William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror William the Conqueror was a Duke of Normandy, who fought to regain his power over the duchy, establishing it as a powerful force in France, before completing the successful Norman Conquest of England. Youth William was born to Duke Robert I of Normandy – although he wasn’t Duke until his brother died - and his mistress Herleva c. 1028. There are various legends about her origins, but she was possibly noble. His mother had one more child with Robert ​and married a Norman noble called Herluin, with whom she had two further children, including Odo, later a bishop and regent of England. In 1035 Duke Robert died on pilgrimage, leaving William as his only son and designated heir: Norman lords had sworn to accept William as Robert’s heir, and the King of France had confirmed this. However, William was only eight, and illegitimate - he was known frequently as ‘The Bastard’ - so while the Norman aristocracy initially accepted him as ruler, they did so mindful of their own power. Thanks to still developing succession rights, illegitimacy was not yet a bar to power, but it did make the young William reliant on others. Anarchy Normandy was soon plunged into discord, as ducal authority broke down and all levels of the aristocracy began building their own castles and usurping the powers of William’s government. War was frequently fought between these nobles, and such was the chaos that three of William’s protectors were killed, as was his teacher. It is possible that William’s steward was killed while William slept in the same room. Herleva’s family provided the best shield. William began to play a direct role in Normandy’s affairs when he turned 15 in 1042, and for the next nine years, he forcefully regained royal rights and control, fighting a series of war against rebel nobles. There was vital support from Henry I of France, especially at the battle of Val-es-Dunes in 1047, when the Duke and his King defeated an alliance of Norman leaders. Historians believe that William learned a huge amount about warfare and government through this period of turmoil, and it left him de termined to retain full control over his lands. It may also have left him ruthless and capable of brutality. William also took steps to regain control by reforming the church, and he appointed one of his key allies to the Bishopric of Bayeux in 1049. This was Odo, William’s half-brother by Herleva, and he took the position aged only 16. Nevertheless, he proved a loyal and able servant, and the church grew strong under his control. The Rise of Normandy By the late 1040s the situation in Normandy had settled to the extent that William was able to take part in politics outside his lands, and he fought for Henry of France against the Geoffrey Martel, Count of Anjou, in Maine. Trouble soon returned at home, and William was forced to once more fight a rebellion, and a new dimension was added when Henry and Geoffrey allied against William. With a mixture of luck – the enemy forces outside Normandy did not coordinate with those in, although William’s alacrity contributed here – and tactical skill, William defeated them all. He also outlived Henry and Geoffrey, who died in 1060 and were succeeded by more congenial rulers, and William secured Maine by 1063. He was accused of poisoning rivals to the region but this is widely believed to be just rumor. Nevertheless, it is interesting that he opened his attack on Maine by claiming the recently deceased Count Herbert of Maine had promised William his land should the count die without a son, and that Herbert had become a vassal of William’s in exchange for the county. William would claim a similar promise again shortly after, in England. By 1065, Normandy was settled and the lands surrounding it had been pacified, through politics, military action, and some lucky deaths. This left William as the dominant aristocrat in north France, and he was free to take on a grand project if one arose; it soon did. William married in 1052/3, to the daughter of the Baldwin V of Flanders, even though the Pope had ruled the marriage as illegal due to consanguinity. It may have taken until 1059 for William to work his way back into the good graces of the papacy, although he may have done so very quickly – we have conflicting sources - and he founded two monasteries while doing so. He had four sons, three of whom would go on to rule. The Crown of England The link between the Norman and English ruling dynasties had started in 1002 with a marriage and had continued when the Edward – later known as ‘the Confessor’ – had fled from Cnut’s invading force and taken shelter at the Norman court. Edward had retaken the English throne but grew old and childless, and at some stage during the 1050s there may have been negotiations between Edward and William over the right of the latter to succeed, but it is unlikely. Historians don’t know for certain what really happened, but William claimed he had been promised the crown. He also claimed that another claimant, Harold Godwineson, the most powerful noble in England, had sworn an oath to support William’s claim while on a visit to Normandy. Norman sources support William, and Anglo-Saxons ones support Harold, who claimed Edward had really given Harold the throne as the king lay dying. Either way, when Edward died in 1066 William claimed the throne and announced he would invade to take it off Harold and he had to persuade a council of Norman nobles who felt this was too risky a venture. William quickly gathered an invasion fleet which included noblemen from across France – a sign of William’s high reputation as a leader - and may have gained support from the Pope. Critically, he also took measures to ensure Normandy would remain loyal while he was absent, including giving key allies greater powers. The fleet tried to sail later that year, but weather conditions delayed it, and William eventually sailed on September 27th, landing the next day. Harold had been forced to march north to fight another invading claimant, Harald Hardrada, at Stamford Bridge. Harald marched south and took up a defensive position at Hastings. William attacked, and the Battle of Hastings followed in which Harold and significant portions of the English aristocracy were killed. William followed the victory by intimidating the country, and he was able to be crowned King of England in London on Christmas Day. King of England, Duke of Normandy William adopted some of the government he found in England, such as the sophisticated Anglo-Saxon exchequer and laws, but he also imported large numbers of loyal men from the continent to both reward them and hold his new kingdom. William now had to crush rebellions in England, and on occasion did it brutally. Even so, after 1072 he spent the majority of his time back in Normandy, dealing with recalcitrant subjects there. The borders of Normandy proved problematic, and William had to deal with a new generation of warring neighbors and a stronger French king. Through a mixture of negotiation and warfare, he tried to secure the situation, with some successes. There were more rebellions in England, including a conspiracy involving Waltheof, the last English earl, and when William had him executed there was great opposition; the chronicles like to use this as the start of a perceived decline in William’s fortunes. In 1076 William suffered his first major military defeat, to the King of France, at Dol. More problematic, William fell out with his eldest son Robert, who rebelled, raised an army, made allies of William’s enemies and started raiding Normandy. It is possible the father and son may even have fought in hand to hand in one battle. A peace was negotiated and Robert was confirmed as heir to Normandy. William also fell out with his brother, bishop and sometime regent Odo, who was arrested and imprisoned. Odo may have been about to bribe and threaten his way into the papacy, and if so William objected to the large number of troops Odo was planning to take from England to aid him. While trying to retake Mantes he suffered an injury – possibly while on horseback - which proved fatal. On his deathbed William made a compromise, giving his son Robert his French lands and William Rufus England. He died on September 9th, 1087 aged 60. As he died he asked for prisoners to be released, all except Odo. William’s body was so fat it did not fit into the prepared tomb and burst out with a sickening smell. Aftermath William’s place in English history is assured, as he completed one of the few successful conquests of that island, and transforming the makeup of the aristocracy, the pattern of the land, and the nature of culture for centuries. Normans, and their French language and customs, dominated, even though William adopted much of the Anglo-Saxon machinery of government. England was also tied closely to France, and William transformed his duchy from anarchic into the most powerful north French holding, creating tensions between the crowns of England and France which would also last for centuries. In the later years of his reign, William commissioned in England a survey of land use and value known as the Domesday Book, one of the key documents of the medieval era. He also bought the Norman church into England and, under the theological leadership of Lanfranc, changed the nature of English religion. William was a physically imposing man, strong early on, but very fat in later life, which became a source of amusement to his enemies. He was notably pious but, in an age of common brutality, stood out for his cruelty. It’s been said he never killed a prisoner who might later be useful and was cunning, aggressive and devious. William was probably faithful in his marriage, and this may have been the consequence of shame he felt in his youth as an illegitimate son.

