I Stand Here Ironing free essay sample

A Theme is Controlled Though the Setting and the Atmosphere In the short story â€Å"I Stand Here Ironing† by Tillie Olsen there is an atmosphere which has an overwhelming feeling of torment and a sense of regret. Taking place during the 1930s and 1940s a single mother has to cope with the Great Depression, WWII, and the feminist movement of the 1950s while raising her first born daughter Emily. A conflict is created by the lack of understanding the single teenage mother has for raising her first child. The theme that arises from this story is that to what extent can a mother be held responsible for her child’s problems, and that society must take some responsibility. â€Å"She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear. † This quotation appears at the end of the second-to-last paragraph, which is preceded by the narrator’s exhortation regarding Emily to â€Å"Let her be. We will write a custom essay sample on I Stand Here Ironing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † The narrator says this because she does not take full responsibility for the outcome of Emily’s life. The Great Depression had left its mark, creating massive poverty and unemployment. Being unemployed and without any financial relief the narrator is left to face the world alone This meant Emily was to face her own world alone for most of her childhood while her mother struggled to keep a job. The war created fear in America, even with a victory of WWII the proceeding Cold War only made it worse. The narrator feels somewhat cheated that the world Emily was raised in was a cruel and harsh one. Though the narrator blames society and the world for the way Emily is she also blames herself. She takes responsibility for some of the things that had gone wrong in Emily’s life, but tells herself that she had no choice but to work late hours and lose her time with Emily. Through all this Emily grew up to be gloomy with a lack of popularity, and low self-esteem. The narrator though chooses to describe Emily as a sensitive, thoughtful, and selfless individual who has survived through a terrible ordeal. Emily is blind to anything positive about herself; instead she chooses to hide in the shadow of her younger sister Susan. Who in Emily’s eyes is everything she is not, this creates a sad and depressing atmosphere for Emily. The narrator sees a spark of hope though in her youngest child Ronnie, she feels that see can write her wrongs in him and fix what she has broken in herself. With Emily grown up she doesn’t see any opportunity to fix what is wrong, though she also releases that she must let Emily be. Even though Emily has had a grim life there is still hope from all that has happened, Emily has gifts, which she can use to bring the better out in herself. In the ending paragraph the author feels resentment and cold for everything that has happened to Emily, but she also sees a glimmer of hope in her future. The atmosphere and setting have contributed a lot to the theme of the story. They have created a deeper sense in the raising of a child on your own. This story doesn’t hide the pain a mother gave her child or the pain the child caused the mother, it lets people see things in a different light, a light in which is dim and gloomy.

Advice on Writing an Effective Personal Statement

Advice on Writing an Effective Personal Statement Definition A personal statement is an autobiographical essay that many colleges, universities, and professional schools require as part of the admissions process. Also called a  statement of purpose, admissions essay, application essay, graduate school essay, letter of intent, and goals statement. The personal statement is generally used to determine a students ability to overcome obstacles, achieve goals, think critically, and write effectively. See Observations and Recommendations below. Also see: Compose a Narrative Essay or Personal StatementCritical ThinkingIllustrationNarrationPersonal EssayPersonal LetterRevision and Editing Checklist for a Narrative Essay Observations and  Recommendations Get good advice[T]he essay or personal statement began as a gauge of student enthusiasm (Why in particular do you wish to attend Bates College?). Over the years, it has been called upon to do other work: to capture how the applicant thinks; to reveal how he or she writes; to uncover information about values, spirit, personality, passions, interests, and maturity. . . .Admissions officers, counselors, teachers, and students in my survey rated what matters most in an application essay. All four groups agreed that the most important criteria are correctness, organization, specific evidence, and an individual style. . . .As an applicants best chance to plead his or her own case, the essay is a valuable piece in the admissions puzzle. Students need the advice of someone who knows them well to put together a convincing case, and parents are great resources, with their firsthand information about and commitment to their children.(Sarah Myers McGinty, The Application Essay. Chronicle of Hig her Education, January 25, 2002) Get startedIts difficult for most people to write about themselves, especially something personal or introspective. The following suggestions may help your creative juices to flow.Consult friends and relatives for ideas. . . .Take inventory of your unique experience, major influences, and abilities. . . .Write an experimental creative essay in which you are the main character. . . .Assemble your applications and determine how many essays you must write. . . .Get feedback from others before completing your final draft.