Karl Marx's Estranged Labor vs. Adam Smith's Division of Labor Research Paper

Karl Marx's Estranged Labor vs. Adam Smith's Division of Labor - Research Paper Example While Marx sought to minimalize the effects of capitalism, Smith sought to emphasize the brilliance of the free market economy. Naturally, these two individuals’ ideologies clash, but there is value in both perspectives, as one shall soon see. Karl Marx’s ideas about estranged labor, Smith’s ideas about the division of labor, and a comparison of the two ideologies will be herein attempted. II. Karl Marx’s Estranged Labor Karl Marx identifies estranged labor as labor alien to man. Marx explains the condition of estranged labor as the result of man participating in an alien to his nature. It my interpretation that man is alienated from his labor because he is not the reaper of what he sows. Because he is never the recipient of his efforts, the laborer lacks identity with what he creates. For Marx then labor is alien to the worker and does not belong to his essential being. Marx identifies two explanations of why man’s lack of identity with labor leads him to be estranged from labor. The explanation that the laborer does not develop freely his physical and mental energy, but instead mortifies his mind, may extol the virtue of communism. In other words, labor fails to nurture man’s physical and mental capacities, and instead, drains them. Because the worker is denied any nurturing in his work, no intimacy between the worker and his work develops. Although, it’s very hard to see how working in a sweat shop in Communist China, for example, is creating intimacy with one’s work to the point that one is able to develop one’s energy freely. Thus, this quote â€Å"lack† of an intimate relation with what he creates, man is summarily estranged from his labor. Furthermore, labor estranges man from himself. Marx argues that the labor the worker produces does not belong to him, but to someone else. Given this condition, the laborer belongs to someone else and is therefore enslaved. As a result of being ensla ved the worker is reduced to a â€Å"subsisting animal,† a condition alien to him. As an end result man is estranged from himself and is, in his words, mortified. Marx points to these situations as the reason man is essentially estranged from his labor. The incongruence between the world of things the worker creates and the world the worker lives in is the estrangement. As the worker gives up his or her contribution to the work, he or she begins to lose importance to the work and the work becomes more superior to the worker. As this happens, the owner of the company or organization accumulates more wealth and power and is able to overcome competition and have more power over the worker. ? I find this to be true based on my personal experience when I worked for a logistics company as a shipping lead. The harder I worked, the more powerful the department became, hence the more powerful the company became—and the less important I became to the company and its superiors. T he department improved a lot under my leadership whereby it generated more revenue. The result was that the company became more important than the person—as stated by Marx in the above paragraphs. ? The worker becomes all the poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and range. The worker becomes an ever-cheaper commodity the more commodities he creates. According to Marx in Calhoun and Gerteis (2007), â€Å"On the basis of political economy itself, in its own words, we have shown that the worker sinks to the level of a commodity and becomes indeed the most wretched of

Petitions of African Chiefs Essay Example for Free

Petitions of African Chiefs Essay 1. When the slave trade was abolished in certain regions of Africa, the Africans were forced to find other alternative sources of livelihood such as entering in a legitimate trade of shipping various products.     Ã‚  Instead of selling human beings as merchandise, the Africans accepted the timber trade when it was introduced by the Europeans.   However, when   the timber trade did not succeed, they turned to growing and exporting ground nuts and when this too did not come through, the Africans resorted to palm oil trading – the subject of King Ockiya’s letter to the Earl of Derby. 2. Since the abolition of the African slave trade, Africans having been trying to find other sources of income and livelihood.   Among such is the valued palm oil which they collected from the hinterlands.   However, greedy British traders wanted to bypass them and go directly to the source of these valued commodity.   Hence, the African leaders were asking the British to let them have their own source of livelihood, free of intervention from the Europeans who were already encroaching on their trading posts thereby stopping the African trade completely. The petitions and demands of the African leaders show how powerful the Europeans are that even building huts or places of abode are considered taxable.   Nonetheless, these ruthlessness of the Europeans paved the way for the Africans to wake up and saw all of these as an assault to their customs, livelihood and traditions. Lin’s Letter to Queen Victoria 1. The rise of the opium trade in China according to Lin has poisoned and injured its people.   The laws of the country have been disregard in lieu of the temptations and addiction of the opium drug. 1. Lin tries to convince Queen Victoria to stop the opium trade by appealing to their conscience and strict morality. He tries to emphasize that since opium is forbidden in Britain and brings harm to the British people, the Queen must condemn it as well especially its importation.   As Lin proudly said, China has only exported things that are beneficial to the people and opium is not one of them. By giving the impression that China only exports things that are beneficial, from which the world has undoubtedly benefited, Lin thinks that Queen Victoria and the rest of Britain might be convinced of his argument.   However, the tone of Lin’s letter is also threatening whereby he gives the appearance that China in consonance with its laws will not hesitate to execute anyone caught selling and using the prohibited drug. Hence, the response of the British will naturally be to disregard Lin and his contention, even get angry at such preposterousness.

The Israeli and Palestinian Conflict Essay -- Middle East Conflict War

The Israeli and Palestinian Conflict - Many Questions, Few Answers Unless the Israelis and Palestinians could not compromise, negotiate and come to an agreement, peace is impossible in the Middle East and even the security fence that Israel is now building will not solve the conflict nor stop terrorist actions by Palestinian extremists. The Israelis and Palestinians need to compromise and negotiate, as suggested by the words written on that wall, â€Å"Peace comes (with) agreement not separation.† The leaders of both sides of the conflict should think of the future generations. They should agree to disagree –meaning that they should come to terms and pour out all their grievances, the cause and root of their anger and go beyond that anger to think of a solution that both sides would agree upon. They should decide what is best for their people and the land they would both like and wish to call home. Historically, the land being fought by the Israelis and Palestinians never experienced any peace at all. Palestine was occupied and fought by different groups, Ottoman and the Roman Empires, and the Crusaders. In late 19th century, the population of Palestine was mostly Arabs, nomads, and some Jews but that soon changed. In Europe, Jews were being persecuted so leaders of European Jews gathered in Switzerland to form the Zionist movement. The goal of Zionism was to â€Å"create for the Jewish people a home in Palestine secured by public law.† The slogan, â€Å"A land without people for a people without land† by Dr. Chaim Weizmann, a Zionist leader successfully helped support the Zionist movement’s goal. And under the British government who occupied and governed Palestine at that time and with the Balfour Declaration, a Jewish homeland was established in Palestine. The Balfour Declaration allowed migration of Jews to Palestine during World War I, which led to anti-Jewish riots by the Palestinians. The Palestinians felt more betrayed and reacted badly when more European Jews who were escaping Nazi persecution, were allowed to migrate to Palestine during and after the World War II. They demanded an independent Palestinian state. They attacked British troops and posts, as well as Jewish settlements. The settlers counterattacked and retaliated while at the same time, the British escalated its oppressive measures against the Palestinians by destroying their homes and sentencin... ...e so-called leaders in Palestine and Israel and some here at the US don’t want peace in that land at all. They have their own agenda and interest to protect at all cost. The Palestinians’ hatred of Jews would extend even beyond Israel. Palestinian supporters from the Arab and Muslim world saw the biases, prejudice and injustice done to the Palestinian people. The United States with its support of Israel became a victim of this hatred and vengeance with the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Thousands of lives and billions of dollars of properties were lost. Is peace possible in the Middle East? Would the wall being built by the Israeli government protect its people from Palestinians violence and terrorism? Is there a possibility of an independent Palestinian state? Could there be a solution to the Palestinian problem and its refugees? Could the illegal Israeli settlements of Palestinian lands be ever resolved or removed? Could the Palestinians and Israelis ever live together in peace? Would there be a leader on both sides who could lead their people to make peace to each other? These are the questions that are hard to answer with the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

