home Church, and we were having fun playing games and eating. The youth leader called us all together to â€Å"prayRead MoreThe Is A Small Black Traditional Ame Church On A Poor Community With A Population Of 2231 People1936 Words   |  8 PagesWe are a small black traditional AME Church in a poor community with a population of 2,231 people. The congregation is made up of 95% elderly and 5% young. On the church role we have about 146 members; about 20 men, 60 women, and 3-10 young including teenagers are in attendance on a given Sunday. Being the pastor ther e for six years, I see a need for more young people participating and engaging in worship. I believe that the young people have a place and as well as the future of the Church. In MarkRead MoreThe Purpose Of Church Music1882 Words   |  8 Pages1 E. Harris Theological Foundation 4/ 29 /2015 I. Introduction A. The purpose of church music is not creative excellence, but enabling and encouraging people?s worship. The role of musical creativity in worship is to freshen up the overly familiar, to highlight shifting moods, and to engage the people with God and the Christian community. B. Who am I: Tina Harris, an Africa American woman, who is a minister atChrist Community Baptist Church, director of Christian education and a teacher for the SeniorRead MoreThe American Nurses Association ( Ana ) And The Health Ministries Association1272 Words   |  6 Pagesagent between the people and health care sector. Therefore, an FCN serves as an advocate for patients and can teach the community about a particular disease to improve their understanding and promote disease management. FCN other than providing spiritual care to the community, also provides counseling, active listening, referrals, education, advocacy, and prayer. Therefore, FCNs can promote community awareness related to health issues, and develop community collaborations in an effort to enhanceRead MoreThe Boston Baptist Church Youth Group Essay2129 Words   |  9 Pageschurches in the community have decided to reschedule their youth group meeting times to the same time as the Boston youth group. As a result, the population of the youth group has dwindled to an average of five to six youth in attendance. It is interesting to note that the most consistent attendees are ones from the community instead of the church, which is because the church does not have an abundance of youth in the congregation. While this group is very small, every third month there is an opportunity

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Cultural Issues Created by the Prohibition Era. - 813 Words

While the prohibition movement of the early twentieth century was brought on with a wholesome and moral mindset, the economic, political, and cultural factors relating to its origins and enactment untimely doomed it for failure. Such groups as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the progressive party argued that drinking was the cause of political corruption, crime, bad labor conditions, and a declining sense of family values. These groups’ protests and rallies gained enormous support quickly for a constitution amendment as early as 1913 with the Jubilee Convention. Before the Eighteenth Amendment officially declared the U.S as a dry country, prohibition was already in effect in a majority of states and counties. By the time the amendment took effect in January of 1920, three of every four Americans lived in a dry county; and due to the enactment of the Webb-Kenyon Act of 1913 outlawing the shipment of alcohol into dry states, the amendment caused little change in the lives of many Americans. Many hoped that prohibition would be the moral reform that would regenerate society; however, it resulted in more corruption and organized crime. Unperceived economic factors relating to bootlegging, taxes, and police enforcement heavily contributed to the demise of the prohibition era. As soon as the eighteenth amendment took effect a ring of bootlegging and organized gangs emerged. In addition to many of these bootleggers brewing their own â€Å"moonshine† to sell, severalShow MoreRelatedProhibition in the Great Gatsby1355 Words   |  6 Pagesinfluenced by prohibition. The prohibition law restricted the manufacturing, consumption, transportation, and sale of alcohol. The law was put into effect to lower the crime and corruption rates in the United States in the 1920s. It was also said to reduce social problems and lower taxes. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald examines the negative repercussions of prohibition on the economy, charac ters in the Great Gatsby, and on the different social classes of the 1920s. Prohibition was passedRead MoreThe 1920s transformations greatly affected the American society. There was a dramatic social change700 Words   |  3 Pagesmany aspects of this culture that broke away from the moral and manners of the Victorian era, in some ways this era was also traditional and conservative. Some issues during this era, known as the â€Å"roaring twenties† or the age of wonderful nonsense, like the â€Å"new woman†, the consumer culture, and the â€Å"new negro† contributed to the progression that was prevalent in the 1920s. The status of women during this era changed dramatically. In 1919, women earned the right to vote and were also taking on moreRead MoreCauses and Consequences of Alcohol Prohibition1399 Words   |  6 PagesProhibition and other substance bans have a long history in the United States dating back to the late 19th century. Cohen (2006) believed the root cause for drug-prohibition movement, including alcohol, derives from race. In the era of mass US immigration, Chinese, Mexicans, Black Africans, and European denominations, posed a democratic threat to White â€Å"native† Americans. White Racial fears amplified the moral problem of drug use to the Protestant Church by associating drugs with individual racialRead MoreThe 196 0s Of The 1920s Essay1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe 1920s were a time of optimism for many Americans. Most remember the era as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, a term that calls up images of listening to jazz in Harlem Nightclubs, happy people dancing the famous Charleston, or people piling into inexpensive Model T Fords for joy rides around the city. People enjoyed the rapid advances in medicine, a thriving economy, and many technological conveniences in their lives. However, despite all of the bright spots during the 1920s there were several dark spotsRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Violence1249 Words   |  5 Pages The Organized Crime Convention provides states a certain plan to battle organized crime. Crime has marked our history, and unfortunately, it will continue in the future. The criminal justice system is society’s response towards any violation of cultural norms. Advanced forensic procedures, together with the amount of news given by the public allows an offender to be tracked down. New and improved forensic technology aids scientists and investigators to conclude their ongoing criminal investigationRead MoreProgressive Era Essay889 Words   |  4 PagesProgressive Era and the New Deal. Rapid changes after the Civil War brought on a need for economic, social and political reforms. Before the Progressive Era and the New Deal, the federal government took a very hands-off approach and had little involvement in, and little care for the welfare of the American people. With the Progressive Era and the New Deal, the federal government became more involved and responsive to the public and implemented many revisions and reforms. The Progressive Era was a timeRead MoreThe Roaring 20 s Era Of Growth And Reform1309 Words   |  6 PagesThe era of the 1920s, also known as the Roaring 20’s, was a revolutionary time in which radical changes struck the American nation, drastically increasing advances in society and economy. New and different forms of dance, music, clothing, behavior, and lifestyle were developed nationwide. The Antebellum Period in the late 1700s increased rebellion, similar to the Roaring 20’s era of growth and reform. As this time period brought profound changes, conflict, cultural excitement, and experimentationRead MoreAmerican Reformers, By Ronald G. Walters1087 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Reformers,1815-1860 Book Review American Reformers, 1815-1860 goes into the social and political issues surrounding the Jackson Presidency. Ronald G. Walters effectively chronicalizes the reformation and radicalization of the main issues prevalent in early 19th century. These issues included slavery, alcoholism, women’s rights, religion and science. He explains how these issues led to the transformation of our country into what it is today and explains the reformers responsible for suchRead MoreProgressivism : A Wide And Varied Movement Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesleaders. For the resolution of diversified problems existing at the local and state levels, progressivism focused on promoting idea of public ownership of government run by professional city bosses. Leaders of the movement strived to resolve the issues created by the wave of industrialization. At the time of movement the main problems confronted by the American society was the gigantic growth of cities and industries. Hundreds of thousands of African Americans started migrating to the northern citiesRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s The Argument Against The War1182 Words   |  5 PagesIndians such as Comanche, Wacos, Tonkawas and how they demanded attacks to stop their incursions. It also highlights the cross cultural relations between the two groups. After several clashes between alliances, the US-Mexico war was fought and Texas became independent in 1812. 1) Under the Spanish and Mexico regimes, Native Americans enjoyed access to the socio-economic-cultural system, with considerable autonomy and were integrated into the broader sphere of policies and economics. However the Northern

