Is Getting Your Doctorate in Business Administration Worth it?

April 29, 2020

Best-Business-Schools — Source: ceoworld

The DBA or doctorate of business administration is the next level up from the MBA or master of business administration degree. This is a notable credential and one that only a handful can boast about. But should you pursue your DBA? After all, an advanced degree does not always equal a higher pay grade. And what can you do with one? We’ll answer both these questions and explain why the DBA is an increasingly popular option for business leaders.

Why Should I Get a DBA?

A doctorate in business administration teaches you how to do original research. Depending on the program, you may be required to work as a teaching assistant. This is excellent preparation for becoming a professor one day. Or you could attend an online program that doesn’t come with these demands. A DBA teaches you more about leadership and teasing out the intricate relationships in business that are invaluable to market researchers and business analysts. Furthermore, these programs prepare you to work in management at any level.

This means that earning a DBA is a good choice if you want to work in advanced business analytics, academia or the C-suite.

You’ll Stand Out from MBAs

The MBA degree is so common that it is hardly better than a bachelor’s degree in business when you’re applying for various positions. A DBA shows that you’ve done that much more to prepare for a role in management. Then there’s the fact that Human Resources tend to prefer candidates with an advanced degree. If you earned an MBA from a run of the mill school, you could complete the DBA program via Aston University Online. Aston University’s online DBA is one of the most respected in the world. Then you’ll have a world-class credential on your resume and can get to the top of the stack.

It Is the Ultimate in Networking

A DBA gives you the expertise that allows you to fill a wide number of roles. It also gives you the professional network to make the change. For example, if you’re sitting in class or attending online classes with healthcare managers earning a DBA, you will be able to connect with peers who could help you find your first job after graduation.

That’s aside from the job placement services offered by schools themselves and the network of alumni eager to help you. You’ll gain access to a new network while refreshing what you learned in your MBA program years ago. This ensures that you’ll be able to move into a better job, even if your current employer doesn’t promote you after you receive your new degree.

When asked what makes DBA programs so special, Vice Dean Bryan Booth stated that the diversity the program offers is one of its biggest advantages.

“If we have a class about leadership, for instance, one student can give an idea of what happens in finance while another student might give their opinion about what it means in the public sector,” he said. “This allows the for-profit people to learn from people in the non-profit sector.”

You Have Many More Career Opportunities

An MBA and DBA can both lead to the C-suite, whether you work as CEO, chief financial officer, chief marketing officer or in some other capacity. However, a doctorate in business administration allows you to work in academia, too. You could teach future MBAs. You could also move into management at the university. A DBA is almost better than a Ph.D. in this regard because a Ph.D. in business can only work in academia.

A side benefit of earning a DBA is that you could move into management in a totally different area, especially if your degree involved research-related to that field.

For example, if your capstone project is on the best ways the healthcare industry could adapt to change, you could become a medical and health services manager. Write about the impact of specific regulation on an industry and you could be asked to work as an administrator in that field. Or you could become a business consultant based on your expertise alone. Alternatively, a capstone project related to your current job could be what you need to earn that promotion.

A DBA Is an Excellent Way to Change Industries

Doctorates in business administration like MBAs offer concentrations. Common concentrations in DBA programs include:

Supply chain management
Human resources
International business
Information systems
Healthcare administration

If you’ve worked as an MBA in business, a DBA in healthcare administration allows you to become a healthcare manager. If you were working as a financial analyst in the insurance industry, a DBA in human resources may let you move into the HR department. You could move from the accounting department to sales or logistics. Get out of payroll and into supply chain management.

What Can You Do with a DBA?

We’ve mentioned the academic career path that opens up with a doctorate in business administration. However, the DBA is valuable for those who want to work in the business world as well. A DBA degree prepares you for roles such as:

Controller
Treasurer
Chief Technology Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Head of Human Resources
Administrative services management

Let’s take a closer look at some of these careers and what will be expected of you.

Controller

A financial controller’s main duty will be to oversee and prepare financial statements and gather insightful data from reports. They are also responsible for making sure that the data is accurate and ensure regulatory compliance as well. Financial controllers will need to report to CFOs.

Some of the duties of a financial controller include:

Business budgeting
Auditing
Payroll
Act as a chief financial head for smaller companies
Attend business events

Financial controllers need to stay abreast of the recent changes in the regulatory landscape. This is why they will often be asked to attend conferences and seminars. Financial controllers also have to consider more than just financials; they make sure that the company’s processes are cost-efficient and abide by regulations.

Treasurer

Treasurers are another type of financial officer but are often involved with non-profit organisations. Some of the duties of a treasurer include:

Taking care of budgets for the organisation
Financial oversight and management
Reporting
Working as a financial liaison

An organisation’s financial management will be a treasurer’s main responsibility. As such, everything the treasurer does will have a direct impact on the public’s perception of the organisation.

The treasurer will be asked to do things like finding a bank or banks for the organisation and building a relationship with them. They will need to be able to reconcile bank statements, as well as managing cash flow.

It is also their job to make sure that the monitor can have access to funds to avoid misappropriation. In addition, a treasurer might be asked to prepare annual budgets and check revenues against expenses.

Chief Technology Officer

If you have a background in IT, then getting a DBA will make you an unstoppable force and allow you to be a prime candidate for chief technology officer positions.

The goal of a chief technology officer is to oversee the development and implementation of various technologies in an organisation and also check compliance. They will also be responsible for creating policies regarding these technologies. A CFO needs to be able to reconcile the technology needs of a business with the organisation’s goals.

You will not only need to be able to fix IT issues and come up with prevention, emergency, and contingency plans but will also be responsible for evaluating and managing a company’s technological assets.

Chief Marketing Officer

Chief marketing officers are responsible for looking after the execution, planning, and development of a company or organisation’s advertising and marketing initiatives. As a CMO, you will report directly to the CEO and will be responsible for making sure that advertising campaigns are efficient and meet ROI targets.

You will be responsible for monitoring KPIs and making sure that you follow through with the proper adjustments. You’ll need to have a solid grasp of data analytics and a thorough understanding of new platforms as well.

