Lead And Manage A Team Essay

1.1 -Explain the features of effective team performance The features of effective team performance is set up through positive leadership, this is something which is developed and nurtured. An effective team will work together, be focused and all the time supporting each other along the way to achieve and reach goals. For a team to be effective, each team member needs to be clear on their roles and responsibilities relating to their job. Team performance will be more effective if there is respect for the leader/manager and an understanding towards their job role and responsibility. The leader/manager should also be aware of the skills or weakness within the team and be able to provide support were necessary and also utilise their strengths. Training and support will enable staff to improve performance, develop confidence and lift spirit within the team. A leader should encourage any conflicts to be resolved through healthy, professional confrontation and willingly and openly negotiate necessary changes. Effective leaders are a bit like cheerleaders for the team, they encourage and support members who are committed and actively with their teams and engage those members who aren’t participating. 1.2 -Identify the challenges experienced by developing teams Lack of Diverse Skills and Interests: If a team consists of members with similar skills and interests, the purpose of the team may not be achieved. Consider the scope of the project before selecting team members to determine which skills and interests best serve the team. Choose team members who have a range of different skill sets and interests. Read more:  Explain the Features of Effective Team Performance Poor Communication When individuals work as part of a team, communication is a key. If a team member treats his role as an independent one, communication suffers. If the team leader doesn’t communicate with the team members, the office suffers. Hold team meetings to discuss expectations. Ask team members about their successes and challenges to gauge the level of communication. Supervisions are key as they are often a good tool to set objectives and measure success. Role Confusion Even though a team works together to achieve a goal, each person needs to know his specific role within the team. Otherwise, role confusion results. When team members lack an understanding of their specific roles or choose not to follow through with their roles, the team cannot develop as a cohesive and well-functioning unit. As a branch manager it is important that i ensure that i develop specific, well-defined roles for each team member. Explain each role, in detail, to each team member to avoid confusion. Monitor team members to make sure they adhere to their assigned role. 1.3 -Identify the challenges experienced by established teams Conflict Conflict can occur in work place for all sorts of reasons, however it can often occur in established teams. Often established teams can become quite friendly and personal issues can interfere or cause problems within the working environment, it is important for me as the branch manager that these are indentified and dealt with sooner rather than later as often it can become difficult to manage if it escalates. Norming Tuckman model refers to Forming – Storming – Norming and performing, Experienced teams can often get stuck in norming which is where everything becomes stagnant and just ticks over day to day. Day to day tasks are complete but nothing above and beyond, as the branch manager its my role to get the team from this stage to performing, this can be done through regular team meetings, supervisions. 1.4 -Explain how challenges to effective team performance can be overcome Working as a part of a team can be challenging depending on different personalities and working styles, however it can be just as rewarding, tasks can get completed quicker and the working environment can be fun and enjoyable. If not managed effectively the team will not function and there are some basic things to bare in mind. Clear job roles Regular team meetings Regular supervisions/appraisals Team building days All staff are aware of what we are working towards Manage performance effectively 1.5 -Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performance There are many management styles and i believe having one particular type all the time wont work, i find myself more of a democratic which is: Democratic style, the manager allows the employees to take part in decision-making: therefore everything is agreed upon by the majority. The communication is extensive in both directions (from employees to leaders and vice versa). This style can be particularly useful when complex decisions need to be made that require a range of specialist skills: for example, when a new ICT system needs to be put in place, and the upper management of the business is computer-illiterate. From the overall business’s point of view, job satisfaction and quality of work will improve, and participatory contributions from subordinates will be much higher. However, the decision-making process could be severely slowed down unless decision processes are streamlined. The need for consensus may avoid taking the ‘best’ decision for the business unless it is managed or limited. As stated above this does have its disadvantages as decisions can be slow and staff can become to involved in the managing of the business. Other types of management styles are: Consultative Persuasive Autocratic Chaotic Democratic is more my style but I will step into other styles should the need arise, however democratic style has its pros and cons, not all decisions can be made or involve the team and during these times conflict and anxiety may arise, it also has the potential to blur job role boundaries as staff may feel they are in a higher position than they actually are, I think its important during times staff can not be involved in decisions then other styles of management should explored, being stuck in one style can become predictive and staff may become complacent. A good style of management is also Autocratic this style of management is where the manager makes all the decisions and this can be an assertive style however it can make the staff  feel less involved in the day to day running of the business, it does have it pros – staff can feel well lead and managed with the business under control as the manager can come across confident. I think its important to move between the both styles depending on the situation, for example if you are disciplining someone the a more assertive style would be needed, where as if you are trying to reach targets or setting KPI’s then the democratic style would be more suited as you would involve the whole team and let everyone decide how the KPI’s would be achieved, staff are more likely to achieve targets if they are involved in the process. 1.6a &B -Analyse methods of developing and maintaining – trust / Accountability Trust develops from consistent actions that show staff you are reliable, cooperative and committed to team success. A sense of confidence in the workplace better allows employees to work together for a common goal. Trust does not always happen naturally, especially if previous actions make the employees question if you are reliable. Take stock of the current level of trust in the workplace, identifying potential roadblocks. An action plan to build positive relationships helps improve the overall work environment for all employees. Remain honest with your employees about both positive and negative aspects of the business. Expect your management team to maintain the same level of honesty with the employees. This sense of integrity makes your employees and colleagues more trusting of your actions Involve all employees in achieving company goals. Be transparent with your company’s mission and goals so all employees feel they are a valuable part of obtaining those objectives. Employees who feel management values them are more likely to instil trust in those leaders Value all input from your employees. Encourage employees at all levels to share their ideas for improving the company. Listen with an open mind even if you don’t ultimately choose to follow a suggestion made by an employee. Define the duties. Eighty percent of the job is specified by your job description and responsibilities. Twenty percent of your time, however, is spent helping colleagues and clients. Create an atmosphere where everyone bends over backward for the other person. A successful, trusted and well-respected team  member uses words like, absolutely or certainly when asked for help. Look for things that need to be done and do them without being asked! This is the true definition of teamwork. Be clear with prospective employees during the interview process. What are your expectations? Hold your existing employees and new hires to consistent standards, outlined in your policy manual. True teamwork demands that all employees are held to the same standards and, most importantly, do whatever is necessary to take care of the customer! Define your expectations in a workplace policy manual. A personnel policy and workplace manual should cover individual and team responsibilities. If you don’t already have one, or if you have one that needs updating, be sure it includes items such as: Job description Office and working hours Leave time Professional appearance, including body piercing, tattoos and hair color Salary Other benefits Outside employment Probationary periods Performance reviews Absenteeism Discipline Termination Be aware, however, that more important than defining your expectations: You need to be consistent in holding all employees to the same standard or else you will create an atmosphere of favouritism! Outline the time commitment and set aside adequate time for each task. It is not fair to assign or accept a responsibility and then have no time to accomplish the task. Be realistic about the timeframe, and make sure your team members are aware of the deadlines for each project they take on. Be careful to not overload your staff with too many commitments or too many interruptions. They will get discouraged and burned out. Instead, focus on delegating one task at a time, communicating the objective and timeframe clearly. Open the lines of communication by having an open-door policy. Manage by â€Å"walking around.†Ã‚  Know the concerns of your team and deal with them head on. Ignoring your staff’s concerns will NOT make them go away! Be positive in your approach and dependable in your attitude. Do not lose your temper. Instead, be reasonable and predicable. If you respond inappropriately, whether out of anger or insult, your team will remember the 10 percent of the time that you were out of control, not the 90 percent of the time that you did well! By following these steps and increasing the accountability of your office staff, you create trust and respect in the workplace. With these changes, your sense of teamwork and trust will grow, while decreasing your levels of stress and conflict 1.6 -Compare methods of addressing conflict within a team Be Aware when conflict occurs Knowing that conflict may and will occur is the first step to resolving it, especially if you know that certain team members may disagree with each other. By recognising that there will be conflict, a manager knows what to expect. Set the Ground Rules At the beginning set some ground rules in your first meeting. Be sure to address what process will be taken to address conflicts, as they are bound to rise and will need to be taken care of before they spiral out of control. Tell team members that everyone’s ideas are valid and that they shouldn’t be dismissed, even if you do not agree with them. Learn About Destructive Conflicts Conflict becomes destructive when no resolution is in sight or the issue cannot be resolved. A psychological model for explaining destructive patterns is the persecutor-victim-rescuer triangle. The persecutor would be the bad-guy or bully in this scenario, but the rescuer is also placing him or herself in a position of superiority over the supposed victim. Stop yourself if you see yourself slipping into any of these roles and also try to recognise it in your team. Stop Conflict when it Happens Conflict should be addressed immediately before it can grow. If a discussion  grows heated during a meeting, do not wait until the next meeting to address the issue. Instead, discuss the issue while in the meeting; even if members disagree, they are still able to see each other’s points of view. Get the Whole Story Be sure you understand the perspectives of every person involved. Conflicts arise when there are differences of opinion, but also due to miscommunication or misunderstanding. As the manager, you should get all the information you can in regards to the conflict so that you can resolve it efficiently and effectively. Meet for Resolutions If the conflict can’t be resolved during the initial meeting, set up a separate meeting with those that are having the conflicts, so that a resolution can be reached without getting the other team members involved and picking sides. Discuss Both Sides of a Perspective Even if you are inclined to agree with one side of the conflict, do not make a final judgment until each person has had their say. Ending a discussion without hearing each person out can escalate the problem. Explain the pros and cons of both ideas, so that both people can consider the opposing view. Make Compromise a Goal Compromising between parties is helpful, as it can allow for both conflicting parties the ability to use their ideas. Most times, points can be combined in order to make a better idea or solution.

