Mobile Phone and People

The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal. People have become overly dependent on technology. University students should pass the English proficiency test before graduation Argumentative Essay : People have become overly dependent on technology. Topic: People have become overly dependent on technology 1. Introduction (paragraph 1) A. Hook: Computer, hand phones, Internet, and latest gadgets such as GPStacking devices are not anymore unusual thing in our  daily life. B. Connecting  Information People start to use those technological inventions as their daily  life needs.People’s life style has blend together with technology. C. Thesis  Statement Although most of the people think that  technology has made our life easier, inmy opinion its making us overly dependent on those technologies. 2. Body A. Paragraph  2  (First  point) Today’s generation is becoming much lazier than the earlier generation. This isbecause they are too dependent on technologies. Some of them are unable todo things on their own. For example, some people are depends on grass-cutting machine to clean their lawn, while they can just do it without it. Another example is, today’s youth generation can’t separate with their mobilephones.They feel like they lost someone in their family if the hand phone isnot in their hand. This clearly shows us how much people depending ontechnologies. B. Paragraph  3  (Second  point) Most of the powerful countries are depends on  their industrial power tostabilize their status. Technology made industrial development to increaserapidly. Industries depend more on machines than human power. This newlydiscovered robotic technology makes human workers to be totally ignored insome factories. C. Paragraph  4  (Third  point) Besides that, mobile  technology makes our  lives even  faster.As devicesbecome lighter and more powerful we no longer have to wait until we arrive atour destination. W e can do almost anything while on the road. In this fastphased world, people without a laptop or mobile devices are the one who leftbehind of their work. Those days, people communicate through letters. But nowadays, some people lost thousands of money if there is no email servicefor one hour. D. Paragraph  5  (Counterargument) On other hand, peoples say that technology reflects how far human kind hasevolved and civilized. They think that I phones and PDAs symbolizes thedevelopment of human race.However in my opinion, these people didn’trealize that we are losing  our capability as technology develops. Thousands of  years ago people successfully built pyramid with just using  human power. Istrongly stand in my opinion that people have become overly dependent ontechnology. 3. Conclusion A. Restated  thesis: As a conclusion, it’s clear that we have become overly dependent ontechnology by the facts that we are becoming lazier, ignoring humanpower, and working w hile travelling in our daily life, although when most of  the people say that technology made our lives better.B. Suggestion/  Prediction  / Opinion: If people didn’t learn how to stand on their own leg  to do things, surelythey will suffer when the day comes. People should know how to surviveand do things without depending too much on technology. Article; Are People Overly Dependent on Technology? You know you’ve got too much technology in your life when you and your significant other are sitting together on the couch, having a text-message conversation with each other. Who ever imagined that â€Å"ashes to ashes, dust to dust† could actually refer to our vocal cords?Admittedly, it’s a very convenient form of communication and entirely appropriate at times, like during weddings, funerals, and tests. But it’s not just text messaging, it’s the entire technology spectrum that has zombified us, and it only seems to be getting worse. I k now a handful of people who can’t get into their cars and onto the road until they’ve synced all their Bluetooth devices with their car’s Bluetooth system, have texted several people to let them know they’ve just left, will be rolling shortly, and will text them when they get there, and checked their multiple email accounts once last time.And by one last time I mean before they get to the next stop light where they’ll check it again, just in case something important from a rich, retired army general with banking connections in Zimbabwe has shown up. Do any of us really wonder why our auto insurance rates are through the roof, and portable technology can be cited as a prime factor in accident after accident on our highways and byways? Bet you didn’t know that many motorcycle helmets are now equipped with Bluetooth capabilities, for those times when a call just can’t wait until you’ve slowed your bullet bike to 150mph.By any defi nition you choose, this is an unnecessary overreach of modern technology. As a society, on the whole, have we truly become too dependent on technology, or does it only seem that way because crotchety old technophobes keep telling us that? Consider your daily routine as insight into the answer. What would your day be like without a computer, without a smart-phone, without 600 channels of cable television, without Facebook and Twitter, and without your Kindle Fire?Would your entire day be thrown out of kilter if the first thing you didn’t do each morning was check your email on your smartphone before you turned on your laptop to check those same emails? What would a day without Facebook be like for you? How about just an hour? Admittedly, I’m writing this article on my computer for people to read on their computers, which might make me part of the problem, but if I could create a daily â€Å"hardcopy† following, I would. It’s a simple fact of the 21st centu ry that we depend on technology for everything, and those who eschew it are somehow called backwards, out of touch, and quite often my parents.Still, do we require so much technology to function in today’s society, or do we just tell ourselves that in an attempt to continue feeling relevant? Is it really important that my Facebook friends know that I just sat down for dinner at my favorite restaurant? I think the impetus for so much of this is fear of not keeping up with the new Joneses, who are frequently teenagers and young adults who couldn’t possibly give you directions to the library because they have no idea what a library is.How many times have you stood in line, possible for hours and at the expense of your beauty sleep, to get a new smartphone that is slightly better than the smartphone you stood in line for six months ago? If you blushed and feel a little cheeky, there’s a very good chance you’re addicted to technology for the sake of technology , and not for what it can actually mean in terms of increased productivity in your life. So, what can be done? Well, if you’re unwilling, then nothing. You’ll probably be one of those eventual parents who raises a child who will never leave the house, for any reason, because he’ll never have to.Everything he will need will be a mouse-click or a voice command away, including virtual vacations, long distance learning, and a girlfriend who looks awesome at 30 frames per second. If, however, you’re sick of it all, or at least sick of it some, then here’s something you can do that has been a success in our house. Every evening, for one hour, we turn off our cell phones, shut down our computers, and find something to do as a family. Sometimes it is television, but most of the time it isn’t.We go for walks, we hang out in the back yard, we play card games, we chit-chat about how we really wish we could check our Facebook status just about now. Addi tionally, each Saturday we live as technology-free as possible. We do shut our phones and computers off for the day. It’s extreme, and sometimes it doesn’t always work out, but for quite some time now we’ve been successful at this because we’ve recognized in our own lives how easy it is to lose sight of the analog world when we’re so engrossed in the digital one. It only takes a desire to ant to do something different, and a willing spirit. Before you know it you’ll find it easier to set down your smartphone, easier to walk away from Facebook after two hours of searching for the funniest LOLcats on the planet, and easier to say no to that next frivolous purchase that will probably have you standing in line in freezing temperatures, texting back and forth with the guy standing in the line in front of you. Tyler is a tech enthusiast and writer for CableTV. com sumber: http://thegeekpanel. com/social/are-people-overly-dependent-on-technology/

On the Importance of the Educational Experience Essay

In Democracy and Education Dewey presents his views regarding the three functions of education. He gives the main function of education, these being: (1) Education should simplify and order the factors of the dispositions it wants to develop, (2) Education should purify and idealize existing social customs, and (3) Education should create a wider and better balanced environment which will influence the young (Dewey 37). He notes that these stand as a requirement for enabling the development of a progressive and democratic society wherein he defines a progressive society as one in which â€Å"individual variations are considered precious†¦ (thereby) allowing for intellectual freedom and the play of diverse gifts and interests in its educational measure† (Dewey 451). Dewey’s views thereby relate the importance of the experience within educational institutions to that of ensuring democracy within a particular community. Since the foundations of democracy are that of liberty and equality, Dewey places emphasis on the necessity of ensuring that intellectual freedom may be practiced within the context of an institution that allows diversity. Within educational systems, an example of this can be seen in the practice of coeducation. As opposed to this view, however, Link Byfield, in his article â€Å"If Girls Can Succeed Only at the Expense of Boys, Maybe We Need Segregated Schools† claims that the implementation of coeducational systems leads to the development of sexism within the system which proves detrimental to the non-privileged sex. In line with this, the tasks of this paper are the following: (1) It seeks to present the views presented by Byfield in his article above and (2) It aims to present an analysis of his argument in line with how coeducation has helped in the presentation of more views in the different subjects within the educational institution and how these views enable the expansion of the educational process. Byfield (2008) argues that increase in the scores of high school girls in the School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) in Canada shows that there is ‘regress’ in the educational system. The bases for his claim are the following. He claims that low proficiency of high school boys in language skills and low number of high school boys who have graduated within the time-frame of the survey. He thereby opposes the view presented by the SAIP that school systems within favor the members of both sexes. The bases for SAIP’s conclusion are the following views. First, â€Å"high school girls on average are matching boys in the technology related subjects of math and science, and are far ahead in language skills† and second the ratio of the number of graduates shows that more girls are graduating as opposed to boys. In line with this, Byfield notes, given that a change in the system [from male-oriented to female-oriented] led to the ‘regress’ in the educational achievement of male students, the author argues that it is necessary to segregate students in terms of sex. The basis for his claim is the view that sexism continues to be practiced within educational institutions. He notes that this is apparent in the shift of power from the boys to the girls. He says, â€Å"Now girls seem to run everything†¦ the boys’ just tune out†. In addition to this, he says that the adaptation of a segregated system will allow the individual to be socialized in a natural environment which will allow him to be prepared for the ‘real life’. He further argues that this will not â€Å"offend the ‘social imperative’† in the sense that it will create a society â€Å"driven by misunderstanding, ignorance, selfishness, and distrust†, on the other hand, such a setting will free the individual from an environment characterized by â€Å"moshpits of vulgarity where youth is free to run itself according to the values it has absorbed from MachMusic and 12 years of automatic passing and parent-free sex instruction†.

