Education as a Social Institution Essay

The social institution referred to as Education is comprised of the school system and it is in the school system where knowledge and skills are developed along with cultural and social values and norms. Additionally, through the school system culture and society continue and further those social values and norms thus fulfilling a need prescribed by society. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the theories of functionalism, conflict, and interactionism perceive the social institution of education. As the functionalism theory states, each social institution exists in order to fulfill a social need in addition without the social institution in question, social order would falter. The conflict theory states, a social institution creates and/or furthers social inequalities and assists in maintaining an ascribed social status in the social order however, as the social order is continuously in flux, the social order tries to find a balance in and for society. The interactionism theory tries to understand why individuals who maintain a presence within a social institution act and/or react to each other under certain stimulations (Vissing, 2011). The social institution of education is comprised of what we term as schools therefore throughout this paper the terms education institution, schools, and the school system will be used interchangeably and accordingly. Each individual within a society is introduced to and educated in a system of values and norms pertaining to their particular society beginning at an early age and continuing through the individual’s lifetime additionally, the school system plays a large part in that education as the youth of that particular society develop into adults. The instructors or teachers within the school system act as role models to elicit proper behavior and strengthen cultural and societal norms (Beaver, 2009). Along with the academic curriculum taught in schools, schools also act as a large socializing agent where students are introduced to their first tertiary peer group. Education is a social institution and through the school system it fulfills a social need because the school system is our first tertiary peer group, the school system introduces us to societal norms, and the school system imparts to society, knowledge and skills. As a socializing entity, school is a basic and necessary universal structure for society. Using an interactionism view, this is so, because it introduces us to, reintroduces us to, affirms, and/or reaffirms most of society’s values and norms through a tertiary peer group consisting of other students and the instructors. The school structure shows the student through example and instruction how to integrate into and act within the group setting and the value/reward system of participating in a team setting. This is accomplished through the instructions and guidance presented to them from the instructors. The student is also influenced by the expectations of the instructor, the expectations of their peers, and the manner in which their peers perceive them and their accomplishments (Vissing, 2011). Additionally, failing to meet academic schedules the student may appear irresponsible to their peers and the instructors as they academically fall behind others in their peer and age groups. It has been noted that students generally meet the expectations made of them, in other words if students are expected to perform well they do so, conversely, if they are not expected to perform well they do not (Vissing, 2011). Therefore, the student’s academic achievement level may be determined by the manner in which the instructors view the students and the student’s behavior and achievements. For example, if an instructor views a student as a trouble maker the student will be labeled and treated as such thus deterring the student from reaching his/her full potential. Looking at this issue with the view of the student as the priority, the student’s academic achievement may be a determinant or a direct result of the manner in which the student views school and why the student views the school in such a manner. A student will not excel academically if they do not enjoy attending school in general, or attending specific classes therefore, what are some causes for a student feeling this way. It is evident that the interactions between the students and instructors play a large role in how the students feel about classes and school in general. Two major factors come into play here and they are, the instructors â€Å"social and emotional support for students and the nature of [the instructors’] expectations for students’ academic performance† (Hallinan, 2008). This interaction between student and instructor is of great value as it influences how a student perceives themself and their environment within the school system. For example, students that perceive they are being overlooked or their capabilities are being undervalued by the instructor will perform poorly. Conversely, when an instructor shows the student some attention, and shows them they are capable and of value as a student, the student will perform to the best of their ability. However, for either of these scenarios to persist the instructor must be consistent with their interactions with the student. Moreover, if the instructor’s expectations and interactions are not consistent with regard to the student then the ability in predicting the student’s success in school or their feelings toward school becomes problematic. The predictability of a student’s feelings toward the school system becomes problematic under these conditions because the equation used in this case is a feedback loop based on how well the instructor matches their expectations to the student’s academic abilities. Moreover, the main variable in the equation of predicting a student’s feelings toward the school system is the student’s reaction to the instructor’s expectations of them when trying to determine how satisfied the student is with a class or school in general (Hallinan, 2008). What we see with the interactionism theory is how the instructor can influence the student’s outlook and ultimately the students’ academic outcome by how they interact with the student and their overall expectations of the student and their academic abilities. Additionally the interactionism theory shows how the students peer group may also account for their success or failure in school and individual classes because of the influence the peer groups perceptions of the individual student’s academic performances. Lastly the interactionism theory shows how the students overall feelings and self-perceptions toward the school system as a whole, individual classes, and their own academic performance may also affect the students success and/or failure. What the conflict theory shows is how the school system supports the continuance of the social inequalities between the elite class and the lower class individual in relationship to their achieved status in a culture/society while maintaining the status quo. This allows the elite class of a society to control and direct the school system and its curriculum in a manner that will ultimately benefit that upper class (Beaver, 2009). The conflict theory also acknowledges the competition between peers that promotes a more rounded comprehension of subject matter through stronger and/or competitive study skills and this concept of competition follows a student through school and into the workforce. Additionally, the concept of competition is promoted through a system of rewards both in the school system and in the workforce such as the honor role, the dean’s list, acceptance into honor societies, or becoming employee of the month or year. The school system accomplishes this with its curriculum so that the lower class student will accept the inevitability of a position in the working class and catering to the upper class student by grooming them to acquire and maintain positions in the ruling class (Beaver, 2009) (Vissing, 2011). Additionally, the conflict theorist proposes that the school system controls the thinking patterns and reasoning powers of the students and the manner in which the student acts and reacts in social situations (Vissing, 2011). In addition, through example the students are introduced and instructed in the social values and beliefs of their society and culture. This seeming agenda of the school system is better explained by Yvonne Vissing (2011) when she states, â€Å"this role of education [is called] the â€Å"hidden curriculum†. [It is because] inequality results in a variety of forms, including structured differences in quality of educational institutions available to the rich versus the poor† (p 167). However, this hidden curriculum is not a set curriculum but it is implied and taught in such a way as to be unnoticed by the student’s daily attendance in school system. To explain the hidden curriculum an example of comparison between two different societies will be used. In society-a one of the more important values is individualism; individualism implies the right to freedom of thought and action by the individual. Therefore, in society-a, the school curriculum is designed to promote self-identity and self-esteem. However, in society-b, the value of individualism is looked upon as an undesirable social trait and the students are taught through implication that to be singled out is shameful and social esteem is of more importance than self-esteem. Therefore, in society-b, the curriculum is designed in such a way that students are taught that group honor is of more importance than self-honor is (Davis, 2010). The conflict theory also shows how the business world has a large stake in the type of students the school system turns out and these needs are addressed through a school’s curriculum. Additionally, as the business world, which is directed and controlled by the elite, advises certain change in the curriculum in the school system to meet its needs the school system in some cases modifies and adjusts its curriculum to meet those changing needs. However, this raises the question, in fulfilling the needs of the business world does the school system always advance and groom the best candidate for a controlling position in the workforce or is there a bias in place where instead the most likely candidate is advanced and groomed for those positions (Beaver, 2009). According to Daniel Ashton, in England a collaborative program between government and education tries to address the issues between the school system (Educational Institution) and the business world. One of the issues that is being addressed is, the gap between industry and the school system relating to â€Å"workplace skills† and present educational curricula. The manner in which this gap is being addressed is with an assessment of a person’s natural abilities to assist in developing that person and those abilities to help â€Å"build a dynamic and vibrant society† (2009). It is worthy to note here that among the youth in lower class urban and rural America the perceived likelihood that a high quality education will be of any significance in their future working status is small. Additionally, this is because the sub-culture of the urban and rural lower class American is where they feel comfortable, and the middle/upper class urban/city culture of America is not only unfamiliar to them but also uncomfortable to them. Moreover, as the higher educational concepts are unfamiliar and have no real bearing on their daily lives the lower class student can at best only absorb the higher educational concepts by rote alone if at all (Becker, 1955). Even though many rural school systems persist in advancing the conceptual educational theories, many students in these rural areas still find it difficult to advance and succeed outside their natural comfort zone. Therefore, the ability to excel beyond the working class is deterred by the many technical and vocational training schools in these areas (Becker, 1955). We see with the conflict theory how it supports social and status inequalities through class stratification, the status structure, and through peer competition. Additionally it shows there is a hidden curriculum or agenda that controls the thought pattern of students headed into the workforce of society where they are expected to accept a status of the controlled or controlling members in the workforce based on their family status level in society. In addition, it shows how the business world has a stake in the level and focus of the curriculum administered to the student in relationship to the workforce and social skills the student has acquired upon graduation as they nter the workforce. Lastly, it shows how education is split into generalized higher education, specialized higher education, and vocational education and training in support of both professions and trades in the workforce and business world. Emile Durkheim’s view of education was that over time the school system became comprised of an ordered composite of social disciplines and social structures with the ability to intermesh with like and unlike social structures. However, Durkheim also postulated that society as a whole had a greater ability to modify its structure than that of the social structure of school system (Clark, 1973). Therefore, looking at Education through the school system from a functionalism point of view, the school system is a viable social structure as it fulfills many primary and secondary social and cultural needs. Some of these primary needs are the teaching and reinforcing of cultural values and norms, in addition to the teaching of â€Å"work ethics† and certain general and specific aspects about the work environment the students will eventually enter. One of the more important concepts schools teach in the area of the ‘work’ environment, both in school and out of school, is how to accept success and/or failure and how to move forward under both conditions (Beaver, 2009) (Vissing, 2011). It is also important to look at some of the secondary social needs fulfilled by the school system. In the early introduction to the school system, the student is immersed into a tertiary peer group where they begin to socialize with many others in their age range. In today’s society schools also act as a form of day care system and with extracurricular (sports) programs after the academic period the students are kept â€Å"off the streets and out of the competitive workforce until they have reached a certain age† (Vissing, 2011). In the attainment of viable and competitive employment in the current and future workforce, the school systems offer many specific elective disciplines for many professions and trades in society’s business industries. This system of elective classes assists the student in assessing and being assessed in their abilities and compatibility of a particular profession and/or trade. Additionally, to assist the student and satisfy the business industry the school system has incorporated specialized schools that follow a narrowed or focused curriculum in order to fulfill the burgeoning needs of particular industries in the business and economic worlds. However, these types of schools hold an additional outcome for the more generalized school and its students. Even though a larger number of people enjoy the financial benefits supplied in their profession of choice, the student who graduates from this type of school has a less rounded education than the student who graduates from a traditional school. Additionally, for the business world, the only purpose for this type of education is to fulfill its needs for semi-qualified workers and the benefit derived from this type of education for the worker is that of being employed in a trade and/or profession of their choosing and acquiring the achieved status they desired. Therefore, through this type of narrowed and focused education both the student and the business world are satisfied and share a sense of success (Tufts, 1909). The control of how and what is taught in the school system is directed and enforced by the dominant culture of a society. Therefore, in all school systems students are taught nationalism, nationalism is formed of the values and norms particular to each individual country and that countries culture/society, and each culture will present that nationalism with a bias leaning toward that particular nation/culture. For example, in the United States of America the schools teach about the struggle we had in becoming a nation, the meaning of our national flag and how we honor it with our pledge of allegiance to the nation it represents. What the school system does not teach is the degradation caused to the aboriginal peoples of this country by the dominant imperialist mindset of the people who conquered those aboriginal peoples. Our dominant culture may be intrigued by and even be sympathetic toward the culture and society that was decimated in the making of this dominant nation/culture however, that culture and its values and norms are of little significance in the indoctrination of the nation’s society of its dominant cultural values and norms (Becker, 1955). Although the primary function of the school system is the indoctrination of the student in knowledge and skills to be used later in the work arena it is the latent function of the school system, i. e. : the social interactions within the peer groups the students are introduced to, is of greater importance. The functionalism theory shows that as a bureaucratic structure the education institution is steeped in tradition, and is less likely to change than society is as a whole. The functionalism theory additionally shows the needs of society being fulfilled, through the social values, norms, national icons, work ethics, and accountability of the society it serves. Additionally, the functionalism theory shows how the values of accountability and ethics are accomplished with active peer group integration. In addition, work ethics accomplished through academic structure and schedules. Lastly, we see how the national icons on the dominant culture are instilled on a society with little regard to the subjugated culture that may have been in place prior to being overshadowed or have immigrated to that culture. Using three sociological theories and looking through the school system at the social institution referred to as Education we see how this institution affects society as a whole and fulfills certain social and cultural needs. With interactionism, we see how the expectations of the group affect the individual’s self-expectations and actions within the group, society, and particular culture. Interactionism additionally shows how the school system introduces and instructs students how to interact with each other and society in a positive and healthy manner. When we look at the school system with the conflict theory, we see how it supports the inequalities between the class stratification and the status structure in a society, both at the individual level and the collective level while maintaining the status quo. Additionally, the conflict theory shows how the elite class uses the business sector to influence the curriculum in the school system, which also contributes to the continuance of social inequalities. Moreover, the conflict theory shows how the school system has the power the control the thinking patterns of a society through a ‘hidden curriculum’. What functionalism shows us about the school system is the school system is a viable social structure as it fulfills many primary and secondary social and cultural needs. It additionally shows us some of those social needs, which are the teaching and reinforcing cultural values and norms. In addition, that the school system teaches students â€Å"work ethics† along with specific and general aspects about the work environment they will eventually enter. Moreover, when we look at the educational institution using the functionalism theory we see how the school system confirms the validity of education as a social institution by fulfilling certain needs of a culture and society. Lastly, we see the interrelationship between these three sociological theories and the educational institution. This is shown to us through our peer group, teacher, business, social, status and workforce expectations and interactions. Additionally, we are shown how the educational institution can and does affect our self-esteem, self-perception, and achieved status level.

