Free software for editing PDFs is hard to come by, but there are some excellent tools around if you know where to look. PDF documents are designed to look and behave exactly the same way on any device. That makes it a brilliant format for sharing, but editing them is another matter.

SOAR methodology can build on an organization’s vision and mission statement or, if these have not yet been formulated, can help to create them. Stakeholders participate in a workshop experience in which they answer a series of well-formulated questions that align with each category of the SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results).

Most office software and photo editors let you export documents in PDF format, but editing requires a dedicated tool. That's because PDF was initially a proprietary format owned by Adobe, and it still owns some of the technologies associated with it. Other companies can license those technologies, but only for a fee that's usually passed on to you – the user. There aren’t many free PDF editors, and even fewer that won’t leave your documents with unsightly watermarks. That's why we've rounded up the very best free PDF editing software that's free to use and won't add any unwanted extras to your work. Splits and extracts pages If you need to edit the text in a PDF, is ideal. It lets you retype, delete, and reformat text, and adapts well if the document uses a font that isn’t installed on your PC.

You can also attach comments, split PDFs, and extract pages. One of PDF-Xchange Editor’s best features is the ability to use OCR to recognize text in scanned documents – ideal if you only have a printout rather than the original file (a handout from a lecture, for example). Some of the features visible in the menus and toolbars are only available in the premium version of the software – hover your mouse pointer over an icon to find out if it’s included. If you go ahead and use a premium tool anyway (adding polygonal shapes or new text boxes, for example), your document will be watermarked. Look out for a warning message underneath the main toolbar before saving your work, just in case. Free element is online-only There are two versions of: a free web app, and a premium desktop program. The web app lets you create new text boxes on the page, but not edit existing text – the opposite of PDF-XChange Editor.

You can create simple geometric shapes and, interestingly, add white rectangles to obscure parts of the document – handy if you’re working on a scanned form and need to hide personal information, for example. The ability to add images is rare among free PDF editors, but PDFescape lets you select a picture from your PC, then drag a rectangle to insert it.

You can insert text fields too, enabling you to create simple forms. Some features are time-limited The latter half of ’s name is short for ‘split and merge’, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the Basic edition. You’ll be offered a free trial of the premium version (including full editing, object insertion, secure signing, and OCR), but once that expires you’ll be left with a simple but well designed tool for chopping large documents into manageable chunks, performing a PDF cut-and-shut, or extracting selected pages.

You can also use PDFsam Basic to rotate pages, which is very handy if you’ve accidentally scanned a document upside down. There are no tools for tweaking the actual content of the document, but all of PDFsam Basic’s page-management options are very clearly laid out, and it’s very clear which of the options shown in the main menu are only available in the premium edition.

Biography Jacqueline M. Stavros (Jackie) has over 25 years of leadership, strategy, strategic planning, organization development and change, marketing, and international experience. Jackie started teaching at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) as an Adjunct Professor in 1997 and joined the faculty full-time in April 2000. Today, she is Professor for the College of Management, Lawrence Technological University.

She teaches the following topics in the Undergraduate and Master programs: Leading Change, Principles of Management, Strategic Management, Organization Development, Qualitative Research Design, Creating Sustainable Business Value, and Leadership. Jackie is also finishing her role as the Director of the College of Management Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program which closed in 2015.

In this role she is supervising the final cohort of DBA students and serving as dissertation chair and and committee member. Jackie integrates strengths-based, whole system, and sustainability concepts and practices such as Appreciative Inquiry (AI), SOAR, and Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) into her research, teaching, training, and consulting work. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a person’s or system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. SOAR is a strengths-based strategic thinking, strategy formulation, and planning framework that allows an organization to construct its future through collaboration and a whole system approach. SOAR stands for: Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results (www.soar-strategy.com).

She uses these approaches to work with individuals, teams, divisions, and organizations to build dynamic relationships and co-create and facilitate strategic change initiatives. Her research interests are focused in the positive theories and practices of organization development and change, strategy, effective leadership, sustainable development/sustainability, and appreciative approaches to inquiry, relationship building, and social construction. She is also involved in Business as an Agent of World Benefit to bring business and society together to create agendas that focus on the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profits). An article from her dissertation, “Capacity Building: Using an Appreciative Approach to Enhance Organizational Performance” won the North American Management Society best Nonprofit Paper Award for 2008 (co-authored with Patty Castelli and Jane Seiling). She has 15 years experience in e-learning from course and curriculum design and development to teaching online. She has taught and guest lectured at Benedictine University, Davenport University, Illinois State University, Lansing Community College, Madonna University, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Schoolcraft College, University of Detroit – Mercy, University of Michigan, and Walsh College, William Davidson Institute – University of Michigan (faculty affiliate).

Jackie truly enjoys working with students on their research agendas and career plans. She has served on over 45 dissertation committees. She has co-authored six books, 20 book chapters, and 29 articles. Books include: Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Transformation and Change, Fourth Edition (with William J.

