Gesell’s Concept of Maturation Essay

Abstract The concept of maturation presented by Arnold Gesell is central to developmental psychology. He said that childs growth or development is influenced by the environment and the action of the genes. He also indicated that the childs development occurred in a fixed order through a series of stages. He opposed any instructional efforts on placing a child ahead of schedule; when the time is right, the child will simply begin to master the task through his/her own inner urges. Two major criticisms to his concept are also presented in this paper. Gesells Concept of MaturationIntroduction Pioneered by the American psychologist Arnold Gesell (1880-1961), the concept of maturation, which is central to developmental psychology, stresses the role of nature in human development (Gale Group, 2001.)The purpose of this paper is to take a look at the major concepts of Gesells concept of maturation and to present and discuss two criticisms of his concepts. Gesells Concept of MaturationGesell said that the childs growth or development is influenced by two major forces: The environment and the action of the genes. Gesell called this process maturation (Crain, 2005). He observed that a childs development occurred in a fixed order through a series of stages. This is an outstanding feature in maturational development. (Gale Group, 2001). By observing how an embryo adhered to a specific order in its own development, Gesell proposed that a child post natal neuromotor development also followed a strict specific order (Crain, 2005). His concept of maturation allowed him to see that just like a baby learns to run by first sitting, then standing, then walking, the principles of maturation also have a rate of development that is controlled by internal genetic mechanisms (Crain, 2005). And the forces of socialization that are so important in the growing and developing of a child have a positive and direct effect only if they are in tune with the inner maturational principles. Therefore, he opposed any instructional efforts on placing a  child ahead of schedule; when the time is right, the child will simply begin to master the task through his/her own inner urges. Until then, teaching will be of little value and will only create tension between the child and the caregiver (Crain, 2005). As an evidence of his concept of maturation, Gesell and Thompson conducted a study with twins. One twin was trained on activities such as stair-climbing and the grasping and manipulation of cubes. The twin that was trained showed some superior skill when compared with the untrained twin. But the untrained twin soon caught up, with much less practice, and at the age that he was supposed to perform those activities. Then, there is a timetable that determines the childs readiness to do things and the benefits or early training and teaching are relatively temporary (Crain, 2005). Discussion of Criticisms on Gesells concept of maturationThe interplay of nature and nurtureThe interplay role of nature and nurture, rather than the importance of one over the other, has gained a greater emphasis in the work of more recent figures, such as psychologist Jean Piaget, whose theory of cognitive developmentin children has been a model for much subsequent work in the field. Going beyond simplistic dichotomies, scientists have been able to gather substantial amounts of specific data on the effects of heredity and environment through family, twin, and adoption studies. Current concepts of maturation focus on models in which each stage of a developmental process is defined not only by innate characteristics but also by increased receptivity (or â€Å"readiness†) toward certain environmental factors. (Gale Group, 2001.)Age normsOne of the most frequently cited criticisms of Gesells concept of maturation has to do with his manner of presenting age norms. He implies too much uniformity and gives no idea on how much variation can be expected at any given age. His norms were based on middle-class children in a university setting and may not apply perfectly in other cultural contexts (Crain, 2005). ConclusionGesells concept of maturation is fundamental for the study of human development, since it considers two significant factors: Genes and environment. The specific order in which things happens is essential to his  concept of maturation. But two major criticisms can be presented about Gesells concept of maturation: The role of nurture and nature, and the age norms he used for his studies and observations. References Crain, William (2005). Theories of Development, Concepts and Applications. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Gale Group, 2001.Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2nd ed.http://findarticles.com/

Regency Plaza Case Study †Risk Management Process, Review of the Options Essay

3. Risk Management Process of the Regency Plaza Project Regency Plaza is a mixed-use multi million US dollar project carrying quite high stakes. So the risks of it should be evaluated beforehand and managed well in order to make sure that the project wouldn’t over run budget or time and end with a successful result. Here we use the â€Å"Four Stage Risk Management Process† to evaluate the risk management happened in Regency Plaza project. 3.1 Risk Identification Evaluation: how well the project was analyzed and source of the risk identified. In the below table we will take a closer look at how well the risk was identified by Kris Hodgkins. Description| Identified/Not| Constraints and Remarks| Size the layout of the floor plate| Identified| Complicated due to condominiums lying over the hotel rooms over a parking garage, which resulted in fixed column spacing and elevator core locations. | Number, mix and size of the condominium units| Identified| BRA approved maximum number of units to be built was 96, which Hodgkins chose opposing Farley, the marketing consultant’s idea of building spacious 72 units because of Hodgkins’ expected performance targets of $134.4 million gross sales and $26 million net profit out of the project.| Time Constraints| Not identified| Project was on a tight schedule as Kelly Constructions was convinced to cut off 03 month from the estimated 32 months of the project duration, with a promise of minimal changes to the original design. Eventually with the allowance of individual customization in the units, customers (i.e Millers) required drastic changes.| Manpower deficiency| Not identified| Neither RHG nor Hodgkins expect customers to require big alterations. But customers did, causing constant changes in the project design decreasing manpower and efficiency of the construction.| Extra Costs and Delays| Not identified| RHG allowed customers to modify their  units as they please as long as they pay for additional cost but customers asked for big modifications, the cost for wasted materials and extra cost for demolition and delays in construction would go upon general contractor since they got the project on fixed sum contract.| External Factors| Not identified| It is mentioned that in later phase in the project, sales were low and the local economy was weakening.| Customer Dissatisfaction/Complaints| Not identified| With the deficit manpower and budget overrun, service became slow causing several buyer complaint s.| 3.2 Risk Assessment Below is a table for assessing the above-identified risks. Risk | Likelihood to occur| Impact| Effect on the project| 1. Issues regarding size of the layout and floor plate| Certain| High| Project design is affected because of the constraints.| 2. Decisions on number, mix and units of condo to be sold| Certain| High| If 96 units of condominiums to be sold, they would need better marketing and excellent finishing touches.If 72 units to be sold, condo sales might not hit targets Hodgkins was supposed to hit.| 3. Time constraints (Project falling behind schedule)| High| High| Delayed project meant extra cost, which can frustrate the General contractor and customers| 4. Manpower deficiency| Medium| High| Deficit manpower leads to slower work completion and project falling behind schedule| 5. Extra costs and delays| Medium| High for General contractor, Medium for RHG and High for the project| As the General contractor works for Fixed Sum Contract extra costs, which exceeds budget, would go from their profit. Delays would cause customer satisfacti on and loss of sales| 6. External factors| Low| Medium| As the target market is wealthy couples, factors like Economy wouldn’t matter much so would not affect sales in a drastic manner| 7. Customer Dissatisfaction| Medium| Medium| This might lead to loss of some sales/ potential customers because Hodgkins’ marketing strategy is word of mouth and dissatisfied customers wouldn’t recommend the condos to their friends/family| 3.4 Risk Response Development As mentioned above, many of the risks were highly likely to occur. Should any of those occur, it’s ultimately project manager’s task to have a contingency plan, which Hodgkins didn’t have. She also made wrong assumptions in the planning phase of the project thinking that customers would require only minimal changes that wouldn’t obstruct construction process. As mentioned above some risks posted threat to Hodgkins marketing strategy as well but she didn’t consider the risks and eventually failed in developing Risk Response program. 3.5 Risk Response Control As a result of not having a Risk Response plan, Hodgkins could not reduce the impact or the effect those events had on the project. It is true that, she had to manage a multi-faceted project but she wasn’t able to even reduce the additional cost, which was occurring due to her planning and marketing failures, and the deadline being overrun due to various delays. 4. Review of The Options Option| Advantages| Disadvantages| Inform the Millers that it’s too late to allow changes| * No extra costs for General contractor * No construction delays * Millers are able to make the changes themselves| * Millers would be dissatisfied * Careful coordination is required * Sprinkler changes could shut down the entire floor| Push through the changes| * Minimizes the work which have to be ripped out * If the cost is acceptable Millers will be satisfied| * It’s expensive to put a unit on hold * Can take several weeks * It could in return increase the cost to a point where Millers will not be happy with the cost| Hire a small general contractor to finish the unit| * Changes required can be done * No extra cost for the general contractor * Construction would not be delayed| * Managing two general contractors * Possibility of violence and vandalism * Could be expensive * Kelly Contractors would give a very small credit for the work done and materials purchased * Arguments over the responsibility of punch list  items| Stop the work on the unit and hand it over to Millers| * Millers are in control of the cost and the work to be done * No extra cost for the general contractor| * Most banks wouldn’t accommodate lending against the unit * Can shrink the target market * Reduces RGH’s control over the project * Impact on continuing construction operations on a building which also held a luxury hotel| Move Millers to a different unit on the higher floor| * Would buy more time * No need to restructure what’s already been applied * Construction of other floors are undisrupted| * There was no identical unit available on a higher floor * Interior designer’s work will go in vain and would have to redesign * Higher floor units are pricier| All options carry advantages as well as plenty of inconveniences but the best option as our point of view would be moving Millers to a different floor Moving the Millers to a higher floor would buy more time so the cost of the changes can be assessed and approved by the Millers. As there’s no interior work done on units on the higher floors there won’t be any requirements to demolish anything or to put construction of other units/floors on hold, which would content the general contractor and also Millers can achieve the changes they want after approving the cost. There will be no wasted materials also. This option is more advantages because it would keep the general contractor content with the project. On a disadvantageous note, there’s the possibility that Millers might refuse the option as units on the higher floors are expensive and not identical with the unit they chose and also if Millers chose the unit, their interior designer might have the rework her designs which would cost Millers more. But given the good points and bad points, this option remains as the most feasible one.