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Cloud Computing for Small Businesses Free Essays

Abstract Cloud computing is the practice of moving computing resources off-site, to be hosted remotely, usually by a third-party company. This article examines the pros and cons of cloud computing from the perspective of small businesses (defined to be those businesses with 50 or fewer employees). The main finding is that cloud computing offers substantial advantages to small businesses in terms of cost savings and increased reliability of service, especially since it allows these businesses to leverage economies of scale that in the past have only been available to larger organizations. We will write a custom essay sample on Cloud Computing for Small Businesses or any similar topic only for you Order Now Moving computing resources to the cloud is likely to realize cost savings for the majority of small businesses, and there are few existing barriers to implementation, with the exception of those businesses dealing with highly confidential data, where privacy concerns or indeed legal restrictions on the handling of data may prevent such a move. Introduction For all businesses, but especially small businesses, the ability to react to change is critical. Demand fluctuates, suppliers come and go, and changes in government policy at all levels can strongly influence the business environment. Faced with these changes, organizations need to be able to change the way they do business reasonably quickly, or they risk becoming uncompetitive. Information technology and computing, unfortunately, can become barriers to change. Hardware and software can both represent substantial upfront and ongoing investments for small businesses, both in terms of purchase costs and also in the time and effort required to make these solutions part of the everyday work pattern. Furthermore, computing can represent a source of inefficiency for a small business if a certain level of technical expertise is required, since a small business may not have sufficient scale to fully utilize a properly qualified (and therefore expensive) member of staff dedicated to technica l support. Cloud computing is an attractive solution to these negative aspects of information technology, since it enables small businesses to outsource technical support and gain resource flexibility via fee-for-service models, or even via services provided for free and supported by advertising. In the analysis that follows, we will examine the benefits that cloud computing can bring, while also covering several potential barriers to implementation that should be borne in mind. Analysis Traditionally, businesses have physically installed hardware, and locally maintained software, to satisfy their information technology requirements. McAfee (2011) describes the â€Å"cloud computing† alternative as follows: â€Å"With cloud computing, in contrast, companies lease their digital assets, and their employees don’t know the location of the computers, data centers, applications, and databases that they’re using. These resources are just â€Å"in the cloud† somewhere.† Small businesses[1] have not typically differed from the traditional pattern of local hardware and software ownership. However, due to their size they will face different challenges to larger businesses when it comes to maximizing the benefits of information technology, as noted by Burgess (2002, p. 4). In fact, the uses of information technology by small businesses are different from those of larger organizations. Dixon, Thompson and McAllister (2002, p. 16) note that: â€Å"Small firms use ICT more as tools to support specific organisational (sic) tasks such as administration and accounting, rely on standard, off-the-shelf solutions, and on external support.† Small businesses, therefore, typically rely on off-the-shelf hardware and software, and often restrict the range of products in use to office productivity software running on commodity desktop hardware, supported by entry-level server hardware for file sharing. The remaining typical small business requirements are either specifically on-site by nature (e.g., printing) or already in the cloud (company blogs, third-party payment options etc.). Research by the Mississippi State University College of Business’s Office of Business Outreach (2008) indeed shows that small businesses are already on a path that sees an increasing share of their computing resources hosted remotely, leading to an eventual situation where only those services that are unavoidably on-site, as mentioned above, remain local. This research does indicate a reluctance among small businesses to move down this path, though: â€Å"Unfortunately, many SMBs are slow to adopt Web 2.0 tools because they find the technology too confusing or expensive, or they don’t see its relevance yet.† (p. 12) Still, the advantages of cloud computing to small businesses, both in cost and flexibility, are clear. In addition to cost savings due to the reduced hardware specifications needed to work on documents that are hosted in the cloud (since the remote server handles most of the computation load and the local machine simply displays output), Dimitrova (2011) identifies several additional benefits, including the automatic backup of data, remote availability of documents and ease of collaboration and data sharing, either between employees or with suppliers and clients. This last point, though does highlight the key concern regarding cloud computing, namely the security of data that is stored remotely via a third party. Unfortunately, no system that allows remote access can ever be entirely secure, and examples of data breaches leading to the sharing of confidential data are all too easy to find (ClearCenter 2012). So for a business contemplating a move to the cloud, the key decision will be whether the risk of a data breach outweighs the obvious benefits of the move in terms of cost savings and flexibility. Some businesses are in fact legally prevented from utilizing remote data storage: for example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in the USA excludes many remote data storage solutions for health records. In making this decision, though, it should be remembered that a small business will in all likelihood not represent an obvious target for data theft, and that even in the case where such theft might be a possibility, it is not clear that data stored in the cloud is in fact less secure than locally-hosted data. In fact, cloud computing may well enhance data security. As Molnar and Schechter (2010) point out: â€Å"Transitioning to a cloud-hosted infrastructure may also have security benefits; some security measures have high up-front costs, may become affordable when amortized at cloud scale, and impact threats common to both cloud- and self-hosted infrastructures.† For example, data that is stored in the cloud need no longer be carried around on a USB stick that could be left behind or lost, and will also be backed up to a higher degree of reliability than a small business would typically manage via a local solution. It seems that only those businesses that are legally restricted in their choice of data hosting services need be restricted by security concerns, once the particular risks and mitigating practices of remote data storage are understood. Conclusion Cloud computing offers clear advantages to small businesses. Under a cloud computing model, upfront capital costs are reduced, flexibility to adapt to changing requirements is increased, and small businesses gain access to services and security practices that have in the past been prohibitively expensive to them due to their lack of economies of scale. Moreover, security concerns regarding the possibility of a data breach should be considered in light of the fact that remote data storage can actually increase security, both by providing access to more reliable backup services and by reducing the need for unsafe practices such as data sharing via removable media. References Burgess, S., 2002. Information Technology in Small Business: Issues and Challenges. Idea Group Publishing: Hershey, PA. ClearCenter, 2012. Twitter Breach Revives Security Issues With Cloud Computing [Available at: http://www.clearcenter.com/News-Articles/twitter-breach-revives-security-issues-with-cloud-computing.html]. Dimitrova, M., 2011. Save Your Business A Fortune With Cloud Computing [Available at: http://www.anotherway.org/2011/06/expand-your-business-horizons-with-cloud-computing/]. European Commission, 2003. Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, Official Journal of the European Union, L 124. European Union Publishing: Brussels. McAfee, A., 2011. What Every CEO Needs to Know About The Cloud, Harvard Business Review, November 2011. Harvard Business Publishing: Boston, MA. Molnar, D. and Schechter, S., 2010. Self Hosting vs. Cloud Hosting: Accounting for the security impact of hosting in the cloud, Proceedings of the Ninth Workshop on the Economics of Information Security (WEIS 2010), Microsoft Research, 8 June 2010. Office of Business Outreach, 2008. Small Business in 2018: Information Technology Trends, White Paper #6 [Available at: http://business.msstate.edu/bizservices/pdf/SMBTechTrends.pdf]. [1] In this article I will be using the European Commission definition of a small business as one that has 50 or fewer employees, and turnover and balance sheet total of less than 10 million Euros (European Commission, 2003). How to cite Cloud Computing for Small Businesses, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Role of a Manager in Effective Governance Sample for Students