(Mark Allen Stewart, How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement, 4th ed. Petersons, 2009) Keep it realAuthenticity is what matters in personal statements, in my experience. Strong writing and scrupulous proofreading are essential, but most of all, the topic and the expression must bring alive in the minds and hearts of the readers some aspect of the real teenager writing the statement. . . .Writing a strong personal statement calls upon you to observe your real life, a s it is, and get it on paper. Your best writing will emerge when you slow down to notice and record not just what happened, but also the small sensory details that make up the important and challenging events of your life. In a nutshell: Keep it real; show, don’t tell.(Susan Knight, director of college placement at the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice in Brooklyn. The New York Times, September 11, 2009) Make it relevantWith so many students getting similar grades, personal statements are often all that universities have to go on, says Darren Barker of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas). That’s why we advise applicants to take them seriously. . . .â€Å"You need to express yourself concisely and give thought to what universities are likely to regard as relevant, he says. If you have done work-shadowing in the field in which you have chosen an academic course, that’s obviously a plus. But even extra-curricular things on your CV can be worth including. . . .Personal statements are just that, personal. . . . This is about youwho you are, where you have come from and where you want to go. Bluff, spin a line, pretend you are something you are not and you will be found out.(Julie Flynn, Ucas Form: A Very Personal Statement of Intent. The Daily Telegraph, October 3, 2008) Be specificA possible area of discussion in your personal statement might be around what led you to pursue medicine as a career. You could discuss the courses, people, events or experiences that have influenced you and why. Discuss your extracurricular activities and why you participated. Tell about your educational experiences and summer internships. When doing so, write chronologically. . . .Be specific and do not exaggerate. Be philosophical and idealistic, but be realistic. Express your concern for others and share your unique experience that had a profound effect on your career choice. Express all of these things, but show your sense of value, partnership, independence and determination.(William G. Byrd, A Guide to Medical School Admission. Parthenon, 1997) FocusStatements may be weak for several reasons. The most foolish thing you can do probably is not to proofread what you write. Who wants to hire someone who turns in a statement with spelling, grammatical, or capitalization errors? An unfocused statement is also not likely to help you. Hiring institutions like to see focus, clarity, and coherence, not a stream-of-consciousness approach that seems incoherent to the reader, however coherent it may seem to you. Also, do not just say what you are interested in. Say what you have done about your interests.(Robert J. Sternberg, The Job Search. The Portable Mentor, ed. by M. J. Prinstein and M. D. Patterson. Kluwer Academic/Plenum, 2003) Know yourselfAdmissions officers say the most successful essays show curiosity and self-awareness. Says Cornells [Don] Saleh: Its the only thing that really lets us see inside your soul. While theres no one right formula for soul baring, there are many wrong ones. Its disastrous to write, as a Rice applic ant did, of what he could bring to the University of California. A self-absorbed or arrogant tone is also a guaranteed turnoff. Exhibit A: a Rice essay beginning, I have accumulated a fair amount of wisdom in a relatively limited time of life. Exhibit B: a Cornell applicant who set out to describe the indescribable essence of myself.(Jodie Morse et al., Inside College Admissions. Time, October 23, 2000)

Commercial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Commercial law - Essay Example Once the terms of an agency agreement have been made, it is important to draft a written contract that any of the parties involved can request, which would state the duration of the contract among other things. An agency agreement usually contains the fixed term of the contract, exists for an indefinite term that is terminable and lastly a fixed term that can be extended if agreed by both parties1. In relation to Rosie and Simon’s case, the parties did have a written contract or agency agreement that did not state the terms of their contract in detail. The implication of this is that it might be difficult for Simon to prove that Rosie went against the terms of the contract that they had agreed upon through the written agency agreement. Additionally, Rosie is in breach of the contract they agreed upon with Simon because she did not give Simon the 10% commission that they had agreed on when he sold a piece of work for her. In order for Simon to be safe, he would have made sure that he drafted a contract that captured much detail on how he was to make money out of the contract. For this reason, Rosie could be entitled to not pay Simon. On the contrary, the Commercial Agents regulation requires that either of the parties wishing to terminate an agreement entered for an indefinite period issue adequate notice to the other party, which Rosie did not comply. The regulation requires that a person provides notice of termination depending on the period they have been in the contract. For example, if they have been in the contract for a year, they should issue a one months’ notice, two years attracts a two months’ notice and so on. Therefore, Simon has grounds to seek compensation for the breaching of the contract that he had entered into with Rosie based on not being issued with proper notice. The regulation requires that a principal act dutifully to the agent and in good faith to which she did not