Critical thinking paper(All forms of government welfare should be Essay

Critical thinking paper(All forms of government welfare should be abolished.) - Essay Example It is a common phenomenon in America that any kind of government welfare is under abuse. Evidently, a report on the Washington post dated 26th may 2011 asserts that 67% of the people under a welfare program are not genuine. The current fortifications do not seem to curb this ill practice at all. It is a worry that women are proceeding to bear babies outside of wedlock so as to increase the quantity of revenue they obtain from the government checks. A total of $7000 annually is too much to part with especially if the income is not directed to the well-being of the baby. Furthermore, it is an avoidable situation since the likelihood of a woman having the baby clearly knowing that no welfare check will be given to her is very low. The effect of people receiving welfare checks further disorients them in searching a job. There is an internal persuasion not to do anything more provided one is able to acquire a steady income through manipulation of government welfare programs. While most of the welfare programs aim at helping for a short time especially during difficult times, they are increasingly becoming a shoulder to lean on for the many. It is clearly not helping at all in economic development since majority of the people; particularly those without a job are reluctant to find one. (Ginsberg, 1994) Out of forty people under a welfare program that provides benefits for the unemployed, 32 are unenthusiastic to find a job provided a steady flow of money continues to flow. Welfare programs for the unemployed majorly serve to reduce motivation to look for a job while also putting a burden to the people who toil hard. Tyler (1955) asserts that a program that fails to motivate people to look for alternatives such a s employment cannot stop people from relying on it. Any argument suggesting that neediness is the root cause of institution of some of this

Enhancing Employability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enhancing Employability - Essay Example For our study, we will look at how DELOITTE Company does perform its recruitment process. Deloitte Company is a headhunting firm. The recruitment and selection is a major function of the human resource department. The recruitment process is normally the first step towards creating the competitive advantage and strategic advantage. It involves a systematic procedure from sourcing the candidates to arranging and conducting the interview. This requires time and resources. In this process, Deloitte company deals with the targeted effort, performance level, and experience level, and also whether the individuals are seriously looking for a job. At this stage, firms prioritize their job so that they can focus on resources on jobs with the highest business impact. Understanding decision criteria of your target — the most important part of this process is attracting the best talent, this cannot be achieved without knowing your targets. In this step, we focus on key factors, known referred to as â€Å"job acceptance criteria,† that are important so that we can convince a qualified manpower to apply for and accept a job in your firm. Knowing where your target is, After defining your target and their decision criteria, this step aims at helping you to get to where you are most likely to find the targeted talent, including best communication channels for effective recruitment messages. If the company does not identify where these targets are, you will experience a low probability of placing compelling information about the company and vacancies in a wrong place.

Airport Security; Screening procedures and what can we do to protect Research Paper

Airport Security; Screening procedures and what can we do to protect ourselves against terrorism in the skies - Research Paper Example These attacks prompted the US government to act fast to create stringent security laws that would ensure that the people of America were well protected. In the month of November 2001, the United States Congress created the Transportation Security Administration, commonly referred to as the TSA, under the Aviation and Transportation Act. The TSA is under the Department of Homeland Security and it is the body that holds the responsibility of overseeing security in all modes of travel and transportation. Airport security and aircraft hijacking are some of the organization’s top objectives (Caldwell, 2008). Homeland Security is the body that is tasked with maintaining security in all of the United States. TSA as part of the Homeland Security department is responsible for maintaining security in all modes of transport, most importantly at the airports. Some of the duties of the TSA as an airport security body are explained below. Among its other duties, the TSA was expected to come up with policies that would ensure that there was complete security in the US air traffic. The organization is responsible for the screening processes carried out in various airports. Both the passengers and their baggage are screened under the authority of TSA. The organization has employed about 45,000 screeners or Transportation Security Officers to carry out the screening process (Wells, 2004). Luggage theft is common in many airports across the US. The work of the TSA, according to Wells, also includes ensuring that luggage in airports is as secure as possible. The organization collaborates with other private and federal security agencies to ensure that screening and luggage security guidelines are followed without a problem. According to Tabler (2010), the TSA should be privatized if it is to carry its duties to the satisfaction of Americans. He says that most people are wary of the security breaches that happen in the airports where TSA does the

The Value of Higher Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Value of Higher Education - Research Paper Example What is definitely agreed on is that higher education is very important in being able to get a job that pays a worker well enough to maintain a home, family and the necessities of living that go along with that. As we grow from childhood, our parents, or other authoritative adults, tell us that the way to succeed in life is go to school, go to college after high school, then get a good job after graduation. Attending college is commonly perceived as the only way to getting a good job that pays enough to have a nice home, car, and support a family. In 2000, 84 percent of American adults over 25 years of age had completed high school, and 26 percent had attained at least a bachelor’s degree. Those numbers were an all-time high score compared to 1975, where only 63 percent of adults had graduated high school, with only 14 percent graduating college (Day, 2002). Research showed that in the years between 1997 and 1999, a non-high school graduate could expect to make no more than $2 3, 400 in a full-time job per year, whereas a college graduate could make $52,200 and a doctoral degree could bring in $89,400 or more (Day, 2002). What was also interesting to note was the charting results of comparison salaries between men and women with bachelor degrees who basically start out at almost the same salary in similar jobs in the early 20-something age group. In the later ages, women tend to lag behind in salary increases, most likely due to having children and being off work, moving to accommodate a husband getting a better job elsewhere, or just having a degree that doesn’t address the current job market needs (CPS, 2002). Moving forward to the latest report, published in 2012, accommodating survey information from 1984 compared to 2009, the numbers show that almost twice as many sampling respondents have attained a vocational certification, associate’s degree and higher. What was most glaring however, was to see that the numbers had dropped from 60,00 0 high school graduates in 1984 to 57,8880 in 2009 (Ewert, 2012). With a larger population growth, this means that fewer teenagers are actually graduating from high school, leaving a larger labor force in the population that does not have a higher level of education. For those that went on to college, the greatest amount of bachelor degrees were awarded in the fields of business, with close runner up degrees in education, engineering, health care, liberal arts and humanities, and natural sciences. Advanced degrees attained were in education (as the highest rate), business, law, medicine, with nursing/public health and natural sciences running neck in neck in the fifth position. In vocational certificates, the highest is in health care, with business/office a close second. Auto mechanics came next, with cosmetology, computer trades and construction trades in the third, fourth and fifth ranking positions (Ewert, 2012). What must be taken into consideration is the change in population sampling from 1984 and an upgraded survey to a different sampling group in 2009. The labor market and its current needs are also reflective of what fields student get degrees in, fully expecting to get jobs in that field after graduation, get on-the-job experience and then go for an advanced degree in the same field. What is not calculated into this path of development is how the job market in, say, the

Business Ethics Case Study, Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Ethics Case Study, Accounting - Essay Example The general manager identified the current hazardous waste disposal produce as an area in which the company could save money. Mr. Hendricks identified equipment that would give the company the capacity to recycle the solvents. He consulted two industry experts to estimate the cost savings the company would obtain by acquiring the equipment. The experts disagreed on the amount of savings to the company. The lower estimate of cost savings would increase the net income of the company, but the decrease its return on investment due to the high acquisition cost. The greater cost saving estimate increased both the net income and return on investment of Tie Chemicals. Mr. Hendricks is responsible for presenting the proposal to the general manager for approval. He must follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) concerning this area of accounting. A key GAAP concerning estimates is the principle of conservatism. This principles states that accountants are required in their work to make estimates and evaluation, deliver opinions, and selecting appropriate procedures. When they are realizing this type of work they must do without neither overstating nor understating the affairs of the business or the results of operation. â€Å"If a situation arises in which there are two acceptable alternatives for reporting an item, conservatism directs an accountant to choose the alternative that will result in less net income or less asset amount† (AccountingCoach). The cost accountant is concerned with all the stakeholders involved. He wants to do what is right for the environment, thus approval of the project would help the environment. The stockholders and the board of directors want to receive the maximum profits and return on investment. There is a direct relationship between the manager’s year end bonuses and the net income of the company. There is decision to be made