Question: Discuss the Essential Characteristics for Effective Leadership Found in the Recent Academic Literature and Analyse any One Leader of your Choice in terms of the Best Leadership Characteristics that you found in the Literature. Answer: Introduction Leadership is one of the key concepts that take an organisation to the apex of achievement. Effective leadership is one of the fundamentals that is complementary to effective governance and hence organisations emphasise on having on board smart and visionary leaders who are able to illuminate the minds of the team members with the light of knowledge and compel them to think for the collective good of an organisation. Leadership is a multifaceted concept, but the widely accepted definition of leadership states the term as the ability of an individual to drive a team or a group of members towards success and the ability to do this. Leadership entails sound decision making, creating and developing business visions which are important for the overall development of an organisation (Tricker Tricker, 2015). The leaders are not only focused on development of the organisation but also the personal and professional development of the team members which helps them to create an effective bond with them and drive the people towards professional success. An effective leader is always an inspirer and driver that focus on leading people from the front. The rich world History beholds quintessential instances of leaders who are still idolised and there are many people who still tread on their heels (Kpers, 2016). The corporate world has also seen top leaders over the years that have risen from their ashes to pull organisations from the valley of extinction and disappearance. One such example is of Late Steve Jobs who was once driven out of his own organisation Apple which then was a mere bud and again came back to help the organisation survive in pressure situation. The current literature on effective leadership states that leadership is not a mere job that has to be done, but it has to be implemented (Day, 2014). The present study will discuss the current literature on effective leadership and will analyse a Current leader who has changed the view of leadership through implementation of modern leadership. It will analyse the different skills and qualities of the leader chosen which would help to discuss the objectives of the study effectively. The leader chosen for the present study is the New CEO of Google Sundarajan Pichai. Current Literature on Effective Leadership Leadership is always a key subject in the study of management; especially when it comes to governance. Leadership is an old concept but has evolved over the years with the change in the market environment. Over the years there has been significant change in the market environment with globalisation spreading its wings all across the world. In the last couple of decades market has become highly competitive which has forced leaders to focus startegising different ways to help an organisation sustain in the market. Earlier the leaders focused on trait theory of leadership which stated that leaders are inborn and are born with certain traits and mostly used to follow the autocratic style of leadership where the leaders took the complete responsibility of developing business vision and objectives which also involved planning, organising and control of actions (Fairhurst Connaughton, 2014). In this type of leadership the employees had to follow the decisions made by the leader, but in the present business environment autocratic style of leadership is hardly used as leadership have understood the involvement of employees is important in organisational planning. The Current literature on effective leadership highlights that the modern leaders are focused on taking the insights from the employees and team members as they represent the organisation in front of the consumers and hence their ideas and insights becomes extremely important for organisational planning and development of business vision and hence they mostly follow the participative style of leadership that enhances the efficacy of the leadership and also its impact on the organisation as well as the team members. Literature also states that the contemporary leaders are focused on following the transformational style of leadership where the leader focuses on acting a role model and mentor for the development of the employees and inspiring and motivating them to help them achieve the personal and professional objectives which directly help to improve the organisational performance (McCleskey, 2014). The transformational leadership is more focused on transforming the way operations is perceived which helps to get better result from the employees effectively. The contemporary leadership culture tends to enhance the thinking of the team members and also influences them to have positive perception about the work which helps the organisation to make sure it helps to get the best possible insights from the employees to be implemented in the organisational operation. In the contemporary literature transformational style of leadership has been associated as the source of positive energy that is conducted by the leader among the different employees working for the organisation which ultimately helps to achieve the organisational objectives (Lussier Achua, 2015). As per the modern literature of effective leadership, transformational style of leadership is held responsible to create ownership capital among the team members as in the present market environment employees are considered as a mere input that is implemented to get suitable outputs, but it is considered to be a key organisational asset which helps an organisation to achieve the organisational objectives. It has been that effective transformational