Forum 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forum 2 - Assignment Example All the books place an importance over the Gospels, New Testament, and the Holy Spirit. Theology is an evident element of all three books that explain the functioning of evangelism, church, and the ministry. My understanding of ministry often overlooked the importance of biblical theology in determining and directing ministry activities. In many instances, I felt that the ministry work was an activity independent of scriptural backing. However, I have now understood that ministry of the Holy Spirit cannot be isolated as a separate entity but it greatly depends on the things said by God in the Gospels. Tidball (2008) has explored different aspects of leadership in the pastoral sense to scrutinize the ministry practices as they are situated in a specific cultural context or is influenced by the church setting. So, I have learnt that pastoral leadership is supported by the gospels because it is about serving God in His way. 2) In my understanding of pastoral leadership or ministry, a transformation would involve a positive change such that it inspires others to break away from their problems in order to find the way of the truth. Because much of my understanding states that ministry is truly about following God’s way of serving, this process would also involve an augmentation of faith not only in God but also in oneself that we also have a purpose on Earth. Hence, the spirit-energized transformation would likely make a strong individual and one who has faith, which also means that the individual is guided by God’s grace away from sins. This would create an atmosphere of positivity thereby inspiring others. A change in virtues would occur where compassion and humbleness may symbolize the transformation to help others and lead them to the way of right. The transformation would be more positive and would inspire others. Also, the transformation would be more spiritual in nature involving an internal change that is more

Sysco case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sysco case - Assignment Example In simple terms, Sysco needs to set a link between the BI package and databases. Why did Sysco decide initially to address only two questions with its new BI software rather than use it as a more general analysis tool? Why did Business Objects recommend this approach? What are the tradeoffs? Initially, Sysco wanted to address only two questions, one being the selling of additional products to each of the customers and the second question was identification of such current customers that Sysco would lose in future. These two questions were predictive in nature. The first question the software could provide answer to was related to comparison of a client’s activity based on its size, type, geography and other factors. By generating different profiles and comparing them continuously with what was being ordered by the customers, the software could generate reports with potential business opportunities. The second question the software could answer was monitoring customers’ ordering design over time, noticing a change in the volume of a regular customer’s order for all or a particular product type. Such information could be very crucial to Sysco so as not to lose its loyal customers and pay more attention to their requirements. Business Objects also supported and recommended Sysco approach to use the software selectively after extensive analysis and interviewing, which was its pre-sale service support to provide business intelligence to its client Sysco. For judging the effectiveness of the new systems, Sysco should calculate the cost of the software on individual companies. Systems’ effectiveness depends on the fast return back of the investment made on the purchase of the software. The estimated cost is in the range of $2.5 million to $3.5 million but actually, it depends on the software, its time of purchase and the consulting support needed to implement the software

Evaluating the Impacts of Californias Criminal Justice Realignment Thesis

Evaluating the Impacts of Californias Criminal Justice Realignment - Thesis Example The results indicate that realignment has led to the reduction of felonies in prisons by 17%. Crime rate has also increased in the state; while there is lack of sufficient resources. Numerous problems such as overcrowding in jails have resulted from the relocation of criminals to jails. The lack of a solution to this problem may render realignment to be an ineffective solution to overcrowding in California. The state of California developed the criminal justice realignment legislation in May 2011. The state developed the realignment program following an order to reduce the number of inmates in prisons from the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court required the state to reduce the number of inmates from 180% to 137.5% of the capacity of the prisons by May 2013 (Green, 2014). This meant that California had to reduce the number of inmates in state prisons by 25,000. In response to the Supreme Court’s order, the state developed the prison realignment reform under Bill 109 and Penal Code 1170h in 2011. Bill 109 transfers the responsibility of imprisoning non-violent offenders from state prisons to county jails (Green, 2014). According to this bill, non-violent offers are those who commit crimes that are ‘non-serious,’ and ‘non-sex related (Hunter, 2013).’ This means that the prisoners who commit serious, violent, and sex-related crimes will be incarcerated in state prisons instead of county jails. The penal code 1170h, on the other hand, states that individuals who are realigned in county jails must undergo compulsory supervision; while out of custody. County probation officers conduct the Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) (Caffiero, 2013).The code also requires those who disobey the mandatory supervision to be imprisoned in county jails instead of prisons. This is different from probation, which requires prisoners who are released from state