Contraction in Smooth Muscle Cells compared to Contraction in Skeletal Essay

Contraction in Smooth Muscle Cells compared to Contraction in Skeletal Muscle Cells - Essay Example In this assignment, based on studies, a comparison has been drawn between the contractions of these two types muscles at the cellular and molecular levels. Before going into this discussion, contraction must be defined. Contraction is defined by activation of the muscle fibers with a demonstrable shortening of the muscle fibers2. The physiological events in relation to muscle contraction have been delineated in great detail, and they reveal that basically, with neural stimulation there occurs a series of molecular events initiated by increase in the cytosolic calcium concentration. In this assignment, these events will be looked at in a greater detail to compare these events between the striated and nonstriated muscles. Each skeletal muscle is made up of a large number of skeletal muscle fibers, which are thin cylindrical multinucleated cells of variable length, which in turn are made up of myofibrils, which are bundles of filamentous structures running along the length of the fiber. While observing skeletal- or cardiac smooth muscle fibers through microscope, a series of light and dark bands perpendicular to the long axis of the fiber are very conspicuous. Actually, each myofibril consists of repeating sarcomeres, and the alignment of these sarcomeres3 between adjacent myofibrils gives rise to these bands in the skeletal muscle. The structural plan of the myofibril is such that the sarcomeres are placed end to end, and this fundamental contractile unit is visible within skeletal and cardiac muscles. On the contrary, smooth muscle cells do not show a banding pattern. Actually, the arrangement of sarcomeres leads to the striated pattern in skeletal and cardiac fibers, and sarcomeres in turn comprise of alternate arrangements of numerous thick and thin filaments in the cytoplasm to give rise to roughly 1-2 micrometer cylindrical bundles. Smooth muscles are abundant mainly in the visceral organs, such as, gut, blood vessels, bladder, and uterus, and they are to serve a particular function. For example, smooth muscles present in the sphincters are designed to maintain a steady contraction for long periods of time and then rapidly relax or in other muscles, they remain constantly activated. To suit these varied functions, the smooth muscles consists of sheets of many small spindle-shaped cells linked together by junctional contacts. Although these serve as mechanical continuity between adjacent spindles, actually, in places there are gap junctions that are designed to provide electrical continuity between cells. Each cell is uninucleated, shorter than striated muscles, and broader than a myofibril. Unlike striated muscle, no cross striations are visible, although they contain the same contractile protein filaments, actin and myosin. It is important to note that their arrangement is irregular in a loose lattice unlike th e regular arrangement of skeletal and smooth muscles. Myosin has been termed as a molecular motor. This consists of two heavy chains and two pairs of light chains. The two terminal ends of the heavy chains create a coil that aggregate in the cell to create the basic unit of a thick filament. The remainder of this molecule juts outward from the thick filament creating the cross-bridge. Thus, these polypeptides combine

Miscommunication Is A Common Problem Information Technology Essay

Miscommunication Is A Common Problem Information Technology Essay Miscommunication is a common problem in most of the companies, and it has negative effects that may affect the company performance and employees. Researcher study seeks (a) to know what communication is and what its importance in the companies. (b) To know what the problems are when miscommunication happened. (c) To put solutions to resolve the problems. Researcher used secondary method to collect data by using survey distributed to the employees who work in Al Qudra Company. The survey questions are focused on communication ways that they use within the company and the reasons that lead to miscommunication between the staff and also by using Interviews with its manager related to the communication style within the company and how they face miscommunication results. Also researcher used primary method to collect data by using internet, books, and newspapers. Researcher use Literature review to emphasize her search by review pervious articles or reports. Data was collected within 4 weeks and 4 weeks to analysis the data. Finally researcher suggests some recommendations or alternative solutions to resolve the problems that come from miscommunication. Introduction Background of the Study Communication is one of the most effective ways to enhance organization performance, satisfy employees, and meet customer needs and wants. Communication could happened in two ways, it could be occur inside the organization between employers (managers) and employees (workers) and it could occur outside the organization between organizations workers