Public Administration Essay Example for Free

Public Administration Essay â€Å"The Blast in Centralia No. 5: A Mine Disaster No One Stopped† by John Bartlow Martin. Reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated. Copyright 1948 by John Bartlow Martin. Copyright renewed 1975 by John Bartlow Martin. Overview The title of this case study alone insinuates that perhaps this mine disaster could have been prevented. Martin opens his case study with very descriptive and gruesome details about the events that lead up to the explosion. Martin states: â€Å"One hundred and eleven men were killed in that explosion. Killed needlessly, for almost everybody concerned had known for months, even years, that the mine was dangerous. Yet nobody had done anything effective about it† (Stillman 31). Initially, the thought and idea that a community would allow such a horrific event to occur that could have been prevented is terrifying and somewhat startling. Martin uses his case study to explore various questions regarding this mine disaster as well as the background and other potential issues surrounding the explosion. Purpose The overall goal of this case study is to place an emphasis on how dependent modern day society is on public administration to handle chaotic or unexpected situations. In exploring various aspects of this catastrophe, Martin explores the following: (1). A coal company sensitive only to profit incentives. (2). State regulatory agencies inadequately enforcing mine safety legislation. (3). Federal officials and mine unions complacent about a growing problem. (4). The miners incapable of protecting themselves against the impending disaster. Ultimately, â€Å"Modern society depends on the proper functioning of unseen administrative arrangements for safeguarding our environment; for protecting the purity of our food; for transporting us safely by road, rail, or air; for sending us our mail; or negotiating an arms limitations agreement at some distant diplomatic conference. All of us like miners in Centralia No. 5, rely throughout our lives on the immovable juggernaut of impersonal administrative systems† (Stillman 30). It seems  that most people as a whole have absent mindedly become too dependent on something as abstract and complicated as public administration. It seems to be public administration and its official’s responsibility to handle any concern in the community as well as make everything flow smoothly. To the Letter of the Law Driscoll O. Scanlan, a dedicated mine inspector, strove to enforce mining laws â€Å"to the letter of the law† because he deeply desired to protect miners and took his responsibility and job deeply. In a sense, Scanlan’s motivation toward the Constitution (the law), bureaucracy (as a public administrator responsible to the public), and obligation all played a key factor in his attitude and efforts that he made towards inspecting mines. The Stillman text states the following in regards to Scanlan: â€Å"Other inspectors, arriving to inspect a mine would go into the office and chat with the company officials. Not Scanlan; he waited outside, and down in the mine he talked with the miners, not the bosses† (Stillman 32). The text goes on to state many other comparisons between Scanlan and the other mine inspectors. Scanlan’s actions and efforts showed that he truly had a passion for his job and a genuine concern for the miners. For all of these reasons and many more, Scanlan gained a different perspective as well as insight than the other inspectors which ultimately led him to deem the Centralia No. 5 mine the worst in the district. This realization pushed him to take action. Scanlan’s Actions Scanlan was very persistent in his attempts to bring attention to the troublesome areas in the Centralia No. 5. Mine. Letter after letter he provided a detailed description of issues, potential recommendations, and concerns that he had about the condition of the mine. Those concerns included the following: (1). The amount of dust (2). The overall cleanliness of the mine. I am for the efforts and attempts that Scanlan made. Over a period of thirteen years, Scanlan took the appropriate steps towards potentially preventing the disaster that occurred in the Centralia No. 5. Mine. Scanlan reached out to the Department of Mines, Minerals at Springfield company, directors of various departments, Governor Green, presidents in numerous agencies, superintendents, attended meetings, and  made many other actions that could have benefited the miners and the overall condition of the mine. Alternative Actions Scanlan could have done the following after he saw that effort was not being made to aid the miners or the mine: (1) Dust the mine himself (2) Sprinkle the roads himself (3) Threaten to shut down the mine (4) Actually close down the mine. All of these potential options were possible; however, these actions would have been very time consuming and tedious. Overall, Scanlan did all that he could do to prevent the disaster in the mine. By law, a mine inspector could shut down a mine. Scanlan informed the miners of their potential dangers as well as gave certain recommendations and reported his findings to the appropriate actors. As a last resort, Scanlan could have closed down the mine or went to and relied on an inspector or supervisor above him to take further action. Responsibility According to an article entitled: Can Government Regulate Safety? The Coal Mine Example, â€Å"the Federal government has been directly involved in coal mining safety for over 35 years, operating under three major pieces of legislation enacted in 1941, 1952, and 1969. In fact, the 1941 and 1969 regulations significantly reduced the fatality rate in coal mining† (Lewis-Beck and Alford 1). Mark Aldrich, professor of economics at Smith College, stated the following in his article entitled: The Needless Peril of the Coal Mine: The Bureau of Mines and the Campaign against Coal Mine Explosions, 1910-1940, â€Å"The bureau continued the safety investigations begun by the USGS which focused largely on the prevention of explosions and their con-sequences. In addition to certifying and championing the use of permissible mine equipment, it also launched a first-aid and mine rescue campaign. But its most important work was its investigation of the causes of coal dust explosions and its campaign to spread rock-dusting technology. This choice of safety priorities resulted in part from the bureaus bureaucratic structure and scientific and technological orientation. No group within the bureau was charged with setting priorities, and research problems were usually chosen by scientists with little direction from above† (Aldrich 542). Conclusion If the appropriate actions were taken when Scanlan first made recommendations about the mine, the mine disaster could have been prevented. Ultimately, it is not one person or agency’s full responsibility to prevent disasters such as this one; it is a joint effort among workers, the community, legislation, inspectors, and many more to ensure that working conditions are safe and not a potential hazard to society as a whole. References Aldrich, Mark. Preventing The Needless Peril of the Coal Mine: The Bureau of Mines and the Campaign against Coal Mine Explosions, 1910-1940 Technology and Culture , Vol. 36, No. 3 (Jul., 1995), pp. 483-518. Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of the Society for the History of Technology Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3107239. Lewis-Beck ,Michael S. and John R. Alford. â€Å"Can Government Regulate Safety? The Coal Mine Example.† The American Political Science Review , Vol. 74, No. 3 (Sep., 1980), pp. 745-756 Published by: American Political Science Association Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1958155. Stillman, Richard Joseph. Public Administration: Concepts and Cases. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. â€Å"The Blast in Centralia No. 5: A Mine Disaster No One Stopped† by John Bartlow Martin. Reprinted by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated. Copyright 1948 by John Bartlow Martin. Copyright renewed 1975 by John Bartlow Martin.

