The Gift of Speaking in Tongues

The Gift of Speaking in Tongues Introduction The gift of speaking in tongues is one of the gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows to Christians. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that, â€Å"when the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me† (John 15:26, NIV).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Gift of Speaking in Tongues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this view, Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them in testifying about Him, and thus encouraged the disciples that the Holy Spirit would empower them. From the verse, it is evident that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to aid the disciples complete the work, which He had commenced. On the day of Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled His promise when He gave the disciples the gift of speaking i n tongues. Since it happened that the disciples were gathered in one place during the day of Pentecost, â€Å"all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them† (Acts 2:4). Therefore, this research paper examines the gift of speaking in tongues as presented in the Bible, some Christian assumptions, and how Christians apply in today’s world. The Day of Pentecost The Day of Pentecost clearly portrays an event when the disciples received the Holy Spirit and performed great miracles, which demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus. During the Day of Pentecost, disciples gained the gift of the Holy Spirit, which enabled them to preach to all the people who were in Jerusalem. When the disciples received the gift of speaking in tongues, they spoke in tongues, which are real human languages.1 As the disciples were preaching on the day of Pentecost, the congregation listened to them and wondered wh y the disciples were speaking in their own languages. The people in the congregation wondered, they questioned why the Galileans were speaking in their own native languages (Acts 2:7-8). While some made fun about their speaking, Peter, the disciple, stood up and informed them that the disciples were not drunk, but they were filled with the Holy Ghost who gives them power to speak in other tongues so that they could spread the word of God beyond Israel. Since the event of the Pentecost empowered the disciples to preach the Gospel across all languages, the disciples implored the congregation to repent and receive baptism so that God could forgive them their sins and heal them. Owing to the gift of speaking in tongues, the disciples managed to reach out to many people.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The disciples also persuaded people repent and undergo bapti sm, so that they could save themselves from corrupted generation. â€Å"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day† (Acts 2:41). From the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were able to perform great miracles, which shocked Jerusalem. Rulers and leaders of Jerusalem summoned John and Peter before the Sanhedrin and commanded them not to teach, speak, or perform miracles in the name of Jesus. The gift of speaking in tongues empowered the disciples to perform great miracles and wonders, which were similar to that of Jesus. In this view, the event of the Pentecost gives a clear understanding of what it means to gain the gift of the Holy Spirit. Luke and the Gift of Speaking in Tongues Luke presents the event of the Pentecost as a promise that Jesus made before ascending into heaven. Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus met His disciples and assured them that He was going to His Father, and thus they should remain in Je rusalem to receive the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). Hence, the disciples remained in Jerusalem until the Day of Pentecost, when they received the gift of speaking in tongues. However, as disciples further questioned Jesus about the restoration of Israel, Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit who was to baptize them. In the book of Acts, Luke presents the gift of speaking in tongues as a baptism, which enabled the disciples to spread the word of God across the world. Essentially, the gift of speaking in tongues signifies baptism of the Holy Spirit.2 Jesus answered His disciples that, â€Å"but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth† (Acts 1: 8). From the perspective of Luke, the Holy Spirit bestowed immense powers to the disciples so that they could spread the Gospel to the four corners of the earth. Luke also presents the gift of speaking in tongues as a prophetic power that enabled the disciples to discern signs of the times. Speaking in tongues is a form of prophetic speech, which fulfilled the prophecy of Joel in the Old Testament. Given that it is a prophetic speech, Christians should use it in the edification of the church as it prepares for the coming of Jesus, rather than using it for self-glorification. 3 During the Day of Pentecost, Peter told the congregation that the disciples were not drunk with new wine, but were filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter further informed the congregation that God had planned that in the last days, people would prophecy after the Holy Spirit empowers them (Acts 2:17).