Eulogy for Grandfather :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Grandfather One of my earliest memories of Grandpa begins with us driving to the Monmouth Park Racetrack. We sure did love to go to the track and root for Julie Krone or one of our other favorite jockeys. He loved challenges, and he especially loved the challenge of picking the ponies. He would read the race programs in the Asbury Park Press and usually pre-pick most of the day's favorite horses before ever leaving the house. Still, on arrival, we always bought the program and maybe a race sheet or two before entering the track grandstand. After picking up a couple of seats right around the finish line or maybe a little past it, back to figuring he'd go. As he went, grandpa would always point out the horses that had won recently or looked like they were due. "I have a feeling about this one" he'd say. We were always there in time for the first race and even the "correction call" that came over the speakers with changes to the program; He'd make each and every one of the changes to our program; Scratch #3 and #7, add two pounds to #5 and note #9 is on Lacix. Then a trip to the men's room of course, to drop a quarter in the dish and see what the picks sheet the janitor kept had to say. And after all of that, as if he ever had any luck picking just 1 horse, he always had to have two or more in any race. Of course, he never did win very much and never hit the big trifecta that none of us ever do. That didn't change how much he loved to go or the fun we had when we were there; rooting all the way to the finish, standing and shaking our programs at the horses and their jockeys on the last leg. After most races he'd say "2, 5. Do you see that? I looked at that stupid 5 horse and changed my mind" ... And while he may have won more often with just 1 horse, I know it was the challenge he loved... not the winning. Of course, I wouldn't be doing him any justice if I didn't mention his collection of hats from the big stakes, yearly race known as the Haskell. Dating back to the mid-eighties, it is the largest collection known to exist. Eulogy for Grandfather :: Eulogies Eulogy Eulogy for Grandfather One of my earliest memories of Grandpa begins with us driving to the Monmouth Park Racetrack. We sure did love to go to the track and root for Julie Krone or one of our other favorite jockeys. He loved challenges, and he especially loved the challenge of picking the ponies. He would read the race programs in the Asbury Park Press and usually pre-pick most of the day's favorite horses before ever leaving the house. Still, on arrival, we always bought the program and maybe a race sheet or two before entering the track grandstand. After picking up a couple of seats right around the finish line or maybe a little past it, back to figuring he'd go. As he went, grandpa would always point out the horses that had won recently or looked like they were due. "I have a feeling about this one" he'd say. We were always there in time for the first race and even the "correction call" that came over the speakers with changes to the program; He'd make each and every one of the changes to our program; Scratch #3 and #7, add two pounds to #5 and note #9 is on Lacix. Then a trip to the men's room of course, to drop a quarter in the dish and see what the picks sheet the janitor kept had to say. And after all of that, as if he ever had any luck picking just 1 horse, he always had to have two or more in any race. Of course, he never did win very much and never hit the big trifecta that none of us ever do. That didn't change how much he loved to go or the fun we had when we were there; rooting all the way to the finish, standing and shaking our programs at the horses and their jockeys on the last leg. After most races he'd say "2, 5. Do you see that? I looked at that stupid 5 horse and changed my mind" ... And while he may have won more often with just 1 horse, I know it was the challenge he loved... not the winning. Of course, I wouldn't be doing him any justice if I didn't mention his collection of hats from the big stakes, yearly race known as the Haskell. Dating back to the mid-eighties, it is the largest collection known to exist.

Adolescence and Peer Influence

Adolescence is identified as a stage when an individual undergoes a process of growing up in order to become an adult. It involves a process when adolescents experience changes that occur physically and emotionally. Likewise, the whole process could become confusing and uncomfortable for the individual who is at the said phase (de Guzman, 2007). It is believed that many of the younger people who are moving towards the process of adolescence are expanding their ranges in the social life. Likewise, complexities of social involvement also expand. Majority of the teenagers or adolescents are geared towards total independence.As such, the relationship and time of the teenager at home are less frequent (Smetana, 1988; Steinberg & Silverberg, 1986; Noller & Callan, 1991 cited in Jackson & Rodriguez-Tome, 1995, p. 1). Adolescents become more engage in activities that they think represents who they really are. Through this, there is an increase in the awareness of teenagers in their social su rroundings.During the time of adolescence, peers play a substantial role in the lives of young people. Peers become the focus of the teenagers’ lifestyle and most of the activities that they carry out are affected by the peers that they have (Berndt, 1989; Hartup, 1983 cited in Jackson & Rodriguez-Tome, 1995).  It was observed that teenagers begin to build friendships that are intimate in nature, sometime exclusive which often becomes constant unlike the friendships that they have during their younger years. The friendship that teenagers establish serves as an important way for them to develop because for majority of adolescents, peers are avenue where they could freely explore themselves.It is also with their peers that they feel they are accepted and secure. Likewise, the peers that the youths have allow them to exercise things that could uplift there skills which they could later on use for their success (de Guzman, 2007). It was also posted that the social activities th at adolescent have could affect their decisions and interest in participating with sexual relationships (Miller & Simon, 1980; Zani, 1991 cited in Jackson & Rodriguez-Tome, 1995, p. 1).Peer influences are said to be complex in nature. Various studies were carried out in order to understand the influences of peers during the period of adolescence and it was found out that adolescents could acquire positive and negative influences from the peers that surrounds them. In order to further understand the changes that adolescents undergo, it is an imperative to know what peer pressure is and the role that the peers play in the life of young adults (de Guzman, 2007).Peer pressure is identified as the pressures and influences that young adults feel from their social mates (Atwater, 1988 cited in Foreman, 2001, n.p.). It should be noted that peers are those people that adolescents look up to for support and sometimes for approval. Peers are also considered as factors that are inevitable and n ecessary during the adolescence stage. Interaction with peer groups enable adolescents to exercise behaviors that are new to them and serves as a tool for them to develop there social skills which in turn could be used in future interactions (Steinberg, 1996 cited in Foreman, 2001, n.p.).Peer pressure could be present in different domains. While many people tend to believe that peer influences are the reasons why teenagers engage in behaviors that are unhealthy and unsafe, there are many cases when peers influence teens to engage in activities that are positive.According to studies regarding peer pressure, it was reported that many teens are pressured by their friends to engage in activities that are productive. Positive pressures from friends tend to motivate teenagers to engage in activities where they could excel such as athletics, music, community services, various extracurricular activities and other efficient endeavors.In fact, many of the teens claimed that the pressures they get from friends are more positive rather than engaging in the usage of drugs and sexual conducts. It was also supported by many parents that influence from peers posted a positive effect in the school performances of teenagers. Likewise, peers also augment the strengthening of family values. As such, this is a perspective of peer influence that drives adolescents to become well rounded persons and expand their domains in a positive manner (de Guzman, 2007).According to researches, influences from peers are a process where the teens are active recipients. The teens become friends with their peers because of the fact that they already have a lot of things in common which means that peers who enjoy doing things that are similar with their interest tend to gravitate towards each other (de Guzman, 2007). Although there are many instances where diversity could be seen among certain groups, researches also indicate that teenagers are more likely to group themselves according to their sim ilarities.Likewise, it was suggested that teenagers tend to reject people who are different from themselves. These differences could range from physical impairments, or different sets of educational motivation and interests. Nonetheless, the similarities among individuals appear to be an important factor during the socialization process because it serves as a connection for the young adult to create a bond with other people.Due to this, it is believed that teenagers who are not able to have a positive connection with other young adults during the time of adolescence could be at great risk of involving themselves with negative influences from different peer groups. It was perceived that adolescents who fail to establish positive bonds with their contemporaries become more distant and different which make them feel that they are not welcome.In this event, young individuals who received low standards of acceptance are more likely to engage themselves with peer groups who share the same issue. Thus, it is easier to join peer groups that have less positive perspectives. In a greater sense, such groups are often contemplated as those who engage in activities that are anti-social and self-destructive (Pledge, 2003).The point has been made that peer influences could be positive despite of the negative connotations attached to this process of socialization. However, it should be noted that just like positive influences, peers could also brought about negative influences that could reinforce the adolescents decision of engaging in risky behaviors.Risky behaviors were identified as actions that could produce outcomes that could be damaging physically, mentally and socially (Jessor, 1992 cited in Smith, 2001). Several types of risk behaviors include engagement in sexual activities, substance abuse, cigarette smoking and crime activities. Adolescent behaviors could be altered by peer group influences through verbal and non-verbal means.Verbal pressure that is done directly is the most common way of getting compliance from the young adult. For example, a certain peer group may not impose an adolescent to smoke; however, the members of the group may say things like â€Å"you are such a baby,† â€Å"just try it nothing wrong is going to happen† which could insinuate the adolescent to smoke in order for him or her to look better in the eyes of his or her peers.Meanwhile a non-verbal persuasion could be done by staring at the adolescent for a long time until he or she feels uncomfortable which in the end is more likely to succumb in performing the behavior (Duryea, 1985 cited in Smith, 2001).Aside from verbal and non-verbal methods, peer pressure could also be seen in different forms. The pressure could take the form of challenges or dares, social acceptance and coercion and the influences could also vary depending on the age and gender of the adolescent (Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105).Sexual activitiesThere are limited researches that li nk peer influences in the early acquaintance with sexual activity. However, it was consistently presented that peer influence is an important factor that greatly affect the initiation of sexual activities among adolescents.It was also suggested that the major source of sexual information are from same sex-peers (Libby and Carlson, 1973; Miller, 1976; Thornburg, 1978 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105). Likewise, an adolescent who believes that their same–sex peers are sexually experienced and the liberal approach of his or her peers regarding sex are indicators that the teenager is more likely to engage with sexual activities.Thus, it was contemplated that majority of the teenagers actually engage in activities based from the perception of his or her peers attitudes and behaviors even if it is correct or not (Newcomer et al., 1980 cited Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105). Some findings indicate that white male teenagers choose their peers in accordance to sexual activit ies that were carried out by the individuals within the circle while their black counterparts were neither influenced by the behavior of their friends or choose peers on such particular basis (Billy and Udry, 1983 cited Hayes and Hofferth, 105).Meanwhile, female adolescents could be persuaded to some extent based from their knowledge of what her female friends are engaging into yet it was manifested that adolescent girls are strongly influenced to practice the sexual act by their â€Å"best male friends† and sexual partners (Miller and Simon, 1974; Herold, 1980, Cvetkovich and Grote, 1980; Billy and Udry, 1983 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105).Moreover, it was found out that among adolescents age 10 to 14, the pressure in sexual involvement could be done through challenges and dares to the extent of fondling, kissing or even intercourse. Such occurrence is prevalent among girls (Lewis and Lewis, 1984 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105) while only minor peer in fluences were recorded among black teenage boys and girls (Billy and Udry, 1984 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987).Generally, white girls are more at risk of involving themselves with sexual activities due to peer pressure (Hayes and Hofferth, 1987).Substance abuseAside from sexual activities, it was reliably demonstrated that peer groups also play an important role in influencing the decisions of adolescent to initiate the usage of drugs and alcohol. Likewise, it was also recorded that peers also affect the decision of the teenagers to reject, continue experimentation or augment the usage of drugs and other substances (Bauman & Ennett, 1996; Darling & Cumsille, 2003 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366).As adolescent marks the development shift of young individuals towards the path of maturity, it is within the same period that adolescents tends to increase their involvement with peers and is the beginning of the experimentation stage with drinking and smoking (Flory, Lynam, Mil ich, Leukfeld & Clayton, 2004; Sutherland & Shepherd, 2001 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366).As such, this strongly manifest that the involvement of an adolescent with a peer group is a substantial factor that contribute to the initial experimentation of drugs and other substance use. Moreover, various theories also point out that there is a strong relation with peer influence and initiation and escalation of substance abuse.Two notable theories are the Peer cluster theory (Oetting & Beauvais, 1998 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366) and the Primary socialization theory (Oetting & Donnermeyer, 1998 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366) indicates that normative and deviant social behaviors are the results of the interaction of characteristics that are cultural, social and psychological in nature. Thus, behaviors like smoking, drinking and drug usage are learned from the adolescent’s interaction with their peers.Crime activities  As it was said, the formation o f peer groups is an important part in the development process of a young adult. Such formation may be viewed as a way of an individual to attach themselves with people whom they think they could share who they really are. One of the peer groups prevalent nowadays are adolescent gangs. Although adolescent gangs are considered as peer groups, it is contemplated as a group comprised of young individuals whose behaviors are perceived negatively by the society.As such, adolescent members of gangs tend to engage in activities that are violent and anti-social (Geldrald K. and Geldrald D., 2004, p. 36). Based from researches, adolescent gangs are accounted for a large number of crimes in the urban setting. Many adolescent tend to engage themselves with this type of peer groups because they believe that this is an avenue for them to be accepted and freely express themselves.Because of these reasons adolescents see gang membership as an option for them to build their identity in any way possi ble whether it is wrong or right without thinking of the consequences.This is when peer pressure could be viewed as extremely powerful because adolescents who are members of gangs are more likely to engage themselves with risk like poor reputation, death, delinquency, substance abuse, infliction of transmitted diseases and early parenthood (Snyder, 2001).According to researches the very reason why many adolescents are vulnerable from the negative influences from their peers is because of the feeling of the need to belong in a particular group. Such needs lead many adolescents to take part in activities that could put them at risk. For majority of adolescents the need to belong to a particular peer group is an achievement of self-actualization and an attainment of the so called â€Å"maturity† and establishment of identity (Benthin, Slovic & Severson, 1993 cited in Smith, 2001).ConclusionBased from the facts that were presented in the study, it is apparent that peers play a si gnificant role in the lives of adolescents. Peer groups provide teenagers the feeling of belongingness and security. The influences of peers among adolescent could bring about positive end results which are actually important for the development of young individuals. Such positive influences from peers create a ground for adolescents to become well rounded people.Nonetheless, peer could also encourage negative influences among adolescents. The negative influences of peers may take the form of risky behaviors such as engagement in sexual activities, substance abuse and crime activities. It is also important to note that adolescents who are vulnerable to the negative influences of peer groups are those individuals that are not able to form connection with positive peer groups.Therefore, it is suggested that young individuals who encounter failures with forming bonds with peer groups should be taken into consideration in order to know the factors that affect their social involvement wi th other individuals. Moreover, it is also suggested that further analysis regarding the impact of peer influences should be investigated in order to further understand some of the points that were not presented in the study.

marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence The WritePass Journal

Professional HR/marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence Introduction Professional HR/marketing essay on Competitive Intelligence IntroductionResearch Objectives and RationaleLiterature ReviewResearch MethodologyResearch TypeResearch ParadigmResearch ApproachResearch Nature Hypothetical QuestionResearch DesignResearch TechniquesSampling StrategyResearch TimeframeEthical IssuesConclusionReferencesRelated    Introduction This paper is set in order to demonstrate the research proposal on the subject of the role of line managers in reward in the context of human resource management. The main covered areas will include the presentation of research objectives and rationale, brief critical investigation of the recent studies and research methodology. The ethical issues are going to be demonstrated at the end of the research proposal. Research Objectives and Rationale Recent research demonstrates that the role of line managers in the implementation of reward programs is neglected in most of the cases. This, in turn, negatively affects the general process of reward program integration. For instance, a survey, which has been done on 1300 organizations in 80 countries, has demonstrated that only 30 % of these organizations have reported a successful implementation of reward program (Stark and McMullen, 2008). It has been further presented in the research that HR executives tend to design the reward programs whereas the line managers tend to integrate those. The research, however, fails to provide an in-depth perspective on the subject of the involvement of both line managers and HR executives (Armstrong and Bowen, 1998).   Therefore, it is important to provide the extensive perspective on the subject of the role of line managers in the implementation of rewarding programs. This will contribute to the academic body of research in the human resource subject area. Additionally, it will allow human resource management to identify the main problems with their reward strategies; thus altering the strategies in order to acquire a success in delivery of reward programs. As a result, given the concept of the study, the main research objectives are: To explore the concept of rewards and general role of HR representatives in it To investigate the level of line managers’ involvement in the rewarding process in the context of HR management To identify and explore the elements of the most successful and effective rewarding strategy Literature Review This section is designed in order to deliver a brief critical investigation of key theoretical concepts on the subject of line managers involvement in the development and implementation of reward programs. The main sub-themes will include identification and exploration of human resource function in the development of reward programs, investigation of performance management and identification of the most effective method of reward in the context of line managers’ involvement. Reward and Reward System The reward systems have been integrated within HRM only recently. These have been designed in order to provide the monetary value to those employees who have added value to the organization. This concept is directly interlinked with the development of career and increase in motivation (Thorpe and Homan, 2000). Secord, (2003, p. 403) states that reward management is associated with â€Å"designing, implementing, maintaining and communicating reward processes†. These processes, in turn, shape the level of monetary payment for value-adding activities, performed by employees. HR Role and Function in Reward In general, there is little evidence in HR’s delivery of the actual value to the company. Assessment on 54 organizations, located in the USA, has demonstrated that the majority of companies has not assessed HR department due to the lack of value, delivered by this sector (Ramlall, 2002). It has been further estimated that some companies do not have any specific rating system to measure the performance of HR department (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001). One of the key functions of HR is related to the design of reward system. However, this function has been ignored in the recent studies. CIPD (2006) has done a survey in the organizations on the subject of the role of HR representatives in the reward systems. It has been estimated that front-line management plays a much more significant role in the integration of the reward systems, contrary to HR specialists. HR duties are associated with a large number of aspects that should be taken into consideration in order to successfully fulfil the job. This implies that the HRM system should be visible, authoritarian, legitimate and understandable (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). If these factors are not presented in front of employees, the strength of HRM system, as perceived by employees, decreases. HR representatives are important in design of reward system and performance management. Armstrong and Bowen, (1998) outline the personal characteristics of HR executives and their experience, as the important factors that are projected in design of reward and performance management systems. However, there is little contact between HR executives and employees, which develop the obstacles to actual integration of reward systems and performance management. This implies that HR executives are not able to actually see the performance of employees in order to base the decisions (Armstrong and Bowen, 1998). This increases the significance of line managers in relation to this task. Role of Line Managers in Reward Systems The studies suggest that the role of line managers in fulfilment of some of the HR functions has been increased over the time. Along with the transferring of supervisory duties to line managers, their people management duties have been enhanced as well (Hales, 2005). In the light of current line managers’ role in people management, the HR function and role are ignored and diminished. The research suggests that line managers are not qualified enough in order to fulfil these types of duties, namely reward systems integration. However, they are trusted by their subordinates as a result of cooperative work together. This is contrasted by the gap, which is developed on the basis of lack of time, willingness and qualifications in order to actually perform HR-related duties (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001). It has been further added that for line managers it is easier to implement reward systems and performance management, since there has been a direct link found between the leadership style and motivation development (CIPD, 2007). This implies that line managers are more knowledgeable about their employees’ traits and level of job’s quality. Furthermore, the line managers are able to influence employee motivation development (CIPD, 2007). Performance Management Performance management is regarded to be crucial in effective management of organizational culture. It aims at the evaluation of employee’s attitude and behavior in relation to the job; thus contributing to the increase of the overall significance of performance management practices, as perceived by employees (Hannah and Iverson, 2004). Other scholars suggest that it is a leadership function, which contributes to the efficiency of performance management (Uhl-Bien et al., 2000). This corresponds to the ability to see the supervisor’s willingness to provide feedback and explain the goals of the organization, as the main factor that contributes to the increase of employee morale and therefore the company’s overall productivity (Smewing, 2001). This suggests that the employees are seen to be taken care of, therefore are more prone to commit to the organization over the long term. HR specialists are the ones that design performance management programs whereas line managers tend to realize those programs. However, the majority of line managers do not have sufficient tools in order to maintain a qualitative performance management (CIPD in ONREC, 2004). Additionally, it has been estimated that the concept of performance management has changed over time. This suggests that initially, this concept was integrated in order to address the issues of pay and the ability to achieve certain organization’s objectives (CIPD in ONREC, 2004). Currently, this concept has evolved into the talent management and the ability to recruit and retain the best employees on the market. Additionally, performance management has evolved into shifting away from the dogma that financial pay may be the only motivating force behind the performance (Armstrong and Baron, 1998). Large attention in the motivation-related research has been attributed to the significance of intrinsic and extr insic motivation. Intrinsic motivation suggest that the employee is motivated by the force of self-motivation. Extrinsic motivation suggests that the employees are motivated by the external factors, like the increase of pay (Speckbacher, 2003). It is stated in the same source that it is a challenging task to channel the intrinsic motivation, however, performance management is shifting to the integration of this dogma. The intrinsic motivation suggests that the employee receives satisfaction from the achievement of certain objectives. Therefore, this motivation eliminates the need to provide additional financial benefits in order to increase employee’s productivity. Additionally, already increased employee morale reduces the need for further integration of the additional practices, aimed at the increase of one’s productivity (Speckbacher, 2003). Research Methodology This section aims at the presentation of the main research methodology and its elements. This section is based on the integration of â€Å"research onion† framework, which implies a shift from presentation of â€Å"research method† to the description of â€Å"primary data instrument† through a variety of stages (Saunders et al., 2009). Research Type Due to the scope and subject of research,mixed research methodology is applied. This methodology suggests that the study will be conducted whilst integrating the elements of quantitative and qualitative research methods (Saunders et al., 2009).   This method is regarded to be associated with a high degree of costs, which is suitable, given the scope of the research (Ellin Datta in Greene, 2007). Research Paradigm Research paradigm has been selected to be positivism and interpretivism. Positivism philosophy suggests that the researcher incorporates value- free, objective perspective on the subject of the study. This requires minimum integration of the values and opinions that have been acquired throughout the lifetime (Saunders et al., 2009). Interpretivism on the other hand allows interpretation of the collected information into the narrative format. This is especially applicable to the qualitative interviews. One of the possible disadvantages that may emerge as a result of positivism application, that the researcher may integrate some lifetime values within data collection and analysis processes (Frauendorf, 2006). This might become an obstacle, due to the lack of critical research skills. Research Approach The research approach is proposed to be deductive, in order to benefit from the development of theory on the basis of evaluation of the elements of the acquired data (Thyer, 2010). Deductive research approach exercises the shift from more expanded towards more detailed in line with the subject theory and elements (Thyer, 2010). In other words deductive reasoning employs top down approach, where the conclusions are drawn on the basis of acquired findings.   