Government Growth in an Age of Improvement Essay

Democratic accountability is supposed to be alive and well in any political system rather than a government ran on â€Å"auto-pilot† at the expense of neglected and so expected taxpayers and rightful citizens. Introduction It should sound ironical that the president should continue to choose cabinet and sub cabinet officers and both the president and the congress continue to remain accountable to the American people through elections and exercise the power of the purse unlike in other democratic countries a great lack of interest in political administration is evident in the United Nations, resulting to deeper strains in American Society at large. The US has never created a high level, government-wide-civil service or a highly skilled and experienced top executive political manpower. The control of government policies is vested in an informal enduring series of â€Å"iron triangles† who are a link between particular program proposed to the relevant executive bureau, congressional committees and interest groups clientele the iron triangles are disastrously incomplete since they hardly understand changes in politics and administration but rather look for the powerful actors with whom to do business (P. 88). The job of presidential appointees in controlling their own actions and managing the bureaucracy are ultimately complicated. The problem arises where politicians, officials and their fellow travelers fail to meet what the public can understand and accept; thus registering large strains of American politics and society. Organized politics are dissolved and organizational life throughout the nation is politicized. Government Growth in an Age of Improvement The late 1950s and entire 1960s witnessed a wave of federal initiatives in health, civil rights, education, housing, manpower, income maintenance, transportation and urban affairs all associated with low government expenditure. Newer types of welfare concerns such as consumer protection, the environment, cancer prevention, energy, etc. have characterized an ambitious, reform minded period and a big government. However, there has been astonishingly little increase in the overall size of the federal executive establishment. Federal employment never grew either in comparison with spending and regulations (P. 89). Higher costs of existing policies are just one explanation of expanding government and stable bureaucracy and has been important in income maintenance programs. Another explanation is lack of administering programs directly to general population but rather act through intermediary organizations such as state governments, city halls, third party payers, consultants, contractors etc. making the contract between the ordinary citizen and a federal bureaucrat quite rare. This promotes the idea of government by remote control. This in essence is advantageous to the federal government builds support for policies, translating otherwise indivisible collective goods into terms suitable for distributive politics (P. 91). Sidestepping the tremendously difficult task of creating a broad national consensus for the governments administered activities is another advantage. This method of policies has led to mushrooming of federal regulations much in common with federal spending – the government can use regulations and tell the public and private bureaucracies what to do. The federal policy makers are left to distribute funds and bear blames when things go wrong. The style of retailing promises of improved policies and wholesaling the administrative headaches connected with delivery has left the people to expect the government to solve problems but not to get in anyone’s way in the process (P. 93). These results to policy pile up. Washington has in the end been put to the worst of both world-blamed for poor delivery by its public customers and besieged with bills from its middlemen. The possibility of both politicizing organizational life and depoliticizing democratic leadership is an area of concern. Since 1950s greatest policy growth was advocated – programs seeking social betterment in terms of civil rights, income, housing, environment, consumer protection etc. otherwise known as welfare policies. The idea of compensation is a theme in the clamor of group politics meaning that the federal government should put things right fits well for the groups that are disadvantaged and special treatment is required for truly equal opportunity to prevail and for those representing the disadvantaged. The government action is required to redress the impact of the selfish private interests. The prevalent feeling in the US that â€Å"there oughtta be policy† and the connotation of getting in on society’s compensations is decidedly positive. New initiatives in federal funding and regulation have infused old and new organizations with public policy dimensions, especially when such groups are used as administrative middlemen (P. 96-97). Expanding welfare policies on indirect administration have encouraged the development of specialized subcultures composed of highly knowledgeable policy makers some of whom have advanced professional degrees and commonly shared detailed understanding of specialized issues (P. 100-101). Employees in the field and in Washington who perform the routine chores associated with direct administration have become less prominent whereas those with necessary technical and supervisory skills have become more important. This in essence, results to expansion of the upper and middle levels of officialdom rather than increase the overall size of the bureaucracy. More technical skills and higher supervisory levels have become a requirement. Stable sets of clear goals in all modern organizations, even non profit oriented are the causes of increasing complexities and specializations affecting leaders. The pressure for more expert staff assistance have become immense for decision makers in governments where policy goals have been neither stable nor clear in the last twenty years and this applies to legislators and public executives (P. 101). Weakness in executive leadership below the level of the president have never really been due to interest groups, party politics or congress, rather the problem lies on the lack of any democratically based power political executives yet their popular mandate to act in the bureaucracy secondhand, from either an elected chief executive in congress political democrats further weaken the scenario. As much as political administrators become close to specialized policy networks the gap between them and the ordinary citizen widens a typical presidential appointee hardly gets time to see or listen to an ordinary member of the public. Only a minority of citizens gets a chance to be moralized in the various networks while those who are not policy activists depend on the ability of the government institutions to work on their behalf (P. 118). Conclusion More communication may need to be involved incase the gap between the policy networks and the bulk of the population is created by information. Policy forensics among the networks yield more experts making more sophisticated claims and counter claims that non-specialists becomes inclined to concede everything and believe nothing that he hears. Many factors and events are linked to these changing public attitudes. The prominence of issue networks is bound to aggravate problems of legitimacy and public disenchantment. The influential systems for knowledgeable policy making tend to make democratic politics difficult (P. 118-119). References Hugo Heclo, 2007 â€Å"Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment. †