Behaviour Research and Therapy Essay

Abstract Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for Social Phobia is effective in both group and individual formats. However, the impact of group processes on treatment efï ¬ cacy remains relatively unexplored. In this study we examined group cohesion ratings made by individuals at the midpoint and endpoint of CBT groups for social phobia. Symptom measures were also completed at the beginning and end of treatment. We found that cohesion ratings signiï ¬ cantly increased over the course of the group and were associated with improvement over time in social anxiety symptoms, as well as improvement on measures of general anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. In conclusion, ï ¬ ndings are consistent with the idea that changes in group cohesion are related to social anxiety symptom reduction and, therefore, speak to the importance of nonspeciï ¬ c therapeutic factors in treatment outcome. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Social phobia; Social anxiety disorder; Group c ohesion; Cognitive-behavior therapy Introduction Social phobia is characterized by an excessive fear of social or performance situations, during which a person may be scrutinized, judged, embarrassed, or humiliated by others. Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for social phobia have primarily come from a cognitive-behavioral orientation and include various combinations of four main components: (1) exposure-based strategies, (2) cognitive therapy, (3) social skills training, and (4) applied relaxation (for reviews, see   administered in either individual and group formats (e.g., Heimberg, Salzman, Holt, & Blendell, 1993; Turner, Beidel, Cooley, Woody, & Messer, 1994). However, the mechanisms of change, and effective ingredients of these treatments remain relatively understudied. Researchers have compared group and individual treatments for this condition, although evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of each approach has been inconsistent (see Scholing & Emmelkamp, 1993; Stangier, Heidenreich, Peitz, Laut erbach, & Clark, 2003; Wlazlo, Schroeder-Hartwig, Hand, Kaiser, & Munchau, 1990 for direct comparisons of individual and group cognitive-behavioral treatment for social  ¨ phobia). However, for some patients, group treatment may offer a number of advantages over individual treatment. For example, group treatment provides an opportunity to marshal group processes (e.g., encouragement, support, and modeling from other group members) that may aid in teaching cognitive strategies and facilitating exposure exercises. Further, there may be nonspeciï ¬ c effects that arise as a result of the relationships that form amongst group members that may contribute to therapeutic outcome. We decided to investigate how these group processes, particularly group cohesion, may be related to treatment outcome in cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) groups for social phobia. Within the group therapy literature, one putative mechanism of change is that of group cohesion (Yalom, 1995). However, the construct of group cohesion has deï ¬ ed ready operational deï ¬ nition, especially with more technique-driven interventions like CBT. For example, a broad deï ¬ nition proposed to explain group cohesion is ‘‘the resultant of all forces acting on all the members to remain in t he group’’ (Cartwright & Zander, 1962, p. 74) or, in simpler terms, how attractive a group is for the members who are in it (Frank, 1957). Yalom (1995) conceptualizes group cohesion as the ‘‘we-ness’’ that is felt amongst the group members. Groups with higher levels of cohesion are presumed to have a higher rate of attendance, participation, and mutual support, and to be likely to defend group standards much more. Further, Yalom (1995) believes that group cohesion is necessary for other group therapeutic factors to operate. Researchers studying this construct have also included concepts such as a sense of bonding, a sense of working towards mutual goals, mutual acceptance, support, identiï ¬ cation, and afï ¬ liation with the group (e.g., Marziali, Munroe-Blum, & McCleary, 1997). Clearly then, cohesion is purported to be a critical ingredient for change and therefore would be expected to predict symptomatic outcomes. Some researchers investigating the relationship between group cohesion and treatment outcome have found positive results. Although some of these studies have investigated other nonspeciï ¬ c therapeutic factors as well (i.e., the therapeutic alliance), the present discussion will focus on ï ¬ ndings related to group cohesion processes. Studies have found that group cohesion is related to pre-treatment levels of symptomatic distress, improved self-esteem and reduced symptomatoloty (e.g., Budman et al., 1989). A recent study by Tschuschke and Dies (1994) found that the level of group cohesion in the second half of a long-term psychoanalytic treatment for inpatients was signiï ¬ cantly correlated with treatment outcome and patients who made therapeutic gains reported a high level of group cohesion that began shortly after the ï ¬ rst few sessions. In contrast, unsuccessful patients did not experience a high level of group cohesion at any time. Overall, these studies suggest that group cohesion may play a role in facilitating therapeutic change, though negative ï ¬ ndings also exist (e.g., Gillasp y, Wright, Campbell, Stokes, & Adinoff, 2002; Lorentzen, Sexton, & Hà ¸glend, 2004; Marziali et al., 1997). In the CBT literature, researchers are increasingly paying attention to nonspeciï ¬ c therapeutic factors contributing to treatment outcome (e.g., Ilardi & Craighead, 1994; Kaufman, Rhode, Seeley, Clarke, & Stice, 2005). One of the ï ¬ rst studies in this area was conducted by Hand, Lamontagne, and Marks (1974) in treatment groups for individuals presenting with agoraphobia. They found that members of the group in which cohesion was speciï ¬ cally fostered demonstrated greater improvement up to 6 months after treatment as compared to members of a less cohesive group who demonstrated a greater likelihood of relapse (see also Teasdale, Walsh, Lancashire, & Matthews, 1977, for a replication of these effects, albeit with weaker results). Other ï ¬ ndings from the CBT treatment literature include greater group cohesion ratings predicting lower physical and psychological abuse at follow-up in abusive men (Taft, Murphy, King, Musser, & DeDeyn, 2003), higher levels of group cohesion being signiï ¬ cantly related to decreased post-treatment systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as improved post-treatment quality of life in cardiac patients (Andel, Erdman, Karsdorp, Appels, & Trijsburg, 2003). In addition, group cohesion ratings have been found to be associated with improvements on depressive symptoms at treatment midpoint, after controlling for initial depression level (Bieling, Perras, & Siotis, 2003). Overall, these studies indicate that group cohesion may play some role in facilitating change or enhancing long-term beneï ¬ ts in CBT-based treatments. Although it is not yet clear what factors are relevant for fostering group cohesion, certain disorders may present more challenges than others. For example, given that social phobia involves an intense fear of scrutiny from other people, these individuals may present with barriers to forming a collaborative alliance, such as poor social skills, extreme sensitivity to evaluations, or social avoidance (Woody & Adessky, 2002). Only one study thus far has examined the development of group cohesion and its relationship to outcome during a group CBT treatment of social phobia. Woody and Adessky (2002) treated individuals for social phobia in a group format using Heimberg’s (1991) protocol for group CBT for social phobia and had clients rate group cohesion using the Group Attitude Scale (GAS; Evans & Jarvis, 1986). The GAS measures the clients’ degree of attraction to the group. Measurements were conducted at three points during treatment (sessions 2, 5, and 9) and indicated that group cohesion remained static over time. They also found that the level of group cohesion clients reported was in no way related to outcome. It was suggested that the constructs and measurement of group process in cognitive-behavioral approaches might need to be further reï ¬ ned in order to more fully understand the degree to which group format and group process variables may add an important element to therapeutic outcome. It is important to note that the measure of group cohesion used by Woody and Adessky (2002) deï ¬ nes the construct unidimensionally. The GAS was designed to measure only attraction to group, deï ¬ ned as ‘‘an individual’s desire to identify with and be an accepted member of the group’’ (Evans & Jarvis, 1986, p. 204). Examples of items include: ‘ ‘I want to remain a member of this group,’’ ‘‘I feel involved in what is happening in my group,’’ and ‘‘In spite of individual differences, a feeling of unity exists in my group.’’ However, as discussed by Burlingame, Fuhriman, and Johnson (2002), elements of group cohesion may include both intrapersonal elements (e.g., group member’s sense of belonging and acceptance) as well as intragroup elements (e.g., attractiveness and compatibility felt among the group members). Therefore, by solely focusing on attraction to the group it is possible that the GAS fails to operationalize aspects of cohesion that are important for making therapeutic gains. The present study, therefore, examined the role of cohesion in group CBT for social phobia, using a measure that includes items that ostensibly assess a number of different constructs thought to be related to group cohesion. The Group Cohesion Scale-Revised (GCS-R), developed by Treadwell, Laverture, Kumar, and Veeraraghavan (2001), taps into several different aspects of group cohesion including: interaction and communication (including domination and subordination), member retention, decision-making, vulnerability among group members and consistency between group and individual goals. This self-report questionnaire has been shown to be both reliable and valid for detecting changes in group cohesiveness during the process of group development (Treadwell et al., 2001). Clients with a principal diagnosis of Social Phobia were treated and, based on the preceding literature, we explored: (1) group cohesion development during the course of the group and (2) the relationship of group cohesion to treatment outcome, broadly deï ¬ ned to include not only social phobia symptoms, but the overall experience of negative affect (e.g., general anxiety and depression) and functional impairment. We hypothesized that