and customers, traders, retailers. With good communication inside the company the employees will be able to know and understand what their jobs and roles exactly are and their performance will be more effective. In addition, good communication outside the company will increase the customers, retailers and traders loyalty and from that the company profits and reputation will increase too. In contrast, bad communication or not effective communication style inside or outside the company can lead to negative results. (condrat, 2009) http://www.suite101.com/content/effective-communication-at-workplace-a95815. There are two main ways for communication, first electronic communication through electronic mail, telephone, teleconference, voice mail message, and internet, second human communication through meetings, speeches, and interviews. (Svecz, 2010) http://www.suite101.com/content/basic-elementstips-to-build-effective-workplace-communication-a290104#ixzz1JcTjGq6s. Statement of the problem Miscommunication occurs when the managers who speak fail to communicate their ideas and requests to their employees or when the employees who listen fail to interpret the information. From that the problems at the company appeared where employees mistakes and confusions will increase while doing their jobs because they dont have enough information or misunderstand what are the exactly tasks should they do which lead to decline their performance and waste time and as result from that the companys profit will decrease. (condrat,2009)www.suite101.com: http://www.suite101.com/content/effective-communication-at-workplace 95815. Thus researcher focuses on this problem and tries to find out ways to reduce it. Objectives of the study The objectives of research study are: To review literature related to miscommunication. To know the problems and how it could be solved. To provide recommendations based on findings. Research Questions What is the important of effective communication at workplace? Is there any problem that companies could face during communication? When miscommunication could be occurring? What is the impact of miscommunication on the company and its staff? Limitation of the Study The researcher has been constricted her study in miscommunication at place of work and study its impact in the company performance and relationship among worker within the company in the UAE, taking Al Qudra Company in Al Ain city as a pattern of study and distributed the survey within the company. Significance of the study The main point of this study is to run interview with Al Qudra company manager and staff at Al Ain city in United Arab Emirates to determine when and how miscommunication at workplace occurs and to decide the impact of miscommunication on the company production and employees relationship inside (among workers) and outsides the company (suppliers, customers, traders) and give suggestions to overcome the impact of miscommunication which help the readers to be familiar with such these problems that could face the employees at work and how can deal with it. Definition of Terms Miscommunication: one unable to deliver his or her ideas and thoughts clearly or obviously to others. And also miscommunication is the one who receive the information (listener) analyze it improperly. Human communication: it is way to deliver the information to other people through conference, interview, dialogue, speech, and meeting. Electronic communication: it is electronic instrument that used to exchange a few words or communicate among people such as telephone, email, voice mail, etc. Internal communication: it is mean that the information is exchanged within or inside the organization between the workers to done the job required. External communication: it is meaning that the information is delivered and exchanged outside the organization with the customers, traders, vendor, or seller to persuade them to continue deal with organizations services and products or to explain something is not clear. Literture Review The literature that was used was Mortensens 1997 work Miscommunication  [1]  . In his work Mortensen cites various reasons why a conversation does not work, to name a few disagreement, distortion and misunderstanding. Many terms Mortensen cites are self explanatory (in that their meaning can be derived from their name alone e.g. lack of reciprocity), however the literature provides yet another framework by which miscommunication can be measured by. Mortensen sets out his theories in a clear and logical fashion, which in turn helped the development of the study. He cites six main ideas about miscommunication (implication, distortion, disruption, confusion, disagreement and misunderstanding) and this framework helped the study to also view miscommunication through these six main theories. In using this literature, a new focus for the dissertation was brought about in the sense of not only identifying miscommunication in the conversations but specifically a study into the miscommuni cation in the workplace and why this was happening. The literature that helped bring about this focus was Finchams 1982 investigation into hospital communication. In her investigation Fincham identified communication problems in the hospital and looked for ways to rectify this. In contrast to Finchams study this dissertation did not look to devise a solution to the miscommunication problems in the workplace, rather to examine the data against what should be expected from a workplace conversation, especially in the context of customer/employee