Stakeholder management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stakeholder management - Essay Example Stakeholder management is a central part of any organisation. Stakeholders act as agents, sponsors and partners in the business strategy and change process. Stakeholders include the customers, employees, suppliers, creditors and the society in general. Stakeholders interests differ from those of the shareholders thus organisations should balance the two conflicting interests in order to ensure long term growth and survival of the business. This paper will discuss stakeholder management at Unilever and how the stakeholders have responded to the approach. Stakeholder management at Unilever Introduction Stakeholder management ensures that all those affected by the decisions of the company are considered in the decision making process (Huber & Pallas, 2006). Examples of stakeholders include the employees, the government, the suppliers, creditors, trade unions, customers, and the general community. On the other hand, shareholders are the real owners of the business since they have provide d the capital thus their major interest is maximise their wealth through increased profitability and share prices. According to the modern stakeholder management theory, managers are considers as agents of the stakeholders. Stakeholders may be individuals or constituencies that contribute either directly or indirectly to the wealth creation activities of the firm and who also act as potential beneficiaries or risk bearers depending on the strategic decisions made by the management. Stakeholder management is therefore geared at developing and implementing organisation-wide practices and policies that address the needs, concerns and goals of all relevant stakeholders (Huber & Pallas, 2006). One of the leading companies in stakeholder management is Unilever. The company’s brands aim at assisting billions of people improve their health and wellbeing. Some products include affordable bathing soaps, ice creams and luxurious shampoos that care for the households. Some brands such as Lifebuoy, Omo, Blueband and Sunlight have attained global recognition and customer loyalty. Sustaining close relationships with stakeholders is one of the priorities of Unilever. The management of stakeholders involves building and strengthening relationships with all stakeholders through identifying the stakeholders’ needs and monitoring the changing needs. The company has implemented the Sustainable Living Plan that enables the company identity the needs of the stakeholders, diverse tastes and provides information on new products (Kazmi, 2008). The company operates consumer care lines, websites and campaigns that aim at collecting information from consumers. The company has strengthened relationships with the civil society and local governments through engaging the governments on matters such as nutrition and public policy. Unilever has partnered with non-governmental organisations such as Oxfam, UNICEF and World Food Programme in improving the hygiene, sanitation and acce ss to clean drinking water thus satisfying the interests of the local communities. Unilever has addressed the interests of the direct stakeholders such as the customers, suppliers, employees and market partners. For instance, employees receive fair salaries, bonuses and commissions for their efforts in the organisation. Unilever treats all employees with dignity and respect and ensures individual interests are aligned with the overall strategic objectives of the organisation. Employees are assisted with credit facilities such as mortgages, short term loans and sick leave pay that also extend to the immediate dependants. The company has improved the working conditions through implementing properly documented health and safety policies and procedures that aim at reducing work related accidents. The job design and career growth opportunities aim at ensuring all workers attain self esteem and self actualization through exploiting their full potential. For the suppliers, Unilever has bus iness policies that ensure equality in

On the book Burr by Vidal Gore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On the book Burr by Vidal Gore - Essay Example mellow down in his usual satiric stance, this being a historical novel, an exposition of the political events that unfolded a few decades after the American Revolution. If the latter, consumed so much passion, turbulence, physical energy and liters of gore spilled, we expect a subsidence, a quieting down and pacification in the decades following. In †Burr†, we’re in for a big surprise for there was turbulence and passions galore beside the rampant jockeying for positions and power, intrigues, scandals and hypocrisy. Gore Vidal was still in his element here still witty, bitchy and sardonic. But what sets â€Å"Burr† apart is the rampant iconoclasm. Gore Vidal’s guns were trained not only to traditional political institutions but to American ‘greats’ such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, James Madison and Martin Van Buren, who happened to be rumored here as Burr’s bastard son. Irreverent and sas sy, practically no one was spared here as Vidal cannot be stopped from unmasking the weaknesses and follies of revered heroes. Vidal’s interpretation of early American history, was therefore on the dark side. This interpretation was best expressed when Vidal put the following words in Burr’s mouth i.e. â€Å"Between the dishonest canting of Jefferson and the egotism of Hamilton, this state had been no live in a good world† ( Vidal 156). Vidal postulated that in this era the new nation still had to grope for stability; to organize things that were still in disarray; and had to strengthen its newly acquired independence and institutions. The Constitution, the legal system and the system of a 3-powered government desperately begged for amendments and rectifications as these were far from ideal and were subject to abuse. Vidal exposed the absence of the separation of powers among the judiciary, the executive and the legislative departments. That was why, President Jefferson was able to actively pursue the

Orgnaizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Orgnaizational Behavior - Essay Example In general leadership refers to the use of non-coercive influence techniques. It is important to distinguish a leader from a dictator. Whereas dictators get others to do what they want by using physical coercion or by threats of physical force, leaders do not (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). From the definition it is clear that leadership involves the exercise of influence for the purpose of attaining group or organisational goals. In other words, leaders focus on changing those actions or attitudes of their subordinates that are related to specific goals. They are far less concerned with altering followers' actions or attitudes that are irrelevant to such goals. (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). Also, from the definition one can see that leadership requires followers that is leadership is a two way street. Although leaders do indeed influence subordinates in various ways, leader also are influenced by their subordinates. As a matter of fact one can say that leadership exists only in relation to followers. After all, one cannot lead without followers. (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). Leadership style refers to the adoption of Authoritarian Management or a Democratic Management style by an individual in an organization, depending on which style is more comfortable to his or her personality. (Statt and David, 1999: pp 91). Leadership Styles Of Two Senior Member In My Organisation The leadership styles of two senior members in my organisation are as follows: The first senior member is primarily concerned with establishing good relations with subordinates and being looked by them. He/she engages in actions such as doing favours for subordinates, explaining things to them and taking steps to ensure their welfare. He is reluctant to act in a directive manner toward subordinates and often shy away from presenting them with negative feedback. The second Senior member on the other hand is concerned mainly with production and focuses primarily on getting the job done. The senior member engages in actions such as organising work, inducing subordinates to follow rules, setting goals, and making leader and subordinate rules explicit. The leadership styles discussed above can be linked as shown in the figure 2 below: Figure 2: Basic Dimensions of Leadership Behaviour. Taken from: (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). From the figure above one can observe that though the leadership styles discussed earlier are far off from each other, these leadership styles often converge at times. For example, there are leaders who are both production oriented and at the same time person oriented. Some leaders can be 75% person oriented and 25% production oriented and vice versa. Also some leaders can score equal points for each of the two dimensions as well as some may not be found in any of the dimensions. That is they are neither person oriented nor production oriented. Likert's Four System approach. Following an extensive research at Michigan University, Rensis Likert came up with

Compare and contrast the use of shapes and color in the works of Essay

Compare and contrast the use of shapes and color in the works of Antoni Gaudi and Friedensreich Hundertwasser - Essay Example Hundertwassers structures are not focused around bones like Gaudis. The greater part of his structures looks current. He utilizes a combo of unexpected shapes and squares of shadow to make his structures emerge from different structures. This picture demonstrates within one of his structures. There are numerous diverse shades inside, which do not go together however look great in the way they are masterminded. Two of the most noted, imaginative and regarded specialists of the twentieth century, Antoni Gaudi and Friedensreich Hundertwasser, made works that will always live in the archives of aesthetic legend. While Hundertwasser speaks to a later school of Austrian craft, and worked primarily in Vienna, Gaudi, expert of the incredible, colored a prior scene in Barcelona, Spain with legendary construction modeling that right up until today has not been copied. While the works of both artists speak to blasts of color and structure, most who perspective, those, without cautious examination and assessment, might not see their reasonable likenesses fit as a fiddle and utilization of shade. They do exist. The aim of the essay is to show similarities and differences between the masterpieces of two architects from different countries and different period. The similarities is the cause to find more differences and versus. Waiting lines for entry into the artist’s most famous structure, La Sagrada Familia are always long. Tourists come to observe its amazing mix of shapes and influencesthat startle and bring tears to the eyes of many. Gaudi never finished La Sagrada Familia before his death in 1926 after being struck by a tram car. The Eye on Spain website states that the work is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; ongoing work on the cathedral led by architect Jordi Bonet i Armengol is using modern computer design technology to finish the work. For Gaudi, a man ahead of his time, Barcelona was his palette upon which he designed and created his