In some cases, your role will extend to sales management. You might also be in charge of things like new business development, distribution channel management, product development, and customer service. This means that you’ll often need to know how to inform sales executives, compile, interpret, and analyse sales data, and work on customer relationships. This is a great option if you want to have an impact on multiple levels and affect all parts of the business.

Conclusion

The DBA is a long-respected degree. It offers a number of benefits that go well beyond what an MBA provides. So, if you were still on the fence about taking the course, we strongly suggest you look more into it. Make sure that you speak with a counsellor today and see if it could be the credential that takes your career to new heights.

Tips and Tricks to Get Free Skins in Fortnite

Дмитра Врачарић

April 29, 2020

One of the main draws surrounding Fortnite is Skins. These offer players a way to stand out on the battlefield, to showcase more individuality and to show their dedication to the game by going through the means to get the one that they have chosen. Whilst a lot of these skins may be harder to acquire from the Fortnite shop such as Playerauctions than others, there are ways in which you can get them for free.

Some skins go as far as requiring you to buy console bundles, mobile devices and more just to get a certain rendition. Others either cost you a lot of your hard-earned V-bucks, or some are so rare that they aren’t even available in the game anymore. If you are strapped for cash, however, then fear not. There are ways in which you can get skins without even having to pay for them. This is a method which has become more popular in recent times, especially with the introduction of Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2.

The arrival of the new season brought about a lot of new features, including new areas of the map, gameplay features, and a wealth of new cosmetics. If you have been looking around for ways to get new skins for your character, you may have come across a lot of online tutorials that don’t offer the best nor the most effective ways of getting them. Listed below are a few ways in which you can earn new skins without having to part with your in-game cash.

Twitch Prime

The idea of Twitch Prime is something that appeals to many in gaming. For those who have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can use the Twitch Prime feature to gain free content for a number of games. This rings true for Fortnite, as the service gives you access to a lot of free content.

So if you do happen to have a Prime membership, you can expect to find the likes of skins, as well as gliders and much more as a reward. Twitch Prime is always adding items too periodically, so be sure to keep checking back for when new content is added. You don’t want to miss out on anything new, after all.

LTE – Limited-Time Events

Like with Twitch Prime, Limited-Time Events are something that you will want to keep your ear to the ground for. As the name suggests, they aren’t around forever, but they do provide you with an opportunity to get some new skins.

You can do this by simply logging into the game at specific times. The Limited-Time Events have a habit of not only changing up the gameplay in fresh and exciting ways, but also hand out free skins to those who participate. For example, you may remember the seasonal Winterfest 2019 event, which gave out a whole bunch of gifts to players (including skins) as well as additional challenges to participate in.

PlayStation Plus

We mentioned earlier that you could get exclusive skins based on different consoles and devices that you currently own, or are willing to invest in. If you are a PS4 owner and have a PlayStation Plus subscription, then you are in luck.

With PS Plus, Sony offers players a Celebration pack, which is available to subscribers completely for free. Included in the pack is a free skin and back bling, with the blue colors often representing the PS brand. This is probably a much more common skin since that a lot of Fortnite players are likely to own the console than having to pay out for an obscure mobile phone handset, but its still an eye-catching cosmetic nevertheless, and who can argue with free?

Fortnite World Cup

The Fortnite World Cup is a massive event within the gaming community. Last year, the first World Cup event saw first prize winning a whopping $3 million, and brought about a few changes here and there with it coinciding with the new season.

The Fortnite World Cup 2024 is expected to take place in the summer of this year, though the location has yet to be confirmed. For those who are able to attend, you can get your hands on some free V-bucks to spend on skins. There was even battle passes given away at the event, which brings us on to our next point.

Battle Pass

This method is entirely free, but it is well worth your investment. This is because if you reach the end of the Battle Pass, you can expect to receive a ton of new skins that you may not have been able to afford individually.

What the Battle Pass provides is not only skins, but you can also be earning V-bucks in the process. So if you are able to invest some cash into the Battle Pass now, you are bound to receive a whole load of new cosmetics to keep your character looking fresh when dropping off the battle bus.

Iris Pack

This is another method which will require some initial investment, but it will lead to you getting free skins. The new season introduced something called the Iris Pack, which brought in a few new features to get you started.

In fact, not only does it contain 600 V-bucks to spend on skins, but it also includes the new “Iris” outfit to add to your colllection. Players who purchase the Iris Pack can also get a “Roundabout” Back Bling, and a “Pop Axe” Pickaxe to go with it.

So some of these methods do require a bit of investment here and there, but ultimately they are a gateway to you getting free Fortnite items. Those that are subscription based services have the potential to allow you to keep reaping free rewards from them, and the Battle Pass is worth the price alone for the items you’ll receive in the Fortnite shop. Whatever method you decide to go for, they are all viable ways for you to gain new cosmetics for yourself and letting you show off who you really are in Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale.

Have you used any of these methods to get skins? Let us know in the comments section below!

Everything You Should Know About Stray Cats

Gordan Himerdooff

April 29, 2020

Cats are one of the most adorable and adored animals in the world, yet it is not uncommon to hear that these lovely animals have been dumped in the street or dropped at an animal shelter. There are a lot of reasons why someone would choose to do this, but that shouldn’t matter. Instead, we are going to teach you what to know about stray cats so that you can make a better decision when you come across one in your neighborhood.

Determine if it’s a stray or feral cat

The first thing you want to do is distinguish between a stray and a feral cat. Stray cats are those that previously had a home and either got lost or were dumped by their owner. They are a bit skittish at first but will usually be friendly and approachable, so you might even get immediately attached to it and it to you. Street cats are a bit more apprehensive to humans, but they are more likely to run away from you than to attack you. If you happen to have some treats, they may even cozy up to you for a while to get it.