interaction. Mortensen, C. D. (1997) http://www.lancs.ac.uk/search/index.htm?cx=015049136984008940906%3Aw6id2ed8vzwcof=FORID%3A10ie=ISO-8859-1q=miscommunicationsa=Searchsiteurl=www.lancs.ac.uk%2Findex.htm#1166 www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/courses/ling/ling201/res/diss/2004/towl08.doc Researcher noticed that miscommunication is familiar phenomena ages ago, and the way to get red of this problem is pretty obvious but, it need patience and need to talk and ask with a good attitude and show respects to other to respect you as well. Also being friendly with your colleagues makes them take your word to the positive side not the negative on as well. Methodology Researcher used secondary method to collect data by using survey distributed to the employees who work in Al Qudra Company. The survey questions are focused on communication ways that they use within the company and the reasons that lead to miscommunication between the staff and also by using Interviews with its manager related to the communication style within the company and how they face miscommunication results. Also researcher used primary method to collect data by using internet, books, and newspapers. Research means developed to supply answers to subsequent questions:   What is the important of effective communication at workplace? Is there any problem that companies could face during communication? When miscommunication could be occurring? What is the impact of miscommunication on the company and its staff? Population and Sample The population of the researcher study is 50 of male and female employee who work in Al Qudra Company. The survey distributed to the employees who work at Quadra Company in Al Ain and they are request to answer yes and no questions and other questions about communication ways that they use within the company and the reasons that lead to miscommunication between the staff. Instruments The first instrument the research used is survey which helps researcher to complete the research. The survey distributed to 50 employees who work in Al Qudra Company. The second instrument the researcher used is interview with the manager of Al Qudra Company Questionnaire   The questionnaire is distributed to 50 employees who work in Al Qudra Company which include two components: The first component is concerning general personal data for employees which are gander, age, nationality. The second component is concerning on communication ways that they use within the company and the reasons that lead to miscommunication between the staff. Interview The researcher used interview with the manager of Al Qudra Company related to the communication style within the company and how they face miscommunication results. Data Collection Procedures Researcher used three methods to collect data which are: Visiting personally Al Qudra Company at Al Ain branch to run interview with its manager by asking him number questions related to miscommunication at their company. Distributing survey to fifty employees who work in Al Qudra and ask them during their work time to answer the questions and then collect the survey paper again and examine the data according to their respond. Searching through internet, books, and articles for useful information that help researcher to collect accurate data and use it in her research via borrowing books from library and look through internet. Analysis of Data The researcher used Microsoft word and Microsoft excel program to make the table that contains the percentage result of the survey that shows the opinion of the employees working in Al Qudra Company . After that, researcher applied the chart according to the percentage result, to show the result as statistical graph. The following table and data chart showing their opinion in Miscommunications, how miscommunication affects their work efficiency and affects the whole company and its reputation. Also its showing the way to fix this problem and the suggested solutions from the employees them selves to fix it. And the basis researcher asked these specific questions is that researcher need to find the problem, try to solve it and get red of it when ever it happens again. Finding Results: Employees Response about Miscommunication in work place yes No Do you think that stress causes miscommunication? 76% 24% Do you think that dealing with non local colleagues causes miscommunication? 60% 40% Do you that the non cooperation between employees causes is miscommunication? 90% 10% Do you think that Threat of Favoritism causes miscommunication? 89% 11% Do you think that Criticism and backbiting between the staff causes miscommunications? 90% 10% Do you think that not getting a feedback causes miscommunication? 89% 11% Do you think that choosing the best medium reduces miscommunication? 69% 31% Do you think that being brief and getting direct to the point reduces miscommunication? 40% 60% Do you think that learning how to communicate reduces miscommunication? 80% 20% Do you think that miscommunication affects your work efficiency? 