group cohesion would increase from the midpoint of treatment to the endpoint of treatment and that group cohesion ratings would be signiï ¬ cantly related to positive treatment outcome (i.e., symptom reduction). Method Participants There were a total of 34 outpatient individuals in this study. The average age of participants was 36 years (range 19–64 years; 19 female, 15 male). All individuals reported symptoms meeting criteria for a principal diagnosis (i.e., the diagnosis causing the most distress or impairment) of Social Phobia, as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—4th edition (SCID-IV; First, Spitzer, Gibbon, & Williams, 2001). One individual also had symptoms meeting criteria for a co-principal primary diagnosis of Dyssomnia Not Otherwise Speciï ¬ ed. For 32 of the participants, the social phobia was generalized (i.e., occurring in most social situations), whereas for the other two participants, it was nongeneralized, occurring in several, but not most social situations. Of the 34 participants, 57% reported symptoms meeting criteria for one or more additional mood disorder (Major Depressive Disorder, 47%; Bipolar Disorder, 6%; Dysthymic Disorder, 3%), 62% had one or more additional anxiety disorder (Speciï ¬ c Phobia, 47%; Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 26%; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, 21%; Panic Disorder, 12%; Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, 9%), and 27% had one or more additional other diagnoses (Hypochondriasis, 6%; Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Speciï ¬ ed, 6%; Cannabis Dependence, 6%; Paraphilia Not Otherwise Speciï ¬ ed, 3%; Intermittent Explosive Disorder, 3%; Impulse Control Disorder Not Otherwise Speciï ¬ ed, 3%). The values for the anxiety disorders sum to greater than 100% as several participants had multiple anxiety disorders. Measures Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, 21-item version (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). This short form of the original 42-item DASS is a 21-item self-report measure designed to assess depression, anxiety and stress that an individual has experienced over the past week. Each scale consists of seven items and respondents indicate how much each statement applied to them over the past week on a four-point Likert scale. The Depression scale (DASS-21-D) measures dysphoria, hopelessness, devaluation of life, self-deprecation, lack of interest/involvement, anhedonia, and inertia. The Anxiety scale (DASS-21-A) measures autonomic arousal, skeletal musculature effects, situational anxiety, and the subjective experience of anxiety affect. The Stress scale (DASS-21-S) measures difï ¬ culty relaxing, nervous arousal, and a tendency to become easily upset/ agitated, irritable/over-reactive, and impatient. Strong internal consistency with a clinical sample has been demonstrated with the DASS-21 (a’s ranging from .87 to .94), and the factor structure is well supported (Antony, Bieling, Cox, Enns, & Swinson, 1998). Construct validity of the three scales has also been demonstrated (see Brown, Chorpita, Korotitsch, & Barlow, 1997). In the current sample, reliability was acceptable at pre-treatment for the Depression (a  ¼ :91), Anxiety (a  ¼ :87), and Stress (a  ¼ :87) scales. Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS; Devins, 1994). The IIRS is a 13-item questionnaire that measures the extent to which a disease, its treatment, or both interfere with activities in 13 important domains considered essential to a positive quality of life. These domains include health, diet, work, active recreation (e.g., sports), passive recreation (e.g., reading), ï ¬ nances, relationship with partner, sexual and family relations, other social relations, self-expression/self-improvement, religious expression, and community and civic involvement. For each item, an individual rates the intrusiveness on a scale for 1–7 with higher scores indicating more intrusiveness. The IIRS has been shown to have good psychometric properties in both medically ill populations (Devins et al., 2001) and anxiety disorders groups (Antony, Roth, Swinson, Huta, & Devins; 1998; Bieling, Rowa, Antony, Summerfeldt, & Swinson, 2001). In the current sample, reliability was acceptable at pre-treatment (a  ¼ :87). Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN; Connor et al., 2000). The SPIN is a 17-item questionnaire designed to assess symptoms of social phobia. Each item measures the severity of a particular symptom during the past week, using a ï ¬ ve-point scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). It consists of three subscales: fear, avoidance, and physiological arousal. The SPIN has been shown to have good empirical support (Antony, Coons, McCabe, Ashbaugh, & Swinson, 2006; Connor et al., 2000) and enables the assessment of a wide range of social anxiety symptoms, making it an ideal measure for generalized social phobia. The total score measure of the SPIN has recently been shown to have excellent internal consistency for the total score for individuals meeting criteria for Social Phobia (with a  ¼ :92) and a combined sample of individuals meeting criteria for Social Phobia (Generalized Type), Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (with a  ¼ :95) (Antony et al., 2006; Connor et al., 2000). It has also been shown to have good test–retest reliability (r  ¼ :86, po:001), convergent and discriminant validity as well as being able to distinguish well between those with Social Phobia as opposed to Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The SPIN has also been shown to be sensitive to changes in the severity of social phobia following cognitive-behavior treatment (Antony et al., 2006). In the current sample, pre-treatment reliability was acceptable (a  ¼ :93). Group Cohesion Scale-Revised (GCS-R; Treadwell et al., 2001). The GCS-R is a 25-item questionnaire designed to assess group cohesion in terms of interaction and communication among group members (including domination and subordination), member retention, decision-making, vulnerability among group members, and consistency between group and individual goals. Each item is rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Examples of items include: ‘‘Group members usually feel free to share information,’’ ‘‘There are usually feelings of unity and togetherness among the group members,’’ and ‘‘Many members engage in ‘back-biting’ in this group.’’ This scale was recently revised (Treadwell et al., 2001) in order to modify one item, discard another item, and change the wording of the anchor points. In a validation study, internal consistency (as measured by Cronbach’s alpha) ranged from .48 to .89 on pre-test assessment and .77–.90 on post-test assessment (Treadwell et al., 2001). In the current sample, reliability was acceptable at both treatment midpoint (a  ¼ :84) and at treatment endpoint (a  ¼ :79), and the reliability of the change score was .56 (Williams & Zimmerman, 1996). Procedure All individuals completed a 10-session CBT treatment group for social phobia.1 Treatment administered was based on protocols described by Heimberg and Becker (2002) and Antony and Swinson (2000). The key components of therapy included: psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, in-session and between-session exposure exercises, as well as social skills training. Groups were run by two therapists and consisted of ï ¬ ve–eight patients per group. A total of 11 groups were included in the study. It should be noted that initially 76 individuals were enrolled in these 11 groups. However, of these 76 individuals, there were only 67 individuals from whom any measures were received at all (i.e., nine individuals did not return any data). In order to conduct the analyses that will be described below, it was possible to include only 34 of these 67 individuals. This was due to a need to have received both mid- and post-GCS measures as well as pretreatment outcome data. Therefore, the working sample that will be discussed in this study encompasses 34 individuals who completed the treatment as well as these various measures2. Participants completed the GCS questionnaire at the midtreatment session of each group (i.e., session 5) as well as during the last session of each group. Questionnaires assessing symptom severity (i.e., the DASS-21, IIRS a nd SPIN) were completed prior to the beginning of group treatment as well as during the last session of each group. Data analysis Multilevel regression analyses (i.e., generalized mixed modeling) using the software program HLM 6 (Raudenbush, Bryk, Cheong, & Congdon, 2004) were conducted. We used this approach because it allowed us to assess and control for nonindependence of data that might arise from being nested into treatment groups (Hedeker, Gibbons, & Flay, 1994; Herzog et al., 2002). Another advantage of HLM was that it can accommodate unequal group sizes and employs maximum likelihood estimation instead of least squares. Before examining change over time in the outcome variables and GCS, intraclass correlations (ICCs) were estimated to examine the interdependence of data due to nesting (see Herzog et al., 2002). The intraclass correlation depicts how much variance in the outcome variable is due to within-subjects, between-subjects, and between-groups variance. Results For each analysis, items were included from each scale for each individual, unless 20% or more of data were missing. Missing values for a particular scale item were replaced by calculating the mean value for that scale item and using this mean value in place of the missing value. Outcome measures A series of three-level regression models were evaluated to examine change over time in the outcome variables. Level 1 consisted of repeated measures (i.e., two assessment occasions) that were nested within 1 Two groups completed 12-session CBT treatment groups and one group completed a 9-session treatment group. The use of a multilevel regression approach (i.e., HLM) allowed us to examine whether or not number of sessions per group affected any of the relationships reported. Results indicated that number of sessions did not moderate any of the results reported in the paper. 2 These treatment groups were not conducted as part of a formal treatment outcome study, which accounts for the number of patients who failed to return their post-treatment questionnaires. Therefore, the individuals who completed both pre-treatment and post-treatment measures provide a naturalistic and ecologically valid cross section of moderate to severe social phobia patients typically seen in an acute outpatient clinic, presenting with anxiety disorders and related problems.

Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln Essay Research Paper

Character assassination Of Abraham Lincoln Essay, Research Paper Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. In 1818 he moved to Indiana. On November 4, 1842 Lincoln married Mary Todd. In 1832 Lincoln became a campaigner for province legislative assembly but he lost. Later that twelvemonth he was appointed to postmaster of New Salem, so subsequently became deputy county surveyor. Lincoln ran for the Illinois legislative assembly but was non successful. Two old ages subsequently Lincoln was elected to the Lower House for four footings as a Whig. After this he ran for a place in the U.S. senate but he was defeated. Lincoln so joined the freshly formed Republican Party. He was chosen to run against John C. Breckenbridge for U.S. president and he won and became the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes booth on April 14, 1865. Booth started be aftering to assassinate Lincoln in 1864. Samuel Arnold, Michael O Laughlen, John Surratt, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, and David Herold helped Booth in assassinating Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth was a racialist and a southern sympathiser. Booth was against everything Lincoln represented. Lincoln was assassinated at the Fords theater in Washington D.C. Booth wanted retaliation for the south s ailments which he thought Lincoln brought. The Lincoln Assassination On April, 14 1865 President Abraham Lincoln was shot while watching a public presentation of An American Cousin at Ford s Theater. President Lincoln died the following forenoon. The individual who had killed Lincoln was John Wilkes Booth. A few yearss before he was killed, Lincoln had told his partner about a dream he had, he saw a president shrouded on a catafalque in the east room of the White House. Even after this dream he attended An American Cousin at Ford s Theater. John Wilkes Booth thought the president was determined to destruct the fundamental law, set aside the rights reserved to the provinces, crush civil autonomies, and restore monarchy. He saw the Confederacy was the lone means to of continuing the values of the establishing male parents. He devoted much of late 1864 and early 1865 to a series of secret plans to kidnap Lincoln and utilize his gaining control to invalidate the Union s war purposes. Every strategy stoping in defeat. After Lee ha d surrendered to the Army of the Potomac, in the 2nd hebdomad of April, he saw that merely the most despairing steps offered any hope of salvaging the Southern Cause. Shortly before he went into the theater, he stopped at tavern for a drink. While in the bar an acquaintance jokingly remarked that â€Å"he would never be as great as his father,† Booth replied by saying â€Å"When I leave the stage, I will be the most talked about man in America.† The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 In the spring of 1864, Gen. W. T. Sherman concentrated the Union armies of G. H. Thomas, J. B. McPherson, and J. M. Schofield around Chattanooga. On May 6 he began to move along the railroad from Chattanooga to Atlanta. Sherman had two objectives, one was to destroy the army of General J. E. Johnston and the other was to capture Atlanta. Johnston realizing that he was outnumbered started to retreat south. Sherman tried a direct assault on Johnston s forces and was repulsed. Johnston had retreated back to the south bank of the Chattahoochee river. On July 17, John Bell Hood replaced Johnston as General. He tried t o continue with Johnston s plan, but failed to stop the advance of Union troops. He retired to Atlanta, which Sherman soon had under bombardment. On September 1 Hood abandoned Atlanta, the next day Sherman moved in and burned it. The Maryland Invasion A year after the confederate defeat at Gettysburg. Robert E. Lee planned to invade the North again like he did in the campaigns of Antietam and Gettysburg. He hoped that this would be enough to get Grant to detach part of his army to protect Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington City, or to have Grant attach fortifications and risk heavy lose. Miscellaneous Fort Pillow Massacre: An incident that took place in Fort Pillow, Tennessee, April 12, 1864. Confederate troops commanded by General N. B. Forrest, stormed and captured Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River. The garrison of black soldiers and Tennessee Unionist held out beyond all possible hope. The joint committee on the Conduct of War investigated and charged that the Confederates indiscriminately slaughtered more than 300 black soldiers. General Sherman was ordered to investigate, but his report was never published. Battle of Franklin: November 30, 1864, a Civil War engagement in which the Confederate forces were defeated. After abandoning Atlanta, General Hood reorganized the Confederate army at Lovejoy s Station. His hope was too cut off Sherman s lines of communication.

Market Penetration and Branding Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market Penetration and Branding - Coursework Example Trade promotions, on the other hand, refer to incentives such as discounts, schemes, commissions and freebies that are meant to ensure that the traders stock up and that instances of stock-outs are reduced.Loyalty programs, on the other hand, refer to reward programs that companies offer to loyal customers who frequently purchase their products and services (Davis 169). The loyalty programs are often rolled out such that customers are given specific numbers that they use when making purchases. The long-term purpose of loyalty programs is to reward the customers who the organization considers loyal with free merchandise or to provide them with advanced access to products that have been freshly injected into the market. In as much as both the practice of creating loyalty programs, as well as that embracing sales promotion activities, play a role in ensuring that companies get their expected profits, I presume true the fact that the practice of embracing sales promotion activities is more efficient as compared to that of using loyalty programs. This is because they increase the level of sales when they are floated, and even after their duration has elapsed, organizations normally find themselves in a better position as compared to its competitors within the market. Tasked with the responsibility of developing a branding strategy for Achilles casual shoes, I would settle on Achilles in Trend as the brand name. Similarly, I would embrace sales promotion activities as my branding strategy.

Phd proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Phd proposal - Dissertation Example There is enough scope for both qualitative and quantitative analyses on the topic. Academic research can help to explore the existing ideas and find out new implications. This research proposal, therefore, includes review of the relevant literature that inspired the selection of the topic. The proposal also focuses on the theory to which the research will relate, the methodology supposed to be used and original contribution to knowledge by the research. Research Question Leadership and management: Can transactional leadership theory add new dimensions to the future leadership practices? Research Objectives 1. Explore the concepts of transactional leadership theory. 2. Compare transformational and transactional leadership theories. 3. Find out innovative implications and methods for organisational learning and knowledge management 4. Combine the concepts of the theory with the futuristic idea of empowering leadership. 5. Find out innovative ways to apply the theory in today’s g lobal business environment with the help of case studies and academic research. Review of the Literature Transactional leadership theory has the potential to develop innovative models in the context of modern and future management practices. Some principal concepts entailed in the theory are: 1. People can perform optimally when the commands are clear and definite. 2. A justifiable system of punishment and reward motivates the workers. 3. Monitoring the subordinates is an imperative so that the business expectations are fulfilled. 4. Obedience should be ensured among the subordinates. (Bass, 1985) For a while, this sort of theoretical approach may appear to be based on the older conventions and beliefs. However, re-emergence of this theory in the sphere of modern management research can be observed in the works of Harman and Bitz (2008). According to them, studies considering knowledge management (which is critical in today’s information based global business environment) and leadership as rational variables are limited. Future practitioners may consider exploring the concepts of transactional leadership theory and its dimensions in relation to knowledge management. In this context, it must be mentioned that all leaders exhibit both transformational and transactional leadership attributes which can amply help in knowledge transfer, sharing and creation (Harman and Bitz, 2008). â€Å"Some observers view transactional leadership as the poorer version of transformational leadership, noting that the latter has a more noble or moral drive.† (Andrews, Connell and Wescott, 2010). However, this view can be strongly dismissed because â€Å"Where transactional leaders foster societies that are open and focused on public value creation, and where learning is accommodated by progressive authorizing mechanisms, agents will have space to explore new beliefs, pursue good struggles, experiment with latent abilities, and ultimately generate change that benefits others (even if there is no transformational leader appealing to higher ideals).† (Andrews, Connell and Wescott, 2010) Experimental and quasi-experimental studies conducted by Avolio and his associates show that researches on path-goal model and transactiona

Employment Law-Conflict Management in Organizations in paticular Essay

Employment Law-Conflict Management in Organizations in paticular countries - Essay Example Thus, conflict management strategies at the workplace aid to create a healthy and productive work environment. In light of this, the paper will evaluate and analyse conflict management strategies in Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Japan and New Zealand. Primarily, avoidance, litigation, negotiation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration are the major dispute resolution methods globally. Further, mediation, negotiation, conciliation and arbitration are all grouped under alternative dispute resolution methods (ADR). These methods aim to ensure and advance equity (justice and fairness), efficiency (effective utilisation of limited resources) and participation/inclusion in decision making at the workplace. On the other hand, there are basically two types of conflicts; collective and individual conflicts. In the United Kingdom, there is a drastic decrease in collective action. Therefore, strike actions and use of unions is on the decline. Collective conciliation has for more than 100 years been part and parcel of the workplace/industrial relations setting. However, its application in dispute resolution between employers and groups of employers in the United Kingdom has been on the decline. Its popularity has been affected by an increasing experience of employee representatives and Human Resource, the current nature of trade unions and the statutory employment framework-the main players in collective conciliation (Colquitt, Jet al. 2001). Consequently, there has been a rise in an individualistic approach to conflict resolution. Individualism unlike collectivism which places more value on the group, places more significance on the individual’s interests. Therefore, individual arbitration is becoming more embraced in the United Kingdom than in the past where collectivism was a mo re preferable approach. Also, human resource managers in organisations presently tend to solve most individual conflicts at the workplace in the United Kingdom (Tinsley, C.