leaders are inclined to utilise the participative leadership style which has reflected in many of the contemporary leaders like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Page, Sundar Pichai the newest addition in this group (Daft, 2014). Chosen Leaders Profile Sundarajan Pichai is the newest constellation in the world top Leaders. The man was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu in India. His father was an Electrical Engineer in General Electric Chennai, and his mother was a stenographer. Young Pichai was vastly fascinated and engrossed by technology and he was also guided by his father while working in General Electric. He was always intrigued by the challenges his father faced at work and this influenced him to take up Metallurgical Engineering in Bachelors from IIT Kharagpur before completing his 12th from Vana Vani School Chennai. After his Bachelors Degree from IIT Kharagpur he went on to complete Masters in Science from Stanford University in Material Sciences and Engineering. He also completed his MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (Cusumano, 2016). His pre Google stint was in McKinsey and Company in consulting where he contributed to product management for the firm. He joined the Tech Giant Google in 2004 and worked on different products of the company like Toolbar, Google Gears and then Google Chrome was launched which was completely an App based browser. He led the team for the product management especially on Chrome and the Chrome OS. In the year 2008 he was appointed as the Vice President of the organisation in the product management department. He is responsible for the launch of chrome. He later added Android with Google and his biggest achievement came on August 10, 2015 when he was announced as the Chief Executive Officer of Google Inc by the Founder President Larry Page who overseeing the parent company of Google Alphabet Inc (Brown, 2014). Analysis of Leadership Qualities and Leadership Style Google is one of the biggest IT firm in the world and the Sundar Pichai is the CEO of the organisation and this doesnt keep anything curtained that he as an individual and a professional reached the height of success with sheer talent and excellent participative skills. As a leader Pichai focuses on having all the employees to work with him. He is a transformational leader who prefers to apply the participative style of leadership (Carasco-Saul et al., 2015). The organisation Google has always preferred to provide its employees ample flexibility which would help them to think big and implement their ideas effectively. Pichai has carried on the legacy of implementing participative style of leadership like Larry Page. He has people focus which means he is inclined to work with the employees of the organisation and mentor them properly to drive them towards success. As a transformational leader he is highly focused on communication and interactions with the employees which would help to get the best possible result (DuBrin, 2015). He is a visionary leader developing long term visions and goals like integration of android with Google. He also has a very effective quality of stress management. As an employee even he had wonderful charisma which helped him to excel in almost whatever he did which has helped him to not only manage stress effectively but also to keep the employees in a good state of mind. He always looks to inspire which is a great leadership quality (O'Connell, 2014). He sets examples and inspires people which compel people to follow him. He has the ability of assess situations and take decisions accordingly. His friendly nature, participative mindset and ability to think have helped him to emerge as one of the most inspiring leader in contemporary business environment. Conclusion The application of transformational leadership style and a participative behavior integrated with sheer talent has helped Pichai to reach the pinnacle of success. To conclude it is important to note that the contemporary business environment needs effective leaders like Pichai who are communicative, visionary and could set example for the team members to get inspired and follow the map set by him. It is important to note that the discussion clearly shows modern leadership is highly suitable for effective governance which reflects in the practice of leaders like Sundar Pichai. References Brown, A. (2014).The myth of the strong leader: Political leadership in the modern age. Basic Books. Carasco-Saul, M., Kim, W., Kim, T. (2015). Leadership and employee engagement: Proposing research agendas through a review of literature.Human Resource Development Review,14(1), 38-63. Cusumano, M. A. (2016). Is Google's alphabet a good bet?.Communications of the ACM,60(1), 22-25. Daft, R. L. (2014).The leadership experience. Cengage Learning. Day, D. V. (Ed.). (2014).The Oxford handbook of leadership and organizations. Oxford University Press, USA. DuBrin, A. J. (2015).Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills. Nelson Education. Fairhurst, G. T., Connaughton, S. L. (2014). Leadership: A communicative perspective.Leadership,10(1), 7-35. Kpers, W. (2016).A handbook of practical wisdom: Leadership, organization and integral business practice. Routledge. Lussier, R. N., Achua, C. F. (2015).Leadership: Theory, application, skill development. Nelson Education. McCleskey, J. A. (2014). Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development.Journal of Business Studies Quarterly,5(4), 117. O'Connell, P. K. (2014). A simplified framework for 21st century leader development.The Leadership Quarterly,25(2), 183-203. Tricker, R. B., Tricker, R. I. (2015).Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices. Oxford University Press, USA.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Back In the World