Use of Elemental Imagery in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay

Use of Elemental Imagery in Jane Eyre    The use of elemental imagery in Jane Eyre, sustained throughout the novel both metaphorically and literally, is one of Charlotte Brontà «'s major stylistic devices. The natural opposition of the two elements of water and fire ("the war of the earthly elements", as Jane puts it) highlights the need for the titular heroine to find equilibrium between points identified as extremes. However, as David Lodge notes, "we should be mistaken in looking for a rigidly schematic system of elemental imagery and reference in Jane Eyre". Fire and water images in the novel have their shifting associations, which reflect on the characters of Jane, Rochester and St John Rivers. The broad suitability of the images shows that they can be both destructive forces and agents of renewal. Using them as both allows Brontà « to show how far the characters have learnt to reconcile the Romantic desire for passion with the need for restraint, for it is only in that way that true personal selfhood can be rea lised. And this search for a personal selfhood, where one is judged on one's own character, not society's usual manner of judgment based on title, money or beauty, can be said to be the focus in the novel. It is instructive to note that fire, used metaphorically, is almost solely used to describe Jane and Rochester. Fire is associated with passion, and it is imperative for the characters to learn that while passion is a valuable quality, without which any relationship would be a cold and dead one, it is not the only component of a relationship; other qualities like mutual respect and honesty must be present. "Fire is a good servant, but a bad master", as the old saying goes. The fire within both parties creates t... ... Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1991 David Lodge, Fire and Eyre: Charlotte Brontà «'s War of Earthly Elements Gates, Barbara Timm, ed. Critical Essays on Charlotte Bronte. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1990.    Jane Eyre. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. William Hurt, Charlotte Gainsborough, and Anna Paquin. 1996    Kadish, Doris. The Literature of Images: Narrative Landscape from Julie to Jane Eyre. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1986.    Lodge, Scott. "Fire and Eyre: Charlotte Bronte's War of Earthly Elements." The Brontes: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Gregor. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1970. 110-36.    McLaughlin, M.B. "Past or Future Mindscapes: Pictures in Jane Eyre." Victorian Newsletter 41 (1972): 22-24.    Solomon, Eric. "Jane Eyre: Fire and Water." College English 25 (1964): 215-217.   