Social science content standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social science content standards - Essay Example tandards presents many good points as to how students can use their knowledge of social studies in the future, whatever that future might mean for each individual student. Not only does our curriculum help enable students the knowledge of past historical events of importance, but we also present them with the tools to be able to look at the past and see how it impacts and changes the present. The age old quote is only to apt here, those who do no know the past are doomed to repeat it. We give students the tools they need to know the glories, triumphs, as well as the worldly knowledge that comes from the failures and defeats that the past teaches us as well. It is important for students to learn and apply these lessons to their own lives, and see the connections between how choices can affect their own future, and how better choices can and often do lead to a better future. This ability to think and comprehend the past and how it directly correlates to the present is all too apparent throughout our curriculum. We offer emphasis on the most important historical events, for nobody is expected to memorize and know everything that has happen, but this also helps students learn how to discern between important events and those of less importance, and see how these events directly led to the presents. It is also our hope that students will be able to see historical trends that have happened through modern history, and by recognizing these they can begin to see not only what happened, but why those things happened. We also teach students the ability to look at documents associated with an era, and learn and appreciate how these documents all go together with the events of a time period to form an overall history. This is a vital task that can be applied to any future career or job, as reading and understanding documents is a task that all students will need to be able to have if they hope to be competitive in the college level education field, or even in the work

Dry Docks Business Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dry Docks Business - Article Example Amazingly, manual labor was very much involved during that time where able-bodied men helped in bringing in the ship. An engine known as organois was used in draining the water, allowing the vessel to be supported by cross-beams.(cite) Because of this, dry docks are considered part of inventions belonging to the classical period. Nevertheless, dry docks also were used in China during the Song Dynasty. Obviously, dragon ships during that time which carried imperial couches were made of solid wood. Because of this material, there was a need to repair the wooden hulls since it decayed quickly. It was only in a later period that some wise official suggested the concept of a dry dock. In another part of the world, Henry VIII commissioned the first dry dock was built in Portsmouth in 1495. In modern times, the drydock at Belfast , Ireland was once the biggest drydock in the world. While in the United States, Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuildings Dry Dock 12 is considered the largest, situated closely to the slipway where the unlucky Titanic was constructed. Due to the competitive maritime industry, more dry docks have been constructed on many parts of the world. According to the April issue of Maritime, the largest dry dock in the world is now located at Ulsan, South Korea. It was described by the article as : â€Å"†¦.490 meters (1,600 feet) long, 115 meters across and 13.5 meters deep, Hyundai has announced that it now has the world’s largest drydock. Imagine an area roughly the size of 7 soccer fields and that is what you would see at the new H-Dock in Ulsan, South Korea.   The dock is custom designed to build floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels and includes two 1,600ton goliath cranes.   Traditionally FPSO’s hull sides and topside are built separately. The hull is built in a ship

Blue Ocean Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blue Ocean Strategy - Essay Example Unlike red oceans, blue oceans create demand from the red oceans by breaking the boundaries of competition (Kim and Maubourgne, 2005). For instance, companies like music recording multinationals, management consulting and pharmaceuticals were hardly heard of in the last 100 years. In this case, companies will have the opportunity to re-create others in order to reflect the emerging realities in economic growth and blue oceans. The authors assert that technological advancements, increased deregulation of markets and improved industrial productivity will enhance creation of blue oceans. Saturation of the developed markets has resulted in to price wars and shrunk profit margins thus the need of a blue ocean strategy (Niciejewska and Dimitrov, 2009). Surprisingly, the authors point out that 86 percent of the surveyed companies seem to be comfortable in red oceans since they have only line extensions while only 14 percent are committed at creating new markets. It is interesting that the s urvey found out that 14 percent of the firms that invested in new market development delivered 38 percent of the revenues and impressive 61 percent of total profits. On the contrary, the 86 percent of firms concentrated on line extensions thus delivering 62 percent of the total revenues and only 39 percent of the total profits (Kim and Mauborgene 4). ... The authors provide an example of Japanese companies of 1980s due to decline of Western companies in droves. The authors agree that competition is important, but companies must attain competitive-advantage and develop markets with minimal or no competition (Warren, 2008). The authors go ahead to provide the logic behind the creation of blue oceans. The article outlines that new technology and innovation will create blue oceans. Some of the blue oceans that have been created by new technology include Ford Model IT and Apple Personal computers. Incumbents also create blue oceans within the existing business like AMC multiplex of 1995 and Palace theaters of 1914. The authors assert that strategic moves define blue oceans and no the size of the industry or companies. Accordingly, blue oceans build existing brands through creating brand equity just like Ford’s Model T that still benefits the company today (Kourdi, 2009). The article differentiates the red oceans from blue oceans si nce Red Ocean strategies compete in the current market space while blue oceans create new uncontested markets. Red oceans aim at beating competition while blue oceans desire to make completion irrelevant. In addition, blue oceans break the value to cost trade off unlike red oceans that make the value to cost trade-off (Koontz and Weihrich, 1990). The authors offer a deep explanation of blue ocean strategy by asserting that such companies reject the fundamental strategies of competition that aim at creating more value for customers or lowering operating costs. The authors offer an example of Cirque du Soleil since at the time of market entry Circuses were benchmarking without raising market revenues. Cirque did not follow the

Collective Consensus Theory Essay Example for Free

Collective Consensus Theory Essay Social norms can be defined as The rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Failure to stick to the rules can result in severe punishments, the most feared of which is exclusion from the group. A common rule is that the some norms must frequently be displayed; neutrality is seldom an option. Here I include other norms, which are as follows: a. ) Injunctive Norms – These are behaviors, which are perceived as being approved of by other people. b. ) Descriptive Norms – The perceptions of how other people are actually behaving and whether their behavior is accepted or not. c. ) Explicit Norms written or spoken openly. d. ) Implicit Norms not openly stated (but you find out when you trespass them). e. ) Subjective Norms How we will behave with others who valued us. f. ) Personal Norms – Knowing our standards about our own actions. By exploring social norms and inequalities, let me be more specific, about the Americans Inequalities in American society have become so institutionalized that we rarely recognize most of them on a daily basis. Some are glaringly obvious: the privileges of the elite, the boss ability to come and go as he pleases- but these inequalities are sustaining, obvious, and dont hurt as much because we are conditioned to accept them Some inequalities change as certain circumstances change. The type of social stratification I wish to discuss is ever changing, weve all experienced it, but have we all noticed it? We like to think we live in a classless, multicultural society where everyone is treated equally. Frankly we are deluded. Of course there are classes, and not everyone is treated equally. The classes in our world are based on race, ethnicity, education and politics. Of the phenomenons of social stratification is social inequality, which is the distribution of resources dividing society into rank, grades, family, religion and education. These divisions should not occur in our society, but it is the sad truth that it does. Ethnicity is different to race as ethnicity is a distinct cultural definition which people identify with as customs, family patterns and religion. The sociologist, Max Weber, defines ethnic groups as human groups that entertain a subjective belief in their common descent because of physical type or of customs or of both or because of memories of colonialisation or migration. The biggest problem that arises in race and ethnic relations is prejudice, which is born out of pre-judgment and lack of knowledge. The Sociological causes of prejudice are: 1. It draws together people who share it; superiority is important. This is an element of Emile Durkheims Collective Consensus Theory. 2. Competing for resources. It is easier to get things if you can write others off as less deserving. 3. We can project onto others, who we think are lesser than us, those parts of ourselves that we dont like. The prejudices against those we think are different have negative consequences such as limiting our vision of the world. But far worse is its effect on society; it leads to discrimination and the consequence of discrimination is inequality. For Karl Marx, inequality was seen as a dichotomy based on the relations of production and the concept of class is the basic indicator of inequality. Weber saw inequality as three abstracted mechanisms of power; class (economic power), status (social prestige power) and party (political power). Whichever way it is described, inequality is found everywhere, between class, in education, health, occupations and power and within classes with sex, age, ethnicity and religion. However, there is hope in the end, for people can be socially mobile, which is the movement of people between social classes. Societys idea is that if you work hard enough you will move up in society, but this is not always true. People can move downwards in the social scale, or may start on the bottom and stay there because they do not have the same access to education as others may have. These people have less opportunities than others yet they are looked down upon because they are not upwardly mobile. How can people move up socially if they are not on an equal playing field to begin with? As long as people continue acting the way they do, inequality and racism will exist. Education is the key, and while older people may be set in their ways and may not be willing to change their views, we must educate the children, who are are future. Children must be taught that all people are equal and that thinking otherwise is wrong. For it is wrong. We were all created equal. Man made us not so. As per my view, when we live in a society were abiding by social, personal, or subjective norms, which are laid out for social and societal living is of utmost significance; I tend to stick to those norms and also inculcate the same things to people who are not aware of them. Man is a social animal, who needs to be trained to adapt different changes in societal environment. He has to abide by the norms laid out by the society to be accepted socially and morally, or else he/she is treated as a aborigine or uncivilized.