92% 08%Table 1. Results of surveying employees opinion in miscommunication. Data Chart Figure.1 Results of surveying employees opinion in miscommunication Conclusion Form what have discussed, researcher concluded that miscommunication in workplace always happens and its not something rare. The problem is caused by the people working there that mean that it could be solved in an easy way. Miscommunication is a problem that can Be solved By cooporation and Being frienly with your colleagues , so they can take every thing hold two meanings to the positive not the negative one. Summary To sum up what researcher have said in this topic , Miscommunication is a problem that can be sloved easily . resercher talked about the causes of the problem and the solutions too. Researcher made a survey that shows the opinions in miscommunication in worksplace and researcher alanlised the data and made the chart . Also , researcher made and interfew with the manager of the company and finally researcher concolded the ideas said above. Recommendation Researcher reccomands that the manager of the company should find a way to reduce the miscommunication in his company Because that may reduce the efficency of the work and the reputation of the company is gooing to Be Bad as well. Reducing the miscommunication means increasing the efficiency of work to success in the Business field. Researcher discover that miscommunication is one of tools that can destroy the business your working on . in addition, manager should relaize that fixing the miscommunication problem dont take much time to be solved . Bibliography 1- condrat, A. (2009, Feb 12). Effective communication in the work place. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from www.suite101.com: http://www.suite101.com/content/effective-communication-at-workplace-a95815 2- Svecz, A.-M. B. (2010, Sep 26). Basic Elements Tips to Build Effective Workplace Communication. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from www.suite101.com: http://www.suite101.com/content/basic-elementstips-to-build-effective-workplace-communication-a290104 3- Mortensen, C. D. (1997) Miscommunication London: Sage . Retrieved May19, 2011, Form : www.lancs.ac.uk: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/search/index.htm?cx=015049136984008940906%3Aw6id2ed8vzwcof=FORID%3A10ie=ISO-8859-1q=miscommunicationsa=Searchsiteurl=www.lancs.ac.uk%2Findex.htm#1166

Leadership and Management Essay

Initially I plan on reviewing the prevailing leadership styles in my organisation and then assessing the impact of these on the organisation’s values and performance. In order to assess the leadership styles I have produced a questionnaire (see appendix 1). The questionnaire was designed to find out how directive, participative and permissive each manager in our organisation is and then study the most prevailing style. It was evident from the information collated that the prevailing leadership style in our organisation is participative and directive rather than permissive. On assessing this information it became apparent that our manager’s leadership styles reflect a Contingency theory and they rather be present and take part in services in order to ensure controlled success. Contingency theory is a class of behavioral theories that claim there is no best way to lead a company, or to make decisions. Instead, the best action is contingent (dependent) upon the situation. Several contingency approaches were developed in the1960s. They suggested that previous theories such as Weber’s bureaucracy and Taylor’s Scientific Management had failed because they neglected that management style and organisational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment: known as contingency factors. There could not be â€Å"one best way† for leadership or organisation. Historically, contingency theory has attempted to formulate broad views about formal structures that are typically associated with or best fit the use of different organisations. This perspective originated with the work of Joan Woodward (1958), who argued that skills directly determine differences in such organisational attributes as a span of control, centralisation of authority, and the formalisation of rules and procedures. My Organisation Values and Performance The organisation that I work for delivers a range of high quality services and projects, these services follow the principles of empowering communities, developing lives, furthering equality, diversity and inclusion and strengthening local voluntary sector delivery. These principles dictate the values in which we function. We are very much a voluntary sector, charitable organisation ensuring that at the heart of our services are the people that access them. Performance is measured through a set of service delivery indicators which form the base of our promises to funding bodies, staff, volunteers and customers in everything we do. These indicators are measured via our service development plan. Each year we publish an Annual Report based on our Service Delivery Indicators, which measure our progress and informs the public of our work over the previous year in delivering against our priorities. (See Appendix 2 for our organisations SDI’s) Our organisation values and performance clearly highlight a need for the leadership to be open and receptive. This allows us to except feedback and input from our service users. A directive and participatory leadership style is imposed by managers in our organisation for staff; however when dealing with service users we have to adopt a more directive style to ensure commination is clear and there is no room for bought. We have found in the past when we have given service users who are vulnerable and have mental health difficulties an opportunity to contribute to services they feel empowered, however they need time and guidance in order to make informed decisions. Effectiveness of my Own Leadership Style On assessing my own leadership style I appeared to be more directive, in the middle when it came to participation, however I did not seem to be very permissive. The results did not surprise me and seemed to