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Gift of Speaking in Tongues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this view, the Day of Pentecost heralds the end times where people would receive the power of prophecy. Thus, in the book of Acts, Luke is trying to prese nt the gift of speaking in tongues as a prophetic power that enables disciples to understand times of the end. Assumptions of the Gift of Speaking in Tongues Although the gift of speaking in tongues is evident in the Bible, there many assumptions that Christians have derived, and thus err in the interpretation of the Bible. In the book of Acts, the congregation confused the speaking in tongues because they thought the disciples were drunk with new wine. Modern Christians have also made numerous assumptions, which have complicated their understanding of speaking in tongues, as a gift of the Holy Spirit. One of the common assumptions is that speaking in tongues only happened during the Day of Pentecost. Such assumption implies that modern Christians would not experience any gift of speaking in tongues because the Pentecost was only meant for the disciples of Jesus. Modern Christians are unable to explain why the disciples existed during the ancient times, but not in the modern society .4 The assumption hinders Christians from experiencing the gift of speaking in tongues in today’s world. Pentecostal churches believe that speaking in tongues is not a human language, but rather unintelligible utterances. Charismatic churches believe that speaking in tongues is a coded language, which requires the interpreter who has supernatural powers to decode.5 Basing on the event of the Pentecost, it is apparent that the congregation heard the disciples speaking in their own languages. If the congregation could hear what the disciples were preaching, it means that they were speaking real human languages, which do not qualify to be unintelligible utterances. The gift of speaking in tongues enables one to speak using intelligible speech like the way the disciples did when they reached out to people from various tribes who were in Jerusalem during the Day of Pentecost.6Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since they are human languages, Paul, the disciple, wants Christians to interpret the tongues so that they can edify the church (1 Corinthians 14-13). Hence, speaking in tongues is only important if there are people who can interpret the tongues for the congregation to understand what the Holy Spirit says. Christians also associate speaking in tongues with evil because Paul asserts that the speaking in tongues is an indicator of unbelievers. Although Paul could speak in tongues, he admonished other Christians to speak in languages that people could understand for the benefit of the church. In the book of the first Corinthians, Paul depicts speaking in tongues as unnecessary, if it does not edify the church. Paul argues that it is better for one to speak a few intelligible words that edify the church than to speak thousands of words that edify no one. â€Å"Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers, but for believers † (1 Corinthians 14: 22). Contemporary Christians assign meaning to the speaking in tongues based on community interpretation rather than grammatical hermeneutics.7 Hence, the basis of interpreting the Bible has made Christians to perceive the gift of speaking in tongues as unnecessary. Modern Christians further assume that the gift of speaking in tongues signifies the holiness among individuals. However, they do not have the means of determining if the gift of speaking in tongues is genuine or fake. Pentecostal churches strongly believe that speaking in tongues is central to their dogma because it indicates spiritual growth and development.8 While Paul regards speaking in tongues negatively as an indicator of unbelievers, Pentecostal churches regard speaking in tongues positively as an indicator of spiritual growth. Paul compares the gift of speaking in tongues with prophecy, and admonishes Christians to choose prophecy because it edifies many people. Hence, owing to the subt lety of speaking in tongues, unbelievers abuse it and mislead Christians that they can perform miracles through it. To prevent the abuse of the gift of speaking in tongues, Paul did set rules that two or three people should exercise the gift, and that the speaker must not speak unless there is an interpreter.9 The teachings of Paul, therefore, split Christians into two: those who believe in the gift of speaking in tongues as a human language and those who believe in the gift of speaking in tongues as unintelligible utterances. Application to the Lives of Christians in Today’s World Speaking in tongues has an important application in today’s church because it signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst believers. In the book of Acts, Jesus informed His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until when they would receive the Holy Spirit as a form of baptism (Acts 1: 8). In this view, Luke indicates that the purpose of the Holy Spirit was to empower the disciples so that they could witness to the word of God and Jesus across the world for the people to understand the Kingdom of God. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter also told the congregation that the disciples had received the power of the Holy Spirit so that they could witness about Jesus. Since on the Day of Pentecost the disciples were able to baptize approximately 3000 people, it indicated that the gift of speaking in tongues empowered teachings of the Gospel. Although speaking in tongues empowers Christians, Paul cautions them to avoid abusing it, and thus advises Christians to use interpreters and seek other gifts of the Holy Spirit that edify the church.10 Both Luke and Paul agree that speaking in tongues entails the use of various human languages, and thus require interpreters to benefit the church. Thus, today’s Christians need to utilize the gift of speaking in tongues as an instrument of preaching the Gospel to all people across the earth. Moreover, speaking in tongues is important t o modern Christians because it signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit and end times. When the congregation wondered why the disciples were speaking in their own languages during the Day of Pentecost, Peter informed them that they were fulfilling what the prophet Joel had predicted. Peter further said that in the end times, God promised to pour His Spirit to the Christians so that they could prophecy and save many people from the corrupt world (Acts 2: 19). This shows that speaking in tongues is a sign that aids Christians to understand the times and prepare well for the coming of Jesus. In the end times, Christians will acquire the gift of prophecy, which makes them to receive â€Å"intelligible and authoritative revelations or messages† that compel them to deliver to the people.11 For the Christian prophets to interpret prophetic messages and deliver them appropriately, they require the gift of speaking in tongues. Thus, the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of pro phecy are inseparable gifts of the Holy Spirit that the church will receive during the end times as presented by Paul and Luke. Conclusion The gift of speaking in tongues is among the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the Christian. In the Bible, the Day of Pentecost is an event that demonstrated how the gift of speaking in tongues made disciples to speak in different languages, preach the Gospel, convert people to Christianity, and gain prophetic powers. Luke, Paul, and Peter present the gift of speaking in tongues as the power of the Holy Spirit, which enables Christians to spread the Gospel and prophecy about the end times. Essentially, Christians should use the gift of speaking in tongues in edifying the church rather than self. However, due to varied interpretation of the gift of speaking in tongues, many Christian religions have assumed that speaking in tongues is an ancient power that the disciples only received, entails unintelligible utterances, unnecessary gift because i t is a sign of unbelievers, and a sign of spiritual growth that everyone must attain. Despite such assumptions, the gift of speaking in tongues has great significance to the modern Christians. Thus, modern Christians should apply the gift of speaking in tongues in enhancing the spread of the Gospel and prophecy, which God wants to reveal to the whole world. Bibliography Bellshaw, William G. â€Å"The Confusion of Tongues.† Bibliotheca Sacra 120, no. 478 (1963): 146-53. Bozung, Douglas. â€Å"The Pentecostal Doctrine of Initial Evidence: A Study in Hermeneutical Method.† The Journal of Ministry Theology 1, no. 1 (2004): 89-107. Busenitz, Nathan. â€Å"The Gift Of Tongues: Comparing the Church Fathers with Contemporary.† Masters Seminary Journal 17, no. 1 (2006): 62-78. Clearwaters, Richard. â€Å"The Gift of Tongues and Prophecy.† Central Bible Quarterly 15, no. 2 (1972): 35-39. Hodges, Zane C. â€Å"A Symposium on the Tongues Movement Part I: The Purpos e of Tongues.† Bibliotheca Sacra 120, no. 479 (1963): 227-233. McDougall, Donald G. â€Å"Cessationism in 1 Cor 13:8-12.† Masters Seminary Journal 14, no.2 (2003): 178-213. Poythress, Vern. â€Å"Linguistic and Sociological Analyses of Modern Tongues-speaking: Their Contributions and Limitations.† Westminster Theological Journal 42, no. 2 (1980): 367-388. Swanson, Dennis. â€Å"Bibliography of Works on Cessationism.† Masters Seminary Journal  14, no. 2 (2003): 312–27. Thomas, Robert. â€Å"The Hermeneutics of Noncessationism.† Masters Seminary Journal  14, no. 2 (2003): 287-310. Van-Elderen, Bastian. â€Å"Glossolalia in the New Testament.† Journal of the Evangelical  Theological Society 7, no.2 (1964): 54-58. Footnotes 1 Richard Clearwaters, â€Å"The Gift of Tongues and Prophecy,† Central Bible Quarterly 15, no. 2 (1972): 38 2 Clearwaters, â€Å"The Gift of Tongues and Prophecy,† 35. 3  Nathan Busenitz, â€Å"T he Gift Of Tongues: Comparing the Church Fathers with Contemporary,† Masters Seminary Journal 17, no. 1 (2006): 66. 4 Zane Hodges, â€Å"A Symposium on the Tongues Movement Part I: The Purpose of Tongues,† Bibliotheca Sacra 120, no. 479 (1963): 232. 5 Vern Poythress, â€Å"Linguistic and Sociological Analyses of Modern Tongues speaking: Their Contributions and Limitations,† Westminster Theological Journal 42, no. 2 (1980): 375. 6 Douglas Bozung, â€Å"The Pentecostal Doctrine of Initial Evidence: A Study in Hermeneutical Method,† The Journal of Ministry Theology 1, no. 1 (2004): 96. 7 Robert Thomas, â€Å"The Hermeneutics of Noncessationism,† Masters Seminary Journal 14, no. 2 (2003): 287. 8 Dennis Swanson, â€Å"Bibliography of Works on Cessationism,† Masters Seminary Journal 14, no. 2 (2003): 315. 9 William Bellshaw, â€Å"The Confusion of Tongues,† Bibliotheca Sacra 120:478 (1963): 152. 10 Bastian Van-Elderen, â€Å"Glossolalia in the New Testament,† Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 7, no.2 (1964): 54. 11 Donald McDougall, â€Å"Cessationism in 1 Cor 13:8-12,† Masters Seminary Journal 14, no.2 (2003): 188.