Curriculum Development Essay Example for Free

Curriculum Development Essay 1. What is K-12 curriculum? What is the rationale of K-12 curriculum? K- 12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Philippines and Australia. It means kindergarten and the twelve years of elementary and secondary education. The kindergarten refers to the 5-year old unit that takes a standardized kinder curriculum. The elementary education refers to primary schooling that involves six or seven years of education and the secondary education refers to high school. The main purpose of K-12 Program is to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. The outcome goals of the K-12 Basic Education Program is to make Philippine education standards to be at balance with international standards, to create more emotionally mature graduates equipped with technical and vocational skills who are better prepared for work, middle level skills development and higher education, to make the educational inputs significantly addressed shortages or gaps, to make the improvement of basic education outcomes broadened and strengthened the stakeholder support, to improve internal efficiency, system of governance in the department and quality of teachers. 2. Essentialists point of view of curriculum development? The curriculum is a crucial component of any educational process. It addresses questions such as what students should learn and be able to do, why, how, and how well. In the past, the curriculum was designed merely from the perspective of its cultural transmission functions with its structure consequently reflecting discrete areas of knowledge. According to Kern it is possible to use a six-step approach to curriculum development for Medical Education: 1. Problem identification and general needs assessment The most important step is the first one, the general needs assessment (GNA). The goal of step 1 is to focus the curriculum, by defining the deficits in knowledge, attitude, or skills that currently exist in practitioners and the ideal approach to teaching and learning these objectives. When completed, the GNA makes a strong argument for the need for the curriculum and identifies potential educational research questions. 2. Needs assessment of targeted learners The general needs assessment is applied to targeted learners. What kind of doctor do we want to educate it depends mostly on social needs but it can reflect job opportunities, financial rewards and attitudes acquired during process of studding. Sometimes it is very difficult to make balance between these several needs. Needs can be obtained on different ways. It can be done through study of errors in practice. It is very difficult to design curriculum which will fully meet the needs of society and students 3. Goals and objectives Institution should define overall goals and aims for the curriculum. Specific measurable knowledge, skill/ performance, attitude, and process objectives should be stated for the curriculum. 4. Educational strategies It is necessary to make a plan how to maximize the impact of the curriculum, which content should be included, how content should be organized and with which educational methods, how elements of curriculum should communicate, what kind of educational environment and climate should be developed. Content which is included must provide to student critical thinking. It must be selected and organized on the way to initiate critical approach to facts and development skill of information retrieval. 5. Implementation A plan for implementation, including timelines and resources required, should be created. A plan for faculty development is made to assure consistent implementation. 6. Evaluation and feedback Evaluation of curriculum presents the final stage inside cyclic process of improvement and development of curriculum. 3. Why develop a curriculum? Ever since the term curriculum was added to educators vocabularies, it has seemed to convey many things to many people. To some, curriculum has denoted a specific course, while to others it has meant the entire educational environment. Whereas perceptions of the term may vary, it must be recognized that curriculum encompasses more than a simple definition. Curriculum is a key element in the educational process; its scope is extremely broad, and it touches virtually everyone who is involved with teaching and learning. In no other area has greater emphasis been placed upon the development of curricula that are relevant in terms of student and community needs and substantive outcomes. The career and technical and technical curriculum focuses not only on the educational process but also on the tangible results of that process. This is only one of many reasons why the career and technical and technical curriculum is distinctive in relation to other curricular areas and why career and technical education curriculum planners must have a sound understanding of the curriculum development process. 4. What to consider in curriculum development? In planning and developing a curriculum, you should consider the following: 1. Convening a Curriculum Development Committee Such a committee, consisting primarily of teachers who represent the various schools and grade levels in a district, administrators, members of the public and perhaps students, becomes the driving force for curriculum change and the long-term process of implementing the curriculum. It is critical that an effective, knowledgeable and respected chairperson lead such a committee and it includes knowledgeable and committed members who gradually become the districts de facto experts during the development phases of the process as well as the implementation phases. 2. Identifying Key Issues and Trends in the Specific Content Area The first step in any curriculum development process involves research that reviews recent issues and trends of the discipline, both within the district and across the nation. This research allows a curriculum committee to identify key issues and trends that will support the needs assessment that should be conducted and the philosophy that should be developed. 3. Assessing Needs and Issues Curriculum development should be viewed as a process by which meeting student needs leads to improvement of student learning. Regardless of the theory or model followed, curriculum developers should gather as much information as possible. This information should include the desired outcomes or expectations of a high quality program, the role of assessment, the current status of student achievement and actual program content. The information should also consider the concerns and attitudes of teachers, administrators, parents and students. The data should include samples of assessments, lessons from teachers, assignments, scores on state standardized tests, textbooks currently used, student perception and feedback from parents.