Identification of Team background and Evaluation of its performance Assignment

Identification of Team background and Evaluation of its performance - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that the team to be evaluated is a professional team that appointed to ensure the prolongation of a certain audit firm, P&H, by choosing the best alternative among the many options that do not lead to an adverse effect in terms of operations. P&H boasts of a strong team of auditors that have played a big role in its success. The firm is composed of ten members with higher qualifications and credentials in different various fields of finance and management. P&H team is a traditional team that has been committed to ensuring that the firm delivers high-quality work to her clients and employs competent audit assistance and other audit technicians. The team that includes different heads of departments sharing similar goals of the firm believes that performance of every member is crucial for P&H success. Many differences that were initially experienced in the team have been resolved and different departmental heads appreciate their colleaguesâ₠¬â„¢ contribution. Team members understand each other and interact with humor, a concept that helps them provide a solution and constructive feedback. Team members are committed to the team goal thus producing great results. Team members engage in the collective and democratic decision-making process through consulting group members hence promoting workers ownership for the decisions without the team leader losing sight of the fact that he bears all the crucial responsibility of leadership.

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Research - Essay Example violence or acting out.   Because these effects within the children have a strong potential to be carried into the next generation as well as to impact the public health, it is necessary for the social worker to learn how to recognize these signs and develop means of providing the children with the needed elements they are missing within the home.   While this seems a nearly impossible task without the investment of vast resources and time into each family unit, there are some tools and practices that may help.   It is the purpose of this study to examine the prevalence of these issues within society and to illustrate the importance of understanding on the part of the social worker in bringing about positive effective change within the home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It seems to be almost common knowledge that substance abuse/misuse can have serious detrimental effects on the care and raising of children within the home where one or both parents are involved in substance abuse activity.   The tendency of this thinking holds that all children living within homes in which substances are used or abused are the victims of domestic violence.   However, children living in these types of situations may not have any experience at all with the concept of violence within the home. But they may definitely have numerous other issues to deal with as a result of neglect or other forms of abuse.   Parents engaging in substance abuse are least likely to have enough time or attention to provide their children with the necessary skills and attention they require in order to thrive while the parents may also be spending much-needed time and money away from the home as a means of supporting their habit.   Children living in this sort of environment may find themselves needing to survive without adequate clothing, food or housing. In fact, they are of thrust into such situations that they find no other way but to raise themselves without the benefit of proper parental guidance or support.  

Leadership in nursing practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership in nursing practice - Essay Example Due to the differences in the Saudi people and the nursing/hospital staff, the Saudi government has come up with requirements for expatriate nurses. The important requirements for nurses working in Saudi Arabia include: Due to these requirements and other demands placed on the nursing staff of Saudi Arabia, there are various systems and structures in the Saudi care setting. These requirements are very different from what exists in other countries, particularly Western nations. As such, a nurse in Saudi Arabia has an obligation to adjust to meet the requirements of the Saudi society. This paper examines the relationship between management/leadership theories and the actual running of a tertiary neonatal unit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It involves an evidence based practice approach to examine how a major health facilities can be ran in relation to dominant concepts and theories of management and leadership in the nursing profession. The research explores the impact of the Saudi governments policy, inter-professional practice and leadership requirements on the role of nursing in Saudi Arabia. The paper concludes with recommendations for future practice in the region. According to Wilson et al (2009), a tertiary level facility is usually one that provides education of medical students and serves about 10 million people in a given geographical area. Such tertiary level facilities co-ordinate with primary level facilities and take up serious cases. In a neo-natal facility of such a hospital, intensive care services are available for mothers and their babies. Nursing in such a facility comes with different requirements. There is a larger scope of work. As such, there is the chance for more severe cases to be reported to such facilities. Also, the scope of human relations in such an institution is generally meant to be more than it exists in other smaller hospitals. Most tertiary level

Some Philosophy Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Some Philosophy Questions - Essay Example However, Meno’s next proposal is that, virtue has the capability of exercising power over people. Socrates opposes this proposal on two grounds: first, it not honorable for children or slaves themselves to exercise power over people, and secondly, presiding over people is only virtuous if at all it is done justly. This opinion influences Meno to immediately consider virtue as being justice. But he then gives in to Socrates that integrity is a kind of virtue but not virtue itself. Since Meno is more competence, he attempts to classify virtue again, this time suggesting that it concerned with longing for good things and obtaining the power to protect them but provided that one does so justly (Plato 33-37). However, his definition again stumbles upon the predicament of using â€Å"justice† in defining virtue. So because of him being very talkative, he even starts to contrast Socrates to an animal with the name torpedo fish, claiming that it numbs anything it touches. This disturbs Socrates responding that learning is not just finding out something new, but rather recollecting something that the essence had the information about before birth, and has forgotten since then. We see him trying to review the clear picture of what he meant, by calling one of Meno’s slave boys, drawing a square containing sides of two feet, and then ask the boy to make calculation of how lengthy would be the face of a square, if it happened to contain twice an area belonging to the one he had just drawn. After the boy gets a wrong answer, Socrates helps him to recognize the correct answer without essentially explaining anything that would force the boy into solving the problem on his own. If the boy reaches into a conclusion on his own with no direct teaching, then he must have been summoning up something he already knew. Socrates proposes two hypotheses on the subject of virtue, in order to totally convince Meno. The first verbalizes that, if integrity is a category of knowledge, then teaching is a key factor and second, if it exists anything good that isn’t knowledge, the possibility is that virtue is not a class of knowledge (Plato 59-63). He later concludes that virtue is wisdom either in general or parts and therefore it cannot be something that people are born with. He also says that virtue is not necessarily a product of knowledge but of factual belief. And that it is a topic of being capable of giving a report of what people knows, just like it is reviewed by the slave boy with the mathematical proof. Question two Descartes totally agrees that mind is completely different from body by establishing two motive factors, the religious and the scientific motive that makes his argument called real distinction. The religious motivation provides a rational starting point for a trust in the soul’s immortality. The scientific motivation emphasis that the nature of mind is absolutely distinctive as of that belonging to the body, hence paving way for Descartes’ description called the new mechanistic physics. The argument therefore shows that there could be possibility for one existing without the other. In religious motivation, Descartes’ purpose of reviewing that human intelligence or soul is really different from body is to refute the irreligious people. This is because they only believe in mathematics and that they would not

Sports Concussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sports Concussions - Essay Example His reasons are that most kids arent coordinated enough to head the ball or their ignorance on how to head a ball can cause injuries to them or a collision with another player. He also states that a player can learn good ball control if they used chest and feet more and frequently. Past soccer players have come out to complain having some brain damage issues which is not common or frequent in other sports such as football. Sarah K. Fields another debater in the article, debates that it isnt so much heading the ball but collisions while trying to head the ball. 10% of all injuries for both boys and girls in the league she coaches in have been only to headers. Young males were 33% concussed from heading the ball and the other 77% was due to a collision between the two players. She states that soccer is supposed to be a safer sport then baseball, and football thus efforts ought to be taken to ensure safety during heading. Similarly, better officiating should be embraced when two players go up for a header. Debater Christopher Nowinski, states that no regardless of circumstances, in youth soccer there will always be a chance of child getting a concussion whether while heading the ball or colliding with another for the ball. He also states that since the child’s brain is still developing, heading the ball can cause a lot of head trauma. Headers should never be taken out of the game since they have been part of the game all along, intuitively, there have been more and more concussion’s and head trauma injuries. In the article â€Å"How Risky is Heading in Soccer † writers debated whether or not headers should be taken out of youth soccer. Writers shared with us facts about headers, and how most concussion injuries are from collisions between two players. Debater Christopher Nowinski, from the article â€Å"How Risky is Heading in Soccer† says

Attacking Child Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Attacking Child Poverty - Essay Example 1). Marshall suggests that the USA ignores the issue of childhood poverty when announcing its economic achievements, and when comparing these achievements to other capitalist nations. However, the rapidly increasing rate of childhood poverty in the USA is breaking with stereotypes of the situation. For example, regardless of ethnicity, White, Black and Latino figures are increasing at a similar rate (Sherman, , p.2). Also, there appears to be more incidence of childhood poverty amongst suburban and rural children than those in metropolitan areas (Sherman, ). The thesis statement for this paper is: Child welfare policies are outdated lacking a pro-social approach to prevent poverty. This paper will present a synthesis of articles that critique policies targeting childhood poverty, and will provide an analysis of those policies and the recommendations put forward by the articles. Firstly, a definition of poverty will be presented. Secondly, USA policies aimed at halting childhood poverty will be assessed. Next, recommendations to change the situation of childhood poverty the will be outlined and evaluated. Finally, a conclusion shall show how this review and critique has answered the thesis statement. The definition of poverty as decided by the government of the USA is set by the Census Bureau and considers the income of families with children and their size, with adjustments for consumer inflation (Sherman, ). For example, a family of four is believed to be living in poverty if the family income is less than $14 335 per year; for a family of two their income would need to be less than $ 9 137 per year to be thought of as living in poverty (Sherman, , p. 1). Hence, other industrialized nations appear to have less distance between their socio-economic classes and this enables their poor to maintain a higher standard of living as compared to those in poverty in the USA. The child welfare system appears to lack

