Enable Windows Active Directory and User Access Controls Essay Example for Free

Enable Windows Active Directory and User Access Controls Essay This lab provides students with the hands-on skills needed to create a new Active Directory domain in Windows Server 2003 and demonstrates how to configure a centralized authentication and policy definition for access controls. The Active Directory users and workstation plug-ins will be used to create users, groups, and configure role-based access permissions and controls on objects and folders in a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory system. Lab Assessment Questions Answers 1. What two access controls can be set up for Windows Server 2003 folders and authentication? The two access controls that can be set up for Windows Server 2003 folders and authentication User or Group access to the folder and the ability to modify contents of the folder. 2. you can browse a file on a Windows network share, but are not able to copy it or modify it, what type of If access controls and permissions are probably configured? The type of access controls and permissions that are probably configured are Modify , Read or Full control. 3. What is the Windows tool that allows you to administer granular policies and permissions on a Windows  ­ network using role-based access? The Windows tool that allows you to administer granular policies and permissions on a Windows network using role-based access is the Group Policy Object Editor 38351_LB03_Pass2. indd 50 26/02/13 11:54 PM Assessment Worksheet 51 4. Relate how Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory and the configuration of access controls achieve CIA for departmental LANs, departmental folders, and data. Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory and the configuration of access controls achieve CIA for departmental LANs and departmental folders and data by using user authentication (logon/password) to access the network. It also give users or groups permissions or deny them access to files or folders. 5. Would it be a good practice to include the account or user name in the password? Why or why not? No because then hackers will have an easier time hacking the password 6. Can a user who is defined in the Active Directory access a shared drive if that user is not part of the domain? No a user cannot access a shared drive if that user is not part of that domain. Windows Server 2003 require a users logon/password credentials prior to accessing shared drives 38351_LB03_Pass2. indd 51