12 Signs Youre Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services

12 Signs Youre Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services Youre living the dream as a freelance writerexcept its less like a dream and more like a nightmare. Barely scraping by, exhausted, resentful, hating writing even though you used to love it and at one tie thought that this would be the perfect job. What happened? Where did things go wrong? Chances are pretty good that it can be traced back to one simple cause: youre underselling your freelance writing services. Are You Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services? There are 12 signs youre underselling your freelance writing services and you might be surprised at how many you can identify with. If you find one that you know youre guilty of, tweet it and help out your fellow freelance writers. Maybe its time you considered raising your prices. 1. You havent raised your prices in a while. Are you still using those super-competitive 1970s prices? A year or two or five goes by quickly.  Its easy to forget that you need to revisit your pricing and consider upping it to meet current industry levels. You need to make a living in the 21st century, not the 20th. Your prices must reflect that. Of course, maybe you already know this but you hate to inform current clients of price increases because youre afraid to lose them, or dread their response. How do you go about raising prices and setting your minimum acceptable rate? Youll need information. Whats the going rate in your area for what youre doing? How much money do you need to live? What are your business expenses? How much work do you currently have? Is more available? Knowing your clients, how many do you think will go away after a price raise? How many will stay? Once you know the facts (with #4 being an educated guess), uniformly raise your prices to be competitive and contact all of your clients. Be careful about giving one client a deal and not another; word gets around. Consider this strange thought: sometimes higher prices bring you into a new bracket of clients and can actually open doors for you that your lower prices would not. Mistake 1: You havent raised your prices in the past two years. 2. You are overloaded and overwhelmed with work. Youre working more than you ever did andmaking less. You could write a magazine article for $500 or you could write 25 blog posts for $20. While the magazine article will take hard work, it is one project, one client, one deadline, and one (if you want to think of it this way) headache. 25 blog posts means 25 deadlines, 25 clients, and a lot more management time as well as topics you need to write about. Its your choice: take every little low-priced piece of work that comes your way, or draw a line in the sand as a standard that you wont go below and stick by it. And that line? It has to be a livable line, i.e. enough money to live off of with a reasonable amount of time left for enjoying life. Mistake 2: Youre working more, but earning less. 3. Your clients dont even attempt to negotiate. Were not saying you should pick prices that are high enough to make your clients stop breathing when you announce them, but if you notice that your prices dont even make them pause and try to negotiate, maybe youre aiming too low. Negotiation isnt a sign that someone thinks youre trying to rip them off and that they need to get your pricing back in line. Instead, its a sign that they actually want your product, and are willing to do a little work to see if they cant get it on their terms. Negotiation is sometimes the sign of someone sticking around, not someone leaving. Dont set prices low so as to avoid negotiation. Set them higher to be in a better position for it. Mistake 3: Your clients dont attempt to negotiate. 4. Youre satisfied with less money and think exposure will pay the bills. Well sure, money sounds great. But if you lower the bar so that we can only pay you $10 dollars for your magazine article but youll get exposure doesnt raise alarm bells, you arent going to be freelancing for long. Youll be working a regular job and writing on the side. Small (or no) payment writing is often tagged with the promise of exposure. What is the price on that? Can you put exposure in your savings account? Evaluate just how valuable exposure is, and if the exposure a client promises can actually benefit you. Freelance writing will cover many topics. Many of the things youll write about will be wholly unrelated to each other, and to you as a writer. Exposure in that genre doesnt mean much. The clients audience probably doesnt care about you.  Is the audience of this client interested in finding a freelance writer, or are they interested in the topic? If its the latter, they dont care who you are and what you do, and never will. They are the clients fans, not your fans. Dont forget youre the hired pen. The client needs your output, not you personally. Letting their audience know about your output is a nice ego boost, but it wont bring much back to you. That sounds harsh, but when you are earning your living, you dont have time for ego boosts. Rethink how you think about money. Understand the difference between a pittance and a paycheck. Mistake 4: Youll take less money and bank on exposure to pay the bills. Your time has value. Stop giving it away for free. 5. You have yet to equate time with money. Time = money. You have limited time. You determine what that time is worth. If you dont understand this, youll never appreciate how those low-priced freelance projects are actually a loss, and not real income. Youll only make a success out of taking low-paying jobs if you never sleep and have discovered a 30-hour day. For the rest of us, we must look at projects not only in terms of the money, but the time it is going to take us to earn that money and if it is worth it. How much time do you need for your family? How much time do you need for yourself to recharge? How much time do you have available if youre working a part-time job? Its all an equation, and youd better do the calculations because your time is definitely limited. Itd be a shame to trade an hour for $15 when someone else would have given you $50. If you dont understand that time equals money, youll get to know sleep-deprived exhaustion well, and mistake it for earning a living. Mistake 5: You dont equate time with money. 6. You dont think youre an expert. Ever thought anything like this? Im not good enough to write about that. I dont know enough. That other writer probably knows more than I do. No one would care what I had to say. You think youre a fraud. In some ways, expertise is a form of confidence, not knowledge. It is always just beyond our reach, and that means we operate one step out of our comfort zone and have to gather the courage and confidence to project a landing on the other side. Maybe you cant write detailed magazine articles about brain surgery, but you can grab at those topics youd never considered that dont require specialist knowledge. That gap between what you comfortably know, and what you are supposed to produce, is often closed by research, practice, and a proven system involving drafts and editing. Take the small leaps and become an expert when you stick the landing. Thats how you keep growing as a writer. Mistake 6: You dont think youre an expert. 7. You prefer to be safe above anything else. Theres nothing wrong with being safe. Preferring safety above all else, though, means youll grab any low-paying job that floats by. Its money. You need money. Not having money is scary. Its safe to take on anything that brings in money.  Youd never consider turning down a chance to earn money, youd never gamble that something bigger and better is out there, because that is most certainly unsafe. I cant make promises and say that if you refuse the jobs that are priced to low, refuse the almost-free jobs that promise some form of exposure, that the Big One will land in your lap. It might not. Thats why its called a gamble: you sometimes take a chance and turn down those safe choices and set yourself up for the larger opportunities. Youll never land the Big One if you dont plan for it, and that planning wont happen when youre juggling endless low-paying jobs. Mistake 7: You prefer to be safe more than anything. 8. Youre terrified of confrontation. Youd rather do anything–ANYTHING–than deal with confrontation. But you know what negotiation is? Confrontation. And you know what asking for a livable rate is? Confrontation. Youre confronting the clients sincere desire to save money with your sincere desire to make a living. The best thing to do to get over being afraid of confrontation is to confront. You dont have to be aggressive, but letting your freelancing work be ruled by a fear of confrontation turns you into a doormat. Oh, how tempting it is for a client to use that fear of confrontation to get you to write a few extra draft ideas or give us some options or throw in a few hundred more words at the last minute before you get paid. Not all confrontation is angry, but it should be about fairness towards you and the client. And yes, some confrontation might lead to the end of a client account. Accept it and move on. Mistake 8: Youre terrified of confrontation. Learning to say no to clients is terrifying, but will help you get your work-life balance back. 9. The word no has yet to enter your vocabulary. Saying the word no is the only way youll keep your sanity, your health, and your abilities. Saying yes to everyone and every project is definitely going to lead to writer burnout and resentment. No, you dont have to take every project. No, being desperate is not always a good reason. No, you dont have time for that project though that doesnt mean the project isnt worthwhile for someone else. And  yes, its OK to ask to get paid some or all up front. Mistake 9: You dont know how to say no. 10. Your only goal is paying rent. What kind of goal do you have with your writing? Is it merely to cover this months bills, or to pay off debt that controls your life? Hopefully, you have something larger in mind for your lifes work. While you may not want to write down a comprehensive business plan, it certainly helps you to write down what you want to see happen with your writing, and then give it a timeline. For example,  if you have considerable debt or financial obligations that are driving you to take any and all jobs out of desperation, it might not hurt to get a side job for a while. Put debt reduction on the timeline and plan it out so you have an end goal to look forward to as you move on to the next step. Your writing should have a bigger goal than keeping you out of the hangmans noose. Hopefully, you want to achieve something more from your writing, such as being a published author with a book, or having a blog with X amount of daily traffic that you can live off of. Until you are out of the grip of financial terror, you wont even consider such goals and you wont take any steps to choose clients that can help you reach those goals. Youll take whatever you can get before the next bill is due. Your writing deserves to be more than insurance from debtors prison. Mistake 10: Your only goal is paying rent. 11. You are embarrassed to talk about yourself. Humility is in short supply these days, unfortunately, but when it comes to finding work and promoting yourself to a potential client, you need to be able talk about yourself realistically. For some people, talking about themselves, and talking themselves up is natural. But for some artists and writers (myself included), talking about your abilities in even mildly positive terms is very challenging because it feels like bragging. When asked, you dont have to say I am the greatest writer ever! but you should be able to say I have the experience and I can write this for you. If you find yourself quickly getting used to self-promotion, a word of caution: Dont over-promise and find yourself in a mess later because you actually dont have the chops to deliver what you promised. Be honest about what your abilities are. This includes things like: How quickly you can work. How many projects you can manage at once. What topics you are able to write on. Whether you can work with other writers or designers on a project. Technological capabilities. Do you know how youd answer if asked any of these? If not, this is a good time to take stock of what you can do, and be ready to answer confidently. Be confident, not cocky, about yourself. Theres no shame in that. Mistake 11: You are embarrassed to talk about yourself. 12. You think pricing is the only reason clients come back. A low price might be the only reason clients come back if their sole goal is saving a buck. (Do you really want those clients?) You forget that amazing service, fantastic writing, and an overall slice of awesome will trump cheap every time for clients worth your time. When you know you have the skills and the ability to deliver a great product, you can confidently ask for higher rates. And, when you deliver, your clients will have no problem the next time they come back for additional writing services. Clients who come back because you have cheap prices are clients that are going to make your life miserable. They arent there because of what you can do, theyre there because of what they plan to do. Theyre bean counters and are going to wring every last free drop out of you that they can. There is a strange inverse connection between the amount a client pays and the noise level they make. Clients that are at the level where they understand legitimate pricing also are professional enough to not bother or micromanage you. They trust your skills, as a professional. Cheap is cheap.