Disaster Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Disaster Management - Essay Example He/ she is also responsible for organizing and integrating a team that aims at rescuing and preventing further damage and deaths of people and domestic animals by the calamity. The chain of command is as follows. At the top most is the disaster commander who is in charge and responsible for the whole situation. Immediately under the disaster commander are the public information officer and liaison officers. The public information officer should understand principles of risks in communication. He/she is responsible for giving accurate public health information to the public and collaborating agencies. His/her role is to ensure that the message is consistent. The liaison officer, on the other hand, serves as a point of contact for supporting agencies and answering their questions and providing briefings whenever necessary. The officer also prevents the agencies from being bombarded with questions and requests. The next level includes the operations chief officer whose main work is to d evelop and implement strategies and tactics with the aim of carrying out incident objectives. He is responsible for organizing tactic resources and ensuring that there is good communication with the people delivering the resources. The planning chief officer also falls in this level and he/she is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information. The personnel are responsible for compiling an incident action plan and focusing on what might come next within the incident. The personnel should possess qualities of good written and communication skills. Within the same level, the logistics chief officer is responsible for acquiring space and supplying equipment necessary for the incident. He/she should be fast, accurate, and precise. Finally, within the same level, a chief finance officer is responsible for ensuring proper contractual and financial processes are in place. He/she also ensures that the resources ordered are available and expanded if necessary. The financ ial officer should be familiar with financial systems and able to keep accurate financial data. The spilled carbon monoxide, oil, and many more hazards present within the residential houses are some of the environmental issues the public nurse has to deal with but are beyond her field of operation. Incidences of power loss and damage of houses are also beyond her area of operation, hence the need to work with different agencies in order to facilitate quick and prompt rescue mission. The health nurse relocates victims from their houses to safer shades in case of flooding. Under circumstances when clean water is not available, the public health nurse advices on drinking of boiled water and bottled water. In case of oil spillage and paints in a residential house, the health nurse contacts an environmental specialist to advice on how to clean up household hazards. The public health officer also helps victims through decision-making by being caring, understanding, and listening to their fears. He/she also helps the victims reduce anxiety and pressure. Under situations where the victim does not speak or understand English, the public health nurse uses gestures to communicate. This helps the nurse to go through the victim’

How has the nuclear agenda influenced American popular culture from Essay

How has the nuclear agenda influenced American popular culture from 1945-1962 - Essay Example The main advances of technology allowed for film advents and television to be introduced to many people. The advances in technology gave one way of communication on the world wide scale of reality and hence they opened a gate through which influences of the popular culture from other world countries got introduced. WWII changed most of ideas which the Australians had in their culture before. Shapiro, J. F. (2002) said Britain being there â€Å"Mother Country† and most of majority living in Australia being British, or form British descent, they were closely associated with Britain and their allegiance towards Britain was strong. In WWII, the United States had offered Britain with many required military support and unfortunately their soldiers got slaughtered in Gallipoli campaign. When the WWII incurred, the battle was near the United States regions and they got themselves encompassed and bombed. However, Britain was as well being attacked directly and the United States came into realization that their defending Australia was not available on the list Britain’s priority. The country had less than 7 million people attacking almost 3 million square miles and hence they required for a super power to help them in their defence. The popular culture in America changed extensively during and after the nuclear era. It involved everything dealing with so called common culture to folk culture. It has been the occurrence of these things in the post war era in American culture which is related with commercial culture and other trappings in: television, movies, radio, advertising, cyberspace, and other commodities which were available for purchase. It also involved other forms of art, games, photography and group experiences such as rave dancing on ecstasy and comet-watching. While social science departments and humanities before 1950s could rarely include anything former in their culture.

The Sociology of Slavery, Race, and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

The Sociology of Slavery, Race, and Ethnicity Essay According to Essentials of Sociology a Down-to-Earth Approach written by James M. Henslin, Race is defined as a group of people with inherited physical characteristics that distinguish it from another group. The concept of race is both a reality and a myth. The reality of race is that we as humans are born with a variety of shapes and colors (Henslin, 214). Depending on our genetic makeup, we are viewed upon as white, black, red, yellow, or brown (Henslin, 214). Other distinguishing characteristics include the color of our eyes, fullness of our lips, and texture of our hair. The assortment of these characteristics in the concept of race is obviously reality. In contrast, the concept of race is also considered to be a myth. People seem to believe that there are genuine races. For example, many believe that a race could be composed of only blacks and whites or African Americans and Caucasians. When in reality, these classified racial groups differ from one another only once in a thousand subunits of the genome, making us surprisingly homogenous (Henslin, 214). Race, because of the above differences in reality and myth, is seen as a very sensitive matter. It can also be confused with ethnicity. Race, as mentioned above refers to supposed biological characteristics that distinguish one group of people from another, while ethnicity refers to cultural characteristics (Henslin, 217). They are commonly confused with one another because of ignorance of the people. Ethnicity refers to people who identify with each other on the basis of common ancestry and cultural heritage and their sense of belonging may center on their clan, country, or region of origin, foods, clothing, language, music, religion, or family names and relationships (Henslin, 217). The terms race and ethnicity or ethnic groups are often confused because people think a particular group of people are a race when in actuality they are really an ethnic group. For example, people think Jews are a race; however they are properly considered an ethnic group (Henslin, 217). Their cultural characteristics, especially their religion bind them together (Henslin, 217). Aside from race being a sensitive matter, prejudice and discrimination are also among subjects people hesitate to speak about. Prejudice and discrimination are common throughout the world, therefore are very significant in social life (Henslin, 218). Discrimination is action of unfair treatment directed against someone (Henslin, 218). People can be discriminated against based on many characteristics. For example, age, sex, height, weight, skin color, clothing, speech, income, education, marital status, sexual orientation, disease, disability, religion, and politics (Henslin, 218). Discrimination has been a long time issue that dates back many, many years and yet it still exists today. People are protected by laws against discrimination, however others nonetheless finds ways to get around these laws. Discrimination is most often the result of an attitude called prejudice (Henslin, 220). Prejudice denotes the possession of negative attitudes of a particular kind regarding members of a specific group or category (Denmark, 2010). As commonly used, prejudice is not merely a statement of opinion or belief, but an attitude that includes feelings such as contempt, dislike, or loathing (Denmark, 2010). Discrimination is a term applied to the negative actions that result from prejudicial attitudes and that are directed against the targets or victims of prejudice (Denmark, 2010). Someone who is prejudiced may, in certain situations, practice discrimination. Discrimination can be classified into various categories including individual discrimination and institutional discrimination. Individual discrimination is the negative treatment of one person by another (Henslin, 222). This treatment usually involves individuals. For example, one may be discriminate another because of the color of their skin. This then becomes and issue between these two individuals. Institutional Discrimination is the negative treatment of a minority group that is built onto a society’s institutions (Henslin, 222). This type of discrimination creates favor for one group against others because of race or ethnicity. For instance, being denied a loan application because of the color of one’s skin. Studies from earlier have shown that bank lenders had participated in such practices discriminating against minorities by rejecting their loan applications (Henslin, 222). They defended themselves by stating that whites had better credit history (Henslin, 222). The subject of race, discrimination, prejudice, individual discrimination, and institutional discrimination all have had a major impact on the current social, education, and economic position of African Americans. Discrimination involving cooperative efforts by the real estate industry, federal housing policy, banking instructions, and neighborhood organizations ensured blacks were restricted in housing choices to the least desirable residential areas (Collins and Williams, 1999). Thus, putting African Americans in tough situations as it relates to social, educational, and economic opportunities. Schools help to socialize and provide knowledge to children to become better individuals in society. However, when the schools are located in the least desirable residential area, this poses a threat to the socialization and education of children. This has a major impact on those African American children because they are not afforded the same education and socialization as those children attending the more desirable schools. Whites also display widespread acceptance of negative stereotypes of blacks and great reluctance to positive ones therefore impacting the current position of African Americans (Collins and Williams, 1999). For example, more than half of whites believe blacks are prone to violence, prefer to live off welfare, and lack the motivation or will power to pull themselves up out of poverty (Collins and Williams, 1999). African Americans then internalize this racism because they have been told or hear these allegations over and over and now believe that it is true, subsequently affecting them socially, educationally, and economically. Segregation has also played an important role in the impact of the current situations of African Americans. Blacks are discouraged from residing in white residential areas and whites continue to move out of communities when the black population increases (Collins and Williams, 1999). There has been a very minimal decline in segregation over time for this is another issue impacting African Americans today (Collins and Williams, 1999). All things considered, prior to the civil rights legislation, African Americans were not afforded the same opportunities as whites. Sociologist William Julius Wilson has stated, â€Å"The African American experience was dominated by race. † He has stated this because African. Americans were segregated from whites and this adversely affected African Americans. They were negatively treated, solely based on the similar characteristics of their skin. Another term commonly used to describe this treatment is racism. Whites were able to maintain their social distance from blacks, limiting them to only certain jobs and opportunities (Henslin, 227). They also were able to manipulate the social institutions to suppress African Americans and deny them full access to society’s benefits, a term theorists use internal colonialism (Henslin, 227). By denying black’s access to the society, whites were able to control them based on race. REFERENCES Collins, C. and Williams, R. (1999). The Deadly Effects of Racism. Sociological Forum, Vol. 14, No. 3 (Sept. , 1999), pp. 495-523. Retrieved March 16, 2011 from JSTOR database. Demark, F. L. (2010), Prejudice and Discrimination. Retreived March 17, 2011 from http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1002/9780470479216. corpsy0700/full Henslin, J. M. (2011). Essentials of Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach. Boston: Pearson Higher Education.