Performance Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance Evaluation Paper - Essay Example Secondly, in his evaluation the manager used terms that were not effective in the evaluation process. Instead of using the terms such as medium or low-medium, the manager could have used evaluation ratings such as outstanding, meets expectations, exceeds expectations, below expectations or unsatisfactorily (Robbins and Judge, 2007). In this way, it was possible for the manager to rate the engineer’s attitude. Thirdly, the current evaluation form used by the manager does not suggest methods of improving the negative aspects of the employees. Part A 1. Definition of the most commonly-used sets of evaluation criteria in organisations Productivity This is the volume of products or services that an employee produces during his or her duties. Employers mostly reward highly productive employees to motivate them and enhance higher productivity. Quality It means the originality of the work done by the employees. It portrays the innovativeness of an employee. Consistency This means prod uction of similar quality and quantity of work. Employers measure constituency by comparing the previous and the current evaluations. Attendance This is the rate at which the employees report to work. It involves checking the attendance records and valid reasons for absenteeism. Adherence to policy It means the extent to which the employees abide to the procedures that are set by the company. Part B. The relative value of the commonly-used evaluation criteria defined in Part A 1 As mentioned in the previous section, employers are keen to reward the employees who portray significant productivity thus motivating them to work hard. Even though the amount of products by the employees is a major evaluation criterion, it should not compromise the quality of the products. This is the major reason as to why managers evaluate the quality of the work done by employees. In the same way, consistency ensures that employees who depicts waxes and wanes during their duties are noted and adequate tr aining done to ensure they maintain unswerving performance (Robbins and Judge, 2007). Attendance ensures that employees are there when they are needed by their employers. Employees who are consistently at work are highly desired by the employers and their co-workers. Adhering to policies set by a company ensures employees’ safety and an improved working environment. Part C. Advantages of including supervisors, peers, and subordinates in the evaluation process It ensures that the ratings are anonymous. In this way, individuals provide open and honest evaluation that cannot be singled out from the multiple sources. In addition, inclusion of the various stakeholders ensures that ratings portray multiple perspectives that are ignored by the top-down technique of evaluation adopted by the traditional appraisals. In the same way, including supervisors, peers, and subordinates during evaluation saves time and it provides helpful performance feedback (Thomas, 1987). This is due to th e fact that there are no comparisons between workers, no goals and there are no figures involved in the process. Part D. Disadvantages of including supervisors, peers, and subordinates in the evaluation process One of the major disadvantages of including supervisors, peers, and subordinates in the evaluation process is that the possibility of giving dishonest feedback is high. For example, subordinates may give dishonest feedback

Plea-Bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plea-Bargaining - Essay Example Defendants, however, derive the benefit of reduced sentences and the notion that the prosecution could still succeed in proving them guilty facilitates decision for plea-bargaining. Fear of bias in the judicial process could also be a factor (Siegel & Worrall 202, 203). Plea-bargaining does not serve justice to any stakeholder but only offer convenience to the overburdened criminal justice system. It only grants lenient charges to defendants, may force innocent defendants to plead guilty, and establish convenience for the prosecution and the judges, aspects that do not identify justice. Victims and the society however suffer injustice as wrongs against them escape necessary level of punishment (Siegel & Worrall 202, 203). Your post is precise and comprehensive to the prompts. The opinion on possibility of a defendant escaping charges at trial, if the prosecution fails to prove beyond reasonable doubt, is particularly outstanding. I believe it identifies justice in plea-bargaining for victims, especially in an environment that criminals could rely on wealth and brilliant lawyers as well as tampering with evidence to escape conviction. The post offers information on reasons for the high incidence of plea-bargaining such as time convenience for defendants and the prosecution and complexity in the prosecution’s burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt. The post, however, lacks precision and points are scarce in a multitude of words that are not incident to the

Organizational change Essay Example for Free

Organizational change Essay Organizational change is everywhere, and its pace is increasing. Its objectives or why it is important is because after certain years of existence and evaluations there are areas and aspects in the organization that needs to be improved. Taking for example its quality of work life, at a certain point it needs to be elevated from where it was before. It can happen that during hiring time people are designated to wrong positions. Organizational change will enable the company to put the right people in the right place, to make them better people as their efficiency and utility will be to the maximum. In this way the company can adjust salary scale on the basis of the performance or output of employees. In the same way also in terms of personnel management, it can be an occasion for studying more specific positions for possible promotion or for trimming down extra baggage. Competition is so tight and for a company to meet the demands of the market an organizational change is important to have a higher quality of productivity and to improve certain strategies as to be in tune with the times. Technology comes and after sometimes new innovations are on the line again, to remain in ones business beliefs and practices the company will be left behind. Organizational change is important as it seeks to enhance its beliefs, values, attitudes, also its structures so that the organization can better adapt to competitive actions, technological advances, and the past pace of other changes in the business world. Another necessity for organizational change is brought about by some failures in the past in the training and orientation of the employees. The attempt to bring them to work without being able to let them carry or support the vision and failure to let the employees see that they are the central element of the organization brings poor result. Organizational change therefore is crucial to allow interplay of structure, technology and people working in it, to result to a higher quality of work life, adaptivity, effectiveness, better marketing strategies, and excellent productivity.