Summarizing a case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summarizing a case study - Essay Example Analysis From the case study, it is clear that the Delta III project was at risk for several reasons. In the opinion of Scott (1999), the project risks at Delta III can be categorized into four such as ‘customer mandate, scope and requirements, execution, and environment (p.223). Since the Pinnacle warehouse automation integrated with SAP R/3 had threatened job opportunities, it raised severe ethical problems among the warehouse employees. It seems that an effective change management program might eliminate such labor issues to a large extent. Change management programs are very crucial for an organization to change its structure from the current state to a desired future state. According to Stewart (2000), change management programs play a vital role in overcoming resistance from employees and other officials. The unprecedented volume of R/3 transactions that arose as a result of a large contract between FoxMeyer and University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) also exacerbated th e situation. Shortage of skilled and knowledgeable personnel was another issue that added to the failure of Delta III project and thereby bankruptcy of FoxMeyer Drugs.

Organizational Analysis and Change Project Research Proposal

Organizational Analysis and Change Project - Research Proposal Example (Aaker, 1991) When message relevance is low, individuals will not actively process the information in the advertisement, but will instead rely on peripheral message cues to form or change attitudes. Brand Identity is that element of customer perception and awareness which has its focus in the results of a certain kind of projection through the brand equity building measures. This calls for an integrative model which will combine the basic elements of the brand identity and brand equity concepts so as to create a platform for the effective discussion of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. This has been of special relevance for the Coca Cola company as far as its foray into target market and product variation is concerned. (Kotler, 1997) The modern day organisation depends to a great extent on the contribution and quality of its human capital. The human capital may be defined as that element of the organisation's operational sphere that is a living, breathing part of the activities that put the innate resources and factors of production into application. This application results in profits arising out of the activities of the human capital and the efficiency with which this resource carries out its tasks. This in turn, has a bearing on the achievement of the organisation's goals. (Johnson, 1996. P 13 to 18) Business Partner The first role of the human resource in today's organisation is that of a business partner. This has come to the fore with the emergence of various service oriented companies that provide intensive marketing services along with the products that are being produced. The emergence of a marketing network has been crucial to companies like Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, Oriflame Cosmetics and many others. (Green, 2002. P 111) The business partner method operates along the following lines, as depicted in the diagram below: Branch Manager ' Sales Team Manager ' Team of Business Partners (Sales Agent) (Green, 2002) These business partners work independently from home or under the name of their own business in order to cater to people exclusively and bring the products and services of the company to the doorstep of the independent clients. The role of these business partners is to bring business to the company by exploring their personal networks so as to earn commissions on the sales that they make. This is a formal level of institutionalised operations where the organisation profits greatly. This is done by pushing the product in quarters where the effects of regular marketing and promotion cannot reach. It is also an elevated level of salesman ship where the sales agents are offered a share in the business that they make. The advantage of this is that the business partners take a personal interest in the development of a clientele. (Green, 2002. P 111) Further, this serves the two fold purpose of sales and promotion. While there might not be immediate sales in some cases,

Lord Raglan’s & Hercules Essay Example for Free

Lord Raglan’s Hercules Essay Lord Raglan’s gave Hercules an outstanding 17 points on his hero scale pattern. This scale classifies the parallel characteristics of most mythical heroes. Overall, the similarities of Hercules to other heroes is the fact that he is the son of a god, there was an intent of killing him during birth, he once wandered in a place away form his family, and won battles with abominable creatures (Raglan, 1998). William Burkert, in years of evaluating mythical heroes, found a pattern on the makings of a fictional icon. Particularly the idea of a hero being a master or mistress of animals has won over the side of hunters which is possibly of a Paleolithic origin. In the story of Hercules this is apparent in most of the Twelve Labors he battled. Hercules’ first task is to kill the Nemean Lion and to bring back its skin. He later found out that arrows are useless in fighting the mighty beast. With his pure strength, he grasped the lion with his own bare hands and choked him to death. His