Enlightenment World History Essay

The ideas of several Enlightenment philosophers, such as Locke, Montesquieu and Voltaire affected the latter U.S Constitution. Locke’s idea of how a government should be run affected the governmental power. Montesquieu’s idea of separation of powers affected the division of power of the U.S government. Voltaire’s idea of a person’s freedom affected the rights of the people. The ideas of Locke, Montesquieu and Voltaire greatly contributed to the creation of the U.S Constitution. Locke’s philosophy of how a government should be run affected the power of the government. According to Locke’s philosophy, a government’s power comes from the consent of the people. This idea was adapted in the Constitution and led to a limited governmental power, and the creation of a representative government. Locke’s idea was also applied in the beginning of the Constitution, where it says â€Å"We the people of the United States† because the statement established the idea of a government run by everyone and not just the people involved in the government.Locke’s idea led to a limited governmental power,the creation of a new government and the establishment of a government run by its people. Montesquieu’s idea of division of power in the government affected the federal system. Montesquieu believed in the concept that there should be a separation of powers which was later adapted by the delegates. The delegates set up a government where there were three separate branches which consisted of the legislative, executive and judicial branch. Another change that Montesquieu set forth was the built in system of checks and balances, which meant that every branch had the ability to check on each others actions. Montesquieu’s idea of separation of power helped contribute to the Constitution by leading to a government that equalized the power of its governmental leaders. Voltaire’s idea of a person’s freedom affected the written rights of a person in the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments of the Constitution). According to Voltaire, a person should have freedom of speech and religion. This idea was the primary source of the Bill of Rights.When Congress wrote the Bill of Rights,freedom of speech and religion were guaranteed, along with other rights such as, freedom of press and assembly. Voltaire’s idea of a person’s right to choose their own religion and freedom of speech contributed to other essential freedoms that were previously not guaranteed by the U.S. Several Enlightenment philosophers such as Locke, Montesquieu and Voltaire contributed to the U.S Constitution. Locke’s idea of a government run by its people led to a re establishment of government. Montesquieu’s belief of separation of powers led to a new division of government. Voltaire’s idea of a person’s right of freedom of speech and religion led to more freedoms and rights guaranteed to a person. These are a few of the contributions made by several Enlightenment philosophers to the U.S Constitution.

Newsweek

Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. This is true, at least to some degree, in the study of these articles. They deal with three issues: Politics, Race and Sports and Entertainment. People are still interested in politics, though Congress, with a 14% approval rating, more people are annoyed than interested. However, the importance has not diminished. Also, race is still an issue. The 1964 and 1968 articles on race deal with the upcoming elections and how African Americans are expected to vote. Also, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and the political undertones that they will carry is also heavy on the minds of the country. In sports, the Olympics and the Boston Marathon command small attention. What is seen as one of the biggest differences from the 1964 and 1968 Newsweek articles in comparison to the 2007 Newsweek, that that a larger percentage of the magazine in 2007, deals with Sports, Entertainment and popular culture. Even for such a respected magazine as Newsweek, the editors cannot escape the exponential increase in popular culture at the expense of real news, which the country seems to hunger for on an hourly basis. In the November 2, 1964 issue of Newsweek, the issue revolves around the Presidential election that is about to come later that week. The political tension is not as heavy as in past elections since everyone believes that the result will be a landslide. President Johnson is expected to beat Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater by a very large margin. Goldwater, a Republican, is hoping to court the morality vote and to point to Johnson as being soft on communism. President Johnson , in a speech in Belleville, IL talked about the dangers of nuclear war and that, like his predecessor before him, President Kennedy, believes that the next war will be one in which there are no survivors. â€Å"We would not gain total victory in the next war, but total destruction and the survivors would be the judges of the dead.† (Meyers, 1964 pg. 23) He is referencing the dangers of a nuclear war. The war in Vietnam is gaining strength and troop levels are rising. The article points to the promise that if elected, President Johnson would help to â€Å"avoid a war in South East Asia.† In reality, the exact opposite will come to fruition. Due to the fact that the election is near, the next issue of Newsweek, deals with the demographics of the voters and how they voted. Most findings will report that Johnson won most of the demographics since his margin of victory was 486 to 47 in electoral votes. It will remain as one of the most lopsided victories in American political history. What is interesting in this article entitled The Mood of an Avalanche, is the fact that African Americans, individuals who voted for the straight Republican ticket since Andrew Johnson, now voted overwhelmingly for President Johnson. It is reported that 96% of the African American voters voted for President Johnson. (Mulligan, 1964 pg. 24) This is due in part to the fact that Senator Goldwater courted the Segregationist vote in the South to such a degree that African Americans turned away from him in droves. In one Mississippi small town in which there counted only 257 voters, the article reports that all 257 voted for Johnson. This article is important in dealing with race and how it affects the voting demographics since African Americans will vote for the straight democratic ticket from now on. In Sports and Entertainment, the 1964 Olympics is proceeding. In a Newsweek article entitled The Gold Rush, the fact that the Americans are leading the medal total, is a story. However, one of the most famous stories revolved around the Native American runner Billy Mills. Movies would be made about this person. Born into poverty and enduring racism at every turn, Billy Mills would become a champion runner. His main event was the 10,000 meter run. During this event in the Olympics, Billy Mills was pushed by another runner onto the outside of the track. Usually, this serves as a great impediment to the runner. However, Mills, against the prevailing knowledge of track and field, once pushed, continues to run in the middle of the track on the middle lane. This forces Mills to run longer distances than his opponent. However, not only does Mills win, but he creates an Olympic record in the event in the process. It is the inspirational story for the18th Olympics. Fast forward to 1968 and the political scene still deals with President Johnson. However, things have not been going well for him. 1968 would be the year that saw more than 500,000 American troops in Vietnam. Clearly, President Johnson would not be the President to keep America out of the war. In a Newsweek article dated April 22, 1968, the fact that Robert Kennedy is running for President as well and has forced President Johnson to say that he will not run for the presidency that year. His tenure will end on January 20, 1969. The article talks about the influence that a number of different factors and how they will play into the election. The first is Robert Kennedy. The second is the Republican Candidate, Richard Nixon. â€Å"Nixon lost the 1960 election because the 1960 televised Presidential debate, left the country feeling as though Mr. Nixon was not as likable and trusting as John F. Kennedy.† (1968 pg. 32) The question now is, eight years later, how will television affect the election and how will Mr. Nixon respond. There is also a report in the article entitled Politics ‘68, what demographics will vote for which candidate. The demographics are divided into race, gender, religion, occupation and regions of the country. By the end of April, 1968, the country is still reeling from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. He was killed on the balcony of a hotel on Memphis earlier that month. Riots in most of the country’s largest cities occurred and many people died. â€Å"The arithmetic of the week’s pillage was more than enough. Civil disorders raging from riots to random shop windows breaking, occurred in more than 130 cities and caused an estimated $5 million worth of damage. More than 20,000 arrests and endless injuries have been the result.† (Jules, 1968 pg. 47) 1968 was one of the hardest years for the American public to endure. The assassination of Martin Luther King was one of those reasons and added to the madness of the situation. Many wondered in the article where the Civil Rights movement would turn to next. What leader would take the reigns? To many, people are still asking the same question. In Sports, the 72nd Boston Marathon was reported as being under way in the April 29, 1968 issue of Newsweek. Out of a total of 890 runners, the winner boasted a winning time of 2 hours twenty two minutes and seventeen seconds. This was not a great time. However, it was run by an American, the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1957. (Jones, 1968 pg. 38) His name was Ambrose Burfoot, aged 21. Burfoot beat all others by a sizable margin but not one which would endure posterity. However, the fact that Burfoot was an American, then as well as now, is an important note as it has been the running feats of foreigners which has dominated the winner’s circle at the Boston marathon. I In the January 8, 2007 edition of Newsweek, the main story is the death of Saddam Hussein. The once feared leader of Iraq who was found hiding in a spider hole in December of 2003, was finally put to death. The article entitled Death of a Tyrant, headlines the life and legend of the man and the reign of terror that he placed upon his people for so many decades. The article also speaks to the trouble which occurred from a secret video tape being smuggled out of the area where Saddam was killed. This was in direct opposition to the orders of both the American and Iraqi forces. Such images was believed to help incite riots among the enemy and was by a public relations point of view, counterproductive. Also, in politics, the death of President Ford was the news for the week as well. The article details the life of President Ford and how he was able to heal the country after the scandal of Watergate. The article finally gives credit to Ford by saying that pardoning President Nixon was the right thing to do as it helped the country to heal. In Race, the production of O.J. Simpson’s book If I Did It, produced such an outrage that production was stopped. A January 22, 2007 Newsweek article details this. This is a racial issue because the beliefs regarding his innocence or guilt for the 1994 death of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, was so split on racial lines that it still incites controversy. More than 80% of white Americans believe that OJ is guilty and over 80% of African Americans believe that he is not. (Brunell, 2007 pg. 48) That is why anything that deals with OJ Simpson and the murders, is dealt with on racial lines. The fact that he wrote a book that served as a sort of quasi confession, enraged many Americans and forced his supporters to wonder if he really was guilty of the murders for which he was charged. In Sports and Entertainment, a sad story was detailed in the January 15, 2007 issue of Newsweek. In a time of divisive issues which help to split the country up into racial and political lines, Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter was an individual who everyone seemed to have a positive opinion about. His popular show detailed frequent run ins with some of the world’s most dangerous animals. Over the past few years, he had become highly popular and when speaking of the name of Steve Irwin, most people had a positive opinion of the man. This ended when a sting ray pierces through his heart and killed him. This served as important news all over the country as well as for the rest of the world. What is interesting to note, through a study of these three separate dates, is that many things still stay the same. There are more colorized pictures in the 2007 Newsweek and there are more articles designed towards Sports and entertainment in the 2007 Newsweek, but race and politics are still important. The 1964 and 1968 editions of Newsweek death with both. The elections in 1964 and 1968 served as some of the more important elections in the country’s history. How would the Vietnam War continue? Would the Civil Rights movement continue with the help of the White House and members of Congress? And if not, how would African Americans vote and who did they believe gave the best chance at equality? These issues are much the same in 2007. The Vietnam War has been replaced with the war in Iraq, although not nearly to the same degree as the Vietnam War. African Americans still vote the straight Democratic ticket. In 2000 and 2004, African Americans voted for the Democratic presidential candidate at a rate of more than 9 to 1. The same can be seen in the attempted release of the OJ Simpson book. If I did It. The news of this released such anger from most of the public and incited an argument which brought back, although to a much less degree, the racial tension that was caused from the famous trial and acquittal. WORKS CITED Decklan, M Death of a Tyrant   Newsweek. January 8, 2007 Jones, L. The Gold Rush. Newsweek October 26, 1964 pg. 13 Jules, J. The Death of Martin Luther King Newsweek. April 22, 1968 pg. 45 Kilmer, F Final Hunt for Steve Irwin. Newsweek January 15, 2007 Meyers. J Down to the Wire. Newsweek Magazine November 2, 1964 pg. 23-27 Mulligan, L. The Making of an Avalanche November 9, 1964 pg. 28-21 Nieves, D. OJ’s Troubles Continue Newsweek January 22, 2007 Stevens, K. American Wins Boston Marathon. April 29, 1968 pg. 32 RFK vs. LBJ? Newsweek April 29, 1968 pg. 12