Impact of Organizational Culture in Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Impact of Organizational Culture in Decision Making Essay In any organization, decision making has traditionally been put in the hands of the management or superiors. An organization’s hierarchy emerges when an organization experiences problems in coordinating and motivating employees. As an organization grows, employees increase in number and begin to specialize, performing widely different kinds of tasks; the level of differentiation increases; and coordinating employees’ activities becomes more difficult (Jones, 2004). As globalization and information technology has changed every sector of the world, business organizations have attuned to demand their leaders to make decisions quickly, without needless ado, and move on to other pressing matters. This creates the temptation to make the decision unilaterally, for the sake of speed and efficiency, and be done with it. On the other hand, it is becoming increasingly clear that healthy organizations characteristically find strength in opening up participation in decision making and empowering relevant people at all levels of the organization to contribute to the quality of the decisions made. There are two reasons for making decision making in organizations more dynamic. First, empowering people to participate in important decisions is highly motivating to them and second, broad participation infuses the decision making process with the full spectrum of knowledge and good ideas that people throughout the organization have to contribute. On the other hand, the concept of organizational culture is at the core of understanding organizational behavior such as decision making. Organizational culture involves the norms that develop in a work group, the dominant values advocated by the organization, the philosophy that guides the organizations policies concerning employees and client groups, and the feeling that is evident in the ways in which people interact with one another. Thus, it clearly deals with basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of the organization. Taken together, these define the organization itself in crucial ways: why it exists, how it has survived, what it is about. As an organization’s culture influences decisions made by its members it also influences its members’ acceptance or rejection of decisions made by its leaders. So when an organization changes its strategy, the primary interest involves assessment of the compatibility of a decision option with the organization’s culturewhere an option is defined as a possible course of action in the case of a member who is making a decision, or a proposed course of action in the case of a decision that has been made by leaders (Beach, 1996, p. 118). For example, CEOs in different industries vary considerably from one another in terms of their background characteristics and experience, an observation that has intrigued the business and academic press. For example, a widely scrutinized and publicized CEO selection decision was Apple Computers decision in 1985 to replace founder Steven Jobs with John Sculley, an industry outsider with virtually no experience in the technology-driven personal computer industry. The arguments in this controversial decision centered around the relative suitability of these individuals given the changing nature of the personal computer industry. As a result of changing industry conditions in which marketing and advertising were viewed as increasingly important strategic levers, Sculley’s marketing background and experience at Pepsis beverage operations were expected to make him a better â€Å"fit† as CEO than the technologically oriented Steve Jobs (Datta, Guthrie Rajagopalan, 2002). In this regard, the impact of organization culture in decision making is seen to be very vital. Organizational culture is a powerful environment that reflects past experiences, summarizes them, and distills them into simplifications that help to explain the enormously complex world of the organization. Efforts to reduce this complexity through simplification processes such as imposing decision-making models on it are not likely to be very workable. In this view, therefore, the culture of the organization represents significant thinking prior to action and is implicit in the decision making behavior of the organization’s leaders. So when two organizations merge, there will be an impact in it uniting the culture as to who will make the decision and the issue of empowerment and participation. Empowerment and participation would be viewed by some leaders as losing power by giving it away to others. However, modern empowering leaders understand that one gains power by sharing it with others because in collaborative effort the power available to the group multiplies. To make this effective, this effort should be accompanied by the support of ongoing technical training and consultation to help all participants to master the group process skills that are essential to making empowerment succeed. They must also be accompanied by the development of concrete and publicly known processes through which one participates in the collaborative process.

Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation

Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation The aim of this module is to produce a 4000 word research proposal that would be capable for supporting the preparation of a Masters dissertation. The project report would include an introduction including a title, which would highlight the content of this business document providing a background, informing the reader of the problem / issue at hand and the context of the situation that would be discussed. The research issue would be provided highlighting the importance of the issue in todays ever-changing and competitive, cut-throat business environment. Adequate linkages would be provided to co-relate the research aims, research objectives, research questions and the hypothesis as such generated. A coherent and critical literature review would follow demonstrating the knowledge of the literature available and linking it to the situation which would be investigated. A research design and methodology would be adopted to investigate the concerned issue providing a rationale as to how the research objectives are to be accomplished explaining the selection of the research paradigm. The research design would include the methods of data capture, the data access issues, the analysis and the interpretation means that would be used to assess the situation and appropriate reasons would be provided for the choice of research tools used. Relevant ethical issues underpinning the research objectives would also be discussed along-with the resources required to complete the research proposal. The last part of this management report would include a timetable that would provide the time that it took to complete each part of the research proposal along-with a list of references utilized to complete the report. INTRODUCTION TITLE: FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION BACKGROUND The title of this research proposal is factors influencing strategy implementation. Before we discuss the issue and highlight the importance of the issue in the context of the report it is of prime importance to understand the concept of strategy implementation itself. It is the process by which the business strategy formulated is put into action. It includes the design and management of organizational systems to achieve the best integration of people and structure, allocating resources, managing human resources and developing information and decision processes to achieve organizational objectives. Pierce and Robinson  note that to effectively direct and control the use of the firms resources, mechanisms such as organizational structure, information systems, leadership styles, assignment of key managers, budgeting, rewards, and control systems are essential strategy implementation ingredients. After the creative and analytical aspects of the corporate strategy have been formulated the priority of the management is to convert the strategy into operationally effective action. A strategy is never complete, until it gains a commitment of the firms resources and becomes embodied in its organizational structure. Strategy implementation is an iterative process of implementing strategies, policies, programs and action plans that allows a firm to utilize its resources to take advantage of opportunities in the competitive environment (Harrington, 2006). There is no one definition of strategy implementation as seen from the above citations but for the purpose of this report, taking into consideration the definitions above we can define strategy implementation as an iterative, dynamic and a complex process, which comprises of series of decisions and activities by the management and the administration those affected by many interrelated internal and external factors, to turn strategic plans into reality in order to achieve the objectives of the firm. RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY This part of the report would highlight the aim and the objectives of the research, discussing the issue chosen and its importance by proposing a research question and providing an answer to it in the literature review. Many studies have acknowledged that business strategies often fail not because of inadequate strategy formulation, but because of an inappropriate implementation strategy. This report would study the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation. This report would highlight how strategy implementation has been researched so far and how this field may be moved forward so as to help in effective execution of a business strategy. As a result of the literature review undertaken, the report has found nine critical factors for strategy implementation that will be discussed further in the literature. Formulation of an effective strategy, making the strategy work and implementing it throughout the company is a difficult task (Hrebiniak, 2006). Many factors potentially affect the process by which strategic plans are turned into organizational action. Unlike strategy formulation, strategy implementation is more of a craft, rather than a science. After successful formulation of the business strategy, difficulties usually arise during the subsequent implementation process. If the business strategy formulated is not applied correctly to all the aspects of the organisational structure the business model would fail, thus harming the organisation in many aspects, the major being the financial capability of the firm, which would take a huge blow. It is of prime importance to get the implementation right otherwise there would be huge losses for the firm. Noble (1999b) notes, the best-formulated strategies may fail to produce superior performance for the firm if they are not successfully implemented. This issue is of utmost importance in todays day and age because of the cut-throat competition in the ever-changing business world where each firm needs to keep re-modelling their policies and procedures to keep up with the change in the external and internal business environment. There are combination of issues that influence the success of strategy implementation, ranging from the people who communicate or implement the strategy to the systems or mechanisms in place for co-ordination and control. How can we better understand these issues and their importance for successful strategy implementation? In this report we try to respond to this question by the critical analysis of the existing research on the factors that influence strategy implementation. An analysis has been conducted of the most widely used literature databases to identify key factors influencing the process of strategy implementation, to surface current areas of agreement and disagreement on the topic. LITERATURE REVIEW In the following section, the report would review the study sources and assess their research context, theoretical bases, their main results and the research methods used as well as the analytical techniques which are employed for the study. The examined organizational levels and organizational types are the two elements of the research context. The core of the literature review, would concentrate on the nine factors identified through rigorous analysis of the study sources, that play a role in influencing strategy implementation success, as well as the frameworks or models that aggregate or relate the relevant factors to each other. This is followed by the discussion of the theoretical bases of the reviewed studies. Finally, the research methods and analytical techniques adopted will be reviewed to see which methods are still underutilized in the context of strategy implementation. By carrying out a literature review of the existing studies, the report found two types of strategy implementation studies: one that highlight the importance of the individual factors for strategy implementation and the second that emphasize the big pictureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ of how the single factors interrelate and form a strategic implementation environment. The research would highlight nine recurring, individual factors that influence strategy implementation. They are namely the strategy formulation process, the strategy executors (managers, employees), the organizational structure, the communication activities, the level of commitment for the strategy, the consensus regarding the strategy, the relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels, the employed implementation tactics, and the administrative system in place. THE NINE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STARTEGY IMPLEMENTATION 1. Strategy Formulation If the corporate strategy drafted by the business is a poor or a vague strategy, then it can limit the implementation efforts dramatically. Good execution cannot overcome the shortcomings of a bad strategy or a poor strategic planning effort (Hrebiniak, 2006). Several studies mention the fact that the kind of strategy that is developed (Alexander, 1985; Allio, 2005) and the actual process of strategy formulation, namely, how a strategy is developed (KimMauborgne, 1993; Singh, 1998) will influence the effect of implementation. Alexander (1985) believes that the need to start with a formulated strategy that involves a good idea or concept is the most crucial and critical factor which helps promoting its successful implementation. As Allio notes, good implementation naturally starts with good strategic input: the soup is only as good as the ingredients (Allio, 2005). 2. Relationships among different departments and different strategy levels Many studies in the concerned field have stressed that the institutional relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels play a major role in the outcome of strategy implementation (Walker Ruekert, 1987; Gupta, 1987; Slater Olson, 2001; Chimhanzi, 2004; Chimhanzi Morgan, 2005). Walker Ruekert note that marketing policies, inter-functional structures and processes, corporate-business unit relationships and processes are a major influence on business strategy implementation. In addition, allocation of resources, functional competencies, inter-functional conflict, decision-making participation and influence, and coordination also have different effects on the implementation of various kinds of business strategies. Implementation effectiveness is negatively affected by conflict and positively affected by interpersonal communication and not written. Such interdepartmental dynamics are affected by senior management support informal integration and joint re ward systems. Other relationships that have received attention to a lesser extent include finance, manufacturing, engineering, quality, marketing, accounting, and sales. 3. Executors Executors comprise the top management, middle management, lower management and non-management. Effectiveness of strategy implementation is, at least in part, affected by the quality of people involved in the process (Govindarajan, 1989). The quality refers to the capabilities, experience, skills, attitudes, and other characteristics of people required by a specific position (Peng Litteljohn, 2001). Findings indicate that strategy implementation effectiveness, critically depends on the human or people side of project management, and less on organization and systems related factors. Top management refers to the senior-level leaders including presidents, owners, and other high ranking executives (CEO, CFO, COO etc.) and senior-level managers. Hrebiniak and Snow (1982) report that the level of interaction and participation among the top management team typically leads to greater commitment to the firms goals and strategies. This, in turn ensures the successful implementation of the strategy. Gupta and Govindarajan (1984) note that greater the marketing and sales experience of middle managers, the greater would be their willingness to take risk and successfully implement the strategy. Heracleous (2000) also finds that if middle management do not agree with the strategy, or do not feel that they have the skill set to implement it, then they would sabotage its implementation. Middle managers expect the direction from the top management but frequently feel that they are in a better position to start and evaluate alternative courses of action. Also, the lack of shared knowledge with lower-level management and non-management employees would create a barrier to successful strategy implementation. 4. Communication Many researchers have emphasized the importance of adequate communication channels for the process of strategy implementation. Alexander (1985) notes that communication is mentioned more frequently than any other single item that promotes successful strategy implementation. Communication includes explaining what new responsibilities, tasks, and duties need to be performed by the employees in order to implement the strategy. It answers the why behind the changed job activities, and explains the reasons why the new strategic decision was made. Rapert and Wren (1998) find that organizations where employees have easy access to management through open and supportive communication channels outperform those with more restrictive communication environments. Effective communication is a fundamental requirement for any effective strategy implementation. Organizational communication plays an important role in training, knowledge acquisition and applied learning during the process of implementation. In fact, communication is vital in every aspect of strategy implementation, as it relates in to the organizational context, organizing processes and the implementation objectives. 5. Implementation Tactics Nutt (1986) stipulates four types of implementation tactics used by managers in making planned changes: intervention, participation, persuasion, and edict. Intervention refers to strategy adjustments made during the implementation stage by introducing new practices and norms. Participation includes formulating strategic goals and nominating a task force that can develop and propose the corresponding implementation options. Persuasion is the tactic which uses involved parties to convince the employees about the desired course of actions. The issuing of directives is the main focus of the implementation tactic edict. Lehner (2004) considers the implementation tactics as genuine organizational behaviour based on the assumption that implementation in general is dependent on the environment, and various strategic and corporate variables. 6. Consensus Nielsen (1983) notes that firms must achieve consensus both within and outside their organization in order to successfully implement business strategies. The consensus about a firms strategy may differ across the operation channels within the company. If the employees of the company are not on the same information level or if information passes through many layers in the organization, a lower level of consensus would result. This lack of shared understanding may create obstacles to successful strategy implementation.(Noble, 1999b). Floyd and Wooldridge (1992a) label the gulf between strategies conceived by top management and awareness at lower levels as implementation gap. Strategic consensus is the agreement between the top, middle, and lower-level managers on the fundamental policies of the organization. Strategic decisions are initiated by a team of top managers and then mandated to the rest of the organization, overlooking the importance of securing consensus with and commitment to the organizational strategy with the lower level employees, which is a big barrier for effective strategy implementation. 7. Commitment Strategy implementation process may fail if the strategy does not achieve support and commitment by the majority of employees and the middle management. Shared understanding without commitment would result in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"counter effort and may negatively affect the organisational performance. The understanding between middle management and those at the operational level to that of the top management teams strategic goals is of prime importance to successful implementation. Noble Mokwa (1999) have put forward three dimensions of commitment that are central factors which directly influence strategic outcomes: organizational commitment, strategy commitment and role commitment. Organizational commitment is the extent to which a manager identifies with and works toward organization-related goals and values. Strategy commitment is the extent to which a manager comprehends and supports the goals and objectives of an implementation strategy. Role commitment is the extent to which a manag er is determined to perform his individual implementation responsibilities, regardless of his personal beliefs about the overall strategy. 8. Organisational Structure The type of strategy adopted could differ in many ways and have different requirements regarding an adequate organizational structure. Factors relating to the organizational structure are the second most important implementation barrier according to Heide GrÃÆ' ¸nhaug Johannessens (2002) study. Drazin and Howard (1984) stipulate that a proper alignment of the strategy with the organisational structure is an important pre-requisite for successful implementation of a corporate business strategy (Noble, 1999b). They note that changes in the competitive environment require adjustments to the organizational structure. If an organisations realignment strategies are lacking, it may exhibit poor performance and be at a major competitive disadvantage. 9. Administrative Systems Roth, Schweiger Morrison (1991) study suggests that organisational business units make use of three administrative mechanisms which are formalization, integrating mechanisms, and centralization, to create operational capabilities of configuration, managerial philosophy and coordination, to support business strategy implementation. Some researchers have also focused on the control systems which are one of important ingredients of administrative systems (Drazin Howard, 1984; Nilsson Rapp, 1999). Drazin and Howard (1984) discuss about the role of formal control system in the process of strategy implementation, and suggest that the fluidity of control system contribute to strategy implementation (Noble, 1999b). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY This part of the project report would focus on the research design and methodology adopted to carry out the research of the issue chosen which is the factors influencing strategy implementation. The following literature would highlight the components of the research paradigm chosen to accomplish the study. This section of the project report would provide a detailed rationale on how the study would achieve the research objective put forth in the title. This part would explain the methods of data capture used and the issues which would arise in gathering the required information along with the analysis and the interpretation techniques employed to achieve the research aim. Limitations would be included in the following report to make the reader aware of the shortcomings of the chosen methodology; the relevant ethical issues would also be discussed in the proposed research design along-with the resources required to complete the proposed research. The choice for the research methodology adopted is in congruence with the strategic issue chosen for the research proposal. The selection criteria to choose articles for inclusion in the research analysis: The articles which contain the keywords strategy implementation or strategy execution have been included in the literature .From this; further articles were identified using the references sections of the previously retrieved articles. In this way, the report also includes the articles which treat strategy implementation as one of the major subjects even if their title or keywords did not include the terms strategy implementation or strategy execution. As a final selection criterion it was checked whether the articles explicitly discuss factors impeding or enabling strategy implementation success. Data Collection Secondary Sources In order to identify the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation, the report has analysed relevant academic, peer reviewed journals such as the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Journal of Management, Academy of Management Executive, Human Relations, Sloan Management Review, Journal of Marketing, etc. using the literature databases of EBSCO Host, ProQuest ABI, Science Direct, JSTOR and Wiley Interscience. Information has also been sourced from Google Scholar and books, newspapers, trade journals, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, monitoring industry news and developments. The research data would be collected in different organisations or units of an organisation. The organisations were mainly professional service organisations, from both public and private sector. For example, finance, insurance and telecommunications companies, and government departments would be included. The size of the units under study would be 100 to 500 employees. The study would be qualitative in nature, main research method being semi-structured interviews. Primary Sources and Sampling In each organisation or unit, representatives would form three groups, namely the top management, middle management, and lower level personnel, would be interviewed using the questionnaire provided below. Altogether twenty-five interviewees per organisation would be randomly chosen: 2-5 persons representing the top management level, 4-13 persons the middle management level, and 8-17 persons from the lower level personnel. The interviewees would be chosen randomly, ensuring however that different tasks, work groups, and departments were represented equitably. The general topic of the interviews would be strategy implementation. During the interviews, the interviewees would fill out questionnaires, in which they would evaluate the various problem statements. The questionnaire has been given below: Q1. How do you define the concept of strategy implementation? Q2. What kind of issues would you associate strategy implementation with? Q3. How do you participate in the strategy implementation process? Q4. How are the policies pertaining to strategy implementation communicated within the different levels of the organization? Q5. Describe your own role in the process of strategy implementation. Q6. Evaluate the degree of the strategy implementation problems in your organisation. Data Access Issues Some data access issues might arise in the research journey, which could be the unwillingness of the employees to participate in the planned interviews hampering the information gathering capabilities of the subsequent research report along-with lack of co-operation from concerned companies which might not give permission to carry out interviews with its employees fearing a possible leak of its corporate strategy to its competitors. Also finances required for the successful completion of the information gathering process might not be adequate. Data Analysis The results of the questionnaires would be assessed, as well as the comments of the interviewees for the statements would be analysed. The main data analysis method employed would be content analysis of the interviews. The transcribed interviews would be coded accordingly to the central issues of the research. The analysis method would include historical trend analysis and linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting, and conjoint analysis. Limitations of the Research Design The approach in conducting the literature review has shortcomings which should be acknowledged. The following are the limitations in the methodology adopted. Collection of articles has been carried out by relying on the databases of EBSCO Host, Science Direct, JSTOR, Wiley Inter Science and ProQuest ABI and the report thus may have overlooked some critical viewpoints on strategy implementation included in monographs or specialists books. Some selective articles in the review, however, rely heavily on concepts from advanced books on corporate strategy thus making up for the shortcoming to a certain extent. The articles have been located using the keywords strategy implementation and strategy execution. This procedure of gathering articles may omit some important articles. The report also excludes some very specific strategy implementation contexts, such as post-merger integration implementation. The research has discovered that most of the conducted studies in the subject focus on the influence of middle managers on strategy implementation. There is no special research relating to lower management and non-management, even if several authors have stated that it is important to consider their effects on strategy implementation as well. Another major research challenge incudes, a lack of understanding between the relationships among the nine reviewed factors, for example, there are major disagreements about the relationship between the variables of communication, commitment and consensus which the report fails to highlight. Also a limiting factor is that there are very few studies that systematically examine how different organizational units and strategy levels can influence strategy implementation, which the report has not included. Strategy implementation involves many theories including agency theory, social learning theory, expectancy theory, organization theory and social system theory. Because of the limited word count it was not feasible to include such theories in the text presented which is also a shortcoming. The lists of journal articles selected are not comprehensive enough, as many other issues could potentially affect strategy implementation. Such other factors, however, are less mentioned or not analysed in-depth, as many of them are also hard to control and modify. Research Ethics For research to be carried out successfully there are many ethical issues that need to be taken into consideration. It is very important to secure the permission and interests of all the people involved in the study. The people involved would be given assurance that any information obtained during the interview process would not be misused as this is the moral responsibility which would be maintained towards the participants. It is the duty of this research to protect the rights of the participants of the study as well as their privacy and sensitivity. The confidentiality of those involved in the observation would be maintained at all times, keeping their anonymity and privacy secure. Resources required for effective research The resources required to carry out the proposed research would require the support and co-operation of the supervisor in charge so as to provide guidance for submitting an effective research analysis report. Also would require permission from the industries chosen for the study of the research issue and the co-operation of its employees for conducting interviews. Adequate financial support would also be required to assist in the completion of the proposed research analysis report to cover the cost of commuting and resultant transportation fares. TIMETABLE TASK SELECTION OF INDUSTRIES FOR RESEARCH FOCUS DAYS 1-5 6-10 10-15 16-20 21-25 25-30 LITERATURE REVIEW/ CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA INTERVIEWING PROCESS INDEPTH STUDY OF VARIOUS SOURCES ASSESSING RESOURCE FOR CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK COLLECTION OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA DEVELOPMENT OF RATIONALE FOR STUDY FINALLY FORMULATED RESEAERCH PROPOSAL