Table of Contents Introduction Story: Adam Smith The Concept of Back in the World Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Back in the world is an expression of a return to an environment which one considers as home and is comfortable with; the person should have been away from home for some time for the phrase to be applicable.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Back In the World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It has been used by Wolf in a very figurative way to illustrate the kind of a confusion that a person faces after spending too much time from the surrounding and society familiar to him or her; such confusion becomes evident after the person comes back to the society and finds out that the place is quite different from they way it he/she left it. The phrase back in the world therefore as used in the book to illustrates the coming back into the society form a different society. Specifically the phrase was coi ned in the story Soldier’s Joy. It is worth noting that this concept of back to the world can be applied to different aspects in the society which may not necessarily involve physical localities. The paper will look into the story of an individual and relates it the author’s concept of back to the world. Story: Adam Smith Adam Smith was an established economist and at the same time, a philosopher in his time. He was born it Edinburgh, Scotland in the first quarter of the eighteenth century. Adam was born to able parents with his mother having been from a wealthy family and his father was a state officer. His father died before he was born. He then joined Glasgow University in the year 1737 where he studied moral philosophy. His level of excellence in the institution earned him a scholarship to Oxford University after his graduation in the year 1740. His time at Oxford was, however, neither pleasant nor successful as he was forced to terminate his scholarship and studie s. His move to stop his studies was based on a number of factors that included misunderstanding between him and the institution as well as his developed beliefs that were not accepted by the institution. The influence that he got from Hume, another philosopher was a factor to the misunderstanding between Adams and the institution since the beliefs by Hume had been denounced by the university. Adams was at the same time not satisfied by the education that he received from the university. These circumstances led to Adam’s move to his hometown where he settled down in the year 1746. In Edinburgh, Adam started to offer lecturers, most of which were public lectures. These lecturers played a significant role in exposing him to the lame light. He was noted by the town’s intellectuals who aided his rise in the intellectual sense. Five years later after leaving the oxford university, Adam was recognized by his former school, Glasgow University that had employed him and even gav e him an award of a professor. Adam was therefore a recognized professor in logic at the age of twenty eight and was to be crowned again, just a year later, by an award in moral philosophy by the same institution (Age 1).Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Adam Smith was a less social person. He more of concealed himself and was mostly absent minded. His psychologically closed doors in social concepts saw him stay with his mother instead of moving out to his own house as he grew up. His free time was spent on interactions with fellow intellectuals and leaders in the commercial sector. He thus never offered time for recreational activities or leisure. He then later earned international recognition after the year 1959 following a moral theory that he developed at the time. This led to his change of job that took him to tutoring in different institutions. He was then taken for a c ontinental tour by his employer and met a number of personalities on the fields of economics and philosophy. His interaction with the intellectual class continued as he returned to London earning him an outstanding recognition among intellectuals. This led to his appointment to an intellectual body at the time. After his service as a tutor, Adams settled down again to stay with his mother in his hometown in Scotland. His achievements however continued as he was recognized by his former school, Edinburgh in the year 1777. Then later he served his country as the head of customs department. His other recognized achievements include his philosophical opinions that are identified to have laid the foundation for capitalism. His life came to an end in the year 1790 and was buried in his hometown at Edinburgh. His life was therefore a partial success having been outstanding with regard to professional aspects though his private life failed to realize the same level of success (Age 1). The C oncept of Back in the World The concept of back in the world as presented by Tobias Wolff is particularly evident in the life of Adam Smith. Wolff writing in the collection of Back in the world is a representation of confusion that is experienced by people at a time when they expected change from their domestic set up. In the stories of his collection, Tobias represented the expectations that American soldiers had developed while on foreign missions. There were expectations of relief that they thought was awaiting them back at home only to return and find the normal confusion. This was particularly the case for the veterans returning from Vietnam. This comes out well in the narration of the story Soldier’s Joy where veterans while in the war zone in Vietnam have memories of their homes. It becomes a bit confusing for the soldiers that when they return home they are met with what they never expected. There is a lot of confusion and this discourages the veterans after being bac k in the world. Likewise the life of Adam Smith is similarly characterized by such themes as Wolff’s in the collection of back to the world. His story is characterized with returns to situations that would not be expected of his life. He portrayed less of what would be expected of him at particular times of his returns (Wolff 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Back In the World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Adam’s life had a lot of returns, a characteristic of Wolff’s back in the world’s theme of returning to a former position or place. Instances such as Adam’s return to his hometown from Oxford University, his return to London from their continental trip around Europe and his final return to Edinburgh were characteristics of the Wolff’s interest in his particular writing. Adam’s final return from London to Edinburgh and the initial return from oxford however illustrates Wolff’s theme as Adam does not come to a socially developed capacity that is expected of him. In both cases, Adam returns to his mother’s house though he is expected to live independently as a grown up man. Another story that Wolff used to illustrate the concept of back in the home is the story of the lady who was celebrating her birthday. In order to help the lady celebrate her birthday, her friends bring her some cocaine which she is meant to consume to enable her celebrate her birthday. This leads to a bad ending as expected. It is a bit ironical that instead of celebrations being witnessed, the celebrations end in tears. This is a big contrast that is witnessed even in the life of Adam. For instance, it was expected that Adam, after securing a sponsorship, would have a great time at the University of Oxford. In the contrary it has been shown that Adam was not even able to complete his studies at the Oxford University as he had adopted beliefs from Hume which were not accepted by the university and thus he had to drop from college. Conclusion Wolff through a series of stories has shown how situations change and great expectation crumble down. He uses real life events to pass his message across. The story of the Veterans who served in the Vietnam War particularly brings out the concept of back in the home well. Others stories in the collection equally show this concept. There is a great similarity between the life of Adam Smith and the concept of back in the home as brought out by Wolff. The life of Adam Smith is a good depiction of this concept. Works Cited Age. Adam smith 1723- 1790; an outline biography. Age of the Sage, n.d. Web. https://www.age-of-the-sage.org/philosophy/adam_smith.html Wolff, Tobias. Back in the world. New York: Vintage Books, 2006. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Back In the World was written and submitted by user Saniyah Kennedy 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.

