Domestic Violence Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence Essay Before I answer to this question, let me tell you a short story. Her friends describe Maria â€Å"as the perfect girl†. She is beautiful, she is working and she has many friends. However, Maria has many problems in her family. Her father is alcoholic and he is not working to feet his family. So, Maria and her mother are doing two or three jobs each in order to earn enough money to survive. Her father was hitting her and her mother almost everyday. One day one of Maria’s friends that know what it was happening report this situation to the police in order to help Maria. When the police ask Maria if she believes that there are any signs of Domestic Violence in her family, her answer was just like that â€Å"Of course not, no one rape me or my mother or my little brother.† I am here to talk you about Domestic Violence and specifically what it is, how common it is and some basic signs of identifying it in everyday life. In 1993 the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) Report on Domestic Violence used the following definition: â€Å"any form of physical, sexual or emotional abuse which takes place within the context of a close relationship. In most cases, the relationship will be between partners (married, cohabiting, or otherwise) or ex-partners†. So domestic violence can affect many aspects of someone’s life. It is more likely to acts against women more than men. Crime survey found that 45% women and 26% men had experienced at least one incident of inter – personal violence in their lifetimes. This means that women affected almost twice as much than men. Domestic violence is repetitive, life – threatening and can destroy the lives of women, children and men. I will be concentrating on how common is domestic violence nowadays. The association for domestic violence prevention in the family was founded in Nicosia on the 25th July 1990. The association is an non- profitable organization. An Administration Body of 9 members also administrates the association. The goals of the association are prevention of use in the family, immediate help to victims in the family, shetter to victims of family members and provide information and generate awareness of the public for the problem of domestic violence. According to the statistics 20% of the murders are due to family violence, generally speaking the police signify two events of domestic violence murders a year. In 2009 8 out of 19 murders are family-violence murders. 85% of murderers are men and 15% are women. 36% of victims are men and 54% are women. We have seen until know how common is domestic violence between sexes but it is very important to highlight some points that can help you to recognize an abusive act or relationship. All forms of domestic violence, psychological, economic, emotional and physical come from the abuser’s desire and control over other family members or intimate partners. Although every situation is unique, there are common factors that link the experience of an abusive relationship. Acknowledging these factors is an important step in preventing and stopping the abuse. This list can help you to recognize if you, or someone you know, are in an abusive relationship. Firstly, is the destructive criticism and verbal abuse like shouting/mocking/ accusing/name/calling verbally threatening. Secondly, the Pressure tactics like sulking; threatening to withhold money, disconnect the telephone; lying to your friends and family about you; telling you that you have no choice in any decisions. Thirdly, when they show to you disrespect for example putting you down in front of other people; not listening or responding when you talk; interrupting your telephone calls; taking money from your purse without asking. Also when breaking your trust, for example lying to you; being jealous and having other relationships. The most serious forms of domestic violence is the sexual and physical violence. Using force, threats or intimidation to make you perform sexual acts or having sex without want it. Punching, slapping, hitting, biting kicking and so on are part of the physical violence. Maria now, knows that the problems that she was having are fall in Domestic Violence. Now she can realize that rape is not only the main cause of it. She and her mother report her father in the police. But even though Maria she is never going to forget what it was happening to her all these years. Further to my analysis of what Domestic Violence is, how common it is and what are the basic signs of it I will show you once again which are the statistics about reported facts of Domestic Violence in the UK. 1. One call about Domestic Violence every minute†¦ 2. 1,300 calls each day†¦ 3. 570,000 every year†¦ After all now you know what Domestic Violence is. Next time you are asked what Domestic Violence is †¦., now you Know the answer.

Building Positive Relationships with Children

Building Positive Relationships with Children Jodi Allan Unit 3: Building Positive Relationships Task 1) All children deserve the best start in life, to be provided with endless support which will enable them to fulfill their potential and make the most of their individual talents and abilities as they continue to grow. Between birth to five years, children develop very quickly and their experiences through this time will have a major impact on their future. Enabling a happy, safe and secure childhood along with good parenting and high quality learning, all children will have the start they need for a successful future. The Childcare Act 2006 was introduced as a key piece of legislation and is the first ever Act to be exclusively for early years and childcare (which spans from birth to the 31st August that falls after the child’s 5th birthday). This means that all pre-school childcare providers, including reception classes in primary schools, are all governed by this Act. The legal requirements for any of those operating within the child care setting are in the Ofsted publication , ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage’ which sets out the learning and development requirements, welfare requirements, all legal requirements as well as the legal adult to children ratios. The law requires specific duties to be carried out by various authorities, including: Providing an information service for parents; Providing training and advice for providers of child care; Providing working parents with child care as required; Achieving a reduction in equalities in children ages 0-5 through close work with Job Centre Plus, associated partners and the NHS; Providing positive outcomes for any child at risk of poverty; Bridging the inequalities that may exist between children, with particular reference to deprivation. Learning and Development Requirements must be provided by the child care provider and all staff operating under any child care provision and any diversity of children within that provision. All resources are available to providers to ensure everyone required to is able to meet the outcomes, no exceptions. â€Å"The Childcare Act 2006 provides for the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements to include these 3 elements: The early learning goals-the required knowledge, skills and understanding which young children should have acquired by the end of the academic year in which they reach the age of 5; The educational programmes- the matters, skills and processes which are required to be taught to young children within the provision; The assessment arrangements for assessing young children to ascertain their achievements†. The six areas covered under the learning goals are: Personal, Social and Emotional Development- A group activity such as Show and Tell encourages a child to speak in front of their peers and for other children to learn to respect and listen to each other. Understanding the World- If the provision has a large diversity of children, encouraging them to bring in something from their home that they are able to share with their peers, such as clothing or food, can help children explore and learn different aspects of their community. Physical Development- A fun outside game, such as an obstacle course for the children to participate in would be a perfect opportunity for them to develop movement and co-ordination, or simple dancing games such as ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’. Mathematics- Practicing counting, shapes and measures together as a group whenever possible is always a perfect opportunity, eg: How many apple slices can count on your plate? How many letters are in your name? Ensuring there are plenty of images around them for them to look and question over. Literacy- the provision has to ensure there are plenty of books and other reading materials around for children to explore whenever they want to. Group reading time is always positive and helping each child to recognise and write their own names. Expressive Arts and Design- plenty of opportunities for children to explore and express themselves, such as role play, creative media, dance, music, arts and crafts. Providing the right materials so they are available to children all the time is the best way to ensure they can express themselves this way whenever they want to. Task 2) Teaching children from an early age to respect and value individuality enables them to learn that these values are very important within their society and for their future as these values will enable them to be decent young adults. Children learn these values from early on by observing everyday situations and mimicking the adults they interact with. The child care setting should be a positive, safe place for children to learn this respect for one another and should be filled with positive images, toys and electronic equipment that promote individuality and diversity as well as a positive perception of the world around them. The child care setting can easily focus entirely on