Strategy Formulation (IP Unit 3) Research Paper

Strategy Formulation (IP Unit 3) - Research Paper Example The process of strategy formulation just like that for decision-making follows a six steps procedure that must not be followed chronologically but must be integrated conclusively. It is therefore quiet useful to consider strategy formulation as part of strategic management that entails the diagnostic approach, Formulation and implementation. Diagnosis involves performing a situation analysis where the internal environment of the organization is analyzed while implementation is a stage in formulation where the strategies that are considered appropriate for the operations of the company are put to practice, monitoring, and evaluation (Day, 1986). Strategy formulation is a six steps module that is incorporated under three main aspects. The steps entail - first setting the organizational goals and objectives, which must be long-term in nature, the objectives, reiterates the state of being there while a strategy shows us how to reach there. After the objectives are well laid, environmenta l scanning is done which entails the review of both the external and internal environments which range from economic to industrial and in which the organization at stake operates (Day, 1986). The management then sets quantitative targets to be achieved through the set organizational objectives. This is to aid comparison with the long-term customers and realize their input and contribution to the overall missions and visions of the organization. The next step is to aim overall goals with divisional outputs where the contributions made by each department are quantified and consolidated. Then performance analysis if done where the gap between the planned and the desired performance is analyzed. A strategy is then chosen from the alternatives projected, considering the organizational goals, strengths, and actual potential visa vi the external environment, a choice is made. As pointed out earlier by Day (1986), strategy formulation is crafted under three major aspects, which involves; co rporate level strategy, competitive strategy and functional strategy. Corporate level strategy is concerned majorly of the vast decisions around the total organization’s scope and direction so that there are detected changes to be made to realize growth objective for a given firm. Competitive strategy is aimed at making decisions on how the company should compete to remain relevant in its line of business (LOB) or its strategic business units (SBU). Functional strategy on the other hand deals with how each of the available functional areas is likely to carry out its functional activities (Day, 1986). "FIRST-MOVER" THEORY OR "LATE-MOVER" THEORY Our case is the competitive business strategy where the management is faced with the situation of whether to dev elope a completely new brand of a product or simply produce the already existing brand that a competitor in the same industry is involved. This they expect to do through either the, â€Å"first mover theory† or â€Å" late mover theory† (Green & Ryans, 1990). Timing of the market by most firms is a very important aspect of their operation. This can either be early entry into the market or late entries hence the two theories. Furthermore, market entry timing decisions are the bridge between the functional strategy and the corporate business strategy, therefore, when timing and scope decisions are combined there is always a realization of a superior market (Green & Ryans, 1990). First movers into the market are normally likely to benefit from above normal

Discussion of readings about graphic design Essay - 1

Discussion of readings about graphic design - Essay Example Yet, on the other side it provides a graphic designer with the liberty to try a range of thematic patterns and visual elements that could be crafted while using that modular element. In that sense modularity should not be considered to be an element that limits the creativity of a graphic designer. For instance just because buildings are constructed by using modular building materials like bricks and lumber, this no way imposes any limitations on the creative possibilities that could be explored by any architect. In that sense the concept of modularity mentioned by Lupton and Phillips does blend with Gerstner’s ideas about designing programs that it has to do with placing the visual creativity and imagination of a graphic artist in the service of an already standardized and fabricated design pattern or method. It does need to be understood that in a post industrialization era, graphic art is also a commodity that is consumed on a mass scale. Thereby it would not be practical t o think about graphic art as an entity that could be left open to free and individual imagination. Hence, Gerstner is right when he talks about reducing the creative process â€Å"to an act of selection.† Richard Saul Wurman does lay stress on the fact that that such data and information that one comes across in the day to day life is not as understandable as it is actually considered to be. This stands to be true not only for the data and information that are considered to be highly specialized and professional. This is equally true for the data that is considered to be public, general and common. Hence, in the post industrialization and post information technology revolution era, the one big challenge for designers is to make the available information more easily understandable, available and visual. Mushon Zer-Aviv does correctly and precisely catch this point that data does need to be made more easily understandable and

The grand theatre leeds Essay Example for Free

The grand theatre leeds Essay Linda as a child is very excitable and active. She is dressed up (by her mother) in a very feminine way, however, she was a real tom boy inside. She carried on in everyday life things such as sitting down, as if she was a boy, legs wide open and crossed, as if unaware of the fact she was revealing her knickers to boys. On this scene when Linda is sticking up for him, they treat each other as the same sex, they are all the same as far as they are concerned, and they are totally oblivious to the world around them. Another scene when they are together is the scene when Mickey introduces Edie to Linda. They are all sat playing shooting with the guns. They are all extremely imaginative as they believe there are really shooting things. The three children are sat in the corner of downstage right, they are situate here so it makes them look smaller than they actually are because there is all the space around them compared to the amount of space used when the adults are on the stage. Here the relationship between Linda and Mickey is at its strongest. Linda hits the target every time, whereas Mickey misses, he doesnt show that he is jealous though. She laughs like a boy here, she feels completely at ease with him. Linda-Nikki Davis Jones-portrays the age of Linda very well here by shoeing the amount of concentration on her face when she is shooting, she is totally engrossed in her target. The relationship between Mickey and Linda is very close at this age and Mickey is not afraid to show his affections towards Linda or his mum. He doesnt think about his affections though, they are what come naturally to him; he loves to get excited and jump around. E. g. when Mickey bends over Linda to get the gun off Eddie he leans on her, whereas soon when he is a teenager he would never get as close to her as that without feeling embarrassed. The way Linda laughs when she wins shows the lack of problems and stress they had in between the relationship at that age, she is laughing with happiness and such an open body line, she has nothing on her mind. She has a lot of respect for Mickey but different to the respect he has for his brother, in the way that Linda laughs , flinging her head back as she does, she sees her self as equal to him, and would not get embarrasses in front of him. As teenagers Linda and Mickey are totally different. In the scene on the stile Linda is much more psychological, she thinks about her movements and what reactions they might have on Mickey. She is very flirtatious whereas Mickey is the shyest we have seen him in the whole play. Linda is stood astride on the stile; she is wearing her extremely short school skirt with her shirt buttons undone at the top. This outfit alone makes her look a lot older than she is (14) not because the actress is older but because her body language too is very different to hers as a child. When she talks to Mickey she tends to move forward from the waist as she speaks, revealing the space between her bra and her shirt. She intends to flaunt this to Mickey and his reactions are the total opposite of Lindas body language. He looks away and has his body on an angle to hers. He is embarrassed at the position she puts him in. Linda lets her hair down; she thinks that this will make her appear sexier. She is very impulsive here and doesnt seem to get embarrassed at all. She is much more sexually aware than Mickey and she thinks hes playing hard to get but really, he just thinks shes weird. Mickeys eye contact is very flickery and he doesnt actually look her in the eye very often. Her eye contact is very intimidating, her whole body level is a lot higher than him (because she is stood on the stile) and therefore she is looking down on him, making him feel small, her eye contact is fixed though in his eyes. She speaks in a slow provocative voice. When she deliberately gets stuck on the stile Mickey feels unsure what to do about this. She asks him for his help, she even says this sexily her knowing that he will feel uncomfortable about being so close to a girl wearing such a short skirt. He walks over and helps her and she presses her body close to him. Her eyes are still intensely looking upon him, he is aware that she is trying to flirt with hi but he is unsure how to react to it. He doesnt smile at all through this scene he tends to keep a straight face throughout but, making it obvious that something else is going on in his troubled mind. Linda and Mickey are almost at the end of the play, during the scene where Linda is trying to stop Mickey from taking his pills: In this scene both actors portray their complete change in characters well. Mickey has lost all pride in him self, he can barely look at Linda. They argue, this is a complete shock to the audience because you have seen them grown up from the age of 7 and yet you have never seen them argue. They have always stuck by each other. Linda is still behind Mickey but he is not the same anymore. Since Mickey got out of prison he had to take anti-depressants. Mickey has lost a lot of things, as a child he lost his dad. That is not something which has been an issue in the rest of the play. AS a child he lost his twin, he does not know about this but it makes the audience feel for him as all his life he has lost thinks. He lost his job, this made him become very cynical about life and be annoyed with Eddie his blood brother, this was the start where everything went wring. He had been made to grow up too fast, he had needed to, and he was annoyed with envy that Eddie was having such a good life. This showed tragic irony because; if his mother had have given him away he would have been in Eddies position not leading the terrible life he was now. His brother Sammy was his idol; right from the very beginning he looked up to him and loved him. He thought that Sammy was perfect from the beginning, but gradually, especially in the teenage section, he realised that Sammy was street- cred but was not who he wanted to be. Recently Mickey had been put under emotional blackmail from his brother; he didnt want to grass his brother in to the police because his brother got himself into trouble trying to help him. He had that dilemma on his mind. The weights of these problems and losses on his mind were conveyed amazingly in the pills scene. Mickey was pale; he looked several years older than he actually was. He was stooped over at the shoulders and wore brown baggy jumpers, trying to hide him. He lacked confidence because of his poor stance. Before he would stand tall and from the age of 17+ he was very open to Linda in a sexual way. Now they were so different he barely looked at her because he knew that he had given up on his life and felt ashamed that he had. When Linda was shouting at Mickey the tension felt was so intense because their body language was so private to themselves. This scene was the most emotional moment in the play for me because everything had gone wrong. You could see the frustration in Lindas face, she was frowning as she was shouting, she loved him and she had to watch her husband making a mess of his life because of the drugs. The voice skills the actor used here were brilliant; he talked in a monotone voice rather than Mickeys usual exciting voice. He also twitched which Mickey never did before; this showed what the drugs had done to him. All of the facial expressions and vocal skills were very subtle yet effective. The relationships between Linda and Mickey changed throughout the play; at the beginning they were extremely relaxed, fun, carefree, and full of life. AS teenagers they came to have more issues on their mind e. g. school life, one another, but they still kept the fun, and liveliness theyd had as a child. As young adults they had been forced to grow up as quickly as they did because they had to get married because Linda was pregnant. Because they had been forced to grow up like they did, they were face with more problems. Mickeys facial expressions throughout the play were the key to the audience believing whatever age he was, as a child they were much more impulsive and cheeky, as an a teenager he often looked embarrassed, and as an adult he looked extremely miserable, and stress ridden. Mickey and Linda both played their ages perfectly throughout the play and this were showed through their detailed voice skills, movement, facial expressions, and characteristics which ran through each scene. Willy Russell wrote this musical in a very witty and intelligent way. I noticed that in the beginning of the play there was a lot of humour, especially in the scenes between Linda Eddie and Mickey. The humour was used in ways which would show Eddies up bringing to be very different to Linda and Mickeys.

