Hotel Finance and Revenue-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Consider 2 companies from same sector and compare their financial position as well as financial performance through calculation of various ratios. Answer: Introduction The purpose of the report is to consider 2 companies from same sector and compare their financial position as well as financial performance through calculation of various ratios. The main objective of analysis is to find out the most profitable company among the two selected companies for the purpose of investment. Various ratios that will be taken into consideration are the liquidity ratios like quick ratio and current ratio, solvency ratios like debt to equity ratio and times interest earned, activity ratios like receivable turnover and days sales outstanding and profitability ratios like return on equity, return on assets and earnings per share. On the basis of analysis the suggestions will be provided for investment. For this particular report Crown Resorts and RACV Noosa will be considered for the purpose of investment based on the ratio analysis. Crown Resorts is one of the largest entertainment groups in Australia. The core investment and business of the company are involved in the sectors of integrated resorts. Crown Resorts wholly operates and owns 2 integrated leading resorts in Australia that is the Crown Perth Entertainment Complex and Crown Melbourne Entertainment Complex. It has a strong portfolio with regard to the complementary investments and future projects that is anchored by the Crown Sydney and it includes the wagering and online platform of the company (Crown - Crown Resorts, 2018). Renowned among the finest hotels in Australia it creates the luxurious surrounds for the customers that are complemented by the exemplary services. On the other hand, the RACV Noosa is a perfect place for family outing, friends and couples outing. It offers wide range of options for affordable accommodation that ranges from luxurious suites to one, two and three bedroom villas and apartments. One of the top pools for the company is showcasing of the outdoor pool. The spa segment of the resort offers services and treatments for restoring and rejuvenating the body. Further their spa menus involve foot and hand rituals, pedicures, manicures, massage therapies, customised facials and skin analysis (RACV Noosa Resort Accommodation Events information, 2018). Ratio analysis Financial ratio analysis is the procedure for calculating the financial ratios that indicate and compare the financial performance of companies. The ratios are used to analyse the financial position of the business and find out the reason behind the financial performance of the company (Brooks, 2015). It also helps the decision makers to plan for the future and make plans accordingly. For instance, the profitability ratios help the management to find out the profit that the business is earning and can compare it with its peers. Different ratios are used for analysing different business aspects like financial performance, financial position and cash flow (Nobes, 2014). Ratio Formula Crown Resorts RACV Noosa 2017 2017 Current ratio Current assets/Current liabilities 1.83 0.83 Quick ratio Current assets less inventories prepayments /current liabilities 1.78 0.76 Accounts receivable turnover Net sales/Avg account receivables 14.11 4.57 No. of days sales in receivables 365/account receivable turnover 25.86 79.88 Debt to equity ratio Total liabilities/shareholder's equity 0.65 0.40 No. of times interest earned EBIT/interest expenses 14.45 3.26 Return on assets Net profit/Total assets 0.21 0.02 Return on Equity Net profit/Total equity 0.35 0.03 Earnings per share Given in the annual report (in cents) 257.03 115 Solvency ratios the solvency ratios are used for measuring the companys ability for meeting the long-term obligations. Further, the solvency ratios confirms the amount of income remained for the business after paying tax and the non-cash expenses for depreciation against debt obligations (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). The solvency ratios taken into consideration for this particular report are debt to equity ratio and number of times interest earned that is also called the interest coverage ratio. Debt to equity ratio this is the long-term solvency ratio and it indicates the stability of the companys long-term financial policies. It reveals the percentage of assets financed through borrowings and the percentage of assets financed by the owners or the stakeholders of the company (Kettunen, 2017). It is computed through dividing the total liabilities of the company by stockholders equity. The ratio of 1 or 1:1 states that the stakeholders and the creditors equally contribute to the assets of the company. In the same way the ratio of less than 1 state that the percentage of assets financed through borrowings is less than the percentage financed by the stakeholders. Looking into the debt to equity ratio of both the companies it is observe that the debt to equity ratio of RACV Noosa is 0.40 and for Crown Resorts it is 0.65. Therefore, more percentage of assets of Crown Resorts is financed by shareholders as compared to RACV Noosa. Hence, RACV Noosa is exposed to more financial ris k as higher amount of debt can increase the sustainability risk of the company (Luez Wysocki, 2016). Number of times interest earned it measures the ability of the company to make the payment for interest on the borrowings when they become due. The investors and the creditors use this ratio for understanding the risks and profitability of the company (McManus, 2013). For example, mainly the investor is concerned whether his investment in company enhances the value or not. On the other hand, the creditor uses the ratio for identifying whether the company can support the additional borrowings or not and to analyse the risk involved n the lending. Looking into the calculation table it is identified that the times interest earned for Crown Resorts is 14.45 times whereas, the same for RACV Noosa is 3.26 times. Therefore, the no. of times interest earned for Crown resorts is significantly better as compared to RACV Noosa and Crown Resort is more efficient in paying off their interest obligation. Liquidity ratio the liquidity term is defined as ability of the company to meet the financial obligation after it becomes due. It is the computation used for measuring the ability of the company for paying the short-term obligations. Most common ratios calculated to measure the liquidity of the company are quick ratio and current ratio. Among these the current ratio is the most liberal one and is followed by the quick ratio. Current ratio it is the popular metric for evaluating the short-term solvency of the company. The short-term solvency is the companys ability for paying off the short-term obligation of the company after it becoming due. The short-term obligations are those which are payable within one year period of time. The ratio of 2:1 or higher than that is considered as satisfactory for the companies. However, simply calculating the ratio does not specify the liquidity position of the company. Various other factors like type of business, industry structure and the economic condition also play important role measuring the liquidity of the company (Scott, 2015). However, very high ratio will not be able to pay the current obligation efficiently if large percentage of the asset is included under obsolete or slow moving inventories. The current ratio of Crown resorts is 1.83 that indicates that the company has satisfactory liquidity position. On the other hand, the current ratio of RACV Noosa is 0 .83 that is lower than Crown Resorts. Therefore, the liquidity position of Crown Resorts is better as compared to that of RACV Noosa Quick ratio this liquidity ratio measures the companys ability to pay the short-term obligation through having the assets those can be easily converted into cash. These easily convertible assets are cash, accounts receivable and the marketable securities (Sunder, 2016). These assets are considered as quick assets as they can be converted into cash quickly. The quick ratio is different from the current ratio as the prepaid expenses and inventories are not taken into consideration while computing the quick ratio. However, for few companies the inventories are considered as the quick asset based on the nature of the business. The quick ratio of Crown resorts is 1.78 that indicates that the company has satisfactory liquidity position. On the other hand, the quick ratio of RACV Noosa is 0.76 that is lower than Crown Resorts. Therefore, the liquidity position of Crown Resorts is better as compared to that of RACV Noosa Efficiency ratio it measures the ability of the company to utilize its liabilities and assets for generating sales. The organization that is highly efficient minimizes its investment in assets which in turn need lower amount of debt and capital for maintaining its regular activities and operation. The efficiency ratio compares the aggregated assets to the sales or COGS (Vogel, 2014). For the liabilities, major efficiency ratio compares the payables against the total purchases from the suppliers. The efficiency ratios taken into consideration for this particular analysis are the no. of days sales remain outstanding and the receivable turnover ratio. of days sales in receivables it is also called as the average collection period and measures the days count or the days required for the company to collect the cash from the credit sales. It reveals the efficiency of the company in collecting its dues. In other words, it reveals the days taken by the the company to converts its sales in cash (Leonidou et al., 2013). The lower ratio represent that favourable status as it states that the company is taking less time in collecting its dues. Further, it states the chances of bad debts as the long time for collection increases the chance of bad debts. It is found out that RACV Noosa takes approximately 80 days for converting their sales into receipt whereas, Crown Resorts takes 26 days approximately to