each individual child by devising a plan which helps promote each child’s individuality and includes the parents or carers to participate in this plan too. This also helps other children to watch and listen to their peers and learn to understand, respect and value each others individuality. This can be a à ¢â‚¬Ëœshow and tell’ chart or ‘achievement days’, where once a month, a child gets given a day where they can bring in anything from outside the child care setting that they have done to show and talk about to their child minder and peers, then after they are finished they are awarded a sticker to put onto the chart next to their name. Name of Child Date Activity Stickers Max 28/09/2014 Brought in yummy cakes that he helped make with his Polish Grandma Evie 30/09/2014 Brought in a beautiful painting she did over the weekend and told us about all of the colours that she used George 1/10/2014 Went on holiday to Spain and brought in photos for us to see! Task 3) Children need consistency and the earlier they are given this the better, as it will benefit their ability to learn about respect and also to distinguish from right and wrong, otherwise they could become very confused in situations when beginning to learn about the outside world. Consistent routines at home and their child care setting helps children to keep calm and feel safe, but . Children need to learn that all actions will have a consequence, whether it is good or bad. This helps the children with establishing good and bad behaviour skills and embedding this in their every day life will promote their knowledge as they grow older. Initially to promote positive behaviour in the child care setting, the aim is to help them to want to be consistent in their own positive behaviour themselves by rewarding such behaviour, slowly making the rewards smaller and then taking them away, this will begin to let them realize that behaving well creates a happier environment for them and their pe ers. This is always a simple and effective way to teach them to not want to behave in a negative manner. Sticker charts, books or handing stickers out are always a popular treat for rewarding children, as well as asking them what activity they would like to do next, or which book they would like to read with the class? High appraisal from staff and peers gives children a positive feeling about themselves and their positive attitude. Negative behaviour must also have consequences, such as time out, but it is also important to sit the child down and discuss the situation to ensure the child isn’t left feeling confused or alone. Talking in a calming tone and keeping eye contact whilst letting the child know how they have made others feel when they have behaved in a negative manner will not only help them want to make positive choices but they will begin to understand empathy as well. Task 4) Conflicts between children and adults are common, particularly within a child care setting. There are various triggers that can create conflict which are listed below, such as the child having unmet needs resulting in them craving extra attention from their parent or teacher which can easily build into a heated conflict. Children find it very hard to be selfless at such a young age and often only see their point of view and find it difficult to understand someone elses views in a conflict situation. Due to their lack of social skills, children can easily escalate a small argument, such as over a toy, into a harsher argument as they don’t have the necessary communication skills to solve a conflict in a positive manner. Some children having a lack of suitable role models can easily give children a biased view in ways in which conflict can be handled and this can be very difficult to mend. Another trigger that can affect conflict is that when children are tired or hungry it can h ave a very suppressing effect on their mood and they may engage in conflicting behaviour. Often at home or any child care setting, a parent or teacher intervenes and solves an argument. Sometimes it’s simple when the conflict is between children and their peers but sometimes a child can create conflict with an adult and dealing with this in a positive way can be very distressing for both the child and the adult, making any reasoning very difficult. Many behavioural Theorists have contrasting views when it comes to whether conflict has a positive or negative effect on a childs development. Some feel that conflict helps to shape a child’s social skills for when they become adults and that learning to solve conflicts in a positive way equips them with the skills to continue this skill in their adult lives. Behavioural Theorist B.F Skinners believes in the system of positive and negative reinforcements. His theory is that reinforcers are used to strengthen both positive an d negative behaviour and that humans of all ages respond to verbal operants such as taking advice, listening to the warnings of others and obeying given rules and laws. His theory suggests that without personally experiencing any negative consequences from disobeying, the child simply knowing what could happen when they decide to pursue negative behaviour will be enough for them to want to make positive choices instead. From this they can begin to learn from each incident for any future conflicts and they will want to repeat positive behaviour willingly. Ways of dealing with conflict in a positive manner could start with sitting down with the child and asking them questions about the conflict in question can make them feel like they do have a say in the situation, especially as some children find authority difficult. Letting a child know there is a positive solution to the conflict can calm them down and get them to sit down and think about the situation properly. Ask them what it i s they are feeling, â€Å"are you angry? But also feeling hurt because you have had to wait for me to come and play?† Tell them how the other person could also be feeling, â€Å"I’m sad that you shouted at me, because I didn’t mean to ignore you, but I was very busy with the rest of the children too.† Ask them what they would now like to do, which would be the best way for everybody, a way for both of you to fix the situation in a positive way for a positive outcome. This strategy can let children feel safe and confident, but they may also see that conflict can most definitely be solved in a positive way.

South Africa: Federal or Unitary?

South Africa: Federal or Unitary? Abgenia Rivoningo Hlophe South African Governing System Introduction The governing system of a country is a crucial component in understanding the manner in which the political sphere functions. This essay will examine the federal and unitary system of government and relate it one to South Africa. In this respect, this essay will focus on the key features of the systems. Notably, this essay aims to prove that the governing system of South Africa, despite having come to existence in 1909 with a constitution that was unitary (Welsh, 1994:243), is federal. However, an inclusion of the unitary system is mandatory for the sake of comparison. Federal and Unitary systems definitions and affirmative argument. Andrew Heywood defines the federal system of governance as a system where power is decentralized, meaning that the central and peripheral levels of government are sovereign (2013:381). He further emphasizes the statement that power is decentralized in a federal state by expanding on the concept of decentralization, reviewing its strengths, as the ability to encourage participation, responsiveness, legitimacy and liberty (Heywood, 2013:383). Adding to this assertion, Kenneth Newton credits the federal system for having many strengths that will make a country successful if it is utilized. He describes the federal system as a way to separate power and encourage consensus within the government (2010:60).Another advantage that he outlines is that the federal system provides the government with an opportunity to address the different needs of people irrespective of geographical location (2010:61). To contrast the federal system, Heywood speaks of the unitary system of government. In this system, power is centralized and there is only sovereignty of power in one authority (2013:385). Additionally, he draws attention to the fact that there are instances where power can be decentralized, which is when there are devolved assemblies (2013:386). Furthermore, the unitary system’s centralization of power has the advantage of having national unity, encouraging uniformity, equality and progress (Heywood, 2013:386). Also adapted from Newton’s dissertation, are the strengths of the unitary system. He writes that unitary systems having central government increases accountability and promotes more organized decision making and fairness (2010:112). With an understanding of the respective systems of government, it places one at an advantage to grasp how a country resembles a particular system, when looking at the key features of the system which follow. Key features associated with South Africa’s governing system. As priory stated, South Africa is a federal system. A federal system has certain characteristics and features which aid in the understanding of what it means for a country to be federal. The features are prescribed as the existence of a written constitution, two relatively autonomous levels of government, a constitutional arbiter and linking institutions (Heywood, 2013:384). Each of these features will be investigated and referred back to the South African context. Firstly, the existence of a written constitution. This is perhaps the most important feature. In any federal system, the constitution must be a formal written document that outlines how government works, the role of each section of government as well as the legislative framework. South Africa has a written constitution which is regarded as the ‘supreme law of the Republic† (South African constitution, 