Universal Diagnostic Criteria for Oral Lichen Planus

Universal Diagnostic Criteria for Oral Lichen Planus ABSTRACT: For years, dissentions and debates on the malignant transformation of oral lichen planus (OLP) have been sparked not only by a lack of an accurate diagnostic criteria but also due to the failure on our part in not following single universal one. In this short communication, we try to reiterate its importance, with a goal of making the clinicians and pathologists aware of its serious implications. Keywords: Oral lichen planus, oral lichenoid lesion, dysplasia BACKGROUND: The lack of a universal diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of oral lichen planus (OLP) can be made accountable for the current scepticism and controversies over its malignant transformation. Van der meij et al have stressed for a need of a diagnostic criteria to be universally adopted for its firm diagnosis.1,2 A clinical and a histopathological definition of OLP was formulated by the WHO in 19783 (Table 1). Later, in 2003, van der Meij and van der Waal4, proposed a modification in the WHO criteria (Table 2), stating OLP diagnosis should be clinico-pathological. Results of Rad M et al’s4 study in 2009 showed higher clinicopathologic correlation in the diagnosis of OLP based on the modified criteria of OLP (van der Meij 2003) compared with the 1978 criteria. Studies in the past, and present have substantiated the malignant potential of OLP.6-9 So, now that we have evidence for its malignant transformation and a suitable criteria in hand, what could be the problem? 1978 WHO CRITERIA VS MODIFIED 2003 CRITERIA: There have been studies related to the malignant nature of OLP since 1924 by Williger et al. to a recent meta-analysis by Fitzpatrick SG et al8 in 2014. It has to be noted, that, over the years, the diagnostic criteria of OLP has undergone a number of significant changes. A criteria was agreed by WHO in 19783 and again modified in 2003 by van der Meij and van der Waal4. There are pathologists who still favour the 1978 criteria and others who follow the 2003 modified criteria. This difference in opinion among pathologists has a very significant bearing on the data collected in literature. What would have been an OLP to one pathologist following a particular criteria could seem to be an oral lichenoid lesion(OLL) to another following a different criteria. Let us consider the following hypothetical examples: Hypothetical scenario 1: Let us consider an OLP lesion clinically manifesting with white radiating striae unilaterally in the buccal mucosa. If the oral medicine and pathology specialists agree to follow the 2003 modified criteria(clinico-pathologic), then, this lesion being clinically compatible(unilateral), will have to be diagnosed as OLL, though it could be histologically typical of OLP. However, the diagnosis would be OLP according to the 1978 criteria. One should make note of the lines quoted by van der Meij and van der Waal4(2003), in their paper which says: â€Å" We do realise that application of these criteria will exclude a number of patients who actually may have the disease but do not meet the strict criteria.† This line has considerable relevance if we consider the above example. Also, if this in turn progresses to carcinoma, a false record of malignant transformation of OLL is generated,when in reality the lesion could possibly have been a true OLP. This example quoted, cannot be rejected on the grounds of being hypothetical, as there is every possibility of OLP manifesting unilaterally though it often manifests bilaterally. ABSENCE OF DYSPLASIA :AN EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR OLP – IS THIS JUSTIFIED? The heated debate of OLP and dysplasia started with Krutchkoff and Eisenberg’s10 paper in 1985, â€Å"Lichenoid dysplasia: A distinct histopathologic entity†. While they could have been right about epithelial dysplasia with lichenoid features being misdiagnosed as OLP, the possibility of OLP showing dysplasia cannot be ruled out. The present 2003 modified criteria of OLP have dysplasia as an exclusion criteria. Van der Meij and van der Waal3 in their paper, in 2003, state that â€Å"To avoid confusion over the terminology- ‘Lichenoid Dysplasia’ we propose to regard the presence of epithelial dysplasia as an exclusion criterion for the histopathological diagnosis of OLP†. This is not convincing enough to make ‘absence of dysplasia’ as a criterion because, there is accumulating evidence of OLP’s malignant potential and it is rather logical to assume that it could manifest dyplastic features. In fact, exclusion of all lesions that re semble OLPs but exhibit epithelial dysplasia may lead to an underestimation of the rate of malignant transformation.11 This fact was restated by Mignona et al12 in 2007, where they reported severe epithelial dyaplasia and carcinoma in situ in their series of OLP. Rejecting a diagnosis of OLP solely due to the presence of dysplasia, therefore requires consideration. LICHENOID DYSPLASIA: Krutchkoff and Eisenberg’s conclusion of epithelial