Analysing Homelessness In Australia

Analysing Homelessness In Australia Over the past few decades, mechanisms of social exclusion and social control have made it increasingly hard for Australias homeless. Many texts discuss the issue of defining homelessness and it is now widely accepted there are several different kinds. Here, I will be talking primarily about Primary homelessness, which is also known as sleeping rough, where people sleep in cars, parks or other public spaces (Which Way Home? 2008: 18). On average around 105,000 people are homeless in Australia each night and around 15% of these are rough sleeper (The Road Home 2008: 3). The majority of homeless people list financial difficulty, domestic violence, family breakdown or substance abuse as the main causes of their homeless status (Which Way Home? 2008: 20). Homelessness remains a particular problem among Australias Indigenous people, who are over represented in their use of homeless services in all states and territories (Which Way Home? 2008: 20). While homelessness itself is not illegal in Australia, many acts committed by the homeless are, such as public urination, public drunkenness and the possession of illegal drugs. Criminalization of the homeless occurs because these people lack the private space in which to engage in these behaviours. Governments assume that by removing the homeless from public spaces that they are reducing crime and creating safe streets for the law abiding public. However, as illustrated above, the crimes the homeless commit do not generally hurt others or damage property. They are breaking specific laws that have been created by the government which are enforced to exclude certain groups of society from specific public spaces, notably the spaces that the wealthy inhabit. Criminalizing the homeless for behavior that is unavoidable in their situation is not simply poor public policy; it also places unnecessary stress on the criminal justice system. Criminalizing the homeless also leaves the law enforcement officials to deal with related issues, such as issues such as mental illness and alcoholism (citation). Alcoholism is an issue that is common among the homeless population and it is a condition that often intensifies as a result of being homeless. Criminalizing the homeless for being drunk on the streets does not treat the problem, nor does it assist the police in cleaning up the streets. It is often found is that homeless alcoholics use rehabilitation centres as shelter services, but have little intention of treating their addiction (Wilhite 1992: 190). This indicates that the provision of suitable housing is a prerequisite to treating alcoholism. Once suitably housed, alcoholics have an increased chance of using alcohol rehabilitation services effectively. However, as suitable housing becomes increasingly scarce, the homeless are released from the justice system and back on to the street, where the cycle is then repeated. Homelessness has also increased significantly among the mentally ill in recent decades. This has been attributed to discontinuity in mental health services where individuals are transferred from an institutional to community living (Conover et al. 1997: 256). This burden of care has shifted from mental hospitals to the community; however, development of housing and community services has not kept up with the demand (Greenblatt 1992: 49). The outcome here is that many of Australias mentally ill have ended up are end up on the streets and are criminalized for behaviours that are symptoms of their illness. Once again, nobody benefits from the existing system. Our mentally ill are left untreated and our criminal justice system gets increasingly clogged with cases of minor offences that have harmed no one. Debate surrounding the causes of homelessness often relates to two factors: the first are socio-structural factors, which are concerned with changing labour markets, poverty, the housing system, and the nature of the welfare state (Greenhalgh et al. 2007: 643). The second are individualist and psychological factors that reflect individual agency, including alcohol dependence, substance abuse or social and behavioural problems (ibid). While it is now widely agreed by researchers that homelessness is a process where these factors combine and contribute to an individuals risk, this view does not appear to reflect the situation as portrayed by the media. In her Australian study, Carole Zufferey found that media representations of the homeless were strongly influenced by conservative agendas that emphasised individual responsibility (Zufferey 2008: 359). Media representations generally construct deserving and undeserving homeless and focus more on individualist causes than structural ones (Zufferey 2008: 359). As the media play a key role in shaping public understanding of social issues, these attitudes are often shared by the Australian public. A perception common in contemporary Australia is that homelessness is a lifestyle choice and that homeless people choose not to take advantage of services that are available to them. This sort of thinking was demonstrated recently when Opposition leader Tony Abbott was asked whether he would continue with the Rudd Governments goal of halving homelessness by 2020 (The Road Home 2008: viii). In his response Abbott quoted the bible, from the Gospel of Matthew The poor will always be with us in an effort to demonstrate that the government cannot assist those who choose to be homeless (citation). This blatantly illustrates his lack of understanding of the issue, one that is shared by many Australians. As Morse (1992: 13) puts it The choice to become homeless is not an affirmation of an ideal lifestyle, but a means to obtain a sense of self control and dignity when faced with a lack of meaningful, safe or viable living alternatives. Australians seem to have a range of ideological constructions surrounding the homeless, that they are lazy, dirty and untrustworthy, for example. These assist the processes and practices that exclude homeless people from social life and limit their ability to participate in society. When examining a widespread, public issue such as homelessness, it is important to look at the discourses that are at play, when policy is being implemented. Discourse refers to the rules, systems and procedures which help