Rothwell and Roland Sullivan), Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Change, Third Edition (with William J. Rothwell and Roland Sullivan), Thin Book of SOAR: Building Strengths-Based Strategy (with Gina Hinrichs), The First Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: for Leaders of Change (with David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney), and Dynamic Relationships: Unleashing the Power of Appreciative Inquiry in Daily Living (with Cheri Torres). Dynamic Relationships has been translated and published in French and Dutch. Education D.M., 1998, Case Western Reserve University, The Weatherhead School of Management, Doctorate in Management, Dissertation: Capacity Building Using Appreciative Inquiry: A Relational Process of Building Your Organization’s Future MBA, 1991, Michigan State University, Eli Broad School of Management, Master of Business Administration, Major: International Business. B.A., 1988, Wayne State University, Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Major: Marketing.

Associate Professor – MBA, CI-MBA, DBA, SSCF and International Programs Teach graduate and doctoral level courses in strategy, organization development and change, Appreciative Inquiry, globalization/international business, sustainability, qualitative research methods, applied research design and techniques, marketing management, strategic management, and leading organizational change (formats: traditional and compressed courses, weekend, hybrid/blended, and on-line courses). Teach in Specialty (SSCF) and International Programs (Toronto and Vancouver). Chair dissertation work in organization development, change, strategy, sustainability, and leadership.

Advise students in DBA, MBA, and GLM-SSCF programs. Academic/Administrative Appointments Interim Associate Dean (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012) Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) Program Director (2009-Present) Adjunct Faculty/Faculty Development Coordinator (January 2009-May 2011) Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program Director (2007-2009) Director of Education Centers for Plymouth, TACOM, Macomb, and Northern Michigan (Fall 2001- Summer 2004) Interim Director of Information and Technology and Distance Learning Operations (Fall 2000-2001). Taught graduate (MBA and MSBA) and undergraduate courses and developed seminars in Appreciative Inquiry, strategic management, international business, marketing, leadership, quality and management, and organization development and change (both traditional, weekend and distance learning courses).

Taught in Taiwan, China, and Korea exchange programs. Developed internship programs and work with business community in student recruitment and placement. Recruited and advised both undergraduate and graduate students in business curriculum, cooperative education programs, independent students, global experiences, internships, and Master thesis projects. Established partnership with U.S.

Small Business Administration's Export Technical Assistance Partnership (E-TAP) Program. Created six new seminars: Quality Systems, QS 9000 and ISO 9000, International Business Perspectives, Brunch with the Experts: Great Exportations, Corporate Governance, Leadership and Future Planning, and Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Leading & Managing Organizations. Academic/Administrative Appointments Director of Association of Quality Participation (AQP) Program. Skype Free Download For Windows Xp 2007 there. Faculty Liaison of two on-line learning programs: OMNIBUS and Cohort On-line Program (COP). School of Business Committee Service Professional Development, Chairperson (1998 – 2000) Undergraduate Curriculum Team (1997-1998) Graduate Curriculum Team (1995-1997) Business Outreach (1995-1996) Malcolm Baldridge Committee (1995-1997) University Committee Service International Advisory Board (1999 – 2000) Professional Development (1996 – 2000) Participated in Annual Fall Fund-raiser Corporate Campaign for University (1995-1997) Department of Education Title 6A/6B (1995-1998) VISITING SCHOLAR/FACULTY AFFILIATE William Davidson Institute (WDI), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Fall 2013-Present “Leading Strategic Change”, Strategic Management Program – Executive MBA Program, Stockholm School of Economics, Riga, Latvia (May 26-28, 2014). “Positive Approaches to Leadership”, Executive Development Unit for Eczacibasi Group, Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey (March 7-8, 2014).

Benedictine University, School of Business, Lisle, IL. January 2010-Present “Group Dynamics Using Appreciative Inquiry and SOAR in a POS Lens”, PhD in Organization Development Program (December 8-9, 2012). “Qualitative Research Design and Techniques”, PhD in Organization Development Program (January 30-31, 2010).

University of Detroit – Mercy, Detroit, MI, “Mindful Leadership Development” (February 11, 2010). University of Illinois – Champaign, IL, “Advanced OD: Appreciative Inquiry and SOAR Framework” (October 2009). ADJUNCT TEACHING EXPERIENCE Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI. 1998 – 2000 International Business Perspectives (MGT 6053) Strategic Management & Leadership Module (MGT 6063/MGT 6013) Business Management Module – Marketing, and Globalization (MKT 6013/MGT6053) Walsh College, Troy, MI. 1993 - 1995 Advanced Marketing Strategy, International Business, and Global Case Strategy (U.S. District & Regional Small Business Institute Award for Best Case Study) Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

1991 - 1993 Special Issues in International Business Lansing Community Colleg e, Lansing, MI. 1989 - 1991 Public Relations, Small Business Mgt., U.S. & Japanese Mgt.