Hospital health issues in cleaning up after katerina by industrial Case Study

Hospital health issues in cleaning up after katerina by industrial hugienist - Case Study Example The water supply of the hospital contains raw sewerage, lethal bacteria, pesticides and insecticides. Furthermore, we have to immediately deal with mosquitoes and other insects to prevent the spread of malaria, west Nile disease etc. We are also faced with a serious problem regarding infectious waste and the possibility of exposure to biological and toxic contaminants. On the other hand, our team faces a high risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning because the premises is unable to provide its own power supply. Therefore, all operations are powered using large FEMA portable energy generators. I carried out analytical tests on air samples from different parts of the hospital. The results are very alarming as the hospital air is contaminated with high levels of lethal air borne bacteria particularly the air sample taken from the hospital diagnostic laboratory and the operation theatres is extensively contaminated. Lack of ventilation is the major reason why air contamination has exaggerated over the last six weeks. In addition, most areas of the hospital are covered with mold therefore mold exposure is a serious issue as well. Furthermore, we need a fresh supply of vaccinations so all our workers can be immunized against disease which prevail after Katrina. (Richardson et al 2008; Nims 1999). Recommendations and Guidance: Spread of water borne diseases such as cholera needs to be controlled immediately. Clean drinking water is a basic necessity. Therefore, I strongly recommend that water for drinking and washing purposes should be boiled to kill lethal water borne pathogens. On the other hand, combination of chemical methods can also be employed to effectively remove harmful pathogens which cause diseases such as dysentery and cholera. I recommend the use of Personal Protective Equipment in order to minimize the incidence of problems associated with Carbon monoxide poisoning and exposure to air borne pathogens. However, improper use of PPE imposes serious health hazard s therefore I have planned to counsel members of our team who are not familiar with proper PPE usage. I recommend that all clean up recovery workers should use respiratory protective equipments and protective goggles while working in or near the vicinity of diagnostic lab, operation theatre and the pharmacy. It is mandatory for everyone involved in the clean up process to wear gloves (Nims 1999). I recommend that hospital cafeteria/kitchen on the first floor should be subjected to cleaning process immediately in order to prevent workers from eating in contaminated areas. Moreover, we will only be able to run one refrigerator on energy provided by the FEMA generators. Therefore, it is advisable to cook small portions of food in order to limit the use of the refrigerator. To increase ventilation I recommend the installation of portable units of Local Exhaust Ventilation systems, which would prove tremendously beneficial for long term management of air borne pathogens. (American Hospit al Association.1979). In addition, long term recovery efforts should involve the use of portable air cleaning devices which would significantly reduce the incidence of air borne diseases once the hospital service is re established. Hospitals floors should be disinfected by using combinations of disinfectants and in order to effectively eliminate molds it is necessary to dry all indoor areas. I

Comunication in organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comunication in organization - Essay Example On the other hand, the model that the organizations adapt for communication is defines its effectiveness. Communication in an organization can contribute to its failure or its success (Downs & Adrian, 2004). This paper is a recommendation report that addresses the problem of communication in a business organization. It identifies the problems and recommends how an organization should deal with such problems related to communication. Communication Problems in an Organization Poor communication is a major problem in most organizations. It leads to failure of many projects, dissatisfaction of employees and eventually high turnover of employees hence causing huge losses to the organization. Poor communication also leads to lack of team work within the organization. This might result to low or dismal performance by employees. One major problem associated with poor communication is the lack of employees being informed about whatever is happening in the organization (Carroll, 2010). This ca n be facilitated by lack personal contact between workers and management. In most organization, there is a wide gap that exists between top managers and employees at the lowest level in the organization. As a result, it becomes difficult for information to flow effectively and efficiently from the top to bottom. Employees at the lower level stay in the dark, and they do not know what is happening. It is assumed that the modes of communication used can deliver important information to all employees. However, there are employees who do not use the modes of communication. For instance, where the top management is not in personal contact with the other employees, they might decide to use email as a mode of communication. Not all employees working in the organization have access to computers. Therefore, they do not use emails. It becomes difficult for such employees to be up to date about what is happening. It is imperative to note that the large gap in the organization has continued to increase especially with the advancement of technology. There is no personal contact since people are mostly using computers and cell phones for communication. Not all employees have access to these facilities. Managers who have excellent communication skills would prefer personal contact when communicating to their employees. The other problem associated with poor communication is the lack of clarity in the information received by employees from management (Carroll, 2010). It is very important for managers to communicate to their employees clearly. This is essential for successful communication to be effected. People are different and different employees interpret things in a different way. As a result, the managers need to clarify the issues they wish to communicate. Lack of clarity in information delivered by top managers might lead to different supervisors communicating messages that are conflicting to lower level employees. This leads to inconsistency of communication. There re sult is that there will be confusion among employees. This might affect the overall organizational performance. Poor communication also leads to luck of timely deliverance of information to employees. Employees do not get information when they need it (Carroll, 2010). This causes delays in decision making. It also delays projects especially if vital information is not received on good time. This is one reason that is likely to cause project failures. On the other

Democracy in the Final Quarter of the 20th Century in Latin America Essay

Democracy in the Final Quarter of the 20th Century in Latin America - Essay Example The Latin American region also meant that the struggle was intense and largely supported by the US in an attempt to buttress its hegemony in the region (Bethell, 2009). The seventies saw the emergence of leftist ideas in Latin American nations. The political-military elite of these nations saw the rise of leftist ideas as a threat to the already established systems of governance. In order to protect their nations from leftist ideology, the ruling elite turned to more authoritarian forms of government such as military dictatorships. The example of Chile, Argentina, Venezuela and many other Latin American countries supports this idea. These regimes often employed brute tactics to weed out the leftist factions and to avoid an armed struggle against the central governments. Harrowing tales of murder, political assassinations, rape, plundering, confiscation of property and the like are rampant in Latin America at the time. Chile’s dictator Auguste’ Pinochet, for example, is famous for the blatant elimination of his political opponents without any trials. The struggle in Nicaragua that put the Sandinista regime in charge was marked with bloo d and violence to fortify the seat of power. These actions on the part of these regimes infused a spirit of freedom from oppression in the masses in these nations (Skidmore & Smith, 2005). It is, therefore, no surprise that there were myriad leftist armed struggles in Latin America that were calling for regime change by the final quarter of the twentieth century. The entanglement of these military regimes in armed struggles also meant that the economy had to pay a heavy price. In certain other cases such as Argentina, the economy turned to shambles due to nepotism, mismanagement and usurpation of public resources (Stein & Hunt, 2007). It was common practice for military regimes to take onto armed adventures in order to divert public attention from the state of the economy. For example, the Argentinean military regime was made famous by its  myopic decision to invade the Falklands that exposed the Argentinean military’s weakness against a formidable British military.  