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example There is also political entrepreneurship which is a discipline involving the application of the entrepreneurial principles by politicians to benefit from the political arena. Intra-prerneurship is another form of entrepreneurship that entails the application of the entrepreneurial principles within the organization in order to transform the whole organization by changing the way things are done in that organization. Within the organization, an entrepreneur acts as an agent of change, seeking to change the status quo of the organization. The entrepreneurial activities involve changing the way the business is done through an introduction of new goods and services or new processes. It also entails the exploration of new sources of material for use in the production process as well as new combinations that gives quality products while minimizing on the costs incurred. Thus, entrepreneurship is about creating business efficiency and effectiveness. It involves the process of creation of new business entities or making the already existing ones more productive (Livingston, 2007 p45). My future ambition is to become an astute entrepreneur, establishing new business and making them more productive and profitable. This is in line with the entrepreneurial characteristics that I posses. The fact that I have discipline is a pathway towards enabling me become an entrepreneur. This characteristic is desirable for any one aspiring to become an entrepreneur, in that it determines the commitment that the individual will have towards the business they seek to establish or run. Even though capital and visionary objectives may count as necessities towards becoming a successful entrepreneur, they do not count as does discipline. Discipline ensures that individuals commit themselves to the business they want to start or the one they are heading, giving it all their efforts. It is this discipline that ensure that the entrepreneur do not give up trying when the business seems not to be performing as expected (Bailetti, 2012 p120). Further, discipline ensures that individuals takes responsibility, and are accountable for each of their activities. Without discipline, an individual would skip some of their duties and opt to indulge elsewhere, when they are not supervised or monitored by other people. It is discipline that guarantees individuals good leadership, which is a necessity for achieving success. To achieve team work, which is a necessity for success in any business undertaking, an individual needs to be disciplined. It allows them respect other members of their team and accept to be led by others without feeling as though they are the best in everything (Howkins, 2005 p11). High risk propensity is the other of my trait that can see me through my ambition of becoming an entrepreneur. This characteristic is desirable since the world of business is very dynamic, and some occurrences are never foreseen or anticipated until they occur (Duening, 2009 p66). It is difficult to adapt to market changes, if an individual lacks this trait in them. Risk taking prop ensity allows an individual to invest in a field that others consider inappropriate to commit their resources. A high risk taking propensity allows individuals to seek for resources to start businesses, when they are in shortage of such resources. If individuals