Since this subject is regarded to be multi-dimensional, the analysis of smaller details, associated with the role of line managers in development and integration of reward systems, would be beneficial. Research Nature The research is proposed to be of explanatory character. The main aim of this type of research is to explore the causal relationships between dependent and independent variables. The ultimate purpose of this research is to explain the situation and predict the events (McNabb, 2008). The main question in relation to the explanatory research is attributed to – â€Å" Why this event has happened?†. Therefore, the main question in relation to this research would be – â€Å"Why the role of line managers is so significant and/or so insignificant?†. Hypothetical Question Qualitative Research Question: What is the role of line managers in reward system planning and integration as projected in real life time activities? Quantiative Research Hypothesis: Line managers have a direct positive affect on reward system integration Line manager have a direct positive impact on performance management activities Research Design The research design is chosen to be a multiple case study (Yin, 1993). This implies that two case studies will be developed in order to investigate the role of line managers in the development and integration of reward systems. One case will include the line managers; whereas another case will include the employees. This will allow data collection will allow the acquisition of data on the subject of insight on this subject, from line managers and subordinates, which would contribute to the development of the full picture on the subject of study. Multiple case study is known to be associated with the triangulation of data and research methods (Yin, 1993). It has been estimated that case study strategy is well applied to qualitative and quantitative methods, which will result in the achievement of research objectives (Yin, 1993). Research Techniques Along with the integration of mixed research methodology, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews have been selected to be applied as part of the primary data instrument design. Questionnaires will be distributed among employees, namely floor employees in the selected commercial companies. Semi-structured interviews are going to be targeted at the line managers in order to deliver a follow up on the acquired findings, by questionnaires. This will allow demonstration of the perspective of line manager involvement in reward systems integration from both perspectives. Questionnaires are beneficial since these allow collection of the data from a large sample, which is a primary research objective in relation to the employees’ study group (Saunders et al., 2009). Due to the specifics of the study, the questionnaires are going to be distributed via e-mails, in order to enable quick rate of responses. This is also associated with low degree of costs due to the utilization of th e interactive platform for questionnaires distribution (Saunders et al., 2009). Interviews, in turn, aim at the acquisition of an in-depth perspective on the subject. As a result, once the primary data from questionnaires is collected, the line managers will provide clarification of the causal relationships between the perspectives of employees about their involvement and their actual fulfilment of duties. The interviews will be heldon site, in order to ensure comfortable settings during   the interview. This would allow access to the opinions and views that are hidden deep inside one’s psychology. There is a large risk of bias opinion emergence due to the depth of the interview process and involvement of qualitative opinions, views and behaviours (Saunders et al., 2009). Additionally, the lack of research skills might result in the possible shift from the main subject; thus the inability to acquire valuable findings that would correspond with the research objectives. Primary data quantitative analysis is proposed to be maintained on the basis of SPSS processes integration and narration. Sampling Strategy Sample is a group of individuals with specific characteristics that have been selected in order to represent the whole population (Saunders et al., 2009). This research will be based on the incorporation of probability sampling strategy. This strategy suggests that all the individuals within the population have equal chances to be selected for the study. The main segmentation variable will be based on the occupation of study respondents (Saunders et al., 2009). This implies that for questionnaires, the sample will consist of floor employees and for interviews the sample will consist of line managers. The sub-sampling strategy is selected to be a stratified   random sampling. This implies that all the employees are considered for participating in the study whilst being grouped with regard to their occupation (Saunders et al., 2009). This correlates well with the cross-sectional research design. The sample size is proposed to be 150 floor employees and 10 line managers in one commerc ial organization, which is geographically limited to the UK. Research Timeframe The cross-sectional timeframe has been chosen to be applied in this study. This implies that the research will be conducted over a short period of time, in contrast to the specifics of longitudinal timeframe. This would ensure relatively quick observation of study participants whilst conducting questionnaires and interviews (Jackson, 2008). This would allow investigation of a sample where the members possess different characteristics. Ethical Issues Due to the incorporation of direct human contact as part of the research design, there are some ethical issues to address. First of all, the study will be based on the integration of confidentiality-related policies. This suggests that all the material, which is acquired as part of primary data collection, will be stored confidentially in order to avoid sharing to any other 3rd party, unless otherwise stated by the primary data owner. In addition to this, the questionnaires and interviews are going to be supplied with the introductory letter. This introductory letter is designed in order to acknowledge the study participants with study’s purpose, aims, terms and conditions. By accepting the terms and conditions of the research, the study participant agrees to participate in the process of research conduct. Both questionnaires and interviews are designed in order to address the race relations and equality of rights. Any study participant will have the opportunity to withdraw from any stage of research conduct process, whereas their data will not be utilized for the purposes of research. The study participants will have a right to stay anonymous, unless otherwise stated. All the expenses, namely research, transportation, communication and stationary are manageable by the researcher. Draft Timetable       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Literature Review                            Design of Primary Data Instrument                            Pilot Study and Data collection                            Data Analysis                            Analysis and Discussion Chapters Completion                            Draft review by supervisor                            Amendments and Final Review                         Conclusion This paper was designed in order to demonstrate the proposal for the research on the subject of line managers involvement in reward systems integration and performance management. It has been estimated as part of the literature review, that line manager role is significant in the integration of both of these processes. It is mainly associated with the fact that they are able to see and engage in the actual performance management; thus being able to produce objective results in relation to reward systems, contrary to the HR department. It has been further estimated that employees tend to develop both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, where intrinsic motivation is much more significant in channeling in order to acquire the benefits in relation to the financial performance of the company. As a result, the main objectives of research is to explore the level of involvement of line managers in the reward systems. This is proposed to be done by the means of mixed research methodology int egration. The primary data collection instrument consists of interviews and questionnaires that are distributed among 10 line managers and 150 floor employees in the commercial organization in the UK. References Armstrong M, Baron A (1998). Performance Management: The new realities. Institute of Personnel Development: London. Becker, B., Huselid, M., and Ulrich, D. (2001). The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance. Boston: Harvard Business School Press Bowen, D.E.,   Ostroff, C. (2004). Understanding HRM-firm performance linkages: The role of â€Å"Strength† of the HRM system. Academy of Management Review, 29, 203-221 CIPD. (2006). Rewarding Work: Vital Role of Line Managers. Available from: cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/72035864-98CD-495A-8CB9-96989B96E73C/0/vitalrolmgrca.pdf (Accessed on 10/12/12) Hales, C. (2005). Rooted in supervision, branching into management: continuity and change in the role of first-line manager. Journal of Management Studies, 42: 3, 471–506. Hannah, D. and Iverson, R. (2004). Employment relationships in context: implications for policy and practice, in J. Coyle-Shapiro, L. Shore, S. Taylor and L. Tetrick (eds). The Employment Relationship: Examining Psychological and Contextual Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 332–350. Jackson S. (2008). Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach. 3rd ed. Cengage: USA McNabb D. (2008). Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. 2nd ed., Sharpe: USA Ramlall, S. (2002). A Critical Review of the Role of Training Development in Increasing Performance. Journal of Compensation and   Benefits, 18, 5, 12-17 Saunders M., Lewis P. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students. 5th ed., Pearson Education: UK. Secord H. (2003). Implementing Best Practices in Human Resources Management. CCH: Canada Speckbacher, G. (2003). The Economics of Performance Management in Nonprofit Organizations. Nonprofit Management Leadership, 13, 3, 267-281. Stark M., MacMullen T. (2008). When considering effective reward-program implementation, too frequently the role of the line manager is neglected. WorldAtWork Journal, 2nd Quarter.   Thorpe R and Homan G. (2000). Strategic Reward Systems. London: Pearson Education Limited. Thyer B. (2010). The Handbook of Social Work Research Methods. 2nd ed., p 33, Sage Publications: UK ONREC. (2004). Line managers are key to good performance management. Available from: onrec.com/news/news-archive/line-managers-are-key-to-good-performance-management (Accessed on 10/12/12) Uhl-Bien, M., Graen, G. and Scandura, L. (2000). Indicators of leader–member exchange (LMX) for strategic human resource management systems. Research in Personnel and  Human Resources Management, 18: 137–185. Yin, R., (1994). Case study research: Design and methods. 2nd ed., CA: Sage Publishing.