convert their sales. Therefore, Crown Resort is more efficient as compared to RACV Noosa. Further, RACV Noosa is exposed to the risk of bad debts as long time in converting the sales into receipt increase the risk of non payment. Account receivable turnover it measures the credit sales of the company against its average accounts receivable. This ratio estimates number of times the company can collect the dues over a specific period of time (Heikal, Khaddafi Ummah, 2014). The high ratio represents the favourable scenario and the low figure indicates the inefficiency in collecting the dues. However, the normal levels of account receivables for different industries are different based on the business structure and industry type. The account receivable turnover ratio of Crown resorts is 14.11 whereas the same for RACV Noosa is 4.57 that is lower as compared to Crown Resorts. Therefore, the efficiency with regard to account receivable for Crown Resorts is significantly better as compared to that of RACV Noosa. Profitability ratios these ratios are the financial metrics that are used by the companies to evaluate and measure the ability of the company to generate the earnings associated with assets, sales, equity and costs during a particular period of time (Grissemann, Plank Brunner-Sperdin, 2013). It states the efficiency of the company is utilizing its assets for generating value and profits to the shareholders. The higher values or ratios are considered as the business is performing well with regard to generation of cash flows, revenues and profits. These ratios are useful when are evaluated in comparison with the competitors. Return on assets it measures the companys profitability with regard to the total assets of the company. The ratio further indicates the efficiency of the company in generating profit from the capital invested under the fixed assets (Drehmann Nikolaou, 2013). Higher return represents that the company is efficient and productive in utilizing its economic resources. From the calculation table it is identified that return on asset for both the companies are not good. However, the ROA for Crown resorts is higher as compared to that of RACV Noosa as the ROA for Crown resort is 0.21 and the same for RACV Noosa is 0.02 only. Return on equity it is the net income of the company during the year against the shareholders equity of the company. Further, it measures the profitability on the investment of the shareholders (Ch, Patel White, 2015). It is a crucial measure for profitability and the higher values represents that the companys position is favourable and the company is efficient in creating earning from the new investment. It is observed from the calculation table that return on equity for both the companies are not good (Hevert, 2013). However, the ROE for Crown resorts is higher as compared to that of RACV Noosa as the ROE for Crown resort is 0.35 for the year ended 2017 and the same for RACV Noosa is 0.03 only for the same period. Earnings per share EPS are the crucial financial measure that indicates profitability of the company. It is computed through dividing the net income of the company by total number of outstanding shares (?ermk, 2015). It is the part of companys profit that is attributed to the every stock. It is the term that is more useful to the people and investors in stock market. It is recognised that the EPS of Crown resorts is 257.03 cents for the year ended 2017 whereas the EPS for RACV Noosa is 115 for the ame period under consideration. However, the EPS cannot be considered for comparing the performance as the numbers of outstanding shares for both companies are different (Prasetyorini, 2013). If the overall profitability for both the companies are taken into consideration it can be stated that the both the companies are not highly profitable (Azzopardi Nash, 2013). However, if the profitability positions of both the companies are compared then it is recognized that the profitability position of Crown resorts is better as compared to RACV Noosa. Conclusion It is concluded from the above discussion that the ratios are invaluable tools for the purpose of making the investment decisions. Using the ratios for making the informed decisions regarding investment plays important role for investment decision making. Profitability ratios play crucial role for all the investment analysis. Looking into the profitability ratios of both the companies it is recognized that if the profitability positions of both the companies are compared, the profitability position of Crown resorts is better as compared to RACV Noosa. Further, in liquidity aspect it is found that both the current ratio and quick ratios for Crown resorts are better than RACV Noosa. Therefore, the liquidity position of Crown Resort is significantly better as compared to that of RACV Noosa. Further, it is found that RACV Noosa is exposed to more financial risk as its higher percentage of its assets are financed through debt and higher amount of debt can increase the sustainability risk of the company. Moreover, the no. of times interest earned for Crown resorts is significantly better as compared to RACV Noosa and Crown Resort is more efficient in paying off their interest obligation. Thus, Crown resort is more solvent as compared to RACV Noosa. Finally, the efficiency with regard to account receivable as well as no. of days in sales receivable for Crown Resorts is significantly better as compared to that of RACV Noosa. Recommendation It can be found out from the above analysis and conclusion that if the performances of both the companies are compared, the performance and return for Crown resorts are significantly better as compared to that of RACV Noosa. Therefore, given the option, if one company is to choose from 2 for the purpose of investment, Crown Resort is better investment as it is better in all aspects as compared to RACV Noosa References Azzopardi, E., Nash, R. (2013). A critical evaluation of importanceperformance analysis.Tourism Management,35, 222-233. Brooks, R. (2015).Financial management: core concepts. Pearson ?ermk, P. (2015). Customer profitability analysis customer life time value models: Portfolio analysis.Procedia Economics Finance,25, 14-25. Ch, P., Patel, A. White, M., (2015). Adopting international financial reporting stards for small medium?sized enterprises.Australian Accounting Review,25(2), pp.139-154. Crown - Crown Resorts. (2018). Crownresorts.com.au. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from https://www.crownresorts.com.au/ Drehmann, M., Nikolaou, K. (2013). Funding liquidity risk: definition measurement.Journal of Banking Finance,37(7), 2173-2182. Grissemann, U., Plank, A., Brunner-Sperdin, A. (2013). Enhancing business performance of hotels: The role of innovation and customer orientation.International Journal of Hospitality Management,33, 347-356. Heikal, M., Khaddafi, M., Ummah, A. (2014). Influence analysis of return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), net profit margin (NPM), debt to equity ratio (DER), current ratio (CR), against corporate profit growth in automotive in Indonesia Stock Exchange.International Journal of Academic Research in Business Social Sciences,4(12), 101. Hevert, S. R. B. (2013). Return on Equity. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. Schilling, M.A., (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Kettunen, J., (2017). Interlingual translation of the International Financial Reporting Stards as institutional work.Accounting, Organizations Society,56, pp.38-54. Leonidou, L. C., Leonidou, C. N., Fotiadis, T. A., Zeriti, A. (2013). Resources and capabilities as drivers of hotel environmental marketing strategy: Implications for competitive advantage and performance.Tourism Management,35, 94-110. Luez, C. Wysocki, P., (2016). Economic Consequences of Financial Reporting Disclosure Regulation: A Review Suggestions for Future Research.J. Acct. Econ.,50, p.525. McManus, L. (2013). Customer accounting and marketing performance measures in the hotel industry: Evidence from Australia.International Journal of Hospitality Management,33, 140-152. Nobes, C., (2014).International Classification of Financial Reporting 3e. Routledge. Prasetyorini, B. F. (2013). Pengaruh ukuran perusahaan, leverage, price earning ratio dan profitabilitas terhadap nilai perusahaan.Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen,1(1), 183-196. RACV Noosa Resort Accommodation Events information. (2018). @RACV. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from https://www.racv.com.au/travel-leisure/racv-resorts/our-destinations/noosa-resort.html Scott, W.R., (2015).Financial accounting theory(Vol. 2, No. 0, p. 0). Prentice Hall. Sunder, S., (2016). Rethinking financial reporting: stards, norms institutions.Foundations Trends in Accounting,11(12), pp.1-118. Vogel, H. L. (2014).Entertainment industry economics: A guide for financial analysis. Cambridge University Press

Business Discourse Colonizing Philanthropy