Is Learning a Skill so Necessary in Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Learning a Skill so Necessary in Life - Essay Example I will argue this statement, learning a skill does not necessarily mean understanding it. My essays have a consistency of the message that claims the clarity and logic of my reasoning (the logos rule) which enables me to impact my audience through a logical appeal. With these skills, it is comfortable to say that I am an excellent persuasive essay writer as going to be discussed. Usually, the statements that writers would tend to make to express themselves, there is always someone who had already made them better. I make sure that the quote is connected to the topic in some easily identifiable way. While writing I usually like to ask a question this is my favorite technique since it could be applicable to any topic at any time. Additionally, it has a strong rhetorical effect on readers: people are conditioned to think about questions because answers are often expected of them. When I ask a question in my essay, readers are more likely to consider my ideas. As of writing, I use attention catcher that makes my readers want to take their time making a good decision that supports my proposal and by doing this can persuade my audience immediately. The analogy that could be used to explain this is that of a criminal prosecutor in a criminal case. The attorney cannot just state that â€Å"There were some blood drops in the defendant’s car,† and finalize the argument. He has to provide more evidence as that is not sufficient to base an argument. Likewise, writers need to explain what their evidence shows to make the connection. I do not make the readers draw their conclusions; that is my job for example; â€Å"The West has always been perceived as the land for better opportunities by the rest of the world. The overwhelming population in most Asian countries especially in China force people to migrate to western countries especially the US.

Metamorphosis and the Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example for Free

Metamorphosis and the Yellow Wallpaper Essay Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper and Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis contain many similarities. They both have the common theme of the deterioration of the main characters life and mind, as well as the theme of the ostracism of outcasts in society. They also both deal with the main characters gaining a freedom through the demise of their previous lives. The woman in The Yellow Wallpaper is slowly deteriorating in mental state. When she first moves into the room in the old house, the wallpaper intrigues her. Its pattern entrances her and makes her wonder about its makeup. But slowly her obsession with the wallpaper grows, taking over all of her time. She starts to see the pattern moving, and imagines it to be a woman trapped behind the wallpaper. The total deterioration of her sanity is reached when she becomes the woman she imagined in the wallpaper and begins creeping around the room. Similar to the woman in Gilmans story, Gregor, in The Metamorphosis, watches as his life slowly deteriorates. He woke up one morning to find himself to have taken the shape of a bug. But early on he tried to continue in his normal activities; he focused on how he was going to make it to the train station so he did not miss his train, and how his employer would be upset with his absence from work. Then he begins to realize that he is a bug, and he cannot live his life the same way he used to. His sister begins to take care of him, and he loses touch with everything human that he used to know. His mother and father take away all of his furniture and other possessions. Gregors family come to the agreement that the bug must be eliminated, it was not

A Dialogue Paper on Human Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

A Dialogue Paper on Human Cloning This dialogue is between two students at the university. Steve is a little uncomfortable about cloning, while Sally presents many valid arguments in favor of it. Steve presents many moral questions that Sally answers. Steve: Hi, Sally. Are you aware that the Scottish embryologist, Ian Wilmut, cloned a sheep from adult cells, and now, there are many moral, economic, and political questions that must be answered. Sally: Interestingly enough, I was just reading about this topic in a magazine. I was amazed at the simplicity of the cloning process used by Dr. Wilmut and his colleagues. The process of cloning a sheep begins by taking the cells from the udder of an adult sheep, and placing them in a culture with few nutrients. The purpose of this is to starve the cells so that they stop dividing. This switches off the active genes. While they starve these cells, they take an unfertilized egg from a different ewe, and remove the nucleus from this unfertilized egg. Then, they place the unfertilized egg cell next to one of the original starved cells Steve: How do the two cells come together? Does it happen spontaneously? Sally: No, it does not happen spontaneously. An electric pulse fuses the two cells together. A second electric pulse makes the cell divide. After six days, Dr. Wilmut placed this embryo into a different ewe, and after a normal gestation period, the new baby sheep named Dolly was born. She was named after Dolly Parton. Steve: But cloning is not new. In 1952, researchers in Pennsylvania cloned a live frog. What makes Dr. Wilmut's achievement so special? Sally: Yes, it is true that a frog was cloned in 1952, but those scientists used an embryonic cell. Dr. Wilmut used an adult cell. Steve: What is the difference between using an embryonic cell and an adult cell? Sally: Embryonic cells are "undifferentiated." Undifferentiated cells have not gone through changes that make some cells into skin cells or muscle cells or brain cells, for example. Undifferentiated cells can become any cell in the body because it can activate any gene on any chromosome, but as cells develop, the DNA of certain cells fold in particular ways making large portions of the DNA inaccessible. This makes sure that the wrong genes do not get turned on at the wrong time or in the wrong place.