That’s what to know about stray cats, while feral ones are the opposite because they probably never shared a home with a human. In fact, most feral cats have been bred in the wild for generations with little or no human contact. Because of this lack of socialization with humans, feral cats are essentially wild cats and are more likely to attack, especially when they feel threatened. It is not advised to try taking in a feral cat, even by experts. The best you can do for them is to take care of them outside your home as street cats but not into the home. They are perfectly happy living outside anyway, so don’t feel guilty about it.

Decide what you want to do with it

It is important for you to be able to determine what you’re dealing with first so that you can make an informed decision about what to do next. The question comes down to whether or not you want to take it in. If the cat is pregnant, then that’s a whole other story. It’s not a simple task taking care of a pregnant stray cat. You can visit ourfitpets.com to learn how to care for a pregnant stray cat if you’re interested.

Should you choose to adopt a stray cat

If you got overwhelmed by the cuteness of one in your neighborhood and decided to take it in, there are a few things to do before you can claim to have a new cat. The best first step is to verify if the previous owner is still looking for it.

You should start by asking around to find out if anyone has lost their cat or knows the owner. Lost and found templates can also be found online from which you can print found posters and spread around the community in case the owner is still searching. There are also some websites that reunite pet owners with their lost pets, and this is probably the easiest way compared to the rest. When all these fails, try taking it to a vet who will scan it for a microchip. The one that recently strayed may have had a microchip installed, which will show who the owner is from the database. It may be a lot of work, especially when you consider that cats roam over huge areas, but it will be worth it if you can reunite a pet with its owner.

At this point, you have either not found the owner, or they are unwilling to take it back for whatever reason. The first thing you should do is to take it to the vet even before taking it home to find out if it needs to be fixed and/or vaccinated. Stray cats are likely to have rabies, ringworm, feline leukemia and other infectious diseases, so you definitely don’t want to spread these diseases to your other pets or even humans. Most street cats may already have been vaccinated, and this should save you some of the cost, but it’s still best to have a vet confirm this.

When you finally take the cat home, do not expect it to be immediately attached to you, or start playing with your other pets. Remember that it may not fully trust you just yet, and, in addition, it is in a new environment. If you have another pet, start by introducing them slowly to each other until they are both comfortable. As for yourself, do not rush the relationship either. You should also purchase a few items for your new pet, such as a litter box, toys, catnip, and cat-scratchers. Since you’re dealing with a stray cat you know nothing about, it’s best to buy a few varieties of the toys.

Dropping off at an animal shelter

A lot of us would love to take in more cats and kittens but cannot for different reasons, but you don’t have to be as irresponsible as the person who abandoned it either. So, if you really can’t take in a stray cat, then the most humane thing to do would be to find an animal shelter for it. For your own safety, though, what to know about them is that they may attack if they feel threatened.

When a cat doesn’t know you, and you suddenly put it in your car, it might strike out of fear. Therefore, you should be really careful when handling it and never force it to do anything at first. Once you have established a relationship with it and determined it doesn’t have an owner, only then should you take it to a shelter or animal rescue. You will need to answer a few questions at the center, but these are only to help the staff know how to deal with it and find it a new owner.

What to remember when dealing with stray cats

PETA states that one of the most common reasons people give for willingly surrendering their cat at an animal shelter is because of behavioral problems. This means that you should understand if a stray cat does not act the way you expect it to. All of them are different just as no two humans are the same, so don’t get into it, expecting the cat of your dreams. Moreover, understand that adopting a stray cat is honorable, but you will ultimately be responsible for the animal and shouldn’t take it lightly and dump the cat thereafter.

5 Tips to Increase Productivity Working From Home

Дмитра Врачарић

April 28, 2020

ca_woman_remote_work_istock — Source: thehill

Many people are transitioning to working from home temporarily as we do our best to deal with the coronavirus global pandemic. Working from home can be a challenge if you are suddenly thrown into it. Nobody trains you on how to adjust so it’s up to you to develop a game plan and stick with it. There are a number of distractions at home, perhaps you don’t have a space that you can call your own and you may have to contend with balancing work and family life. It’s so easy to get caught up in all your responsibilities at home and lose track of your work obligations. A number of clients and colleagues have reached out to me because they are truly struggling with trying to meet all their work commitments with all the interruptions that come with being at home. Generally, we come home from work and we can put some of the stressors behind us for the evening and simply enjoy our home life. Once you begin working from home, it’s much trickier. You lose that clear separation between those two aspects of your life. It’s up to you to create those boundaries in order to be successful and managing both. Here are some valuable tips to help you elevate your productivity at home while balancing work and home.

Brainstorming with Colleagues

Mervat Elschwarby, lead Resume Writer and Career Coach from NYC Resume, Interview & Online Prep states “Working from home can make you feel isolated and less engaged. Staying connected with colleagues is vital in inspiring ideas, leveraging one another’s strengths and essentially feeling part of the team.” Click here to visit NYC Resume. Don’t lose sight of that. Schedule times to connect even if it’s not initiated by leadership. Be proactive in fostering those relationships. That sense of belonging to a team is a big part of making work rewarding and fun. Collectively, results are typically better. Everyone brings a different perspective to a project or initiative. With technology today, it’s much easier to stay connected even if you are not working in an office environment together. In fact, with globalization, we have more experience working with individuals all over the world. Continue to build those key relationships as you work remotely. It is essential for your career success.

Stick with Your Schedule

Try to stick with your normal work routine as much as possible. Wake up at the same time as you normally would and get ready for work. Do everything you normally do in getting prepared and that includes dressing up. It’s a mindset, getting dressed for work makes you feel ready to begin your workday. On the flip side, wearing sweatpants or pajamas signals you are home and it’s time to do chores and attend to your family life. Because your attention is divided, there’s also a tendency to take long breaks and then work all hours into the night. Establish a work schedule and stick to it. It’s still important to maintain a balance and separation of work from your home life. Without that, additional pressures tend to rise.

Workspace Organization

It is essential to have a workspace where you can keep your computer, organize your documents and have limited interruptions. Structure is critical especially as you acclimate to working from home. Whatever steps you can take to develop that structure and discipline will go a long way in increasing your productivity and focus. There are some low-cost options available for desks and organizers that can make a big difference in increasing your productivity. Working at the kitchen table or on the couch is not ideal if you can help it. There are desks and organizational products that allow you to maximize small spaces and create order.