Question: Discuss about the Business Discourse Colonizing Philanthropy. Answer: Introduction: The vibrant nature of the current market environment has subjected corporation to diverse ways of maintaining competitive advantage and market their brand name. Factors such as technological advancement, corporate unions, globalization and improvement in cash flow have opened up the market to new players further intensifying market competition. Therefore, organizations now strive to marry social and economic activities. The main reason for setting up a corporation is to obtain profits. However, to achieve this goal, there must be close coordination with the society. Furthermore, close observance of business ethics is vital for good performance. This notion of creating a positive societal image has seen the rise of corporate philanthropy in the global market. This increase has triggered mixed feeling in the economic world with some critic raising question on the effectiveness of this measure in the corporate world and society. However, there are those who support this move and view it as a humanistic move. Therefore, this paper aims at exploring the function and effectiveness of corporate philanthropy. This is with the goal of justifying if more organization should adopt or avoid this course of action. The term corporate philanthropy has gained popularity in the modern world with many people attaching its meaning to the acts of charity. However, it is vital to draw clear, distinctive lines between charity and corporate philanthropy. So, what is corporate philanthropy? According to Paetzold (2010, p. 60), Corporate Philanthropy is the act of corporations donating part of their profits or resources such as human resource to nonprofit organizations. Paetzold notes that the term is often used together with corporate giving. According to Brennan (2011, p. 544), the term has the same meaning as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Brennan further elaborates that such actions are geared towards addressing the welfare of the society and hence should be viewed as significantly independent on a business profitability. Therefore, according to Brennan, it is the obligation of the corporation to address the needs of the society regardless of whether they are operating on a profit or not. His view disagrees with Paetzold (2010), who urges that philanthropic actions are optional and depend on organization benefits. Such discrepancies on the meaning of the term have also led to disagreements on the relevance of corporate charitable activities. However, Mullerat (2010) points out that there is a big difference between corporate philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. According to Mullerat (2010, p.51), the main difference between the two is that philanthropy entails the acts of giving to the needy people or entities through charitable aid while CSR is an integration of managerial attitudes and strategies to promote human and global welfare which are incorporated in an organization's operations. He further outlines that charitable giving and philanthropic actions are distinct from accompanies business and are not in its strategic plan. Hence, corporate social responsibility is a form of management and not a way of giving donations. Organizations engage in various corporate philanthropic activities. These practices vary according to organizations. However, there are two conventional approaches employed by organizations in achieving this quest. One is through matching gift programs and the second one is through volunteer donation programs. This method aims at giving a donation to nonprofit organizations addressing the conditions of the needy in the society. According to Burlingame (2004), matching gift programs are contribution programs that will match employees donation to qualifying nonprofit organizations. On the other hand, a volunteer donation program is when the employees donate their time to nonprofit entities. The donations are directed to organizations which deal with issues affecting humanity. For instance, they can be used to finance education program, health problems or clean water supply. The choice depends on the donating organizations. Some agencies such as Google have advanced their philanthropic approaches from mere donations to technological advancements. When the concept of corporate philanthropy first emerged, people associated it with charitable gifts and never attached business importance to the practice. However, Paetzold (2010, p.60) outlines that modern corporations have aligned this practices with their activities to enhance their competitive market advantage. This is what he calls New corporate philanthropy. According to Paetzold, this change is due to the pressure to balance between stakeholders objectives and the overall communities expectation of responsibility. Therefore, it is more like a tag of war. Remember both the stakeholders and the society is critical components of an institution. The stakeholders own the firm while the community purchases the good and services from organizations. Therefore, it is the role of executives to monitor these opposing forces. They are opposing since each would want their demands addressed adequately. The question on the effectiveness of corporate philanthropic has raised heated debates over the years. However, a keen analysis of these arguments leads to one solution that is the efficiency of this initiatives depends on perception. Because from a financial point of view, one might see them as a waste of money since the aim of a business is to maximize profits (lucky, et al., 2012). For the socialists, the move is effective since it addresses societal needs. However, for the economists, the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on the organization's objectives. According to Bruch and Walter (2005), a cohesive philanthropic strategy is essential for the success of corporate philanthropy. They reiterate that most the failed charitable initiatives by firms are due to lack of proper planning. Hence they advocate for the strategic philanthropic approach. This is the one who unites both the needs of the external players and the unique competencies of the donating firm. Organizations have employed corporate philanthropy as a tool to create a positive public image. This is more common in a firm whose operations have negative societal impacts such as the tobacco industries. According to Tesler and Malone (2008), Philip Moris succeeded in changing the image of the tobacco industry in the United States through philanthropic initiatives. His efforts made him win over policymakers, public health policies and thus improving his company image. However, they note that such moves cause more harm than good to the society. This is because companies continue producing harmful substances to the society and cover up using philanthropic initiatives. This is only an indication of how powerful Corporate philanthropic is on communitys psychology. In a study to establish the effects of philanthropy initiatives on consumer-company identification, Lii and Lee (2012), found out that corporate philanthropic efforts have significant effects on consumer-company identification and brand attitude. However, they note that the level of the effect depends on individual organization's charitable efforts. This is where leadership efficiency plays a vital role (Peloza et al., 2009). Leaders are the ones with the mandate of designing corporate philanthropic strategies. Since many organizations are doing the same thing, individual brilliance of a leader can make is or her initiative more efficient than the rest. However, the level of effectiveness of this actions has been questioned. According to Porter and Kramer (2012), corporate philanthropy is on the decline because most executives see them as a no-win situation. This is because it creates tension between the society and investors. The investor focuses on maximizing short-term profits of their investments while the community continues to demand more contributions from the firms. Porter and Kramer note that the more the companies contribute, the more the society demands. Furthermore, the executives are always in tight situations to explain and justify charitable disbursements on bottom-line expenditures (Porter Kramer, 2002). Porter and Kramer see corporate philanthropy as an ineffective approach of marking a firm brand. They reinstate the role of a corporation, which is to make profits. Furthermore, they argue that a company is a tool of the stakeholders who own it. Therefore, it is only the stakeholders who should decide how to spend t heir income not the organization. When establishments engage in corporate philanthropy, they infringe the investor's freedom of using funds from their investments (Porter Kramer, 2002). They further acknowledge that, regardless of the name given to this initiative such as smart or strategic philanthropy, an overhaul is required in the whole approach to clearly defines the benefits which stakeholders and the society obtain from this practices. Wirgau et al. (2010) concur with the arguments put forth by Porter and Krammer, on the relevance of this, acts to the society. They claim that the modern firms have diluted the meaning of corporate philanthropy to marketing philanthropy. Organizations are using the approach of donation to the campaign for consumption of individual product which some are of adverse effects to the society. This is against business ethics; because a good thing cannot be used to cover for the bad. Therefore, companies should be transparent on the contents in the p roducts they produce. Conclusively, corporate philanthropy is an excellent and smart idea. The program has been effective in supporting numerous humanitarian activities such as the fight against HIV and AID, poverty eradication, clean water provision and mitigating epidemics. Presently, such donations are the ones supporting those individuals in nations experiencing civil wars and terrorist attacks. There are kids whose education have been financed through this approach. Therefore, it is a vital move towards attaining a better society. However, proper planning is essential to maximize the efficiency of this program. Furthermore, firms should avoid using this approach to exploit the community through promoting consumption of products which cause health problems such as tobacco. However, I would encourage more organization to incorporate this practice in their activities and construct strategies to efficiently execute it since it is a way of appreciating the society. Furthermore, it is a way of marketing th eir brand through creating a positive public image. Reference List Brennan, D., 2011. Corporate Social Responsibility: The Corporate Governance of the 21st Century International Bar Association Series. 2nd ed. AH Alphen: Kluwer Law International. Bruch, H. Walter, F., 2005. The Keys to Rethinking Corporate Philanthropy. MIT Sloan Management Review, 47(1), pp. 49-55. Burlingame, D., 2004. Philanthropy in America: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1. Califonia: ABC-CLIO. Lii, Y.-S. Lee, M., 2012. Doing Right Leads to Doing Well: When the Type of CSR and Reputation Interact to Affect Consumer Evaluations of the Firm. Journal of Business Ethics, pp. 69-81. Lucky, O.-I. E., Olusegun, I. A. Bakar, S. M., 2012. Determinants of Business Success: Trust Or Business Policy? Researchers World, 3(3), pp. 37-42. Mullerat, R., 2010. International Corporate Social Responsibility: The Role of Corporations in the Economic Order of the 21st Century. AH Alphen: Kluwer Law International. Paetzold, K., 2010. Corporate Social Responsibility: An International Marketing Approach. Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag. Peloza, J., Hudson, S. Hassay, D. N., 2009. The Marketing of Employee Volunteerism. Journal of Business Ethics, suppl. Supplement, pp. 371-386. Porter, M. E. Kramer, M. R., 2002. The competitive advantage of corporate philanthropy. Harvard business review, 80(12), pp. 56-68. Tesler, l. E. Malone, R., 2008. Ethical Conduct in Public and Private Arenas: Corporate Philanthropy, Lobbying, and Public Health Policy. American Journal of Public Health, 98(12), pp. 123-2133. Wirgau, J. S., Farley, K. W. Jensen, C., 2010. Is Business Discourse Colonizing Philanthropy? A Critical Discourse Analysis of (PRODUCT) RED. Voluntas, 21(4), pp. 611-630.