Negative Cannabis Essay Example for Free

Negative Cannabis Essay Youngsters use cannabis these days too. Marijuana users are at increased risk of impairment of memory, attention, concentration, and judgement. It is a high risk for youngsters at the age of 14 to 17 years old to use; whereas many youngsters use cannabis as often as they smoke a cigarette these days. Children start taking cannabis because they have easy access to buying this drug at a young age. This can be from their mates who are dealing. Dealers will sell to anyone for their profit and I think youngsters taking this drug shouldnt have easy access to buying it. The level of harm should make no difference. Heavy use of cannabis may cause the user to lack interest in work, relationships, and personal health, which is known as Amotivational Syndrome. Cannabis is most likely to effect women that use the drug; where it can disrupt their menstrual cycle and gives them an increased risk of fertility problem. Smoking marijuana damages short-term memory, which occurs because of a chemical found in cannabis, called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which affects the memory part of the brain called the hippocampus. When cannabis is smoked it can cause: coughing, asthma, upper respiratory problems, racing heart, feeling tense and dizzy. A user might also feel light-headed or faint. Different people that use cannabis might feel differently towards the drug, some might not even feel any effects. Clearly cannabis has complicated effects on the users memory, but its effects have been varied in many cases with the user. Whether cannabis is harmful of beneficial is still unknown and depends on the users biology and point of view, when taken. Using cannabis is heavily restricted in many countries, and in many years it may be legalised in some countries. It is legal to use in some countries like Hong Kong. From all my research that Ive done there is still a positive and negative outcome towards cannabis. That doesnt mean the drug is safe or unsafe to use. But cannabis is a well known by most people and some people believe it is a less harmful drug than others although this has not been confirmed.