Communication

Let your family know that you need to concentrate on your work and your job is an important role you perform. Let them know your company has expectations of you. Take it as an opportunity to teach your children the importance of a strong work ethic and always putting one hundred percent effort into everything you do. If you have kids and they are old enough to take on some of the chores, now may be the time to give them more responsibility. This will free you up to focus on your work. If you have conference calls scheduled throughout the day, put your schedule on the refrigerator. This will help to limit interruptions. Schedule some activities for your family members as well. Think about fun and educational activities for the kids like puzzles, or projects that promote their creativity. Keep in mind, everyone is learning to adapt to these circumstances.

Take Breaks

If you typically have lunch at noon, then do that. Take some time to step away from what you are doing. Breaks help you to decompress and spark creativity. It allows you to think of a different approach to an assignment you are tackling. Moving around, getting some fresh air as long as you are social distancing will help get the juices flowing so to speak. If it’s a sunny day, try to get out even for a few minutes. It will elevate your mood and allow you to start fresh. There are studies that show working hours on end without a break tends to lower your productivity levels.

Working from home is a transition. Like any other change, there is an adjustment period and it’s critical to create a plan on how to be most productive working from home. Take these essential steps to ensure you remain productive while working from home. If you are still having difficulties, a career consultant can be invaluable in adapting to working from home. Career coaches have extensive experience guiding people in being successful in their careers. They see things that one may not see because we are too caught up in our own situation. They help you to stay grounded, practice new techniques, challenge your current processes, ignite creativity and overall lead you to a career path of success.

Emotional Intelligence is the Way to Improve Productivity and Happiness

Дмитра Врачарић

April 28, 2020

emotional inteligence — Source: thebalancesmb

In recent years, many companies have implemented programs designed to improve the physical and psychological well-being of employees. However, most consider these initiatives to be a critical element in improving organizational productivity. But do such projects achieve their goals? This question remains open.

Jochen Menges, Professor at the University of Zurich, has been studying the role of the emotional factor in organizational life for many years. By seeing how positive feelings can motivate and inspire employees, he also makes sure that contributing to these emotions is an extremely challenging task. In a conversation with journalists, Menges explained why it is very difficult for companies to ensure the well-being of employees and what needs to be changed to achieve the expected results.

How effective staff welfare programs are?

These programs are a good start. After all, if an organization understands that the emotional state directly affects employee’s productivity. However, Monny from MonitTask says to us in many cases the desired results are not achieved because the programs focus only on reducing stress (yoga, massage, etc.) and the root causes of mental tension are not eliminated. Therefore, if organizations are serious about the well-being of their staff, they need to change their approach to doing the work and work systematically to eliminate stress factors.

In addition, many initiatives do not achieve their objectives because they are universal in nature and therefore do not resonate with many employees. People feel happy in different ways. For some it is a state of peace; for others it is a feeling of joyful excitement. Some people need inspiration or understanding that you are valued to achieve happiness; and some will feel happy knowing that they have a reliable job. That is, we are different in how we want to experience happiness; and that is the basis of what we have defined as “emotional diversity”.

Happiness is achieved through personalization

Talking to HR managers about how they plan to use this intelligence, you see that it is mainly a question of individualization of working experience. This technology should be applied not only in the context of the employee’s competence set, but also to create a certain emotional environment in which an individual can feel what he or she wants to feel.

Ask the managers you work with, “What makes you happy at work?” and then, “What happens when you are feeling happiness?”. They usually answer that this is due to high productivity. Then ask, “Write down the names of the three most important subordinates, and what makes them happy. At the end of the day – what makes each of these individuals happy is different. Acknowledging these differences is the first step towards personalizing the emotional experience, which means: in your attitude towards the employees you consider what they would like to feel when they are in the work environment.

Although most managers focus on what makes them happy and then project it on others. If people do not fit in with their vision, they start complaining that their subordinates’ attitude to work is not what it should be.

Realizing that sources of satisfaction are different for different employees, managers will receive a very effective tool. After all, emotions largely determine behavior and if we can individualize the emotional experience of employees, then we will move forward significantly, creating favorable conditions for the generation of innovations and productivity, as well as help to form emotional ties between people and the organization.

What prevents companies from effectively implementing their programs to make staff happier?

The organizational structure of most companies is almost the same as we had in the industrial era. It’s a multi-layered bureaucracy. The purpose of such system is to eliminate the emotional factor because it has always been considered that human feelings have a negative impact on efficiency. But if the bureaucracy was created in order to neutralize emotions, now, a hundred years later, we see that it does not work. The suppression of emotions generates negative feelings – the team is dominated by disappointment, psychological exhaustion, and stress.

For 25 years now, it has been discussed how important emotional abilities are for leaders. But there is need for emotional intelligence at the system level – at the organizational structure level.

How can organizations develop their emotional intelligence?

Study that examined 161 organizations and interviewed over 24,000 people, indicated that there are more happy, energetic employees in decentralized structures. Decentralization offers a great opportunity to generate experience tailored to individual characteristics. In turn, it can inspire people because they can make the decisions, they consider most appropriate.

The same research showed that in companies where employees consider themselves happy and energetic, HR systems are built around an emotional component (at least partially). For example, this means that not only professional characteristics, but also emotional abilities are evaluated in the recruitment process. Candidates are asked appropriate questions in order to determine how they deal with their own emotions and how their emotional characteristics are considered in their interactions with different people. Moreover, in addition to the results of an individual’s previous activities, their ability to inspire others is assessed.

An organization in which management positions are held by people with developed emotional abilities can make much more progress in their development, because such managers create processes, procedures and approaches that are different from the usual.

So, two aspects of building an emotionally developed organization: structural (less centralization is needed) and functional (HR plays a pivotal role in bringing emotion to the work environment). But this is just the beginning: the idea of creating such a company needs a lot of work.