Rsat Task 1 Essay Example

Rsat Task 1 Essay After reading through the different types of leader styles, I sat and analyzed how I deal with managing issues. I concluded that I am a Problem Solver type of leader. This individual uses a systematic approach to combating issues that arise. When a situation rises that needs attention, I figure out exactly what the problem is; lay out scenarios to resolve the problem and working toward a goal that eliminates the problem. I then devise a plan or map for the solution to the problem. I also take input from all that would be affected by the problem and even those affected by the outcome, and weigh that input when deciding a plan to resolve the problem. Strengths and Weaknesses Every leadership style has strengths and weaknesses. Being a problem solver, I can easily understand how spending too much time discussing the problem itself, and not arriving at a solution could be a big weakness. This weakness never allows for the problem to be solved, just analyzed over and over. On the flip side of this, a leader that listens to input from their team members is also strength to this type of leadership. We will write a custom essay sample on Rsat Task 1 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rsat Task 1 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rsat Task 1 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This leader then has a wide range of diverse views regarding the problem and possible solutions. The leader is subjecting itself to points that they or other members may not be able to see regarding the problem. This will allow for a more in depth view of the problem and possible ways to solve it that could be more beneficial for the team as a whole. A strength to the problem solving leadership style is that you surround yourself with capable experts on the subject matter. You are not spending time attempting to solve the problem yourself. The overall decision may be yours, but having a team of experts allows you to view different angles and solutions to efficiently get to the root of the problem and put the solution into place. A weakness of surrounding yourself with experts on the subject matter is that you, as a leader, could become or appear to over accommodate those experts. In an attempt to please everybody you could miss the whole point, and not be successful in solving the problem at hand. Over involvement can be a big weakness in this leadership style. Not taking every recommendation of your team members into consideration and weighing the outcomes of the proposed solutions, only to make your own decision in the end can turn out to be a huge mistake if your decision does not have a beneficial outcome or solve the problem. This is where over involvement on your side can hurt you, your team, and the circumstances. Other weaknesses include the amount of time spent in meetings instead of actively working on the solution. The length of time it takes for solutions to finally come about is long because of the amount of input you are receiving. Comparison While my personal leadership style is the Problem Solver, not everybody will have the same style. In fact, however many people you have in the group will probably be the amount of different leadership styles that will also exist within the group. Group H in my Leadership Class group had five members, but each of us brought a different style of leadership. Natalie Morice, for example, stated that her personal leadership style was â€Å"Delegator. † This particular type of leadership style is one that empowers the members of her team to make decisions and carry through with those decisions. While my leadership style entails me to take input from my team members and make the final decision myself, Natalie has her team members responsible for making the decisions while she supervises with progress reports. While her team members have accountability for their work, Natalie loses that accountability in the finale. Empowering team members that cannot handle the responsibility or do not have the experience or confidence to make decisions or solve problems, can cause the team to fail, and ultimately cause the leader to fail. The Problem Solver allows their team to make input, but ultimately makes the final decision; and while ultimately it could be the wrong decision and the team could still fail, it is the decision that the leader is accountable for. The Problem Solver is accountable for the decisions they made, while the Delegator is accountable for decisions that her team member made. While the Delegator has empowered her people and gets progress reports periodically, the Problem Solver is involved with the team during the decision making process, and keeps on top of every facet of the problem solving. There is more support for the team when the leader is the Problem Solving style, rather than the Delegator style. Another team member, Monette Mudie, stated that her leadership style was the â€Å"Developer†. The developer style is the middle of the Problem Solver style and the Delegator style. This style empowers the team members to make decisions of their own, but is more hands on with them while they are arriving at those decisions. This leader assists and mentors the team members if they are struggling with the solution process, but in the end, it is the team member that makes the final decision. The Developer is much like the Problem Solver in that both leaders assists, encourages, and mentors their team members with the decision making process. They are different in that the Problem Solver ultimately makes the final decision, while the Developer’s team makes their own decision with the help of their leader. Both styles (Developer and Problem Solver) can be construed as micro-managing on the leader’s part. Team members who are confident and prefer to work alone may find the constant interaction from the leader distracting or annoying. Team members under the Developer may feel more confident and take more pride in the work that they ultimately had the final say in, while team members under the Problem Solver may feel as though the leader didn’t appreciate their input or feel that they are not getting credit for their work. Understanding Understanding that there are many types of leadership styles is a start to improving your method of leadership style. When working with a group, knowing the leadership style of those you are leading can be helpful for several reasons. . Knowing the leadership style will give you insight to how the person works, whether alone or in a group; you will know how they will likely fit into the culture because of their style. 2. The leadership style of your members will give you insight as to how to effectively communicate to different members. Not all team members will react the same way to one type of communication. If you have a peek at how they, themselves lead, then you will kno w how to lead them effectively. 3. Knowing the leadership style of your team members will let you know who can work independently or as a team better, therefore you will know who will require more or less support and you can be proactive, instead of reactive to this. Having this information or foresight into the style of your team members will allow you to form a team that you can lead effectively because you will know the diversity of their styles before the project gets started. This will allow you to foresee any possible issues and possibly allow changes within the team or your method of communicating or leading to be proactive. Knowing your own leadership style is important also in being an effective leader. You should always know what your strengths and weaknesses are, the characteristics of your style and how different leadership styles may react to this. This is beneficial if somebody is having a problem with your leadership style, you can pinpoint what that problem is before the issue is blown out of proportion. The many leadership styles of your team can motivate you to make changes in your leadership style so that the team works to its maximum capacity. This will also allow you to motivate, inspire and reward the team members in ways that they will appreciate more. Knowing the different styles of your team will help you to get the team members to engage more within the team project. Knowing how to motivate or inspire people gets people to put more toward the project and allows for great commitment, an effective method of solving problems, and higher productivity within the team. Lastly, a leader cannot be a leader without communicating. Different styles require different methods of communication. If you know the styles of your team members, you will have the benefit of knowing the most beneficial way of communicating with and to that team member. Differences Leading a team with so many different members and different leadership styles can be a difficult task. There are many problems that a leader can experience due to the differences. One big problem could be differences in how people approach