second labor is to slay the Lernaean Hydra, a monstrous snake with nine heads living in the murky waters of Lerna. Every time Hercules got the chance to cut off one head, another one will grow in its place. He them commissioned the help of Iolaus in holding a torch every time Hercules cut off one head. Then after, Hercules finally disposed of the monster for good. Other examples of Hercules as master of animals can be stressed in the third to eighth labor, as follows: †¢ Capture the Ceryneian Hind †¢ Capture the Erymanthian Boar †¢ Slay the Stymphalian Birds †¢ Capture the Cretan Bull †¢ Steal the Mares of Diomedes In Greeks official religion, this may be deemed as somehow similar to folklore. Burkert detected a recurrent pattern in some of the actions and behavior of Greek heroes. This particular pattern includes youth, defloration, threat by a close relative, finding a partner, giving birth and finally, retribution. Another pattern is a relevant scapegoat in most hero storylines. (Burkert, 1979) Hercules (also referred to as Herakles and Alcides) was a Roman-Greek hero popular because of his strength and bravery. He is the half-god, half-mortal son of the powerful Zeus (Jupiter) and the Alceme. This identity of Hercules is similar to Catholic patron God, Jesus, who is also both human and divine. When Hera, Zeus’ goddess wife, heard about the birth of Hercules she was madly jealous about him. She sent two serpents to kill the young Zeus in his crib. Exhibiting valor and incredible strength, even as a child, Hercules killed the serpents all by himself. This display of power can be compared to the Bible hero Samson. Unlike Samson, who gains his vigor with his long hair, Hercules has an inherent strength that is within him ever since his first breathe. During his youth, an important decision during his lifetime is choosing between the life of virtue and the life of pleasure. A hard question posed to him by the goddess Aphrodite and Athena. The young hero decided to lead a life of virtue. This is a unique path to lead. This is in contrast to revered Indian icon, Gautam Buddha, who lived the life royalty and pleasure in his father’s palace when he was a child. Hercules welcomes struggle and hardships of life, with a strong belief that glory and true happiness comes along with it. Hercules then married Megara and the fruit of their love gave them children. Hera, still enraged about the very existence of Hercules, used all her powers to drive Hercules mad. In his insanity, he unknowingly killed his children and wife. Once he regained his insanity, he asked Oracle and Delphi on how he can compensate for what he did. He was instructed to serve the Eurystheus, the King of Tiryns, for twelve years. He is then ordered to carry out Twelve Labors to attain a peaceful soul again. During his quest, he was endowed with the virtue of courage, strength, and wisdom. His journey was quite similar to the long and tedious adventure of Odysseus. Traveling different land and voyaging the waters. He completed his tasks and redeemed his integrity and good soul. With such an exemplar accomplishment, he was then crowned a seat in the place of gods in Olympus. In his ascend to Olympus, he left all his mortal characteristics on earth and was born again with all divinity. Hercules the reconciled with Hera and lived peacefully as a family with this divine father, Zeus (Loewen,1998). Works Cited Burkert, Walter. Structure and History in Greek Mythology and Ritual. University of California Press, 1979 Loewen, Juvenile. Hercules. Capstone Press, 1998 Raglan, Fitzroy Richard. The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama. Somerset: Courier Dover Publications, 2003

Deforestation of The Pacific Northwest Essay -- Environmental Endanger

Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest One of the most controversial areas associated with the global problem of deforestation is the Pacific Northwest of the US. The problem can be broken down into several issues that all tie in together. These include the near extinction of the Northern Spotted Owl, the "business" aspect of logging versus the environmental aspect, and the role of the government in this problem. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. This enabled the Dept. of Commerce and Dept. of the Interior to place species, either land or marine, as either threatened or endangered. Under these terms species could no longer be hunted, collected, injured or killed. The northern spotted owl falls under the more serious condition of being endangered. Also, the bill forbids federal agencies to fund or carry out any activity that would threaten the species or its' habitat. It is the latter part of the bill that causes the controversy. Under the ESA, loggers should not be allowed to cut down the old- growth of the forest. The old growth of a forest includes the largest and oldest trees, living or dead. In the case of the North Coast forests, this includes some thousand-year-old stands with heights above three-hundred feet and diameters of more than ten feet. In 1990, the number of spotted owls dropped to 2000 breeding pairs. The preservation of any species contributes to the biodiversity of an area. In an ecosystem, the absence of one species creates unfavorable conditions for the others. The absence of the spotted owl could have a significant effect on the North Coast forest ecosystem. In order to send the owl population in the right