The American revolution Essay Example for Free

The American revolution Essay One of the major reasons why the American Revolution started was because of the fact that the British were not including the Americans in the decisions that were being taken for the taxation proceeds from the citizens the Americans who felt that they were not being asked to participate in important decisions (Blanco 757). The seeds for revolt were planted by the resentment at the non-inclusion at the decision making process given the fact that the Americans felt that they made significant contributions to the coffers of the British. America, at this point, was willing to wage war in order to be properly represented and to be allowed to take part in the decision making process (Blanco 757). It had now become a common sentiment among the Americans that there were so many things that they felt had to be done but were left unresolved due to their exclusion. America went to war not to prove that they were stronger but rather they went to war in order to set things right. America wanted to help the people in living an unsuppressed life and this is why they fought for independence. According to a Richard Blanco, â€Å"The most radical impact was the sense that all men have an equal voice in government and that inherited status carried no political weight in the new republic. The rights of the people were incorporated into state constitutions. Thus came the widespread assertion of liberty, individual rights, equality and hostility toward corruption which would prove core values of republicanism to Americans. (702)† This means that according to some sources, the American Revolution had a greater impact on the world because it was the first who had fought against the British rule and ensured independence for itself. The American Revolution was the one that began the trend of ambushing the British and taking over their own country so that they can rule it in the right way and so that they can also allow the public to be a part of the decisions that are going to be made by the government. This was a major victory for America and this is why they celebrate such an occasion.

Palliative Care Nursing Reflection

Palliative Care Nursing Reflection INTRODUCTION The Healthcare Quality Strategy for NHS Scotland (Scottish Government 2010) was a further development from ‘Better Health, Better Care’ (Scottish Government 2007). In this reflective account I wish to concentrate on the peoples priorities for the people of Scotland outlined within this document, the ultimate aim is to provide the highest quality of care. It has as their objectives that care given should be consistent, person centered, clinically effective and safe and equitable with patients receiving clear communication with regards to conditions and treatment (Scottish Government 2010). Hubley and Copeman, (2008) state communication skills are paramount in healthcare to ensure that tailored advice is delivered effectively. This reflective account is based on an experience from my 3rd year management placement. Using Gibbs’s Reflective Model (1988) I aim to outline what occurred throughout the incident which involved providing clear communication and patient centered care and how this can be linked to the Quality Strategy in relation to the people’s priorities. This reflective model has been selected as it enables reflection on practice in a structured way allowing one to identify critical learning and development from their experience to enhance future practice (Bullman and Schutz, 2008). This scenario will consider how this incident will aid in my transition from student nurse to staff nurse. To comply with patients’ rights to confidentiality and in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), (2010) I will use the pseudonym Mrs Wade. DESCRIPTION This reflection involves a 78 year old lady Mrs Wade who was an inpatient on the ward for 10 days after being diagnosed as having a cerebral haemorrhage. This had left Mrs Wade with a left sided weakness and aphasic. It was during this time it was established that Mrs Wade was also suffering from a perforated bowel and after discussion with her family from the medical staff it was decided that Mrs Wade was for no further active care and was to remain in the wards single room for palliative care. Feelings During my three years as a student nurse I had been involved with the care or palliative patients. However, I felt I still lacked confidence in this situation in communicating with patients and families. I had been involved in Mrs Wades care from admission as I had been her admitting nurse and I felt I had established a good patient / nurse relationship which in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) allows for patient centered care. This is a difficult time for the Wade family and as stated with in The Healthcare Quality Strategy for NHS Scotland (Scottish Government 2010, p6) I would strive to provide care that was both caring and compassionate. Evaluation The negative aspect of this situation was that I was dealing with a palliative care patient and that it was inevitable that my patient would die. The positive aspect that I could draw from this was I was being put in a situation as a 3rd year student on my final placement and this would give me an experience that I could learn from. Jones (2012) advocates that it is essential in nursing to have good communication skills. This is also advocated by Dougherty and Lister (2008) who states that communication is an integral part of maintaining a high quality of record keeping which is regarded as a vital standard of practice by the NMC (2008). Communication and written care records aid to establish a continuity of care. A holistic approach for continuity of care is exceptionally important when caring for palliative care patients as nurses have a crucial role in care provision (Hill, 2011). It is important to note that any information that is given to Mrs Wade and her family is given in an open and honest manner and to ensure that they understand and give opportunity to ask questions (NMC, 2008). As Mrs Wade was a palliative care patient it gave rise to effective teamwork within the multi-disciplinary team to ensure all Mrs Wades needs were met as well as her families to ensure continuity of care whilst showing clinica l excellence. Analysis The World Health Organisation (nd) describes palliative care as â€Å"an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.† A holistic approach was taken in planning Mrs Wade care incorporating physical, psychological, social, emotional and environmental needs. These needs are not only imperative to the patient but also had to include all Mrs Wades immediate family in who she had requested to be involved (Dougherty and Lister, 2008). Within the ward I worked active care plans and patient care plans are reviewed daily and updated accordingly to ensure the patient receives the best possible care (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 2014) Jones (2012) states that it is essential in nursing to have good communication skills. This is also reiterated by Dougherty and Lister (2008) who states that communication is an integral part of maintaining a high quality of record keeping which is regarded as a vital standard of practice by the NMC (2009). Communication and written care records aid to establish a continuity of care. Communication also incorporates the ability to listen and support and ensure understanding (NMC 2008). In addition to caring for Mrs Wade I was also given the opportunity to be involved in meeting with the multi-disciplinary team which in Mrs Wade’s case involved the palliative care team for the hospital. This again reiterated the importance of good communication skills and accurate record keeping to ensure that all participants in Mrs Wades care knew exactly what was happening (SIGN 20). In terms of communication I felt I was gaining confidence especially with the family members as I had built up a rapport which was both professional whilst being friendly and trusting (MacLeod et al 2010). Mrs Wade as well as any patient within our care should receive care outlined by the people’s priority. Patients receiving palliative care should be made comfortable and pain free and to be cared for in a safe and clean environment (Scottish Government, 2010 p6). Reflection from this incident has made me aware of the level of involvement each member of staff from health care assistants through to consultants play in the care of patients. This was shown through the numerous times I was involved in multi-disciplinary meets, re-assessment of care plans to ensure the highest standard of evidence based care was given to Mrs Wade (NMC 2009). CONCLUSION The outcome was positive in the aspect that a holistic approach to Mrs Wade’s care was taken in accordance with The Scottish Government’s Initiative (2010) on patient centered care. I felt empowered by incorporating the use of the SBAR framework in effective collaboration with the multidisciplinary team aided clear communicating in accordance with The Scottish Government (2010). This resulted in a consistent continuity of care for Mrs Wade. ACTION PLAN A result of this significant event was that it gave me the experience of dealing with a delicate situation. As stated by Scheffer and Rubenfeld (2000) â€Å"Critical thinking in nursing is an essential component of professional accountability and quality nursing care. Critical thinkers in nursing exhibit these habits of the mind: confidence, contextual perspective, creativity, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition, open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection. Critical thinkers in nursing practice the cognitive skills of analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information seeking, logical reasoning, predicting, and transforming knowledge†. I was also given the opportunity afterwards to reflect on my role and the role each member of the team took in the care of a palliative care patient. I feel for future development I will take responsibility for my own learning in areas where I felt I lacked knowledge. In this situation I had assumed that Mrs Wade was recovering from her CVA, however I was unaware that the effect a CVA has on the brain can result in continence issues and result in bowel perforation. I believe that in the future and with more experience I will be aware of complication resulting from a CVA and although I would not expect to be an expert I would be better equipped to deal with similar situations in the future (RCN 2013). OVERALL CONCLUSION On reflection of my own experience and in using this to aid in my transition from student nurse to staff nurse I feel I have enhanced my own knowledge on palliative care (Dougherty and Lister, 2011) whilst reiterating the importance of good communication skills. It also highlighted the importance of having the confidence to acknowledge one’s own lack of knowledge and be able to admit to this and where to seek guidance to ensure that the correct protocol is followed to ensure patient safety at all times and to provide continuity of care. I feel that the care given to this patient is in line with the initiative of The Scottish Government’s Healthcare Quality Strategy for Scotland (2010). In relation to how this incident reflects on my transition it shows that on graduating as a staff nurse I will immediately assume the role which includes leadership, delegation and supervision. Once NMC registered, a host of expectations are placed upon you. The RCN (2010) reported that newly qualified staff nurses feel unprepared and overwhelmed by their new responsibilities, making the period of transition very stressful rather than exciting and truly enjoyable. However, I hope to overcome these feelings by immersing myself in the knowledge that I will adhere to all policies and guideline by The Scottish Government (2010) to ensure the best possible care and service to all. References McLeod Deborah L, Dianne M. Tapp Moules, N., Campbell M E Knowing the family: Interpretations of family nursing in oncology and palliative care European Journal of Oncology Nursing Volume 14 issue 2 April 2010 Page 93-10 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462388909001124 NHS GGC http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1458