dysplasias manifesting with lichenoid features were substantiated in the recent papers published by Patil et al13 and Fitzpatrick et al14. Moreover, Patil et al13 observed features of dysplasia in OLP and OLL in their case series, further reiterating the malignant potential of these entities. These papers enlighten us about the co-existence of lichenoid features in OLP,OLL and epithelial dysplasia, further stamping the necessity for an accurate and universal diagnostic criteria for the distinction of these lesions. Also, the lesion, lichenoid dysplasia deserves some consideration and requires further appraisal by a panel of experts. Hypothetical scenario 2: Assuming there is a case of OLP manifesting bilaterally (clinically typical) and the histopathology, though being very typical, reveals dysplasia, what then, should it be diagnosed as? According to 2003 modified criteria, it should be branded as an OLL, since it is histologically compatible (shows dysplasia). But is this diagnosis justified? Pathologists would also consider other different diagnoses like: OLP with dysplasia, lichenoid dysplasia or simply, epithelial dysplasia. Hypothetical scenario 3: If a patient with a history of OLP, consults another pathologist, unaware of the fact that it has become dysplastic, he/she would again be diagnosed with OLL if the 2003 diagnostic criteria are followed. SIGNIFICANCE OF DIAGNOSING ORAL LICHENOID LESIONS: van der Meij et al4 proposed the designation OLL for cases that are clinically typical and histologically compatible, clinically compatible and histologically typical, or clinically and histologically compatible with OLP. As already stated and explained in the first hypothetical scenario, not all patients with OLP manifest with the classical bilateral white striae. In such situations, clinicians and pathologists must exercise prudence in blindly branding the lesion as OLL by strict adherence to the 2003 modified criteria. Whether the lesion to be diagnosed represents an OLP like disease can be suspected by other clinical manifestations like: manifestation in cancer-prone areas (floor of the mouth, lateral border and ventral surface of the tongue, retromolar trigone and soft palate–uvula complex), lesions accompanied or preceded by skin manifestations suggestive of other diseases like lupus erythematosus, lesions that have a plaque-type keratosis or a verruco-papillary nature and lesions that may have a possible etiology like restorations(silver amalgam) or drugs.10 Differentiating between OLP and OLL is very significant as both the lesions are potentially malignant. It becomes all the more pertinent as two prospective studies by van der Meij et al15,16 one in 2003 and one in 2007 showed that only OLLs in their many cases turned malignant. DIAGNOSIS OF CANDIDIASIS IN OLP PATIENTS: Culture studies have demonstrated Candida infection in 37% to 50% of OLP cases.17 There appears to be no differences in the frequency of Candida infection between ulcerated OLP and non-ulcerated OLP.18 Candida albicans produces nitrosamine which is harmful carcinogen. Thus, OLP and candidiasis together provide a fertile background for malignant transformation of oral epithelium. Moreover, candida albicans isolated from potentially malignant oral disorders are able to produce mutagenic amounts of carcinogenic acetaldehyde when exposed to substrates such as wine and ethanol.19 Thus, one cannot disregard oral candidiasis from OLP. Both the lesions together can act synergistically and/or additively in progression to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Hence, we believe that this association needs serious considerartion in the revision of diagnostic criteria of OLP. WHAT IF BOTH THE CRITERIA ARE FOLLOWED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GLOBE? This could possibly be the situation today as there is no universal consensus on any specific criteria to be followed. This would be a serious issue, as there would be a gross under or overestimation in the diagnosis of OLP or OLL, inadvertently leading to false data regarding its malignant potential. Studies done on the current topic by different institutions using different diagnostic criteria would generate contrasting data in literature precipitating confusion and controversies. UNIVERSAL DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA – THE NEED OF THE HOUR! So, how then, do we undo the debates surrounding the current issue? The answer lies in not only formulating more accurate diagnostic criteria but also in universally following them. Of course, further molecular or immunological studies on OLP would throw further light. We, in this commentary have tried to explain the possible demerits and confusions that could possibly arise if the current criteria are used and not universally followed. The 1978 WHO criteria may need more accuracy while the 2003 modified criteria could be rigid and strict. Devising an accurate criteria taking into consideration, the above mentioned points, would go a long way in eliminating the confusion and disputes surrounding OLP.