Leadership And Communication: Law Enforcement Agencies

Leadership And Communication: Law Enforcement Agencies Beginning with the studies and writings of Aristotle and Plato, communication has been dated back to the receiving of different means (talk, signals, writing, gestures, etc.). This is when it was determined that communication can be verbal or non-verbal. When communication is broken down to its main components, it is comprised of the source, transmitter, channel, receiver, and destination with noise occurring in the transmitter and receiver points. Noise is the interference of accurately sending information through the communication flow chart. How often does someone think about these components of communication? Once these components are studied and understood, the sender and/or receiver can see where the problem is in the order and find a resolution. Communication is essential when it comes to large organizations when there are a large number of employees to be reached. Interpersonal communication skills are critical when it comes to training and teaching others new skills. Basic c ommunication can function as a method to influence the actions, behaviors, even beliefs of people. As noted before, communication can be non-verbal. Use of body gestures, posture, visual aids, and using someone elses personal space can also be used to communication the message effectively. In verbal and non-verbal communication, different messages with the same method of sending it can be misinterpreted (Interpersonal Communication, 2004). For example, a pat on the shoulder from a boss may mean that person is in trouble or they are doing a good job. The basics of communication are crucial to understand in order to effectively send messages and receive the correct message. Going further in depth on the concept of communication, the sender and receiver both have roles they need to fulfill in order to successfully relay the correct message. In this context, organizations have a role in compiling the correct message and choosing the appropriate channel through which to send it, and the employee has the responsibility of receiving and properly decoding that message. Each organization must explore their means of communication and see which ones are most effective. The occurring problem with this is what can be called the active sender and the passive receiver in the communication process. When the receiver is passive in their receiving the message, they either do not want to hear what is being communicated or just listening to the message, not decoding it. This is when it is critical that the organization find out what methods will be most effective in sending a message. Once the organization finds the right means of communication that works for them, then the employees will be able to receive and decode the message correctly-thus, producing the desired outcome of the employee and better service from their organization. Once the correct means of communication is established, negotiating is the next step in the communication process. Through a well-established communication system, the organization and its employees can resolve conflicts or problems more effectively. For law enforcement agencies that are looking to share information with the public, this method of communication can also be utilized. With technology becoming more advanced and prevalent, there are much more options to be used when communicating with the public. Law enforcement organizations can accomplish much through both of these types of communication (Woerkum Aarts, 2008). The previously mentioned types and methods of communication can apply not only to law enforcement agencies, but to daily communication between strangers. Even on a horizontal chain of communication, these communication techniques can be utilized to more effectively receive and send a message. Think about the last time someone gave the wrong change for a transaction at the store. Was the message communicated? If so, how was it communicated? How was it received? The situation can take many different, unnecessary, turns if right means of communication are not used. There are many aspects to taking into account when analyzing the communication process. Leadership Leadership relies on communication in order to be effective. There are many ways and methods communication can be integrated to become a better leader. It is essential to differentiate managers and leaders. Influence and power are important when assessing the characteristics of a manager versus a leader. While acknowledging power and authority have roles in leadership, it is also important to note that ethics and morals more strongly define a better leader (Walker, 2004). One of the most important roles of a leader is to teach. To begin with the basics of leadership, a leader must teach their learners how to test their mental reality and discover how to change it. Next, the most crucial part of leadership and learning is for the teacher (leader) to ask the learners questions that help them explore their thoughts and ideas. This will help the learners develop better reasoning skills and more accurately convey their thoughts. A successful method of developing deeper and more critical t hought is simply asking the question, Why? When why is asked to answer an open-ended answer, there is a deeper level of thinking and even cognitive dissonance that will cause the learner to better critique their thought process. Other methods such as telling stories help engage the learner, we well as engaging reciprocating dialogue. The more important of these two, engaging in dialogue, is given guidelines in order to keep the leader/learner relationship healthy: 1. Suspend assumptions and certainties, 2. Observe the listener, 3. Listen to your listening, 4. Be aware of thought, and 5. Befriend polarization (of opinions) (Karathanos, 1998). Observing the listener is critical for the leader in order for them to be sure that the learner is accurately receiving the correct message. This can be detected by body language, facial expressions, and any speech/thought given. Listen to your listening means paying attention to what you are hearing and processing it correctly. Some people mere ly listen to others. Leaders need to ensure they are listening, not just hearing. Being aware of the learners thought and feedback is the most crucial part of the leadership/learner process. When the learner expresses thought or any other communication, the leader needs to be very aware, listening, and ready to help expound on the learners thoughts. Lastly, everyone has opinions. It is important for the leader to embrace these opinions so further discussion can possibly bring about other thoughts. When the basics of communication in the leader/learner relationship regard are taken into account, it can be applied to many concepts, especially organizations and hierarchy. One of the aspects of the previous passage that strikes most interest is asking the question why? That simple word can bring about a huge discussion of many things. It also allows for more complex thought and further discussion and exploration of a certain topic. Listening versus hearing is also pertinent to leadership and communication. Children always hear their parents say that it is time for them to get up. How many of those children are really listening to their parents when they say it is time to get up? Not many because most children remain in the bed to squeeze out a few extra minutes of shut-eye. When it comes to a law enforcement agency, it is imperative for the higher levels on the hierarchy to listen to the lower hierarchy, not just hear them. In order for any organization to meet their goals and needs, everyone must work together. This means that goals, concerns, and ideas must be communicated effectively, and listened to attentively, rather than just heard in passing. Different Types of Leadership The organizational hierarchy of an organization is an essential part of the organizations successfulness. Every organization has some type of matrix organizational hierarchy-meaning that there is a type of chain of command. Within this structure, there are teams and groups that have leaders, whether appointed or naturally emerging. One of the most important aspects of a team is that each member feels needed, feels like they belong, and feels like they are contributing to the team. The three key points of an organizational team are accountability, authority, and responsibility. Authority is power over others to coerce them into doing certain tasks. Responsibility is the fact that one person knows they must answer to another regarding certain tasks. Accountability is taking on the responsibility of getting a task done due to the responsibility that person has. There are also different types of leaders: the explorer, the coordinator, the driver, and the administrator. The explorer is th e type in which the person is very confident and adventurous and tends to assign daily problems to others rather than taking them upon themselves. The coordinator tends to be very conscientious of team members thoughts and opinions and is good in resolving team discourse and developing compromise. The driver type of leader is realistic, good at doing what they can with what little they have, and are very resourceful. Lastly, the administrator is very organized and is meticulous in the way their work is done. Everything must be done methodically and in a reasonable fashion according to the administrator (Organizational Design, 2004). Communication and Leadership in Law Enforcement Law enforcement agencies include all types of individuals, including the ones listed in the previous paragraph. There are many various types of hierarchy, chains of command, and leadership in law enforcement agencies. Let us first discuss how communication has been improved in law enforcement agencies. When people are asked to think about communication, most think of just speech and their verbal actions. It goes much deeper than that. One law enforcement agency saw it as so important to bring in a 40-hour class for its employees. The class aim was to help police officers better understand and handle those with special needs. This training class educated the officers on how to be more aware of others behavior, actions, and especially what they are saying. This, in turn, would help the officer better pick up on the small things that would help the situation on a whole (detecting drunkenness, mental illness, miscommunications, etc.) (Shafa, 2009). Training law enforcement employees on the differences of people and their disabilities, cultures, mental state, etc. is extremely important. Police officers very often have to make a split-second decision on the scene as to who is the hostile one, who is the victim, who is a danger, who is in danger, etc. This type of training discussed in the previous paragraph can definitely help law enforcement become more aware of their surroundings. More specifically, it will help them learn how to become more understanding and patient when it comes to communicating with different types of people. There are many different traits that build a good leader. Argumentativeness versus argumentative behavior is found to be traits in leaders. Argumentativeness is harmful to a group when it comes to communication. An argumentative person is just that by nature. Rarely is a decision unanimously voted upon when presented by an argumentative person. When a person is argumentative, they are verbally aggressive and destructive to productivity and the group. Yet, this verbal aggressiveness can be changed into something else to be productive. When it comes to argumentative behavior, this has shown to be very productive in leaders. The argumentative behavior can help bring about certain points that would not be brought up normally by a non-aggressive, assertive, or argumentative person. Once that point is brought up, the group can discuss it. But it takes someone with a certain trait, such as argumentative behavior, to bring about these points (Limon France, 2005). Argumentativeness versus argumentative behavior is a fine line to discuss. Someone with argumentativeness is more likely to be verbally aggressive, overpowering, and very opinionated, not accepting of the views of others. A person with argumentative behavior can actually benefit a group. When the argumentative behavior occurs, certain points are brought up that normally would not have been brought up. Once this window is opened, the group can discuss the issue. But the argumentative behavior has to be present in order to bring about this point. Let us consider that there is no one in the group with argumentative behavior. How will issues arise in order to be discussed? There may be the possibility that one person may speak up. Everyone has different traits. There is likely to be at least one person in the group that will disagree with someone elses view point and voice that. Although they may try to be very nice about it, the conflicting view is still brought up. Some officers who are new to the force feel they have an image to fulfill. They will often abuse their authority and act differently than they normally would in a different role. Attitude is everything when it comes to communication. When trying to improve upon ones communication skills, individually or as a group, much offense can be taken. They may see that they are being attacked because they are not communication well enough or they are just doing something wrong. Law enforcement has been given a bad label when it comes to bad cops, even regular cops, due to their communication skills. Awareness and training classes have been implemented in order to help officers better communicate with the public. These classes focus on paralanguage, hearing versus listening, kinesics, proxemics, and cultural considerations. Paralanguage is basically all other voice characteristics that accompanies the spoken language. Tone, volume, rate, and pitch all can convey different messages. If someone i s speaking in a fast, high-pitched tone, very loudly and fast, it can be easily concluded that they are excited, upset, or anxious. If they are quiet, speaking slowly at a low volume, things such as sadness, depression, shock, and other emotions can be detected. As spoken of before, hearing versus listening is a key factor in communication. Listening is the art of decoding what a person is saying rather than just merely letting their words in one ear and out the other (hearing). Kinesics is any communication that is nonverbal. Communication can be completely nonverbal. Gestures, facial expressions, posture, etc. can give a better clue as to what the person is feeling or what they are trying to communicate. Proxemics is the defining area around a person that would be considered as their comfort zone. A person will become much more alert to the other party once their comfort zone is impeded upon and they are made uncomfortable. When taking into account cultural differences, the most i mportant thing that we can remember is physical touching. Some cultures do not allow it, other encourage it, and what one action means to us may not mean the same thing to a person in a different culture (Pritchett, 1993). These five aspects of communication are crucial when encountering others, especially in law enforcement. Paralanguage is very often used in law enforcement. When an officer asks if a person has anything on them that they should know about, when that person says no, there is a lot of paralanguage happening that clues the officer in that the person is really saying yes. In law enforcement, hearing versus listening is somewhat hit-and-miss. If a police officer is dealing with a drunk man that is about to be locked up for the night anyway, how much listening is the officer going to practice? On the other hand, if the officer pulls up to a murder scene, how much listening is the officer going to practice? He will definitely be practicing a lot in order to gather as much evidence as he can, as opposed to the drunken guy. Kinesics is also a good tool for police officers to use when trying to get down to the real story. Kinesics is basically body language accompanied by speech. One can easil y say that they do not have any marijuana on them, but while they are saying they do not, they are fidgeting, putting their hands in their pockets and walking around. Proxemics is a good tool to use to get someone to talk. Each person has their personal space (usually around one foot from their body). Once that personal space is invaded, their self-confidence and security decreases. When the person sees that the police officer has invaded their personal space, they know they are probably going to search them anyway. Cultural considerations are a difficult concept to keep up-to-date on. Law enforcement and police officers would have to do research if they find themselves encountering many different cultural positions. For example, in the American culture, waving hello or good-bye is a good thing. In other countries, waving is seen as a serious insult. The same goes for the things we say. Therefore, we must be careful in what we say, do, and the way we act around those of a different culture. Inter-Organizational Communication When it comes to inter-organizational communication, a study shows that smaller agencies have the tendency to communicate better with larger agencies. The population and size of an organization depends on the type of communication and with whom to communicate. The studies presented in this case show that organizations tend to communicate with the same type and size of organizations as themselves (Roberts J. Jr., 2007). When speaking of law enforcement agencies today, this seems to ring true. Why would the Federal Bureau of Investigation communicate with the city police of a city with a population of 2,000 people for help, information, or ideas? Let us also look at it this way-why would the city police department of a city of 2,000 people contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help, information, or ideas? Placing these studies in the real world today seems to be accurate. We see many organizations of the same size and on the same level communicating and working together, but they rarely go outside of their comfort zone in this regard. For example, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, how often did people see the local city police sitting with the state police and military guard to block off roads? How many local organizations were seen getting their feet dirty along with the National Guard? There were more volunteers than this case. It can be guaranteed that it was not seen too often, if any. The success of an organizations communication system depends on effective means of communication, relaying the message, and considering the receiving party of the message. When it comes to productivity and communication within law enforcement agencies, there is little face-to-face contact with those who are sending a message and those who are receiving the message. Let us focus on the managing powers of the organization and communications in that regard. If higher management was to become lax, what would happen to the lower hierarchy? If higher management tightens up and significantly increases communication with the lower hierarchy, what would happen? One study suggests that managers or administrators who monitor progress and work-productivity run the risk of having those being studied turn to more malfeasance in their position. Therefore, the study concludes that trust is imperative when it comes to the managing relationship-in both horizontal and vertical lines of communication. Horizontal communication is two street patrol officers (on the same level of the hierarchy) communicating. Vertical communication would be a street patrol officer bringing c oncerns to the Chief of Police (the Chief being higher on the hierarchy). Being that police work is somewhat discretionary for the police officer, trust is definitely vital in both vertical and horizontal lines of communication. The Chief of Police is rarely able to be in a patrol car, seeing exactly what his officers are doing. Therefore, the Chief of Police must have a certain amount of trust in his officers, as well as the officers for their Chief, trusting him to do what he says he will do. Let us take a look on the other side of things. As stated before, officers have a certain amount of discretion over how to conduct their job. Everyone knows that a police officer will get a free drink from the local gas station or a free meal from the local breakfast restaurant. What would happen if communication and trust all of the sudden became tightened up and enforced? Not only would these little acts be affected, the productivity of the police officer would also be affected. If a police officer is, so to speak, micro-managed, there is more likely to be more backlash than welcoming of the communication. This can cause the officer to become insecure or frustrated at the focus being more on them and cause less productivity in his work (Langbein Jorstad, 2004). Women as Leaders While focusing on what characteristics comprise a good leader, let us also discuss how women emerged in their positions throughout the law enforcement organization to become effective leaders. Women were first introduced to the criminal justice system basically to handle female inmates due to abuse and mistreatment by male employees. Women were eventually moved to mainly work social work and had separate work environments, pay scales, dress code, and duties. Once the economy struggled through the 1930s and 1940s, women were battling for employment positions, or bread winners for the family and were eventually demoted back to being housewives. Despite stereotypical roles, struggles, and sexism, women have proved successful in rising to leadership positions in law enforcement among other types of organizations. Most of this can be contributed to the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, both of which grant rights and equal protection to minorities. The factual stories of most successful women in leadership positions mainly include their past of lawsuits of discrimination, struggles with promotions, etc. Yet, these women have proved themselves worthy to be promoted to a high leadership position. While women have not yet met their goal in being treated equally as others, there has been a huge improvement over the years and many women successfully fulfilling leadership positions (Rienerth, 2001). Women have naturally integrated into the law enforcement scene. They have risen to leadership positions just as men have. Our country has made a lot of progress since the 1930s when women were suppressed from working and having household titles other than housewife or homemaker along with many other improvements in other regards. Today, there are many laws that protect the rights of not only women, but other minorities that have face hardships in gaining employment throughout our history. Nevertheless, something throughout all of this has proven successful due to our currently thriving and successful law enforcement agencies we have today. Groups and communication are a critical contribution when it comes to what comprises a healthy, successful, and thriving organization. Continually coaching, involving others, motivating, rewarding, and promoting teamwork can universally help organizations achieve their goals on the small scale and the large scale. In law enforcement agencies, there are many different departments that help the organization function on a daily basis. It is believed that authority or leadership is the reason for the failure or success of the agency. In this regard, leadership is believed to be the solution that can help stop unethical behavior. When a law enforcement agency has much more unethical behavior than others, management and higher leadership in the organization are usually to blame. When management is not consistent in carrying out their duties, communicating concerns, and especially when other employees see that they are not handling unethical employees the way they should, employee performan ce and productivity goes down and risk for unethical behavior rises. The whole organization suffers-tension mounts, low morale, lack of strife to achieve the same goal, and fragmentation of the organization can all occur (Wright, 1999). Suggested Further Research Further research should be conducted regarding the effectiveness of current practices by law enforcement agencies. We can only improve upon what we know we are already doing wrong. First, studies should be conducted on the current practices by different types of law enforcement agencies. These results should be studied then compared to the practices of successful agencies. Once these studies results are gathered, it should be further researched and calculated as to what the agency can do differently or more accurately pinpoint their weak points. Without duplicating the other agencys practices, further action should be taken in order to help what the agency is doing wrong. This can be done through policy and procedure, training, employee performance evaluations, and even staff meetings. Conclusion Established organizations and law enforcement agencies have policy and procedure in place. There should be more in place for each agency that outlines the chain of command and communication procedures. This should start from the bottom with training of new officers. Communication should be emphasized through a well-taught course during training. There should also be refresher courses at least yearly for those who have been with the agency for more than one year. Communication training should also be given to those who normally do not come in to contact with the public also. This training would be for administrative personnel, dispatchers, and office workers. This would be effective because even though these people do not interact with the public on a daily basis, communication still needs to be enforced and improved across the board in order for the organization to run smoothly. With the discussion given on leadership, training could help, but not in the same way communication traini ng would. In order to improve leadership skills and communication in that regard, ethical and equal treatment training would be beneficial. It is very unlikely that a 65-year-old Chief of Police veteran is going to change much just by watching a video. But the training would be very beneficial to those who are just coming into the agency. The same goes for this training also-it should be re-iterated every year to ensure all employees, new and old are staying fully trained in all regards. In summary, communication is the root of all beginnings of any organization. First, the organization must be established. Then the hierarchy must be constructed. From there, communications among leadership and those on the lower part of the hierarchy must be effective in order to achieve the organizations goals. If they are not being met, the solutions or methods discussed in this paper should be applied. Remembering there is a sender, receiver, and a channel through which a message is sent is essen tial to remember. The channel is they pivotal point in which the message can be effectively sent or effectively lost. The passive receiver concept must also be taken into account. When this is detected, either the channel for the message needs to be changed or the receiver needs to be addressed. Listening versus hearing impedes much progress due to party not fully understanding the message of the other. When leading a group of people, it is important for the teacher to effectively utilize their methods. One of the most important methods of ensuring the message is effectively conveyed is asking the question why? This opens up the listener to much more broad thinking to come to other, possibly alternative, ideas. A law enforcement officer dealing with a mentally handicapped person would communicate with that person differently than a sober, belligerent, 250 pound man. Understanding the other partys situation is very important when dealing with law enforcement. Leadership plays a role in everything that is discussed in this paragraph. Whether it is training, on the job work, or providing awareness, leaders are responsible for their employees performance regarding communication. This is where trust is fundamental for law enforcement agencies-vertically and horizontally in the hierarchy. If there is no trust between police officers and their Chief of Police, work-productivity will suffer due to low morale. This low morale will come from the officers thinking, If the Chief doesnt care, then why should we? Thus, leadership and communication go hand-in-hand when it comes to managing an organization and keeping that organization thriving and successful.