produce and form knowledge about the world (Hook 2001: 522). The rules of discourse govern the way that a topic can be meaningfully talked and thought about. It is therefore linked to the exercise of power, because it ensures the reproduction of the social system, through forms of selection, exclusion and domination (Young 1981: 49; Hook 2001: 522). In relation to homelessness there are many conflicting and overlapping discourses to be taken into account. Here, I will cover discourses relating to neo liberalism, personal responsibility, individualism and obligation in relation to homelessness policy. In policy responses, there is often a common sense assumption that all citizens aspire to be competitive, independent, self responsible, hardworking and morally autonomous individuals (Zufferey 2008: 362). In Australia, there is an unspoken assumption that these are the qualities needed for citizenship. This is evident in that the overall aim in many policies and services is for individuals to be governed into a state where they can self-regulate their behavior without the need for direct intervention by the state (Gilbert 2008: 109). In 2008, two policy papers were created by the Australian government in response to the current situation. The first was Which Way Home: A New Approach to Homelessness which aimed to examine a range of perspectives on homelessness in order to inform further policy (Which Way Home? 2008: 8). From this, a second paper was developed, entitled The Road Home: A National Approach to Reducing Homelessness which outlined the governments strategies for the future. Throughout both of these texts, there is the heavy promotion of moving people into the paid labour market, so they can be independent members of society. In Which Way Home, it states Stable long-term employment should be the ultimate goal for most . . . . With proper support, people can become more resilient and better able to manage their personal, financial and housing needs, and gain the confidence and skills they need to participate in mainstream economic and social life. (Which Way Home 2008: 14) While the aim of many of the proposed programs is to support clients by improving their independent living skills, they are still deeply embedded with assumptions about control, surveillance, containment, independence and self-determination (Greenhalgh 2007: 646). It is important to question who benefits from these programs and whose interests are being served. Is it the homeless who will benefit from these policies, or are they implemented for the bourgeoisie, who feel threatened by the presence of others who do not conform to the status quo? Policy responses such as those listed above may also be seen as an attempt to reduce expectations of what the state will provide by promoting the ideas of the personal responsibilities required for citizenship (Beresford et al. 1996: 179). Neo liberalist discourse appears to be pervasive throughout the proposed policies which are littered with management orientated methods and techniques (Anker 2008: 37). It can be seen that such methods are being implemented in the interest of efficiency and productivity, as opposed concern and assistance for people who have a range of problems and lack the tools that allow them to participate in social life. There is a sense that these individuals are seen as objects of policy as opposed to people who need care and resources. Policy makers also seem unaware that these people often do not lack the competence to participate in society; however their participation is undermined by dominant culture and ideologies that prevent them from doing so (Beresford et al. 1996: 193). Legitimation crisis A shortage of affordable housing has been identified as a major contributing factor to homelessness in Australia. Increased house prices and rentals have put financial pressure on both individuals and families and some find they are unable to afford their current living arrangements.Between 2002 and 2007, the number of families seeking assistance from homeless services in Australia increased by 30 per cent (Which Way Home 2008:12). This suggests that policy responses to housing in Australia are under developed and indicates that affordable housing for those in low income brackets is in extremely short supply. The government played a key role in creating this shortage by reducing its investment in public housing over recent years. It is estimated that between 1994 and 2004 government funding for the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) fell by 54 per cent in real terms (Judd et al. 2005: 246). This demonstrates where the governments priorities lie. Instead of investing in housing, which would assist the homeless and many low income earners, they continue to reduce their spending in this area. Certainly in the Howard years, this could be seen as a strategy to create a budget surplus, which could then be distributed via tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Homelessness is sometimes viewed as a complex problem attributed to the clients, not to the systems they have access to (Conover et al. 1997: 258). However, as demonstrated, policies and infrastructure which aim to reduce its prevalence are often under developed, impractical and show a lack of insight into the lives of those they are designed to help. Even if the infrastructure was developed, it wouldnt stop the government and the public acting on pre-existing discourses that say that homeless people are not entitled to participate in society Numerous and diverse factors contribute to homelessness in Australia. Homelessness has been maintained in the past due to ideological constructions that promote processes of exclusion (Morse 1992: 14) and by the absence of policy responses committed to reducing its prevalence. Future challenges lie in the further development of existing policies and integration of services and programs that together can provide comprehensive and innovative solutions to homelessness. Further understanding of the issue through research will also contribute to better policies and help to address practices that lead to social exclusion. 16 February, 2010 Bible bashing the homeless, Abbott style MICHAEL PERUSCO February 16, 2010 http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/bible-bashing-the-homeless-abbott-style-20100215-o2tj.html