be consistent with my approach. I tend to direct staff by the use of many models including action plans which are produced in team meeting and each member of staff is allocated actions, timescales, budget and directions. I am participatory when tasks are being carried out I ensure I understand the delivery method and observe when necessary. For example if we are promoting a new group I will ensure all promotion literature is checked by me prior to going out and visit the new group to view session delivery. I do not hide away form front line delivery and ensure I gage with staff, clients and volunteers therefore I understand the reason why on my leadership assessment I did not score highly on being permissive. Therefore I feel my management style suits the organisation. However with the changing nature of our organisation leading towards a more business-like approach I may find I have to review my management style. I may need to become more permissive, less participatory and even more directive. This will ensure I can work more strategically to order to retain services and staff. Changing my approach may be difficult for my staff to accept, however explaining that their jobs may be at risks if I do not manage differently may put it all into perspective. By applying a Contingency theory mentioned earlier I should be able to manage this effectively. I asked my staff to assess my leadership style using the questionnaire I produced and gave to fellow managers (Appendix 1). The results mirrored my self assessment, demonstrating that I understand my own leadership style well and that the staff have the same opinion. Apply Own Leadership Style in Range of Situations Over the last two weeks I have begun to assess my own leadership style in a variety of situations. These have mainly taken the form of meetings. I have chaired a client/volunteer meeting and a full staff meeting. My leadership style tended to change in these situations. I became less formal with the client and volunteer meeting in order to project at their level of understanding. Less detail was presented and less decision making was required. The meeting was more informative and decisions had been made by the staff team prior to the meeting. Feedback and participation was welcomed however it was in a manner in which it could be controlled so as a staff team we could make informed decisions.

Automatic Renewal Clauses: The Case between Letisha and Sudson Washer and Dryer

This paper examines a contract between Letisha and Sudson Washer and Dryer that contains an automatic renewal clause. The potential defenses for Letisha if Sudson sues her for breach of contract are presented. The defenses for Sudson that support the automatic renewal clause are also discussed. The ethical issues of using an automatic renewal clause and the actions of the Sudson Washer and Dryer representative when signing the contract are also examined. Section 2A of the Uniform Commercial Code and how it applies to this case is presented. There are also government and private entities that Letisha can complain to about the business practices of Sudson. Finally, the paper concludes with the potential outcome of the case if Sudson sues Letisha for breach of contract.Automatic Renewal Clauses: The Case between Letisha and Sudson Washer and Dryer Letisha signed a lease with a Sudson Washer and Dryer Representative that allowed her to lease a washer and dryer from the company for five y ears. At the end of the lease agreement, Letisha called to cancel, and found out that her lease agreement had been extended for three five year terms. Letisha was unaware that the contract had an automatic renewal clause.The Uniform Commercial Code section 2A defines a lease agreement, and it also explains how lessees and lessors are protected. Using Section 2A and state laws, there may be defenses for Letisha if she decides to breach the contract and Sudson sues her. There may also be government agencies Letisha can bring her grievances to about Sudson’s use of automatic renewal clauses. There are also defenses for Sudson to support the enforcement of the automatic clause, even if the use of an automatic renewal clause may be unethical. This case is an example of the importance of reading a contract before signing it.Defenses for LetishaDepending on the state where Letisha lives, there could be a multitude of defenses available to her regarding the automatic renewal. In some states, the lessor is required to send a reminder to the lessee of the automatic renewal (Davidson et al., 2009). In New York, for example, the lessor is required to send written reminders of the automatic renewal at least 15 days before the contract renews (Dutton, 2011). Since Letisha received no prior notification besides the information in the contract; she may be able to use that fact in her defense.In Illinois, the automatic renewal policy must be conspicuous (Dutton, 2011). There is no uniform requirement for conspicuousness, but the Uniform Commercial Code states that capital letters and bold face print should be used. It is apparent in Letisha’s case, that the automatic renewal clause with Sudson was not conspicuous, which may be grounds for a defense.In Wisconsin, laws regarding the automatic renewal clause were passed saying that the lessee must be informed about the clause before the contract is signed (Dutton, 2011). The salesman did not inform Letisha of the cl ause, and while it is her responsibility to read the contract, she may have grounds for a defense in some states. Some states would also allow a defense on the