direction, the major problem for their decline would have to be remedied – loss of habitat. This fact combined with the owls' short life expectancy and late age of breeding only exacerbates the problem. When loggers remove old growth the owl loses habitat for its' food, housing, as well as protection from predators. Approximately ninety percent of the forests in the Pacific Northwest have already been harvested. In order to protect the current owl population, the remaining forests would have to be preserved, but this would have a serious negative economical effect. Such a decision would effect jobs, regional economy, as well as the lifestyle of loggers. With such a... ...siness. In some cases, the money subsidizes the large companies for things such as logging roads in order to keep the cost of paper and other tree products down. These same companies ship their lumber to Japan for milling before they are sold back to the United States at a higher price. Not only does the public lose money in this process but it costs Americans a number of jobs. On the other hand, agencies have made efforts to prevent deforestation. Members of the Forest Service educate not only the large companies, but the private landowners as well. It is the private owners who own sixty percent if the forests being harvested. By helping to show how conservative forestry techniques can be made efficient as well as more profitable, they are helping to diminish the rate of deforestation. If more money was spent on research and the spread of new and better techniques, then the taxpayers' money would be better spent. In conclusion, there are several aspects of deforestation in the Pacific Northwest that need to be evaluated before the situation becomes irreversible. If the current harvesting techniques continue, our children will be missing more than the spotted owl. Deforestation of The Pacific Northwest Essay -- Environmental Endanger Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest One of the most controversial areas associated with the global problem of deforestation is the Pacific Northwest of the US. The problem can be broken down into several issues that all tie in together. These include the near extinction of the Northern Spotted Owl, the "business" aspect of logging versus the environmental aspect, and the role of the government in this problem. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. This enabled the Dept. of Commerce and Dept. of the Interior to place species, either land or marine, as either threatened or endangered. Under these terms species could no longer be hunted, collected, injured or killed. The northern spotted owl falls under the more serious condition of being endangered. Also, the bill forbids federal agencies to fund or carry out any activity that would threaten the species or its' habitat. It is the latter part of the bill that causes the controversy. Under the ESA, loggers should not be allowed to cut down the old- growth of the forest. The old growth of a forest includes the largest and oldest trees, living or dead. In the case of the North Coast forests, this includes some thousand-year-old stands with heights above three-hundred feet and diameters of more than ten feet. In 1990, the number of spotted owls dropped to 2000 breeding pairs. The preservation of any species contributes to the biodiversity of an area. In an ecosystem, the absence of one species creates unfavorable conditions for the others. The absence of the spotted owl could have a significant effect on the North Coast forest ecosystem. In order to send the owl population in the right direction, the major problem for their decline would have to be remedied – loss of habitat. This fact combined with the owls' short life expectancy and late age of breeding only exacerbates the problem. When loggers remove old growth the owl loses habitat for its' food, housing, as well as protection from predators. Approximately ninety percent of the forests in the Pacific Northwest have already been harvested. In order to protect the current owl population, the remaining forests would have to be preserved, but this would have a serious negative economical effect. Such a decision would effect jobs, regional economy, as well as the lifestyle of loggers. With such a... ...siness. In some cases, the money subsidizes the large companies for things such as logging roads in order to keep the cost of paper and other tree products down. These same companies ship their lumber to Japan for milling before they are sold back to the United States at a higher price. Not only does the public lose money in this process but it costs Americans a number of jobs. On the other hand, agencies have made efforts to prevent deforestation. Members of the Forest Service educate not only the large companies, but the private landowners as well. It is the private owners who own sixty percent if the forests being harvested. By helping to show how conservative forestry techniques can be made efficient as well as more profitable, they are helping to diminish the rate of deforestation. If more money was spent on research and the spread of new and better techniques, then the taxpayers' money would be better spent. In conclusion, there are several aspects of deforestation in the Pacific Northwest that need to be evaluated before the situation becomes irreversible. If the current harvesting techniques continue, our children will be missing more than the spotted owl.