Discuss the Role of the Supervisor in Organizational Planning

Course Title: Supervisory Management Submission Date: 22 October 2012 One Stop Production Company’s Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary of the Case3 Statement of the Problem4 Core Problem4 Satellite Problems6 Recommendations 16 Reasonable Assumptions19 Bibliography 20 Summary of the caseOne Stop Production is a garment manufacturer specializing in the production of school uniforms. Ms. Susan Holford shared the management of the business with her father Mr. Amos Holford over the past two years and will assume full responsibility for leadership of the company upon his retirement. She has a team of supervisors whose length of tenure with the business exceeds her own involvement with One Stop Production, and in general employees have performed the same functions from the business’ inception. The leadership styles of Susan and her father differ drastically.Motivated by her intention to manage the business in a different manner than her father, Susan is overwhelmed by the diffic ulties facing her – particularly the declining production and sales figures, and what she views as the refusal of the employees to improve production levels. This report outlines the challenges facing the business and its new manager Susan. It will first summarize the existing problems, and then establish specifically the core problem and satellite problems that exist; where necessary reasonable assumptions will be drawn and supported by evidence from the business.The report will then provide recommendations that will empower Susan, as leader, to chart the future course of the organization. This will be followed by a conclusion that unifies the various elements of the report. STATEMENT OF THE Problem Within different organizations one will find varying organizational structures and environments which contribute to the overall organizational culture. Entwined in here are the management and leadership styles, values and beliefs that exist within the organization.As this case an alysis was thoroughly investigated, we discovered that the One Stop Production Company had some major problems (Please refer to Exhibit 1. 0). After careful consideration and collaboration it has been established that the core problem which hinders the success of the company is â€Å"Ineffective Leadership and Organization Management†. Whilst the satellite problems include: ? Poor Organizational Structure ?Poor Management * No Clear Goals ?Ineffective Communication CORE PROBLEM Ineffective Leadership In this company, we will examine the leadership skills within the organisation.A leader’s role is to set the direction for establishing a clear vision by taking risks, sharing and communicating the vision with others so that they will follow willingly. It also includes motivating and inspiring staff by expanding energy through producing change, aligning contingencies by bringing everyone together and balancing the conflicting interests of all members or stakeholders. (www. businessdictionary. com) â€Å"The art of getting employees together on a common platform and extracting the best out of them refers to effective organisation management. † (www. managementstudyguide. com) SATELLITE PROBLEMSPoor Organisational Structure An organisational structure defines how job tasks are formally divided grouped and coordinated (Robbins & Judge 2010, p. 488). Within the One Stop Production Company the organizational structure was not clearly defined which often resulted in conflicts due to mixed instructions. Mr. Holford, although delegating the majority of functions and running of the operation to his supervisors, still constantly moved around giving random instructions to different employees regardless of department. Ms. Holford wants to restructure the organization having roles and job functions clearly defined.In addition she intends to appoint specific supervisors to specific departments which would define the levels of authority – Line or func tional; allowing both employees ad superiors to know who was responsible for what. Poor Management Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively (Robbins & Coulter p. 6). â€Å"Ms. Holford never found the time to pursue management because her father had left the management of all three areas of the organization largely up to her† Ms.Holford exhibits a type of autocratic style of management and does not trust the knowledge of the staff. This lack of trust has resulted in her inability to select specific supervisors to specific department. She has very good ideas and intentions for the organization however a lack of management training proves to be a major deficiency. She does not have the co-operation of the workers and as a result her suggestions are not acted on. Ms. Holford believes the selection of a manager to run things for her is imperative however she does not know how to go about this process.Ineffective Communication Communication is ‘the transfer and understanding of meaning. It serves four major functions within a group or organization; control, motivation, emotional expression and information. ’ As seen in this case the flow of communication serves one main purpose and that is control. Employees are made aware of Ms. Holford’s suggestions and intentions at meetings however there appears to be no facility for feedback or input from the employees. The lack of trust in the workers’ knowledge results in a ‘one way’ flow of communication. No Clear Goals / Targets The goals of the organization have not been clearly defined and relayed to the workers. The levels of production and sales which are being sought have not been laid out to the workers. RECOMMENDATIONS * Management and Leadership training for Ms. Susan Holford. This is very important so as to develop within her the skills which are necessary for her to manage the organization as well the workers. Leadership & Learning are indispensible to each other. It is known that effective Leaders are not always born but can be trained. Hire a Human Resources Manager – Human resource managers have a key role to play to help a company achieve its objectives and run effectively. HR managers assist employees with matters relating to their employment and  also help employees with questions regarding health insurance and other benefits. Hiring and firing employees are both important functions performed by the  human  resources department because there are certain procedures to be followed. However, a crucial  role  of  human  resources  is to work closely with upper management as well as the staff to ensure positive company relations at all times. To assist with the hiring of the Human Resources Manager, we have attached the following document. Please see Exhibit 2. 1, 2. 2, 2. 3 and 2. 4) * Implement a five year strategic p lan – This should include the Goal setting  theory which involves establishing  specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely   (S. M. A. R. T  )   objectives. Work on the theory of goal-setting suggests that it's an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants in a group with a common goal are clearly aware of what is expected from them if an objective is to be achieved. Delegation of work – A General Manager should be chosen with the overall responsible for the day to running and they would report directly to Ms. Holford. In addition specific supervisors for the various departments should be put in place to oversee the running of those departments. Training should also be organized for all supervisors. The supervisors are a direct link between management and the workers. (Please refer to Exhibit 3. 0). * Communication has to become a ‘two way’ process and allow for feedback from the workers. Ms.Holford must spend ti me with key supervisors and staff and learn the business, while also truly learn about the staff. She should form a committee of Management from among the key stakeholders in the Company. The Supervisors should be able to communicate any new production and sales targets to their teams directly. * Goals / Targets – Production and Sales targets should be set and the targets should be known to all members of staff. The overall goals of the company should be clearly stated and ensure that the operation of each department coincides with the overall goals of the organization.Sales records for the past five years should be analyzed so as to pick up on trends and a comparison done with a company in a similar market. For instance sales maybe tied in to the start of the school year where for obvious reasons they will be at their highest. This research would aid in the setting of the targets and goals and also identify reasons for drops in sales at particular times. * Production Levels – The workers have been doing the same jobs since inception.New technology may be available to increase the efficiency of some processes and the training of workers in the use of new technology or processes to increase productivity and overall job efficiency. * Staff Morale – Despite receiving annual wage increases the employees still appear unhappy and are unwilling to improve production. Ms. Holford should pay attention to what the needs of the workers are. Look at improving the working environment, staff relations. Incentive schemes can be devised to encourage workers to produce more and build up their morale. CONCLUSIONThe members of our group believe that after thoroughly analyzing the main issues of the company, and implementation of the recommendations stated would improve the daily operations and production at the One Stop Production. However it should be noted that these recommendations have to be implemented overtime and the changing process should be a gradu al one as from the case it appears that the employees are very resistant to sudden change. It should be gradually incorporated into the activities and employees should be clearly shown the importance of it to the company and also the benefits that can be reaped through their assistance.BIBLOGRAPHY Kotter, John P. John P Kotter on what leaders really do: Harvard Business Press, 1999 Robbins, SP. ; Coulter, M. Management. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. , 2007 Robbins, SP. ;Judge, TA. Organisational Behavior Thirteen ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008 Robbins, Stephen P. and Judge, Timothy A. Organisational Behaviour. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2009 Mullins, Laurie J, Management and Organisational Behaviour 8th Ed, p. 382 www. businessdictionary. com Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity – Course Manual 2012