work situations. Some people are leaders and others are not. You may find that some team members will step right up to the plate, while others will await for tasks to be assigned to them. Not knowing that people are different like this could cause some friction within the team. The assertive â€Å"leaders† may think that the passive members are lazy, not enthusiastic, or just not team players. Passive members may assume that the assertive members are pushy, trying to monopolize the work, or just not team players. A way to combat the difference in assertive and passive (leadership style) team members would be to know your team members styles ahead of time, and assign tasks according to the strong attributes of their particular style. Also, salting your team of a mix of members would work better than having a whole team of assertive or a whole team of passive members. Another problem could occur if you have members on your team with the same leadership styles as yourself. If you have members on your team that are Delegators, the same as you, there could be some other team members that feel that all the work is being pushed off onto them as yourself and the team members with the same Delegating style are delegating to team members that are not Delegators. Again, the way to combat this problem would be to assign tasks to all team members, giving them a particular part of the project to work on that belongs to them. The Developer type of leadership style allows team members to be empowered to make decisions on their own. If you are the developer and have team members on your team that are indecisive or not confident or knowledgeable enough to make decisions on their own; then you will have team members that cannot reach the goals needed for the project. The only way to combat this problem is to ensure that your team members are knowledgeable and confident with the information needed to participate in this project. Let them know that you are available for assistance or mentoring if they find they are at a point where they cannot or do not feel comfortable making decisions on the project. Also, let the team know that they can also consult with other team members for input. In any team situation, there must be open communication for all avenues in order for the team to work as an actual team. Without communication, it is lmost guaranteed that the project team will fail. Make sure the avenues of communication are open and being utilized to their full extent. Synergies With four different styles of Leadership Styles, it is highly likely that you will have an assortment of different leadership styles in your group. There can be both advantages and disadvantages but you can definitely use the different leadership styles to your advantage a nd create a strong team. You will need to evaluate or have the knowledge ahead of time as to what leadership styles the different members of your team have. Copyright  © 2012 by Lisamarie Pettit TO: Maryse Vriotte, Chief Executive Officer FROM: Lisamarie Pettit, Elementary Division Manager RE: Ralph Hall Constructive Discharge Suit In regards to the Constructive Discharge suit brought against Bockers Toy Company, stating that Ralph Hall (Employee) has filed a claim against Bockers Toy Company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, constructive discharge, after a work schedule policy change took effect requiring employees to work shifts of 4/12 hour days, subsequently having 4 days off and then repeating. Mr Hall states that this change in shifts requires him to work on a religious holy day, discriminating against his religious beliefs, therefore, causing constructive discharge. Constructive Discharge is a legal concept conceived by the National Labor Relations Board and is defined legally as: â€Å"Evidence of objectively difficult or unpleasant working conditions to the extent that a reasonable employee would feel compelled to resign, if the employer has been given at least fifteen days notice by the employee that the employee intends to resign because of these conditions, and the employer fails to respond to employees concerns. (www. uslegal. com) Two specific intent tests must be looked at when deciding if Constructive Discharge has taken place: * Would a reasonable person find conditions to be unbearable? * Were conditions created to force person to resign? The proof of burden falls on the employee to prove that the employer intended these consequences through the two scenarios above. Under the specific intent tests, it is determined that a reasonable person would not find conditions at Bocker’s Toy Company to be unbearable; and also that the change in shift was not created to force Ralph Hall to resign. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is also stated that if an employee feels they are under the terms of a Constructive Discharge, then steps should be taken to allow the employer to remedy the situation. These steps are as follows: * Notify employer, in writing, that a working condition exists that the employee believes is objectively so difficult or unpleasant that the employee feels compelled or intends to resign. * Allow employer fifteen calendar days to respond in writing to the written communication. * Read and consider employer’s response. If employee is uncomfortable working in that fifteen calendar day waiting period, they have the option to take a leave for the duration. It is up to the employer is this is a paid or unpaid leave. In regards to Ralph Hall, Mr. Hall did not notify Bocker’s Toy Company or any management working at Bocker’s Toy Company that the working condition existed, or that he was intending to resign from his position. No written notice if needed if evidence of outrageous conduct by the employer or manager, including sexual assault, threats of violence, or pattern of discriminatory harassment took place and if this pattern caused the abrupt resignation. We feel this did not happen and not giving us a fifteen day notice did not give Bocker’s Toy Company the opportunity to remedy the situation before suit was filed. TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Section 2000e-2 states: * It shall be unlawful employment practice for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It shall be unlawful employment practice for an employer to limit, segregate, or classify employees or applicants of employment in any which way would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect his status as an employee because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex or national origin. (www. eeoc. gov) Based on the above section s of Title VII, we cannot discriminate against Mr. Hall in respect to his work conditions, terms, or privileges of employment (work shifts) due to his religion. The second bullet point makes clear that we cannot limit employment opportunities because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex or national origin. RECOMMENDATION My recommendation to avoid court and legal proceedings and to save costs regarding both is to offer Mr. Hall to return to his position. The implications surrounding his being unable to work on his holy day of Saturday due to his religious beliefs can easily be remedied by the following, without undue hardship to Bocker’s Toy Company. Mr. Hall will work the same scheduled 4/12 hour shifts as other workers. * On the four days that one of Mr. Hall’s scheduled days falls on a Saturday, Mr. Hall will not be required to report to work on Saturday, but on those weeks, will add a day at the end of his 4/12 hour shifts due to the skipped Saturday. (see table A) * It is the responsibility of Mr. Hall to inform his manager when a Saturday falls within his 4/12 hour shift so that Manager is able to find r eplacement staffing if needed. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall HOLY Hall Hall HOLY Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Hall Yellow indicates Holy Religious Day Blue indicates day added to make up Mr. Hall’s need for Saturdays off will leave the shift short one guy, and then on days that he is making up his 4th day will leave shifts extra one guy. It is up to the manager to look at the workforce need on those days to decide if he would like to give the option to other employees on Mr. Hall’s make up day to exchange that day for Saturday when Mr. Hall is off. The probability is that being short on Saturdays, the extra person on Mr. Hall’s make up day will make up for it and it will even out in the end. EEOC vs. Cinram Wireless, L. L. C revealed a case similar to ours where an employee asked for a different shift due to her Holy Sabbath Day from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Cinram Wireless at first agreed to the shift change; but then refused stating that if they made allowances for this employee, they would have to make allowances for all employees. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires employers to make reasonable accommodations as long as it does not cause undue hardships. The EEOC stated that Cinram made no reasonable effort to accommodate the employee’s religious beliefs, and did not successfully demonstrate that doing so would provide undue hardship. In the case of EEOC vs. Generation Properties dba Staybridge Suites, Generation Properties was made to pay a $27,500 settlement to an employee for failing to accommodate her Sabbath observance, and subsequently discharging her. The case of EEOC vs. White Hall Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; White Hall Nursing was made to pay a settlement of $24,000 to an employee for accommodating the employee for one year, and then refusing any further accommodation for her Seventh Day Adventist Sabbath observance, and subsequently was terminated. The above case examples show serious infractions against Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s act to not discriminate against employees for their religious beliefs. I believe that accommodating employees for their religious Sabbath would not cause undue hardship and it is in our best interest to offer Mr. Hall to return with the above specified accommodations recommended to him.