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty

How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty We’ve all been approached by someone asking for a favor. It could be at work, home, or even out with friends while painting the town red. It usually happens so unexpectedly that we feel pressured and compelled to say yes, regardless of what we currently have on our plate. Sometimes we’re happy to help. We like this person and this favor won’t interfere with our lives in a significant manner. Other times, even though it’s not in our best interest to say yes, we do so anyway because we want to avoid feeling  guilty.But why feel guilty?Before we advance to the how, let’s look at the why. It’s worth deconstructing why we feel guilty for saying no. Guilt is an emotion we feel when we have done something wrong. If you’ve truly wronged someone, guilt is an appropriate emotional reaction. But saying no is not an example of wronging someone.This person might have to seek alternatives to your help, but it’s hardly harmful to their overa ll well-being- especially if it’s a small favor. Saying no puts this person in a position where they simply have to get creative and recalibrate their direction. Besides, it’s highly unlikely you’re this person’s only hope.Another reason we feel guilty is because we’re nervous this person will resent us, or be angry. But this feeling is unreasonable. You need not look any further than yourself. Would you hold a grudge against someone denying you a favor? Most likely not. So, the same standard applies. All this fear of saying no is simply an emotional response to an unlikely reaction by the other party. Logically, it holds no merit.Now that we’ve dispelled this notion, let’s take a closer look at how we can actually say no.1. Offer an alternative solutionâ€Å"Sorry, I don’t have time to help you with building your cover letter, but here’s a link to an article on 5 resume tips to guarantee an interview.†It’s quick, easy, and you offer the person an alternative solution. Just make sure you’re doing this to help, not just because you feel guilty.2.   Show empathy when saying noYou want to show this person you truly understand their problem, but it simply isn’t something you can handle right now.â€Å"I know you really need someone to take care of your dog while you’re on vacation, and you worry he won’t get enough exercise, but my job really just takes up too much of my time right now.†Empathy is what connects us as human beings, so it’s important to convey this on some level.3.   Blame your responsibilitiesAs mentioned in the previous example, work is always a good excuse. In fact, very often it’s the truth. We all work a lot so it’s definitely not a stretch and it most likely won’t raise any eyebrows.4. Turn it into a complimentSpin this into an opportunity to flatter the requester. Everyone loves a good ego boost.†Å"I’m surprised you’re asking me for help on this, I personally think you have far better taste than I do, but I’m very flattered that you’re giving me the opportunity to help you.†And that’s when you drop the no bomb on them. Psychologically, you’re softening the blow while bolstering their ego. It’s a win-win.5.   Say no without apologizingSaying thank you instead of sorry makes a world of difference. Do not apologize or say sorry- that will only  make  the requester think you’re either lying or you feel guilty†¦especially if you keep emphasizing how sorry you are.If you say no in a positive manner, that will make it more likely that the requester will leave the interaction feeling positive and upbeat.So there ya have it. Make sure your no is quick and concise. Don’t drag your answer out for too long, otherwise it will make you look bad. It’s important to say no every now and again because somet imes we truly need the time for ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’ll conserve energy and time, and hopefully be able to help the next time around.Source:  BusinessInsider

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Chemistry of Hazardous Chemicals Week V multiple choice questions and Essay

Chemistry of Hazardous Chemicals Week V multiple choice questions and 2 questions - Essay Example The second method is the oxidation-reduction process. Most of the compounds decomposed by this method react explosively to thermal decomposition. For this reason, DOT does not allow carriers to transport them. A good example of these compounds is the ammonium dichromate (NH4)2Cr2O7(s), which decompose to chromium (III) oxide Cr2O3 (s), nitrogen (N2 (g)) and water (H2O (l)) on heating as illustrated in equation 2. Sulfur and finely divided metals are flammable; hence ignite readily at normal burning temperatures. In this regard, they can quickly expose ammonium nitrate to fire if not segregated. However, exposing bulk ammonium nitrate to fire may result in an explosive thermal decomposition of this compound to various products, including the toxic nitrogen dioxide (Meyer, 2010). As such, OSHA requires the segregation as mentioned earlier to prevent explosion of ammonium nitrate and life-threatening gases like nitrogen dioxide. This precaution is meant to ensure that ammonium nitrate does not leak into areas that it might be confined in case of fire. As seen from recent research (Meyer, 2010), exposing bulk ammonium nitrate to fire scenes results into its thermal decomposition at explosive rates, from which it might also produce the toxic nitrogen dioxide gas. Water is the primary solvent used to dissolve solutes. Additionally, metallic oxidizers are readily soluble in water. For this reason, their chemical reactivity is eliminated through diluting them in water. In doing this, the oxidation-reduction reaction of oxidizers is slowed down. As result, water as a solvent turns out as an excellent extinguisher of an oxidizer-supported fire. The compromised container will cause leakages of trichloro-s-triazinetrione or calcium hypochlorite stored in it. Being a strong oxidizing agent, it may cause thermal explosion. The primary rationale to support this argument is that the water left behind after the firefighters efforts to

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Afghan Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Afghan Strategy - Essay Example Accordingly, for the majority of Afghan society over the past hundred years, life has been â€Å"nasty, brutish and short† (Hobbs, 1994). Poverty is endemic and life expectancy in this Central Asian country is only 45 years, according to the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, 2009). Barack Obama, newly anointed President of the United States of America, has entered into the fray with a completely new and novel approach to the problems afflicting Afghanistan. The new American policy approach includes the deployment of 17,000 additional soldiers in an attempt to stabilize country. Attempting to quell the return of the Taliban, more American troops are being deployed to the south where violence is endemic. Focusing on the joint tasks of stabilizing the country and reinvesting in reconstruction, the new regime in Washington is doing its best to make a break with the past and refocus on energies on uprooting the Taliban and stabilizing the country once and for all. According to David Loyn of the British Broadcasting Corporation, â€Å"the political system that is emerging in Afghanistan may not have the most rigorous democratic standards, but the Bush years of believing that countries could be fixed by imposing a voting system from outside are over.† (Loyn, 2 009) President Barack Obama is working with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, to dramatically improve security in the country, as well as in the region (Armstrong & Rubin, 2003). Does the new policy approach enhance the national interests and security of the nations most involved in the outcome in Afghanistan? The United States, under President Obama, is taking a much more proactive role in Afghanistan understanding that instability in this country has global ramification. Arguing that the "the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan demands urgent attention" (Gallacher 2009), President Obama understands