Summary Azadi Essays

Summary Azadi Essays Summary Azadi Essay Summary Azadi Essay In order to reinforce the corporate governance system in Unites States, Academy Committee reviewed the financial. The idea was to inculcate openness in the system. Amongst other things, Directors remuneration was to be decided on by a group of non-executives. It recommended disclosing and bifurcating elements of the salary along with an explanation as to how is it determined. Information about stock options, stock appreciation rights, and pension contributions should also be given. Moreover, they also suggested that future service contracts should not exceed three years without prior approval of shareholders. In June 1995, the Employment Committee of the House of Commons reported on the remuneration of directors and chief executives of privatized utilities. John Monks, Secretary General of the UTC conducted the UTC Survey in 1 995 which shows that the wage gap between executives and their respective workforces is growing at a faster pace in private companies than utilities. Though this gap widened in recession, the directors of private companies have always accorded themselves high pay increments. Established in 1995, the Greenberg Committee is of the view that statuary controls are of minimal significance and progress lies in self exultation, which allows controlling and enhancing performance. Some of the basic clauses are 1 ) effective delegation of responsibility for determination of directors remuneration which would not only represent shareholders interest and guard company s finances 2) This group of people needs to *J. I. B. L. 475 submit a report to the shareholders explaining the companys approach along with all the relevant disclosures. This task shall be allocated to the Non-executives Committee. Current Regulation Of Executive pay in united Kingdom Determination of executive remuneration is a controversial affair. Common law fails to provide enough guidelines as there is a general reluctance by the court in estimating salary market value. Also, it is considered a companys private matter. Conventionally, the companys constitution has it that the board would decide on the salary and the directors wont have a say in it. This triggers mutual back scratching as both the parties dont scrutinize the process for implied benefits. Directors can even determine their own pay but it involves statutory provisions for disclosure. Provisions in Companies Act 2006 supports the idea of accountability. As per s. 28, directors remuneration must be disclosed whereas the service contacts should be available for inspection by the *J. B. L. 445 shareholders. Moreover, approval at general meeting is required to award contracts of over 5 years. S. 420 makes it mandatory to prepare remuneration report as a part of annual report, non performance of which is an offence. 0 must include details on the package and board. A resolution is required to approve the report as a whole by casting of votes. Hanging writes that this has stimulated shareholders into positively assessing directors remuneration packages ether than passively agreeing to them as a fiat accomplice, as used to be the case in the past. Role of self-regulation in controlling excessive remuneration Transformation of remuneration culture is a time consuming process but some improvements have taken place. Companies Act of 2006 has been revised by extension of principle of disclosure and transparency. Self- regulating codes of best practice have also instituted interesting changes. For instance, the Principle Del . Of UK Corporate Governance code requires performance related elements of remuneration to be linked with companys Eng term success. FSP has considered compensation structures and fixed and variable components are to be decided at company level. A shift towards fixed components of remuneration should be discouraged as explained by the COED report. Remuneration policies are subject to shareholder approval at annual meetings. 88 Thus shareholders need to be in a better position to have a say in pay determination. Say on pay policy, introduced in UK is seen to build on this idea as it re requires publicly listed companies to submit an executive remuneration report to a non-binding shareholder vote at the annual general meeting. 89 For effective implementation of this scheme, a high level of transparency is a must. Its effectiveness can be adhered from the fact that financial crisis occurred after its introduction. Allowing directors to determine their pay causes overstatement. 95 Hence companies should clearly identify and allocate the tasks. Principle D. 2. 1 of UK Corporate Governance Code requires establishment of a board comprising of at least 3 non executive directors. In contrast with existing non executive directors are not appointees of inside management and hence might do a better job of retesting companys interests. 97 Also, they will be in a better position to negotiate. 98 The role of independent directors is crucial in removing the bias of management. The pay packages that are now criticized were once approved by remuneration committee, as identified by Skye. Australia Australia, a country renowned for up gradation of laws to prevent directors from having any unfair advantage. Some recent amendments have both raised and resolved few queries in the insolvency law. A commendable development is Corporations Amendment (Repayment of Directors Bonuses) Act 2003 which has resulted in new operative section FASTS of Corporations Act 2001. The fall of One. Tell, a large mobile phone company, triggered the enactment of this act. Before the organizations demise, the directors had approved massive bonuses to two of its managing directors. The government reacted by allowing recovery of payments after a company becomes insolvent. Section FASTS permits the liquidator to redeem benefit of any unreasonable director-related transaction, but there is no exhaustive definition of what such a transaction is. A case by case analysis is required.