Leadership Development Report Essay

Leadership has a paramount importance in the business world. It is not about a position, but how a person can influence others in creating and working towards that common organisation’s goal, and to create meaning in the works that we do. This report begins with the servant leadership framework that covers what I value in leadership. Also included in this report are the self-assessments that measure my leadership potential and competencies. This report also covers the issues associated to the industry I have chosen to work in and address my person-specific issues. II. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL (175) Definition servant leadership Servant leadership is a type of leadership where the leader does order to be served; but focus on serving their followers in order to assist and guide them into more useful and satisfied people. This theory emphasize on the creation of moral purpose for leaders. It focuses on the impact that they leave on other people’s life to measure their greatness. Characteristics of servant leadership The servant leadership theory consists of ten key characteristics. These characteristics are; listening intently, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community. (Miller, Skringar, Dalglish & Stevens, 2012) Why servant leadership? My concept of leadership is someone who is able to influence their followers through inspiration, empower them to realize their undiscovered true potential, and bring meaning to their life. In addition, I believe that a leader needs to be able to listen to their follower’s need in order to put the will of the group above their own will on the group. I strongly uphold the need for empathy in my leadership concept, because I believe that a leader must be able to put themselves in their follower’s shoes and perceive things through the eyes of their followers in order to gain understanding from different perspectives and to empower the followers to bring out their passion and thus bring forward their fullest potential in making a meaningful work. As mentioned by a successful leader – Fred A. Mansk Jr, â€Å" The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.† Therefore, I find Servant Leadership as the most suitable framework for my leadership plan. III. Diagnosis of Strength and Weaknesses To support the diagnostic process and to provide the information on my leadership strengths and weaknesses I am using the information from two personality tests; Carl Jung’s and Issabel Briggs Myer’s Typology Test and a standardized emotional intelligent (EI) test. Self Assessments Carl Jung’s and Issabel Briggs Myer’s Typology Test Carl Jung’s and Issabel Briggs Myer’s Typology Test is a psychometric assessment designed to measure the preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions based on their psychological preference. The aim of this test is to help people to have a better understanding of themselves, by understanding their strengths, weaknesses, possible career preferences and their preferred approach when interacting with others. This test puts one into four letter categories, where each letter stands for a specific personality type. (Briggs, Myers, 1998) After undertaking this typology test, I was classified under INFJ (Introvert, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging) typology. Firstly, introversion displays a characteristic that is reserved and highly private. This goes in line with my personal characteristic as I look within for meaning and understanding. Secondly, intuition indicates an emphasis on abstract ideas and focusing on the meaning of the bigger picture rather than solid details. Feeling focuses mainly on personal concerns and emotional perception rather than the logical and objective facts. Judging describes about the need to have control by planning, organizing and making decisions as soon as possible because of INFJs’ deep attention on the future. INFJ type is described as having the strengths of being determined and passionate, altruistic, decisive, insightful, creative, inspiring and convincing. Dr. Dranitsaris stated that INFJ leadership style is quiet and influencing. INFJ leaders often lead by inspiring and motivating people with their ideals, working hard to gain the cooperation of others rather than demanding it. In a business context, INFJ leaders also tend to genuinely care about the people and how happy they are with their job. (Dranitsaris, 2009). This describes the traits considered as strengths of the INFJ type: that of being warm, altruistic and passionate. The main motive for every work done is not focused centrally on gaining personal benefit but for the greater good of the broader society; to find value and purpose for every tasks. Also, INFJs are described to be deeply concerned about their relations with people and how it links to humanity. (Heiss, Butt, 1996) These are the strengths I believe I possess in myself and these characteristics go in line with the framework of servant leadership as explained previously. However, the very strong need to have a cause for every work done can serve as a weakness for INFJ. This is because it can become difficult to maintain the drive and energy to complete works when I am not able to derive any deeper purpose or relate the objective of the work to a worthy goal. The complexity INFJ is further seen with the tendency to be idealistic. When objectives are not in line with a meaningful goal, INFJ will incline to grow restless and demotivated overtime. This will affect the effort and end result. The result may deviate from the targeted aim which becomes a conflict with the need for perfection. These weaknesses are worsen with the reserved nature of INFJ which may trigger unexpressed internal conflicts. Emotional Intelligent Test (EI) Emotional Intelligent test, on the other hand is a psychological test which allow an individual to identify their social skills that facilitate their interpersonal behavior. It identifies one’s capacity for goal-oriented adaptive behavior. It focuses on the aspects of intelligence that govern self-knowledge and social adaptation. Below are the results that I have attained from this self-assessment: Strengths Potential Strength Weaknesses – doing well in the area of emotional understanding – chose good forms of resolution for others conflict situations on the test – empathetic – socially insightful – driven towards self-development – healthy approach in resolving conflict situations – doing reasonably well in the area of emotional identification, perception, and expression – act in accordance with your values – lacking in self-motivation – not very assertive – need to strengthen self-esteem – further development needed in personal resilience/hardiness. These strengths indicate that I possess some of the traits that are needed to display the characteristics of a good servant-leader. IV. Industry-Specific Issues Looking into the Hospitality industry, specifically Airlines, I will use Singapore Airlines as a basis of my evaluation. The extent of superior service is paramount for it to establish itself. In order to deliver the standard of service the company has set for itself, it requires highly passionate and motivated employees. One of the elements that contribute to the success of Singapore Airlines is its human resource that highly regards contribution of creative ideas in which rewards are later given. (Singh, 1984) To be passionate, to inspire and to encourage innovation are strengths found in INFJs that match with the traits of Servant Leaders who encourages and motivates the followers to making a meaningful and effective work efforts. V. Person-Specific Issues Gender, age and culture are important aspects to be considered in shaping one’s leadership development. Being someone coming from Asia, the idea of women becoming a leader will face cultural constraints. In the context of organization, becoming a female leader will be more challenging than the male counterpart because there is a strong notion whereby men are born to lead and women to follow or serve and men hold the leadership positions. (Carly, Eagly, 1999). This is still present in the traditional Asian culture. Even to the eyes of the followers, the figure that is seen to be capable of leading goes to male gender. The masculinity possessed becomes a symbol of strength and competency. (Schein, 2001) Instructions led by female leaders are more likely to be followed because of the idea of obedience to authority rather than being influenced through inspiration. The gender-bias corporate