Methods Of Personality Research ? Clinical Vs. Experimental :: essays research papers

The development of personality has long been an area of extreme interest to psychologists and psychoanalysts alike and many different theories of personality have developed over the years. From Sigmund Freud to B.F. Skinner, everyone seems to have not only an opinion of what personality is and how it develops but also an idea as to what is the best way to measure and report their findings. In order to test their theories, it was necessary to formulate methods of research that were effective, ethical and would provide a solid foundation for future personality research.Although both the clinical and experimental methods of personality research have lent themselves to our present day understanding of the human psyche and personality, each has done so in vastly different ways. Freud and his colleagues, who pioneered the clinical research method, chose to observe their clients in an up close and personal fashion. A great deal of their research findings came from interviews with psychologically disturbed patients. Personality psychologists who opt for the clinical method of research regard their work as both a method of gathering information and testing hypothesis as well as an opportunity to provide therapy and encourage healing. Therefore, the clinical method is very person oriented and allows for a more intimate study of the individual personality.Proponents of the experimental method are equally as dedicated to their methods of research. Not unlike clinical researchers, experimental researchers regard their methods as the best way of gathering information to support hypothesis regarding personality. Although their methods are not as up close and personal as those who study using the clinical method, they are certainly valuable. Experimental research is often regarded as the best form of research, due to its strict adherence to rigid research guidelines. Although neither of these two methods are infallible, each has its own merits and downfalls. In order to be best able to critique these methods one must have a general knowledge of each method, and an understanding of what has allowed them their staying power in the field of psychological research. The Clinical Research MethodThe clinical method of personality research developed literally at the patient’s bedside. During this time in the life of psychoanalytic research, the subjects were usually afflicted with one type of psychotic disorder or another. This bedside approach to analysis allowed for the psychiatrist or psychologist to observe the patient in their most natural surroundings.