grounds that the automatic renewal length is too extensive. Most standard form contracts are held if the automatic renewal is for five years or less (Kirschenbaum, 2013). It would be up to Letisha to either research the legislation in her state regarding automatic renewal contracts, or to hire an attorney to do so, in order to find if she has grounds for a defense against Sudson.Defenses for Sudson Washer and DryerThough there are provisions in many states regarding automatic renewal clauses, if Sudson followed the stipulations in their state, they would have a legal argument supporting the enforcement of the clause. In the case of Tidwell v. Pritchett-Moore, Inc. & Tim Rutledge, the Alabama Supreme Court found that automatic renewal clauses are enforceable if the provision is clear in the contract (Tidwell 2008). It is not t he fault of the company, if the lessee signed the contract without reading it fully and failed to give notice of cancellation before the deadline.If the clause is stated clearly, then it is likely that it will be enforced by the courts. For example, in the case of Winthrop Resources Corporation v. Spearhead System Consultants, the court found that because intentions to terminate the  contract were not made clear before the time allotted in the contract, the renewal of the contract was enforceable (Huddleson, Graynor, Flick, & Whelan, 2003).Ethical IssuesWhile Sudson’s automatic renewal clause may be upheld, there are ethical issues of the company using such a practice. First, many courts have had the opinion that parties should be notified when the lease is up for renewal (Leitess, Ihne, & Goldberg, 2005). It is unlikely that the client would remember about the clause five years later, and the company should be willing to make a courtesy call in order to keep customers happ y. Also, all parts of the contract should have been discussed before signing.Not informing the client of the automatic renewal policy does not reflect well on Sudson Washer and Dryer Service. The National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers states in their code of ethics that leasing companies should remain honest and professional in all business transactions (â€Å"NAELB,† 2013). In this case, not discussing all parts of the contract before allowing the client to sign is neither honest nor professional. U.C.C Section 2AThe Uniform Commercial Code Article 2A governs the leases of goods, and it provides basic contract rules regarding leases. The U.C.C. defines a lease as transfer of goods by a lessor to a lessee for a set amount of time in exchange for payment (â€Å"U.C.C.,† 2002). Using this definition, the U.C.C. Article 2A can be applied to the agreement between Letisha and Sudson Washer and Dryer Service. Sudson leased the equipment to Letisha in return for mo nthly payments.The company is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the washer and dryer because they hold the title to the machine. Letisha is required to make payments to Sudson in order to fulfill her part of the lease agreement. Article 2A not only lists the necessities to make a lease agreement legal, but it also lists the rights of both lessee and lessor regarding the lease agreement.Complaints to Government EntitiesOne entity that Letisha may complain to is the Better Business Bureau. The BBB will look into any complaint that does not involve the workplace, discrimination, health services, legal services, or cases in litigation (â€Å"What complaints,† 2013). A complaint through the BBB will be sent to the business for resolution. Though the business may choose to stand behind their agreement, a complaint will be lodged against the company. Another option for Letisha is the Bureau of Consumer Protection under the Federal Trade Commission.The purpose of the Bure au of Consumer Protection is to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices (Rich, 2013). If the automatic renewal clause is found to be unfair or deceptive, then the company may be sued by the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Letisha can complain to these entities about Sudson’s automatic renewal clause, but it is the agency’s discretion whether the clause is unfair or not.Outcome of Legal ProceedingsIf Sudson sues Letisha for breach of contract, it is likely that Sudson will win the case. The U.C.C. Section 2A-301 states a lease contract is enforceable according to the terms agreed to by both parties (â€Å"U.C.C.,† 2002). Since Letisha and the Sudson representative signed the contract, both parties agreed to the terms within the contract. It is unlikely that the court will favor Letisha because the automatic renewal clause was not pointed out to her. It is the lessee’s responsibility to read the contract and understand all parts. The ag reement clearly stated the time limit on cancelling the lease, and Letisha failed to meet those requirements.ConclusionIn order to avoid issues like Letisha’s with Sudson, it would be advisable for parties to go through the contract together. Lessees may even want to hire an attorney to explain any part of a contract that is not easily understood. By taking the time to read the entire contract before signing, lessees are protecting their interests. Automatic renewal clauses are losing their popularity, but they are still used, especially in leases between businesses. Businesses may want to consider other avenues to keep customers, but if they are going to use automatic renewal clauses, it will keep customers happy if they are informed of such a clause before it is too late to cancel the lease agreement.