culture becomes a huge obstacle in making use of servant-leadership framework as a female. This gender bias is still evident in many office settings of Japanese corporations whereby higher ranking positions are given mostly to male; and in fact Japan seeing a near zero resemblance between women and managers. (Schein, Mueller, 1992) Besides that, age also becomes an issue in determining the level of experience of a professional. Younger age typically indicates limited exposure to the various real-life experiences and this may affect the extent of wisdom in making judgments. VI. Timeframe and Evaluation Plan The weaknesses based on the self-assessments are used to develop my leadership goals and the Michigan Leadership Competency Model serves as a tool to categorize the goals set and the timeframe for the plan. Time Frame Self-Developmental Goals Self-Management Conceptualization Servant leaders seek to nurture their abilities to dream great dreams; not just consumed by achieving operational goals. To develop characteristic and thinking process encompass broader-based conceptual thinking require discipline and practice. Leading Others Influencing/Persuasion Servant leaders seek to persuade and convince others through inspiration rather than coerce compliance. This requires a level of confidence, personal drive and energy to be emulated to the followers. As represented in one of my weaknesses from the self-assessment, I lack in self-motivation, self-esteem and assertiveness. These characteristics need to be developed in order to gain enough personal power to lead and guide others. Innovation Creativity Creativity is one of the key characteristics of servant leaders. Also, the hospitality industry takes great importance in areas of innovation to stay competitive and relevant. This is a characteristic that continually needs to be fostered and developed. Social Responsibility Ethically Social Servant Leadership highlights the importance of leading for the greater good for a deeper moral purpose. This emphasizes the need for moral awareness and ethical conducts when leading. This can be done by participating more in charitable or environmental causes which aim in improving social welfare of the broader society. Such participation allow exposure and knowledge-gaining. Evaluation by Multi-Step Action Plan 1 year Completing Bachelor of Business Degree 3 years Employment in Airline as Flight Attendant to gain exposure to new experiences, ethical conducts and ideas and insight knowledge on providing service in hospitality industry (Innovation & Social Responsibility) 2 years Further study on Master of Hospitality Management to broaden conceptual thinking process. This also help to gain self-esteem and improve on the ability to influence (Conceptualization & Influencing) Working in Management VII. Industry Leader Input Previously I focused my goals only on the trait developments. This was difficult measure because characteristics can only be proven once I’ve been put on the position to be a leader in a group. There was no tangible achievement to evaluate the success of my goal planning. Therefore, through his suggestion, I modified my goal timeframe by adding a multi-step action plan that cover the length of time to achieve each target. For example, the employment in an Airline industry will help me garner new experiences, perspective and practice discipline in work ethics. Feedback on my work performance from supervisors can serve as a form of evaluation. Also, the attainment of higher qualification will allow me to gain broader and deeper knowledge on the industry through research. The exposure and experience may help me to develop a stronger leadership characteristic and further evaluation can be done through taking re-test for EI. Wordcount: 1,509 words (Excluding References, Appedices, Headings & Tables) VIII. Appendices 1. Michigan Leadership Competency Model Leadership Assessment Report Scores range from 1 to 6, with 1 indicating that you rated yourself low on that competency and 6 indicating that you rated yourself high. Introverted iNtuition Introverted intuitives, INFJs enjoy a greater clarity of perception of inner, unconscious processes than all but their INTJ cousins. Just as SP types commune with the object and â€Å"live in the here and now† of the physical world, INFJs readily grasp the hidden psychological stimuli behind the more observable dynamics of behavior and affect. Their amazing ability to deduce the inner workings of the mind, will and emotions of others gives INFJs their reputation as prophets and seers. Unlike the confining, routinizing nature of introverted sensing, introverted intuition frees this type to act insightfully and spontaneously as unique solutions arise on an event by event basis. Extraverted Feeling Extraverted feeling, the auxiliary deciding function, expresses a range of emotion and opinions of, for and about people. INFJs, like many other FJ types, find themselves caught between the desire to express their wealth of feelings and moral conclusions about the actions and attitudes of others, and the awareness of the consequences of unbridled candor. Some vent the attending emotions in private, to trusted allies. Such confidants are chosen with care, for INFJs are well aware of the treachery that can reside in the hearts of mortals. This particular combination of introverted intuition and extraverted feeling provides INFJs with the raw material from which perceptive counselors are shaped. Introverted Thinking The INFJ’s thinking is introverted, turned toward the subject. Perhaps it is when the INFJ’s thinking function is operative that he is most aloof. A comrade might surmise that such detachment signals a disillusionment, that she has also been found lacking by the sardonic eye of this one who plumbs the depths of the human spirit. Experience suggests that such distancing is merely an indication that the seer is hard at work and focusing energy into this less efficient tertiary function. Extraverted Sensing INFJs are twice blessed with clarity of vision, both internal and external. Just as they possess inner vision which is drawn to the forms of the unconscious, they also have external sensing perception which readily takes hold of worldly objects. Sensing, however, is the weakest of the INFJ’s arsenal and the most vulnerable. INFJs, like their fellow intuitives, may be so absorbed in intuitive perceiving that they become oblivious to physical reality. The INFJ under stress may fall prey to various forms of immediate gratification. Awareness of extraverted sensing is probably the source of the â€Å"SP wannabe† side of INFJs. Many yearn to live spontaneously; it’s not uncommon for INFJ actors to take on an SP (often ESTP) role. References Briggs, K. C., & Myers, I. B. (1998). Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Palo Alto, CA. Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). The Servant as Leader. Business Leadership: A Jossey-Bass Reader. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Miller, Skringar, Dalglish & Stevens, (2012) Leadership and Change Management. 1st ed. Prahran VIC Australia: Tilde University Press. Maxwell, J. C., & Dorvan, J. (1997). Becoming a Person of Influence: How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Schein, V.E. (2001) A global look at psychological barriers to women’s progress in management. Journal of Social Issues. 57, pp. 675-688. Schein, V.E., & Mueller, R. (1992). Sex role stereotyping and requisite management characteristics: A cross cultural look. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 13, pp. 439-447. Carli L.L., Eagly A.H. (1999). Gender effects on influence and emergent leadership Powell G.N. (Ed.), Handbook of gender and work, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, pp. 203–222 Soo Min Toh, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli (2012) Cultural constraints on the emergence of women as leaders. Journal of World Business, Vol. 47, Issue 4, pp. 604-611 Karmjit Singh (1984). Successful strategies—The story of Singapore Airlines (SIA) Long Range Planning, Vol.17, Issue 5, pp. 17-22 Dranitsaris, A., (ed.) 2009, Personality Type and Leadership Behaviour: Jung’s Typology for the Workplace, e-book, accessed 25 April 2013, Central Michigan University, 2004, Leadership Competency Model, accessed 20 April 2013, < http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/leader_model/CompModel/EDUMAIN.htm > Heiss, M.M, Butt, J.,1999, INFJ, Typelogic, accessed 25 April 2013, HumanMetrics Jung’s Typology Test INFJ, 2012, accessed 25 April 2013,