Role of leaders in creating an emotional environment of a certain type

There are many factors that form the emotional space of the organization, but the key is the figure of the leader. The structures where were observed the manifestations of positive emotions and the state of ascent were mainly led by charismatic leaders.

Such leaders can find out which emotion dominates the group; for example, they can see that the entire organization is exhausted because it has undergone many transformations; or they can see that it is angry because people are dissatisfied with how they have been governed in the past. Then these leaders also show a dominant emotion and by doing so they become members of the group.

That is, by feeling what others feel, leaders legitimize their leadership; but at the same time, they question the correctness of the emotion presiding over the group. They say, “We are all furious about this and can’t go on like this; but do we have the right to be so furious? Then people ask themselves if this emotion is really the right one. The leader offers an alternative: if we do this, we will be able to feel something else.

Listening to the charismatic leader, people forget what they care about and follow him. Call it the “grace effect.” On the one hand, it’s good when you want to implement a major change; on the other hand, it can be dangerous, because the followers reject the justified concerns and start implementing with an excessive enthusiasm the wrong plan of action.

However, the “pleasure effect” can be balanced with another leadership style, which is defined as “individualized care”. In a way, the best leaders are those who can be charismatic “on stage” and show attention to individuals “behind the scenes”. In other words, these individuals can create an emotional miracle in front of the crowd and people see them as guides and inspirers; but in a more chamber environment they can understand the individual workers and treat them as individuals.

In this way, these leaders can both unite the group and create an emotional experience for individual employees that helps the latter feel happier in the work environment. All this has to do with the main thesis that goes through all my research: the correct tuning of emotions through various means – both formal (structural) and informal (cultural) – and, most importantly, through effective leadership is the key to survival and success in the 21st century.

Making the Most Out of Home Education

Daniela Meyer

April 25, 2020

home education — Source: vallartalifestyles

Homeschooling is one of the most popular and controversial educational methods. Even though the amount of home educated children is rising at around 8% each year, people still aren’t fully set on its effectiveness compared to the traditional style. Still, this modern approach has its own respective pros and cons, which are highly dependent on the way that it’s carried out.

Some of the most notable advantages are high flexibility, optimized pacing, and effective learning. Classes can be arranged at a time most suitable for the child – there are no limitations when it comes to the number of breaks, free time, or days off. Since there aren’t classrooms of 30 or more kids, the tutor is able to fully focus his/her efforts on the individual. This results in an optimized learning system as well as bigger educational freedom.

Unfortunately, home education is not cheap – the costs can go up to a couple of thousand dollars. Socialization can also present a problem since the child won’t have daily interaction with its peers through school. Fortunately, most of these problems can be counteracted with a few special tools. We presented you a couple of solutions in this article that we wrote in collaboration with Spokeo.

1. Remember the Milk/RescueTime

Time management can be the differentiating factor between a successful and botched home education. Remember the Milk is a free app that lets you neatly organize and plan the school day of your child. You’re able to create to-do lists along with their due dates, shareable across multiple devices.

For smaller children, complex tasks can be broken into bite-sized subproblems so that they can handle them easier. The app allows you to prioritize certain tasks over the others, which is viewable across all synced devices.

On the other hand, RescueTime helps you monitor your child’s daily habits. It runs in the background completely unobtrusively, and it can even block especially distracting websites or apps. You’re able to see real-time feedback at the end of the day so you can keep track of your child’s progress.

2. Duolingo/Busuu

It’s never too early to start learning a new language. In fact, the younger your child is, the easier it will grasp new concepts since the language center of the brain is still developing. Duolingo and Busuu are Android/iOS apps that start from the very basics and use progressively harder lessons to help new learners improve quickly.

While Duolingo takes a more playful and beginner-friendly approach, Busuu implements some AI techniques to provide more robust and extensive lessons. The former app has 35 different courses, while the latter one has 12. Whichever one you choose, your child is surely going to learn something new and useful.

3. Zoom

Visual communication is vital in education, and Zoom is a video conferencing app that provides just that. Whether it’s with a one-on-one tutor or a group of classmates, Zoom supports unlimited meetings for up to 100 different participants.

The dedicated “Meeting” tab contains a list of all scheduled classes, as well as the recordings of prior ones. Each recording has a transcript so your child can easily analyze any existing learning materials.

4. Preply

Finding an appropriate tutor is no easy task, but Preply aims to make it as easy as possible. Professional teachers around the world use this platform to provide lessons in different languages, from English to Hebrew. However, these tutors can be anyone, so it’s in your best interest to do a little digging before you leave your child in their hands.

Regardless of their identity, all tutors have to leave some form of contact upon registration. You can use this to your advantage and inspect them through Spokeo – an email search, reverse phone lookup tool. Since it’s interconnected with thousands of different databases around the world, Spokeo is able to uncover even the tiniest details about the person whose number or email you ran a search on. This includes their full name, court records, addresses, and other specifics. By using this simple utility, you can ensure the full safety of your child.

5. OpenLibrary

Books are an oasis of knowledge, as well as a required addition to your child’s education. Instead of spending even more money on physical copies, Openlibrary has over 1.4 million digital copies of some of the most popular written works.

Registration is completely free, after which the available books can be “borrowed” in either PDF or EPUB formats for a specified amount of time. All of them can be read directly from the web browser.

6. Interpals

Interpals is a website containing a vast amount of people from all around the world with one single goal – to make new friends. If your child is someone who likes to socialize, this is the perfect platform for it. You can filter by language in order to find people from specific countries if you wish to do so. Of course, it’s always better to first speak with the person yourself to confirm that they have no malicious intentions.

Still, it’s one of the best ways for your child to make friends, even if they’re miles away from each other.

CCTV Cameras – the Hot Trend Everyone is Speaking About

Gordan Himerdooff

April 24, 2020

Two-CCTV-caqmeras — Source: mymemory.com

Both individuals and organizations use video surveillance as a primary tool to monitor operations and prevent crime. Even law enforcement and public sectors rely on this technology to counter terrorism because, as research shows, it’s one of the most effective ways to discourage criminals and their actions. Since the first CCTV camera was launched, the video surveillance systems have transformed, and now they are playing a crucial role in the drive of smart cities and the burgeoning industrial internet of things.

