The St. Cloud Stabbing in Minnesota, Seaside Park bombing in New Jersey, and New York City explosion are assuredly examples of terrorism. As the perpetrators of these crimes are tied to the Muslim world, they are examples of Islamic terrorism inside the United States. Not surprisingly, politicians and pundits have seized upon these election-year events to promote their preferred candidates and disqualify their opponents, instead of leading on the issue of terrorism. How Americans are responding to these attacks is, however, somewhat surprising. Although the magnitude of terrorism inside the US is nowhere near that seen in the Middle East, Americans are starting to see minor acts of terrorism as a just another kind of routine violent crime.
Recognizing terrorism takes place in the American homeland is important, because it reminds the American People that we face the same threats as the victims of terrorism in Paris as well as victims of violence in the Middle East. Recognizing that terrorism is another form of violent crime just like domestic abuse and police brutality reminds all people that the outcome of violence and murder is the same no matter the motivation, i.e. the loss of life. That said, understanding why perpetrators of violent crimes ultimately choose to engage in their attacks of violence can help people cope with the consequences and help authorities decrypt the patterns they need to understand and prevent future violent crimes.
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Leadership is needed in all aspects of life. Sadly, a lack of quality leadership seems to be a common problem these days in government, education, religion, communities, and private industry. Without effective management, however, businesses eventually fail due to a lack of quality leadership. Because managers are assigned the role of leader and subordinates must accept their leadership, they must lead, which means their leadership offers insights into what qualifies as effective leadership. As such, there are lessons to be derived from the world of business that can be better applied throughout the private sector and utilized in other aspects of life. Although the responsibilities and authorities of managers may vary widely, the role of management in all businesses is to bridge cultures. Managers must take what policies and objectives their superiors give them then ensure they become reality. Consequently, managers must deal with several levels of management, subordinate employees, and outside interests. It is, therefore, the role of management to both transmit information between all relevant parties and translate information so it can be understood by every party. Businesses are the vehicles of economic development and prosperity for all. Through their products and services, businesses ensure the primary function of the economy, which is to address the material needs of people, can be accomplished. In selling their wares, and providing jobs, they also help circulate wealth throughout the economy, thereby promoting economic stability, security, and growth. The private sector can fuel economic growth by creating new opportunities and fostering greater productivity via incentivizing wages as well as a culture of appreciation. They can also help by better utilizing the talents, skills, and education of their employees.
Due to globalization and advancing technology, there is a need for a far more dynamic workforce with the capacity to acquire massive amounts of data and use that information to develop novel solutions. Unfortunately, it takes a great amount of time and effort for most people to fully absorb new information and develop new skills. This is particularly true for individuals educated to simply memorize and regurgitate lessons. Since the modern world is constantly generating new knowledge, while new advancements quickly outdate skills, this old fashion model is insufficient. As such, the education system needs to provide students with broader, flexible skill sets that enable them to learn more efficiently and effectively throughout the rest of their lives as additional schooling is not always a viable or advantageous option. Businesses, industries, and economies depend on three kinds of capital: financial, intellectual, and labor. Obviously, the investment of financial capital provides businesses with the money they need to open their doors, maintain their operations, and expand as their customer bases grow. This is why investors and banks are so important. It is also why the investment of financial capital is rewarded with either a share of a business or interest payments. The need for the investment of intellectual and labor capital is, however, not always appreciated or properly rewarded. For new, small-profit, and small-revenue businesses, which do not have the budget to pay for these things, the need for intellectual and labor capital is most obvious.
Businesses need solutions to problems, as well as innovative thinking, to help them survive and thrive. When businesses do not have the budget to pay for these essentials, they rely upon the free investment of this intellectual capital to help them succeed. When business owners and managers are freely given intellectual capital; however, they do not always value it nor do they recognize the impact it has on their businesses. Similarly, employees may be paid, but most businesses also ask their employees to go above and beyond their pay rate. Because employees do not just work for a paycheck, employer appreciation can push employees to invest a little more of their labor into their employer’s business. The US Department of Education’s crackdown on for-profit schools has resulted in the closure of ITT Technical Institute, yet ITT Tech is hardly the only educational institution under threat due to poor performance nor should it be. Although the ITT Tech case centers on for-profit schools, numerous non-for-profit, both public and private, schools suffer from low standards and abysmal outcomes. Even if students can graduate with a meaningful education, they cannot necessarily use their degrees to acquire a job. Where the 2016 Election has delivered a push by Hillary Clinton to secure free college for all and a proposed boost to charter schools from Donald Trump, the truth is a lack of access to education is not necessarily the issue.
Today, education is the most significant factor in determining income potential and upward mobility; however, an education does not safeguard individuals against the consequences of growing economic disparity. The reason political and civil rights leaders go so far as to proclaim education to be the civil rights issue of the Twenty-first Century is that access to education is being threatened due to exploding costs at our academic institutions while there is comparatively less support from government due to budget constraints and political ideology. With that in mind, people want education, because they see it as means to get a better job and build a better life. The problem is that education does not necessarily help people overcome a lack of opportunity. |
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April 2020
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