Left Brain - Right Brain Essays - Cerebrum, Neuroscience

Left Brain - Right Brain Essays - Cerebrum, Neuroscience Left Brain - Right Brain Psychology Right Brain, Left Brain. The article in which I chose to examine is called Right Brain, Left Brain: Fact and Fiction, written by Jerre Levy. In the past fifteen years or so there has been a lot of talk of left brain and right brain people. Levy's reason for righting this article was clearly to stop the misconceptions and show the truth about how our brain hemispheres operate. Levy first explores the myth of the left brain and right brain theory. She states that generally people see the left hemisphere of the brain controlling logic and language and the right, creativity and intuition. In addition people differ in their styles of thought, depending on which half of the brain is dominant. She believes that most of what these notions state is farce. Next the article explores the history of this fascination of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Apparently the study of this aspect of the brain traces back to time of Hippocrates. Levy weaves in and out of the various theories and prominent people known for contributing to the confusion. It wasn't until 1962 when Roger W. Sperry began experimenting on certain aspects of the brain that contribute to the truth of the left and right brain theory. Sperry studied people who had undergone surgical division of the corpus callosum, the bridge between the two hemispheres. His studies showed that, an object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) could be named readily, but one placed in the left hand (nonverbal right hemisphere) could be neither named nor described. Next to branch off of Sperry's studies was psychologist Doreen Kimura. Kimura developed behavioral methods which involved presenting visual stimuli rapidly to either the left or right visual fields. Another important method developed was dichotic listening which centered around the use of sound to study the hemispheres. Through these tests and the continual study the theory that the left brain controlled ended. Instead a new theory was born known as the two-brain theory. This said that at different times one of the two hemispheres would be operating. An example of this is that the right hemisphere is in control when an artist paints but the left hemisphere was in control when a novelist wrote a book. This theory failed because of one physical studies showed that people with hemispheres surgically disconnected could operate in everyday life. Also, research demonstrated that each hemisphere had its own functional expertise, and that the two halves were complementary. Next, the article states its worth. The author shows the up to date agreed upon theory of the two hemispheres in five simple points. 1. The two hemispheres are so similar that when they are disconnected by split-brain surgery, each can function remarkably well, although quite imperfectly 2. Although they are remarkably similar they are also different. The differences are seen in contrasting contributions. Each hemisphere contributes something to every action a person takes. 3. Logic is not confined to the left hemisphere. Although dominant in the left logic is present in the right hemisphere. 4. There is no evidence that either creativity or intuition is an exclusive property of the right hemisphere. Same theory as #3. 5. Since the two hemispheres do not function independently, and since each hemisphere contributes its special capacities to all cognitive activities, it is quite impossible to educate one hemisphere at a time in a normal brain. Levy comes to the conclusion that people are not purely left or right brained. There is a continuum in which the hemispheres work together in harmony. Often the left or right hemisphere is more active in some people but it is never the sole operator. She concludes, We have a single brain that generates a single mental self. This article showed that we are not left or right brained but merely somewhere on the scale between left and right brain. Some of us were extreme left, few extreme right and most in the middle leaning left a bit (this is where I fell). I could not agree more with what I read in this article. The author wrote a fabulous complete article. In my summary, I feel I

Central Park is unnatural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Central Park is unnatural - Essay Example I feel rested in there, but also I feel a contradiction because the park is all manmade. There are many different features of the park which in my point of view contribute to its unnaturalness. These are indeed the extra activities which are provided by the park authorities for entertainment. The ramble section for example is specially made for ‘Birders’. The bird enthusiasts are the more regular visitors of this section of the park. The question arises that should birds be made a source of entertainment. The very notion of making another living being your source of entertainment is being unnatural. The Boating facilities combined with rock climbing are another feature which makes the park artificial. Every time I visit the park, these sights drag me back down to reality. My aim of visiting Central Park is to get back to nature and essence of life. Families of climbers in tight climbing gear, loaded with ropes and colorful trinkets, are enough to drag you back to reality. The question thus arises in one’s mind that is this nothing more than another w ay to establish the fact that man has lost nature forever? The trees as always still remain true and pure as ever. Sitting in their cool dark shadows, one almost falls in the illusion of reality. On the weekday afternoons, the park is filled with less noise pollution. This is because most people come on the weekends. Therefore on such afternoons, I usually love to sneak into the park and occupy a secluded bench. Under its shade, the peace and quiet of nature still persists. The wind breezes bring with them the smell of the smoke and city. Bringing you the harsh truth that this beauty will not last and soon you will be standing on a busy New York streets, filled with people unknown and odors disliked. The trees are thus the only natural thing about the park. The arrangement however sometimes seems still unnatural. Trees for instance are not supposed to grow in straight lines and

Reflection paper about All But my Life( Klein) Essay

Reflection paper about All But my Life( Klein) - Essay Example This love provides inner strength and determination to suffer and endure a life of extreme torment and hardship. Klein provides much evidence of this thesis when she retells stories of her family members, particularly her father, to whom she looked up and respected. It was he who made her promise to be strong, fight and never give up or kill herself and it was his words that helped her curb her desires to end her life in the camp. Klein also shows how the love of friends, not only family, can help us through bad times, particularly with her best friend Ilse. Klein provides a very poignant accounting of her life through the Holocaust and one that is intense and convincing. She does not paint pretty pictures but instead presents vivid and illustrative explanations of the numerous occurrences that show the good side of humanity in such terrible times. I think there are many lessons to be learnt from Klein’s memoirs, all of which can strengthen our inner selves and provide awareness of others in a world that is fraught with injustice, war and

The Life of Jonathan Edwards Essay Example for Free

The Life of Jonathan Edwards Essay Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary The Life of Jonathan Edwards A Paper Submitted to Dr. Gregory Tomlin In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course American Christianity CHHI 692 Table of Contents Abstract3 Biographical Outline4-5 Survey of Edwards Life5-18 Work Written By Jonathan Edwards19-20 Bibliography21-22 Abstract Through out Jonathan Edwards’ life he focused on preaching and expressing his views and feelings on how people should live their lives and practice the faith. He was very influential in the first great awakening. He also gave various sermons and wrote multiple books and essays (that influenced many future people and organizations) on how to live life and worship God. Biographical Outline Jonathan Edwards was born on October 5, 1703, in Connecticut. There he shared a life with his father (Timothy Edwards, who was a minister in East Windsor, Connecticut), his mother (Esther Stoddard, the daughter of Rev. Solomon Stoddard), and ten sisters. His parents made sure that their children were brought up to know God on a personal level. After completing his home studies (with his parents), Edwards decided (at the young age of 13) to continue his education by attending Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, where he studied divinity. He studied there working on his B. D. for two years. After his graduation, he decided to focus his knowledge in the areas theology. After preaching at a Presbyterian church in New York City for less than a year, he decided to return to college (Yale) to receive his M. A. degree. On completion of his schooling, he joined his grandfather as an associate pastor at Northampton. In July of 1727 he married Sarah Pierpont, and over the years they had eleven children. In the early part of their marriage, Edwards’ grandfather died, and he had to take on the task of preaching, alone. This event began his life as a true preacher. Through out the rest