Catcher in the Rye Essay -- essays papers

Catcher in the Rye Catcher in the Rye: A Coming of Age Tale This novel explores many themes that are commonly felt by teenagers. Salinger’s novel discusses Holden’s stand against phoniness. Another major theme running through the novel is self-loathing, and while it may not be quite that extreme in all cases, most teenagers go through the â€Å"awkward† stage. Loneliness is also expressed in the novel. Every teenager goes through a time were they feel like they’re alienated. In a lot of ways, Holden also literally wants to be the catcher in the rye. These are just some of the themes that run through this novel. Jerome David Salinger only wrote one novel, Catcher in the Rye. It was published in 1951. It was called a genuine American tale and greatly praised. After this success, Salinger went into seclusion. All he wrote before his â€Å"disappearance† were four novellas and thirty-five short stories. Of these stories he preserved only nine. J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye displays the typical teenage alienation and depression. Salinger’s novel discusses Holden’s stand against phoniness. Holden’s deep contempt for all things that are phony is expressed throughout the novel. He even condemns people he doesn’t know as phonies, such as the man that his wing of the dorms at Pencey is named after, an undertaker named Ossenburger. â€Å"I can just see that big phony bastard asking Jesus to send him more stiffs.†(p.17) It is evident from the passage that Holden seems to think many people are phonies, but mostly people who have done better than he has in life who he doesn’t always know. He especially hates the movies and comic books. â€Å"Those ... ...ive, but not excessive. The novel is accurately written as an adolescent would write it. That makes it relatively easy to understand and interpret. It’s easy to see things from Holden’s perspective. It’s refreshing that he doesn’t fish for sympathy, he simply tells it like it is. Holden is a real character, created by a man with a brilliantly flexible imagination. The novel is intended also as a piece of social criticism. Not just by discussing the overall fakeness of society, but also by relating it. Fake people don’t change, they’re always there, it’s sort of depressing when you take a good look at people and realize that. Salinger directly addresses this point. He also suggests that trusting people leads to inner pain. The novel ,all in all, is like a sort of guide for teenagers lost in their own adolescents. Catcher in the Rye Essay -- essays papers Catcher in the Rye Catcher in the Rye: A Coming of Age Tale This novel explores many themes that are commonly felt by teenagers. Salinger’s novel discusses Holden’s stand against phoniness. Another major theme running through the novel is self-loathing, and while it may not be quite that extreme in all cases, most teenagers go through the â€Å"awkward† stage. Loneliness is also expressed in the novel. Every teenager goes through a time were they feel like they’re alienated. In a lot of ways, Holden also literally wants to be the catcher in the rye. These are just some of the themes that run through this novel. Jerome David Salinger only wrote one novel, Catcher in the Rye. It was published in 1951. It was called a genuine American tale and greatly praised. After this success, Salinger went into seclusion. All he wrote before his â€Å"disappearance† were four novellas and thirty-five short stories. Of these stories he preserved only nine. J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye displays the typical teenage alienation and depression. Salinger’s novel discusses Holden’s stand against phoniness. Holden’s deep contempt for all things that are phony is expressed throughout the novel. He even condemns people he doesn’t know as phonies, such as the man that his wing of the dorms at Pencey is named after, an undertaker named Ossenburger. â€Å"I can just see that big phony bastard asking Jesus to send him more stiffs.†(p.17) It is evident from the passage that Holden seems to think many people are phonies, but mostly people who have done better than he has in life who he doesn’t always know. He especially hates the movies and comic books. â€Å"Those ... ...ive, but not excessive. The novel is accurately written as an adolescent would write it. That makes it relatively easy to understand and interpret. It’s easy to see things from Holden’s perspective. It’s refreshing that he doesn’t fish for sympathy, he simply tells it like it is. Holden is a real character, created by a man with a brilliantly flexible imagination. The novel is intended also as a piece of social criticism. Not just by discussing the overall fakeness of society, but also by relating it. Fake people don’t change, they’re always there, it’s sort of depressing when you take a good look at people and realize that. Salinger directly addresses this point. He also suggests that trusting people leads to inner pain. The novel ,all in all, is like a sort of guide for teenagers lost in their own adolescents.

Provisional Voting :: essays research papers

Part I: Current Social Issues One social issue in my community that concerns me is that of provisional voting, which is proving to be an issue in many communities. The requirement that all states make provisional voting available was passed down by congress. Unfortunately, no guidelines were included with this requirement, and therefore the decisions on which provisional votes are counted and which ones are not differ not only from state to state but from county to county. As a result, provisional voting is beneficial to some and not to others. The main agencies involved with this issue would be the local election offices as well as the secretaries of state. Part II: Relevant Agencies Quite obviously, the main agency that would be involved with the issue of provisional voting is the local elections office. This agency devotes great energies to make sure that every member of the public is given the opportunity to cast their votes. Because this is the agency that determines whether or not each provisional vote will count, these are the individuals that play the most major roll. The Secretary of State’s office is also like to be involved in provisional voting. Each state is expected to be responsible for drawing up guidelines for the procedures to be followed for provisional voting. At present time, the guidelines are unclear, if existent at all, but at some point must be addressed by the Secretary of State. The local elections office and the Secretary of State represent the government sector. The final organization that I expect to see involved with provisional voting are the pollworkers. These are the individuals that volunteer their time on election day to officiate the polls where votes are cast. Since provisional voting is still quite new, the procedures can be somewhat confusing, and it is these people that must make sense of it. I would classify them as being part of the philanthropic sector. Part III: Final Paper Topic The issue I have chosen to further develop for my final paper is that of provisional voting and the guidelines by which the decisions are made as to which provisional votes will be counted and which will not. I have chosen to pursue this particular issue due to the fact that I work as an Elections Coordinator and I have recently experienced my first election from behind the scenes, so to speak. Provisional voting is a serious issue, required by Congress, but handed down with little or no guidelines. Provisional Voting :: essays research papers Part I: Current Social Issues One social issue in my community that concerns me is that of provisional voting, which is proving to be an issue in many communities. The requirement that all states make provisional voting available was passed down by congress. Unfortunately, no guidelines were included with this requirement, and therefore the decisions on which provisional votes are counted and which ones are not differ not only from state to state but from county to county. As a result, provisional voting is beneficial to some and not to others. The main agencies involved with this issue would be the local election offices as well as the secretaries of state. Part II: Relevant Agencies Quite obviously, the main agency that would be involved with the issue of provisional voting is the local elections office. This agency devotes great energies to make sure that every member of the public is given the opportunity to cast their votes. Because this is the agency that determines whether or not each provisional vote will count, these are the individuals that play the most major roll. The Secretary of State’s office is also like to be involved in provisional voting. Each state is expected to be responsible for drawing up guidelines for the procedures to be followed for provisional voting. At present time, the guidelines are unclear, if existent at all, but at some point must be addressed by the Secretary of State. The local elections office and the Secretary of State represent the government sector. The final organization that I expect to see involved with provisional voting are the pollworkers. These are the individuals that volunteer their time on election day to officiate the polls where votes are cast. Since provisional voting is still quite new, the procedures can be somewhat confusing, and it is these people that must make sense of it. I would classify them as being part of the philanthropic sector. Part III: Final Paper Topic The issue I have chosen to further develop for my final paper is that of provisional voting and the guidelines by which the decisions are made as to which provisional votes will be counted and which will not. I have chosen to pursue this particular issue due to the fact that I work as an Elections Coordinator and I have recently experienced my first election from behind the scenes, so to speak. Provisional voting is a serious issue, required by Congress, but handed down with little or no guidelines.