1996:08). Any law that that exists in South Africa must be justified in accordance with the constitution, otherwise it does not have any validity. The presence of a written constitution is vital to the classification of South Africa as a federal system, the constitution forms the foundation of the argument being presented. There are three levels of government namely the national, provincial and local government. Of these levels of government, two levels are â€Å"relatively autonomous† (Heywood, 2013:384). That means that the national and state government each have a certain range of power. In the constitution of South Africa it is clearly stipulated that the spheres of government are distinctive, interdependent, interrelated (South African constitution, 1996:40). It may appear to present a complexity to the initial definition, however when closely reviewed, the constitution says that the spheres are merely interdependent not that they don’t hold separate reins of power. In fact there is further evidence in the constitution to prove the decentralization of power, it states that the different spheres of government have legislative authority (South African Constitution, 1996:44). Indeed, the national and provincial level of government have power, they are only obligated to remain within the borders of the constitution. Also, the fact that all levels of government have a right to be represented in parliament through the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, shows that there is autonomous power because the procedure to get a law passed, is the same for both national and provincial government. Not only the abovementioned but the fact that each province has a legislature where there is a structure separate from national government and has the power to pass bills that affect the province without having to attain permission from national level. Of course, the bill would have to be constitutional but the fact that it can be implemented by provincial authority shows the decentralization (South African Constitution, 1996:82). Since South Africa places great emphasis on the Head of State, the laws implemented at national level, which are constitutional, are of the greatest authority. Even with that understanding, there are matters which the Head of State cann ot check such as the dispute between two provinces, or to suppress a rebellion or establish a productive impose (Molteno, 1896:40). Comparatively, critics might present the structure of the world’s largest economy and oldest federal system, the United States of America (USA) to dispute the claim made about South Africa being solely federal, on the basis that it does not have separate branches but rather it has levels of government that are interdependent. While that might appear plausible, John McCormick writes about how the USA is a unique federal system because of its set up but even so, there is â€Å"shared power, checked and balanced with one another† (2009:48). Another feature of a federal system is exposed, specifically, the presence of a constitutional arbiter. Heywood tells us that this is the formal undertaking of the constitution which is implemented by the Supreme Court and hereby has the authority to arbiter in the event of a dispute between the national and the provincial government (2013:384). Nowhere is this better outlined than in the South African constitution, the courts are independent and are accountable only to the constitution and the law, no entity can interfere with the courts (1996:84). Although the courts, whether being the high court or a magistrate’s court in a particular province, rule according to national legislation, it should not be mistaken as being under the national government. It complies with the constitution particularly, not with a certain level of government, therefore the provincial government cannot have its own laws in the magistrate’s court. Thereby adhering to its main characteristic of being a federal feature. Another interesting feature of a federal system, is the linking of institutions. An assertion by Heywood will be implored upon to understand this feature. He explains this as an effort to garner cooperation and understanding between the national and provincial government because these are the autonomous levels and the local government adheres to the provincial rule (2013:384). This is done through bicameralism, which in the South African context would be the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. Kenneth Newton raises an awareness of a weak and strong bicameralism, which means that one house is stronger than the other (2010: 113). Keeping this in mind, the South African parliament is made up of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces and they both participate in the legislative proceedings, however, there are some issues such as war and peace treaties, army and navy, currency and taxation (Molteno, 1896:118) which are left to national government, where the National Council of Provinces may not vote upon. From that we can say that South Africa has linking of institutions with a â€Å"weak bicameralism† system because the National Assembly is stronger than the National Council of Provinces. While the evidence seems to correlate with the claim that South Africa is a federal system, supporters of unitary systems many present the argument, that South Africa is unitary because the National government has a lot of power vested in it and there is a parliament. However this naysayer’s argument can be countered by David Welsh’s information that when South Africa began to function as a republic in 1909, there was a unitary system in place and the key players of the Inkhata freedom party who proposed federalist policy were attempting to strip the central government of power, which granted the constitution we have today, was a successful attempt (1994:243). This has been mentioned because it explains why South Africa has a parliament. Bearing in mind that South Africa used to be a British colony and as it is a widely recognized fact that, Britain is where the concept of a parliament started. This does not suggest that South Africa is unitary but rather there are remn ants of colonization which proved to be effective and were not eradicated. Conclusion This essay has defined as well examined the key features of a federal system without isolating the unitary system, and further related the features to South Africa. Based on the evidence of the presence of a written constitution, two autonomous levels of government, constitutional arbiter and linking of institution as well as decentralized power in the South African political sphere, it is with concrete knowledge that the initial stance, that South Africa has a federal system of government is found to be correct. Regardless of the presence of a parliament. South Africa evidently has decentralization of power and thus shows all the attributes of a federal system. Bibliography Heywood, A. 2013. Politics. United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. McCormick, J. 2009. Comparative Politics in Transition. Indianalopis: Cengage learning. Molteno, P. 1896. A federal South Africa. London: Sampson Law and Marston. Newton, K Van Deth, J. 2010. Foundations of Comparative Politics. South Hampton: Cambridge University Press. South African Government. (1996). South African Government. 9108-96. [Online] Available from www.gov.za/documents/constitution/9108-96.pdf . [Accessed: 03 March 2014]. Welsh, D. 1994. Evaluating federal systems. Cape Town: Jutaco.

How Our World is Changing :: essays research papers

As the title of this paper states, â€Å"How our World is Changing† our world is constantly changing. Our world changes everyday without most of us ever seeing or noticing any changes, but as we look back in history we can see some tremendous changes. As history is studied these changes become apparent and truly jump out and become real.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Out of all the changes in our history, some of the most significant changes that have made an impact include; women’s rights, civil rights and religion. Women and people of color have made several steps toward earning equal rights over the past forty years. World religions are as diverse as the individuals that participate in them. Women have had quite a few hurdles to get over since the 1950's. In 1958 the proportion of women attending college in comparison with men was 35 percent. (Friedan, 369) Women were supposed to be happy and content at home taking care of her family. In the late 1950's, many women began to feel they needed more, and so a movement was started. Women were drawn into the work place in the 1960's when the economy expanded and rising consumer aspirations fueled the desire of many families for a second income. By 1960, 30.5 percent of all wives worked and the number of women graduating from college grew. (Echols, 400) Women soon found they were being treated differently and paid less then their male co-workers. In the mid 1970's, cities began to have women applying for firefighter positions and by the late 1970's, cities began hiring women as firefighters. This was only a small victory for women. Dealing with the men in a male dominant department would be an even bigger struggle for women. (Seattle) A sexual harassment survey was conducted in 1995 with 551 women firelighters responded. The survey revealed that 88% of the women had experienced sexual harassment. 73% of the women stated they had been treated differently in negative ways, from their male co-workers. (Sexual Harassment) In 1999, a longer survey was given and the percentages increased when women were asked if they had experienced any sexual harassment. I have heard quite a few men say that women cannot do the job because they are not strong enough. Being a Firefighter today takes more brains then 20 years ago. The ability to be a clear thinker is one of the biggest assets a firefighter must have today.