Lust by Susan Minot

Lust by Susan Minot Susan Minot, the person behind the masterpiece short story Lust, creates and brings out the main character of the story in a unique manner. The protagonist’s relationship with the other characters in the story brings it out her uniqueness as opposed to her physical appearance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Short Story Lust by Susan Minot specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through her actions and feelings, the audience sees her real part in the story. Lust’s narrator does not have a name, but she is in her teenage years going to a religious academy that is located away from her home. The narrator comes out as a promiscuous person right from the beginning of the story when she says, â€Å"Leo was from a long time ago, the first one I ever saw nude† (Minot 3). Her relationships seem to be mostly with boys as opposed to associating with girls of her age. She is also sexually active as she confess es, â€Å"he kisses my palm and then directs my hand to his fly† (Minot 6). Her sexual escapades with different boys set the plot of the story. Even without the name of the main character, the audience can tell how she behaves and relates with others, which brings out the imbalance of power that exists between men and women particularly when it comes to sex. The powerful sexual desire that men in this story have completely overcomes the narrator. Minot uses both the first and second person throughout the story whereby in some instances she uses â€Å"I† as she talks about her life experiences. For instance, she says, â€Å"I had tasted Bruce’s tongue† (Minot 3), while in others she uses â€Å"you†, which stands for all women in general; fro instance, she posits, â€Å"You begin to feel like a piece of pounded veal† (Minot 16). The main character portrays behaviors of being overtly promiscuous such that in one instance, she admits that sleepi ng around was a normal thing that did not worry her at all. However, she discloses her fears of the promiscuous life by confessing, â€Å"All the next day, you’d be in a total fog, delirious, absent-minded, crossing the stress and nearly getting run over† (Minot 10). She goes on to state that for a boy sleeping with many girls was a good thing whilst for a girl it was an ominous thing to sleep around. This aspect shows that despite portraying a â€Å"do not care† attitude, at times she knew what she was doing was wrong and it was eating her from the inside. However, it is only at the end of the story that the narrator brings out her fears and worries. The narrator brings about the emotional detachment the main character has with authority figures; for instance, her parents. It is very easy for the audience to see there is no emotional bond that exists between her and her parents. She says, â€Å"My parents had no idea†¦parents never really know whatâ€℠¢s going on, especially when you’re away at school most of the time† (Minot 5).Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This assertion shows that her parents took her to a far away boarding school so that they would not have to deal with the issues that their teenage daughter was going through. The mentality of knowing her family is not anywhere near allows her to have all the freedom she wants in order to engage in whatever she likes. Another character who was propagating the main character’s promiscuous behavior according to the narrator was the school doctor. He was giving students the emergency pill without asking any relevant questions as the narrator notes, â€Å"The joke was that the school doctor gave out the pill like aspirin† (Minot 8). The main character reveals to the audience that most girls in the school used the pill, which would p revent them from getting pregnant once they engaged in unprotected sexual escapades. She could take the pills in the morning just before they went to the school chapel. The narrator shows that even if she wanted to stop her promiscuity, she could not get enough support to advice her and stand with her, particularly her parents. The housemother, Mrs. Gunther, made a point of advising them on how to find true love as she had fallen for the only boyfriend she had, Mr. Gunther, at eighteen years old, which ended in a marriage. However, the girls ignored all her advice and they would go about their partying, drinking, and having sex. Minot also shows that the main character was not confident even though she exuded a different personality. She felt weak with the men she associated with and so she was always obligated to say yes to sexual advances whenever they asked for it. She admits, â€Å"So if you flirted, you had to be prepared to go through with it† (Minot 9). She later state s how the boys would get angry if girl refused to give into sex advances. Therefore, Minot brings out the main character as someone who had a low self-esteem, which she masked with partying, drinking, and even taking drugs. She wanted to portray a personality that was extremely social, outgoing, and fun to be around while it was the exact opposite as she divulges, â€Å"After sex, you curl up like a shrimp, something deep inside you ruined, slammed in a place that sickens at slamming†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Minot 16). At one instance where she was with Tim, she stripped naked and lay on the rug after he had gone to close the door.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Short Story Lust by Susan Minot specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the entire story, the audience can see that the main character’s lustful behavior stands out courtesy of how she associates with other secondary characters in the story. Emotional depend ence comes into view by the way the narrator lacks any qualms with sleeping around especially since she is a girl. Girls and women in general grow up in a society that nurtures the precept that it is very wrong to sleep around as compared to boys and men who emerge as macho by perpetuating the same. The narrator also shows the amount of peer pressure that young people face and end up engaging in sex, alcohol, and even drugs. This aspect comes out clearly by how almost every girl in the school would take the birth control pill and also how the narrator could not say no to sex; she concedes, â€Å"I thought the worst thing anyone could call you was a cock-teaser†(Minot 9). Minot has done a tremendous job by enlightening the audience on the challenges that young people, especially at their teenage years, face due to peer pressure to involve themselves in sex, alcohol, and other drugs. She also shows how girls give in to sexual advances easily to boys. Girls learn a little too la te that sex never leads to love and as the narrator posits, â€Å"you open your legs but can’t, or don’t dare anymore, to open your heart† (Minot 17). Minot, Susan. Lust other stories, New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Print.

Online Course Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Online Course Development - Research Paper Example ive and apply other corresponding tools and processes in curriculum development when developing projects consistent with their professional aspirations and expectations. 1. There are different types of theorizing as presented by different authors and scholars. Define the term â€Å"Theorizing† as discussed by different scholars. What are the implications for the different definitions for practice? 2. Read chapter 4 of Marsh and Willis and other online readings recommended for this course. Develop a virtual mental picture of the teachers; prescriptive theorizer (TED), Descriptive Theorizer (TAMMY) and Critical-Exploratory Theorizer (TODD). Remember to include in your mental picture of these teachers, their common beliefs, goals, beliefs, practices, and habits 2. Students must reflect the different priorities, backgrounds, experience and skill brought by different stakeholders during curriculum planning. Remember to develop detailed discussions on the role played by teachers, principals, parents and student during curriculum development 1. Write a critical response on the basic concepts that underlie curriculum research and some of the approaches schools are using to support the process of curriculum development. The reflection should thorough and present a clear thesis. 2. Discuss the problems faced during curriculum planning and implementations. Include approaches that can be used to solve the problems you stated and possible recommendation for future implementation process 1. In Chapter 6 of the course textbook, Marsh and Willis (2007) elaborate and present the different players during the curriculum process and the hats they wear. In the hats presented in the chapter, identify the hats that you may wear. Visit and open the course website and click on that hat. Read the role associated with that hat during the curriculum planning and implementation process. 2. You are a crucial member of the curriculum planning group. Two facilitators have agreed to work

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND DRUGS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND DRUGS - Research Paper Example Research statement Is there an association between drugs and juvenile delinquency? Introduction Criminal behavior and delinquency among young people as they transit from childhood to adulthood is rising and is currently a public challenge in most countries in the world. Experts opine that such a problem has soared because of collapsing social relations that lay a basic foundation for smooth transition. Factors contributing to this challenge are extended maturity gap, restructuring of the labor market and limited opportunities for turning into an independent adult. Other factors include rapid growth of population, unavailability of support and housing services, unemployment, overcrowding, family disintegration, poverty, ineffective educational systems, child abuse, decline in local authorities and underemployment (World Youth Report, 2003). Due to these and several other factors, more and more young people are getting involved in illegal activities, criminal offenses and drug abuse. J uvenile delinquency and drug abuse are strongly interlinked. ... Methodology In order to retrieve useful articles for research in this topic, the electronic database used was â€Å"Google Scholar†. The words â€Å"juvenile delinquency† and â€Å"drugs† were typed in the search brackets. For more wider search, â€Å"criminal behavior† and â€Å"drugs† also were typed in another search. Several articles were displayed in the search result. After going through the abstracts, 3 articles were selected for the purpose of research review. Based on these, the following review was prepared. The articles retrieved are provided under the reference section. Literature review Substance abuse in young people can lead to several problems like anti-social attitudes, juvenile delinquency and health problems. The problems not only affect the young individual, but also the community, family and the society of the individual (World Youth Report, 2003). There is enough evidence to suggest that earlier the drug use is initiated, more likely is the individual to develop drug related problems in life. According to the Monitoring Future Study of 2008, "19.6% of eighth graders, 34.1% of tenth graders, and 47.4% of twelfth graders use any illicit drug within their lifetimes." Thus, the soaring rise of drug abuse among youngsters has contributed to increased anti-social attitudes, criminal behavior and delinquency in this population. According to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program of FBI, in 2007, 109,444 individuals under 18 years of age were arrested by various law enforcement agencies. In the year 2004, 1.9 percent of drug arrests made were under 19 years of age. According to the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Reflection - Assignment Example The UAE establishes new economic and political partnerships with other world countries creating a new appealing image of the country. This new role brings challenges to people in the UAE; they face the need to learn more about other people to understand them and make their communication effective. People cannot exist separately from their culture. The definition of culture is complex because it is derived from the context. Generally, culture is often related to separate dimensions of human life like legal sphere or personal communication. When 2 or more cultures exist in one community, they experience conflict caused by fundamental differences in their world views. If people do not have any knowledge about other culture, they can easily aggravate this conflict. On the other hand, cultural awareness let different people find a common ground. One more challenge is represented by language differences; people who do not know local language are automatically treated worse than locals. Despite these negative effects, cultural diversity changes the UAE to the better. People have more opportunities to communicate with foreigners and get some practical tips about cross-cultural communication. People who travel to the UAE and come to work there are obliged to learn more about local culture and people. People become more understanding and attentive to each other. I have seen many web resources which are related to explaining the UAE culture and eti1uette to foreigners. Moreover, people become less superstitious about the UAE and Islam when they learn about them in detail. When my grandfather was young, the country was totally different. It is even difficult to compare my world with his recollections. Old traditions still exist in the UAE society but they become more liberal under the influence of other cultures. Now he cannot be flexible enough to understand all the changes which happen every

Final project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Final project - Assignment Example Likewise, the change is reflected to processes, practices or methods affected by innovative management practices. This complex concept refers to a challenging concept, as balanced scorecard is widely used in corporate organizations, change is a regular feature. It is fundamental that information systems in an organization assumes that the required information is known to the user, ensures that it is acknowledged and received on a consistent basis and is also embedded in the decision making process of the organization. As per the scenario, the development of performance management system for Procter and Gamble must meet these requirements (Sachs 53-64): Procter and Gamble is seeking to construct an effective and proficient performance management system that will adhere to organization objectives into visible and measurable targets demonstrating success that is also shared among the organization’s customers and stake holders. ... 981-993) i.e. Financial, Customer, Internal Business Processes and Learning and Growth. 1.1 Financial Perspective The financial perspective of the balanced score card varies for Government organizations and private organizations. As the business objectives for the private sector are generic and exemplify transparent extensive targets associated with profit based organizations operational in the commercial marketplace. In contrast, considerations for financial aspects of public limited organizations play a limited role, as financial goals are rare for being a primary objective for businesses. The Information Technology department of Procter and Gamble will incorporate financial perspective of the balanced scorecard for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of critical information technology processes to meet business requirements within an allocated budget. By effectively monitoring key process indicators, Return on Investment (ROI) can be calculated and augmented as well. The in crease in ROI will definitely show a positive intent of the stakeholders. 1.2 Customer Perspective The customer’s perspective of the balance scorecard will evaluate the ability of the IT department for contribution in providing quality goods and services, supply chain effectiveness and satisfaction for overall customer service. KPI for monitoring Supply Chain Management (SCM) will focus on activities and processes involved in product delivery and storage. If an effective IT based SCM is operational, customers will be satisfied, as goods will be delivered on time and will have 100% availability in stores and supermarkets, even in online stores. 1.3 Internal