Financial and Strategic Management of Projects Wk11 Essay

Financial and Strategic Management of Projects Wk11 - Essay Example Ethics must be considered by project managers in their planning for projects. A project that has a good budget, reasonable time allocation, and all the necessary resources to complete a project successfully can fail due to a lack of ethics among the team players. A case study of a firm that went form market leader to becoming at the time the biggest bankruptcy in United States history due to a lack of ethics in the Enron scandal. Project management is very important towards the success of a multinational corporation. Back in the late 1990’s Nike Corporation faced some serious problems due to the lack of ethical conduct of the project managers overseeing the foreign manufacturing operations of Nike. The firm lost millions of dollars in revenues due to the bad publicity from the revelation that Nike was running sweatshop manufacturing operations. During the past decade the business world has realized the importance of corporate social responsibility. Changes in customer tastes and expectations have made companies producing green products one the fastest growing industries in the United States and abroad. For instance in the car industry automobiles that used hybrid or electric technologies have soaring demands in the marketplace. In 2010 the total sales of hybrid vehicles in the United States were 28,592 which accounts for about 2.5% of total auto sales in the industry (Hybridcars, 2011). A project manager has to take into consideration the environmental impact of a project. During the past century the industrial world has caused great damage to the environment due to pollution its activities have caused. Global warming, deforestation, and food scarcity are some of the problems our society faces in the coming decades. A financial strategy that can be used to give back to the community is donating a fixed percentage of the revenues of a firm. A

The US Governments Websites Design Research Paper

The US Governments Websites Design - Research Paper Example Looking at the web page of Department of Health and Human Services, it is impressive on first sight since the visual pictures showing medical related activities are displayed and this is consistent with the duties of the department (Information Resources Management Association   & Khosrowpour, 2002). Besides there are various options of access further detailed information from the bold headlines and systematic flow of directions. The title of the photo on this web page is talking about women’s contribution in science an indication that the website is always conforming to the current affairs. The website of U.S department of state is fairly comprehensive and systematic in presentation with most sensitive passport issue top on the title and careers related issues coming last. The smooth flow of pertinent Web Pages to the citizens makes very effective in communication to the people. Finally, the U.S department of Agriculture is presented with complete directory and location map that makes one to trace where it is from anywhere on Earth. It prioritizes food and nutrition then explores its various agencies. It even includes place for reports that manifests its appreciation of releasing periodic reports on various issues. These sites share common characteristic in giving a comprehensible webpage and directory backup which makes them to qualify under the website assessment criteria. That is, all of them are accurate, exudes authority, are objective, consistent with current issues and have wide coverage (International Conference on Multiple Criteria Decision Making & Ehrgott, 2010). However, the web sites omit some essential features like e-mail address if need be. The exhaustive coverage of many issues on the websites is focused to the centrality of US in the world economy that makes it attract even international guests on its website. This is a label on the container of antacid. The design and pattern on it is very significant in how it communicates to the u ser or potential user (In Miller , Wyllie , Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations & Joint Commission Resources, 2006). Fig.1 The visual impression of the path of movement of the medication serves as the first attraction to people. The large fonts used in this label makes more conspicuous and speak louder to what it should be used for. The yellow part with clear information of â€Å"fast acting† reiterates to the user its effectiveness and this boosts the desire and hope of a person to getting relief as soon as it is prescribed and taken. Within the red background of the label is a brief but concise list of all the conditions it can serve to cure. The presentation of the label is brief to the point and even the color is captivating to all and sundry (Jedlicka, 2010). The audience to this information constitutes all the persons with ability to read English and this is inclusive of all age groups in the society who may directly or indirectly affected by a ny of the listed curable conditions.  

Minority kids with alcohol addicition Research Paper

Minority kids with alcohol addicition - Research Paper Example The problem has grown worse as the adolescent population too has been fascinated by the trend. Alcohol as a part of party or as a part of ‘growing up’, ends up being an addiction and the person becomes a nuisance to his loved ones as well as the society. What starts as an experiment of trying something new, at times ends up in severe addiction of alcohol. Addiction is the condition when the person feels adverse effects if not provided with the substance he is addicted to. Alcohol addiction is serious because alcohol is one of the most easily available drugs. Unlike other drugs like cocaine, alcohol is much more reachable. The youngsters, who fall below the legal age for alcohol consumption, find it easily accessible and not to forget that it is also available in the homes where adults drink it. In fact the first experiment of adolescents with alcohol begins at home only. It will also be discussed in the report how the advertisement of alcohol target the youth and how the se advertisements are more common in the localities where the minority groups are found in excess. My study aims to understand the causes of alcohol addiction among adolescents particularly among the minority group. These underage users of alcohol mostly become the main target of alcohol advertisements considering they are more prone to addiction to drugs. I am going to study the cultural influences on the kids that affect their behavior towards alcohol and the factors that lead to a sustained alcohol addiction. This study compares the findings from other studies and tries to come to a conclusion about the effect of kids belonging to a minority group and their habitual alcohol drinking. According to a report by the Office of Applied Studies (2007), 8000 adolescents on an average, aged from 12 to 17, drank alcohol for the first time. This increase in consumption is a concern as alcohol addiction has usually been directly linked to the occasional consumption in the above mentioned age

Technology Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology Description - Essay Example The Clock button displays the real time that can be set and adjusted. The Reset button allows the Clock to reset depending on the user’s desired time settings. 2. These pre-determined cooking time buttons include the cooking according to the desired cooking manner including the weight of the food and defrosting. If Cook by Weight is desired, the need to key in the approximate weight of the food is necessary. The same applies when Defrost by Weight is preferred. Speed Defrost 5. The Timer button is used to set the desired cooking time. The Power Level sets the microwave cooking at 10 different levels at the time of cooking. Setting the level to 100% allows the device to emit radio waves to its full extent, thus allowing the cooking time faster. The Cook button automatically cooks food according to the length of time that it needs to be cooked. There are sensors in the cavity that allows the device to detect whether the food is already cooked or

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication - Essay Example The profession of teaching is essentially based on communication as the entire process of teaching takes place on the basis of communication. In the retail industry, communication provides an efficient possibility for consumer attraction as the on-spot demonstration and feedback based on the communication constructed, helps to effectively develop a relationship with the customer. Similarly in the domain of law and criminal justice, communication is the optimum source of professional execution. The court-room proceedings and ramifications depend on the expertise and excellent logical communication of the prosecutor. As an example, it can be stated that once a minor was accused and punished for certain unlawful activities executed by the minor. In such cases, the major responsibility should be with the socio-economic condition of the accused or the association and the pedlar that are responsible for such crime. Poor communication and ignorance of greater and true reason operating for the apparent crime failed to attract the eyes of the jury in the case. It is evident that effective communication could have played a vital role in such a case of criminal justice to save the minor. Auckland University of Technology, (No Date). Marketing, Marketing Communications, Retailing and Sales. Study Areas. Retrieved Online on September 09, 2010 from

Identification of Reasons for Preference of Wholly Owned Subsidiaries Essay

Identification of Reasons for Preference of Wholly Owned Subsidiaries Compared to IJVs - Essay Example This paper illustrates that over the years international joint ventures have been a successful mode of entry into the host country. It benefits the foreign companies forming the joint ventures with the local company in two ways. Firstly, the advantage of the local partner’s knowledge about the political systems, competitive conditions, culture, and business system of the host country. Secondly, the benefit of development cost and risk sharing with the local partner. In some countries, these kinds of joint ventures are the only feasible market entry mode that is available to the foreign companies. On the contrary, the wholly owned subsidiary is the most costly mode of entry into the overseas market. However, wholly owned subsidiary or rather setting up independent company owned by the parent company gives the full control to the company in terms of its operation handling and gaining the whole profit from its operations. The companies who adopt this kind of entry mode should be prepared to bear the risk and cost associated with having its expanded operations in the overseas market. The companies in the past years thought that the joint ventures will give them the expertise to acquire a position in the market, but this was not as easy as the local partner tie down the new entrant to the direction of its operations in his own way. For instance, Proctor & Gamble failed in India where they entered the market through joint venture but succeeded in China through its wholly owned subsidiary. As the forecast states that China by 2050 would be a leading economy followed by U.S and India, so now the companies feel that setting up their own company in these markets would be necessary for their survival as well as for sustained growth. With the influence of WTO, which now provides less restriction on foreign-owned companies in markets of China and India, many companies are now focusing on establishing their wholly owned subsidiary rather than going into any kind of in ternational joint venture.

The Political Theory of Machiavelli Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

The Political Theory of Machiavelli - Essay Example It makes sense to ask a question about whether it is possible to justify his political concept and see its validity. Following the logic of Abramson, one can find two main arguments in favor of the validity of Machiavelli’s theory. The first argument assumes that Machiavelli considered his theory as useful for those rulers who tried to avoid evil because he was aware that political activity is always associated with a certain kind of cruelty and violence (location 2085). In turn, the second argument is that the philosopher developed his political concept based on the use of pagan rather than Christian morality (locations 2094 and 2101). As he saw it, in contrast to Christian ethics, pagan morality gave much more opportunities to solve an extremely important political task, namely the unification of Italy (location 2101). In general, the validity of his concept stems from the fact that it was aimed at strengthening the political power in Italy and its unification into a single country able to demonstrate a high economic and social potential. Thus, the aim of the paper is to provide two main arguments in favor of the political theory of Machiavelli. As previously noted, the negative attitude towards the political philosophy of Machiavelli is due to the fact that the philosopher justified the use of violence, abuse, lies, and deceit to gain the authority of the governor. In his famous work titled The Prince, Machiavelli suggested political leadership based on a number of principles, in particular, pursuing the aim to eliminate political opponents. One can identify a few basic principles proposed by Machiavelli in this work. Firstly, the philosopher said that the desire to seize power using violence and cruelty is rather natural.