The Demise of a Family in Gail Godwins A Sorrowful Woman Essay

The Demise of a Family in Gail Godwin's A Sorrowful Woman Gail Godwin's "A Sorrowful Woman<" leads one to believe that the wife is overwhelmed or possibly just having a bad day. The belief is that with her husband's understanding she and her family will get through this difficult time. Everyone has a bad day and people get aggravated at times. However, a shocking revelation comes to the reader that this isn't just a bad day. A deeper look into the story reveals that the wife's selfishness and pity for her life is fueling her sorrow and along with their lack of communication causes the demise of this family. In reading this story we find a woman tired of being a mother, a wife and of her life in general. "The sight of them made her so sad and sick she did not want to ever see them again" (35). Do you not see what she is thinking? They are sucking the life out of me. Why did I choose to get married? I could have been anything, instead I am the mother of this child and the wife of this man and am here to take care of their needs. Who will take care of my needs? She feels that she is some how letting herself ease away and needs to regain her identity. She soon isolates herself even more by moving into another room maybe thinking she will be able to find the part of herself she has lost. "She was a young queen, a virgin in a tower, she was the previous inhabitant, the girl with all the energies. She tried these personalities on like costumes" (38). Her husband's constant saying he understands such things only seems to enable her to isolate herself more and ignore her responsibilities as a mother. If the tending to the child is such a pleasure why hasn't he done it enough to know how to put him to bed... ... his statement, "Can we eat the turkey for super?" (39). His mother lies lifeless in her bed and his father is evidently upset. This family's lack of communication allows the situation to get out of control and in a downward spin that alone they can not handle. Problems do not just get better on their own. You must determine what they are and work out a solution to correct them. The child's skills for handling problems and working through them are not being developed. He is not learning to handle responsibilities but that it's okay to run from them. This family's actions or lack of actions and the mother's selfishness is what destroyed this family and surely scarred this child for life. Bibliography: Godwin, Gail. "A Sorrowful Woman." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 6th. ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2002. 35-39.

Plato Vs Socrates Essay -- Philosophy

Plato's point of view is different from many other peoples. He says that people do wrong not because they are inherently evil, but because they are unclear about what is best for them. While the good truly is good, the pleasant do not know good and therefore have the incorrect belief of good. He is saying someone who is good knows what good is and those who do not do good do not know good itself. Plato believes that the contemporary society is mistaken about their interpretations of good and pleasant. Society believes that good is pleasant. Plato portrays this message through the mouth piece of Socrates. The philosopher Polus argues that good is made by the possessor. He says one can achieve good through their actions. Good is achievable by all, different to all and can be attained by the possessor through good actions. Socrates argues that his definition is correct. He says civilization does good not for good itself but for other reasons. He says, humans do make the medicine for the sake of medicine but they make this to improve the health and well-being of someone. People are concerned about the results of the good they are doing rather than the action of doing good itself. Socrates mentions that a long distance runner does not run incredibly long distances just for the thrill of running, but the runner runs these long distances to maintain his health and to stay fit. Socrates gives Polus an example as to how his definition of good is wrong. Kings are faced with criminals everyday that must be punished for their wrongful actions. The criminals must be put to death supposedly for the "good of the state." This is one example of how a ruler or possessor does what he does he thinks is good. Th... ...in of thirst from ourselves and pleasuring ourselves with drink. I also question what Socrates says about wrong being an individuals opinion rather than a standard by which we live. It seems like Socrates is saying that no one has morals and society can do wrong and not even realize it. It sounds like humans do not know the difference between right and wrong. He seems as though he knows all and has all the right answers. There is also another way at looking at what Socrates says here. Everybody lives a different lifestyle. Some people live a life dedicated to a certain religion and some people are part of the mafia or live in street alleys. Everyone is going to have their own position on what is wrong and what is not. Even though stealing is wrong homeless people may argue that they needs food to survive and stealing it is the only way they can get it.