Social Inequities And Its Effects On Society - 1444 Words

Social Inequities are one of the most faced problems that people are around the world experience, yet they are thrown aside when these issues have more concerns than what meets the eye. Currently in the world, there is a manifold of inequities, such as the very popular ones that continue to expand, such as racism, feminism, and bullying. Although over the years not much improvement has been made to put an end on these issues, authors have been informing teens, especially in their writing, making them aware about the current events. Throughout literature, many people’s eyes have been opened and now more people are aware of the issues and are now starting to do something about it. To conclude, social inequities are growing throughout time,†¦show more content†¦In comparison to men, women are not making nearly as much money as men. Over time not much improvement had been made in women’s income, and they still made a significant, lesser, amount of money. Aside from that, females are also segregated from males in multiple categories with downgrading outcomes for the development of their choices and capabilities. To summarize, it is clear that feminism is a noteworthy issue that hasn’t been addressed formally enough. To add on, racism is also a very common inequity. People are segregated and looked at differently for their skin color, resulting in different treatment towards individuals. This treatment, was cruel and unusual, such as slavery, and abuse towards people. Although these actions were not necessary whatsoever, the treatment continued on for years to come, worsening as time went on. After the civil rights movement, the tension decreased, however to this day, racism still occurs throughout the world. All in all, racism is a still occurring situation that may have died down slightly, but still has not come to an end. Nowadays, everything revolves around money. Money distinguishes the wealthy from the less fortunate and because of this, financial inequality is a growing concern. The Outsiders novel by S.E. Hinton shows how two different groups, the Soc’s who are extremely affluent, versus the Greasers who do not have nearly as much