Organizational Behavior Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Organizational Behavior Study Guide Essay Organizational Behavior – is the understanding of how organizations work and how to have people perform efficiently. It is extracted from different areas of study, and is interested in how these fields are integrated into workplace behavior. Basic Leadership Model – knowledge of OB x behavioral skills = leadership effectiveness Organizational Behavior – 1) individual level is where members make sense of the world and derive motivation. 2) how teams function. How they deal, ethical decision making, and power politics. 3) Organizational level – how the firm is structured, selecting developing talent, creating sustaining a culture, manage change. Behavioral skills – facilitate team decision making, effective communication, effective negotiation, use power wisely, and managers organization change. Organization change over time – theories become more complex and and yet more accurate but they are harder to apply since they are all based on the situation and culture limits the applicability of these theories also. Pre 20 century – work was done from home/crafts, orgs were military and church, Adam Smith division of labor and theories of use of machinery to save labor costs. 1900 – industrialism and mass production using division of labor. 1920 – scientific management fred taylor: cult of efficiency task analysis, standardization, pay by performance, training, and systemic selection. Classical management: Henry Fayle: PODSC: planning, organizing, directing, staffing, and controlling. Unity of command: one leader, specialization: doing one activity and people got good at it so replacing was easy. Scalar chain: the yields of an output TxC input multiplied by constant. Span of control: how many subordinates under control. During this time was 5 to 7 now its over 20. 1930 Hawthorne studies by Elton mayo. Findings were that interaction in the test group had increased productivity; feelings and supervision had big effect in production. Informal groups also were formed due to interaction. 1940 –group dynamics: when teams made their own decisions they required more information to be shared with employees and yet this was complex but made them have a sense of commitment to the job. Bureaucracy with Max Weber: job descriptions, specific responsibility, written rules, right of appeal, fair and equal treatment and managing became a profession to learn. 1950- Task leaders were only concerned with accomplishing the task. Social leaders were concerned with employees. Limits to rationality suffice rather than maximize. There is a limit of how much info. You can absorb. Gordon Howell: it asked for professionalism and more scientific knowledge. 1960,1970-Systems thinking environment and organization explaining and predicting behavior. Contingency thinking variables on factors. Leadership is contingent on many factors. 1980 and now – Mckribbin porter studies asked for more communication, and social skills and cultural diversity. Leader-awareness will make a better leader. Biographical traits, personality, attitudes and values, ability influences your perception and motives. And perception and motivation influence productivity, absence, turnover, and satisfaction. When hiring: skills, attitudes and values, and personality are looked at if you fit in the organization and see how well you work in teams. People who don’t fit in will have low performance high absenteeism/turnover. Age-older people are less likely to be absent for avoidable reasons and more likely to be absent for unavoidable reasons. (such as illness). Older people have les employment opportunities. Their job provides them with higher wages and pension benefits. Productivity there is no relation with age. Positive satisfaction 60+. Gender- no gender differences and no differences in productivity. Women are more likely to be absent because of children. Marital status- in general married people are more stable, brings job to be more valuable, fewer absence and turnover rates, more satisfied. Tenure – people who have been around for a long while are likely to stay and there is decreased turnover. Tenure on previous jobs help predict employees future turnover. Promotes conveys loyalty. Extra experience leads to increased productivity. Ability – skills that individual posses. Intellectual ability: mental activities, thinking, reasoning and problem solving. Those individuals who have a high intellectual ability and work at jobs that do not challenge them become bored and lack motivation. Physical ability: require physical traits for some jobs. Emotional intelligence: self awareness becoming aware of yourself and your areas of strength. Self management working without constant supervision. Self motivated ability to persist if there is setbacks or failures, social skills the ability to deal with others and their emotions, empathy ability to sense how others are feeling. Emotional intelligence affects job performance as employees can relate to each other. Cultural Values – experiences learned that shape our behavior. High low power distance: how equal or unequal you are between others in your society, u.s is low/democratic. Uncertainity avoidance: preferring structure than unstructured. Cognitive dissoance: when there is a conflicting emotion or tension after making a decision. Refers to any incompatibility than an individual might perceive between two or more if his or her attitudes, or between his or her behavior and attitudes. Personality – heredity, environment, situations determine personality. Locus of control: the degree to which people believe they are masters of their own fate. When we succeed we take credit for it, but when we fail, we blame others. Internals: in control of our destiny and are more satisfied and fewer absences. Externals: believe their lives are controlled by outside forces higher absences and less satisfaction. Extroversion: social, assertive. Introverted: reserved, timid. Machiavellianism: pragmatic, emotional distant, ends justify means, aggressive tactics. High mach’s: less persuaded, win more, manipulate more, flourish face to face and when there’s no rules. Self esteem: more confidence, higher risk takers. Self monitoring: ability to adjust to external behavior and situations. High Self monitors: aware of outside cues, and put on faces. Perceptions-input gives meaning to surrounding. Influenced by perceiver: attitudes, motives, interests, experiences, expectations. Target: motion, size, background, similarity. Situation: time, work, social. We judge people to find a behavior based on motives and interests. Attribution Theory- Attribution theory- Tries to explain the ways in which we judge people differently, depending on the meaning we attribute to a given behavior. We attempt to determine if a given behavior is internally or externally caused. Assessed by 3 factors: Distinctiveness- whether an individual displays different behaviors in different situations. Consensus- is his response unique or expected from everyone in a similar situation? Consistency- does the person respond the same way over time? Fundamental attribution error- The tendency to underestimate the influence of external factors and overestimate the internal factors when making judgments about others’ behaviors. Self-serving bias- The tendency for individuals to atribute their own successes to internal factors and blame failures on external factors. Frequently used shortcuts in judging others: Selective perception- The tendency to selectively interpret what one sees on the basis of one’s interest, background, experience, and attitudes. Halo effect- the tendency to draw a general impression about an individual on a basis of a single characteristic. â€Å"he is all good and nothing bad† or vice versa. Contrast effect- Evaluation of a person’s characteristics that is affected by comparison with other people recently encountered who rank higher or lower on the same characteristic. Ie. Someone being assessed right after an expert or someone that does a bad job will affect how you view that person. Stereotyping- Judging someone on the basis of one’s perception of the group to which that person belongs.Profiling/Stereotyping- A form of stereotyping in which a group of individuals is singed out- typically on basis of race, ethnicity- for intensive inquiry, scrutiny, or investigation.Self- fulfilling prophecy- a situation in which a person inaccurately perceives a second person, and the resulting expectations cause the second person to behave in ways consistent with the original perception. Motivation- how much effort an individual puts forth to achieve organizational goals. Performance = motivation, ability, opportunity. Learning Theory – environment determines an individuals behavior. Law of Effect(operant conditioning, or reinforcement theory) behavior is a function of its consequences. People got to learn to behave a way to get what the want. Shaping Behavior- individuals behavior is shaped by rewarding each successive step that moves them closer to a desired response. Positive reinforcement: following a desired response with something pleasant, negative: following a response by termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant. Punishment: causing an unpleasant condition to eliminate an undesirable behavior. Extinction: eliminating any reinforcement that maintains behavior. Applied: Well pay vs sick pay, lotteries, and recognition programs. Need Theory- the individual is in control of changing behavior and not the environment. Maslows Hierarchy: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. From Low to high. 1. Physiological- food, water, shelter, bodily needs 2. Safety- protection from emotional and physical harm 3. Social- affection, belongingness, friends 4. Esteem- self respect, autonomy, recognition, attention 5. Self actualization- achieving full potential, growth As each need becomes satisfied the next need becomes dominant. A substantial satisfied need no longer motivates. High order needs: internally satisfied such as social , esteem, and self actualization. Low order needs: externally and psycho and safety needs. Extrinsic rewards such as pay tends to decrease motivation for something that was intrinsically rewarding. Extrinsic rewards given to someone performing an interesting task causes interest in the task. Two factor theory: intrinsic factors such as advancement, recognition, responsibility, and achievement, are related to job satisfaction and extrinsic factors such as supervision, pay, company policies, and working conditions are associated with dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors – these factors are conditions surrounding the job â€Å"low order needs† and people complain about and in order to motivate people on the job hertzburg suggests to emphasize characteristics that people find intrinsically rewarding. Equity Theory- comparison of outcomes such as rewards and promotions, to inputs such as effort, skills, experience, and knowledge to others in the organization and then respond to eliminate any inequities. Inequity (under rewarded) low performance and over rewarded performance will increase. Job enrichment (vertical)- is the vertical expansion of jobs, increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and evaluation of his or her work. Expanding jobs vertically gives employees the opportunities, responsibilities, and controls that were previously reserved for management. Autonomy, feed back results, feedback channel, and recognizes individuals desire to grow. Job enlargement (horizontal)- is the idea to expand jobs, more tasks to work with, broaden the job. Skill variety, task identity: seeing the job getting fully done, task significance allows employees to form natural work units where asks they perform create meaningful whole. Employee Involvement Programs- allows orgs to focus on areas their workers know best. Gives sense of belonging, power, information, attitudes/values, and rewards move down the org, allows high needs to be satisfied, becoming motivated, committed, performance up, and satisfied. Line of sight: things way too far away that decreased motivation. Expectancy Theory- belief that an employee will be motivated to exert effort when it will lead to good performance then reward and hence satisfy its goals. Developed by Victor Vroom. Expectancy (effort – performance) belief That effort will lead to good performance. Skills experience and performance clarity is satisfied. Instrumentality (performance – reward) belief that good performance will lead to desired outcomes. Valence (reward – personal goal) the degree to which org. rewards will satisfy your needs and how attractive they are intrinsic and extrinsic. Effort to perform = expectancy, instrumental, valance. Gain Sharing- a formula based on group incentive plan. Focuses on productivity cost saving rather than profits. Relies less on extrinsic factors. Gain can happen without profit. Skill based pay- pay levels are based on how many skills employees have. Technical, managerial, and social. Provides flexibility to perform diff. tasks and skills are interchangeable. Facilitates communication between people to gain better understanding of the jobs. Downside, no promotions and there are limitations to how much you can learn before you top out. Timed training rotation: periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another. When employee becomes not challenged the employee is changed to maintain motivation levels high. Trait Theory- differs leaders from non-leaders. By looking at personal qualities to traits. Works well when in no structure or ambiguous teams. Leaders are born not made. Emergence of leadership rather than the leaders effect on performance. They have to be ambitious, energy, honesty, integrity, high self monitors. However, the theory may not work because fails to clarify the importance of different traits. Not a clear cause and effect relationship. Behavior Theories- assumes that leaders can be trained and the goal here is to develop potential leaders. The problem with these theories is that effective behaviors do not generalize across situations. Ohio studies: 2 dimensions: initiating structure: extent to which a leader is likely to define goals and expectations. Leaders focus is task. Consideration: the extent to which a leader has a relation with employees, trust, respect for ideas, and feelings. The leader is people oriented and focused on the employees.