Analysis on Eastern European HRM Model

Many Western firms are rapidly investing in, or forming joint ventures with, firms in Eastern European countries. Despite the growth in Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) in Eastern Europe, Western managers know relatively little about the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices of these countries. In this paper HRM practices are discussed in Eastern European states, such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Russia. Although there are both historical and cultural differences between these countries, these countries will be dealt with together, as they all have numerous elements in common that enable managers or researchers to see them as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to analyze if an Eastern European HRM model can be constructed on the basis of an analysis of Eastern Europe on several areas. First, the environment is analyzed, in which several aspects are covered, such as political context and history. The emphasis lies on culture and (possible) implications for business, and HRM specifically. Secondly, specific Eastern European HR practices are dealt with in chapter three. Here too, several topics are analyzed. In the fourth chapter the implications of EU enlargement are considered in relation to Eastern Europe. As many of these countries are potential candidates for a membership of the EU, the necessary changes and implications are investigated. Based on all the forgoing, an attempt is made to establish an Eastern European HRM model in the fifth chapter. Finally, in chapter six, conclusions are given followed by directions for future research. The analysis of the environmental aspects of Eastern Europe include the following aspects: Looking at Eastern Europe's history, several main events can be identified that have an impact on today's business or cultural situation. First, the two World Wars had a major impact on the creation of the political and economic gap between Eastern and Western Europe, especially the Second World War. Eastern Europe came under the influence of the former Soviet Union, which implied that all countries were under direct political, military and economic control resulting in a very centralized economy. This type of economy had a profound impact on the HRM practices that were used in those countries, which is further explained in the next chapter. Secondly, under Gorbatsjov as the president of the former Soviet Union, contact with Western Europe was sought, resulting in the break-up of the Soviet Union and the start of a new era for Eastern Europe. Slowly, but gradually a shift was realized from a central towards a market economy, again with the necessary implications for (HR) management. The qualities that were required by managers of Eastern European enterprises were the ability to bargain, the possession of a network of suppliers and purchasers, and the ability to manipulate production and financial data. This style of management was driven by the response to the allocation of resources by a centralized bureaucracy in which rivalry between enterprises for resources led to unnecessary hoarding of materials. The history of Eastern Europe still impacts today's business operations. Many personnel directors and executives have their jobs because of Party connections rather than technical expertise. Creativity and original thinking was not encouraged or reinforced under the centralized government control. Top down communication was the norm. Common US practices such as MBO or 360-degree feedback, or Western European structures such as strong employee involvement or self-management work teams will not be easily transferred to the Eastern European work environment. Business practices that stem from political corruption or organized crime activities are still realities and may violate other countries' laws and ethical norms. Despite the great changes that have occurred in Eastern Europe, western managers must patiently accept these differences and strive to form successful business relationships given environmental and political constraints. As mentioned before, the dominant political system in Eastern Europe was communism. This implied that a lot of the large companies were state-owned and the government heavily influenced trade unions. The view projected to the outside world by communist governments, was that of in a worker's state, such as the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites, the interest of the workers were as one with the government, because the government was controlled by a dictatorship of the proletariat. The problem with such a unitarist system is that it allows for little realistic criticism that might afford changes and reforms to meet real challenges. In theory trade unions were a separate entity from the Communist Party, but in reality they were often controlled by Party members. This meant that under communism, unemployment was unknown due to manipulation with statistical data and hidden unemployment (a certain job is being done by more people than necessary, just in order to provide more people with a job). The transition from a central to a market economy was initiated together with the transition from a communist to a capitalist political regime, and was started in 1989 after the fall of ‘the iron curtain'. This transition had several consequences. First, due to the hidden unemployment and in an attempt to make organizations more efficient and to cut costs, unemployment rose. Still now a major problem faced by Eastern European countries is persistent structural unemployment. Secondly, after a couple of years a lot of state-owned companies were privatized. In these companies usually an employee culture of the planned economy remained. The educational system has been and still is rather good. An analysis of 256 Russian CEO's from all over the country, the overwhelming majority (91,4 %) of them had college or graduate degrees. In the Eastern European labor markets a clear emphasis is put on a technical background, more than a formal management education. This was also backed up by the analysis: about 60 % had engineering and other technical backgrounds, whereas only around 20 % had a formal management degree. However, due to this strong emphasis on a technical background, there is a significant shortage of local executive talent. Expatriates remain a key component of the management market – an estimated 25 percent of all managers in Eastern European firms are expatriates. On the other hand, this lack in education is rapidly changing. Also due to the efforts to prepare for EU enlargement, a shift in education is clearly noticeable. More and more professional management studies are initiated and further developed, sometime through the help of an exchange program (for instance CEMS). Therefore, we also see a shift in recruitment: more sophisticated methods of attracting managers – such as the use of university recruiting and executive search – are on the upswing for senior-level managers, gradually replacing newspaper advertising and word-of-mouth. Â   Regarding Eastern European managers, Hofstede hypothesized that they would be characterized by a high power distance (in other words, they would display high tolerance toward inequality in the society and business relationships), high uncertainty avoidance, medium individualism, and low masculinity. As a comparison point, the United States are characterized by a low power distance, high individualism, high masculinity and low uncertainty avoidance. These hypothesizes were further backed up by study performed by Bollinger, who found the exact same results. Analyzing these results, we see that the Eastern European culture differs from Western cultures, depending on what country. For instance Western European countries, such as Germany and the Netherlands have more similarities with this culture than United States culture or Japanese culture. In order to develop and manage adequate HR policies, the factor culture plays an important role in this process. This Eastern European culture is still influenced by the past of communism and central economy. The eastern European business environment is very complex and very different from the western business environment. Despite Eastern Europe's large consumer base and natural resources, western businesses have not been very eager to invest in these countries on a large scale, such as in China. As knowledge increases about Eastern Europe and its business opportunities, and as countries in this region join the EU, increasing western attention will focus on conducting business in this region. Yet, relatively little has been written to guide western managers in Eastern Europe. The system of Human Resource Management and industrial relations in Eastern Europe has been undergoing enormous change since 1989 and will continue to do so for some time to come. The fundamental problem is the transition from a unitarist system, very tightly controlled by communist governments that influenced every corner of the economy, to a more pluralist system operating in some type of free market. It is obvious to most observers that some form of pluralistic balance needs to be achieved to contain uncontrolled free market forces. At present most Eastern European countries are stuck in the transitional phase between these two states. For instance, work habits have changed dramatically – with 50-hour weeks and taking work home more and more the norm. At the same time, absenteeism is low, indicating a strong commitment to the job. In this chapter the following current Eastern European HR practices are analyzed: recruitment and compensation. Attempts by Eastern European firms to modernize their workforces by recruiting young graduates and contract staff have left older employees on the side. Underqualified graduates and disabled people are also suffering as a result of Eastern Europe's drive for free-market flexibility. Firms in former socialist nations need to embrace diversity if they are to avoid repeating Western bad employment practices. In comparison to the West, Eastern European HR practices are not mature. Eastern European countries focus more on personnel practices than the integration of HR practices with corporate strategy. At the same time, managerial practices are becoming more westernized – an ‘East Goes West' trend that is expected to continue. The sleepy, bureaucratic firm of pre-reform days is a thing of the past. On this area we see a dual path. In the lesser-developed Eastern European countries, such as Russia and Rumania, foreign investors usually enjoy special privilege to import whatever materials and products they may need in their operations, and thus are more able to obtain these luxury products than domestic firms. These imports may be used to recruit, retain, and motivate workers. Therefore, western managers accustomed to providing challenging work and learning opportunities to motivate high level employees instead emphasize material over intrinsic rewards due to the lower standard of living in these countries. On the other hand, in the Eastern European countries that have a relatively high standard of living, salary increases for local talent are high – even in the lowest categories (state-owned and manufacturing firms), they have grown by more than 25 percent in a two-year period, and in the new private firms they have nearly doubled. These increasing salaries are dictated by the difficulty in attracting good local managers. In this fluid market, many firms review salaries twice a year or more – and benefits for local managers are approaching the levels of expatriates. But, according to a new EIU report, cash alone is not the key to retention. Staff in crisis-prone countries remains fixated on salaries. But where market economies have been starting to develop, a fair salary will suffice, provided employers deliver on a package of other rewards, incentives and working conditions. Benefits packages vary from country to country, but certain perks have emerged as key motivators across the region: cars and life & health insurance. Increasing stress is being laid on enhanced job satisfaction.