Gendered Societal Expectations of Appearance and Their Effects Upon the Individual Essay

It has long been generally accepted that we as humans are influenced greatly by the things that surround our everyday lives. These things can include friends, family, co-workers, the media and even society as a whole. The society in which people live can play a huge role in how they view themselves and how they view others. Over the years researchers have come up with many theories as to how and why society has such a large influence on people. Now-a-days there are appearance prescriptions for everything in our society. It is not good to be too fat, but it is not good to be too skinny either. The way a person looks, dresses and acts is a large factor in how other people will think about, talk about and respond to them. These societal prescriptions also differentiate between other factors such as gender, race, level of education and more. Interestingly most of these prescriptions for appearance in society today are relatively unspoken until someone violates them. This paper will attempt to shed some light on the complex societal prescriptions regarding personal appearance and body imaging; more specifically it will delve into how those prescriptions are gendered within society and how people respond both positively and negatively to those prescriptions. As previously stated appearance prescriptions are very strong in our society especially when it comes to societal expectations regarding gender. These gendered expectations cause people to do all types of things for the sole purpose of fitting in to societal norms. Some women exercise religiously to maintain a good looking body, other women go tanning regularly because they think it is embarrassing, or even unacceptable, to be pale; there are also many men who do the same things for the same reasons. While looking good is not a bad thing sometimes these societal prescriptions, or expectations, can cause people to go too far. When people are not satisfied with themselves and their appearance they can become desperate and have feelings of inadequacy about their physical appearance. These feelings of inadequacy can lead to depression or making destructive decisions which can include but are not limited to over-eating or even eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. There have been numerous studies done on the relationships between societal pressures to be thin and body dissatisfaction among both men and women. One such study, from the University of Texas at Austin that studied the effects of social pressure to be thin on women said that â€Å"These same pernicious messages (that one is not thin enough) are thought to foster negative affect, because appearance is a central evaluative dimension for women in Western culture† (Stice, 2003). This study tested what sources most influence societal expectations of appearance and the different ways those expectations can negatively affect women (Stice, 2003). It concluded that some of the biggest social pressures to be thin come from the mass media, family members and peers (Stice, 2003). It also concluded that the negative effects of these social pressures can go in two different directions, this is not to say that women negatively affected cannot fall victim to both types of effects (Stice, 2003). A synopsis of this study could say that societal expectations to be thin often create body dissatisfaction within women (Stice, 2003). This body dissatisfaction, which can often lead to depression, frequently leads to either restrictive dieting or binge eating. Restrictive dieting, while not bad in itself, can lead to unhealthy eating habits such as eating disorders, laxative abuse or other methods of losing weight that can be extremely harmful to the person practicing them, and binge eating â€Å"because it is commonly believed that eating provides comfort and distraction from negative emotions† (Stice, 2003). A similar experiment, coming from the University of Toronto, studied the relationship between body image and depression among adolescents regarding adiposity (Chaiton, 2009). This study suggests â€Å"that body dissatisfaction may mediate the relationship between overweight and depression† (Chaiton, 2009). It goes on to suggest that the relationship found between obesity and depression is differentiated by gender because of the difference in societal expectations placed on women and men (Chaiton, 2009). The study concluded that females experience body dissatisfaction almost solely when they believe they are overweight, whereas both males who believe that they are under or overweight experience body dissatisfaction which can in all cases lead to some level of depression (Chaiton, 2009). As the aforementioned study showed societal expectations concerning appearance can, and often do, affect men just as much as they do women (Chaiton, 2009). Our society pushes men to be big, muscular and manly. To certain degree the more muscular a man is the more attractive he generally is within society. A study from an international journal regarding social behavior and personality concluded that the attractiveness of a man is more important in determining social desirability than the age of the man in question (Perlini, 2001). Comparatively the results of these two studies add up to say that the attractiveness of a man is one of the main factors in determining societal desirability and one of the biggest factors in being attractive is being muscular or strong. This puts a lot of pressure on males to be concerned with how they look in comparison to society’s expectations of how they should look. There are numerous different theories as to why societal expectations differ between genders, but none that can definitively explain why prescriptions concerning appearance are the way they are (i. e. women should be skinny and men should be muscular). Some theorists take a biological approach saying that something within the genetic makeup of human beings causes men to be larger and more muscular and likewise causes women to be smaller and skinnier; therefore it is innate within human beings to prefer women to be skinnier and men to be more muscular. Other theories use a combination of nature, a biological approach, and nurture, an approach that says how and where people are raised effects how they view the world, to explain why there is such a gendered difference in societal expectations. While still others use strictly nurture based theories to explain these differences. An experiment from Colby College testing the awareness of preschoolers to societal expectations of gender showed that by the age of five or six humans can easily differentiate between what society expects differently of men than of women (Raag, 1998). Granted this study tested the societal expectations of gender based on toys (tools and dishes) and how the children themselves reacted to the toys as well as how the children thought others (parents, babysitters, friends, etc. ) would react to them playing with the aforementioned toys (Raag, 1998). On the whole the children were able to identify that the tools were for boys to play with and the dishes were for girls; the children also, with no hesitation, said that boys playing with dishes or girls playing with tools would often be responded to negatively by parents or babysitters or the like. That means that while this study cannot shed light on the societal expectations of strength versus thinness it does give some credence to the nurture side of the theories mentioned earlier (Raag, 1998). In summation the societal expectations of appearance can have both positive and negative effects upon people. Society pushes for women to be thin, but not too thin and for men to be muscular, but not too muscular. Society pushing people to be in shape is not a bad thing; studies have shown that being physically fit is not only good for people physically, but also mentally. When people feel attractive it boosts their confidence and self-esteem which has been proven to increase mental health. It just happens to be that some of the anxiety or stress put upon people to look good to others can cause them to do harmful things to themselves and others. For instance constant pressure from the media and other outside influences to be skinny and tan has led countless females to have eating disorders and go artificial tanning all the time, neither of which are conducive to being physically healthy. Those same influences have led to countless males developing eating disorders as well to lose weight or even start using all types of drugs, that harm themselves and can harm, or cause them to harm, others, such as anabolic steroids or pro-hormonal supplements simply to gain muscle mass at unnatural and unhealthy rates. The best thing anyone can do to help society as a whole to resist unhealthy expectations regarding appearance is to spread awareness. It may sounds overplayed but awareness about a problem and the education necessary to fix or even just alleviate that problem is always to first step to solving that problem. At the end of every abovementioned study the researchers conducting the study talked about the significance, or importance of that study, and every single researcher included somewhere in that section that raising awareness about the issue at hand was one of the most significant aspects to their respective studies. This is because being aware and educated about a problem is one of the most important and fundamental ways to confront a problem; especially one of this magnitude. This problem will never be solved if society as a whole does not become aware of, and change, how it effects people’s everyday lives regarding physical appearance.