of his life he focused on preaching and expressing his views and feelings on how people should live their lives and practice the faith. He was very influential in the first great awakening. He gave various sermons and wrote multiple books and essays on how to live life and worship God. Edwards was known for his views on women. During his time many people felt women should focus their life in the household, but Edwards felt that they were equal to men, and could also hold important positions in life. This could be preaching the gospel to others and or explaining the fascinations and or discoveries of science (which he also enjoyed). Throughout his life he enjoyed education of not only himself, but also all of the people around him. Survey of Edwards’ Life Edwards’ Early Years Jonathan Edwards was born on October 5, 1703, in East Windsor, Connecticut. He was born to two parents, who were firm believers of God and His power, Timothy Edwards and Ester Stoddard. Edwards father, Timothy Edwards, was a pastor of a church their in East Windsor, Connecticut, and his mother, Esther Stoddard, was the daughter of Solomon Stoddard (a pastor of the church in Northampton, Massachusetts). Edwards’ parents were blessed with 11 children. Among those eleven children, he was the only boy (so he probably had a lot to live up too). His parents, who grew up in the Puritan age, raised him and his siblings in a Puritan atmosphere and upbringing. They were home schooled, while being taught the importance of putting all of your faith into the Lord. After his schooling, at home, was completed, Edwards decided to continue his education by attending Yale College (in New Haven, Connecticut). While he was there he studied various subjects, including science, divinity, and theology, giving him a well-rounded and objective education. During his studies he managed to find extra time to write multiple intriguing essays. He graduated in September 1720, as the valedictorian of his class, with a degree in divinity. Once Edwards completed his college studies at Yale College, he decided to try out preaching. He began his journey at a small Presbyterian church in New York City. There he was a clergyman. He stayed there for almost a year. Then decided to leave for more education. He returned to Yale to tutor others and to continue his education. In early 1727 Edwards decided to join his grandfather at his church (Northampton). There he held the position of assistant minister. Since he was still considered a student minister, between his time ministering, he would spend his extra time studying and increasing his knowledge. Also during the same year Edwards decided to marry his love, Sarah. She was the daughter of the founder of Yale College. Although she was young (the mere age of seventeen), she was devoted to her spiritual love for God. She was truly an inspiration for Edwards and had been since she was 13 years old. Throughout their marriage she was a wonderful wife and friend. She made sure her husband and their eleven children were taken care of in every way. She was a true role model to her children and her husband. In 1729, early within the year, Edwards’ grandfather (Solomon Stoddard) died. Upon is death, Edwards was left with the huge task of taking on the ministry of his grandfather’s church (Northampton) all by his self. This church was a well known and attended church, and was one of the largest in the area. Edwards and The Great Awakening In 1731 Edwards wrote, preached, and published one of his famous sermons. He shared his sermon, which was called God Glorified – In Man’s Dependence, with the people of Boston. This sermon revolved around the topic of Arminianism (stereological thought that involves the Protestant Community, which is based on Dutch Reformed theologian, Jacobus Arminius). Edwards’ main focus with this sermon was to let people know that God gave them the power of faith to help lead them to salvation. In1733 a revival began right there at Edwards’ church (Northampton). By the spring of the next year the revival reached huge heights. Within six months of the revival’s beginning, nearly three hundred people had come to the church to participate. The increased activity there at the church also gave him the idea and the opportunity to study the process of conversion (which he documented in his essay, A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in the conversion of Many Hundred Souls in Northampton). Eventually the entire revival was documented (by Edwards) through multiple essays, which Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners became the most effective. By the year of 1735, the revival that began with Edwards’ church had expanded. The revival had gone from the grounds of Northampton to New Jersey. With the expansion of the revival, the numbers of doubters grew. There were many people throughout New England who doubted Edwards’ sincerity of God’s Words, and felt that he was leading his flock of believers (new and old) to ultimate damnation. These doubts got so great that some people felt the urge to commit suicide (with a few actually completing the act). These acts and feeling of suicide ultimately ended this revival. Talk of the revival spread all the way to England and Scotland. People in other countries (across seas) were aware of what was going on in America, and they were intrigued. One person, in particular, who became interested in Northampton and Edwards, was George Whitefield. He was an Anglican Protestant minister, who eventually helped spread the Great Awakening to Britain. In 1739 Whitefield traveled to the Thirteen Colonies (the initial British colonies established, between the time of 1607 to 1733, on the Atlantic Coast of North America) on a revival tour. While he was touring he met Edwards’ acquaintance. While in America he preached at Edwards’ church. The sermon was so touching (as he reminded Edwards and his congregation of the purpose of the revival that had occurred earlier) that most of the congregation cried (along with Edwards) as Whitefield spoke. The sermon was so inspiring that the revival came back to life. People remember what the whole point to the revival was, a chance to bring people to God. The sermon also inspired Edwards. This was during the time that he preached the sermon the made him known. In 1741 Edwards went to Enfield, Connecticut, and preached his famous sermon, Sinners in the hands of an Angry God. In this sermon he reminded people of Hell (through vivid imagery and scripture). He felt that this was what the people needed to return them to the path of righteousness. Although there were many people who Edwards brought back to the revival, there were still some who were leery of the movement. Some of these people consisted of conservative Congregationalist ministers. These ministers were leery for various reasons, one in particular were the actions that consumed people during the movement. Some of these actions consisted of barking, crying out, yelling, body movements, etc. In the movement’s defense, Edwards published a work called The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God. In his work he stated the reactions of these people were not one way or another the actions of God. Shortly after publishing this work he published a couple of apologizes stating that he was incorrect and that the divine visitation does take over the body (in the writing Thoughts on the Revival in New England). These new views came in part from the actions of his wife during the movement. Regardless of Edwards’ words on body movements and conversion people took notice of the effect that the gospel seemed to have on the people who participated in these revivals. The people who were promoting The Great Awaking took the body movements as true reactions to conversion. Even though many people had taken Edwards’ words that he previously spoken, on the topic of bodily movements and conversion (even though he tried to retract his options and views on the topic), and ran with them, he still tried to let people know that he had changed his position and views on the topic. He preached at his church (Northampton), in the attempt to share and spread his new feelings and to explain why his feelings had changed. During the years of 1742 and 1746, Edwards had a group of his sermons published called Religious Affections. This famous group of sermons expresses his views on conversion. It also described how true conversion occurs and that the only way a person can be saved is if they truly believe, have faith, and accept that Jesus Christ died for man’s sins. Without the previous criteria a person cannot be saved. During the years between 1747 and 1749, Edwards published various works regarding religion and beliefs. A couple in particular regarded a movement in Scotland and David Brainerd. In 1747 Edwards joined a movement that was in Scotland. It was called the Concert in Prayer. After his involvement in the movement he decided to document his experience in his writing called An Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth. Then in 1749 another one of his writing was published. This writing involved the conversion and confessions of David Brainerd. During the time in question, Brainerd was living in Edwards’ church (Northampton) and was being attended to by Edwards’ daughter (Jerusha). Rumors were floating around that the two, Jerusha and David, were engaged, but of course there were no documents to back up the rumors. Women and Their Importance Throughout Edward’s life, he tried to instill in the people who surrounded him the