Mother Teresa :: essays research papers

Matt Miller   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3-15-00 Mr. Thorp Morality Per. A Mother Teresa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mother Teresa was a powerful woman with her missions and countless acts of mercy. Powerful leaders in our world today should learn from Mother Teresa and her countless acts of mercy, which she performed. Often men and women in powerful positions misuse their strengths simply for their own personal benefit. Mother Teresa is a perfect example of a modern day saint. Through her love and guidance of Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa proves to be savior. Now if you compare Mother Teresa to some of today’s wealthy politics and the way they conduct themselves, you will see a great contrast between to two. Mother Teresa does not work out of the intent to profit but instead out of her love to help others, like no other women our society has seen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mother Teresa used her power of love from God to help those in desperate need. Mother Teresa didn’t get paid for anything she did nor would she except money from organizations or donations. It was not like Mother Teresa had an overwhelming amount of money but she was simply a person who devoted her entire life to serving others and helping those in need. Many people may not have noticed it, but all Mother Teresa had to do was touch a person and that was almost enough. She helped thousands of people in poor countries with ailing diseases, but most importantly see touched the souls of common men. She made even the rich and selfish take a deep look into their lives, which brought out the best in everyone. When one person can captivate the world as she could, it makes you realize how very important she really was. It was not always what she did, but rather how she conducted herself while doing it. For all the many deeds she did, she never once asked for anythin g in return. Most leaders today are very selfish and are only contributing to society when they feel it looks good for their image.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leaders such as Mother Teresa should be highly respected for their accomplishments. It is people like Mother Teresa who give us all a new meaning to life. She truly proved that one person can really make a difference in the lives of millions. Mother Teresa set examples for future generations to continue her work. This shows how much of an impact she truly had.

Acorn Industries Essay

It is the rare corporation that can recognizes the need to integrate its resources, policies, people, assets and procedures with changing business strategies. Rarer still is the organization that acts on this need. Yet, in today’s competitive global market, an integrated strategy is increasingly necessary. Given the speed with which change occurs in the global business environment, standard planning techniques and asset allocation methods have become woefully outdated. Indeed, achieving new levels of business sophistication is a never-ending process, requiring Acorn to rapidly a strategic organizational transformation to meet changing conditions. To effectively accomplish this transformation the company needs a system that provides continuous evaluation and improvement, ensuring effective use of both business (hard) and organizational (soft) assets. In particular, what is required is a balance and alignment between customer, organizational and business investment. In today’s market, organizations not taking such an approach run the serious risk of failing to meet the expectations of shareholders. The case of Acorn Industries highlights the lack of strong leadership, the need for a transformation in its organizational structure, the need for a balance scorecard system, the need for a programme manager and the effective operation and utilization of such a structure. Among the distinguishing characteristics of companies achieving sustainable shareholder value is that the management in these organizations constantly evaluates the key operational drivers of the business and, in response to changes in the business environment, strategically transforms the company’s resources among those drivers, whether they are in marketing and sales or in some area of production. This process must occur every time the business changes marketing strategies, experiences a merger, acquisition or spin off,  or moves to a new level of sophistication and globalization maturity. The result is a company experiencing an ongoing process of active, bottom line-oriented self-assessment and growth. When a company’s organizational and business assets are in alignment, adjustments occur naturally. For this alignment to occur, however, the business must measure its organizational and business assets differently than it did at previous levels of maturity. It also m ust be able to transform organizational assets rapidly to meet changing conditions. PROBLEMS AND CAUSES Many new projects implemented within organizations either partially or fully fail because the intervention does not adequately address the enabling environment within which the organization operates (UNDP, 1993). For example, Acorn tried to keep the commercial and government contracts separate. They were also managed as separate entities based on marketing and the resources from the functional departments. Any effort to diagnose and improve the performance of this organization requires an understanding of the forces inside and outside the organization that can facilitate or inhibit that performance (Savedoff, 1998). Enabling environments support effective and efficient organizations and individuals, and creating such environments is becoming an increasingly important aspect of developing this organization towards one that can operate on a programme organizational structure. The organizations natural resources, human resources, financial resources, infrastructure and technology together form what is call â€Å"capabilities.† They combine with rules and institutional ethos to create an enabling or inhibiting environment for organization’s growth and development. This point illustrates the overriding influence of rules and, as noted earlier, the interdependence of the various components of an enabling environment. Acorn embarked on launching ambitious programs to develop capabilities but neglected the importance of conducting a thorough institutional analysis. It involves mapping the institutional environment in terms of politics,  administrative capacity, culture, leadership, organizational structures, etc. in a manner that includes all stakeholders and measures their level of ownership and commitment to reform. Acorn had numerous projects underway with no formal project management process in place to effectively manage successful outcomes. They have not embraced programme management as the discipline to hold people accountable and execute the implementation of strategic change initiatives. Acorn had failed at the process to effectively manage all their projects. Projects emanate from the strategic plan, therefore to increase project success at the strategic level a process must be established to select and monitor projects and ensure projects and resources are in alignment with the strategic plan. For success to occur, synergy is required from all project participants at all levels. RECOMMENDATIONS Strategic leadership is associated with the organization’s vision, as well as with the ideas and actions that make the organization unique. It is the process of setting clear organizational goals and directing the efforts of staff and other stakeholders toward fulfilling organizational objectives (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1995). In essence, therefore, strategic leadership has to do with the organization’s ability to influence its internal and external stakeholders so that they will support organizational directions. Strategic leadership needs to empower its members to create the changes that are necessary for an organization to perform and survive (Byrd, 1987). It goes beyond simple planning, in that it creates ways of clarifying and obtaining organizational goals by looking within and outside the organization. It sets the stage for organizational action and the methodologies the organization will use to produce the results required. Thus, an organization’s strategic leadership involves developing ways of inspiring organizational members and stakeholders to perform in ways that attain the mission, while adapting to or buffering external forces. Strategic leadership consists of three main dimensions: leadership, strategic  planning and niche management: LEADERSHIP _Leadership is basically the process through which leaders influence the attitudes, behaviors and values of others towards organizational goals_ (Vecchio, 1995). Indeed, no one can deny its critical importance to the success of any organization, no matter where the organization is located or what it does. Salopek (1998) outlines four fundamental qualities of leadership, each of which has several specialized and associated competencies. These qualities relate to the ability to become and act as the following: Collaborators skilled at facilitating, coaching and fostering dialogue; Innovators skilled at visioning, championing and diffusing; Integrators skilled at organizing, improving and bridging; Producers skilled at targeting, improving and measuring. The need for leadership qualities is not restricted to executive senior managers, but extends to workers at all levels of the organization. Leadership exists at many places inside the organization, both formally and informally. Formal leadership, exercised by those appointed or elected to positions of authority, entails activities such