Anchorage in Orthodontics- A Review

Anchorage in Orthodontics- A Review Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with facial growth, the development of the dentition and occlusion, and the diagnosis, interception and treatment of occlusal anomalies. The goal of orthodontic treatment is to improve the persons life by enhancing dental and jaw function and dentofacial aesthetics. This is achieved by obtaining optimal proximal and occlusal contact of teeth (occlusion) within the framework of normal function and physiologic adaptation, acceptable dentofacial aesthetics and self-image and reasonable stability (Graber and Vanarsdal, 1994). Conventional orthodontic treatment is achieved using fixed and removable appliances to achieve a planned end point of treatment. Orthodontic anchorage is an important concept in orthodontic treatment, and can be reinforced by many types of appliances. Orthodontic headgear has traditionally been considered to be the gold standard appliance for reinforcing anchorage. However, an increasing awareness of the drawbacks of headgear, mainly poor patient compliance and serious eye injuries, has led to the development of appliances in which the evidence base supporting their use is incomplete. In addition, it has been suggested that functional appliances which are traditionally used for growth modification, can be used for   anchorage preparation. In this section, the concept of anchorage in orthodontic treatment is reviewed. The definition of anchorage is presented including its relationship to space requirements, extractions and certain appliances, including the potential of using functional appliances for anchorage. As the effectiveness of some of these appliances has been evaluated by randomized trial methodology (RCT), an account of the bias that can arise in RCTs is given and the potential effect this bias may have on the trial results. Finally, the important aspect of measurement of variables in orthodontic research is reviewed focusing on the reliability and validity of new measurement methods using computer software and digital models. 1.2.1 Definition and importance Anchorage in orthodontics can be defined as the resistance to unwanted tooth movement [1]. When an orthodontist/dentist plans treatment they evaluate the anchorage requirement by estimating the amount of space that is needed to correct the malocclusion. Anchorage   or space may be obtained by extracting teeth, moving teeth into certain position and/or the use of orthodontic appliances. Achieving anchorage can be obtained by one of the following methods: 1.2.2 Maximising the potential of available teeth: In this method a force is applied between two points (tooth or groups of teeth) and tooth movement is controlled by making one point more resistant to movement than the other. This is done by careful planning of the site of force application. Examples include: Active movement of one tooth versus several anchor teeth, for example correcting the centreline by moving one tooth at a time. Teeth of greater resistance to movement are utilized as anchorage for the translation of teeth that have less resistance to movement. A common example of this is closing space by pitting the posterior teeth (greater resistance) against the anterior teeth (less resistance). Increasing the number of teeth in the anchor unit, examples are: Adding the second molar to the fixed appliance. Adding the anterior teeth to reinforce posterior anchorage by bending loops mesial to the first molars. Adding teeth from the opposing arch to the anchor unit by utilizing inter-arch elastics. Making movement of anchor teeth more difficult, for example putting a tip- back bend in first molars. Using ankylosed teeth as anchors. 1.2.3 Providing an additional form of orthodontic appliance: The anchorage gained from the previous methods is limited. As a result, it is necessary to reinforce the anchorage with an additional appliance. The most commonly used orthodontic anchorage devices are: Extra oral anchorage (EOA) with headgear Intraoral anchorage with palatal and lingual arches. 1.2.4 Headgear Headgear is an orthodontic appliance that is used to apply forces to the teeth utilising structures outside the oral cavity. Headgear is usually applied to the first maxillary molar via a tube attached to the molar band. The force necessary to provide extra oral anchorage is 200 to 250 gm applied for 10-12 hours per day [2]. Headgear was first used for anchorage by Kingsley in 1866 to retract upper incisors in an upper premolar extraction case [3]. This was followed by Angle in 1888 and Case in 1907 [3]. In 1953, Kloehn developed the contemporary design of headgear that orthodontists   use today [3]. Since then, headgear has been used conventionally when maximum anchorage is required. As a result, it may be considered the gold standard for anchorage in orthodontic anchorage. 1.2.5 Disadvantages of headgear: The use of headgear has the following disadvantages or risks: Compliance: From the early days of headgear use, it was clear that substantial compliance was required and failure to wear headgear, for the prescribed amount   of time, was recognised [3]. Headgear compliance is measured as the discrepancy between actual hours of wear and reported hours of wear and has been evaluated in several studies. Results of these studies have been discouraging as the actual hours of wearing headgear appear to be much lower than that required [4-6]. For example, Brandao et al in 2006 suggested that patients who had been asked to wear their headgear for 14 hours a day, reported wearing their headgear an average of 13.6 hours a day while the actual hours of wear were only 5.6 hours [4]. Cole [6] and Cureton [5] also found that the reported hours of wear were much less than the actual hours of wearing headgear . Soft tissue injuries: Apart from minor injuries to the surrounding intraoral and   extra oral soft tissues, serious ocular injuries have been reported both in Europe and the United States. In some of these instances blindness has resulted as a final result of the injury. Ten eye injuries have been reported in the literature; 2 in the UK, 3 in France, 2 in Italy, 1 in Germany and 2 in the United States [7, 8]. These injuries resulted from one of several factors including dislodgement during sleep, improper removal of headgear or improperly playing with the headgear. Nickel Allergy: A small portion of the population will exhibit sensitivity to the Nickel alloy in facebows [9-11]. Nickel allergies in response to orthodontic appliances are not considered a major health risk. Exacerbation of pre-existing eczema: there has been a case reported in the literature in which an increase in the severity of a pre-existing atopic eczema was observed after headgear wear [12]. It is evident from the problems mentioned that the most significant drawbacks of headgear use are non-compliance and serious eye injuries. Several measures have been taken to overcome these two problems with varying amounts of success. 1.2.6 Improving headgear compliance: Suggestions have been made in the literature to encourage patients to increase the actual number of hours in which headgear is worn; these include the following: The use of a headgear calendar [13], The use of a headgear timer or electronic monitoring device and informing the patient of its presence [14], The use of conscious hypnosis for patient motivation during headgear wear [15], Treatment by a defined behavioural model which depends on a schedule for wearing headgear, in addition to parental observations and rewards based on patient compliance. This behavioural model is flexible and will evolve according   to the patients response and needs [16], Promoting headgear wear by considering gender differences, making patients more aware of their malocclusions and the effect of treatment [17]. 1.2.7 Headgear safety mechanisms: Several features have been added to headgear in an attempt to prevent elastic   recoil injuries or unintentional detachment of the headgear. These include: Lock mechanisms which prevent release of the facebows from the molar tubes [18], Snap-release headgears which prevent elastic recoil of the facebows when an excessive force is used [7], Plastic safety straps which attempt to limit the movement of the facebows [7], Intraoral elastics to attach the inner bow to the molar tube [7], Blunting and smoothening the ends of the facebows to reduce the potential for injury [7]. It has been recommended that at least two of these mechanisms are used simultaneously in addition to clear verbal and written instructions to the patients and parents [19]. In summary, headgear is considered the gold standard appliance for providing anchorage. However, in order for it to work effectively, it requires a significant amount of patient cooperation and compliance. There have been many attempts to improve headgear compliance, which is a reflection of the failure to overcome this problem. Finally, there   are several safety issues related to headgear, which may discourage patients and orthodontists from its use. The ideal solution would be to use an anchorage device that provides at least the same anchorage potential as headgear, but requires little or no compliance. This has led to the development of surgical anchorage devices. 1.2.3 Surgical anchorage In this thesis I will use the term surgical anchorage to denote all types of anchorage devices which are surgically placed in the maxilla or mandible. The use of implants for orthodontic anchorage is a rapidly developing field and appears to be very promising. It has evolved from using conventional restorative implants in the line of the arch to more specialized palatal implants and mini-plates, to mini-screw implants. Types of surgical anchorage include mini-screw implants, mini-plates and midpalatal implants. The mini-screw implant is a modification of screws used for fixation of maxillofacial fractures. Although they have varying lengths and diameters, they are generally smaller than maxillofacial fixation screws, hence the term mini. It is also important to distinguish mini-screw implants from midpalatal implants which can be used for orthodontic anchorage, as the latter are endosseous implants and a modification of prosthetic implants. Mini-plates are small surgical plates that must be surgically screwed to bone under the soft tissue. Mini-screw implants may provide anchorage reinforcement because of the combination of mechanical retention immediately after insertion (primary stability) and a degree of osseointegration. Mini-plates provide a stable structure fixed to bone for application of forces and midpalatal implants offer stability by osseointegration. Despite the widespread adoption of this type of technology, there is a dearth of high quality clinical research into their effectiveness. The literature concerning their use is referenced in section III as part of the systematic review. 1.2.4 Class II functional appliances Functional appliances are orthodontic appliances that utilize the facial and masticatory musculature to produce orthodontic forces. They are commonly used in the treatment of Class II malocclusions. They can either be removable, for example the Clarks Twin Block appliance, or fixed, for example, the Herbst appliance. In the UK, the most popular functional appliance for treating Class II malocclusions is the Twin Block [20]. Functional appliances were developed to treat malocclusions by growth modification,   by encouraging differential growth of the mandible and maxilla. In Class II malocclusions the objective is to encourage growth of the mandible and/or restrain growth of the maxilla. While this theoretical effect of functional appliances is often quoted, the evidence behind these concepts is lacking.   Recently, there have been a number of randomized clinical   trials evaluating the skeletal effect of functional appliances. These are summarised in a Cochrane systematic review published in 2013 which assessed and analysed outcomes of 17 studies [21]. These studies produce interesting results. When early two-phase treatment with a functional appliance was compared to adolescent one phase treatment (patients who did not receive a functional appliance), there was no difference in the final ANB (MD -0.02 °, 95% CI -0.47 to 0.43. P = 0.92). Similarly, when a comparison was made for early treatment between headgear and functional appliances, there was no difference in the final ANB (MD -0.17 °, 95% CI -0.67 to 0.34, P = 0.52). When functional appliance treatment was performed in adolescents and compared to untreated controls, there was a statistically significant difference in ANB (MD -2.37 °, 95% CI -3.01 to -1.74, P It was concluded from the results of these trials that the amount of skeletal change (growth modification), from the use of functional appliances is small and is unlikely to be   clinically significant. Nevertheless, it is clear that these appliances are very effective in the correction of Class II malocclusion primarily through dentoalveolar movements. The following effects of Twin Block treatment are clinically useful: Enhancing facial appearance [22, 23] Distalising upper molars and molar correction [24, 25] Reducing the overjet [24-30] Proclination of lower incisors [24-26, 28, 30, 31] Retroclination of upper incisors [24-26, 28, 30] A case report using Twin Blocks to treat a Class II division II case suggested that a Twin Block can be used instead of headgear derived anchorage [32]. When we consider the preparation of orthodontic anchorage it is common clinical experience that molar correction and the reduction of the overjet are major factors in reducing the anchorage requirements of a case. As a result, some clinicians use functional appliances in anchorage preparation with the aim of avoiding dental extractions or other forms of anchorage. A common method of achieving this is by utilizing a 2-phase treatment protocol during adolescence [33]. The first phase of treatment is achieved by using only a functional appliance. This phase usually continues until the overjet and/or molar relationship is corrected. The clinician may then choose to retain the correction obtained by the functional appliance by keeping the functional appliance in place or by using a simple removable appliance [34]. This is immediately foll owed by a second phase of active fixed orthodontic treatment. 