During the pandemic, countries like Russia are using CCTV cameras to identify new cases and stop the spread of the virus. Moscow relies on the facial recognition feature paired with AI technology to identify possible patients.

Cameras also help at the improvement of deep learning and AI because they gather data and make predictions based on an integrated system. In 2019, the UK was the recognized leading user of CCTV, so English citizens are used to seeing cameras everywhere on the streets. But these systems support the public and private sectors in countries worldwide. At present, manufacturers target the USA market because more and more individuals and companies show interest in network-based video surveillance solutions. Future Market Insights reports that by 2029 the CCTV camera market in the USA will reach $5 billion.

The future efforts will target the Latin American region, which considers using the technology.

Even if some people think the use of cameras as public harassment, they are essential in deterring crimes, and most find reassuring to walk on the streets knowing that a surveillance system supports public safety. Very few criminals try to harm people when a camera records their actions. They keep both private and public spaces safe because it allows the police to identify criminals and solve cases.

Individuals use CCTV cameras to protect their houses from vandalism and theft because it’s challenging to break or steal something when they film. They oftenly catch criminals during the process of committing a crime. Unscrupulous activities don’t seem to worth it when there is a possibility of going to jail.

If you want to install a CCTV camera system, there are some things you may want to know.

Can you use them outside?

Installing a CCTV system is an excellent investment because it ensures the safety of the property. But the market offers countless options, so it’s challenging to pick the right one. If you plan to install the cameras outdoors, consider the environmental factors that may impact its performance. If the weather is rainy in your area, it’s wise to invest in a waterproof system. On the other hand, if you live in a sunny place, you may want to get one with a UV filter. Other elements like dust can also interact with the quality of the image, so purchase one that comes with a dust-proof housing. If you are interested in getting your own survivance system, click here.

What are its coverage capabilities?

Before scrolling websites for CCTV cameras, determine what area you must cover. Do you need it for commercial or private purposes? Do you need it to cover only the perimeter around the building, or do you want it to provide footage from the yard also? Sometimes the budget is the one that decides the areas where you can install cameras because some systems are expensive, and if you need to cover a large surface, you may not afford to install one in every key spot. The latest technology comes with 360-degree dome and pan-tilt-zoom features, so if the area is flat and without obstacles, you can use a single camera to cover the entire ground.

For small properties, the ideal solution is to install a 360-degree camera.

Check the resolution quality

To identify a criminal, you need a clear recording to provide the police with clear images that allow them to identify the perpetrators. So a great camera would have a minimum of 5.0 megapixels or 1080P. One with a lower resolution would work only in a small area. Most of the providers check your requirements and specific needs and tailor the products to your needs.

Make sure your budget allows you to use one with a good resolution quality because these systems tend to be more expensive than the ones that record on shorter distances.

Does the provider offer a reliable recording management system?

Nowadays, the latest models of cameras come with high-resolution quality, but not all companies have a reliable recording management system. To make use of the data the camera records, you need a trustworthy video management system. CCTV cameras record to memory cards, network video recorders or dedicated digital recorders. If you need more storage, it’s advisable to get one of the two last options.

When you choose the camera provider, you need to decide how you want to access the recordings because different companies offer various solutions. Do you want the system to notify you when it detects unusual motion? Do you want to access the cameras remotely from your mobile devices? Do you want to connect it to your Wi-Fi network? If so, you also have to invest in an encryption system to prevent cyber-crimes.

Extra features

Most of the cameras come with the same general functions, but they differ in the performance and quality of the recordings. So besides the above aspects, you should also check for some specific ones.

Battery backup – burglars are smarter and smarter, so if the thief visiting your house is clever, they cut the electricity before they enter the property. And with the power off, you have no evidence. But you can identify the perpetrators if your camera can run on battery power.

Facial identification – the latest CCTV systems come with this feature. Some of the cameras are so smart they allow identification even when the individual wears a medical mask, like the ones people are using to prevent the virus from spreading. This feature is useful in identifying criminals because it increases the exposure to that part of the body.

Night vision – only a suicidal criminal would break your property during the daytime. This being said, you should purchase one that has a high-quality night vision.

As you can see, CCTV cameras are the next big thing, and it’s no reason to neglect to install one if you want to protect your property.

Modern or Old-School Floral Wallpapers Patterns?

Billy Voss

April 24, 2020

Wallpapers are becoming one of the most important details when it comes to interior design. Many people choose them because they can transform any room and make it look unique and modern. These elements can change the whole energy of your living space and they can make your room look like it came out of the cover of a magazine. As you probably already know, there are so many different patterns you can choose from when you are styling your home and one of the most popular ones is the old-school floral wallpaper.

The floral wallpapers are always on the bestselling list for many different reasons. The first one is that they make us feel like we are outside and in touch with nature. People nowadays spend too many hours indoors and when they finish work it can be too late and the only time they have to go out, is on the weekends.

These interesting patterns allow us to feel like we are surrounded by shapes and forms that come directly from nature and it is said that they can relieve stress and anxiety. Another reason is that they give depth in the space, plus they are really easy to install and replace when needed.

Different public places, like restaurants and even hotels incorporate designs like these in their décor. The reason behind it is that customers feel better when they are surrounded by colors instead of white walls.

Are wallpapers just a thing of the past?

The flower patterns became a part of almost every household back in the 60s and you may not remember them, but you’ve most likely seen them in many movies from that period. The designers nowadays are trying to combine that vintage style with modern shapes and colors to create a perfect blend between the old school style and today’s society.

If you want to do something new to your house and if you are looking at interior design, you may feel reserved when it comes to wallpapers. We have a feeling that these patterns are something that reminds us of our grandparents’ house, and not in a good way. However, before you say no to wallpapers, you should check out some of the new pieces that combine not only colors and shapes, but texture as well.

They are becoming so modern lately and they are replacing the murals that were the thing of the last decade. You cannot know if you like something or not unless you give it a chance. To help you explore your options, we are going to talk about the most interesting designs on the market nowadays.