as setting direction, providing symbols of the mission, ensuring that tasks are done, supporting resource development, and modeling the importance of clients. _STRATEGIC PLANNING_ Strategic planning entails formulating and implementing activities that lead to long-term organizational success. It is essentially a decision-making process that involves a search for answers to simple but critical and fundamental questions: What is the organization doing? How is it doing what  it does? Where should it be going in the future? What should it be doing now to get there? Strategic planning encompasses issues spanning the entire spectrum of the organization, from introspective questions of what the organization’s personality is or ought to be, to strategic operational issues connecting the focus on the future with work to do to move the organization forward. The strategic plan itself is a written document; setting out the specific goals, priorities and tactics the organization intends to employ to ensure good performance (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). Thus, strategic planning must typically include a scan of opportunities, threats and constraints presented by the environment. This means that the organization must repeatedly ask itself what potential or pending actions are likely to influence (positively or negatively) what it does and plans to do? How can the organization forestall or mitigate the negative influences, as well as take advantage of the potential opportunities? Another strategic issue for the survival of an organization is the acquisition of resources in the vital areas of funding, technology, infrastructure and personnel. Strategic planning must adequately pursue these resources by anticipating and capitalizing on opportunities in the external environment that might yield or support them. It also means predicting threats to organizational resources and intervening (politically, in general) to ensure that organizational performance and survival are safeguarded (Korey, 1995). This level of leadership and intervention generally transpires between the senior executive of the organization and the organization’s directors. Resource acquisition entails constantly being on the lookout to create opportunities that will augment the organization’s resources. For strategies to become operational, they need to be communicated, processed and revised according to feedback from stakeholders, both internal and external. All members of the organization need to work toward making the strategic plan a reality, from senior management down to the most junior worker (Mintzberg  and Quinn, 1995). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The ability of an organization to structure and restructure itself to adapt to changing internal and external conditions is important for maximizing organizational performance. Unlike other capacities, the structuring and transformation of an organization does not formally occur on a constant basis; however, adaptations of structure are always occurring. Organizational structure is defined as the ability of an organization to divide labor and assign roles and responsibilities to individuals and groups in the organization, as well as the process by which the organization attempts to coordinate its labor and groups. It is also concerned with the relative relationships between the divisions of labor: Who has authority over whom? How and why should an organization divide labour individually and by grouping people? How should organizations coordinate their work to maximize the benefits of the divisions of labour? What do people look for to indicate that problems are structural in nature rather than some other type of problem, such as one of leadership? OPERATING STRUCTURE The operating structure of an organization is the system of working relationships arrived at to divide and coordinate the tasks of people and groups working toward a common purpose. Most people visualize an organization’s structure in terms of the familiar organizational chart. The task of creating appropriate and manageable work units or departments has challenged managers and students of organizational development for decades. In looking at structure, we are interested in the extent to which  individuals, departments or other groupings understand their roles in the organization; whether they have the authority to carry out their roles; and whether they are accountable for their work. Structure also includes coordination issues (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1995). Coordination is the process of linking specialized activities of individuals or groups so they can and will work toward common ends. The coordination process helps people to work in harmony by providing systems and mechanisms for understanding and communicating about their activities. In organizations where innovation and productivity is key, interdisciplinary project teams are a competitive advantage. Entire networks are formed where the best minds collectively tackle difficult projects, with each contributor bringing his or her special perspective and expertise. The ease with which the programme office facilitates interdisciplinary approaches to projects is an indicator of organizational health. Many variables influence organizational structure, including history, size, technology, organizational goals, strategy, governance, funding and other pressures from the external environment, the specific fields of research, and technology. HUMAN RESOURCES The human resources of any organization are its most valuable assets. In the view of many top-level executives, employees are the key source of an organization’s competitive advantage (Brown and Kraft, 1998; Chilton, 1994). Critically important to effective human resource management is to develop and instill core values throughout the organization (Down, Mardis, Connolly and Johnson, 1997). These values include integrity and honesty, commitment to the organizational mission, accountability for and pride in one’s work, commitment to excellence, and building trust. They form the basis for developing cohesiveness and teamwork, as well as for developing policies, procedures and programs that focus on meeting the needs of customers or clients. In the case of Acorn Industries, human resources management functions is  charged with planning and controlling human resources to make sure that people’s needs are met so they can work to achieve organizational goals. Commitment to meeting employees’ needs is not merely an altruistic function-it is highly likely that staff who are reasonably comfortable with working conditions, and stimulated by the environment, will be productive (Miron, Leichtman and Atkins, 1993). From an organizational perspective, control over human resources is critical to hold managers accountable for organizational performance. Nevertheless, progress in this area has been slow. HUMAN RESOURCES PLANNING Human resources planning involve forecasting the human resources needs of the organization, and planning the steps necessary to meet these needs. This planning is the first step in any effective human resources management function. Human resources planning should be closely linked to the organization’s strategic objectives and mission. Even in regions of the world with a plentiful, well-educated workforce, such planning is a challenge because the needs of the organization are constantly changing and sometimes do not converge (Cockerill, Hunt and Schroder, 1995). The challenge is even greater if the pool of people from which the organization recruits is limited by such factors as brain drain, or because labor market wages in the private sector are more attractive (Colvard, 1994). Forecasting in these environments is quite difficult. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT According to Booth (1998), the term â€Å"programme management† is used mainly by two groups of professionals in ways that are consistent. The first group, those involved with information systems, employs the term to describe the management of _big projects, especially system implementations._ The second group, corporate strategists, uses it to mean the _practical task of translating grand strategies into operational reality._ In many organizations, individual managers typically pursue their own  projects and cite their own successes. In fact, the link between their efforts and organizational performance is generally quite obscure. By coordinating and linking the cascade of corporate goals reflected in diverse projects into specific sets of common-goal actions, program management helps to avoid this problem. Programme management is regarded as â€Å"an additional layer of management sitting above the projects and ensuring that they remain pertinent to the wider organization† (Booth, 1998). In the context of funded organizations in developing countries, organizations often receive financing from different donors or funding agencies for different projects that are not necessarily congruent with organizational goals. In such a situation, there is a clear need for programme management to align different projects with wider organizational goals and coordinate them into common-goal actions. PROGRAMME PLANNING Programme planning ranges from working out what to do on a day-by-day basis to long-term strategic planning. It should be happening constantly within a project and program. Programme planning must take into account what an organization has to do to create its goods and services, as well as the resources it needs to do so. Program planning requires thinking ahead and, as such, involves several concurrent questions. Whom are we serving? What demand are we supplying and at what cost? What are our objectives? What must be done to meet these objectives? Who will do this? How will they do