Differences Between Terrorism And Organized Crime Criminology Essay

Differences Between Terrorism And Organized Crime Criminology Essay In this assignment, we will be analysing both security issues of terrorism and organized crime as national and international security threats. Terrorism and organised crime, both two different forms of criminal activity and an equal threat to human security. It is important that establish the precise definition of both these activities, so we can categorically differentiate each act committed. The definition of organized crime is widely debated term. Organized crime is generally focused mainly on economic profit, acquiring material benefits and obtaining as much of an illegal market share as possible, by the use of serious crimes such as Drug trafficking, fraud, violence etc. (Baylis J and Smith S (2001) p480-481) Whilst terrorism motivated chiefly by ideological aims and by a desire for political change, by the use of violence, in the form of hijacking, bombing and other indistrimintory acts. We can already see the difference, by looking at the definition. However as we do develop details of the differences between these criminal activities, it is also important to analyse the similarities. (Collins, A (2007) p352-353) Both Organized crime and Terrorism differ in motivation and objective. In Shelley, L and Picarelli, JT (2002), states Yet, while the crimes committed by these two groups dont differ in substance, they differ in motive. Terrorists are in essentially political groups; even if they are inspired by religious fundamentalism, their behaviour is designed to bring about political change. While organized crime groups conduct profit-driven criminal activities, through the use illicit and illegal means. Another interesting point, in which they both differ, mentioned by Schmid, A (2005) is Terrorist groups usually seek media attention; organized crime groups do not, Criminal organisation, do not directly attack infastrurer or indiscriminately attack normal citizens, like terrorism does, however there doings bring harm to those involved and create fear amongst people surrounded by there illegal activities. Therefore the magnitude of attack will be confined to small, domestic and under the radar attacks, whilst with terrorism when it blows ups, it is instant and devastating in its impact. Williams, P(2005) I believe that a criminal is not concerned with influencing or affecting public opinion; he simply wants to earn money in the quickest, easiest and most efficient way possible. Whilst, the essential aim of the terrorists violence is eventually to change the political system , about which the organised criminals, couldnt care less. However in some cases this is not true, Shelley, L and Picarelli, JT(2002) go on to discuss about organised criminals that direct contact with the political system and politicians who they seek to influence for their own goals. Phil Williams and Ernesto Savona (1995) gives us a excellent example that Colombian drug cartels and the Italian Mafia were both using terrorist attacks against the state and its representatives for four different reasons, disrupt investigations; to deter the introduction or continuation of vigorous government policies; to eliminate effective law enforcement officials, to coerce judges into more lenient sentencing policies. I believe fundamental is to create an environment more appealing to criminal activity. But this only can occur in weak countries, where the government is weak, which we will discuss later in the essay. Bjà ¶rnehed, E(2004) concludes that based on their objectives they Constitute quite different types of security threats with regard to magnitude of attack, choice of target and weapons. In summary they both have a common enemy, and that is the state in general and in particular its law enforcement agencies. Both types of criminals function in secrecy, in the underworld, and they use the same or similar infrastructures for their activities and the same networks of corruption. Both use the same type of tactics: they engage in cross-border smuggling, money laundering, counterfeiting, kidnapping, extortion and various kinds of violence. Narco-Terrorism, was the first identification of the link between Terrorism and organized crime. This discovery began in the 1980s when it was found that drug trafficking was also used to advance the political objectives of certain governments and terrorist organizations, the attempts of narcotics traffickers to influence the policies of government by the systematic threat or use of violence Bjà ¶rnehed, E(2004) Since then, much stronger and broader statements have been made, especially in Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) wherein the Council Notes with concern the close connection between international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money-laundering, illegal arms-trafficking, and illegal movement of nuclear, chemical, biological and other potentially deadly materials.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Bjà ¶rnehed, E(2004) Emma Bjornehead has written a whole chapter on this topic because it is a relatively new phenomena and I believe it is relevant to this composition because it shows that Terrorism and Criminal activity have found a common ground. Various authors keep referring to more or less the same examples, where this new phenomena is occurring. For example Hezbollah engaged in criminal schemes, such as cigarette smuggling, counterfeiting. Al-Qaeda cells in Europe conducting credit card fraud. We see it domestically happening in countries such as Colombia and Afghanistan where opium produces are funding Taliban, to carry out there war against US forces. Williams, P(2005) describes terrorist, using criminal organisation methods to raise funds for their activities as very dangerous. This reliance between each other makes it difficult and a bigger domestic and international security threat because they can share their tangible and intangible resources, to achieve their objectives. Giraldo, J and Trinkunas (2005) puts simple. They try to uncover whether it is a strategic alliance formed by these group, or is it simple marriages of convenience. For example, the language school that provided some visas for the 9/11 hijackers are also reported to have provided visas for prostitutes of a human trafficking ring. This indicates sharing networks, each could complement each other therefore making it easier to carry out objectives. An intelligence analyst even describes it as criminal service providers. This means that both in criminal organisations, due to their established networks, act as service provider for terrorists, so they can carry out their terror activities. Another good point made is that this increased self-reliance of terrorist networks makes criminal organisations difficult to detect, especially as they are both bound by secrecy. The Madrid bombing are a great example, Future-occurred in Spain where members of a small but well-established Moroccan drug trafficking organization led by Jamal Ahmidan, became radicalized and were subsequently integrated into the cell that carried out the Madrid bombings. The contribution of the radicalized drug traffickers is difficult to overestimate: they provided the finance, the logistics, the safe houses, and the connections that enabled the cell to acquire the explosives. Indeed, without their resources and expertise, it is unlikely that the attacks on the trains would have taken place, and certainly not on such a destructive scale. Williams, p(2009) This example so shows that both organisations are sharing its man power and those criminals are venerable to being radicalized, like shown above. It can also be seen as method of attracting people with two personality types: one with strong political views, coupled with a desire to become wealthy. In summary that they cross paths; give in to one another which make them reliant on each other. Organized crime can use the power tool of political crime to create the social and economic context that makes its profitable activities viable. Terrorists, on the other hand, need funding to push their own agendas. . Due to the coordination between the two, an integrated counter-terrorism and organised crime should be implemented, to dissolve the creation of a strengthen connection. Law enforcement agencies have to approach