Instant Transformation

For people that love the summer months and enjoy the sun and the warm weather, the flower décor can help you feel like you have the spring in your home all year round.

The most popular designs come in black and white, as well as some soft colors. However, if you want your wall to just pop and be the focal point of the room, you can opt for dramatic and vibrant colors.

The black and white floral patterns let you instantly transform your space, they look modern and they are not as “loud” as other styles. The resemblance between these forms and the vintage ones is minimal, so if you want to choose something modern, this is the right way to go.

The Power of Darkness

If you are looking for something that will make a statement, then dark floral wallpapers are the right way to go. These designs will change the way the whole room feels. However, you should be really careful when you put them.

Choose only one wall that will have this décor. Since they are usually with a black background, they may make the room look smaller. To make the room look bigger and more spacious, choose one wall, and combine vibrant colors with the dark background. You should use the same colors throughout the whole room to create a nice flow and a balancing feeling. You can click here to see how the dark floral wallpapers look when they are combined in the living space.

Art with flowers

We want our homes to represent our style, so if you are the type of person who loves art and who wants to be able to turn their place into a gallery, we have great news! There are many different designs that can change your place and give you the eye-catching effect you want your place to have.

Choose your favorite patterns and combine them in a way that you can let the walls tell the story about the things you love. Even though you can never have too many flowers in your home, if you see that you want to change things around, it is easier to remove the wallpaper than to have to repaint every wall all over again.

Modern Designs

The modern floral wallpapers make the interior look powerful. These designs are changing every day, so you can easily find anything you are looking for. They add a unique effect to every room and make the space brighter.

If you want to achieve an elegant effect and stir away from the vintage looks, then you should look into the modern patterns.

Vintage touches

People who want to keep their options open should look into the vintage designs. They vary when it comes to style, shapes, and colors. You can find pretty dark patterns on the market, but you can also find bubbly colors that will make any wall pop.

It is said that you should choose brown or orange shades if you want to achieve the vintage effect, however, that does not mean that you cannot play around with colors and see what matches your style.

Pink Décor

Another favorite are the pink wallpapers. People are going crazy for these designs because they make the home look warmer without being too loud. Experts recommend that you should try combining shades of pink in your bedroom or the kitchen, as they will transform the room, but also make you feel secure and relaxed.

Use green to relax

Green tones are used to rest your eyes and to help you relax after a long day. Just imagine coming home after a long day and looking at the green shades that make the room feel welcoming and fresh.

The great thing about green shades is that they can be incorporated into both modern and old-school designs. Choose white or yellow colors to complement the green notes and create a perfect space for you and your family.

Do you have any wallpapers in your home? What do you think the best design is? There are so many choices available nowadays, so you may need help when it comes to choosing the best one for your home. If you cannot choose between modern and old-school, you should know that you can also combine the two styles and create the perfect look for your house.

Use Chordify to Become a Great Ukulele Player

Дмитра Врачарић

April 23, 2020

If you have an interest in playing popular songs on the ukulele, you have to use Chordify to help you find the song chords you need. This small guitar-like instrument has four strings rather than six, and Its smaller shape allows those with little hands to play the frets more efficiently, and it can be learned more quickly than the guitar. Chordify helps to provide ukulele players with chords to the top pop songs, R&B, and rock songs.

Chordify is an online music education service – made for and by music enthusiasts – that transforms music from YouTube, Deezer, SoundCloud, or your private collection into chords.

The service is accessible using a mobile phone or tablet. It will automatically recognize chords from an audio signal and aligns them to the music in a simple and intuitive player that you can use to follow along with. Chordify uses cutting-edge technology to help both novice and trained musicians play the music they want to play quickly and easily. With Chordify, you can easily learn ukulele chords online on chordify.net.

The History of the Ukulele and How it Became Popular

The history of the ukulele is quite impressive. It originates from the 19th century as a Hawaiian adaptation of the Portuguese machete. This small guitar-like instrument was introduced to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants, mainly from Madeira and the Azores. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.

The ukulele has come a long way as a popular and folk music instrument over its more than 200-year existence. If you go back to the early 1900s, it was a popular instrument on stage and in live shows. It disappeared in the 1950s and came back again as a primary instrument. It was at the beginning of the creation of Rock and Roll.

So, its popularity receded in the 70s, and during that time, many thought this instrument was a toy. Today, because of its long tradition of inspiring some of the greatest guitar players, and its place as a unique sounding instrument evoking simple, yet rich tones, it has become very popular with budding musicians. Nowadays, you can find all sorts of ukuleles from traditional to electrified and can see the instrument used in live concerts by top music artists.

Using Chordify for the Ukulele

You might hear a song and wish that you had the exact chords to play it, but without access to them, it can be complicated. Additionally, most music does not offer a sheet of music notes anymore. Only by putting the song into the Chorify interface, the chords will be transcribed for you to be played on the ukulele. That is a great way to learn new music and to get yourself better playing songs you love on the ukulele because you have their exact chords.

Best Ukuleles: Buying Guide for Beginners and Advanced

Buying a ukulele is a fantastic feeling, although it is only the beginning of a long and entertaining journey to become a great ukulele player.

When buying a ukulele in any price range that the budget allows, be sure to take time on the decision. Compile a shortlist of your favorite models, read the reviews, watch the videos, and try them if possible.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned guitarist or ukulele player, we hope you find your ideal ukulele with our comprehensive guide to the best ukuleles you can buy right now. Good luck!

Keys to recognize a good ukulele

A good ukulele is one that can be made by almost any established brand, can be of any size, and can come from a wide range of price categories, as long as it shows some important features.

One of the most important of these characteristics is the tone of this instrument. While the tone is very subjective, a good ukulele will be bright and crisp – it’s what a ukulele should sound like.

Of course, a baritone ukulele will sound much more in-depth and mellower than a soprano, but you can tell the quality of a ukulele pretty quickly by listening to yours.