it? How long will it take? How much will it cost? How will we know whether we have met our objectives? Programme planning has many levels and is time bound, so it can be short, medium or long term. However, when conducting an assessment, the extent to which the organization’s plans are well communicated and used as management tools must be determined. This will require written plans. PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION The major task of the leaders of an organization is to put the organization’s program into practice. It is all well and good to have a great plan-making  it work is the hard part. Programme implementation requires organization and having staff that can put their skills to work. It requires integration of the management skills needed to allocate resources and the technical skills needed to do what has to be done (for example, to do several projects con-currently and with the sharing of resources). Programme implementation is the stage at which an organization integrates all its resources to concretely achieve its goals. PROGRAMME MONITORING AND EVALUATION Sound project monitoring and evaluation need to be built into projects during their planning stage and carried out throughout the project (IDB, 1997). For example, an assessment of the volubility of a programme or project ensures that it contains the basic elements required to monitor results and ultimately determine whether development objectives are being met. The planning section should have an increasing array of tools that help project planners develop quality projects. The logical framework can be incorporated into a project both for use as a planning tool but also to provide indicators for monitoring and evaluation (IDB, 1997). Similarly, outcome mapping (Earl, Carden and Smutylo, 2001) is used as a tool to support better planning, monitoring and evaluation. PROCESS MANAGEMENT Functional managers with many organizations today view their business as a series of functional silos concerned with their own requirements (Dent and Hughes, 1998). This perspective is particularly pervasive among managers accustomed to being rewarded for optimizing the performance of their functions relative to the rest of the organization. Although managers talk about â€Å"big picture† processes, their efforts are often focused inwardly on their own requirements and are measured accordingly. In such situations, there is an obvious need for common systems and operations that apply uniformly throughout the organization and, like a thread, sew the various functional parts together into a common purpose. There is also a need for compatible strategies to optimize organizational performance. In other words, process management is required. Taking a vision and making it a reality through smooth-flowing daily work in an organization is largely dependent on ongoing â€Å"processes.† These are the internal value-adding management systems and operations that cut across functional and departmental boundaries. They are the mechanisms that guide interactions among all groups of people in an organization to ensure that ongoing work is accomplished rather than hindered or blocked. Thus, _process management is the task of aligning and integrating the various practices and cultures of different segments of an organization through the introduction of common systems and operations that apply uniformly to all segments of the organization_. These common operations or processes include problem-solving, planning, decision-making, communication, and monitoring and evaluation. If the processes are all working, the outcome is that the organization is learning and accomplishing a great deal. Process management takes place at every level of an organization, from the board of directors to the line worker. The board and senior managers must know how to problem-solve, plan and make timely decisions. If they are deficient in these areas, organizational direction is often hampered. As with the case of Acorn Industries, programme units, departments and other functional segments of the organization must plan and set short- and medium-term goals, as well as solve problems, make decisions and generate strategies to carry out appropriate activities to achieve results. VISION AND MISSION The vision and the mission of an organization emerge from important social, economic, spiritual and political values. They are meant to inspire and promote organizational loyalty. Vision and mission are those parts of an organization that appeal to the heart; that is, they represent the organization’s emotional appeal. They motivate people and draw upon staff  and stakeholders’ hopes and aspirations. In this sense, the vision and mission of an organization provide inspirational motivation. Clarifying the vision and mission are important in private organizations. Private sector organizations often identify the importance of serving their customers, and have created visions and missions to support this theme. At issue for many organizations is not only to write but to then live the statements. When vision and mission statements are not lived up to, the result is not to enhance motivation but to foster cynicism. Assessing an organization’s motivation primarily involves looking at its mission, since this is more closely linked to what the organization wants to do. However, in examining the mission, the link to the larger vision, as well as more operational components, must also be assessed. DEFINITION _An organization’s vision defines the kind of a world to which it wants to contribute._ Visions lie beyond the scope of any one organization. They represent the hopes and dreams of organizational members. The vision describes the changes in the prevailing economic, political, social or environmental situation that the programme hopes to bring about. Missions, on the other hand, are a step in bringing about the operational aspects into the vision, an organization’s raison d’à ªtre. _The mission is an expression of how people see the organization operating._ In this context, the mission lays a foundation for future action (Bart, 1997) and guides the organization’s choice of strategies and activities. Some of the main reasons for an organization to have a vision and mission expressed in clear statements are to: Promote clarity of purpose Function as a foundation for making decisions Gain commitment for goals Foster understanding and support for its goals. Whereas the vision locates the organization within a cluster of organizations, it is the mission that answers the questions: Why does this organization exist? Whom does it serve? By what means does it serve them? Those responsible for the performance of an organization increasingly recognize the benefits of clearly and simply communicating the direction in which their organization is going. Such descriptions of the organization’s future, whom it serves, what it values, and how it defines success can have a powerful impact on the organization’s personality. ASSESSING THE MISSION Those seeking to diagnose and analyze the mission of an organization often find themselves dealing with multiple realities-those that are written down, and those that are perceived by organization members. One task in an organizational assessment is to determine the degree to which the formal mission statement is understood and internalized by members and stakeholders of the organization; that is, measure the congruence of the perceived and stated missions. CULTURE While the mission statement formally articulates organizational purpose, it is the organization’s culture that gives life to the organization and helps make the realization of its mission possible. The concept of organizational culture has been the focus of much attention, with analysts associating it with superior corporate performance (Peters and Waterman, 1988), increased productivity (Ouchi, 1981), improved morale, and high rates of return on investment. _Organizational culture is the collectively accepted meaning that manifests itself in the formal and informal rules of an organization or a sub-group._ The culture embodies the collective symbols, myths, visions and heroes of the organization’s past and present. For instance, culture finds expression in the collective pride (and even embellishment) of the accomplishments of individuals. Values important to the organization are illustrated through stories about past successes and failures; these form a living history that guides managers and drives members’ behavior. DIMENSIONS Diagnosing organizational culture helps you understand the relative levels of consistency or inconsistency of â€Å"meaning† that exist in an organization. In some ways, culture is like an iceberg; it has both seen and unseen aspects. From an anthropological perspective, culture has material and non-material dimensions. Culture has both physical artifacts-mission statements, policy guides-as well as basic beliefs that direct the thinking, feelings, perceptions and behaviors of the people in the culture. To know why some people are in trouble, are rejected or punished, or are not appreciated by an organization, you need to know the belief system and norms that underlie the organization’s behavior. In this context, four dimensions of organizational culture can be identified: artifacts, perspectives, values, and assumptions (Bloor and Dawson, 1994). _Artifacts_ are the most tangible aspects of an organization’s culture. These are the physical aspects of an organization: the type of office, the logo, dress, rituals (Christmas parties), stories, language and so forth. Artifacts are the physical manifestations of the organization’s culture. _Perspectives_ are the ideas that people hold and use to act appropriately. For example, a perspective includes how the organization handles customer complaints or, for that