MBA statement of purpose for admission needs to be polished Personal

MBA of purpose for admission needs to be polished - Personal Statement Example In these numerous employments, I have had the opportunity to become a software developer, a consultant as well as offer other technical support to the teams. I have travelled widely in my different jobs from Europe to Asia and even Australia which has provided the exposure with the technology and software development. I have consulted with companies at their start up stages and have seen them blossom and hence I believe that my business will succeed once I get the skills and knowledge. Other than the technological jobs, I have also been involved in humanitarian jobs mostly on a voluntary basis. I have worked as a bereavement counsellor for children and adults who have lost their spouses, served soup in the soup kitchen for the homeless which was a church-based program, taught yoga and worked in spas and even handled women dealing with intimacy issues offering them empathy and compassion. The travelling to different states and nations as well as dealing with many different cultures has taught me the importance of cultural sensitivity, different languages as well as taking huge risks as long as I believe in the course and have evidence to support no matter how limited. I have worked in different teams and even become a team leader making huge decisions and leading the rest towards innovative projects. I have realized there is lack of a strong mobile phone software market that addresses the needs of the majority of the population in the areas that matter the most which are finance, health and education. Technology is developing and evolving at a high rate and if there is more intense integration of the technology to the sectors mentioned above using the mobile phone device and specialized software, then a lot of difference can be made as well as money. I aim to capitalize on this market but I will require more theoretical knowledge as I am versed with experience. All these activities and hobbies I

Final project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Final project - Assignment Example Likewise, the change is reflected to processes, practices or methods affected by innovative management practices. This complex concept refers to a challenging concept, as balanced scorecard is widely used in corporate organizations, change is a regular feature. It is fundamental that information systems in an organization assumes that the required information is known to the user, ensures that it is acknowledged and received on a consistent basis and is also embedded in the decision making process of the organization. As per the scenario, the development of performance management system for Procter and Gamble must meet these requirements (Sachs 53-64): Procter and Gamble is seeking to construct an effective and proficient performance management system that will adhere to organization objectives into visible and measurable targets demonstrating success that is also shared among the organization’s customers and stake holders. ... 981-993) i.e. Financial, Customer, Internal Business Processes and Learning and Growth. 1.1 Financial Perspective The financial perspective of the balanced score card varies for Government organizations and private organizations. As the business objectives for the private sector are generic and exemplify transparent extensive targets associated with profit based organizations operational in the commercial marketplace. In contrast, considerations for financial aspects of public limited organizations play a limited role, as financial goals are rare for being a primary objective for businesses. The Information Technology department of Procter and Gamble will incorporate financial perspective of the balanced scorecard for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of critical information technology processes to meet business requirements within an allocated budget. By effectively monitoring key process indicators, Return on Investment (ROI) can be calculated and augmented as well. The in crease in ROI will definitely show a positive intent of the stakeholders. 1.2 Customer Perspective The customer’s perspective of the balance scorecard will evaluate the ability of the IT department for contribution in providing quality goods and services, supply chain effectiveness and satisfaction for overall customer service. KPI for monitoring Supply Chain Management (SCM) will focus on activities and processes involved in product delivery and storage. If an effective IT based SCM is operational, customers will be satisfied, as goods will be delivered on time and will have 100% availability in stores and supermarkets, even in online stores. 1.3 Internal

Discuss Competitive Strategies Coca Cola Should Adopt to Develop Essay

Discuss Competitive Strategies Coca Cola Should Adopt to Develop Business Expansion in China - Essay Example the Study: Globalization and the increasing competition in the current business world reflect the growth and development of different businesses and their expansion across different countries. The beverage industry is one of the largest industries in the world. The Coca-Cola Company being one of the leading companies in the world’s beverage industry (www.rediff.com), a research on their business strategies would help in an understanding of how leading companies create and maintain their position in their own countries as well as in other countries through expansions. With 126 years in business, the Coca-Cola Company currently has 142,200 worldwide employees, over 3,500 brands, 49 consecutive years in increased dividends and over 200 countries where their beverages sell (www.thecoca-colacompany.com). The company first entered China in the 1920’s with the first bottling plant established in Shanghai, 1927. It soon expanded its bottling operations to Tianjin, 1927 and then Qingdao, 1930. In 1949, the company closed operations in China when the socialist regime rose. Since its reentry in 1979, The Coca-Cola Company has seen tremendous growth, where over the last quarter century, brands of The Coca-Cola Company have become major household names in China. It recently opened its 42nd bottling plant in the country to help further the company’s dominance in the beverage industry within the country (www.thecoca-colacompany.com). China’s beverage industry reflects a huge market, particularly for large companies like the Coca-Cola Company. The company strongly has its operations in China but the growing competitions and other internal and external factors may affect the successful expansion plans of the company (Zhang & Alon, 2011, p.287). The rationale of the study is... The rationale of the study is based on learning and understanding the competitive business strategies of a leading beverage company that may benefit the expansion of the company in the China market. In the modern world of increased globalization, there is a need to learn the theories and concepts followed by large companies. This is to have a view on the strategies necessary to keep up a position of a company in the industry among its competitor companies. This study would focus on the Coca-Cola Company that already has its operations in the China market and would look for further expansions to which the company has the requirement of innovative and competitive strategies that would keep its position above its competitors. The results of this study would prove indispensible to business development managers and the business development team endowed with the responsibility of identifying expansion opportunities. The study would also help other companies who require strategies to expand business elsewhere. The researcher will gain knowledge in formulation of competitive strategies that can be applied in future endeavors. Hence, this study is rational in the context that the competitive business strategies of one of the leading companies could be learnt and the research would enable other companies to use such strategies in creating their competitive advantages while expanding their businesses.