Commedia dell’ Arte Essay -- essays research papers fc

The first question is why use "commedia dell' arte" as a training tool for modern actors at all, since drama and the business of acting has hopefully moved on since the Italian Comedians finally left Paris. The fact remains, however, that the dominant form of acting today that both exists as the aspiring young actor's performance role model and as a category of performance in itself is T.V. naturalism. We are lucky in that something both inspirational and technical has survived from those heady times. When contemporary acting technique does not provide all the answers that actors may be looking for, it is not surprising that they look towards the past for inspiration. It is in this grey area between researching historical certainties and reconstructing guessed at acting technique that we must look. These Martinellis and Andreinis were the superstars of their day and the question that most often gets asked is "how did they do it?"(Oliver Crick). The fact that some of these performers were verging on genius is without dispute. This fact alone does not help us at all in training a contemporary performer. What can help us, though, is the wide variety of theories concerning the acting techniques, styles and training of these late entertainers. In a sense it is irrelevant where these theories come from and even how historically correct they are. As an actor (and a trainer of actors) one has a duty to choose what will work for an audience and to ignore the rest. The current historical theory as to how Isabella Andreini performed a particular "lazzi" might come from an impeccable source, but if a contemporary audience is unappreciative, then dump it quick, and on with something will work. There may be a case for re-creating "commedia dell'arte" as it was done, but does this really help the modern actor? Even in the more old-fashioned drama school period movement is meant to help an actor interpret a historical role, and is not mean't as an end in itself (David Claudon). One solution is to approach an actor at the beginning of their training, and see where knowledge of "commedia dell'arte" and its performance can expand a performer's range. The contemporary young actor's most familiar performance role model is that of televisi... ...terisation (Claudon). It may not be the whole answer, but it certainly plugs a few gaps that naturalism leaves open. "Commedia dell'arte" is also beneficial in any study of acting because it utilises a theatrical grammar, as well as a very intimate relationship with the audience (Crick). Now we can only wait until The Globe reopens to experiment with these theories in a purpose-built theatre. Works Cited Claudon, David. A Thumbnail History of Commedia Dell’Arte. 15 Oct. 2003 . Crick, Oliver. â€Å"The Uses of Commedia Dell'Arte in Training the Modern Actor.† Austin Commedia Society. 27 Nov. 2003 . Gordon, Mel. â€Å"Lazzi: the Comic Routines of the Commedia Dell’Arte.† New York; Performing Arts Journal Publications, c1983 (1992 printing). Lea, Kathleen M. â€Å"Italian Popular Comedy; a Study in the Commedia Dell’Arte, 1560- 1620, with special reference to the English stage.† New York: Russell & Russell, 1962. Rudlin, John. â€Å"Commedia Dell’Arte: an Actor’s Handbook.† London; New York: Routledge, 1994.