Case Study Analysis: Oakbrook Medical Systems

In this case study, a division manager faces several potential human resource issues and communication challenges. To provide background, â€Å"Oak Brook Medical Systems† developed their â€Å"Hospital Supply Division† in response to â€Å"changes in the healthcare marketplace† and staffed the unit with highly qualified committed personnel. The company values teamwork, shares an â€Å"entrepreneurial† spirit, and the group of committed â€Å"self-starters† provides customers with quality products and service.The division’s highly qualified strategic director has been with the company for 12 years, serving in her current position for 18 months, and has been credited for developing a strategy that added â€Å"$40 million† to the business unit. Increasing the number of qualified and committed women into management could also carry â€Å"positive implications† for the company because â€Å"shifting demographics† call for new perspectives to meet changing customer expectations to sustain market growth and to outperform competitors.The strategy director hopes that her efforts will be recognized and rewarded with career advancement. † Division revenues currently reflect exceptional annual growth at â€Å"nearly 35 percent,† but there are indications that communication and morale need to be improved within the unit. Workers in the division who largely seem to be motivated to meet corporate goals also share resentment towards their team leader.Anecdotal reports both from management and competent people under her supervision indicate that the director’s â€Å"results-oriented† communication style has generated allegations of curtness and condescension from co-workers (O’Rourke, 2010, pp. 290, 291). There seems to be a disconnect between perceptions of productivity, fairness and effective communication, and this case study identifies both short-term concerns and latent interna l threats to long-term profitability.Senior management largely acknowledges favorable market conditions and collaborative workers for producing impressive Hospital Supply Division growth rather than singling out the division’s strategy director for exemplary leadership. Although considered a â€Å"valuable asset,† the strategy director’s communication problems with colleagues and subordinates have stirred â€Å"greater concern during discussions of her future in the division. † The strategy director, on the other hand, justifies her communication approach by considering frankness to be an integral part of â€Å"getting the job done. Despite her business unit’s success, the strategy director has indicated that she feels overlooked and frustrated by management, possibly because of racial or gender discrimination. The unit lacks substantive â€Å"representation of women and people of color in its management ranks† (O’Rourke, 2010, pp. 2 90, 291). Gender and racial sensitivities carry serious implications for managers concerned with short-term profits and long-term viability.Cultural sensitivity is critical to a manager’s success (O’Rourke, 2010). So far, senior management has not brought concerns about discontent in the division to the director’s attention. Senior managers need to address the concerns of the director’s colleagues and subordinates regarding her objectionable communication style, as well as the strategy director’s concerns about possible racial and gender discrimination to make appropriate long-term strategic choices for the division and company.O’Rourke (2010) also identifies skills essential for cross-cultural communication, including â€Å"a capacity to accept the relativity of [one’s] knowledge and perceptions,† a â€Å"capacity to be nonjudgmental,† and â€Å"a tolerance for ambiguity† (p. 288). The sensitive nature of personn el issues requires thoughtful action and the intercultural dimension in the case study highlights the need for careful message planning and delivery.Senior management needs to convey a clear message of non-discrimination to both the strategy director and everyone else in the business unit without sending signals that authoritarian management will be rewarded. O’Rourke (2010) suggests that effective managers deliver purposeful messages in ways that fulfill an organization’s mission. Managers who avoid dealing with or ignore personnel concerns about discrimination can foment misunderstanding and create conditions ripe for otherwise unwarranted charges.A senior manager would be in the best position to communicate the division’s strategic vision while addressing the strategy director’s shortcomings and the unit’s morale in a positive way. Newly assigned to the Hospital Supply Division, the senior manager also has a unique opportunity to become a mentor to strategy director by listening to her concerns about fairness and helping her to make adjustments to her communication approach that will improve her standing with colleagues, subordinates, as well as senior management.Most of the face-to-face communication between the senior manager and strategy director will involve nonverbal cues that will influence long-term morale for co-workers, too. Segal (2009) indicates that critical nonverbal cues often determine whether or not a communication partner is listening, understanding the message, or cares. Some of the â€Å"most important nonverbal cues† include tone of voice, gaze, body position, and concentration that become significant in conversations and determine â€Å"the way we talk, listen, look, move, and react. She also points out that building â€Å"stress management† and â€Å"emotional awareness† skills improve nonverbal communication and demonstrate â€Å"emotional intelligence† (para. 10, 14). It cannot be overstated that the senior manager will need to be an exemplary communicator with empathy for team members because mistrust and misunderstanding lie at the center of the current problems in the division. Ongoing discontent could undermine sustainability and declining morale could drive away otherwise effective workers if the situation is mishandled.However, morale should quickly improve in the division with actions that reinforce the company’s commitment to attracting and sustaining quality personnel while providing a clear path for the strategy director to meet her career goals. Colleagues and subordinates will be more inclined to respect the strategy director if they witness her transformation to embrace a more collaborative communication style. In addition, management will need to be more prepared to acknowledge the strategy director’s role in the team’s continued success. With appropriate action, Oak Brook Medical System’s Hospital Supply D ivision will be in a strong position to retain quality personnel who can provide customers solid care.ReferencesO’Rourke, J. (2010). Management Communications: A Case-Analysis Approach (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Segal, J. (2009). EQ tool 3: The pulley: Improving nonverbal communication. Retrieved from Blog posted to EQ: Emotional Intelligence Central, archived at: http://www. emotionalintelligencecentral. org/eq/nonverbal_communication. html