Leadership in organizational behavior Essay

Leadership is the process of influencing people and providing an environment for them to achieve team or organisational objectives. As a property, Leadership is the set of characteristics attributed to those who are perceived to use such influence successfully. Leadership involves neither force nor coercion. It is widely believed in the world of business that leadership is the key ingredient in the recipe for corporate achievement. Typically, when we speak of leaders we are referring to people who influence others without threat, using non-coercive means. In fact, this characteristic distinguishes a leader from a dictator. Whereas dictators get others to do what they want by using threats of physical force, leaders do not. Subordinates accept influence from leaders because they respect, like, or admire them as well as because they hold positions of formal authority (that is, leaders may have both position power and personal power). We need to caution against the everyday practice of using tile terms leader and manager interchangeably. The primary function of a leader is to create the essential purpose or mission of the organization and the strategy for attaining it. In contrast, the job of the manager is to implement that vision. He or she is responsible for achieving that end, taking the steps necessary to turn the leader’s vision into reality. The confusion between these two terms is understandable insofar as the distinction between establishing a mission and implementing it is often blurred in practice. This is because many leaders, such as top corporate executives, are frequently called upon not only to create a vision, but also to help implement it. Similarly, managers often are required to lead those who are subordinate to them while also carrying out their leader’s mission. With this in mind, it has been observed that too many so-called â€Å"leaders† get bogged down in the managerial aspects of their job, creating organizations that are â€Å"over managed and under lead. † Leadership Perspectives Goal Attainment : influence function of leadership and deals the mechanisms that motivate members’ behaviors towards the group’s goals. Adaptation : helps the group to define its goal in a way that is consistent with the demands of the environment in which operates. Integration : some mechanism must coordinate the activities of group members towards the common goal e. g – Communication and conflict resolution Maintenance : mechanism to maintain their morale and keep them interested in staying in the group THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP: There are three major approaches to leadership: a) trait theories, b) behavioral theories, c) situational theories. Trait theories highlight that there exists a finite set of individual traits or characteristics that distinguish successful from unsuccessful leaders. Behavioral theories highlight that the most important aspect of leadership is not the traits of the leader, but what the leader does in various situations. Successful leaders are distinguished form unsuccessful leaders by their particular style of leadership. Situational theories outlines that the effectiveness of the leader is not only determined by his or her style of behavior, but also by the situation surrounding the leadership environment. Situational factors include the characteristics of the leader and the subordinates, the nature of the task and the structure of the group. THE TRAIT APPROACH: ARE SOME PEOPLE REALLY â€Å"BORN LEADERS†? Common sense leads us to think that some people have more of â€Å"the right stuff’ than others, and are just naturally better leaders. And, if you look at some of the great leaders throughout history, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. , Alexander the Great, and Abraham Lincoln, to name just a few, it is clear that such individuals certainly have characteristics in common that differ from ordinary folks. The question is â€Å"what is it that makes great leaders so great? † Leaders have certain traits, e. g. Honesty and Integrity : Trustworthy ; reliable ; open Intelligence Self – Confidence : Trust in own abilities Emotional maturity Stress tolerance Task – relevant knowledge : knowledge of business, relevant technical matters Ambition and high energy : Desire for achievement ; tenacity ; initiative Desire to lead : leadership motivation – desire to exercise influence over others to reach shared goals Research suggest that traits contribute less than 10% of what makes a successful leader Leadership Grid (Robert R. Blake & Jane Mouton) Impoverished Mgmt (1,1): Exertion of minimum efforts to get the required work done is appropriate to sustain organization membership. Country Club Mgmt (1,9): Thoughtful attention to the needs of people for satisfying relationships leads to a comfortable organizational atmosphere and work tempo. Middle Of The Road Mgmt (5,5): Adequate organizational performance is possible through balancing the necessity to get out work with maintaining morale of the people at satisfying level. Authority Compliance (9,1): Efficiency in operational results from arranging conditions of work in such a way that human elements interfere to a minimum degree. Team Mgmt (9,9): Work accomplishment is from committed people; inter dependence through a common stake. In organization purpose leads to relationships of trust and respect. Managerial Grid: The five basic approaches to management identified by Black and Mouton are based on the two dimensions of concern of people and concern for production that are associated with leaders. A managerial grid is formed based on these two dimensions which are rated on 9 point scale. If manager is securing the lowest score on these two dimensions I,I is identified as impoverished style of managers who are low on both their concern of people and production, 1,9 or country club style is designated to those managers who are having high concern for people but low concern for production. The 5, 5 or the middle-of-the road style concerns the moderate levels of concern for both people and production. The 9,1 or task management style is one where there is a high concern for production but very little concern for people and finally, 9,9 or team management style is one where the manager has high concern for both people and production. According to Black and Mouton the one best style for all mangers is the 9,9 or team management style. Fiedler’s Model Effective groups depend on a proper match between a leader’s style of interacting with subordinates and the degree to which the situation gives control and influence to the leader. LEADER SITUATION MATCH A task oriented leader is appropriate for a very favorable or very unfavorable