1.2.5 Extraction As mentioned in the previous section, the anchorage requirements of a case are related to the space available in the upper and lower arches. It is common orthodontic practice to change anchorage requirement by the extraction of teeth [2]. The literature examining factors influencing the extraction decision can be divided into three different methodologies according to the method of study. These are: (i) the studies that directly ask clinicians their stated reasons for extraction, (ii) studies that measured the influence of the presence or absence of a cephalometric radiograph on the decision to extract, and (iii) studies that define some patient characteristic, such as cephalometric variables or orthodontic indices, and attempt to identify a correlation between these characteristics and whether or not extractions had been undertaken. I will discuss these studies in the following section: 1.2.5.1 Clinicians stated reasons influencing the extraction decision Only one study, Baumrind et al, directly asked orthodontists the factors that were related   to their decision to extract teeth as part of a course of treatment [35]. In this study full orthodontic records of 72 patients were given to 5 clinical instructors in a University setting in the USA. They were given a treatment planning form to complete for each patient; included in the form were questions about the extraction decision and the reasons for extraction. The clinicians stated that the most important reasons for extraction were crowding (49%), followed by incisor protrusion in 14% and profile improvement in 8%. Other, less frequent, reasons were Concern over Class II severity and concern for post- treatment stability (5%). No other single reason was stated as the most important reason in more than 2% of the forms. When considering all replies, crowding was cited in 72% of forms, incisor protrusion in 35%, profile improvement in 27% and Class II severity in 15%. No other si ngle reason was stated in more than 9% of forms. This was a simple cross-sectional study, in which the patient records and the participants were a convenience sample. It does, however, provide some relevant information on the reasons for extraction. 1.2.5.2 Cephalometric radiographs influencing the extraction decision: There have been several studies that have evaluated the effect of radiographs on the extraction decision. For example, Devereux et al [36] carried out a study in which a group of orthodontists were sent the orthodontic records of 6 patients on a CD, not containing lateral cephalometric radiographs or tracings, and were asked if they would extract teeth (T1). At this point, the orthodontists did not know that they were to be asked to examine the cases again after a washout period. After a period of 8 weeks (T2), the orthodontists were sent the records of the same 6 patients, but the lateral cephalometric radiographs and tracings were included in the records. They were asked again if they would extract teeth. The decisions made by this group (group A) were compared to another group of orthodontists (group B) who had full patient records, including lateral cephalometric radiographs and tracings, at both T1 and T2. It was found that the orthodontists in group A were 1.7 (95% CI, 1.0-2.8) times more likely to change their extraction decision than those in group B (odds ratio). In a similar investigation, Nijkamp et al investigated the influence of lateral cephalometric radiographs on the treatment planning decision [37]. This was a crossover design in which diagnostic records of 48 patients were given to 10 orthodontic postgraduates and 4 orthodontists. They were asked to formulate a treatment plan based around a dichotomous decision regarding three treatment options; (i) extraction, (ii) the use of a functional appliance and (iii) the use of rapid maxillary expansion. The diagnostic records at T1 included dental casts, but did not include a lateral cephalometric radiograph. T2 was 1 month later, and included both dental casts and lateral cephalometric radiographs and values. This design was repeated so that at T3, which was one month after T2, only dental casts were included; and at T4, which was one month after T3, dental casts and lateral cephalometric radiographs were included in the diagnostic records. Agreement between the treatment planning decision with and without the lateral cephalometric radiograph was assessed. In order for the treatment plans to agree, decisions about all three treatment options had to be the same. There was no statistically significant difference in the treatment plans between the use of only dental casts or with additional cephalometric information (P = 0.74). Another study by Han et al evaluated the effect of the incremental addition of diagnostic records on the extraction decision [38]. Five orthodontists provided a treatment plan for 57 patients. Orthodontic records were given to each of the five orthodontists in the following order: Session 1: study models only Session 2: study models and facial photographs Session 3: study models, facial photographs, and panoramic radiographs Session 4: study models, facial photographs, panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs. Session 5: all the previous records in addition to a lateral cephalometric tracing. The time interval between each session was 1 month, and the records were re-numbered between sessions. In each session, the orthodontists were asked to select a treatment pathway from a decision tree. The end point of each of the treatment pathway was a decision on whether or not to extract. The treatment planning decisions for each of the orthodontists in session 5 was considered the gold standard for that clinician. As a   result, the proportion of agreement between the treatment plan in each of the four sessions and the treatment plan in session 5 was obtained. The proportions of agreement between sessions 1, 2, 3, 4 and session 5 were 55%, 55%, 65% and 60% respectively. Therefore,] they concluded that study models alone are adequate for treatment planning, and that the addition of other types of diagnostic records made only a small difference. These three studies were good quality cross-sectional studies. The randomisation and method of washout were clear strengths of the studies. In addition sample size calculations were undertaken in two of these studies; Devereux et al and Nijkamp et al. 1.2.5.3 Patient characteristics influencing the extraction decision: The final type of studies evaluating the extraction decision are studies which attempt to identify a correlation between patient characteristics and whether or not extractions had been undertaken. Two studies, Xie et al and Takada et al, used a mathematical model to construct a decision-making Expert System (ES), which could formulate treatment decisions. [39, 40]. ES is a branch of artificial intelligence in which the computer programme simulates the decision-making and working processes of experts and solves clinical problems. They developed a model in which twenty-five patient characteristics were tested on 180 treated patients [39]. The rate of coincidence between the recommendations given by the optimized model and the actual treatments performed was found to be 100%. The characteristics that influenced the extraction decision were the anterior teeth uncovered by incompetent lips and IMPA (L1-MP). Another similar study was carried   out by Takada et   al whenÂà ‚   they selected   25 patient   characteristics   and 188 treated patients in their model [40]. The rate of coincidence between the recommendations given by the model and the actual treatment performed was 90.4%. The characteristics mostly influencing the extraction decision were incisor overjet and upper and lower arch length discrepancies. Heckmann et al investigated the influence of the angulations between the first and second lower molars on panoramic x-rays, on the extraction decision [41]. They used a sample of 30 patients treated by a premolar extraction approach, and a further matched sample of patients treated with a non-extraction approach. Pre- and post-treatment panoramic x-rays were scanned and computer software used to measure the angulations between lower first and second molars. Comparison between the mean angulation of the molars before treatment in the extraction and non-extraction group was not significant. Li et al compared mean cephalometric parameters and model analysis of Class II division 1 patients who were treated with either an extraction or non-extraction approach [42]. The sample consisted of 81 patients; 42 who had 4 premolar extractions and 39 who had non- extraction treatment. The extraction group had statistically significant greater values for the following parameters; arch length discrepancy, curve of spee, upper incisor tip, Frankfort-mandibular plane angle and lower anterior facial height. Bishara et al compared patient characteristics of Class II division 1 patients who were treated with either an extraction or non-extraction approach [43]. The sample consisted of 91 patients; 44 had first premolar extractions and 47 who had non-extraction treatment. A statistically significant difference was found between the extraction and non-extraction groups with regards to the following parameters; upper and lower arch length discrepancy, upper and lower lip protrusion in relation to the aesthetic plane in male patients, and the protrusion of the lower lip in female subjects. These studies were retrospective in nature. There were variations among the studies in the application of inclusion criteria in an attempt to control the characteristics of patients included in the study. Nevertheless, selection bias was inevitably present in these studies. Bias due to periodical changes may also be present due to the retrospective nature of the studies. In summary, studies evaluating the factors influencing the extraction decision are few in number. They have been carried out by gathering the opinion of clinicians in cross sectional studies or by conducting retrospective investigations on a sample of cases in which teeth were extracted as part of orthodontic treatment. The main deficiencies of the studies were due to inadequate selection and number of the study sample; and bias arising from their retrospective nature. References: 1.Roberts-Harry, D. and J. Sandy, Orthodontics. Part 9: Anchorage control and  distal movement. British Dental Journal, 2004. 196(5): p. 255-263.   2. Mitchell, L., An Introduction to Orthodontics. Second Edition ed. 2002, Oxford,  UK: Oxford University Press. 3. Charles T, P., Jr., Cervical headgear usage and thebioprogressive orthodontic  philosophy. Seminars in Orthodontics, 1998. 4(4): p. 219-230. 4. Brandao, M., H.S. Pinho, and D. Urias, Clinical and quantitative assessment of  headgear compliance: a pilot study. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2006. 129(2): p. 239-44. 5. Cureton, S.L., F.J. Regennitter, and J.M. Yancey, Clinical versus quantitative  assessment of headgear compliance. American Journal of Orthodontics   Dentofacial Orthopedics, 1993. 104(3): p. 277-84. 6. Cole, W.A., Accuracy of patient reporting as an indication of headgear  compliance. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2002.  121(4): p. 419-23. 7. Samuels, R.H.A. and N. Brezniak, Orthodontic facebows: safety issues and  current management. Journal of Orthodontics, 2002. 29(2): p. 101-7.   8. Samuels, R.H., A review of orthodontic face-bow injuries and safety equipment.  American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 1996. 110(3): p.  269-272. 9. Burden, D.J. and D.J. Eedy, Orthodontic headgear related to allergic contact  dermatitis: a case report. British Dental Journal, 1991. 170(12): p. 447-8.   10. Lowey, M.N., Allergic contact dermatitis associated with the use of an Interlandi  headgear in a patient with a history of atopy. British Dental Journal, 1993. 175(2):  p. 67-72. 11. Kerosuo, H.M. and J.E. Dahl, Adverse patient reactions during orthodontic  treatment with fixed appliances. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial  Orthopedics, 2007. 132(6): p. 789-95. 12. McComb, J.L. and C.M. King, Atopic eczema and orthodontic headgear. Dental  Update, 1992. 19(9): p. 396-7. 13. Cureton, S.L., F.J. Regennitter, and J.M. Yancey, The role of the headgear  calendar in headgear compliance. American Journal of Orthodontics   Dentofacial Orthopedics, 1993. 104(4): p. 387-94. 14. Doruk, C., U. Agar, and H. Babacan, The role of the headgear timer in extraoral  co-operation. European Journal of Orthodontics, 2004. 26(3): p. 289-91.   15. Trakyali, G., et al., Conscious hypnosis as a method for patient motivation in  cervical headgear weara pilot study. European Journal of Orthodontics, 2008.  30(2): p. 147-52. 16. Gross, A.M., G. Samson, and M. Dierkes, Patient cooperation in treatment with  removable appliances: A model of patient noncompliance with treatment implications. American Journal of Orthodontics, 1985. 87(5): p. 392-397.   17. Clemmer, E.J. and E.W. Hayes, Patient cooperation in wearing orthodontic  headgear. American Journal of Orthodontics, 1979. 75(5): p. 517-24.   18. Samuels, R., et al., A clinical evaluation of a locking orthodontic facebow.  American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2000. 117(3): p.  344-350. 19. ADVICE ON THE USE OF HEADGEAR, D.A.S.C. The British Orthodontic  Society (BOS), Editor. 20. Chadwick, S.M., P. Banks, and J.L. Wright, The use of myofunctional appliances  in the UK: a survey of British orthodontists. Dental Update, 1998. 25(7): p. 302-8.   21. Thiruvenkatachari, B., et al., Orthodontic treatment for prominent upper front  teeth (Class II malocclusion) in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic  Reviews 2013, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD003452. DOI:  10.1002/14651858.CD003452.pub3., 2013. 22. OBrien, K., et al., Early treatment for Class II malocclusion and perceived  improvements in facial profile. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial  Orthopedics, 2009. 135(5): p. 580-5. 23. Singh, G.D. and W.J. Clark, Soft tissue changes in patients with Class II Division 1  malocclusions treated using Twin Block appliances: finite-element scaling  analysis. European Journal of Orthodontics, 2003. 25(3): p. 225-30. 24. OBrien, K., et al., Effectiveness of early orthodontic treatment with the Twin-block  appliance: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Part 1: Dental and skeletal  effects. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2003.  124(3): p. 234-43; quiz 339. 25. Keeling, S.D., et al., Anteroposterior skeletal and dental changes after early Class  II treatment with bionators and headgear. American Journal of Orthodontics   Dentofacial Orthopedics, 1998. 113(1): p. 40-50. 26. Illing, H.M., D.O. Morris, and R.T. Lee, A prospective evaluation of Bass,  Bionator and Twin Block appliances. Part IThe hard tissues. European Journal of  Orthodontics, 1998. 20(5): p. 501-16. 27. Thiruvenkatachari, B., et al., Comparison of Twin-block and Dynamax appliances  for the treatment of Class II malocclusion in adolescents: a randomized controlled  trial. American Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2010. 138(2):  p. 144.e1-9; discussion 144-5. 28. OBrien, K., et al., Effectiveness of treatment for Class II malocclusion with the  Herbst or twin-block appliances: a randomized, controlled trial. American Journal  of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2003. 124(2): p. 128-37. 29. OBrien, K., et al., Early treatment for Class II Division 1 malocclusion with the  Twin-block appliance: a multi-center, randomized, controlled trial. American  Journal of Orthodontics Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2009. 135(5): p. 573-9.   30. Tulloch, J.F.C., W.R. Proffit, and C. Phillips, Outcomes in a 2-phase randomized  clinical