Monday, November 18, 2019

Assignment 1 - The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

1 - The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy - Assignment Example The aid prevented China’s communist government from capturing Taiwan. China’s communist leader, Mao Zedong, disapproved the United States’ interference (Johnson, 2011). Explication of the Diplomatic Doctrine of President Nixon President Nixon had an effective diplomatic policy. The policy ensured the protection of United States interests (Roskin, 2004). The interests were strategically located in democratic countries. The communist government would grab the local American interests. During 1972, President Nixon continued his 1960s anti-communism policies. The Nixon Administration authorized the military weapons to Iran’s Shah Government. The Iran government received F-14 and F-15 war jets. Additionally, The United States sent advanced other military weapons to Iran (Bilhartz, 2007). After America’s failure in the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon decided to shift his military attention to other areas. President Nixon decided to send military aid to Saudi Arabia. Likewise, President Nixon sent military aid to the democratic government of the Shah of Iran (Bilhartz, 2007). The United States sent military aid to Greece and Turkey. Knowledge and technology was also included in the United States’ anti-communism military aid (Williams, 2012). ... Consequently, the relationship between China and the United States had improved. Next, economic trade between the two nations benefitted both the United States and China. Nixon anticipated the soft China stance would reduce China’s support of one of North Vietnam’s goals, capturing South Vietname (Murrin, 2013). Further, President Nixon’s government delivered military aid to the Philippine’s former President Ferdinand Marcos. The number of communist rebels started to grow. If the United States had not delivered military aid to the Marcos government, there was a higher chance of a successful communist takeover of the Marcos government. President Nixon successfully thwarted the Philippine communist threat (Gillon, 2011). The other countries strongly benefitted from the United States President Nixon’s diplomatic efforts. In the case of Taiwan, China pursued its policy to capture Taiwan. The United States government supplied the military arms to Taiwan. The arms strenghtened the democratic Taiwan government’s military defenses. With the increased defenses, China witheld its primary intention to invade Taiwan. Cultural, Economic, and Political Context United States President Nixon’s anti-communism policy included several factors. The Nixon Policy blocked the spread of communism was reduced to manageable levels. The sending of military aid curtails thecommunist culture from being easily accepted by the confused citizens. Nixon’s friendly overtures precipitated to China’s inviting American players to play in a friendly Table Tennis tournament (Murrin, 2013). By implementing the Nixon anti-communism policy, the free market economy and political

Friday, November 15, 2019

Research Designs and Methods Assessment

Research Designs and Methods Assessment Shallene K Green Research Designs and Method There are three most commonly used research designs used in human lifespan development research. These designs are used widely to test traits and characteristics in human development. They include cross-sectional, longitudinal and cross-cultural designs (Toplak, West Stanovich, 2014). To understand each design, is to look at how each can change and affect a life. Cross-sectional research design is a method used by researchers to study humans of different ages who have the same character and trait of interest at a single time. Researchers obtain the information that is currently seen in a population, but they do not change the variables. This research design explains the traits that exist within a population, but they do not show the cause and effect relation between variables. In addition, the design allows researchers to look at various things at once such as income and poverty among others (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). A longitudinal research design is a study that observes one group of a population at different times. In this study, the researcher follows the same group of subjects during various stages of development to measure variables. Cross-cultural study involves the comparison of groups from different cultures. This is a very important way of measuring human development. People may vary largely depending on cultures, and behaviors. (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). Throughout their lives, humans undergo various stages of development. Studies are very important in understanding how humans learn, act and mature (Toplak, West Stanovich, 2014). To understand the difference and apply the learnings it to better understand humans. Research studies are very important in learning things such as social stereotype. The knowledge of stereotypes increases with the advancement in age, and it means that younger children may not know some of these stereotypes. For example, there might be a stereotype that football should be played by the boys but not girls. Younger children may not be exposed to this stereotype and, therefore, cannot make a judgment. This creates a pattern in that younger children do not have this bias, but older children will have formed an opinion (WU, Hillman, 2013). A trend in older and mature humans are more error prone than at a younger age. If children are made aware of this stereotype, they may as well lead them to making conjunction errors. The knowledge of this stereotype is apparently known to older ages than in younger ages (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). What is found is that thinking capacity largely varies with age. A study showed most young ages struggle a lot with reading and often use a lot of efforts to understand or even respond. Older ages find reading easy and effortless as more of a second nature. These changes are well observed throughout the growing and gaining of a child, and periods are established with developmental trends (WU Hillman, 2013). Different methods offer numerous ways which the scientist uses to get information. In a cross-sectional study, the researcher will use interviews to get information on a certain trait in an age group, and it will be used it to compare with another age group (van de Weijer, Van Cleempoel, Heynen, 2014). Interviews are mainly conducted in the initial stages of a project. This information obtained through interviews might be valuable but may not be valid since it is subjective (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). In a longitudinal study, a researcher may opt to use observation methods to obtain information. This method measures the changes in traits and characteristics at different times while be watched. Observation is a very reliable method since the information gathered is not subjective, but it is based on what the researcher sees and observes to report (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). Across cultural studies, literature reviews collect information. Since this study compares different traits in different cultures, the scientist may refer to past studies that have been conducted regarding the cultures in question. Literature materials will include newspapers, magazines, reports and any other published materials. This method is well preferred because it is not expensive (WU Hillman, 2013). A study conducted in a high school showed that games and gaming culture could become a problem that may initially be complex to be fun filled. Gaming culture was also established to make an unfamiliar task appear familiar. This was by providing a language that students could understand. The students could easily use the gaming language to communicate with each other which made it fun filled. Findings showed that high school students could understand given feedback from other students who were younger. It clearly showed that negative remarks badly affected them. What was shown is that students have to believe that they have in possession the competence required to perform a task (WU Hillman, 2013). A observation method that has it strengths and limitations. Its strengths arise from the fact that the researcher gets firsthand information. It provides access to people in real life situation. Its limitation is its too subjective and depends on the role of the researcher (WU Hillman, 2013). The interview has its strength in that it enables the researcher to capture verbal and non-verbal cues. The major limitation of interviews is that it is too costly (Burns, 2014). Video recordings provide accurate and up to date information that is so useful to the researcher only that it is so expensive (WU Hillman, 2013). The changing economic and social context has been a factor influencing outcomes of human development. Households and families have largely been changing to respond to the economic and social changes (Toplak, West, Stanovich, 2014). There has been changing perspectives on the family diversity. Some researchers have thought that small families are easy to maintain than larger families. And with research it can direct or change the thought of families going forward. References Burns Cunningham, K. (2014). Social research design: framework for integrating philosophical and practical elements. Nurse Researcher, 22(1), 32-37. (Toplak, M. E, West, RF, Stanovich, K.E. 2014) rational thinking and cognitive sophistication: van de Weijer, M., Van Cleempoel, K., Heynen, H. (2014). Positioning Research and Design in Academia and Practice: A Contribution to a Continuing Debate. Design Issues, 30(2), 17-29. WU, C, Hillman, C.H. (2013).aerobic fitness and the attentional blink preadolescent children. Neuropsychology, 27(6), 642-653