Piaget’s Cognitive development theory Essay Example for Free

Piaget’s Cognitive development theory Essay Jean Piaget and his theory of the stages of cognitive development have made significant contributions to a wide cross-section of disciplines including educational psychology and applied developmental psychology. Though his original theory has undergone some amount of changes, the basic tenets are still applicable in understanding how humans develop progressively from birth to adulthood. Several theorists have criticized Piaget’s theory and have proposed alternative approaches to explaining human development. Other theorists have espoused Piaget’s theory with few modifications or additions to the original theory. Nevertheless his theory of cognitive development has had a tremendous impact on developmental psychology and will continue to represent a valid theory in helping to understand the nature and stages of human development. The field of applied developmental psychology has and will continue to benefit from the views put forward by Piaget. Biography of Jean Piaget Jean Piaget was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland on August 9, 1896 to what he described as a ‘tumultuous family environment. From an early age Piaget showed signs of having superior intelligence and acquired an interest in several fields of study including psychoanalytic theory, philosophy, mechanics and natural history. At the very young age of ten he published a study on mollusks (malacology). Several years later, in 1917 he published a philosophical novel. His intellectual and research accomplishments thereafter are numerous. In 1918, at only 21 years of age he obtained his doctoral degree in Biology from the University of Neuchatel continuing his study of mollusks in his thesis. His interest in philosophy and psychology led him to Zurich where he worked with mental patients while studying psychoanalytic theory. His interest in child developmental psychology began in Paris with his work in a laboratory at a grade school. Here he worked along with Alfred Binet, who headed the laboratory, in standardizing reasoning tests for Paris children. He became curious about the thought processes of children that influenced them producing either the correct or incorrect answers. Piaget published a number of articles discussing the research he conducted here. In 1921 Piaget was made director of studies at the Institut J. J. Rousseau in Geneva. In 1923 he married Valentine Chatenay with whom he had three children. He continued his study of child psychology and later published five books on the topic. His background in Biology had a significant amount of influence in his research (Slavin, 2000). These publications subsequently distinguished him in this field of study. His academic and administrative appointments saw him working at the University of Geneva, the Sorbonne, the Institut des Sciences de l’Education, and the Bureau International de l’Education. He is also noted to have founded and directed a center for philosophers and psychologists called the Centre d’Epistemologie Genetique. He worked along with several other researchers including Alina Szeminska, Barbel Inhelder, and Marcel Lambercier. Among the research topics that he conducted extensive studies on have been noted the notions of number, physical quantity, and space; manipulation of objects; and the development of perception. These areas collaboratively contributed to his theory of cognitive development. His platform of study was both at the professional and personal level. It is widely known that he conducted detailed observations of his three children Jacqueline, Lucienne and Laurent throughout their infant and language development years. His wife, herself a psychologist, also worked along with him during his observations, recording the behaviors of their children (Fischer Hencke, 1996). Piaget’s contributions to the field of developmental psychological are indeed considerable and have been widely acknowledged. He was awarded the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1969 by the American Psychological Association for his contributions. At his death in Geneva on September 16, 1980, Piaget had written and published more than 40 books and over 100 articles or chapters dealing with the topic of child psychology. His earliest works include The Origins of Intelligence in Children (1936/1952), The Construction of Reality in the Child (1937/1954) and Play, Dreams, and Imitation in Childhood (1945/1951) (Fischer Hencke, 1996). To date his research is believed to have made the single most important contribution to developmental psychology (Slavin, 2000; Beilin, 1992) and to a large extent the field of cognitive development psychology was founded primarily on his work (Goswami, 2001, p. 259). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development Piaget sought to describe how development occurs from the moment of birth unto adulthood and the cognitive changes that occur as physical development takes place. Using his background in Biology and his knowledge of the way organisms behave relative to their environment, Piaget sought to explain how children think along these lines. Piaget’s position that children construct knowledge based on these processes was in antithesis to behaviorist orientation which suggested that behavior was molded exclusively by external environmental forces. Piaget’s theory was more constructivist in nature proposing that each child is actively involved in constructing his own reality. Construction of knowledge, Piaget argued, was facilitated via the interaction of the processes of adaptation, accommodation, assimilation and equilibration. Piaget commenced by proposing that children are born with a natural inclination to interact with and a need to understand their environment (Slavin, 2000). From the earliest stage children develop mental patterns that guide their behavior, what Piaget calls schemes. Schemes are used to â€Å"find out about and act in the world† (Slavin, 2000, p. 30). The goal of intellectual development, according to Piaget, was towards adaptation where existing schemes are adjusted in response to modifications in the environment. As new situations arise children either incorporate new objects or events into existing schemes through assimilation or they adjust existing schemes when new objects and events do not fit into those existing schemes in the process of accommodation. When unfamiliar situations arise a state of disequilibrium ensues and the processes of accommodation and assimilation facilitate the return to equilibrium where balance is restored between existing understanding and new experiences – the process of equilibration (Slavin, 2000). The dimensions of the theory Piaget believed that children passed through four different stages of development that are defined by different characteristic features from birth to adulthood. Piaget proposed that each child moves progressively through each of the stages of cognitive development as they mature physically. The four distinct stages of cognitive development that Piaget has specified are the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational periods. He also gives an estimate as to the age at which each child will enter either stage. Wakefield (1996) points out, though, that â€Å"the age range for each stage is only an average† a child may enter a specific stage earlier or later than that estimated by Piaget. However, each child, Piaget argues, must pass through each of these stages of development in the specified order and no child can skip a particular stage. It must also be noted here that his theory is necessarily universal as it examines only how all children will progress and does not seek to analyze individual differences among children. The sensorimotor period represents a child zero (0) to two (2) years old. The main aspects of this stage Slavin (2000) summarizes as where â€Å"infants learn about their surroundings by using their senses and motor skills†. Piaget believes that each child is born with some built in mechanisms and tendencies and these he labels as reflexes. Because a newborn child has not yet developed a concept of his environment, his initial response to this environment up to one month old is instinctive. These reflexes, however, soon become the basis through which the child acquires new perspectives and behaviors (schemes) in an attempt to learn about and understand his environment. From birth to one month children begin to establish schemes as they commence the processing of interacting with and understanding their environment. Initially displaying behaviors by simple reflex children soon begin to modify these reflexes. From one to four months children attempt to reproduce recurring themes in their schemas. Children later begin to establish repetitive patterns in behavior and to associate different behaviors with different schemes. Examples include an infant crying when hungry and laughing when happy. The period two to four months Fischer and Silvern (1985) notes as when the child is developing the ability to intelligently adapt individual actions such as grasping a rattle (p. 634). Between four and eight months children are more object-oriented paying more attention to objects in their external environment, becoming more observant and less preoccupied with issues related to themselves such as hunger and sleep. Children begin to display more coordination in their schemes. From eight to 12 months children become aware of what they want and begin to construct their own schemas in order to achieve their goals. Behaviors are now more deliberate, carried out with a particular purpose in view. From 12 to 18 months children they are exploring new possibilities with objects in their environment. A child’s action at this stage is very experimental using trial and error to discover new schemas. From 18 to 24 months children begin to transition from this stage to the second preoperational stage. They are developing the ability to function using symbolic representations. Of course a child at the sensorimotor stage may not necessarily be able to fully understand every new thing that he perceives in his environment. Wakefield (1996) comments that, even though a child is unable to perform some amount of logical thinking at this stage, there is still some attempt to understand his environment through the use of his sense perceptions and motor skills. The preoperational stage is between ages two and seven years approximately. At this second stage children begin to be able to use symbols to represent things mentally by associating those new things with objects they are familiar with. While they are a little more developed cognitively than the earlier stage they still have a very narrow view of their environment. Within this stage, from age two to four years a child is relatively egocentric believing that everyone else sees things from their perspective. They also possess some amount of animism, believing that objects have characteristics similar to living things such as the ability to move. From age four to seven children further develop their reasoning capacities even though their thought processes are not completely logical. They have difficulty, however, with the concepts of centration and conservation. Slavin (2000) explains these concepts by illustrating that in this stage a child does not understand that the amount of milk in a tall glass is the same when it is poured into a shallower container nor are they able to realize that an object painted a different color is still the same object. The third stage of cognitive development is the concrete operational stage which covers children aged seven to eleven. At this stage children, while experiencing difficult thinking in abstract, are able to form concepts and solve problems. Of course they must be able to relate such operations to already familiar objects or situations in order for them to function properly. They are now able to understand and apply the principles of conservation and centration. Their reasoning is also considerably more logical and can show interrelations between different objects and classes of objects. They are still limited, however, in that they are unable to reason in abstract terms but need concrete circumstances and examples as guides. A child in the final formal operational stage, lasting from age eleven (11) to adulthood, is now able to reason in abstract and to conceptualize situations beyond what they can see and touch. They have now developed the capacity to perform reasoning about events, actions or objects that they cannot see or that are strictly hypothetical and they are also able to use deductive reasoning. They begin to devise plans to solve problems and test their hypothesis against a variety of options. Piaget’s stratification of cognitive development into different stages has considerable implications particularly for educational goals. Because children are able only after having moved through certain stages, to manipulate certain tasks and to be effective in certain cognitive activities, learning situations must be structured so that they match the developmental stages. Education must therefore be developmentally appropriate to the abilities of the child and attempts should be made to help children, as they progress from one stage to the next, to manipulate the operations inherent at each stage. Piaget’s view of cognitive development has been quite formidable and influential in helping researchers understand the processes at work at different stages and ages. There have, however, been several criticisms of the model. One of the major criticisms has focused on the presumed universality of the stages that Piaget describes. He supposes that every child, irrespective of situational context, will go through these stages at a prescribed time and that the principles are therefore applicable to all children everywhere. Some researchers have noted, however, that the rate and stage of development is not at all universal. The ages that Piaget initially suggested as delineating each stage are therefore thought of as rough estimates and children can enter and exit each stage either earlier or later than initially prescribed. Another concern that was raised with regards to Piaget’s theory was that it suggested that as the child progressed through the stages that the abilities at the lower stage no longer become useful or necessary. Piaget later clarified, however, that the concrete thinking and other abilities at the lower stage are not only essential before a child is able to progress to more complex thinking but they are also persistent over time and that a child never loses the lower abilities. He suggests that over time certain tasks become automatic, almost instinctive, but they are still essential even in the later stages of development. Further Piaget’s original theory had not considered the potential impact that the environment may have in impacting behavior. His initial argument much to anti-behaviorist and thus the power of environmental factors to shape behavior was almost ignored. Even though he accounted for these influences in his explanations of the process of adaptation and equilibration, he did not focus much on this aspect. Researchers have found that various social and environmental factors can have a considerable impact on a child’s development. They propose that a child can enter a stage earlier and progress through that stage much quicker than others based on the stimuli available in his environment. Similarly a child’s development may be significantly retarded if adequate stimuli are not provided in the environment. A child would therefore progress through stages later and at a slower pace. The behaviorist position that the environment matters is therefore not completely invalid and their view of the potential influence of the external environment in shaping behavior has some merit. Despite this failure to fully acknowledge and explain the relevance and impact of environmental factors in facilitating knowledge construction based on reality and even though the theory seems to emphasize universal stages of development, Fischer and Hencke (1996) believe that Piaget with his cognitive development theory is notably still the most influential researcher and theorist on developmental that the twentieth century has seen (Fischer Hencke, 1996, p. 09). Current research Several theorists have arisen in more recent times to expand on Piaget’s original theory, to propose modifications on the areas of weakness or to suggest a complete new approach to understanding cognitive development. Among those worthy of mention are Robbie Case, Kurt Fischer, Michael Shayer and Juan Pascual-Leone. Robbie Case is a neo-Piagetian who agrees with Piaget’s general position that children go through developmental stages. Case also agrees with Piaget that each stage is delineated based on age and is representative of the changing ways that children are able to mentally represent reality and how they process information in their brains. Case also supports that cognitive development occurs in four stages commencing from when a child is around one month old until the period of adulthood. Within each stage he also recognizes substages of development postulating, like Piaget that each successive stage is a continuation or a building on to the former (Sternberg, 1987, p. 08). Beginning in the mid-nineteen seventies Case began to propose alternative interpretations of the stage development theory. He has developed some characteristics in his new theory that are not in complete alignment with original Piagetian thought. His first area of departure is with relation to the way that information is processed in the brain throughout the stages.