Utopia :: essays research papers

As its title hints, the essay which follows is not the history but biographical of an idea. The idea for the book called Utopia. Like all ideas for books it was born and had its whole life span in the mind of an author. Like all such ideas it ceased to be when the printed book Utopia became a black-on-white reality. Although there is no accurate record of its birth date, it seems to have been born in the mind of Sir Thomas More. As the writer I shall have to take into account the environment in which our subject passed its life and that environment was the mind of Sir Thomas More. To establish the lineaments of the idea for Utopia we shall perforce, for lack of better sources of information, rely on the book called Utopia We ourselves shall have to look very closely to separate the thinkers thought from the literary tricks of the trade. More's intentions in Utopia, must remain mysterious. A little more difficult to accept is the general implication of the review that the mysteriousness of the author's intent in Utopia is somehow a point in his favor, that the obscurity of his meaning enhances the merit of his work. The one point of unanimous agreement about Utopia is it is a work of social comment. Since Utopia is a work of many ideas, it is impossible of course to expand the book unless one has some notion of the hierarchy of conception in it. A caretul reading of Utopia does seem to me to reveal clearly the hierarchy of it author's ideas at the time he composed the book. Although the interpretation of Utopia which follows has no pretension to substantial novelty, but rather disavows it, my approach to the problem may seem singular and eccentric. The account of such an analysis will necessarily be a little dull, so I shall have to request the forbearance of the reader without being able to promise for his patie nce any large reward in the shape of a brand new insight. The inconsistency between the prospectus in the curious paragraph and the subject matter that follows in the printed version of Utopia becomes intelligible if we make a few assumptions about the development of the books composition. The conclusion various scholars have come to about More's attitude toward the institution of property coincides to a remarkable degree with their own pre-dilection on that point, or with their notion of what More should have thought.

THE BLACK PRINCE Essay -- Essays Papers

THE BLACK PRINCE Edward was born the eldest son of Edward III, king of England. For most of his life he was know as Edward of Woodstock, but we know him as the Black Prince. He was created duke of Cornwall in 1337, the first duke to be created in England, and prince of Wales in 1343. In 1355, he joined his father in the campaigns of the Hundred Years War, as his father's lieutenant. He established his reputation for valor at the battle of CrÈcy (1346) for his command of the right wing of the English army. At this time he was only the age of 16. It was probably the French who called him the Black Prince, because he wore black armor. This is assumed because the name was not recorded in England until the 16th century. In 1355 the Black Prince led an expedition into Aquitaine, and in 1356 he defeated and captured John II of France in the battle of . Edward became ruler of the newly created English principality of Aquitaine in 1363. In 1367 he went to the support of the Spanish king and temporarily restored him to his throne by the victory of NÂ ·jera. However, the expenses of the wa...

Ivan the Terrible Essay -- History

Ivan the Terrible I’m doing my report on Ivan the Terrible. Ivan Vasiljevich the Terrible was born in 1530 and died in 1584. He was the son of the Grand Duke Vasili III. His mother Helena Glinsky was the daughter of a Luthuanian refugee who had found asylum in Russia. She was young, vivacious, intelligent, and beautiful. Vasili had married her after he tried to have an heir for 20 years with his first wife Salome. Vasili was in his 50’s, and Helena was 20 when Ivan was born. Ivan had another brother Yuri born 18 months later. The day of Ivans birth, August 25, 1530, was a joyful one. The Grand Duke ordered prison doors opened and chains of thousands of prisoners were removed and the prisoners freed. Nobles who had fallen into disgrace were pardoned. Hermits and holymen were invited into the walls of the Kremlin, and seated as honored and guests. "The cloud under which his son Ivan was born, and under which he would have to live his life, was a dark one."(Koslow, Jules). In 1553, Vasili died after a long ailment. Ivan, whom was only 3 years old at the time of his fathers death. With out a ruler boyars (advisors) took over, only to have wars and suffrage in Russia. For the next several years, the struggle continued with out out mercy on either side. Tyranny prevailed. Prisons filled. relief Anarchy supplanted oligarchy. The boyars behaved like wild beasts. "Russia was rent by contending factions, bathed in blood and ruled by barbarity."(Koslow, Jules). But with in the mist of the struggles Ivan grew up behind the fortress of the Kremlin walls. Ivan was 8 years old when his mother died. Throughout his child years, he never had a fathers hand to guild him, or a mothers love tender love. Him being an orphan was a blow that shaped his entire life. It was marked with violence and indelibly stamped his character, and future actions and thoughts. He lived his earliest years in a struggle for power, with murder, imprisonment, and torture being common. Boyars killed boyar & henchmen marched them off to prisons at swords point. When Ivan was only 12, followers of Prince Ivan Shuisky, made a midnight raid upon the Metropolitan’s quarters. Breaking down Ivan’s door, he looked around only to see fierce, armored soldiers with swords, coming to murder him. The soldiers left with out harming him. But Ivan could never get the fear of coming close to ... ...ediately baptized Maria. In 1581, Ivan killed his son Ivan, the heir to the throne, in a fit of rage. Ivan's son had his father's temper. One day, Ivan IV walked into the apartment of Ivan (the son) and started criticizing Ivan's seven month pregnant wife about her dress. Ivan was so enraged by her unacceptable dress, that he started to hit her. His son heard her screaming and ran in. He tried to stop his father. Ivan IV was so enraged with his son's actions that he took his taff and struck his son on the head, killing him. Because of his kicks and blows, Ivan's daughter-in-law also lost her child. In one day, Ivan killed the future Czar and Czarvich of Russia. Ivan was instantly remorseful about his actions, but nothing could be done. With the death of Ivan IV and his son, Fedor, a half-witted man who liked the Church and ringing bells, ruled the country. (The first son, Dmitry had died.) Because of this tragedy, after Ivan's death in 1584, the country entered a time of troubles. He had left Russia without a strong ruler. Because of the troubles after Ivan's death, some people actually wished that Ivan was still there to rule them. This is my report on Ivan the Terrible.