Battle of the Sexes :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

Battle of the Sexes Tiny pink nipples peeked out from our pasty chests and our protruding ribs gave way to our sun-starved tummies. Alex and I ran free, our shirts flapping in the wind as we waved them over our heads like victory flags. Moments later, on that April day in first grade, my best friend and I experienced the injustices of womanhood; our teachers informed us that we were not allowed to go shirtless during recess. "Why?" Alex whined. "That's not fair," I protested. "The boys can." Of course our complaints received the usual response, "It's different for little boys and little girls." An answer that was not only unsatisfactory, but infuriating as well. Indignantly, Alex and I argued our way to topless equality. By age six, I challenged the double standard set for boys and girls. Instinctively, I knew to speak out against blatant sexism. When I heard a guest at a dinner party remark, "What a shame that beautiful curly hair was wasted on your son. You really should consider cutting it, so the poor thing doesn't get mistaken for a girl." I boldly cut in, "Boys can have long hair just as much as girls. They can be beautiful too, you know." The adults chuckled over my petulance and my parents shared embarrassed smiles. Then they banished me to the designated "children's table," leaving me with a lingering sense of injustice. My strong desire for equality has been shaped by experiences like these and myriad of other people and standards as well. For example, I am angered by the emphasis society places on men to become "big, strong protector providers" while women are encouraged to appear docile and meek. When I was young I watched cartoons like Popeye and Superman, noting their bravery in rescuing innocent folks from the arms of danger. Then I wanted to know why there were no women heroes. Why couldn't females be the ones to flex their muscles at monsters and "bad guys" to protect or rescue their helpless male lovers? Early in my life I recognized these implied yet clear-cut roles for men and women and they still exist in many areas of life today. However, I strongly believe that males and females deserve equal opportunities and that expectations based on gender are unfair.

The Role of Women in the Caholic Church :: essays research papers

Role of Women in the Roman Catholic Church   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women in the Catholic Church take on many roles, from parishioner to laywoman to nuns. Women parishioners help prepare for the mass. They can be lectors, choir members, CCD instructors, etc. Laywomen â€Å"†¦are the Catholic women traditionally permitted certain ministerial responsibilities (Wessinger, 244).† They work in churches, schools, prisons, etc. Nuns dedicate their lives to religious devotion. They take three vows; poverty, chasity, and obedience. They are to live simple lifestyles. They live their lives teaching others and helping others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1995, at the Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing, the pope stated: â€Å"Today I appeal to the whole Church community to be willing to foster feminine participation in every way in its internal life. This is certainly not a new commitment, since it is inspired by the example of Christ himself†¦.nevertheless, he also involved women in the cause of his kingdom; indeed he wanted them to be the first witnesses and heralds of his resurrection. In fact, there are many women who have distinguished themselves in the Church’s history by their holiness and hardworking ingenuity.† The pope also stated that the feminine presence could be seen through, â€Å"†¦theological teaching, the forms of liturgical ministry permitted, including service at the alter, pastoral and administrative councils†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A year later, according to a research project, The Notre Dame Study of Catholic Parish Life, many women have assumed parish responsibilities. â€Å"†¦The following percentages of ministerial activities done by women reveal: alter preparation 85 percent, teaching 80 percent, social caring and justice ministries 85 percent, parish council leadership 52 percent (Wessinger, 246).†. Church practice is - to a large extent - women's practice. Without the unpaid cooperation of women, important pastoral activities would stop. A fair number of women choose to give their time and efforts to the church, rather than take paid employment. Many times these women are over looked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many questions as to why women can not become priests. Women can not receive the Sacrament of Orders and cannot fulfill the function of ministerial priest hood. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, â€Å"Only a baptized man validly receives the sacred ordination.