Project submitted in partial fulfillment Essay

Declarations I declare that the material contained in this project is the end result of my own work and that due acknowledgement has been given in the bibliography and references to ALL sources be they printed, electronic or personal. Abstract The current research is an investigation of contemporary literature on product placement and validating these against the results of the survey herein used. The latter involved 100 international students who are also movie-goers. Product placement has been investigated in terms of its benefits to its benefits before moving on to its history and how it has become to what it is today. The different facets of product placement were assessed in terms of its impact on movie goers. Moreover the current study made use of a questionnaire as a means of data gathering. The respondents have been randomly selected, and made to answer a product placement questionnaire focusing on the movie Transformers. The results of the survey suggest that product placement is an effective form of advertising regardless of its form. In addition, since the movie has longer life span than other types of advertisements, this makes product placement more desireable and more effective. Just in the case of this paper, a study of the movie Transformers reveal that indeed, many of those who were surveyed has seen the movie. Perhaps they have seen it in movie theatres. But even if its already not yet showing, some were still able to see it since it is available in other forms such as DVD and VCD. Most of the respondents were still able to recall one of the main characters in the movie – Bumblebee – suggesting that it is able to increase brand recall. When most of them say they would buy the brand they recalled and only very few said they wouldn’t because they do not trust the brand, it can therefore be said that indeed, product placement is very effective. In conclusion, product placement is an effective means of encouraging recall and raises the probability of an actual purchase. List of Tables    Table 4-1:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: Have you seen the movie â€Å"Transformers?† Table 4- 2:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: If you haven’t seen Transformers, to what extent are you familiar with it? Table 4-3:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: What type of car is autobot bumblebee? Table 4-4:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: What type of car was the evil decepticon police car? Table 4-5:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: Suppose you have no financial restrictions (i.e., you can buy any car   you want), rate the probability of you choosing the following car? Table4- 6:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: Name a brand you have seen in the movies recently. Describe how it was shown. (e.g. worn by a villain, advertised on film, actually used on film, you saw the logo) Table 4-7:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: How vividly can you remember the details of this brand? Table 4-8:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: How did this brand appear in the movie? Table 4-9:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Responses on Question: Was this brand at the center of the story? Table 4-10:   Ã‚   Responses on Question: Was there audio and visuals associated with this brand? Table 4-11:   Ã‚   Responses on Question: How long was its duration on screen? Table 4-12-1: Responses on Question: Did you actually purchase the brand? Table 4-12-2: Responses on Question: What could be the possible reason for not purchasing the brand which you purchased? Table 4-13:   Ã‚   Responses on Question: Did you notice anything new product from this brand after you have watched the movie in the billboards and TV commercials? Table 4-14:   Ã‚   Do you think you would have noticed it if you hadn’t watched the movie? Table 4-15:   Ã‚   How much did you enjoy the movie? Table 4-16:   Ã‚   Do you think advertising using product placement works

Women Celebrities of World War II

Women Celebrities of World War II With the 20th centurys movie industry making many women (and men) into well-known celebrities, and the star system extended into other fields such as sports as well, it was only natural that some stars would find ways to use their celebrity to support the war effort. The Axis Actress In Germany, Hitler used propaganda to support his war effort. Actress, dancer, and photographer Leni Riefenstahl made documentary films for the Nazi Party during the 1930s and Hitlers consolidation of power. She escaped punishment after the war after a court found that she was not herself a Nazi party member. Acting Allies In America, films and plays promoting participation in the war and anti-Nazi films and plays were also part of the overall war effort. Women actresses played in many of these. Women also wrote some of them: Lillian Hellmans 1941 play, The Rhine, warned of the rise of the Nazis. Entertainer Josephine Baker worked with the French Resistance and entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East. Alice Marble, a tennis star, secretly married an intelligence operative and when he died, was convinced to spy on a former lover, a Swiss banker, suspected of having records of Nazi finances. She found such information and was shot in the back, but escaped and recovered. Her story was told only after her death in 1990. Carole Lombard made her final film as a satire about the Nazis and died in a plane crash after attending a war bond rally. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared her the first woman to die in the line of duty in the war. Her new husband, Clark Gable, enlisted in the Air Force after her death. A ship was named in Lombards honor. Perhaps the most famous pin-up poster in World War II showed Betty Grable in a swimsuit from the back, looking over her shoulder. The Varga Girls, drawn by Alberto Vargas, were also popular, as were photos of Veronica Lake, Jane Russell, and Lane Turner. Fundraising In New Yorks theater world, Rachel Crothers started the Stage Womens War Relief. Others who helped to raise funds for war relief and the war effort included Tallulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, Lynn Fontaine, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Hedy Lamarr, Gypsy Rose Lee, Ethel Merman, and the Andrews Sisters. Giving Back To the Troops The USO Tours or Camp Shows which entertained troops in the US and overseas drew many women entertainers, too. Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, the Andrews Sisters, Ann Miller, Martha Raye, Marlene Dietrich, and many lesser-knowns were ​a  welcome relief for the soldiers. Several all-girl bands and orchestras toured, including the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, one of the rare racially-mixed groups.