Intelligent Extraterrestrial Life Essay -- Science

Intelligent Extraterrestrial Life When I look up at the stars at night, I just have to wonder who or what is looking back at me from some distant planet in some distant galaxy. We’ve all probably wondered what lies beyond our small, self-contained little world. The question many have pondered is whether or not there is intelligent life beyond earth. In the words of Metrodorus, a Greek philosopher of the fourth century, "To consider the Earth as the only populated world in infinite space is as absurd as to assert that in an entire field of millet, only one grain will grow." I believe that intelligent extraterrestrial life does exist. Critics of the theory of intelligent life beyond earth will argue that there is no such thing because they’ve never seen a "little green man." There are those who want proof of extraterrestrial life before they can accept the fact that there is any life besides what is on our Earth. They have a point. I’ve never seen an alien. I’ve never talked to anyone whose had a "close encounter." Sure, we’ve all seen the shows on TV with convincing footage of flying saucers, but we have no actual proof of intelligent life dependent from earth. It is true that we have no evidence of intelligent life beyond earth, but to claim that none exists because we’ve never seen aliens is like saying that the atom doesn’t exist because you can’t see one. We who have a grasp of our physical surroundings, and a basic knowledge of chemistry realize that the atom is the basic building block of matter. Those who say that there is no intelligent life other than our own need to realize several things. First, our universe is infinite. This leaves literally infinit... ...ence, why is our government so concerned about it? Although we can’t prove the existence of intelligent life beyond earth, it is very likely that it does exist. When one considers the vast infinite universe we live in, it would be completely foolish to believe that life on earth is unique. It is not just me who says that other intelligent life exists, though. Many scientists and philosophers have speculated about life on other planets for centuries, and today the search for life is a major driving factor in space exploration. Extraterrestrial life is not just an idea reserved for those who watch The X-files every night with all the lights out, it is an important concept in our current space-age, and to ignore the fact that extraterrestrial life would be like those of our ancestors who refused to believe that the world was round.

Historical Misconceptions About Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy :: American America History