Mother- Tongue based Multilingual Education Essay

Transfer to the other languages once Filipino or English has been acquired to use these skills in thinking and articulating thought and Be used in the process of acquiring English and Filipino more effectively Social Development Maintains local language and culture while providing national/ international language acquisition and instruction Promotes learners’ integration into the national society without forcing them to sacrifice their linguistic and cultural heritage. Using the culture the child knows enabling immediate comprehension from which new concepts can be built- going form the known to the unknown. Academic Development Meaning based education that enables students to learn well with the understanding of what the teacher is saying. Be well prepared to enter and achieve well in the mainstream education system. Source: Gazette of the Philippines The WHY’s In an article by Cruz (2011) under grading P-Noy the country’s president Pres. â€Å"Noy Noy† Aquino said, â€Å"My view on this is larger than just the classroom. We should become tri- lingual as a country; Learn English well and connect to the world; Learn Filipino well and connect to our country; retain your mother tongue and connect to your heritage†. In light to the Legal basis in the 1987 Constitution (Article XIV Sec 7), For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein, and as supported by the  1987 Philippine Constitution (Article XXVII Sec 30) which states that the child has the right to an education and to learn and use the language of his family, and as strengthened by RA 8780 EECD Law (Sec 5a) which states that schools a nd institutions shall use the child’s first language as the medium of instruction and Education for all should enable everyone to speak in the vernacular, Filipino and English, RA 9155 or EFA/MDG. Under BESRA KRT 3, all persons beyond school- age regardless of their level of schooling should acquire the essential competence to be considered functionally literate in their mother tongue in Filipino or in English. Theories of Language and Cognition This new approach in education in the Philippines under the Mother- Tongue based education in the newly implemented K-12 program has so much promise when it comes to having a solid foundation in literacy with children and thus this would create a ripple effect as they progress in their succeeding years not only academically but also in life itself. There had been several studies and researches done showing the efficacy of using the majority’s mother tongue language in learning a minority language, and in the case of the Philippines it is a country that embraces several mother tongue languages according to Lewis, Simons, Fenig (2013) the country includes around 120- 170 identified mother tongues spoken in different parts of the country; the Department of Education in the Philippines has somehow introduced and currently approved 12 mother tongues to be used in each respective areas that use such mother tongue languages, the 12 identified major language or lingua are as follow: a ) Tagalog b) Kapampangan c) Pangasinense d) Iloko e) Bikol f) Cebuano g) Hiligaynon h) Waray i) Tausug j) Maguindanaoan k) Maranao; l) Chabacano. Even with the studies and researches done to prove that having a good foundation of the understanding of the mother- tongue language of the child, there is still a whole lot of questions that rose with regards to parents’ aspirations for their children to learn English as early as Kindergarten since most have the mentality that learning the English language and being able to use the language in daily basis not only in school but also in social gatherings, homes and play area would make their children more appealing and would excel academically. To answer those questions, enlighten peoples’ mentalities and  to clearly understand the underlying effect of the benefits mother tongue based education offers; let us first see the theories that would explain the scientific workings of language in several context. Under the theories of Language and Cognition as described by Cummin (1981) he clearly illustrated under the Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) that the basis for st udents to further learn a new language or L2 is the cognition and language fundamentals that student’s learned from their primary language or L1. In other words, if a student has a strong foundation and is competent in their L1, they are most likely to be competent in the acquisition of a second language, the L2. The Common Underlying Proficiency or CUP serves as the central operation system of both languages L1 and L2, Cummin (1981). In short, if there is comprehension on the water cycle in their L1, that formulated knowledge transfers to the comprehension of water cycle in another language or L2. In the Philippines’ case let us say that the water cycle as discussed in Bisaya (mother tongue used in Cebu) is learned it is of close certainty that learning the same context discussed in English (students’ L2) would also be learned by the students. Linguistic knowledge, as well as skills such as summarizing chapters, can also transfer between languages, Freeman & Freeman (2004). The results of many recent studies suggest that bilingualism can positively affect both intellectual and linguistic progress. These studies have reported that bilingual children exhibit a greater sensitivity to linguistic meanings and may be more flexible in their thinking than are monolingual children (Cumm ins and Swain, 1986; Diaz, 1986; Hakuta and Diaz, 1985; Ricciardelli, 1989). Most of these studies have investigated aspects of children’s metalinguistic development; in other words, children’s explicit knowledge about the structure and functions of language itself. Another concept under Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and consisting of the language skills that enables students to communicate in everyday social contexts at home or in group, Diaz- Rico & Weed (2006) and consists of more social cues, such as wave or a smile when a friend or acquaintance is seen, or a nod from a teacher or parent to affirm that the child is doing a good job. Since it is context embedded, L2 learners tend to develop it within 2 years; much more quickly than Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). CALP can be seen of as academic, or school language and requires more complex thought  process such as categorizing and analyzing. It focuses more on â€Å"abstract and decontextualized† Diaz- Rico & Weed (2010), higher- order thinking skills are required from students in this aspect, since the lack of context clues that CALP provides, it can take up to five years for English Language Learners or L2 to develop. An important characteristic of the bilingual children in the more recent studies (conducted since the early 1960’s) is that, for the most part, they were developing what has been termed an additive form of bilingualism (Lambert, 1975); in other words, they were adding another language which is English as their second language to their repertory skills at no cost or disadvantage of their first language but instead these children were in the process of attaining high level of fluency and literacy in both of their two languages. To further develop such skills what teachers could do is to encourage students to keep reading stories, articles or animations in their native language for fun, or even talk about their day in school with their parents, guardians, friends and/ or social circle in their native language, and in order to allow for the development of BICS, teachers need to give students time to socialize throughout the school day. This time could be during a work time or even just at lunch and on the playground. Without many opportunities to communicate socially, English Language Learners will struggle with basic language development. In the aspect of the development of CALP in an English Language Learner is one that will take more time and thought on the part of the teacher. When introducing content-specific language in the classroom, it is helpful to provide student with visuals and realia as much as possible. Giving students the opportunity to visually picture the concept will aid their understanding. When the concept is more abstract, as is the case with more upper-leveled grades, resources such as charts, graphs and graphic organizers may be particularly helpful in the development of CALP. Cummins himself says that â€Å"not only does maintenance of L1 helps students to communicate with parents and grandparents in their families, and increase the collective linguistic competence of the entire society, it enhances the intellectual and academic resources of individual bilingual students†Ã‚  Cummins (2000). Children use language in social context, especially in building relationships, exchanging information, thinking and with the play of words and in communicating while learning. We know today that the ability to communicate is prior to linguistic development: before producing words to communicate, babies start to babble or show signs in order to communicate to their caregivers or family; then they start to name people and things around them to exchange information and make sense and meaning of the world they are in. As they continue to develop, their language develops and they become more sophisticated communicators; from then on their personality develops and when they go to school they start playing with other children and cooperating and use their language(s) to interact with peers and adults and to learn. Therefore, children need language to socialize, to communicate, to understand the world and to learn. As Harding and Riley (1986) write: â€Å"A child learning a language is learning about the world, about how it is organised and how it works. This is very different from the adult learning a second language who tends to work the other way round: he brings his world with him and uses the language to try to express it.† When placed in a bilingual or multilingual setting, children are going to learn in that context through their first language or L1 and that it is important to acknowledge several facts around L1: that is the language acquired from home and from birth to their social cir cle and it does not stop by the time children enter school. And that the additional language would not develop and progress similarly with L1 since L1 is already pre- existing. As a teacher, one should always remember that just because a student speaks English well on the playground, does not mean their CALP language is fluent. A teacher should encourage students to continue to read regularly in their native language, so that they can transfer these skills into English. As Cummins (2000) states: â€Å"Conceptual knowledge developed in one language helps to make input in the other language comprehensible. If a child already understands the concepts of â€Å"justice† or â€Å"honesty† in her own language, all she has to do is acquire the label for these terms in English. She has a far more difficult task, however, if she has to acquire both the label and the concept in her second language† Shoebottom (1996- 2012). Another tactic teachers can use is to allow students to work in groups with other who speak the same native language. Teachers could allow students to talk among  themselves, use pictures or dictionaries if they don’t understand something. Teach all students the vocabulary before starting an new unit, this can benefit the entire class. Never judge a student for not unde rstanding something taught to them in their L2. It had been noticeable that almost anywhere the minorities are taken for granted. They are expected, if not required to assimilate to the socio- political edifices, social practices, and the social standards which are mostly built by the majority. Even then the majority still treats them less than equal, if not less than human. And with regards to the minority in the aspect of language in the Philippines, this particular learning initiative is ideal to the schools who caters to disabled students and also to students who have special needs. And with this new program which is the MTB- MLE it is most likely to enhance and help them make meaning to the concepts and topics that are being introduced, it would eliminate one aspect of understanding the word, their only concern by then is understanding the concept since they already understand the language use in the introduction of the content, thus making it easier for them and making it personal and relatable. Since the aim of mainstreaming is to let students with special needs learn at par with regular students, this learning initiative would enhance that aim and would fully immerse students with special needs in the â€Å"regular world† it would also put them at par with the reality that regular students are in. This learning initiative would help these marginalized minorities through supporting the use of their mother tongue and helping them make sense of the words and the world they are in. In line with the salient features of this MTB- MLE learning initiative, this would be powerful in the development of their language literacy, thus providing them with a strong educational foundation on their first language and bridging it in learning another language either the Filipino language or the English language and also, enabling them to use both or all languages in their own discretion, and given that students with special needs find it challenging in transferring concepts and instantly making meaning on concepts compared to regular students, this learning initiative would put their mother tongue as their solid foundation in figuring out the meaning of  each topic and the concept introduced, making it less stressful and difficult. Another feature that was presented focused on Cognitive development of students and learners, and with MTB- MLE learning initiative it is based on the child or students’ own known environment and bridges their world to the wider world so as the concept of â€Å"Known to Unknown† and the build- up of higher order thinking skills as to where they are capable of doing, may it be figuring out money change, or deciding as to where the safest part of the road to cross; and the understanding concepts learned through their mother tongue would then be transferred in another language, and making it less confusing since there is already prior knowledge and familiarity o the concept. In the aspect of social development, since these minorities have difficulty with regards to their social skills, this learning initiative would enable them to make it less threatening and intimidating for them to engage themselves in social circles, practices and activities, may it be joining a person or two in the playground and engaging in a simple play or social gathering. MTB- MLE enables these students to use their known culture and enabling them to immediately comprehend social practices, activities and realities based on their known world outside those in school—their known world at home, encouraging them to interact and share what they usually do at home since the language used at home, is the same language used in school, activities and social practices in their learning environment. And the last salient feature discussed in this learning initiative is academic development, through MTB- MLE learning initiative, students with special needs are able to make meaning of what the teacher is saying since the language used is their mother tongue, the language most likely they use at home and are familiar to them. And also, it would allow this minority to be well prepared to achieve well in the mainstream education system as what most parents aspire their children to achieve. The learning experience of students with special needs would most likely be enhanced with this learning initiative since it is basing the acquisition of concepts, topics, context and ideas in their known language and allowing immediate acceptance to these concepts since the language used is already an experienced everyday activity. It would limit special needs students’ intimidation, threat and hesitation in engaging themselves socially, academically and emotionally, since they could clearly see that their fellow  students, as well as teachers are using the same known language with regards to teaching and learning, and putting them on the same standard as of the other regular students, also allowing the minimal feel on the difference of regular students and special needs students. This learning initiative would most likely encourage students to achieve more are would not make big concepts in different subjects intimidating since the language used are non- threatening to them, this would allow them to relate their everyday reality to the reality nationally, internationally and globally. Upon having a solid foundation on their mother tongue, students are also able to retain their local identity and national identity at the same time being able to find their global identity thus giving them a key to fully experience the world outside their known world through the help of worldwide web, media, and global activities. Though this learning initiative is very ideal to the marginalized minority which is towards students with special needs under mainstream program; this learning initiative poses a challenge to its proponents, especially the teachers, since being the product of the old education system which uses English as the medium of instruction and mother tongue was not in the picture in the whole education process, teachers would find it a constant challenge to cultivate their known mother tongue and use it in their teaching practices, learning once again how to write in their mother tongue at the same time being critical with the syntax and technicalities when it comes to the grammar in their mother tongue, since one could not directly translate English sentences to one’s mother tongue due to its arrangement and syntax. Teachers have to shift to what they have known, used and practiced in their education as well as their profession, it is a shift to learning and entertaining their mother tongue and incorporating it to their instruction; it would mean relearning terminologies and changes in outlines, instructional materials, resources, references, educational strategies and practices; these challenges are to be faced head on and demands consistency and result from stakeholders such as schools, parents, students and the government. This learning initiative is properly introduced and practiced, it would make a difference not only to the marginalized minority but also to the other students especially those who are struggling academically, and since theories involving L2 acquisition shows that having a solid foundation on L1 does not hinder any academic  performance rather than it supports and enhances the students understanding of concepts since the language used is their home language, the language that they have been familiar since birth, the language that they have learned to make meaning on this outside their academic world. The successful practice of this learning initiative would bring about better comprehending students, better learners, enhancement of higher order thinking skills, life skills and whole rounded learners. It would also promote unity in different localities in the same region, unity in schools and not having that glaring difference on status basing on the language spoken, unity in public a nd private school sectors, unity and uniformity in concepts taught. And as a teacher, I am moved to respond to this learning initiative by furthering and widening my skills and knowledge on my mother tongue since I personally am not confident to teach my mother tongue, since I grew up in an English speaking environment and in a family that used English in almost always at home. I am challenged to relearn my mother tongue and to have full command of my local language, and since the country is already adapting to MTB- MLE it is my responsibility as a future teacher to make into reality the aims and features of this learning initiative, making the learning experience personal to my future students and learners even if there are more than 30 students in a class, it is my responsibility to make sure that my future students would confidently be able to make sense and meaning to what I am conveying and saying with regards to teaching concepts, and also carry with it the encouragement for unity, uniformity and decrease the fear of being different in terms of understanding the language. Since this learning initiative is fairly a new concept to some, it is also my responsibility to share the beauty and its advantages, in the whole educational experience of a learner, it is my responsibility to make it known to others of the weight of such learning initiative in the enhancement and development of whole rounded learners and life- long learners. References Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA), 2010. BESRA Key Reform Thrust 3: Influential social institutions and key social processes are engaged by DepED to support national scale attainment of desired learning outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.fnf.org.ph/downloadables/Basic%20Education%20Sector%20Reform%20Agenda.pdf Cruz, Isagani 2011. Grading P- Noy. PhilSTAR.com the Filipino Global Community. Retrieved from http://www.philstar.com/education-and-home/708011/grading-p-noy Cummins, J. & Swain, M. (1986). Bilingualism in education: Aspects of theory, research and practice. London: Longman. Cummins, J. 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