importance of a woman. He wanted people to know that women were just as important as men were and that they should work together as a team to help each other. These views were instilled in him as a child. His mother and sisters took care of the duties around the house and helped him and his father throughout childhood. Edwards also expressed is views about women when it came to his wife Sarah. He felt that men and women were equal and promoted gender equality. In his day – to day duties and even his sermons, he promoted Equality. For example, he would stress the fact that The Bible states that Eve is the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20), giving her one of the most important roles of life. There is no one more important than a child’s mother. He continuously focused on various characters throughout The Bible, giving equal considerations to many of the women that it mentions. Some of the names include women like Eve, Sarah, Anna, Mary, etc. He was clearly (and possibly dangerously) a head of his time, with his views on women and equality. His Fascination With Science During this time, many new advances were beginning to surface. People were beginning to look into various areas, like how electricity worked and if and how it could be reproduced and other various things. Edwards took an interest in science early on and decided to broaden his education (which included science) in college. In college he was so interested in how things worked that he wrote various papers on philosophy, optics, flying spiders, light, etc. He basically tried to investigate and observe as much as he could (or that peaked his curiosity). While some people shied away from science, Edwards was drawn to the laws of nature. Many people during this time felt that science disregarded God and religion. While these opinions were circulating, Edwards felt that the laws of nature came from God and were in itself part of His care and wisdom. Since God and science went hand and hand, science did not threaten faith or spirituality. His Later Years During the early years of Northampton, Edwards’ grandfather (Solomon Stoddard) established the church with specific guidelines and rules. One of the more important guidelines was that members of the church must be baptized to participate in different church activities. Events like the Lord’s Supper, was a reminder and a converting ordinance. People who were not baptized could come to the church for sermons, but other activities needed membership and baptism to participate. Problems began to arise there in the church, around 1748, when Edwards began to publicly voice his opinions with his grand father’s views. He felt that church membership should require more criteria. This included things like clothing, entertainment, reading materials, etc. One particular event was when Edwards published a list of people from his congregation that were accused of reading inappropriate reading materials. This list included people that were being accused along with any witnesses that were called. The problem that got the congregation in an uproar was the fact that the list, that he published, did not distinguse between the accused and the witnesses. Everyone on the list was looked at as guilty, in the eyes of anyone who read the list. The people who were found guilty were disciplined for their actions. As a result of the whole incident, the relationship between Edwards and the congregation deteriorated. The situation created tension between him and many of the people within the community. People began to think of him and label him as a trouble maker and no fun. Edwards’ and his church became very unpopular. Many people resented him and very few people wanted to be involved with his church. For many years after the situation with the published names, very few people expressed interest in being members of his church. The few that did show interest, were met with numerous and outrageous qualifications that they refused to follow. Even though many people from all over would come to hear his sermons, his own congregation was not at all fond of him. Since there was so much tension between Edwards and his congregation, the council of the church had to serve as a mediator. Eventually the council and the church felt they needed to deal with Edwards and all of his recent changes and opinions. In this meeting, the council and the members of the church decided to suspend his privileges to preach there at Northampton, and when the vote ended up going to the town meeting, it was also confirmed and Edwards preaching privileges were ended. Although Edwards was no longer a minister there at Northampton, he continued to live there in the town. And he seemed to not hold any ill will regarding the congregation’s final decision. Occasionally the congregation would ask him to come and preach a sermon or two. This process went on until 1751. In the next few years, Edwards was invited to preach in Scotland and Virginia, but he decided to decline. He also chose to decline invitations to a church in Stockbridge and a chance to mission to the Housatonic Indians. He did spend time with the Indians, preaching to them now and then. He also took time to write various books. One in particular was called Humble Relation (Reply to Williams), which spoke on full communion. There were many other writings that involved God and morality. In 1757 Edwards son – in – law (Reverend Aaron Burr), which was married to his daughter Esther and was the son of the future US vice – president Aaron Burr, died and Edwards decided to take his place as the president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton University). But shortly after accepting his new position, Edwards became sick and died. Edwards was a firm supporter of the new small pox inoculations. To show his support, he decided to also get the inoculation. Because he was never in excellent health, he developed complications from the inoculation and died on March 22, 1758. His Legacy Edwards was a Calvinist and believed in those views. Edwards and the people who followed him were known as the New Light Calvinist ministers. Some of his followers included Samuel Hopkins, Gideon Hawley, Joseph Bellamy and many others. Most of his followers lived in the New England area, comprising a great population size. His followers also became great citizens, this included US vice – presidents, college presidents, etc. Edwards’s writings and his beliefs were great influential readings during his day and even today. Many laws, rules, regulations, etc. were drawn from his writings. Some of the things Edwards’ writings influenced were the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions missionaries, The Missionary Herald, The Banner of Truth Trust, etc. Works Written By Jonathan Edwards (not inclusive) †¢A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God †¢Charity and its Fruits †¢Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced †¢Concerning the End for Which God Created The World Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God †¢Freedom of the Will †¢A History of the Work of Redemption including a View of Church History †¢The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, Missionary to the Indians †¢The Nature of True Virtue †¢Original Sin †¢Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival in New England and the Way it Ought to be Acknowledged and Promoted †¢A Treaste Concerning Religious Affections †¢Atonement (Governmental view) †¢Colonial America †¢Congregational church †¢Great Awakening †¢Mission House (Stockbridge, Massachusetts) †¢Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God †¢Jonathan Edwards College Argument form Beauty †¢American philosophy †¢List of American philosophers †¢Ivy League Presidents †¢New England Dwight family Bibliography Bearskin, Douglas L. â€Å"Jonathan Edwards, Enthusiast? Radical Revivalism and the Great Awakening in the Connecticut Valley. † Church History 74 (2005): 683-739. http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/ehost/detail? vid=4hid=11sid=a18c3fe2-bd1d-4992-b657-7c6bfe30e3fe%40sessionmgr15bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9hAN=19448230. Beck, Peter. â€Å"Fall of man and the failure of Jonathan Edwards. † Evangelical Quarterly 79 (2007): 209-225. http://web. bscohost . com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3hid=11sid=a18c3fe2-bd1d-4992-b657-7c6bfe30e3fe%40sessionmgr15bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9hAN=25338906. Crisp, Oliver D. â€Å"Jonathan Edwards on the Divine Nature. † Journal of Reformed Theology 3 (2009): 175-201. http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3hid=11sid=a18c3fe2-bd1d-4992-b657-7c6bfe30e3fe%40sessionmgr15bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9hAN=42316446. Duban, James. â€Å"A Reverent and Obedient Evolution: Jonathan Edwards, the New Science, and the Socialism of Henry James Sr. Journal of Speculative Philosophy 23 (2009): 244-261. http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/ehost/detail? vid=3hid=11sid=a18c3fe2-bd1d-4992-b657-7c6bfe30e3fe%40sessionmgr15bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl. Miller, Gordon. â€Å"Jonathan Edwards’ sublime book of nature. † History Today 46 (July 1996): 29. http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/ehost/detail? vid=4hid=11sid=a18c3fe2-bd1d-4992-b657-7c6bfe30e3fe%40sessionmgr15bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9hAN=9607212980. Wikipedia. â€Å"Jonathan Edwards. † http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_(theologian).