All Presidents have faced the challenge of keeping people united in times of conflict and turmoil; this specifically applied to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. They were faced with solving delicate situations involving segregation and the civil rights of American citizens in two different centuries. While there has been the enduring impression that both presidents held high ideals with regard to the African American population, a closer examination of history could lead one to believe that Lincoln was the false freer of the enslaved and Kennedy was the false figurehead for the Civil Rights movement. Abraham Lincoln entered his first term as president following the leaders Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Pierce was known as "an outspoken critic of federal involvement in state and locale issues" (http://www.npr.org). His veto of a bill which would have provided services and support for the mentally handicapped "established the rationale behind government uninvolvement in public health issues into the twentieth century" (http://www.npr.org). This climate of governmental uninvolvement persisted into the term of James Buchanan, a time well-known for the Dred Scott decision, which stated that "congress had no constitutional power to deprive persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Later, Buchanan "reverted to a policy of inactivity that continued until he left office" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Therefore, upon entering office, Lincoln found the stage set for an uphill climb with a sharply divided country and a government unused to active leadership by a president whose main agenda was to unite the country, even if this meant an involvement in previously "untouchable" states rights. The issue of slavery was at the center of the controversies, and decisions in the previous two administrations only compounded the difficulties encountered in any actions that Lincoln might make. The issue of segregation continued even up to one hundred years later when Kennedy became president following Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, unlike Pierce and Buchanan, the decisions and actions of both of these presidents should have made any stand that Kennedy would take for the civil rights movement easier. After World War Two had ended, Truman proposed twenty-one main policy points for the betterment of America in an attempt to calm the unrest among the American workers, as this was a time of many labor strikes and problems involving citizens who were unsatisfied with the economy. These twenty-one points included innovations such as minimum wage, guaranteed employment, medical insurance, housing aid, improving benefits for war veterans, and price and wage controls. Historical Misconceptions About Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy :: American America History All Presidents have faced the challenge of keeping people united in times of conflict and turmoil; this specifically applied to Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. They were faced with solving delicate situations involving segregation and the civil rights of American citizens in two different centuries. While there has been the enduring impression that both presidents held high ideals with regard to the African American population, a closer examination of history could lead one to believe that Lincoln was the false freer of the enslaved and Kennedy was the false figurehead for the Civil Rights movement. Abraham Lincoln entered his first term as president following the leaders Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Pierce was known as "an outspoken critic of federal involvement in state and locale issues" (http://www.npr.org). His veto of a bill which would have provided services and support for the mentally handicapped "established the rationale behind government uninvolvement in public health issues into the twentieth century" (http://www.npr.org). This climate of governmental uninvolvement persisted into the term of James Buchanan, a time well-known for the Dred Scott decision, which stated that "congress had no constitutional power to deprive persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Later, Buchanan "reverted to a policy of inactivity that continued until he left office" (http://www.whitehouse.gov). Therefore, upon entering office, Lincoln found the stage set for an uphill climb with a sharply divided country and a government unused to active leadership by a president whose main agenda was to unite the country, even if this meant an involvement in previously "untouchable" states rights. The issue of slavery was at the center of the controversies, and decisions in the previous two administrations only compounded the difficulties encountered in any actions that Lincoln might make. The issue of segregation continued even up to one hundred years later when Kennedy became president following Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, unlike Pierce and Buchanan, the decisions and actions of both of these presidents should have made any stand that Kennedy would take for the civil rights movement easier. After World War Two had ended, Truman proposed twenty-one main policy points for the betterment of America in an attempt to calm the unrest among the American workers, as this was a time of many labor strikes and problems involving citizens who were unsatisfied with the economy. These twenty-one points included innovations such as minimum wage, guaranteed employment, medical insurance, housing aid, improving benefits for war veterans, and price and wage controls.

American Teenagers Similar to The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq; by William Thackeray :: Memoirs Barry Lyndon Thackeray Essays

American Teenagers Similar to "The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq;" by William Thackeray "The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq;" by William Thackeray, is a story that follows an Irishman who wishes and makes attempts to become a bougeiouse nobleman during the 18th century. Upon first reading the novel, I couldn't help but notice a peculiar feeling I developed towards the story: it has a lot in common with an American teenager's life! Of course, it seems rather absurd to compare the story of an 18th century Irishman to a contemporary American teenager lifestyle, but closer inspection of the novel proves that a lot of Barry's experiences, desires, fears, and emotions have very interesting similarities with those of an American teenager. In Barry's younger years, he wished to join the upper-class and be viewed as a nobleman among society. Many teenagers of the present day can relate to these desires. For what American teenager does not wish himself to be more wealthier and perceived as more socially-signifigant? Barry feels that joining the British Army will strenghten his social identity and help him move up in the world. It is interesting how Barry's desires to join the Army are similar to a teenager's desire to join a clique/sporting team. Teenagers often try to find a strong social identity by joining a clique that appears to have some sort of social signifigance. For what is so different about Barry wanting to join the Army from a geeky kid wanting to join his high school football team? Both situations show men wanting to prove their worth by joining a group that promotes masculinity. The novel displays women as being objects of desire as well as sources of emotional chaos. The women in Barry's world create romance and passion but also bring about confusion, inadequecy, rejection, and heartbreak. Any teenage male can identify women like these in their world. High school and college can be times when dating is taken very casually and in a nonchallant manner. Teenage males can be very recognizable of women who elicit the same types of feelings Barry faces with his women. There are many females in Barry's world, but the feelings of intimacy are rather brief. Any teenage male can surely relate to Barry's love life. "The Memoiors of Barry Lyndon, Esq." is ultimately the story of a man who finds himself in the social status he always dreamed of, but finds that it is not as fulfilling as he though it'd be.