The playability of a ukulele will also be a significant factor in determining whether it is good or not. You want something that feels solid to hold, smooth to play, that doesn’t show rough spots, and has well-dressed frets (i.e., no sharp edges).

Ultimately, as long as the ukulele is made of wood (not plastic) and comes from a reputable brand, you can be sure it’s pretty good, regardless of how little it costs.

Take things easy, one by one!

As mentioned earlier, trying to sing and play at the same time may seem challenging for beginners, as your brain may not be able to internalize performing two separate acts simultaneously. In such a case, it is useful to approach each task separately, one by one, and then when you have mastered one, you can start the other simultaneously.

For example, you can start by making sure you can play all the strings and move between all the chords smoothly before I can go on to memorize the melody and rhythm of the songs. If you handle each task separately, this will allow your brain to master the individual parts well, so when it comes to doing both at the same time, different elements will come to you more naturally. You will be able to master it more easily.

Dedication is secret

The ukulele can be an easy instrument to learn as long as you put in the hard work and dedication it takes to succeed that we all want to achieve. Best of all, it’s quickly rewarding, which means you’ll be able to play plenty of tunes as soon as you’ve mastered the basics.

At first, everything may seem too exhausting and discouraging, but the most important thing to keep in mind is to have fun with it, since otherwise you may get stuck by everything. When you are finally able to act in front of everyone for the first time, you will realize it was worth it. So why not sign up for ukulele classes today?

Conclusion

The ukulele is one of the most demanded instruments today, especially by young musicians. It gives them a level of expression and spontaneity that cannot be achieved with other instruments. As we have already mentioned, the ukulele is a somewhat tricky instrument to perform, since most players have the difficult task of playing and singing at the same time, which is not so easy to achieve without continuous practice. By clarifying all your doubts regarding this subject, we have offered you the best advice to be able to achieve your goals!

What Games Females Play During the Coronavirus Quarantine

Дмитра Врачарић

April 23, 2020

Coronavirus has altered the way we live our lives and the way we spend our time. It has turned our world upside down and the fact that we don’t actually know when it will end can significantly impact our mood. However, find a way to fill out all the free time you have on your hands. One of the ways to relax and relieve some stress is by playing games. It is a known fact that playing games are very beneficial for the psyche. Sometimes the escape to the virtual world is all we need. Here is the selection of the best games available at the moment that are the choice of women around the world. Take a look and choose the one that you like most.

1. Sims 4

If you haven’t already played, Sims 4 may be one of the best games you can play during the quarantine. It is a game where you can control a neighborhood. It was released 6 years ago and its number of the player just continues to grow. With more than 170 million copies sold around the world, you can get a better idea about its popularity. Each version of the game was better than the previous and Sims 4 is the most superior version of them all.

This simulation game enables the player to control the emotions, behaviors, personalities, and appearances of the people in the game. This is really fun because you can choose every single detail and see how it looks on your characters. This is where your creativity will come to play. It is a truly relaxing activity. The player gets to choose the mood, interests, style, and everything else related to characters, even hobbies, and lifestyle. It is truly detailed and everything is well developed giving the player endless possibilities to work on this virtual world. You can even visit the gallery and download, share, and browse the content while the game is still running. The player has the power to control everything in the game and completely forget about everything else.

The way Sims walk, talk, behave and dress can be completely controlled by the player and now the characters can show emotions, so it will feel like you entered the game and are enjoying some new virtual world together with other characters. The best part is that the players don’t need an internet connection all the time to be able to play it. However, it is necessary during the initial installation. The tools for playing are creative and powerful. The precision of building neighborhoods is incredible. The rewards are rich, so there the possibility to discover collectibles and to unlock achievements, but also to complete events and earn new traits, outfits, and objects. The game is truly magnificently made and it will help you spend your time creatively.

2. Katamari

This is a very unusual and interesting game where you need to roll up objects to make one giant ball. The player gets to control the lead character. Usually, the Prince gets to fulfill the tasks given by his father. Katamari is an object used for rolling up subjects. The goal is to learn how to use 2 sticks to go forwards, backward, or to go faster. The player can also turn and jump to the other side when necessary. There is a time given for fulfilling each task. As the players make progress and reach new levels, the Prince can roll bigger and bigger objects. Ultimately, he can roll up clouds and buildings.

There are a few available games: The King of All Cosmos, Katamari Damacy, We ♥ Katamari, Me & My Katamari, Beautiful Katamari, and Katamari Forever, but there are also a few spin-offs. It is a relaxing game with lots of beautiful details that will help you to release all the stress and dive into the world of Katamari.

3. Tomb Raider Definitive Edition

There is probably no person in the world who hasn’t heard about Lara Croft, the stunning heroin who successfully glides through all the challenges. The graphics in this game are breathtaking and the storyline is brilliantly written. Lara Croft’s character is very realistically made with good dialogs and the emotions that you can easily relate to. Lara is a strong woman that all girls love. She gets to solve the mystery and try to stay alive until she does. Playing this game means that you will get a chance to see her passion for ancient structures, artifacts, and archaeology.

All the areas on the island are worth exploring and it will definitely attract your attention how well everything is made. You may not notice it the first time you start playing because you will be interested to hear the story and to get to the next place. However, enjoy every step of the way, because the game is truly well made. Make sure you enjoy all the opportunities to admire the mountain outlooks and cliff sides, but also the forest paths and the ancient buildings.

What is great about this game is that no matter how many times you play, you will find something new that you didn’t notice the first time around. The storyline of the game will lead you further and further until you realize that Lara is using guns after hours of exploration and peaceful behavior. This switch may be so mesmerizing about Lara Croft. There is always something new to look forward to.

These were the most relaxing games that we can recommend. It is truly important to keep ourselves grounded during this challenging period and understand that our world has gone through many difficult times and this is no different. The human race has faced challenges for centuries and the world keeps evolving and going forward. So, until the world embraces us again and lets us enjoy its beauties, explore the virtual one, and play your favorite games. Playing will help you overcome the difficulties you face every day. Click here robomodo.com/sims-4-challenges/ and chase away boredom!

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