Harriet the Spy - Controversial Classic Childrens Book

Harriet the Spy - Controversial Classic Children's Book Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh has delighted kids and outraged some adults for more than 50 years. Spying is a serious business that requires concentration, patience, and an ability to think fast and write faster. Meet Harriet M. Welsch, 11-year-old girl spy and irreverent rebel. Fitzhugh’s classic novel Harriet the Spy, first published in 1964, introduced realism in the form of a flawed main character to an unsuspecting audience. Controversial and charismatic, Fitzhugh’s Harriet was a revolutionary personality bound to stir up dynamic discussion. The publisher recommends the book for ages 8-12. The Story Harriet M. Welsch is an 11-year-old sixth grader with a vivid imagination, a bossy attitude, and a freakish ability to hide in one spot for hours while observing her targets. The only child of a well-to-do New York couple, Harriet lives with her parents, a cook and a nurse named Ole Golly. She has two best friends, Sport and Janie, who are used to Harriet’s take-charge attitude and play along with her imaginary games. Although independent in her spy adventures, Harriet is a girl who depends on routine. Each day follows a schedule including coming home after to school for cake and milk before she takes off on her spy route. After school, she puts on her spy gear and canvases the neighborhood. Whether hanging out in a dark alley listening to the Dei Santi family, clinging to a window ledge to spy on Mr. Withers and his cats, or wedging herself tightly into a dumbwaiter to hear Mrs. Plumber’s theatrical phone calls, Harriet will wait for hours to hear something she can write down in her precious notebook. Life is neat and predictable for Harriet until the day she discovers that Ole Golly has a boyfriend! Dependent on Ole Golly for stability and routine, Harriet is distraught when the nurse announces that she’s getting married and leaving Harriet to start a new life in Canada. Harriet, shaken by this change in routine, focuses more on her spying and writes copious hateful notes about friends and neighbors. Meanwhile, she is fighting with her parents and finding it difficult to concentrate in school. Her troubles come to a head during a game of tag when she realizes her spy notebook has fallen into the hands of her classmates. The classmates’ revenge combined with Harriet’s personal world upheaval put into motion a roller coaster of disastrous events. Author Louise Fitzhugh Louise Fitzhugh, born October 5, 1928, in Memphis, Tennessee, did not have an ideal childhood. Her parents divorced when she was two and she was raised by her father who funded her attendance at Hutchins, an elite all-girl boarding school. Fitzhugh attended college to study painting and started her career as an illustrator. Harriet the Spy, which she also illustrated, debuted in 1964. Louise Fitzhugh died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm at the age of 46 in 1974. In addition to Harriet the Spy, Fitzhughs Nobodys Family is Going to Change, a realistic novel for middle-grade readers 10 and up, remains in print. (Source: Children’s Literature Network and Macmillan) Controversy Harriet M. Welsch is not only a girl spy; she’s a girl spy with spice and that type of character didn’t find favor with some parents and teachers. Besides being brash, self-centered and prone to throwing full-blown tantrums, Harriet was not the polite demure spy like Nancy Drew with whom most readers were familiar. Harriet cursed, talked back to her parents, and didn’t care that her words were hurtful. According to the NPR feature â€Å"Unapologetically Harriet, the Misfit Spy, the book was banned and challenged by many parents and teachers who felt Harriet was a poor role model for children because she exhibited delinquent tendencies. Harriet, the early critics argued, didn’t spy, but rather gossiped, slandered, and hurt other people without feeling sorry about her actions. Despite the early controversy, Harriet the Spy was listed as #17 on the list of Top 100 Children’s Novels in a 2012 poll of School Library Journal readers and is considered a landmark novel in realistic children’s literature. Our Recommendation Harriet isn’t exactly a paragon of virtue. Spying on her neighbors and friends, writing down mean and hurtful comments, she doesn’t seem truly sorry for her words or actions. Today these characteristics in a fictional children’s book character are not atypical, but in 1964 Harriet was unrivaled as a snarky character who was unafraid to speak her mind or talk back to her parents. Children’s book expert Anita Silvey, who included Harriet the Spy in her book 100 Best Books for Children, describes Harriet as a solid character who stays the same. She doesn’t metamorphose into a nice little girl who is deeply repentant for the harm she’s inflicted. Instead, she’s learned to be a bit more tactful in expressing herself. Harriet is a rebel, and it’s easy to believe that she’s a real person because she stays true to herself. Harriet the Spy is an engaging book for reluctant readers as well as for readers who enjoy stories with unique characters who think and speak outside the box. We recommend this book for readers ages 10-up. (Yearling Books, an imprint of Random House, 2001. Paperback ISBN: 9780440416791) The 50th Anniversary Edition In honor of the 50th anniversary of the 1964 publication of Harriet the Spy, a special hardcover edition was published in 2014, with a number of special additions. These include tributes by a number of well-known childrens authors, including Judy Blume, Lois Lowry, and Rebecca Stead and a map of Harriet’s New York City neighborhood and spy route.  The special edition also includes some of the original author and editor correspondence. Edited by Elizabeth Kennedy, Childrens Books Expert

Management of IT, Radio Frequency Identification Essay

Management of IT, Radio Frequency Identification - Essay Example RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification which is a very effective and modern system of finding and identifying objects or even organisms. RFID has a lot of uses and is applied to various fields such as criminology, law enforcement, office application etc. It works by 'tagging' and object with either a passive or active tag which can be identified by a RFID reader using radio waves. The tags are powered by the RFID receiver and are only activated when the tag is in range of the receiver. An RFID tag consists of a data sequence encased in the tag housing and is responsible for the identification of the object. The identification sequence starts when the RFID tag comes within the range of the receiver. The receiver will then pick up the tag's signal and decode it for reference. The RFID receiver will then refer the tag's data to its database to verify the identity of the tag's wearer. Once the tag's data (example: the location of the object, time of verification etc.) is processe d and the identity of the object is verified, then the data can be complied in to a larger data set and can be later passed on or processed by another RFID application.(RFiDa.com, n.d.). Figure 1: "This diagram explains the basic schematic of all RFID systems.The Tag or Transponder can be either active or passive. It responds to a signal from the Interrogator (reader/writer/antenna) which in turn sends a signal to the Computer" (High Tech Aid, 2006b). An RFID tag is basically composed of an IC. The IC has a small built-in memory (memory type for an IC is usually ROM or Read Only Memory) capacity and may be equipped with a small processor. The tag communicates with the receiver via air interface, with... This essay approves that the biggest advantage and also the most efficient use seen for RFID system is its potential use in electronic product surveillance. RFID systems avoid the old point-to-point tracking system and instead have the ability t track the product at any point in the merchant operation. RFID tags also make product to product communication possible and even automated product shelves that signal the supervisor when it needs refilling. Human product supervision is still necessary but effort is significantly reduced through the use of RFIDs. This report makes a conclusion that Radio Frequency Identification is yet another one of mankind’s attempts at making life a little more convenient. In its service RFID proves to be a very efficient and effective electronic medium not just for identification and security but for other applications as well. The controversy behind the use of RFIDs is based upon future assumptions and thus far the system is proves to be very limiting and specific for it to be used as a type of wide range surveillance method. Like any other wireless device RFIDs are still not very much accepted today but it may become as common as mobile phones or personal computers in the future. Already, manufacturers and researchers are working hand-in-hand in improving the characteristics of RFID technology such as range, processing power, data storage etc. The fear of losing one’s privacy and the tampering of personal data with the use of RFIDs have no scientific basis and it is best to think that howe ver sophisticated RFID devices can get, they will still be hampered by physical limitations as well as laws and regulations that will determine the scope of their use.