matter, employee complaints. In some organizations, people go to great lengths to help customers obtain the products and services they say they need. In other organizations, customers are ignored. _Values_ relate to the ideals held by the organization, including concepts of standards, honesty, quality and integrity. Underlying or basic _assumptions_ are â€Å"the taken for granted† beliefs of an organization. This refers to what members of the organization feel is appropriate behavior for themselves and others. Since assumptions are considered a given, they are rarely if ever questioned. The set of tacit assumptions helps form the uniqueness of the organizational culture (Denison, 1996). BALANCE SCORECARDS Balanced Scorecard is a popular tool for implementation of strategy (Kaplan and Norton 1996a). As the founders of the concept, they promote the concept primarily as a tool that can provide aid in the implementation of strategy. They argue that the main causes of poor strategy implementation are: Visions and strategies are not actionable Strategies are not linked to departmental team and individual goals Strategy not linked to resource allocation Feedback that is tactical and not strategic The name BSC reflects the need for a balance between short and long time horizon for goals, between financial and non-financial measure parameter, between lag and lead indicators and between internal and external perspectives (Kaplan and Norton 1996a). The author argues that _†what you measure is what you get†_ The measurements have a running effect. In order to accomplish a strategic effect, the organization must measure what is strategically important. This can be achieved in the Balanced Scorecard concept. Hence, the concept is not a control tool, but rather a strategic tool to help managers look ahead. In addition, the BSC shows how the results are achieved not only that they are achieved. With the four dimensions; the financial perspective, the internal business perspective, the customer perspective and the innovation and learning perspective, BSC combines a  number of flows that are going on in the organization. By understanding the organisation in this context, t he manager can learn what connections exist between the different perspectives. The common picture of the four dimensions is one of the contributions of the BSC concept. _ARCHITECTURE OF BSC_ Kaplan and Norton (2001a) describes the building of a BSC as a process to define a set of near term objectives and activities, the drivers that will differentiate a company from its competitors and create a long term customer and shareholder value, the outcomes. The process begins in a top down fashion, clearly defining strategy from the perspective of the shareholders and the customer. In other words, the scorecard is supposed to define the short term goals and activities. These are the strategic drivers that are supposed to differentiate the organization from the competitors and create long term value for the customers and the owners. The financial goals for growth and productivity are the most important. Causes of growth are to be defined. When the financial goals are defined, we must ask the question _†Who are the target customers that will generate revenue growth_ _and more profitable products and services? What are their objectives and how_ _do we measure success with them?†_ The customer perspective should also include a value proposition that defines how the company differentiates itself to attract retain and deepen relationship with targeted customers. The defined measurements in the customer and financial perspectives should not describe explicit how this should be achieved internally. It is the internal processes, like product, design, marketing development, sale, service, production that are about to define the necessary activities to achieve the goals in the customer and financial perspectives. The fourth perspective, learning and growth, should put pressure to execute internal business processes in new and differentiated way, based on the organizations infrastructure; the skills, capabilities and knowledge of employees; the technology they use and the climate in which they work, in other words what Kaplan and Norton (2001a) refers to as the learning and growth factors. _IMPLEMENTATION OF BSC_ Kaplan and Norton suggest implementing the BSC to overcome the strategy implementation problems: Visions and strategies are not actionable, strategies are not linked to resource allocation, and feedback is tactical and not strategically. However, when studying Balanced Scorecard, there is no common theory or model for implementation. Some use more perspectives than Kaplan & Norton’s initial four, others not. For example, some have added a human focus or an environmental focus. Kaplan and Norton do not include the human focus as they believe the human is contained in all of their focus areas. This might be a result from the stepwise development of the BSC. The first concrete model for building a BSC is presented by Kaplan and Norton (1993) where they use a system model in eight steps to create a BSC that should link the measurements to the strategy. In the article _†Using the BSC as a strategic management system†_ by Kaplan and Norton (1996b), the development of BSC is extended from the eight step to a ten step model. According to the authors, after the tenth step, BSC has been included in the routine part of the strategic management system. The communication within the organization follows the different units in the business plan and lies in line with BSC. Through follow up of BSC, learning in the organization is enabled through performance and deviation assessments. However, Kaplan & Norton (1996a) mean that this might not be as easy as it looks. This is probably an understatement. They show failures in several cases with structural and organizational problems. The step wise development by Kaplan and Norton is also influenced by other research findings. This also applies to the implementation of BSC system. Kaplan and Norton start out with an implementing model in eight steps, while the Kaplan and Norton 1996b article present another 10 step model. For all models, a common theory for building and implementing BSC is missing. Despite this observation, Kaplan and Norton have developed principles for  how to become a successful strategy focused organization. However, these principles do not tell _how_, but rather _what_ matters to implement strategy successfully. In the article by Kaplan and Norton (2001c) the authors show how organizations use their scorecard to align key management processes and systems to the strategy. Although each organization achieved strategic alignment and focus in different ways at different paces and in different sequences, each eventually use a common set of principles to become what Kaplan and Norton refer to as the principles of strategy focused organization. The five principles are: 1. Translate the strategy to operational terms 2. Align the organization to the strategy 3. Make strategy everyone’s everyday job 4. Make strategy a continual process 5. Mobilize leadership for change When Kaplan and Norton (2001c, 2001a) talks about the first principle _†TRANSLATE THE STRATEGY INTO OPERATIONAL TERMS†_ they mean that the scorecard creates a common and understandable frame of reference for all organization units and employees through the translation of strategy into a logical architecture of a strategy map and the Balanced Scorecard to specify the details of the critical elements for their growth strategies. The second principle _†ALIGN THE ORGANISATION TO THE STRATEGY†_ (Kaplan and Norton, 2001c, 2001a) relates to the organizational performance to become more than the sum of its parts. It must be linked and integrated. The Balanced Scorecard defines what is expected to create synergy and ensure that linkage actually occurs. This will prevent the strategies of different units to go in opposite directions. As many organizations have difficulties  communicating and coordinating across the different functions, suboptimal behaviours may become a major barrier in strategy implementation. The third _principle_ _†MAKE STRATEGY EVERYONE’S EVERYDAY JOB†_ means that the BSC should be used to communicate and educate the organization about the strategy. Scepticism towards unlimited communication to the entire organization risking leakage of valuable information to competitors is answered: â€Å"_Knowing the strategy will do little good unless they execute it. On_ _the other hand we have no chance to execute it if people don’t know about it†._ This is also in line with Kotter (1996) who argues that real power first occur when those involved in the enterprise or activity have a common understanding of goals and directions. The author argues that it is not a top down direction, but rather a top down communication. When Kaplan and Norton (2001a, 2001c) talks about â€Å"_MAKE STRATEGY A CONTINUAL PROCESS†_ they claim that the BSC introduce a new â€Å"double loop process† to manage strategy. The process integrates the management of tactics with the management of strategy using three important processes. First, organizations link strategy to the budget process where they use BSC as a screen to evaluate potential investments and initiatives. Just as the BSC attempts to protect long term objectives from short term sub optimization, the budget process must protect long term initiatives from the pressures to deliver short term financial performance. The second step is to make strategy a continual process by introducing a simple management meeting to review strategy. Information feedback systems are changed to support the new management meetings. Finally, a process for learning and the strategy evolves. The initial BSC represent a hypothesis about the strategy. At the time