Hofstede’s Model Of Organisational Culture

ABSTRACT Organizational culture has become the buzzword in popular management with many experts suggesting it as an important determinant for organizational success. Management researchers have been quick to point out the impact that organizational culture may have on the effectiveness of the organization and have called for an increase in the attention paid to organizational culture. With more emphasis being placed on organizational culture, it becomes important to understand the appeal of this concept and examine its impact on management within the organization This paper thus explores on the concept of â€Å"organizational culture† and examines its impact on behaviours and management of the organization. This will involve identifying one associated mode or theory and evaluating or determining the extent to which the chosen model plays a part in defining the style of management. A case study of Sony Ericsson will also be employed to help illustrate the application of hofstede’s model of organizational culture. The study will also identify limitations of this model and the strengths that have enabled it to be used as a basis for most research analyses. INTRODUCTION Organizational culture has become the buzzword in popular management with many experts suggesting it as an important determinant for organizational success (Schein 1999). While the association between organizational culture and organizational success is far from certain, it is obvious that each organization has its own unique social structure which drives much of the individual behavior within that organization. Management researchers have been quick to point out the impact that organizational culture may have on the effectiveness of the organization and have called for an increase in the attention paid to organizational culture (Siehl & Martin 1998). With more emphasis being placed on organizational culture, it is important to understand the appeal of this concept and examine its impact on management within the organization. This study thus explores on the concept of organizational culture and examines its impact on management style. This will involve identifying one associated mode or theory and evaluating or determining the extent to which the chosen model plays a part in defining the style of management. In this regard, Hofstede’s ideas will form the basis of our analysis of organizational culture. WHAT IS..â€Å"CULTURE†? The term culture has been given varied set of definitions by various scholars. Kroeber & Kluckholn (1952), for example, defined culture as consisting of patterns of behaviour acquired and transmitted through symbols, and which constitute distinctive achievement of human groups including their embodiment in artifacts. Hofstede (1980), on the other hand, defined culture as the collective programming of the mind which differentiates members of one human group in the society from the rest. While Symington (1983) defined it as a complex whole which include belief, knowledge, morals, art, customs, capabilities and habits acquired in the society. These definitions suggest culture to consist of a set of value systems that are shared equally by members in the society and which binds people together. With the above conceptualization of culture, we can now define what we mean by organizational culture. ORGANIZAITONAL CULTURE Organizational culture can simply be defined as a set of values, assumptions and beliefs that define the behaviours and style of management in an organization (O’Reilly et.al, 1991). There are three main sources of influence believed to interact to create organizational culture. These are the beliefs and values held by the leaders of the organization, the characteristics of the industry in which the organization is within, and the broader society in which the organization operates (O’Reilly et.al, 1991). The most influential model used by management researchers and which has formed the basis of most analyses of organizational culture is Hofstede’s model. While most noted for his groundbreaking work on dimensions of national culture, Hofstede also identified six dimensions of organizational culture which can be used in defining the style of management in an organization.Process oriented vs goal orientedThe process oriented vs result oriented dimension is concerned with the effectiveness of the organization. A key feature of a process oriented culture is the means or rather the way in which work has to be conducted. While in a result oriented culture, emphasis is placed on the goals of the organization. That is, employees are primarily out to achieve specific organizational goals even if the risks involved are substantial (Hofstede 2001).Parochial vs professionalThis dimension reflects the internal and external frame of the organization (Hofstede 2001). In a local culture the id entity of the employees is with the immediate manager. Hence employees within this culture are internally focused and directed and there is also a strong social control. The converse is true in a professional culture where the identity of the employees is largely determined by the profession and content of the job.Open system vs closed systemThe open system vs closed system dimension reflects the communication climate of the organization (Hofstede 2001). For an open system, new employees are welcomed and there is the belief that everyone fits well in the organization. While for a closed system, it is difficult to join and it is believed that only a certain kind of individuals may fit in the organization.Employee oriented vs job orientedThis dimension relates to the management philosophy in the organization. In an employee oriented organizational culture, concern is mainly on employee satisfaction. The staff members feel that their own personal problems and welfare is taken into acco unt by the organization. While for a job oriented organizational culture, work is characterized by heavy pressure to perform the specific task at the expense of the employee (Hofstede 2001).Tighter control vs loose controlThis dimension relates to structuring, control and discipline in the organization. A tight control culture is characterized by seriousness and punctuality while the features of a loose control culture are casual and improvisation (Hofstede 2001). Examples of organizations that are often found within tighter controls are banks and pharmaceutical companies while those found in loose control are research laboratories and advertising agencies (Hofstede 2001).Normative vs pragmaticThis dimension reflects on the methods employed by organizations when dealing with the environment in general and customers in particular. It describes the level of â€Å"customer oreintation†. Pragmatic cultures are flexible and more market driven while normative cultures are rigid and often emphasize on following applicable laws and rules (Hofstede 2001). Hofstede labeled organizations involved in the sale of services as pragmatic while those engaged in application of laws and rules as normative. CRITICISMS OF HOFSTEDE’S MODEL Hofstede’s ground breaking work on culture has indeed provided valuable insights into the management styles and dynamics of cross cultural relationships. However, his highly influential findings have not been without criticisms. A number of academics have discredited his work in part or whole. Critics have argued that survey was not an important instrument that could be used in accurately determining and measuring the culture of organizations (Jones 2007). A survey of a set of limited questions certainly cannot adequately and comprehensively provide an in-depth understanding of culture of an organization. In response to this criticism, Hofstede argued that survey was one method and certainly not the only method that was used. Hofstede’s model has also been criticized on the basis that the five or six dimensions did not provide sufficient information about cultural differences (Jones 2007). In this regard, Hofstede agreed that his analysis was too narrow to credibly argue for the universal validity and sufficiency of the six dimensions of organizational culture that he identified. And in fact, suggested for additional dimensions to his original work. He also noted that some of the six dimensions that he identified may be less useful when analyzing other types of organizations in other countries (Jones 2007). A third criticism is that Hofstede’s work is seen as outdated, especially with the rapid changes in the global environment (Jones 2007). This critique has further been put forward by Holden (2002) who points out that the data used by Hofstede in his dimensions of organizational culture seem to have been gathered over 30 years ago and is therefore no longer applicable to the modern day world. In response to this criticism, Hofstede (1998) pointed out that a number of recent replications had confirmed his findings. Hofstede’s model is also criticized on grounds of his one company approach. Hofstede’s analysis supposed that a single IBM organizational culture could be used to make inferences about the entire world wide organizational cultures (Jones 2007). A study fixated on one company certainly cannot be used to make inferences about the entire world wide organizational cultures. The validity of his dimensions of organizational culture has thus been questioned and his model considered to be non-comprehensive as the study was based on data collected from a single company using questionnaires that lacked academic foundation. Critics have also argued that Hofstede failed to recognize the diversity in his analysis of IBM culture (Jones 2007). He ignored extensive literature which suggested that there were multiple, dissenting and emergent cultures in an organization. If we are to ignore the assumption of a single culture in IBM and acknowledge the diversity in culture at IBM, then his analysis is likely to collapse. After years of publication of his analysis on organizational culture based on the IBM survey data, Hofstede begun to acknowledge the presence of cultural diversity within and between units in the same organization. However, despite recognizing flaws in his work, Hofstede fails to admit error or weakness in his analysis. Accepting that organizations had multiple cultures as opposed to his assumption of a single culture would seem to undermine a crucial part of his analysis. ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF HOFSTEDE’S MODEL Despite these criticisms, Hofstedes work is widely acknowledged and used by many scholars and practictioners due to its mainly appealing attributes. Sondergaard (1994) noted that hofstede’s analysis on corporate culture received 1,036 citations in comparison with another highly regarded study by Miles & Snow (1978) which only received 200 citations. Moreover, a number of researchers have replicated Hofstede’s study including Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner (1997). Some of the strengths that have enabled it to be used as the basis of most research analyses include: Relevance: – Hofstede’s discoveries came at a time when there was very little known about culture and businesses were just globalizing and were in need of advice (Jones 2007). Hofstede’s framework exceeded this demand and became widely accepted by many scholars and practitioners. His work offered guidance to managers who were expanding their businesses as cultures were clashing and creating difficulties (Jones 2007). Rigour – Hofstede model is based on a rigorous research design with systematic data and is built on a coherent theory (Jones 2007). Simplicity: – Knudsen & Loloma (2007) argues that hofstede’s model has remained influential and successful due to its simplicity of appliance. His analysis of culture offered a simple way of understanding organizational culture. The six dimensions that define organizational culture put forth by Hofstede made it easier for managers and researchers to understand corporate culture without the need of ex pert knowledge. Relative accuracy: – strength of Hofstede’s model is also reflected in its level of accuracy. Majority of the replications conducted by other researchers have confirmed Hofstede’s findings. Four replications have concurred fully with Hofstede’s findings while fifteen showed partial confirmation (Jones 2007). Moreover, Hofstede’s framework has become very influential in management studies and is most widely cited in social sciences. His work remains instrumental in the implementation of various business systems in organizations including entrepreneurial behaviour, workgroup performance and dynamics, leadership styles, participative management and management control systems among many others (Jones 2007). A CASE STUDY OF SONY ERICSSON In order to explore on the extent to which hofstede model plays a part in defining management style, we will conduct a case study of Sony Ericsson, a joint venture between Sony and Ericsson. Sony Ericsson has its headquarters and all of its management based in the UK. The firm aims at becoming the most innovative and attractive mobile brand globally (Cooper & Ross 2007). ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN SONY ERICSSON Organizational culture has long been acknowledged as an important factor for driving behaviour, decision making and shaping management style at Sony Ericsson. With regard to the rules and procedures, Sony Ericson follows a certain procedure laid down by the firm (Cooper & Ross 2007). While it is not a requirement for employees to follow strict dress code and office timings, it is mandatory for employees at Sony Ericsson to abide by the business ethics and code of conduct (Cooper & Ross 2007). Since the firm does not follow a strict dress code and office timings, it can be concluded that the organization employs a loose control culture. With regard to employee evaluation and performance, the staffs at Sony Ericsson are not differentiated on their individual performance and are allowed to participate in decision making except at the higher level which requires the executive management team only (Cooper & Ross 2007). Sony Ericsson’s corporate culture is also more employee oriented with managers more concerned on the welfare and employee satisfaction. Sony Ericson’s organizational culture is also very professional as employees are subjected to scrutiny checks prior to their appointment to ensure that individuals hired are competent and have a certain level of experience deemed necessary for the position (Tayeb 2001). With regard to normative and pragmatic approach, the firm is seen in between, as its organizational culture is both normative and pragmatic oriented. While Sony Ericsson focuses on meeting customer and market needs, the firm also adheres to certain rules and guidelines in meeting these needs (Tayeb 2001). Clearly, Hofstede’s model plays a significant part in defining the management style and organizational behaviour at Sony Ericsson. CONCLUSION There is no doubt that Hofstede’s model is one of the most widely acknowledged and used piece of research. His ground breaking work on culture has indeed provided valuable insights into the management styles and dynamics of cross cultural relationships as evident in Sony Ericsson. A number of academics have however discredited his work in part or whole. Although Hofstede’s work on culture has been heavily criticized on grounds of his one company approach, survey methodological approach, and for fewer dimensions and his assumption of a single organizational culture; majority of his findings have had remarkable effect on practitioners and researchers and continue to guide multi-national practitioners into the â€Å"global† future. While there is a high level of controversy in his analysis of culture, there is no doubt that his study is one of the most influential in the analysis of organizational culture. REFERENCE Hofstede, G., 2001. Culture’s consequences. 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications Hofstede, G., 1998. â€Å"Attitudes, Values and Organizational Culture: Disentangling the concepts.† Organization Studies 19(3): 477. Hofstede, G., 1980. Culture’s Consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications. Hofstede, G., Neuijen, B., Ohayv, D. D., and G. Sanders, 1990. â€Å"Measuring Organizational Cultures: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study across Twenty Cases†. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(2), 286-316. Holden, N., 2002. Cross-Cultural Management – A Knowledge Management Perspective. Harlow: Prentice Hall. Jones, M.L., 2007. Hofstede – culturally questionableOxford, UK. Kroeber, A. L. and C. Kluckhohn, 1952. Culture: A critical review of concepts and definitions. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University press Knudsen & Loloma, 2007. The consequences of â€Å"culture’s consequences†. A critical approach to culture as collective programming applied to cross-cultural crews. Journal of Maritime Affairs. Vol . 8 (2), pp.105 -121 Miles, R and C. Snow, 1978. Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. O’Reilly, C., Chatman, J., and D. Caldwell, 1991. â€Å"People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit†. Academy of Management Journal, 34:487-516. Rose, R., 2008. Organizational culture as a root of performance improvement: research and recommendations. Contemporary management research. Vol.4, p. 43-46 Schein, E., 1999. The corporate culture survival guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Schwartz, S.H., 1994. â€Å"Beyond individualism/collectivism†. In: Kim, U., Triandis, H.C. et al. (eds) Individualism and Collectivism: Theory, Method, and Applications: Vol. 18, Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Siehl, C. & J. Martin, 1998. â€Å"Measuring Organizational Culture: Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Methods†. In: Jones, M.O, et al. (eds), Inside Organizations: Understanding the Human Dimension, Newbury Park, CA, Sage Publications, pp.79-103. Sinha, 2000. Patterns of work culture. Sage publications Sondergaard, M., 1994. â€Å"Hofstede’s consequences: A study of reviews, citations and replications.† Organization Studies 15(3): 447. Symington, J. W., 1983. Learn Latin America’s Culture. New York Times. Tayeb, M. H., 2001. International Business Partnership. New York: Palgrave. Trompenaars, F. and C. Hampden-Turner, 1997. Riding the waves of culture: understanding cultural diversity in business. London, Nicholas Brearley.