Carlos Ghosn Nissan Ceo

Carlos Ghosn as CEO of Nissan and Renault: Can He Rework the ‘Nissan Magic'? â€Å"We knew some people were concerned about the potential for culture clashes, between the French and the Japanese, but it was not an issue. Cultural differences should be used as a catalyst for change, not as a crutch that inhibits change. You can learn a lot from somebody who is not like you. â€Å"1 – Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Nissan. â€Å"Make sure you are focused on your own people. Bring in them motivation and sense of ownership, then you can do your miracle. 2 – Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Nissan. Introduction In 2002, Louis Schweitzer, CEO of Renault announced that Carlos Ghosn, the president and CEO of Nissan would also take over the reigns at Renault in April 2005, while Schweitzer would remain the chairman of the board. With the new position , Carlos Ghosn would lead two companies Nissan and Renault. As of 2004,Renault held 44%stake in Nissan and Nissan owned around 15%of Renault's shar es. ‘Turnaround artist', as Carlos Ghosn was called was behind the industry's most remarkable turnaround at Nissan.After he became the CEO of Nissan in 1999, he had brought in many un-Japanese changes in the Japanese company and had actively persuaded the employees to accept change. Carlos Ghosn was credited for reviving the company from$254million losses and $19billion debt in 1999 into profits within two years. After taking up his position as the CEO of Renault in April 2005,CarlosGhosn is likely to face many challenges. Heading two different automobile companies from two different countries was first of its kind and industry observers expressed doubts whether Ghosn would be able to take up the pressure and rework the ‘Nissanmagic'.Carlos Ghosn: The ‘Nissan Magic'In March 1999,Renault, the then ninth carmaker in the world announced its alliance with Nissan investing $5. 4 billion. Nissan was in losses for many years from 1990-1999 except for profits reported in 1 997(Annexure I) and looked out for partners to recover from the troubles. The brand recognition was very low and it was estimated that Nissan was losing $1000 for every car it sold in US. By the end of 1990s,Nissan exported cars to Europe and Australia and some parts of Asia. The company was in losses to the tune of $5. billion, had debts totaling around $19 billion and was suffering from a poor product portfolio and diminishing brand value. Nissan’s market share had dropped from 6. 6 %in 1991 to 4. 9%by late 1990s. Renault at the same time was expanding internationally through acquisitions. After the unsuccessful merger with Volvo, Renault under Louis Schweitzer entered into an alliance with Nissan acquiring a 36%stake in the company. Triggering the alliance was Nissan’s strength in product designs and sophisticated manufacturing that blended well with the engineering quality at Renault.For Renault, the alliance would help in international expansions in the long-term while for Nissan; it was to get rid of its short-term troubles that had accumulated. Initially industry observers were skeptical about a non-Japanese manager successfully leading a Japanese firm. While Carlos Ghosn was successful in cutting costs and had sometimes imposed hard regimes during his tenure atMichelin3  , many were apprehensive if he would be successful in Japan. | | He was 46 when he joined Nissan and was far younger than the middle-level managers in the company.Carlos Ghosn knew nothing about Japan and had no knowledge of the culture there. He once said that he had a ‘very vague' idea about the country and accepted, â€Å"I did not try to learn too much about Japan before coming, because I didn’t want to have too many preconceived ideas. I wanted to discover Japan by being in Japan with Japanese people. â€Å"4  On the first day, when Carlos Ghosn arrived at Nissan, he took an elevator to reach his office. As he entered the lift, which was already pa cked with workers who were coming up from garage, everyone knew he was the new CEO. To his surprise, at every floor the lift stopped, none got down.Finally, when he got down, the employees bowed as he left and went back to their floors. After such an unexpected incident, which reflected major cultural difference, Carlos Ghosn realized how important it was to understand them. Since the first day, Carlos Ghosn had made the cultural diversity a catalyst rather than a crutch for the company. 5 Next >> 1]Carlos Ghosn's interview, â€Å"Interview: The road to ruin†, www. themanufacturer. com, December 2002 2]Parachkevova, Anna â€Å"CEO outlines Nissan’s resurgence†, www. thedartmouth. com, May 12th 2004 3]Carlos Ghosn joined Michelin in 1974, where he was chairman and CEO ofNorth American operations and had undertook several cost cutting initiatives. 4]†Carlos Ghosn: standing at the global crossing†, http://web-japan. org, April 5th 2002 5]†Th rowing away the culture crutch†, 2000 Automotive News World Congress, January 18th 2000 Carlos Ghosn: The ‘Nissan Magic' Cont†¦ However, since the beginning, Carlos Ghosn was in a Catch-22 situation as Japanese were not used to dictatorship kind of leadership. He knew that if he tried to dictate terms, that could lead to bruising employee morale, and if he remained lenient, it could hinder the required change.Instead of imposing change ,CarlosGhosn brought about the need for urgency in operations by mobilizing   them an agers. Carlos Ghosn identified that the basic flaw with Nissan’s culture when he took over was that employees were reluctant to accept the failures and held other departments or economic conditions responsible for them. This resulted in a lack of urgency among employees as everyone assumed the other would take action. He found that instead of solving the problems, they were trying to live with them.Nissan throughout 1990s, had been concentra ting on short-termmarket share growth rather than long termgrowth and instead of investing its profits towards product portfolio improvement itwas spending themtowards equity purchases of other companies especially its suppliers. Its product profile was comparatively outdated with old designs when customers craved for stylish designs while competitors were steadily focusing on new product designs. By 1999, it had around $4 billion held in the form of shares while its purchasing costs remained very high, around 20-25%more than that of Renault's.The employees openly resisted cross-functional teams, as they strongly believed in territories and sectionalism, which was a major part of their culture. Carlos Ghosn explained, â€Å"Engineers work very well together, financial people work very well together, salespeople work very well together. But when you start to add an engineer, a marketer, a salesperson, and a manufacturer, here all the strengths of Japan in teamwork disappear. â€Å" 6  To overcome the resistance, he had to explain to the employees why the cross-functional teams were important and how they would impact the overall benefits.Carlos Ghosn believed that the general human tendency was to resist anything different. He considered that by accepting change, people tend to become stronger, as they understand the differences and try to analyze the causes for such differences. Cross-functional teams were formed and employees were involved in the revival process. This helped Carlos Ghosn explain his plans and gain acceptance easily. Through these cross-functional teams, employees were made to look beyond their line of responsibilities, understanding the nitty- gritties of the other departments as well.After the cross-functional teams were in place, people owned up responsibility whenever something went wrong. â€Å"The solution to Nissan’s problems was inside the company. The main [idea] we would have for revival of the company would be a rebuilt m otivation of Nissan employees and partners,† he explained. 7| | Immediately after appointing the teams, they were asked to submit plans to achieve the maximum possible output in each area and within a week decisions were made. The outcome was the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP).After the NRPwas announced, every aspect from the timing, the plan schedules and the commitments as well as targets were clearly stated. Shiro Tomii, vice president, Nissan Japan remarked, â€Å"He establishes high yet attainable goals; makes everything clear to all roles and levels of responsibility, works with speed; checks on progress; and appraises results based on fact. â€Å"8 Next >> 6]†Carlos Ghosn: standing at the global crossing†, op. cit 7]Saadi, Dania â€Å"Nissan's miracle man offers clues to solving national economic woes†, www. lebanonwire. com   8]David Magee, Turnaround: how Carlos Ghosn rescued NissanCarlos Ghosn: The ‘Nissan Magic' Cont†¦ Listening to the employees and facilitating their participation in the decision-making process, was key aspect of Carlos Ghosn's leadership. By avoiding impersonal meetings through mails, he stressed the need for face-to-face communication. He believed that the people close to the company could come out with better solutions than an outsider like him. In contrast, the Japanese were polite, reticent and never spoke about the plans to their boss. Carlos Ghosn had to repeatedly explain to the employees that he needed their viewpoints and would not mind if they speak out.This, according to him was the greatest hurdle. While in France at Renault, he emphasized on teamwork, in Japan he believed it was not required and instead individuality was given more prominence. Price Water house Coopers in a report on change management listed Carlos Ghosn's key human resource management techniques calling them very simple and straightforward By maintaining transparency from the stage of planning to action, he ai med at the best possible out comes while also lifting the morale of the employees who were particularly distressed after the crisis at the company.He invited suggestions from every influential individual from suppliers, Nissan’s ex-employees, dealers etc. He explained, â€Å"As you know credibility has two legs, performance, and transparency. Performance, we had none to show at the time, so we were determined to be highly transparent. â€Å"9  He called the NRP, an ‘organization's collective effort' involving thousands of employees at every managerial level. To show his commitment to the plan, he declared that he would resign along with other top executives if the plan fails in bringing in the benefits. Carlos Ghosn wanted immediate results by fixing short-term targets.While he called the passive style of management-by-consensus a killer, an active and constructional version could work miracles, according to him. He believed that an 85%consensus was enough and 100%w as not always essential. While cultural adaptability had been his key, he was also at the same time affirmative about giving more priority to the bottom-line growth rather than just to the cultural aspects. He remarked, â€Å"I do not want to intentionally offend people, but I am more concerned about making Nissan profitable again than being culturally sensitive. â€Å"10| | The first phase of NRP focused on cutting the costs and improving profits.The first major step Carlos Ghosn undertook was divestments from subsidiaries to reduce the debt. Suppliers accounted for major part of costs of production and the age-old Keiretsu system and the obligations that came with it were adding to heavy costs11  . Deviating from the system, Carlos Ghosn opened the purchasing offer to all the suppliers encouraging new suppliers who were ready to supply at low prices. As part of the revival plan, suppliers were forced to offer discounts to the tune of 20-30%and the number of suppliers was broug ht down to 600 from 1145 while the purchasing costs were reduced by 20%.During a meeting with the dealers of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn announced, â€Å"I don't want any excuses. I want to know what you are going to do to make things better. â€Å"12  Cost cutting at each stage began to be regarded as the need of the hour as the employees were encouraged to reduce expenses through all possible ways. The cross functional teams were given one month time to identify areas to cut costs and increase the profits through bottom-line growth. Next >> 9]Ibid. 10]Larimar, Tim â€Å"Japan, Nissan and Ghosn revolution†, www. sb. columbia. edu 11]The Keiretsu system, in which the companies maintained partnership with each of its suppliers, holding shares in those companies, transferring managers characterized the big family of companies and its suppliers were both shared relationships 12]Larimar, Tim â€Å"Japan, Nissan and Ghosn revolution†, op. cit. Carlos Ghosn: The ‘Ni ssan Magic' Cont†¦ The most un-Japanese practices like closing plants and cutting work force, in a country, which believed in lifetime employment, were the biggest of all challenges.When he planned to close five plants which included both assembly plants and power train plants, the board of directors were not informed until the night before, as Carlos Ghosn knew some people within the company wanted his plans to fail. After he announced, he was reported to have threatened, â€Å"If this leaks out, I'll close seven plants, not five. â€Å"13  For Carlos Ghosn, convincing the labor unions over the disadvantages of rigid job definition was a big task. The seniority-based promotion that was entrenched in the Japanese firm was replaced by a performance based and merit-based incentive system.Instead of sacking people, which was against the culture in Japan, 21,000 jobs were cut through retirements, pre-retirements and golden handshakes out of which 16500 were in Japan alone. The plants were closed, while offering alternative jobs to the employees in other plants of the company. The complex manufacturing structure, which involved 24 platforms at seven assembly plants, was brought down to 12 platforms, which were shared by four plants. Around 10%of the retail outlets were closed and 20%of the dealer affiliates was streamlined to further reduce selling and marketing expenses.After the phase one of the revival plan was over, Nissan reported profits of $1. 