of formulatio n, it is the best estimate of the action expected to create long term financial success. The design process of the scorecard establishes the cause and effect linkages of the strategic hypothesis explicit. As the scorecard puts it to action and the feedback system start reporting actual results, an organization can test the hypothesis of its strategy. In the fifth principle _†MOBILIZE LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE†_ also named  _†mobilize_ _change through leadership†_ (Kaplan and Norton 2001a); the authors claim that the first four principles focus on the BSC tool, the framework and the process to support it. They also argue that active involvement of the executive is the single most important condition. If the top management are not active leaders of the process – change will not occur, strategy is not implemented and the opportunity for breakthrough performance is lost. Over time, a new management system will evolve; this is a strategic management system that institutionalizes the new cultural values and processes into a new system for management. This is also in line with Kotter (1996) where he describes how transformational change occurs. By linking traditional processes such as compensation and resource allocation to a BSC that describes the strategy, they create a _strategic management system_. Furthermore, the author claims that the strategy must be a continual process that reflects shifts in opportunities and threats. Here, it is important that the integration of the new strategy into the organization does not create a barrier to future progress. CONCLUSION The relationship between organization and innovation is complex, dynamic and multilevel. The existing literature is voluminous and diverse. For Acorn to be a successful organization, I looked at the aspects of organizational structures, human resources, programme management, process management, their vision and mission, the organizational culture and balance scorecards. These are the potential different aspects of the relationships that form the coherent conceptual framework for understanding the phenomenon of ‘organizational innovation’. Executive Management needs to engage organizational functions in programme execution to obtain information evaluate progress and learn from failures regarding strategic change initiatives. If they don’t, they, like most projects, will fail. Committed leadership is required to provide the right environment for people to succeed when implementing change initiatives.  Projects are essential to the growth and survival of their entities because, when executed successfully, they help deal with changes in the environment, fiscal conditions and citizens’ needs. Directors must be held accountable for managing change and the best way to manage change is to employ a project management methodology that enables the Department to manage strategic project initiatives as a portfolio of budget investments and prioritize them in accordance with their importance to the Department strategy. Acorn Industries needs to focus on making change happen to improve their organizations performance!! Programme management is their ticket to that success. It will enable them to get on the road to quicker implementation of strategic initiatives and keep Acorn Industries moving forward. Organizations that want to be successful need to establish an integrated programme management process in order to execute strategic initiatives and enhance the organizational and individual’s project management capability. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bart, C. 1997. Sex, Lies and Mission Statements. _Business Horizons_ (November/ December): 9-18. Bloor, G., and P. Dawson. 1994. 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What Is the Difference between Organizational Culture and Organizational Climate? _Academy of Management Review_ 21(3): 619-54. Down, J. W., W. Mardis, T.R. Connolly, and S. Johnson. 1997. A Strategic Model Emerges. _HR Focus_ 74(6): 22-23. Earl, S., F. Carden, and T. Smutylo. 2001. _Outcome Mapping: Building Learning and Reflection into Development Programs_. Ottawa: International Development Research Centre. Inter-American Development Bank.1997. _Evaluation: A Management Tool for Improving Project Performance._ IDB, Washington, D.C. Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P. (2001 b) â€Å"_Transforming Balanced Scorecard from performance measurements to strategic management:_ Part 1†, Accounting Horizons, Mar, Vol 15, Issue 1, pp 87-105. Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P. (2001 c) â€Å"_Transforming Balanced Scorecard from performance measurements to strategic management:_ Part 2†, Accounting Horizons, Jun, Vol 15, Issue 2, pp 147-161 Kaplan, R. S., and D.P. Norton. 1996. 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Hester Prynne

Hester Prynne signifies a women of grace and wild spirit. Strong-willed and beautiful, Hester Prynne has also defied the Puritans ways. Though she is ladylike and prideful, she is faced with the trouble of being a sinner. The innocence of any human can be taken away in a flash, and in the case of Hester Prynne, her innocence escapes her after she commits a horrific sin. Hester is immediately isolated in her town because she commits an act of adultery, resulting in a Scarlet Letter forever engraved on her bosom, serving as a constant reminder of the mistakes in her past.In many ways throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hester overcomes her sin and redeems herself to her town, revealing her inner power and strength. Even though Hester’s situation leaves forces her to be an outcast in the town, she still confines strength and discards the label of being an â€Å"Adulteress† by showing stability. Hester Prynne is the main symbol of isolation and alienation throughout The Scarlet Letter.Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasizes her isolation by writing that she is â€Å" Alone in the world, cast off by it, and with this sole treasure to keep her heart alive, she felt that she possessed the indefeasible rights against the world† (Hawthorne 100) because of her sin. As a symbol of evil and darkness, Hester is viewed by her strict Puritan town as an outsider. After Hester’s crime of adultery was known to all, Hester's reputation and appearance of what people viewed her as is completely changed and her goodness started going unnoticed.The town's harsh thoughts of her sin are revealed through a local woman as she testifies that â€Å"†¦ At the very least, they should have put the brand of hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead† (Hawthorne 36). Hester never escapes the feelings of being alienated in the progression of her life. Her â€Å"ornament,–the scarlet letter,–which was her doom to wear† (Hawthorne 79) was shown throughout t own, sequestering her from everyone else. Hester knows that even if she was allowed to take off the letter, â€Å"It is too deeply branded† (Hawthorne 63) and always be imprinted in her heart.This makes Hester disconnected from her holy society and forces her to become a â€Å"black flower† (Hawthorne 45). Though Hester is isolated, she is still able to find strength in herself. Hester Prynne is very unique and different from the other women in her town because of her â€Å"richness of complexion† (Hawthorne 50). A lot of her strength is revealed in the beginning of The Scarlet Letter. One of these very early examples of her strength is when Hester is put in front of the town on a scaffold.Instead of Hester shaming away from her sin when she is put in front of her town, she â€Å"appeared more lady-like†(Hawthorne 50) and confident in herself. Even when Hester has been publicly humiliated and is forced to continue wearing The Scarlet Letter on her chest, she does not try to hide her sin. As she stood there with â€Å"a certain state and dignity† (Hawthorne 50) in front of the judgemental Puritans, she overcomes fear and confines her strength. Not only does she show her toughness by not concealing her sin, but she also begins to change people’s negative opinions about her.Hester shows her goodness in the community by helping the poor and making clothes. Hester’s new attitudes allow the people to begin to interpret Hester’s Scarlet Letter differently because of her kindness. Instead of being known as the unacceptable adulterer, â€Å"they said that it meant â€Å"Able†; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength† (Hawthorne 158). This shows that Hester puts her determination above all and is able to step out of her isolation by giving back to her community. These actions enable her to fit in again as a normal citizen and redeem herself as the woman she knows she can be.All in all, it is difficult for many people to look past their own unfortunate situations and the actions for which they hold remorse. However, unlike many others, Hester is eventually able to just that. Hester experiences a great deal of suffering due to her past sin of adultery, but despite that she is still able to overcome that through her dignity and strong-will. Hester proves that The Scarlet Letter was not needed to be taken off in order for Hester to change. She also disregards multiple offerings to remove the devil’s mark from her bosom, and responds by saying that â€Å"It is too deeply branded.Ye cannot take it off. With that I might endure his agony, as well as mine† (Hawthorne 63). She clearly accepted her sin and stayed strong not only herself but for Pearl and the other around her to come full circle by the end of the novel. The Scarlet Letter provides great challenges for Hester, but she does not let the struggles get to her. By staying a strong and determined woman, Hester changes her entire life for the better and comes around to redeem herself in her small Puritan town.