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Hottest Workout: Bikram Yoga :: Exercise Health Fitness Papers

The Hottest Workout: Bikram Yoga Imagine a 240-pound professional football player stretching his sweat-drenched body to its limits in heat of more than 110 degrees. This scene doesn’t take place on a football field, but in a heated Bikram yoga studio where many athletes and everyday people are going to cure and prevent aches and pains. Yoga, as a way to achieve higher self-awareness, was around as early as 200 B.C. in India and has been gradually growing in popularity in the western world over the past four decades. Traditional styles of yoga, including Hatha yoga, which consists of thousands of poses, have long been studied as an effective form of complimentary or alternative medicine (CAM). The biggest yoga boom has occurred over the past decade according to statistics from the International Association of Yoga Therapists. The Association estimates there were 20 million Americans practicing some form of yoga in 2002 compared to 6 million in 1994. Increased awareness of yoga as a healing method along with high-profile celebrity endorsements have contributed to the growing numbers of yoga users recently. Madonna and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are some famous yogis that have been students of Bikram Choudhury, who founded his own style of hot yoga in India. Dina Lancour, a Hatha yoga instructor from Agawam, Massachusetts, took a Bikram yoga class under Choudhury. â€Å"It reminded me of Indian sweat tents,† Lancour said. â€Å"It becomes very meditative and deep.† Proponents of Bikram yoga and medical specialists have noted the health benefits of hot yoga. Other yoga practitioners and teachers have expressed concerns about the safety of practicing yoga in a hot room and some ‘yoga purists’ question the motives of the founder, noting that his style is too outwardly focused. According to an article in the Charleston Gazette (March 24,2004) some yoga traditionalists believe the attention yoga has received in mainstream media and business is damaging to the ancient practice. Newer students of yoga are more concerned about how they look rather than the spiritual basis for yoga the article stated. Yoga purists believe focus on the outward image overlooks the true goals of yoga, which are more spiritually focused. Bikram yoga incorporates 26 of the Hatha poses and two breathing exercises in a â€Å"specific order to get the maximum benefit for the body,† said Megan Cooney, a certified Bikram instructor, who teaches at three studios in the Boston area. Choudhury developed the Bikram style after he suffered an knee injury from weight training. The Hottest Workout: Bikram Yoga :: Exercise Health Fitness Papers The Hottest Workout: Bikram Yoga Imagine a 240-pound professional football player stretching his sweat-drenched body to its limits in heat of more than 110 degrees. This scene doesn’t take place on a football field, but in a heated Bikram yoga studio where many athletes and everyday people are going to cure and prevent aches and pains. Yoga, as a way to achieve higher self-awareness, was around as early as 200 B.C. in India and has been gradually growing in popularity in the western world over the past four decades. Traditional styles of yoga, including Hatha yoga, which consists of thousands of poses, have long been studied as an effective form of complimentary or alternative medicine (CAM). The biggest yoga boom has occurred over the past decade according to statistics from the International Association of Yoga Therapists. The Association estimates there were 20 million Americans practicing some form of yoga in 2002 compared to 6 million in 1994. Increased awareness of yoga as a healing method along with high-profile celebrity endorsements have contributed to the growing numbers of yoga users recently. Madonna and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are some famous yogis that have been students of Bikram Choudhury, who founded his own style of hot yoga in India. Dina Lancour, a Hatha yoga instructor from Agawam, Massachusetts, took a Bikram yoga class under Choudhury. â€Å"It reminded me of Indian sweat tents,† Lancour said. â€Å"It becomes very meditative and deep.† Proponents of Bikram yoga and medical specialists have noted the health benefits of hot yoga. Other yoga practitioners and teachers have expressed concerns about the safety of practicing yoga in a hot room and some ‘yoga purists’ question the motives of the founder, noting that his style is too outwardly focused. According to an article in the Charleston Gazette (March 24,2004) some yoga traditionalists believe the attention yoga has received in mainstream media and business is damaging to the ancient practice. Newer students of yoga are more concerned about how they look rather than the spiritual basis for yoga the article stated. Yoga purists believe focus on the outward image overlooks the true goals of yoga, which are more spiritually focused. Bikram yoga incorporates 26 of the Hatha poses and two breathing exercises in a â€Å"specific order to get the maximum benefit for the body,† said Megan Cooney, a certified Bikram instructor, who teaches at three studios in the Boston area. Choudhury developed the Bikram style after he suffered an knee injury from weight training.