After the Second World War Essay

1) Japan   2) The â€Å"four tigers†: Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore (the sixties of the twentieth century); 3) Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China (from the 1970s to the 1980s) In fact, by rejecting import substitution industrialization Asian nations managed to avoid some negative results of this policy. First, their economies were not dragged by inefficient industries. Second, East Asia did not have to implement policies benefiting industrial workers at the expense of those working on the farms. This was crucial for Asian countries because farmers made up the majority of their population. In addition, in order to diminish the cost of industrialization, the cost of food needed to be kept artificially low. And also, East Asia attempted to prevent the appearance of rent seeking behaviours, which resulted from the usage of the licensing schemes for import substitution strategy and which usually increased inefficiency of economics. High tariffs on manufactured goods, which were imposed by many countries in order to create their manufacturing bases, forced multinational companies to assemble or produce them locally. For example, manufacturers of motor industry exported vehicles for local assembly. Their vehicles were delivered ‘completely knocked down’ and the local assembly resulted in poorer quality and higher expenditures in comparison with those imported already built up. Moreover, the local assembly of identical products only duplicated resources and reduced economies of scale, which became increasingly inefficient for manufacturers. On the whole, at the beginning of 1980s the policy of import substitution industrialization began to fail both in Latin America and in those Asian countries where the policy was adopted. Generally, it happened because the governments involved in the policy started to overspend reserves in order to keep the stability of currency. The governments in Latin America defaulted on their debts and had to turn to the help of the International Monetary Fund. Another process which contributed to the failure of import substitution was globalization. However, some economists think that the collapse of the policy of import substitution industrialization â€Å"should not necessarily be taken as an endorsement of globalization. † Such point of view was supported by the fact that some countries of East Asia also used high tariff barriers while rejecting the rest of the strategy of import substitution. This mixed policy was focused on investment and subsidies on the industries which would produce goods for export. As a result, these Asian countries managed to create competitive industries. However, irrespective of all their achievements, the policies described above also proved to be inefficient and later led to many problems during Asian financial crisis. The closing period of import substitution industrialization was in 1989 when the Washington Consensus as a set of policies designed to promote economic growth in the countries of Latin America was presented by John Williamson. The Washington Consensus included reforms which continued the policy of import substitution industrialization offering a modernized version of its tenets. In particular, the Washington Consensus proposed the following: 1) the discipline of fiscal policy; 2) tax reform. It flattened tax curve: the tax rates on high tax brackets were lowered and the tax rates on the low tax brackets were raised. Also it suggested lowering the marginal tax rate; 3) Competitive exchange rates; 4) Trade liberalization by means of low and uniform tariffs which would replace quantitative restrictions; 5) Reduced limitation for foreign direct investment; 6) Privatization of state enterprises; 7) Deregulation, which implies â€Å"abolition of regulations that impede entry or restrict competition, except for those justified on safety, environmental and consumer protection grounds, and prudential oversight of financial institutions† 8) Property rights must be legally secured; 9) Public spending should be redirected toward the investment of health, education, and infrastructure; 10) â€Å"Interest rates that are market determined and positive (but moderate) in real terms. † In the nineties the Washington consensus was being disputed. The critics of the reforms argued that they would lead vulnerable countries to crisis instead of helping to overcome it. Naomi Klein and Noam Chomsky claimed that the neoliberal policies of the Washington consensus would lead to the exploitation of labor market of an underdeveloped economy by a more developed one . Privatization of state industries, deregulation, and tax reform were seen by the opponents as the reforms which would ensure the development of the layer of local monied elite who would pursue local interests and try to maintain local status quo. Jorge Taiana, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Argentina, also disapproved the Washington consensus saying that such policies never had a real consensus and nowadays â€Å"a good number of governments of the hemisphere are reviewing the assumptions with which they applied those policies in the 1990s,† adding that governments are working on a development model which would ensure productive employment and guarantee the generation of real wealth. Another economist Duncan Kennedy in the article for The Boston Review stated that the Washington Consensus completely opposed the initial tenets of import substitution industrialization and more favoured American political interests: â€Å"In the form promoted by the United States, ISI was as hostile to free-market economics as to Communism. The overarching idea of the Washington Consensus was to wipe out every aspect of ISI: the Washington Consensus is both that free markets are good and that ISI [Import substitution industrialization] was bad. Developing countries were to develop through integration into the world commodity and capital markets, with policies of deregulated private enterprise, foreign investment, and open economic borders. † All in all, taking into consideration the mistakes of the previous experience and the criticism of the economists, the developmental policy of import substitution industrialization has never been returned since the time of the Washington Consensus. Thus, in the paper import substitution industrialization as a process and as a policy was investigated. It was found out that import substitution pursues three main goals: utilization of underused capacities, reducing unemployment and infant industries protection. The implementation of the policy of import substitution industrialization is based on three tenets: particular monetary and industrial policies, and protective trade barriers. However, it turned out that success and efficiency of import substitution industrialization was doubted by the proponents of absolute free market. Potential risks of import substitution were also visible while careful theoretical analysis and pointed out by economists. The underdeveloped countries of Latin America and East Asia implemented the policy of import substitution industrialization. It occurred that the potential risks and the negative aspects found out by the proponents of absolute free market constituted the drawbacks of the policy and finally became the chief factors of its failure. However, the major part of East Asian countries rejected the policy and experienced economic growth. The example of Brazil demonstrated that the policy of import substitution industrialization can stimulate economic growth for some period of time, but its drawbacks (first of all high expenditures and inefficiencies) pose real obstacles for continuous and strong economic development. Bibliography: 1) Bianchi A. M. Concern with Policy-relevance in the Latin American School of Economics. Post-autistic economics review. Issue no. 18, 5 February 2003 article 2 10 Nov. 2005 2) Charles J. Born in Blood and Fire Chasteen, 2001.p. 226-228. 3) Duncan Kennedy on import substitution industrialization. Totalitarianism Today. The Boston Review October 13, 2003, 10 Nov. 2005 4) Import substitution, Economic Geography Glossary, 1999, , 12 Nov. 2005 5) Import substitution, Wikipedia, 24 October 2005, 10 Nov. 2005 6) Stutz F. P & Souza A. R. : The World Economy: Resources, Location, Trade, and Development (3rd ed. ), Prentice Hall 1998.

I Don; T Know

Unit Eight Project Danielle Cripe Kaplan University Unit 8 Project Questions: Part I 1. Under HIPAA, are you legally allowed to view this patient’s medical information? Why or why not? All personal and confidential information should be limited to the bare amount of health care professionals. Only to carry out medical treatment (MLAE). 2. In this case, how would you be able to correct your error and provide the missing documents to the patient while still protecting patient confidentiality under HIPAA? You should contact the patient inform them you still have the documents, and ask if they ould like to come to get them (MLAE). 3. Besides a HIPAA Patient Release of Information form, list 4 other items that are found in the medical record. A privacy notice, acknowledgment that the privacy notice was received, a trading partner agreement, and an agreement reached with a healthcare professional business associates (MLAE). 4. Legally, does the patient or the physician/healthcare fa cility own the medical record? Why? The healthcare facility, but the patient can access them any time as long as the physician feels it will cause no harm to the patient (MLAE). 5.List 3 ways patient confidentiality is maintained in the reception/waiting area of a medical office. Not discussing patient information in the lobby. Making sure computer screens are out of patients sight. Also making sure patients files are not left open (MLAE). 6. A breach of confidentiality can result in what consequences for a health care professional? This could result in possible termination, or possible civil action being taken (MLAE). 7. From the list of Interpersonal Ethics (found in Chapter 1 of the Fremgen text), please describe how any of those traits were demonstrated in your actions in this case scenario?Respect by looking to make sure you could access his information (MLAE). Unit 8 Project Questions: Part II 1. Would the action taken in this second scenario be within your scope of practice f or your chosen field? Why or why not? No only physicians should be giving out prescriptions, and they should have never even looked in the file. They should have just taken a message for the doctor (MLAE). 2. What determines your scope of practice for your chosen career? What you study, and what the office you are working in tells you to do (MLAE). 3.Would Respondeat Superior apply in this case scenario? Why or why not? I would not think so, because this person was not acting within their scope of Employment (MLAE). 4. Would the Good Samaritan Law apply in this case scenario? Why or why not? No because this was not any emergency situation (MLAE). 5. What role does the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) play in regards to prescription medication? The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and ver-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, bi opharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, medical devices, electromagnetic radiation emitting devices (ERED), and veterinary products (MLAE). 6. What role does the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) play in regards to prescription medication and a physician’s ability to prescribe narcotics? Physicians must have a DEA license to write prescriptions, and it must be for the state they are practicing in (MLAE). References Bonnie F Fremgen, Ph. D. (2009). MEDICAL LAW AND ETHICS. New Jersey : Pearson Education Inc.