5 billion for six months between April to September, which was the best results the company had ever seen. At the same time, Carlos Ghosn began to be called an iconoclast, who had brought in some un-Japanese, western style of culture in the company’s operations. He, in contrast to the traditional Japanese business etiquettes, shook hands with his partners and other executives. As a result, there was discontent among the traditionalists and other industry associations in the country.And his bold decision s like closing plants, had invited repugnance among many including the insiders and Ghosn began to take along a bodyguard wherever he went| | The cross-cultural merger between a French and a Japanese firm, raised several other challenges. The alliance aimed at cost savings through sharing of platforms and engineering capabilities. Initially though the employees and the design engineers were convinced over the superiority of the platforms brought in from the Renault plants, they were reluctant to adopt them.To overcome resistance, regular meetings were conducted among the Nissan and Renault employees. While at the same time, Carlos Ghosn began to recruit more designers from Japan to design new models. He maintained that the best way to solve the cultural differences was to avoid forcing the cultural blend. Rather, he believed in appreciating the differences between the cultures and minimizing the cultural clashes by bringing in a performance-driven management. To ensure that the Japa nese staff understands what the French managers spoke, English was made the common language in the company.A dictionary of 100 key words used by them management was prepared to solve the differences in the way each work was interpreted by French as well as Japanese. The words included ‘commitment', ‘transparency', ‘objectives', and ‘targets' etc. Carlos Ghosn: The ‘Nissan Magic' Cont†¦ In Japan, attending all formal parties of suppliers was very important and one was not supposed to miss them unless there was a strong reason. When Carlos Ghosn missed the New Year Party hosted by the suppliers’ association, it was considered as a sign of disrespect to their culture.Carlos Ghosn had attended all such gatherings since then. Carlo sGhosn understood all these subtle aspects, which were an essential part of the culture, as he began adapting to them. In the second phase of the revival plan, which started in 2001, Carlos Ghosn stressed on selling mo re cars, improving the top line growth as well. Dropping non-performing products from its portfolio, the company introduced trendy new models in SUVs and minivans category. An updated Z sports coupe was reintroduced in the market. The phase two increased sales by one million and debt was brought down to zero.With his unconventional leadership style and charisma, he began tow in praises from the employees of the company as well as from the industry and the public. Sometimes, people in streets would stop him and wish him success saying, ‘Gambatte [go for it]'. TIME magazine named him the most influential global business executive and more and more Japanese companies were embarking on the gaijin [Foreigner]-Ghosn’s style for attaining maximum benefits in a short time. His colleagues at Nissan were particularly impressed by his dedication towards achievement of targets and his 24/7 work ethics reinforcing the importance of hard work.His devotion towards the revival of the c ompany from problems, for which he was not in any way responsible, encouraged his peers to work hard and contribute towards a common goal. Toshiyuki Shiga who was made in charge of the Nissan’s expansions in China had once remarked, â€Å"He told me to make a clear strategy for Nissan in China, and he gave me two months to do it. †Ã‚  14  While he ensured that the progress was undertaken without holding any individual responsible for the past crisis, he was also at the same time particular about results. | Dominique Thormann, senior vice president, Nissan Europe, said, â€Å"To people who don't accept that performance is what is at stake, he can be ruthless. â€Å"15 Calling his turnaround at Nissan a ‘near death experience', Carlos Ghosn said he had experienced extensive cultural diversities during his tenure at Renault, Nissan, Nissan’s North American business and Samsung motors, a Korean based company acquired by Renault. His management style is wov en around two attributes- ‘value and motivation'. He believed in motivating employees and demanding performance by empowering them. Your employees must be interested in what is going on in the company. Nothing is more inefficient than a boring company. You have to create an interesting environment where people are interested in the story you are creating and want to hear the happy ending†, he said. He was called ‘Ice Breaker' by Daimler Chrysler's Chairman Jurgen E. Schrempp because of his unconventional thinking and implementing western style of management in Japan breaking the prevalent myth in the industry. Carlos Ghosn: The ‘Nissan Magic' Cont†¦The biweekly comic series, ‘The true life of Carlos Ghosn' featured Nissan's CEO Carlos Ghosn, depicting his popularity in the industry as well as the country. Some others called him ‘an ambassador of change', ‘the troubleshooter' and considered him as a role model for all those business exec utives who were seeking solutions to the poor state of their companies in Japan. After the implementation of the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP), within two years, the company recovered from the losses and reported a 10. 2%increase in its revenues and nearly 84%increase in its operating profits .Though the sales had not considerably improved, the cost cuttings contributed towards improving the bottom line. In May 2001, the company reported its largest net profit of $2. 7 billion. Carlos Ghosn was named the ‘Businessman of the year' by Fortune magazine in 2002 and Auto mobile Magazine called him' man of the year' for his contributions to Nissan. Renault increased its stake in Nissan to 44. 4%while Nissan owned 13. 5%of Renault's share capital. However, by 2003,Nissan started experiencing a downward trend in its sales, as the volume of goods that passed out from dealers was dropping in size.Customers regularly complained of quality defects and Nissan’s rank in overall quality ( as per a survey by J. D. PowerAssociates) dropped to 11th in 2004 from6th in 2003. It looked as the rigorous emphasis on the faster execution of the restructuring had resulted in these quality defects while Ghosn assured he would fix them. To counter the situation, in May 2004, he sent a quality control team of 220 engineers to the Nissan plant in Smyrna (Tennessee) and every part of the assembly line went through a detailed scrutiny.Subtle issues like the workers who wore studded jeans and rings causing scratches to the freshly painted cars, etc came to light. Ghosn was amazed at some very obvious ones, which could be rectified at the plant, like defective doors and reading lights etc. Carlos Ghosn had already achieved two of the three goals that were set for NRP, the debt was cleared and profitability was achieved. | | The Nissan 180, an extension of NRP was launched and aimed at additional sales volume of one million annually from 2005, the third objective of NRP. US market was c onsidered to play a key role in achieving the goal of additional one million sales.A new plant was set up in Canton, the first in North America where Nissan was facing challenges from other Japanese automakers, Toyota and Honda. Mean while, Nissan was planning an alliance with Mitsubishi after Daimler Chrysler gave up its plans of partnership with Mitsubishi. The partnership would help Nissan enter the mini car segment while Mitsubishi would be able to reduce cost burden of new product development. The shortage of steel supplies forced Nissan to reduce its production in 2004, affecting production of 15,000 units amounting to $58. 5million of loss in sales.Nissan closed its plants for five days following the shortage of supplies, as steel prices in creased with demand for steel increasing after the economic boom in China. While halting production was considered a sign of mismanagement many felt that Carlos Ghosn's attempt to bring down the number of suppliers as part of NRP, had resu lted in over-reliance on few suppliers . However, Ghosn defended himself saying that the savings achieved during that phase were far more [$9. 7 billion] than the losses incurred due to loss of sales. Renault – The French Automaker Renault was a state owned government enterprise since 1945.It was started as a motorized vehicle assembler in 1898. Renault built trucks, airplane engines and heavy vehicles during the World War II and after the war and with the economic boom, Renault achieved high volume sales with its low cost cars like 4CV, Renault 4 and Renault 5 through the 1970s and 1980s. During early 1980s, Renault expanded into US by acquiring half the shares of American Motor Corporation. However, the deal was unprofitable and the company had to withdraw from the market in 1987. A similar deal failed in Mexico, and with both the deals financed through debts, Renault was left ith huge debts accumulated by the end of 1980s. It reported losses of $3. 5 billion between 1984 a nd 1986. Further, because it was a state owned business, obligations with labour unions led to more costs for the company. When Louis Schweitzer joined Renault in 1986,Renault had accumulated debts to the tune of $9 billion and was in huge losses. Its proposed merger with Sweden based ABVolvo in 1993 failed due to unfavorable French political climate and with Swedish shareholders expressing reservation. The company continued to be in losses till 1996,when Schweitzer brought in Carlos Ghosn as the executive vice president.Under the duo, product quality was improved, outsourcing secondary activities and overheads were reduced along with reduction in workforce. The same time, French government started setting ground for its IPO when Louis Schweitzer discovered that privatization of the company could only save it. In July 1996, the IPO was completed. By 1998,with the midsize model Scenic, Renault was successful in European market and in 1998 alone it made profits of $1. 4 billion from$4 0 billion sales. 16 While Renault became the No. 1 automaker in Europe, to be a global player, it had to expand its operations further.By the end of 1990s, it had a very small presence in Asia and was totally absent in the North American market. After the merger of Daimler and Chrysler in 1998, for Renault, expansions became a requisite. And, Nissan seemed a lucrative opportunity, as an alliance with Nissan could help in easier market expansion for Renault in developing markets. While others including Ford and DaimlerChrysler had earlier attempted a deal with Nissan, they later withdrew keeping in view the huge debt that Nissan held and its culture that was inflexible. | After the alliance, Renault managed to reduce its launching and warranty costs for new product introductions by recruiting managers from Nissan to undertake the launch. At the same time, it sent its employees to Nissan to oversee manufacturing, to achieve cost efficient production. Later Renault acquired Samsung Mot ors in South Korea and Roman automaker, Dacia as part of its international expansion. With the launch of multi purpose vehicles, Laguna II and A van time in 2001 and Espace IV in 2002 , and after its association with Formula One racing between 1992 and 1997, its brand popularity improved.By 2004,Renault held strong foothold in European market and reported a 6. 5%increase in sales by the first half of 2004 and was the fourth largest auto company in the world. It held nearly 11%market share in Western European market in passenger car and light vehicle cars. At the same time, Renault performance in large cars segment was sluggish and was struggling to achieve operating margin of 4%, when the demand for cars in the European market was low. Some of the new launches like the Vel Satis, a tall saloon luxury model, were not very successful in the market. Are launch in the US market was also underway.Renault was facing other challenges along with Nissan and other automakers. Environmental fr iendly cars, which seemed a likely potential opportunity, were costly to manufacture at the price the customers were ready to pay. Renault was planning for expansions in Chinese market and South Korea and other parts of Asia through alliance with Nissan. Next ;gt;;gt; 16]†For Renault, a new chance to take on the world†, www. businessweek. com, November 15th 1999 Carlos Ghosn as CEO of Renault and Nissan By 2010, Nissan and Renault would build their cars using the common building blocks.Ghosn viewed the alliance as â€Å"managing contradiction between synergy and identity†17  and confirmed that while gaining synergies, the individual identity of each brand would be safeguarded. The other major alliances in the industry, the DaimlerChrysler and the GM/Fiat had not proved to be very successful because of improper management of merged assets, trans-atlantic product development and failed attempt in understanding local market; Ghosn confirmed that Nissan's alliance w ith Renault would creatively achieve it. At the same time the alliance would avoid merger and would maintain ‘a spirit of partnership'18  .The alliance would be the fourth largest automobile group in the world. In October 2004, the first car was built using a common platform of Nissan and Renault. Modus, a subcompact minivan of Renault shared its base with Nissan’s Micra saving $500million for Renault every year. After Carlos Ghosn succeeds Schweitzer at Renault's in April 2005, he would also continue as the CEO of Nissan. Carlos Ghosn was affirmative that he would not leave the company unless he finds the right person who would succeed him at Nissan. He stressed on the need for a Japanese as the CEO of Nissan in such a culture sensitive country.While at Nissan, he had transformed himself into a Japanese, adapting to the culture, analysts feared if he would breach the French business etiquettes as he takes up the rein at Renault. 19  Two of the five vice presidents at Renault would retire soon, and Carlos Ghosn was to take up the reigns at both the companies, during such senior level management changes. At the same time, many feared if the sense of urgency brought through NRP would continue at Nissan or will the company slip back to its old habits, when Carlos Ghosn leaves.The pressure was considered to be very high, as an analyst stated, â€Å"He will be less present at Renault than he was at Nissan, and less present at Nissan that he used to be. I believe this challenge will be more difficult. â€Å"20 The alliance had helped both the companies equally, in terms of cost savings from not requiring to construct new plants where the alliance can use common buildings, common platforms etc. This had also helped them enter new markets faster and gain other synergies . The purchasing power had also increased as they ordered and bought components through Renault-Nissan purchasing organization for both the companies at a time. | The alliance had fr om the beginning ensured that the inter-company cultural clashes do not exist, by maintaining individual cultural identities. While a merger had been avoided since the beginning, Carlos Ghosn confirmed that it would be its agenda in future also. Carlos Ghosn remarked that when he takes up the two positions, he would blend the strengths of the people at the companies, the innovation excellence of the French and the dedication towards manufacturing of the Japanese. 21  He affirmed that his tenure at Nissan had allowed him to learn the real essence of successful leaders, and would drive his success in future also.He called himself, ‘not a theorist of citizenship but an expert in multi nationality’. 22 Carlos Ghosn called the three major attributes, ‘Value, Transparency and Performance' as the ones that would determine the competence of any CEO. He believed that they act as standards for leadership in global business, in the light of growing corporate scandals, when the top executives of the companies were increasingly coming under scrutiny. He explained that the actual results that are delivered along with simultaneous value creation to the customers and the other stakeholders through maintaining transparency, reflect an efficient leadership.By communicating every strategy to every person concerned, he maintained that it would facilitate a faster reaction to dynamics in the fiercely competitive global market place. An analyst once called Carlos Ghosn, ‘amanager without borders, polyglot and cosmopolitan'. Talking about his dual roles and the cultural barriers that he will have to face as he moves to Renault while also heading Nissan, Carlos Ghosn said, â€Å"Global is global. In my opinion, this is going to be the story of the twenty-first century.This is what's going to happen in the twenty-first century – you're going to see the emergence of more ‘global' standards, some kind of global references; you're going to see mor e and more of it. But ‘globality' doesn’t mean ‘uniformity. ‘ It doesn't mean that. You’ll still have different cultures, you’ll still have different tastes, and you’ll still have some adaptations to make to different countries, but you'll have some basic things that will be common globally, especially in the economic area. â€Å"23 17]†Renault's alliance with Nissan†, www. economist. om, August 16th 2001 18]Parachkevova, Anna â€Å"CEO outlines Nissan's resurgence†, http://thedartmouth. com, May 12th 2004 19]†Carlos Ghosn- Nissan motor†, www. businessweek. com, January 8th 2000 20]Tierney, Christine â€Å"Leadership, bold moves help Renault save Nissan†, www. detnews. com, October 24th 2003 21]Smith, Duvergne, Nancy â€Å"Nissan Renault alliance faces down few challenges†, http://web. mit. edu, November 18th 2004 22]Abescat, Bruno â€Å"I am an expert of multi nationality†, http://liv res. lexpress. fr 23]†Carlos Ghosn: standing at the global crossing†, op. cit