situation. Relationship oriented behavior is predicted to work best when situation is moderately favorable or unfavorable. /* only read Favorable Situation: The situation is considered as highly favorable if it possess a high level of positive interpersonal relations between leaders and members, a well defined task structures and a leaders perceive that they are bestowed with strong perceived positional power. In such type of situation the leader will have a great deal of control over situations and will simply have to make sure that he gives the necessary instructions to get the task done. There is no need for him to waste time talking to each employee in order to be perceived as friendly. A task-oriented style will be effective in such situation. Unfavorable Situation: The situation is considered as highly unfavorable if it possesses a low level of interpersonal relationship between leaders and members, a poorly defined task and a relatively a weak perceived power. The leader of a task-force committee which is appointed to solve problems encountered in the work setting is likely to find him in such a situation. In such type of situation, the leader is in highly vulnerable situations and there is no other way to enforce a strict discipline and order to bring the situation in normalcy than following relationship oriented style. Moderately Favorable Situation: Here the leader might find herself in a mixed situation. For instance, a manager might have good relationship with her workers, but the task structure and position power of the leader may be low. For example, a bank officer may have a good relationship staff member, but the task structure or the power to control the staff members (either to reward or punish members) is not strong enough. In such situations, the manager will be very successful and get the desirable results if he follows more of relationships oriented style than task oriented task style. */ PATH GOAL THEORY PATH GOAL THEORY believes that a leader can change subordinates expectancies by clarifying the path between the subordinates’ action and the outcome, which is the goal which the employee wants to achieve. Whether leader’s behavior can do so effectively also depends on situational factors. Path-Goal Leadership Model Path-Goal Leadership Behaviour Directive Leadership Behavior: This deals with planning, organizing, controlling and coordinating of subordinates activities by the leader. It is similar to the traditional dimension of initiating structure in that the leader’s emphasis is on letting the subordinates know what is expected of them. Supportive Leadership Behavior: This concerns giving support consideration to the needs of the subordinates, displaying concern for their well-being and welfare and creating a friendly and pleasant environment. Participative—a pattern in which the leader consults with subordinates, permitting them to participate in decision making. Achievement-oriented—an approach in which the leader sets challenging goals and seeks improvements in performance. The benefits to the company of the achievement-oriented leader approach include greater employee confidence and commitment, more employee decision making, increased employee creativity, more challenging objectives, and reduced supervision for employees who work best independently. SITUATIONAL FACTORS Employee Contingencies Locus of control A Participative leader is suitable for subordinates with internal locus of control. A directive leader is suitable for supportives for external locus of control. Self perceived ability Subordinates who perceive themselves as having high ability do not like directive leadership. Environmental Contingencies When working on a task that has a high structure, directive leadership is redundant and less effective. When a highly formal authority system is in place, directive leadership can again reduce worker’s satisfaction. When subordinates are in a team environment that offers great social support, the supportive leadership style becomes less necessary TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP Definition: It’s the process of leading for change rather than for stability. Transformational leaders Leading — changing the organisation to fit the environment Develop, communicate, enact a vision. It is exercised when the leader intellectually stimulates the subordinates, excites, arouses and inspires them to perform far beyond what they would have thought themselves capable of. By providing a new vision, the transformational leader transforms the followers into people who self-actualize. Charismatic leadership is central to transformational leaderships. These kinds of leaders guide or motivate their follower’s in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements. Transformational leaders arouse strong emotions. They also help transform their followers by teaching them, often serving as mentors. In so doing, transformational leaders seek to encourage followers to do their own thing. In contrast, charismatic leaders may keep their followers weak and highly dependent on them. A charismatic leader may be the whole show, whereas a transformational leader does a good job of inspiring change in the whole organization. Many celebrities, be they musicians, actors, or athletes, tend to be highly charismatic, but they do not necessarily have any transformational effects on their followers. As such, although some people may idolize certain rock stars, and dress like them, these celebrities’ charisma will unlikely stimulate their fans into making sacrifices that revitalize the world. When you think of it this way, its easy to see how charisma is just a part of transformational leadership.

The Behavior Of Staff Members Working At The Hospital

The purpose of the report is to critically explain the behaviour of staff members working at the hospital referring to the scenario below using the knowledge of social influence, exploring Popular social influence studies such as Asch, Crutchfield, Sherif, Hofling, Zimbardo and also critically suggesting and reflecting on guidance or recommendations to the Hospital Board of Governors on how to improve the situation. 1.0 The Scenario You are an occupational psychologist who has been asked to improve staff productivity and compliance to legislation in a hospital setting. At this hospital staff do not follow the official code of conduct. Six months ago a very high status manager was employed to ‘fix the problem’. The manager was concerned about the length of time, for instance, it was taking staff to see patients and mindful of the fact that should this pattern continue, the Care Quality Commission may impose special measures against the hospital. 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