this in a different angle because the traditional separate policing of organised crime and terrorism, do not apply. After 9/11, steps have been taken to increased cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies that police domestic and international matters. I can see the huge benefits that increasing the cooperation can bring. The sharing of information on both sources of threats enables governments to penetrate these secret groups and prevent crimes from being perpetrated. Also breaking down one criminal organisation, can lead to discovering other terrorist organisations at the same time, therefore increasing their leads. However according to Bjornehead, E(2010) states that at times war on organised crime, in particular drugs, can sometimes undermine the war on terror. She one of many examples, that of Taliban and how a reduction is poppy field in Europe, increased the price of opium, which Taliban made huge gains, which is helped fund their terror organisations. Questions need to be raised on which one is a bigger domestic threat, politicians may believe terrorism is a threat as they want direct change in governance and how that government acts, for example USA I believe has a stronger stance and policy on terrorism, rather than organised crimes. Whilst organised crimes havent got a direct objective against the political system, it might be the case that for individuals in society that due to its hidden, secretive nature that criminal organizations themselves, pose a threat to society that goes far beyond the harm posed by the profit-driven crimes they commit. Collins, A (2007) We can also see this in a poll in an 11 countries that was conducted showing that what people feared, and the highest was Criminal activities with 27%, whilst terrorism was third with 15%. Human security centre (2005) There a continuous argument in US about what poses a bigger threat US security. Recent Barack Obama states that The single biggest threat to US security, both short-term, medium-term and long-term, would be the possibility of a terrorist organisation obtaining a nuclear weapon. However In a many recently, Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), recent stated that Drug-related crime biggest threat to public safety in the Americas. This is also backed up by Retiring CIA chief Michael Hayden Mexico could rank alongside Iran as a challenge for Obama perhaps a greater problem than Iraq. UN news centre(2008) I believe this could be due to drug cartels domince in Mexico, and due it the geography and globalization; it has been spilled in the street of US. Williams, P, (2008) Another difference is Terrorism is a bigger point of discussion in the wider world due to the fact that they seek media attention and not shy to hide its terror activities, Whilst Organized crime is very secretive and behind closed doors. Hence why it is people may perceive it to be a bigger threat. After the post cold war era, there was a huge shift from in national security threats, from communism, to terrorism and organised crime. What the fall of communism did, was not only did it leave eastern countries, lawless and poor, it left it venerable to radical ideologies and organised crime, including what we call globalization. I also believe that ideological terrorism has severely since the cold war, and a new breed of ethnic and religious inspired terrorism. Collins, A (2007) p356 I a published paper by Stephens, M (1996) on globalized crime, and describes why organised crime was on the rise after the Cold war era and in summary; Post-Cold War opportunities such as the lowering of economic and political barriers; the end of communist regimes and the founding of fragile new democracies. Stephens, M(1996) A Report Prepared by the Federal Research Division,Library of Congress(2003) discusses areas on the world that are venerable to organised crime and terrorism, and states that in reference the In the former Soviet states, progress toward the rule of law has been hindered by the sudden disappearance of national authority (the Soviet state) in areas having no individual tradition of state authority or civil society but having very well developed traditions of underground criminal activity. Federal Research Division(2003) Both types of organizations lean to enlist the majority of their members from the same pool of an insignificant sector of the population, which are subject to social, cultural or political frustration. This is backed up by Rosenau(1990), Galleotti (2001), Cusimano-Love (2003), and Castells (2000) who have compared transnational crime and terrorism as malicious non-state actors that take advantage of failures in the state-centric global system, such as the limitations of sovereignty, legal jurisdictional boundaries and the opportunities that failed or weak states create for safe havens. As much as globalization ha s been beneficial for many nation states, it has also been disastrous in reference to Organised crime and terrorism, which Williams, p(2002) describes as a motivator and facilitator., opening a way for transnational activity. In this era of accelerated global interaction, transnational organized crime and international terrorism are flourishing. In Baylis, J and smith, s(2005), James D kiras writes has a whole chapter dedicated towards to Terrorism and globalisation, he writes the technology and processes linked with globalization have enabled terrorism to grow from regional phenomenon, into a global one. He also means that the use of Globalization has also lead to changes in the means of conducting terrorism and organised crime. For example in Freedman (2002) Prior to 11 September 2001 most acts of terrorism had depended on the conventional explosives. And then compares it to current situation where the ability to mount simultaneous attacks, commitment and choice targets, using aircraft as guided missiles. I believe that globalisation has a part to play in this change because it has opened up the world. The borders have faded or are no longer as well guarded, the market is globalized, financial and commercial mergers and the deregulation of state intervention provide new opportunities, and communication technology is presenting unexpected innovative technological possibilities. I also believe globalization has spread national crime to international organised crime because large-scale migration across the globe has created new emigrant refugee communities that can serve as recruitment bases and as hiding places, especially as they live a poor lifestyle, they have no alternatives, apart from turning to crime. Organised crime actors share the same objective as legal corporations in a sense that In a increasingly global marketplace, illicit actors, like licit counterparts, take advantage of business opportunities wherever they occur. For organised crime, going across borders, increases their wealth and profit just as it does for legal businesses, as they have new customers and can take advantage of infrastructure to cover their illegal activities. An example used in Collins, A (2007) was after the creation of North American free trade area, trade grew in the billions, and however it was this area, thrived in reference to aid smuggling of illegal goods and drugs. There have been political and economic developments have brought terrorism and organized crime together. There are also clear structural similarities that would appear to make alliance beneficial for both of them and I believe that it is case of marriage of convenience, rather than long term strategic alliance. Collins, A (2007p 361) It is becoming a huge aspect of security, that both organised crime and terrorism are flourishing over one another, and in particular terrorist groups are rely on crime to fund their operation, and criminal expertise is become available to terrorist groups. I believe that in this day of age, where the world become evermore globalized, any security threat that is national, ends up spilling over the borders, and becoming a international problem. Schmid, A(2005) Links between Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: A Case of Narco-terrorism? Galleotti, M. (2001) Underworld and Upperworld: Transnational Organized Crime and Global Society, In Josselin, D. and Wallace W. (Eds.). Non-State Actors in World Politics, Palgrave: New York, pp. 203-17. 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